Syracuse University
Central Florida
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Orangemen Win Second Straight In 38-35 Comeback Against Central Florida
11/3/2002 12:32:53 AM | Football
Box Score
Syracuse sophomore running back Walter Reyes (Struthers, Ohio) scored three touchdowns and rushed 27 times for 130 yards to lead the Orangemen in a 38-35, come-from-behind victory against Central Florida in front of 24,043 at the Florida Citrus Bowl on Saturday night.
Redshirt freshman cornerback Steve Gregory (Staten Island, N.Y.) made two crucial special teams plays in the fourth quarter to key the victory. He earned the BIG EAST Special Teams Player of the Week Award for his efforts.
SU improved to 3-6, while Central Florida moved to 3-5.
With Syracuse leading, 31-27, and 10:13 remaining in the fourth quarter, Gregory recovered a muffed punt by Asante Samuel on the UCF 16-yard line. Two plays later, Reyes rushed five yards into the end zone for what proved to be the game-winning score. Senior Mike Shafer (Sarasota, Fla.) kicked the extra point for the 38-27 lead.
UCF quarterback Ryan Schneider led the Knights to pay dirt on their next drive, going 66 yards on five passing plays. Schneider hit Sean Gaudion with a four-yard touchdown pass and connected with Tavaris Capers on the two-point conversion to bring UCF within 38-35 with 8:52 left in regulation.
Syracuse was forced to punt on its next possession, with Samuel fair-catching Shafer's punt on the UCF 46-yard line. The Knights were stopped at the SU 30 and Matt Prater's 47-yard, game-tying field goal attempt was blocked by Gregory. Junior linebacker Rich Scanlon (Oradell, N.J.) returned the blocked kick 28 yards to the UCF 45 with 2:55 on the clock.
Again, Shafer was forced to punt, but pinned UCF at its own two-yard line with 1:33 remaining. Schneider drove the Knights to the UCF 37, but fumbled when he was sacked by junior Louis Gachelin (Miami, Fla.) on fourth down. Christian Ferrara (North Caldwell, N.J.) recovered the fumble as time expired.
The Orangemen trailed, 21-3 in the second quarter, but outscored the Golden Knights, 35-14, the rest of the game. It was the biggest comeback victory for Syracuse since the 1998 season, when it overcame a 21-3 deficit to defeat Virginia Tech, 28-26.
Central Florida built a 14-0 lead on its first two possessions of the game, scoring on a four-yard run by Alex Haynes and a two-yard plunge from Andreal Curry. SU senior cornerback Latroy Oliver (Hartford, Conn.) blocked Prater's 36-yard field goal attempt that would have pushed the lead to 17-0.
Sophomore kicker Collin Barber (Lexington, Kent.) booted a 25-yard field goal on the ensuing Syracuse possession, putting the score at 14-3 with 13 seconds remaining in the first quarter. UCF pushed the lead to 21-3 on a one-yard end around play by wide receiver Doug Gabriel with 7:00 left in the first half.
Syracuse answered with a 10-play, 80-yard drive, capped by a 40-yard touchdown pass from Troy Nunes (Butler, Pa.) to David Tyree (Montclair, N.J.). Barber tacked on the extra point and SU trailed, 21-10, at the half.
Reyes busted 38 yards up the gut for his first touchdown at 12:16 of the third quarter. Barber's kick was blocked and UCF led, 21-16. Prater hit a 32-yard field goal 2:35 later to increase the lead to 24-16.
Nunes threw a 12-yard dart to sophomore wide receiver Jared Jones (Hillsborough, N.J.), who made a tough catch in the end zone at the 5:58 mark of the third quarter. Reyes rushed in for the two-point conversion, tying the game at 24-24.
Prater hit a 36-yard field goal to give UCF a 27-24 lead at the end of the third quarter. The Orangemen took their first lead of the game, 31-27, at 13:56 of the fourth quarter on a four-yard run by Reyes.
Nunes, who left the game in the fourth quarter with an injury, finished 13-of-18 passing for 199 yards. Schneider set a school record with 440 yards passing, connecting on 28-of-47 attempts.
Junior Johnnie Morant (Parsippany, N.J.) led SU with three catches for 63 yards. Gabriel led all receivers with 206 yards receiving on 12 catches, while Jimmy Fryzel hauled in six passes for 150 yards.
SU will play host to Virginia Tech on Saturday, Nov. 9 in the Carrier Dome
