Syracuse University
Connecticut
Williams Extends Streak At #25 Connecticut
11/17/2007 1:39:00 PM | Football
Syracuse Game Notes
Game Statistics
E. HARTFORD, Conn. -- Sophomore wide receiver Mike Williams extended his school record for consecutive games with a touchdown catch in Syracuse's 30-7 loss to #25/arv Connecticut. Williams grabbed a two-yard pass from reserve quarterback Cameron Dantley to give him a TD catch for the eighth straight outing.
Williams finished the afternoon with six catches for 24 yards. His 51 season receptions represent the most by an SU sophomore in school history. He moved into sixth in single-season catches with the Orange and has the most since Kevin Johnson set the school record of 60 in 1998.
Williams also extended his streak of games with a catch to 19, the fifth-best run in Syracuse annals. Only Scott Schwedes (40), Mike Siano (32), Johnnie Morant (29) and Marvin Harrison (21) produced longer streaks. The touchdown catch against Connecticut was his ninth of the year and advanced Williams into a third-place tie with Rob Moore and Kevin Johnson on SU's single-season ledger. Tommy Kane (14) owns the record and is followed by Moore (11). The play also gave Williams 13 in his career, good for a sixth-place tied with Kevin Johnson.
The Orange trailed the #25/arv Huskies at the half, 21-0. Connecticut tallied two first-quarter scores. The first touchdown came on a 63-yard toss from Tyler Lorenzen to Terrence Jeffers. A Syracuse turnover led to the second score, a one-yard plunge by Andre Dixon.
Syracuse put together a 15-play, 46-yard drive in the second period but the normally reliable Patrick Shadle missed on a 40-yard field goal. Connecticut answered, going 77 yards in seven plays with the final snap a 21-yard touchdown scamper by Donald Brown that put the host Huskies up, 21-0.
The Huskies extended their margin in the third quarter. After missing a three-point attempt at the conclusion of the host team's first drive, Connecticut manuvered back into position and Tony Ciaravino converted a 33-yarder.
Syracuse went on the attack on the ensuing possession. Sophomore Andrew Robinson, who returned to the starting lineup after missing last week's game with Pittsburgh, connected with junior Paul Chiara on a 20-yard gain. Chiara carried the ball on three of the next four plays and accumulated 31 yards, giving SU a second-and-goal at the UConn three-yard line. Robinson attempted to find Williams but Connecticut's Robert Vaughn picked it off in the endzone to end the Orange threat.
The Syracuse defense managed to get the Huskies to turn the ball over on downs in the next series. Junior quarterback Cameron Dantley relieved Robinson but, after earning a first down, threw an interception the UConn's Danny Lansanah returned 49 yards for a touchdown. Sophomore defensive end Brandon Gilbeaux blocked the extra point to keep the score at 30-0, Huskies.
Dantley then took the team 74 yards in 16 plays for Syracuse's lone score of the contest. Connecticut threatened once more by moving to first-and-goal at the Syracuse three but the Orange defense put a stop to the drive, tackling Husky tailback Andre Dixon on four consecutive attempts.
Freshman Doug Hogue led SU rushers with 12 carries for 65 yards, all in the first half. Junior Paul Chiara carried most of the load after the intermission and finished with nine attempts for a career-best 55 yards. He added three receptions for 37 yards.
Junior linebacker Jake Flaherty ended up with a career-best 15 total tackles. Redshirt freshman Parker Cantey, a linebacker, also had a career day with nine stops. Defensive end Jameel McClain finished with nine stops.
Syracuse completed the campaign on Saturday, November 24, when it hosts Cincinnati at 7:15 p.m. in the Carrier Dome.
