West Virginia 34, Syracuse 13
Head Coach Doug Marrone Press Conference Transcript
Syracuse Student-Athlete Quotes
Syracuse Notes
West Virginia Quotes
SYRACUSE, N.Y. –The University dedicated the Carrier Dome field 'Ernie Davis Legends Field' in a halftime ceremory during a 34-13 loss to the West Virginia Mountaineers. The field was named in honor of Davis, who in 1961 was the first African-American to win the Heisman Trophy. Orange legend Jim Brown, Martin Luther King III, Chuck Davis, the uncle of Ernie Davis, and eight additional members of the Davis family participated in the ceremony. The ceremony also included a video address from United States Vice President Joseph Biden. In addition, Carrier Corporation president Mark Cywilko, Lacrosse Hall of Famer Chief Oren Lyons, former Syracuse football and lacrosse student-athletes, and members of civic organizations from Syracuse and Elmira were on the field for the special moment.
The tribute to the first African-American Heisman Trophy winner comes a year after he was honored on film in the Universal Pictures movie, “The Express,” which premiered in Syracuse on September 12, 2008, and was inspired by Sam and Carol Nappi, who stepped forward with the idea and gift.
For the Orange (2-4, 0-2 BIG EAST) against West Virginia, sophomore quarterback Ryan Nassib threw for 120 yards and two second-half touchdowns, playing for starter Greg Paulus. He accounted for 142 of the Orange's 222 yards on the day.
Nassib was 7-for-16 through the air and had eight carries for 22 yards. Three of his seven completions went to senior receiver Mike Williams, who finished with four receptions for 89 yards, including a 50-yard touchdown. With the TD, Williams tied Marvin Harrison for second on the Orange's career list with 20 receiving touchdowns. Rob Moore holds the Syracuse record with 22.
The Mountaineers (4-1, 1-0) scored on their first four possessions of the game, including on their first play from scrimmage after returning a Paulus interception to the SU 11. Quarterback Jarrett Brown found Noel Devine for an 11-yard touchdown and a 7-0 advantage less than five minutes into the game. On its next possession, West Virginia went 80 yards on 14 plays, capped by a one-yard rush by Ryan Clarke to close the opening quarter with a 14-0 lead.
West Virginia extended its lead, 20-0, with a three-yard touchdown run by Clarke at the 9:49 mark of the second quarter. Less than three minutes later, Jock Sanders scored a nine-yard rushing touchdown to make the score 27-0 at the half.
The Orange scored the only points of the third quarter when Nassib threw a 50-yard TD strike to Williams with 9:52 to go in the quarter to make the score 27-6.
Devine recorded his second touchdown of the day, a four-yard plunge into the endzone, on the first play of the fourth quarter to put the visitors in front, 34-6.
The Orange answered back two possessions later with a six-play, 66-yard drive capped by Nassib's second touchdown pass of the day, a 24-yard laser to sophomore
Marcus Sales to produce the final score.
For West Virginia, Brown was 22-for-30 for 244 yards and a touchdown. Devine carried 22 times for 91 yards and led a Mountaineer ground attack that produced 127 yards and four rushing touchdowns. Sanders was West Virginia's leading receiver with six grabs for 67 yards.
Defensively, Syracuse senior linebacker
Derrell Smith matched his career-best with eight solo tackles and forced a fumble. Junior strong safety
Max Suter had a career day with 12 tackles, nine solo, and one pass breakup.
Syracuse returns to action after a bye week on Saturday, Oct. 24 when it steps out of conference to host Akron at the Carrier Dome.
