Saturday, November 3
Pittsburgh, Pa.
12:00 p.m.
Syracuse University
17
at
20
Pittsburgh
Receiver Taj Smith scored one of the Orange's two touchdowns at Pittsburgh.
Panthers Survive Late Orange Charge, 20-17
11/3/2007 10:08:45 AM | Football
PITTSBURGH – Junior quarterback Cameron Dantley came off the bench to engineer two SU scoring drives but time ran out on the Orange in a narrow, 20-17 loss to Pittsburgh, at Heinz Field on Saturday. Dantley started the second half and completed 15-of-27 passes for 189 yards and two touchdowns.
Dantley's second scoring toss, a two-yard lob to sophomore Mike Williams, pulled the Orange to within three at 20-17 with 1:46 left. After Pittsburgh covered Syracuse's onside kick, the Orange defense held the Panthers and gave the ball to the offense at the SU 30 yard line with 43 seconds remaining. Dantly completed passes to Williams and Taj Smith to put the Orange at the Pitt 45. After a Pittsburgh sack, Dantley tried to find Williams on a fourth and seven for a touchdown, but the pass fell incomplete.
Williams established a Syracuse standard with a touchdown catch in his sixth straight outing. He had previously shared the mark with Marvin Harrison, Tommy Kane and Rob Moore. Both Williams (554 yards) and junior receiver Taj Smith (607 yards) eclipsed the single-season 500-yard receiving mark. They are the first Orange duo to do so since Jamel Riddle and David Tyree in 2002.
Smith finished with six catches for 109 yards and one touchdown, while Williams caught a career-high eight passes for 81 yards. For the second-consecutive week, Smith surpassed 100 receiving yards and Williams had a career-high in receptions.
On the defensive side, junior linebacker Jake Flaherty made a team-high 11 stops, including six solo. Sophomore linebacker Mike Stenclik and sophomore defensive end Brandon Gilbeaux each made a career-best eight tackles. Flaherty and Gilbeaux each had quarterback sacks.
Pittsburgh was led by freshman running back LeSean McCoy, who ran for 143 yards on 31 attempts. Freshman quarterback Matt Bostick was 21-of-30 for 153 yards and one touchdown. Sophomore receiver Oderick Turner had 5 catches for 54 yards and a touchdown and junior fullback Conredge Collins made 3 catches for 41 yards.
In the first quarter, the Orange defense stopped the only scoring threat, holding Pittsburgh after the Panthers had first and goal on the SU one-yard line. Junior linebacker Vincenzo Giruzzi teamed with A.J. Brown to stop Pitt on a fourth-and-one try by McCoy.
The Orange got on the scoreboard first when Patrick Shadle knocked a 36-yarder through the uprights with 4:05 remaining in the first half. The Panthers responded with senior Lowell Robinson returning the ensuing kickoff 64 yards to the Orange 23-yard line. On third-and-four, Bostick found Turner in the endzone for a 17-yard touchdown at 8:23 in the second quarter.
Pittsburgh added to the lead by driving 34 yards on seven plays to set up a field goal by junior Conor Lee with 36 seconds remaining in the second quarter. McCoy rushed twice during the possession, including a 21-yard gain. The teams entered the locker room at the half with the score 10-3 in favor of the Panthers.
SU tied the contest when Dantley hit Smith on a 56-yard touchdown pass at 8:45 of the third. Dantley connected on four of his first five tosses after joining the first team in the third quarter. It was Smith's fourth touchdown reception of the campaign.
The Panthers pulled ahead at 17-10 at 13:51 of the fourth when McCoy crossed the goal line on a one-yard run. Aaron Berry set Pittsburgh up when he returned freshman Rob Long's punt 53 yards to the Syracuse 13. McCoy gained 12 yards on the first play to set up his one-yard scamper.
Pittsburgh added three points almost 10 minutes later at 3:21 when Lee kicked his second field goal of the day. The drive moved 17 yards on six plays and was highlighted by a 16-yard gain by McCoy on second-and-eight.
The Orange responded with a 10-play, 63-yard drive that was capped by the Dantley to Williams touchdown. Dantley was seven-of-nine on the possession for 57 yards. The touchdown reception was Williams' seventh of the season.
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