Orange Crush: SU Defeats #11/14 WVU

Friday, October 21

Syracuse, N.Y.

8:00 p.m.

Syracuse University

5-2 , 1-1

West Virginia

5-2 , 1-1

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

West Virginia

Syracuse

Quarterback Ryan Nassib accounted for five touchdowns in SU's victory against #11/14 West Virginia.

Photo by: Charles Wainwright

10/21/2011 8:40:00 PM | Football

Box Score

Syracuse Notes | Game Box (.pdf)
Head Coach Doug Marrone Quotes
Syracuse Student-Athlete Quotes
West Virginia Head Coach Quotes
West Virginia Student-Athlete Quotes

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Three touchdown passes from Ryan Nassib to Nick Provo led the Syracuse University football team (5-2, 1-1) to a 49-23 victory against 11/14 West Virginia (5-2, 1-1) on Friday night in front of 45,265 fans at the Carrier Dome.

Nassib accounted for five touchdowns on the evening as he threw for four and added a rushing touchdown in the second quarter. The senior finished 24-of-32 for 229 yards.

The win over the Mountaineers was Syracuse's first win against a top-15 team since 2002 when SU defeated Virginia Tech 50-42 in triple overtime. The 49 points tonight was the most ever against West Virginia and the Orange had a season-high 443 yards of total offense.

Running back Antwon Bailey registered his fourth consecutive game with more than 100-yards rushing and at least one touchdown as he finished with a 125 yards on 22 carries and one score.

The Orange took a 7-0 lead in the first quarter with a three-yard touchdown pass from Nassib to Provo, which capped off a 14-play, 84 yard drive. Senior Dorian Graham's 27-yard reception brought SU to the West Virginia seven-yard line to set up the score.

Syracuse put together its second 14-play drive to begin the second quarter, a drive of 80 yards that ended in a 1-yard touchdown scamper by Nassib. The senior's second rushing touchdown of the season gave SU a 14-3 lead.

After a West Virginia touchdown closed the margin to 14-9, Graham returned the ensuing kickoff 98 yards to increase the SU lead to 21-9. Graham's kickoff return for a touchdown was the first since Mike Holmes' 90-yard run back against Pittsburgh in 2008.

With WVU on the SU 10-yard line late in the second quarter, Orange junior Jeremi Wilkes intercepted a Geno Smith pass on the goal line to stop the Mountaineers, protecting SU's 21-9 advantage.

Nassib threw two more touchdowns in the third quarter, giving him four in the game, and increasing SU's lead to 19, 35-16 at the end of the third quarter. His first was a 29-yard pass to David Stevens with 7:21 left in the third. It was Stevens' first career touchdown reception. Provo then caught his second touchdown of the game with 18 seconds remaining on a 10-yard completion, increasing the Orange lead to 19.

Provo, a Mackey Award candidate, caught his third touchdown of the game in the fourth quarter and Bailey added a rushing touchdown. SU scored a touchdown on its first four possessions of the second half.

SU's defense stifled the Mountaineer offense the entire evening with constant pressure on WVU quarterback Smith. Senior defensive end Chandler Jones returned to action after missing five games due to injury and recorded six tackles, including two sacks, and one pass break up.

The Orange defense had three sacks on the night. Entering the game, WVU had allowed just seven all season. Junior Phillip Thomas recorded his fourth interception of the year.

Syracuse travels to face Louisville (3-4, 1-1) at the Papa John's Cardinal Stadium. Kickoff is set for 12:00 p.m. and the game will be televised on the BIG EAST Network.