Syracuse University
Wake Forest
Orange Football Loses its Season Opener at Wake Forest, 20-10
9/2/2006 9:48:41 PM | Football
Syracuse Press Conference Transcript
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Senior linebacker Kelvin Smith led the Orange defense, setting career highs with 16 total tackles and 13 solo tackles, in a 20-10 loss at Wake Forest.
Senior quarterback Perry Patterson threw for 45 yards on 6-of-19 attempts through the air to move into sixth on the SU career passing yardage list (3,400). He also topped 300 completions for his career and raised his career total to 304, the sixth-most all-time.
Wake Forest struck first on offense. After a 53-yard punt by Brendan Carney that pinned the Demon Deacons inside their five, Wake Forest drove the ball 96 yards in 15 plays to take a 7-0 lead at the 6:21 mark of the first quarter. Wake Forest quarterback Benjamin Mauk capped the march with a 14-yard touchdown strike to Willie Idlette.
The Orange responded with an 86-yard drive that culminated in a 20-yard Patterson touchdown pass to Rice Moss. The touchdown pass was the 14th of Patterson’s career, tying him for 10th all-time at Syracuse. It was Moss’ first career touchdown reception.
In the second quarter, the Deamon Deacons reclaimed the advantage on a 22-yard field goal by Sam Swank with 5:24 left in the half to make the score, 10-7. After the teams traded possessions, SU tied the game on the first career field goal by Patrick Shadle, a 46-yard boot, with 50 seconds to go before halftime. It was the longest field goal for an Orange kicker since Collin Barber hit a 46-yarder against Buffalo in 2004.
In the second half, Syracuse cornerback Tanard Jackson intercepted a Mauk pass on Wake Forest’s first drive to give SU possession on the Demon Deacons’ 30-yard line. A Patterson fumble on the first play of SU’s drive gave Wake Forest the ball.
Swank connected on another field goal with 4:37 to go in the third quarter to put the Demon Deacons in front, 13-10. Wake Forest started the drive on the SU 39 and picked up 17 yards on six plays to put Swank in position for the go-ahead kick.
With eight and a half minutes remaining in the game SU’s Nick Chestnut jarred the ball loose from running back Kevin Harris. Jackson fell on it at the Orange 13-yard line to give SU possession. The SU offense picked up one first down, but was forced to punt and the Wake Forest offense put together a 10-play, 59-yard scoring drive that ate up 5:18 and ended on a 19-yard touchdown run by DeAngelo Bryant to seal the game.
The Orange host #16/17 Iowa on Sept. 9 at the Carrier Dome in its home opener. The game will start at 3:30 and be televised on ABC.
