USF 34, Syracuse 20: Game Day Log

The Bulls went into the Carrier Dome to face Syracuse for the first Big East conference game of the season, winning 34-20, and improving to 5-0! Check out the USFN play-by- play game log of USF's win over the Orange. Only on USFNation.com

Click here for the Bulls/Orange live game log.
USF and Syracuse have met four times prior to Saturday’s game with the Bulls winning all four previous meetings, including a 45-13 win Oct. 18, 2008, at Raymond James Stadium. USF QB Matt Grothe threw for 248 yards and three touchdowns in last year’s game. Both teams’ starting quarterbacks have played Division I basketball — USF’s B.J. Daniels played in 19 games for the Bulls last season, while Syracuse’s Greg Paulus was an Academic All-America selection at Duke.

About the Bulls

USF has scored wins against teams ranked No. 5 and No. 13 in the past two years, but the Bulls gained what might have been their program’s most important win last Saturday as USF got a 17-7 decision at Florida State. QB B.J. Daniels made his first career start against the Seminoles and has registered back-to-back games with at least 100 rushing yards. Daniels came off the bench against Charleston Southern to replace QB Matt Grothe, who had suffered a season-ending knee injury. While the quarterbacks have been the focus of most of the attention, the Bulls’ defense has been quietly dominant. USF ranks second nationally in scoring defense (6.8 ppg), trailing only Oklahoma (4.7 ppg), and is 11th in total defense (242.8 ypg). The Bulls have held three of their first four opponents to seven points or fewer and have allowed just three touchdowns . LB Kion Wilson has a team-high 22 tackles, while DE George Selvie and DE Jason Pierre-Paul are tied for the team lead with 4.5 tackles for loss.


About the Orange

Syracuse has won back-to-back games for the first time since the 2006 season following a 41-24 win against Maine last Saturday. The game against USF will be the third in a stretch of six straight home games for the Orange. Syracuse enters Saturday’s game ranked 13th nationally in rushing defense (83.0 yards per game). QB Greg Paulus is ranked third in the Big East in passing (222 yards per game) and has completed 78 of 114 passes (68.4 percent) for 888 yards and six touchdowns with four interceptions. WR Mike Williams is the primary target with 437 yards and three touchdowns on 28 catches (109.2 yards per game). Williams is second in the Big East in receiving yards and third in receptions (8.0 rpg). RB Delone Carter has five rushing touchdowns and is averaging 71.0 rushing yards per game. LB Derrell Smith is third in the Big East in tackles (9.0 per game), sacks (0.9 per game) and tackles for loss (1.4 per game). Smith has 3.5 sacks and 5.5 tackles for loss. K Ryan Lichtenstein is 7-for-8 on field goals.

Click here for the Bulls/Orange live game log.


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