Damien Rhodes became the 17th player in SU history to eclipse the 2,000-yard mark.
UConn Leads SU, 26-0, After Third Quarter
10/7/2005 8:53:14 PM | Football
EAST HARTFORD, Conn. – Connecticut leads Syracuse, 26-0, at the end of the third quarter. This is SU’s first-ever trip to Rentschler Field in East Hartford. The Orange won the first match up between the two teams, 42-30, last year in Syracuse.
FIRST QUARTER
In the Orange’s second possession of the game, senior Damien Rhodes found a hole up the middle and scampered for a 39-yard gain, which moved him over the 2,000-yard mark in his career. He is just the 17th player in SU history to eclipse that mark.
On the first scoring drive of the night, Connecticut began on its own 20-yard line. Quarterback Matt Bonislawski scrambled on the first play of the drive to midfield for a 30-yard gain. A couple of plays later, junior Kelvin Smith knocked Bonislawski to the ground in the pocket. The ball was forced loose, and Smith jumped on the ball. However, further review of the play showed that Bonislawski’s arm was moving forward, and the call was overturned. On the next play on third-and-seven, Jason Williams caught a pass over the middle for 15 yards and a UConn first down. The Huskies’ running attack paved the rest of the way, gaining the final 33 yards for the score. Terry Caulley capped the drive off with a five-yard touchdown run.
On the extra point attempt, senior James Wyche penetrated the line and blocked Matt Nuzie’s kick to keep the score at 6-0 with 3:00 minutes left in the quarter.
SECOND QUARTER
UConn extended its lead to 9-0 with 8:20 left in the half. The Huskies used its rushing game again, as backup quarterback D.J. Hernandez ran for 15 yards early in the drive. Caulley and Hernandez used runs to drive into SU territory, and Nuzie came on to drill a 50-yard field goal. UConn went to the locker room with that same lead.
THIRD QUARTER
UConn struck first in the second half when Larry Taylor returned a punt to the SU 20-yard line. Hernandez rushed inside the 10-yard line on a scramble, and Caulley ran seven yards for a touchdown on the next play to give the Huskies a 16-0 lead with 9:11 left in the third quarter.
The Huskies got good field position again when sophomore Joe Fields was picked off by Dahna Deleston at the SU 31-yard line. A personal foul moved the ball to the 14-yard line, and Hernandez ran up the middle to the five-yard line. Cornell Brockington ran the ball within inches of the goal line, and Hernandez snuck through the line on the next play to put UConn up 23-0 with 6:58 left.
On the ensuing Orange possession, redshirt freshman J.J. Bedle took an end-around and was taken down by Darius Butler, who popped the ball loose. Marvin Taylor recovered for UConn at the SU 40-yard line.
On that possession, a Steve Brouse catch brought the Huskies down to the SU 17-yard line, and Nuzie came on to kick a 35-yard field goal, which he hit, to give the Huskies a 26-0 cushion.
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