Syracuse dominated No. 25 Rutgers, 31-13, Saturday afternoon in Big East Conference action before 36,759 vocal fans in the Carrier Dome.
The Orange dominated play in the first quarter, opening up a 14-0 lead with a dominant run game. The second quarter, however, started with Rutgers blocking a SU punt out of the back of the end zone for both the two points on the safety, and a big momentum swing.
The Syracuse defense stopped the Scarlet Knights on their next possession and the Orange marched up field. Quarterback Ryan Nassib found senior wide receiver Donte Davis for a 27-yard pass to the Rutgers 3-yard line.
After an offsides penalty on the RU defense, the other SU quarterback, senior captain Greg Paulus, executed play-action with the Scarlet Knights trying to stop a sure run play. The deceit by Paulus worked to perfection, and he lobbed a pass to Carl Cutler in the back of the end zone for the touchdown. It was the first collegiate touchdown of Cutler’s career, and the ensuing Ryan Lichtenstein extra-point kick put the Orange up 21-2.
The Orange (4-7, 1-5 Big East) also benefited from two interceptions by junior safety Mike Holmes on the way to its first victory over the Scarlet Knights (7-3, 2-3) in five years. Read more about the SU/Rutgers game at on the Halftime Snack blog [11] and TheNewsHouse.com game coverage.
