SU RALLIES BACK TO WIN SEASON OPENER, 36-29

Thursday, September 1

Syracuse, N.Y.

8:00 p.m.

Syracuse University

1-0

Wake Forest

0-1

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Wake Forest

Syracuse

Antwon Bailey rushed for two touchdowns and 114 yards on 25 carries.

9/1/2011 8:40:29 PM | Football

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The Syracuse football team rallied from a 15-point deficit with 11:02 remaining in the game to win its 2011 season opener in overtime, 36-29, against Wake Forest in front of 40,833 fans at the Carrier Dome on Thursday night. Senior quarterback Ryan Nassib threw three touchdowns, including one in the fourth quarter and another in overtime to propel the Orange to victory. Senior running back Antwon Bailey scored two touchdowns and rushed for 114 yards on 25 carriers.

Trailing 29-14 in the fourth quarter, Syracuse scored 22 unanswered points, capped by a Nassib pass to Van Chew in the corner of the endzone on the first possession of overtime.

The rally started with a touchdown reception by fullback Adam Harris with 8:26 remaining in the game. Harris' first career touchdown completed an eight-play, 73-yard drive.

The Orange defense forced a three-and-out, and SU took possession on its own 47 with 7:19 to play and no timeouts left. Bailey's number was called again and the Maryland native responded cut to the left and flew down the sideline for his second touchdown of the night. Going for the two-point conversion to tie the game, Nassib spotted Chew in the corner of the endzone to knot the score at 29-29.

On third-and-six late in the quarter, a pass from Wake Forest backup quarterback Ted Stachitas over the middle was intercepted by co-captain Kevyn Scott to position the offense on the 32-yard line with 5:24 left in regulation. Sophomore kicker Ross Krautman set up for a 32-yard field goal with just over two minutes left in the fourth quarter, but was blocked by Kyle Wilbur to end Krautman's streak of 16 consecutive field goals made.

Senior Ryan Nassib was 20-of-28 for 178 yards for Syracuse, while freshman Shane Raupers punted seven times, averaging 44.0 yards per kick.

Penalties plagued the Orange throughout the first quarter, as the Orange committed four penalties for 46 yards. Wake Forest kept the Syracuse offense off the field, while the defense was put to the test early on, led by eight first quarter tackles from strong safety Shamarko Thomas. The junior ended the game with a team-best 10 tackles. Despite allowing a 37-yard completion from starting quarterback Tanner Price to Chris Givens on the opening play of Wake Forest's second drive, the Orange defense was able to hold the Demon Deacons to three points following a 38-yard field from Jimmy Newman midway through the quarter.

Syracuse got on the board early in the second quarter by opening the drive by lining up three wideouts to the right. Nassib handed off to Bailey, who sprung loose for a gain of ten yards to move the chains for the first time of the night. Two plays later, Nassib hit tight end Nick Provo over the middle, who then broke a tackle and scampered into the endzone for a 20-yard pickup and an SU touchdown.

The Demon Deacons fired right back with a 60-yard touchdown pass from Price to Givens to put Wake Forest back on top, 13-7 six minutes into the second quarter. Price put the Demon Deacons up by two scores following a 13-play, 71-yard drive capped off by a 16 yard touchdown reception by Michael Campanaro in the back of the endzone. Price put the Demon Deacons up by two scores following a 13-play, 71-yard drive capped off by a 16 yard touchdown reception by Michael Campanaro in the back of the endzone.

Price, who left the game win an injury in the fourth quarter, went 18-for-31 for 289 yards and three touchdowns. Givens finished with 170 yards and two touchdowns on just seven receptions.

Sophomore defensive tackle Jay Bromley recorded his first career sack on a second-and-ten play for a loss of five yards with 10:25 left in third quarter to move Wake Forest back to its own 33-yard line, forcing a punt following a third and long.

Bailey began the next SU drive by muscling his way through the defense for a pickup of nine yards and an Orange first down. Later in the series, Nassib avoided pressure on first-and-ten before finding sophomore running back Prince-Tyson Gulley, who sidestepped a defender to pick up additional yards on his way to a career-high 18-yard gain down to the Wake Forest 15. Bailey completed the nine-play drive with a dash into the endzone on second and goal from the one-yard line.

Price and Givens hooked up again with only 20 seconds to play in the third quarter to put Wake Forest up by two scores again with a 22-yard touchdown pass.