Orange Start 2021 With a Win

Saturday, September 4

Athens, OH

7 PM

Syracuse University

1-0 , 0-0

Ohio

0-1 , 0-0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Syracuse

Ohio

9/4/2021 10:19:00 PM | Football

Box Score Highlights Dino Babers Press Conference Sean Tucker Press Conference Tommy DeVito Press Conference Darian Chestnut Press Conference Notes

Sean Tucker's career night helped the Orange start their season with a 20-point road win Saturday night.

He rushed for a career-high 181 yards, including a six-yard touchdown run, guiding the Orange to a 29-9 win over Ohio. It was the fourth 100-yard rushing game of his Syracuse career.

Tommy DeVito rushed for a six-yard touchdown on the Orange's opening drive, giving Syracuse a lead that it never conceded. DeVito completed 11-of-17 attempts for 90 yards in addition to his fifth career rushing touchdown.

The Orange improve to 85-43-4 all-time in season openers and are now 5-1 during the Dino Babers era in the first game of the year.

DeVito's touchdown put the Orange ahead in the first quarter. Ohio had the ball on the one-yard line deep in the Syracuse zone with 6:30 on the clock when Caleb Okechukwu's safety made it 9-0 Syracuse. Despite maintaining possession longer than the Orange in the first quarter, Syracuse's defense kept the Bobcats off the scoreboard.

In the second frame, Ohio scored a field goal to bring the game within a score but the Orange responded to go ahead 12-6. The Bobcats answered with a field goal and headed into halftime with SU on top, 12-6.

The Orange defense was on full display in the third quarter, holding Ohio scoreless in the frame. Andre Szmyt's 20-yard field goal gave 'Cuse a 15-6 advantage and Tucker's six-yard touchdown run put Syracuse ahead with its largest lead of the game, 22-6.

A 11-yard touchdown run by Cooper Lutz added some insurance for the Orange late in the fourth quarter, extending the lead to 29-9 after the extra point.

With just above two minutes to go freshman Darian Chestnut's interception all but closed out the game to secure the 85^th season-opening win in program history.

Tucker carried the ball 25 times averaging 7.2 yards per carry. Taj Harris moved to sole possession of fifth on the all-time career receptions list (141) with six catches. Szmyt was 2-for-2 on field goal attempts for his 57th and 58th career makes, passing John Biskup for second-most field goals made in program history and now stands one shy of tying Cole Murphy's record 59.

The Orange rushed for 286 total yards and held the Bobcats to 129 yards on the ground. They had 21 first downs to Ohio's 19 and was 8-for-12 on third downs.

Syracuse will welcome fans back to the Carrier Dome on Saturday, Sept. 11 for their season opener against Rutgers. Kickoff is slated for 2 p.m. on ACC Network.