Rutgers Hands Syracuse 31-9 Loss

Saturday, October 15

Syracuse, NY

12:00 p.m.

Syracuse University

RUTGERS

Damien Rhodes moved to 14th all-time at SU in career rushing yards with his 72 yards on the ground.

10/15/2005 12:45:56 PM | Football

Boxscore

Syracuse Game Notes

Head Coach Greg Robinson Quotes

SU Player Quotes

Rutgers Quotes

SYRACUSE, N.Y.- The Syracuse Orange lost to Rutgers at home, 31-9, Saturday Oct. 15. Damien Rhodes led the Orange with 72 yards on the ground, moving him to 14th all-time at Syracuse in total rushing yards, passing Marty Januskiewicz and Jim Brown.

Rutgers quarterback Mike Teel led the Scarlet Knights with 203 yards passing on 13-of-27 for two touchdowns. Ray Rice led all rushers with 81-yards, while Brian Leonard had 66 yards receiving.

The Rutgers offense moved the ball down the field on the first drive of the game after starting at its own 22-yard line. RU moved the ball to the SU 15-yard line before Anthony Smith came in from the outside to sack Teel for a loss of seven on third down. Jeremy Ito came in to attempt a 39-yard field goal, however pushed it wide, turning the ball over to the Orange.

The SU offense went three and out on its first drive of the game on three running plays by Rhodes, gaining a total of eight yards, Rutgers began its next drive at its own 22-yard line following a 48-yard punt by Brendan Carney, who had six punts averaging 49.0 yards on the day.

Rutgers replied with a 10-play, 44-yard drive that resulted in a field goal by Ito. Teel jump started the Scarlet Knights drive once again, completing a pass to Tres Moses for a gain of 19 yards, moving the chains to the Rutgers 43-yard line. SU would force a third and four situation, however Teel found Ray Rice open over the middle to pick up the first down. RU nearly got on the board when Teel aired out a pass to the end zone looking for Clark Harris who nearly hauled in the pass as it went of the tips of his fingers. After a penalty forced Rutgers back to the SU 34-yard line, Teel found himself under pressure and was forced to throw incomplete. Ito came in to convert a 51-yard field goal giving RU a 3-0 lead with 4:39 remaining in the first quarter.

SU and Rutgers then exchanged turnovers with Rhodes fumbling at the SU 38-yard line, while Teel came in and threw an interception on the first play of the ensuing drive with Dowayne Davis coming down with the pick.

Starting at its own 18-yard line following the interception, SU marched down the field with three consecutive pass completions by Perry Patterson, including a spectacular sideline catch by Tim Lane for a 24-yard pick-up. Patterson moved to ninth all-time at SU in career passing yards with the completion to Lane. SU was tabbed with a holding penalty to move them back to the Rutgers 22-yard line before Rhodes gained 12 yards on the ground to pass Jim Brown on the all-time rushing leaders list to close out the quarter.

SU began the second quarter with John Barker missing a 37-yard field goal attempt. Rutgers was unable to get anything going on the ensuing drive being forced to punt.

SU was held in its own end on its next drive, being forced to punt on fourth down when Rutgers’ Manny Collins blocked a Carney punt with Corey Barnes picking up the loose ball and running it in for a touchdown, increasing the RU lead to 10-0 with 12:16 remaining in the second quarter. It was the first time an opponent blocked a punt and returned it for a touchdown against SU since 2000 when East Carolina accomplished it.

After Kareem Jones had a career-best 36-yard kick return, SU’s ensuing drive would be stopped short once again on a Rhodes fumble, giving the Scarlet Knights the ball at its own 49-yard line. No damage would be done, however as Rutgers went three plays and out.

Syracuse was unable to get anything going on its next drive and seemed to have Rutgers stopped on the ensuing drive until a 15-yard personal foul against SU was assessed, giving the Scarlet Knights a first down. Rutgers went on to drive down the field with Teel completing a 37-yard touchdown pass to Moses, opening up a 17-0 Rutgers lead with 5:26 remaining in the first half. The reception made Moses RU’s all-time leader in career receptions. The Rutgers drive went for five plays for 70 yards.

After a pair of short drives for each team, Steve Gregory nearly went the distance on an SU punt return, however the ball was knocked loose as he passed the SU 35-yard line giving the ball back to Rutgers. For the second time on the day, SU answered with an interception following a turnover when Smith picked off Teel at the SU six-yard line. It was the 11^th of his career moving him into a tie for eighth all-time in career interceptions with 11.

After Syracuse failed to get anything going, it was the defense’s turn to hold off the Scarlet Knights as the opening half of play wound down. Smith intercepted a Teel pass once again on the first play of the Rutgers drive, giving him his second interception of the day. The pick moved him to fourth all-time in career interceptions with 12, tying Avatus Stone, Cliff Ensley, Ron Hobby and Donovin Darius.

Rutgers took its 17-0 lead into the locker room at the half.

In the second half, after failing to score on its first drive of the half, the Orange attempted to get the chains moving on its next drive going for it on fourth and inches at its own 32-yard line, however Rutgers was able to hold the Orange behind the line of scrimmage.

Following the missed fourth down conversion, Rutgers went to the air when Sam Johnson caught a touchdown pass from Teel to give the Scarlet Knights a 24-0 lead with 9:56 remaining in the third quarter.

On SU’s ensuing drive, the Orange would pick up one first down on a Rhodes run, however Patterson would be stripped of the ball with Barnes running the fumble recovery back for a touchdown, opening up a 31-0 lead with 8:55 remaining in the third quarter. It was Barnes’ second fumble recovery returned for a touchdown on the day.

Jones answered with a career-long 52-yard kick return. Tim Washington later hauled in a 16-yard pass completion from Patterson moving the ball to the Rutgers 24-yard line. SU would be forced to kick a field goal with Barker converting from 26 yards out. The SU scoring drive cut the Rutgers lead to 31-3 with 5:47 remaining in the third quarter.

SU ended Rutgers’ ensuing drive quickly. After a 28-yard Rutgers punt, Patterson came out throwing, hooking up with Lane for a gain of 26 yards. On the following play, Patterson found tight end Joe Kowalewski who brought the Orange down four-yard line. However after a holding penalty was assessed SU found itself at the RU 19-yard line. SU would be forced to kick a field goal with Barker connecting from 45-yards out to make the score, 31-6, in favor of Rutgers with 1:46 remaining in the third quarter.

In the fourth quarter, the Orange would get the ball on the RU 42-yard line. Joe Fields began the drive with a 14-yard carry, moving SU to the Rutgers 28-yard line. Fields would continue to run the ball, picking up another first down bringing the ball inside the red zone to the 18-yard line. After a pair of penalties forced the Orange back to the 23-yard line, SU would be forced into a fourth down situation. Barker attempted his fourth field goal of the game, converting from 38 yards out. The field goal cut the RU lead to, 31-9, with Rutgers on top with 6:53 remaining in the game.

Rutgers kept it on the ground on its final possession of the game running out much of the final six and a half minutes to close out a 31-9 victory against the Orange.

Rutgers improves to 4-2, 2-1 in the BIG EAST with the victory, while SU drops to 1-5, 0-3 in the BIG EAST.

SU will next be in action Oct. 22 when it travels to play Pittsburgh at 12:00 p.m.