Saturday, September 8
Iowa City, Iowa
8:00 p.m.
Syracuse University
0
at
35
Iowa
The Orange defense forced three turnovers, including two interceptions and one fumble recovery, at Iowa.
Syracuse Loses at Iowa, 35-0
9/8/2007 6:18:49 PM | Football
IOWA CITY, Iowa – The Orange football team (0-2) lost in the third-ever night game at Kinnick Stadium, 35-0, on Saturday, Sept. 8 in front of a sellout crowd of 70,585. Junior receiver Taj Smith led SU with 51 receiving yards on three catches. It was the fourth time in six career games he gained at least 50 yards receiving. He had a season-long 28-yard reception in the third quarter.
Smith’s performance was a bright spot for the SU offense. Quarterback Andrew Robinson, making his second start, was 7-for-20 for 79 yards. Junior Curtis Brinkley led the Orange ground game with 36 yards on 12 carries.
Iowa (2-0) rolled up 408 yards of total offense. Quarterback Jake Christensen was 15-for-24 for 192 yards and three scores in the opening half, and finished the game 23-for-32 for 278 yards and four TDs. He is the first quarterback since Purdue’s Kyle Orton in 2004 to pass for four touchdowns against SU. Three of those scores went to tight end Tony Moeaki, who caught eight passes for 112 yards.
The Hawkeyes grabbed a 14-0 lead after the first quarter on a pair of Christensen TD tosses. He hit Moeaki, who slipped a tackle, and raced 52 yards for the touchdown to give the Hawkeyes the lead 7 minutes and 50 seconds into the contest. After an interception by Mike Humpal on the ensuing SU possession set up the Iowa offense in Orange territory, Christensen connected with Albert Young on 36-yard screen pass that went for a touchdown to put Iowa in front, 13-0. Austin Signor’s extra point made it 14-0 with 5:59 left in the period.
The Hawkeyes extended their lead to 21-0 on their next possession. Iowa marched 43 yards on 12 plays, capped off by a one-yard touchdown plunge by Damian Sims at the 12:57 mark of the second quarter.
Christensen tossed his third TD pass of the half when he hit Moeaki for a five-yard score with 9:55 left in the second quarter, making the score 28-0. The scoring drive, Iowa’s fourth in a row, was set up by Andy Brodell, who returned freshman Rob Long’s career-best, 56-yard punt 49 yards to the Orange 21-yard line.
The Orange had a chance to get on the scoreboard after a Joe Fields interception, but Patrick Shadle’s 39-yard field goal attempt was blocked by Kenny Iwebema. Iwebema also blocked an SU field goal try in the third quarter. Another touchdown grab by Moeaki late in the third period produced the final score.
Fields led the Orange defense with 10 tackles. Arthur Jones, making his second career start, finished with a personal-best nine stops.
Defensive end Jameel McClain and tackle Tony Jenkins combined for SU's first sack of the year in the first quarter. McClain notched eight tackles in the game, one shy of his career high. Jenkins registered recorded five stops. Linebacker Vincenzo Giruzzi also had a career high in tackles with eight, including five solos.
The SU defense forced three Iowa turnovers, two interceptions and a fumble. In addition to Fields’ pick, junior free safety Bruce Williams made his first-career INT midway through the fourth quarter. It was the fifth time in the last two years the Orange has intercepted multiple passes in a game. McClain also recovered a fumble on a botched snap.
The Orange returns home next weekend to face its second straight Big Ten opponent. Syracuse will host Illinois at 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 15 in the Dome. Click here to buy tickets. Former Syracuse legend John Mackey will have his jersey retired in a ceremony at halftime. It is also Patriotic Day. Saturday’s contest will be televised live on ESPNU.
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