BUFFALO – When quarterback Perry Patterson entered the game with seven minutes left in the first quarter, it appeared to be because of poor play by Joe Fields, who had just thrown an interception.

Turns out it was all part of the plan.

Syracuse football head coach Paul Pasqualoni told both quarterbacks they would split possessions in the first quarter, with each playing at least two series. Fields started the game, leading SU to a field goal, even though the offense lost one yard on its opening possession.

Fields’ second drive resulted in an interception. Patterson didn’t fare much better, completing seven of 18 passes for 61 yards. Pasqualoni said Patterson played all of the second quarter because SU had some momentum. Syracuse scored 24 points in the second quarter.

‘I know we’ve got two quarterbacks right now who can play who are doing a good job,’ Pasqualoni said. ‘We’ll continue to evaluate (Fields and Patterson).’

Pasqualoni substituted quarterbacks six times throughout the game. Fields was substituted three times, Patterson was subbed twice and Xzavier Gaines was substituted late in the fourth quarter.

‘You just got to be ready,’ Patterson said. ‘It’s a little tough, but whenever it’s your time to go in, you’ve got to do well.’

Temper, temper With 2:58 left in the second quarter, wide receiver Andre Fontenette and Matt Tarullo were involved in a shouting match on the SU sideline. Both players were in each other’s faces and were soon separated.

Earlier in the game, Fontenette dropped a pass and he said Tarullo took exception to it.

‘He said, ‘You gotta catch that,” Fontenette said. ‘I said, ‘All right.’ It’s just something that happens in football. It’s no big deal. That’s my man. We came here together. We played all-star games in high school. We’ll be fine.’

Injury report Kellen Pruitt walked off the field with a brace and ice pack over his right knee. Pasqualoni said Pruitt bumped his knee on SU’s first defensive series, but he played the entire game.

Marcus Clayton, who didn’t play last week against Purdue because of an injured hamstring, played Saturday on special teams.

America the beautiful The Buffalo athletic department honored America on Sept. 11 – oddly enough – with 35 kilt-wearing, bagpipe-toting men and women. They were joined on the field by members of the armed services.

Country music singer Lee Ann Womack sang the national anthem as jets passed over the stadium.

This and that… The attendance, 29,013, was the highest in UB football history. But by the fourth quarter, with the game out of reach, only a handful of fans remained in the student section. … Despite outscoring UB by 20 points, SU recorded only one more first down (12) than the Bulls. …Quarterback Xzavier Gaines entered the game with four minutes left in the fourth quarter but didn’t attempt a pass.

Published on September 12, 2004 at 12:00 pm