Photo by: Stephen Parker
#TBT: Orange Downs Louisville in 1989 Coca-Cola Bowl
11/5/2015 3:43:00 PM | Football
Rob Carpenter catches two fourth-quarter TD passes in 24-13 win
For the first time since 2011, the Orange will travel to Papa John's Cardinal Stadium in Louisville, Ky. to face the Louisville Cardinals. Twelve of the previous 13 series meetings were played in the United States. With two days before kickoff, Cuse.com examines the one matchup that wasn't played on U.S. soil – the 1989 Coca-Cola Bowl in Japan.
TOKYO – The 1989 Orange became the first SU football squad to play a game overseas when it went head-to-head with Louisville in the Coca-Cola Bowl at the Tokyo Dome. Led by receiver Rob Carpenter, who made two fourth-quarter touchdown receptions, the Orange defeated the Cardinals, 24-13.
Carpenter caught scoring passes of 64 and 79 yards from backup quarterback Wendal Lowrey in the game's final 13 minutes and finished the contest with three catches for 144 yards. Running back Michael Owens led the Orange ground gainers, rushing for 74 yards on 21 carries to go over the 1,000-yard mark for the season.
Defensively, the Orange intercepted Louisville quarterback Browning Nagle twice and held the Cardinals to 88 yards rushing.
SU opened the scoring on a 46-yard touchdown pass from Mark McDonald to receiver Rob Moore less than four minutes into the contest. The Cardinals responded on their ensuing possession, finishing an 11-play, 78-yard scoring march with a 6-yard touchdown run by Carwell Gardner.
Louisville notched the only points of the second quarter on a Ron Bell 31-yard field goal to take a 10-7 lead at the half.
In the third quarter, Syracuse tied the game on a 31-yard field goal by John Biskup.
The Cardinals nearly regained the advantage early in the fourth quarter, but Bell's 26-yard field goal try was blocked by Rob Thomson. Five plays later, Lowrey hooked up with Carpenter for a 64-yard scoring strike that gave Syracuse the lead for good.
Louisville trimmed the margin to 17-13 on a Klaus Wilmsmeyer field goal, but Lowrey found Carpenter for another long touchdown, this time from 79 yards out, to extend the lead to 24-13 with 4:32 to play.
Orange linebacker Dan Bucey eliminated any hope of a Louisville comeback when he intercepted Nagle deep in SU territory on the Cardinals' next possession. Lowrey and Co. took over at their own 13-yard line and ran out the final 3:28 as Syracuse improved to 7-4 on the season.
RUSHING: Syracuse – Owens 21-74, Kinnon 10-47, Walker 4-22, Lowrey 3-(-1), Biskup 1-(-4), McDonald 6-(-14). Louisville – Gardner 16-72, Smith 4-14, Lipsey 2-5, Ware 2-2, Bynm 1-1, Nagle 6-(-6).
PASSING: Syracuse – Lowrey 4-4-168-0, McDonald 5-7-69-0. Louisville – Nagle 17-31-222-2.
RECEIVING: Syracuse – Carpenter 3-144, Moore 3-71, Kinnon 3-22. Louisville – Gardner 6-115, Cummings 2-23, McKay 2-21, Fortune 2-21, Jones 2-19, Lipsey 1-9, Smith 2-4.
TOKYO – The 1989 Orange became the first SU football squad to play a game overseas when it went head-to-head with Louisville in the Coca-Cola Bowl at the Tokyo Dome. Led by receiver Rob Carpenter, who made two fourth-quarter touchdown receptions, the Orange defeated the Cardinals, 24-13.
Carpenter caught scoring passes of 64 and 79 yards from backup quarterback Wendal Lowrey in the game's final 13 minutes and finished the contest with three catches for 144 yards. Running back Michael Owens led the Orange ground gainers, rushing for 74 yards on 21 carries to go over the 1,000-yard mark for the season.
Defensively, the Orange intercepted Louisville quarterback Browning Nagle twice and held the Cardinals to 88 yards rushing.
SU opened the scoring on a 46-yard touchdown pass from Mark McDonald to receiver Rob Moore less than four minutes into the contest. The Cardinals responded on their ensuing possession, finishing an 11-play, 78-yard scoring march with a 6-yard touchdown run by Carwell Gardner.
Louisville notched the only points of the second quarter on a Ron Bell 31-yard field goal to take a 10-7 lead at the half.
In the third quarter, Syracuse tied the game on a 31-yard field goal by John Biskup.
The Cardinals nearly regained the advantage early in the fourth quarter, but Bell's 26-yard field goal try was blocked by Rob Thomson. Five plays later, Lowrey hooked up with Carpenter for a 64-yard scoring strike that gave Syracuse the lead for good.
Louisville trimmed the margin to 17-13 on a Klaus Wilmsmeyer field goal, but Lowrey found Carpenter for another long touchdown, this time from 79 yards out, to extend the lead to 24-13 with 4:32 to play.
Orange linebacker Dan Bucey eliminated any hope of a Louisville comeback when he intercepted Nagle deep in SU territory on the Cardinals' next possession. Lowrey and Co. took over at their own 13-yard line and ran out the final 3:28 as Syracuse improved to 7-4 on the season.
| Score By Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
| Syracuse | 7 | 0 | 3 | 14 | 24 |
| Louisville | 7 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 13 |
| Scoring Summary | ||
| Team | Play | Score |
| SU | Moore 46-yard pass from McDonald (Biskup kick) | 7-0 |
| LOU | Gardner 6-yard run (Bell kick) | 7-7 |
| LOU | Bell 31-yard field goal | 7-10 |
| SU | Biskup 31-yard field goal | 10-10 |
| SU | Carpenter 64-yard pass from Lowrey (Biskup kick) | 17-10 |
| LOU | Wilmsmeyer 35-yard field goal | 17-13 |
| SU | Carpenter 79-yard pass from Lowrey (Biskup kick) | 24-13 |
| Team Stats | SU | LOU |
| First Downs | 15 | 18 |
| Rushing Yardage | 124 | 88 |
| Passing Yardage | 237 | 222 |
| Total Offense | 361 | 310 |
| Passes | 9-11 | 17-31 |
| Passes Intercepted By | 2 | 0 |
| Punts-Avg. | 3-44.0 | 4-37.0 |
| Punt Returns | 2-19 | 3-16 |
| Kickoff Returns | 2-42 | 4-81 |
| Fumbles-Lost | 3-2 | 2-1 |
| Penalties-Yards | 6-38 | 3-25 |
RUSHING: Syracuse – Owens 21-74, Kinnon 10-47, Walker 4-22, Lowrey 3-(-1), Biskup 1-(-4), McDonald 6-(-14). Louisville – Gardner 16-72, Smith 4-14, Lipsey 2-5, Ware 2-2, Bynm 1-1, Nagle 6-(-6).
PASSING: Syracuse – Lowrey 4-4-168-0, McDonald 5-7-69-0. Louisville – Nagle 17-31-222-2.
RECEIVING: Syracuse – Carpenter 3-144, Moore 3-71, Kinnon 3-22. Louisville – Gardner 6-115, Cummings 2-23, McKay 2-21, Fortune 2-21, Jones 2-19, Lipsey 1-9, Smith 2-4.
Highlights | Syracuse at Miami
Saturday, November 08
Sitdown with Coach Brown | Miami Week
Friday, November 07
Fran Brown Show
Thursday, November 06
Fran Brown Press Conference | Miami Week
Monday, November 03
