Orange completes Big East slate winless at home
Saturday’s 23-6 loss to Connecticut was more than just another loss. It’s a loss the seniors especially would like to have back.
‘For the seniors it was frustrating because it was out last home Big East game and our last Big East game period,’ senior defensive tackle Andrew Lewis said. ‘It was just frustrating that we couldn’t get a win.’
While Syracuse competed a perfect slate (4-0) in conference road games this season, the Orange failed to capture a Big East win at home this season. Pittsburgh, Louisville and Connecticut came into the Carrier Dome this season and issued the Orange a trip of losses that stands as the difference between winning the Big East and finishing fourth.
Just one home win would have kept the Orange alive in the conference title race heading into the final week of the regular season.
‘They all hurt equally,’ junior running back Antwon Bailey said. ‘We were pushing towards a goal, one of our goals, and it can’t be accomplished now. We lost at home in front of the home fans.’
With South Florida losing at home to Pitt this past Saturday, and West Virginia defeating Louisville, Syracuse is firmly entrenched in that No. 4 slot. It cannot drop any lower in the standings, regardless of what happens the last week of the season, and it can only gain a spot if West Virginia loses in one of its final two games at Pitt and against Rutgers.
That makes Saturday’s loss cut that much deeper. Had SU won, it would still be very much a live in the title race. Instead, the best it can do is finish third.
‘Lack of execution at home really,’ SU head coach Doug Marrone said in response to why the team hasn’t played well at home. ‘Focus and level of play prior to the week in practice (has been good all year). When we get on that field the level of intensity is the same we just don’t execute.’
Carter moves up the chart
With a team-high 67 yards on 19 carries, running back Delone Carter surpassed the 1,000-yard mark this season. He is sitting on 1,005 yards with one regular season game and a bowl left to play.
Carter also moved into fourth place on SU’s career rushing list Saturday. Carter passed former Orange great James Mungro, who finished his collegiate career with 2,869 yards. Carter now has 2,876 yards for his career, behind only Larry Csonka (2,934), Walter Reyes (3,424) and Joe Morris (4,299).
This and that
Freshman place kicker Ross Krautman continued his streak of successful field goals to 16 with a pair Saturday. Krautman connected on attempts from 42 and 35 yards out. He’s currently 17-of-18 on field goal attempts this season. …For the first time all season, SU quarterback Ryan Nassib failed to toss a touchdown pass for the first time all season Saturday. It also marked the first time Nassib has started a game and not thrown a touchdown in his career. …The linebackers led the way for the Orange defense, with Doug Hogue leading the team in tackles, Derrell Smith forcing a fumble and Marquis Spruill collecting a team-high two tackles for a loss of yardage.
