Syracuse University
NOTRE DAME
Seniors Go Out with 38-12 Win Versus Notre Dame
12/6/2003 4:55:12 PM | Football
Box Score
Syracuse Post-Game Notes
Notre Dame Post-Game Notes
Syracuse Coaches' Post-Game Quotes
Syracuse Player Quotes
Notre Dame Post-Game Quotes
SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Junior running back Walter Reyes became the Orangemen's single-season and career leader in rushing touchdowns, running for five scores in SU's 38-12 victory in front of a season-high 48,170 fans at the Carrier Dome on Saturday, December 6. The Orangemen improved to 6-6, while the Fighting Irish ended their season at 5-7.
Reyes had one of the most productive days ever by an SU player. In addition to his five touchdowns, he ran for 189 yards on 19 carries, including a season-long run of 71 yards in the third quarter. Reyes tied Floyd Little (vs. Kansas, 1964) for second place on the SU single-game rushing touchdown and points scored lists. His touchdown total and 30 points were both Carrier Dome records.
Reyes increased his 2003 rushing touchdown total to a school-record 20, breaking his own mark of 17 set last season. He has now run for 38 career touchdowns, 37 of them in the last two years, breaking Floyd Little's record of 35 set between 1964-66. Reyes also broke the school single-season record for most touchdowns with his 21st of the season (rushing and receiving), breaking Little's old mark of 19 set in 1965. Reyes also moved into second place on the SU career total touchdown ledger, scoring his 39th career TD. Little holds the mark with 46. Reyes also cracked the top 10 on the SU single-season touchdowns responsible for list. He now ranks tied for fifth with Marvin Graves at 21. He is in fifth place on the career list in the same category with 39.
He finished the season in second place on the Orangemen's single-season rushing list at 1,347 yards, just 25 yards short of tying Joe Morris' school record of 1,372. Reyes and Morris are the only two Syracuse players to have two seasons ranked in the top five.
Senior quarterback R.J. Anderson finished his career, going 17-for-27 with 209 yards. Anderson became the seventh SU signal caller to throw for 2,000 yards in one season. Anderson's season total of 2,164 is fifth on the Orangemen's single-season list.
Anderson's third completion of the game, a 15-yarder to Thump Belton, set a new SU single-season standard for completions. Anderson completed 186 passes in 2003. Marvin Graves previously held the record with 171 in 1993. Anderson also holds the single-season attempts record at 310. He is the only SU quarterback ever to throw 300 passes in a season.
Senior Johnnie Morant led the SU receiving corps with six catches and 103 yards. Morant moved into a tie for fifth place with Mike Siano on the Syracuse single-season list with 46. Morant's receiving yards increased his season total to 799, the ninth-best receiving season in school history. Senior tight end Lenny Cusumano tied a career-high with two catches and set a new personal best with 41 yards, including a career-high 30-yard reception.
Syracuse outgained the Fighting Irish, 456-261, including a 247-62 advantage on the ground. The Syracuse defense forced four turnovers on two interceptions by sophomore safety Anthony Smith and two fumble recoveries.
Senior defensive tackle Louis Gachelin led the Syracuse defenders with nine tackles, including one sack. His sack increased his career total to 18.5, moving him past Rob Burnett into seventh on the Orangemen's all-time list. Gachelin also recovered a fumble.
Classmate Christian Ferrara unofficially tied the Syracuse single-game record with five tackles for loss (Dwight Freeney vs. VT in 2000; Antwaune Ponds vs. WVU in 1996). He now has 30.0 for his career, moving into fifth place on the SU all-time list. Ferrara also moved up on the single-season tackles for loss list. He unofficially has 16.5 for the season, passing Dwight Freeney (16.0, 2000) for third place on the SU list.
Senior linebacker Rich Scanlon had eight tackles in his final game at Syracuse. Senior defensive end Josh Thomas had five stops, including one behind the line. Smith had three tackles to go along with his two interceptions.
The Orangemen defense started the game off on the right foot, intercepting the Fighting Irish on the first third down of the game. Smith stepped in front of a Brady Quinn pass to give SU the ball on the Notre Dame 24-yard line.
Syracuse converted the turnover into the first touchdown of the game. Reyes scored his first touchdown of the game, going in from one-yard out. Collin Barber's extra point gave SU a 7-0 lead with 11:55 left in the first quarter.
The defense made another big play on the Fighting Irish's second possession. Ferrarra knifed through the line and brought down Julius Jones for a two-yard loss on fourth-and-one to give SU the ball on their own 37.
Syracuse scored for the second straight possession with Barber hitting a 43-yard field go give the Orangemen a 10-0 lead with 4:28 left in the quarter. It was Barber's longest field goal of the season and moved him into a sixth place tie with Tim Vesling on the Orangemen's career field goal list with 28.
Notre Dame got on the board with 1:09 left on the first quarter clock. D.J. Fitzpatrick hit a 50-yard field goal, the longest of his career and the Fighting Irish's longest of the season, to cut the SU lead to 10-3 with 1:09 left in the first quarter.
Notre Dame had the first chance to score in the second quarter, driving the ball inside the SU 15-yard line, but the Orangemen defense forced its second turnover of the game. Ferrara knocked the ball loose from Julius Jones and sophomore cornerback Steve Gregory picked up the loose ball and returned it six yards to the SU 22-yard line.
Reyes erupted in the third quarter, running for 123 yards and three touchdowns.
The Orangemen received the ball to start the second half, but were forced to punt. Brendan Carney's kick out of the end zone was partially blocked and the Fighting Irish took over at the SU 30-yard line. Syracuse held UND without a first down, but Fitzpatrick kicked his second field goal of the game, a 40-yarder, to cut the SU lead to 10-6 with 12:44 left in the quarter.
Syracuse came back with a nine-play, 54-yard touchdown drive capped by a three-yard touchdown run by Reyes to take a 17-6 lead
The Orangemen defense forced its third turnover of the game when Gachelin fell on a Notre Dame fumble, giving SU a first-down at the Irish 36-yard line. Reyes scored his record-breaking touchdown just two plays later, going in from 15 yards out. He accounted for all 36 yards on the drive.
SU forced another punt, but the Irish intercepted their third pass of the day. Courtney Watson returned the pick 48 yards to the Syracuse 23-yard line. Five plays later Quinn hit Anthony Fasano for a five-yard touchdown. The Irish's two-point conversion attempt failed, making the score 24-12 with 28 seconds remaining in the quarter.
Reyes got the points right back for SU, breaking off a 71-yard run down the right sideline on SU's next play from scrimmage. Collin Barber's extra point gave the Orangemen a 31-12 lead with 11 seconds left in the quarter.
Reyes tacked on his fifth score of the game with 10:27 remaining on a three-yard run to set the final score at 38-17.
Quinn finished the game 18-of-34 for 199 yards through the air. He was sacked three times. Jones was the Fighting Irish's leading rusher with 54 yards on 20 carries. Rhema McKnight had four catches for 41 yards, while Maurice Stovall caught two passes for 60 yards, including a 35-yarder.
Syracuse finished the season with a 5-2 record at the Carrier Dome. SU scored at least 30 points in all six of its wins.
