Syracuse began its final offensive drive against Cincinnati on its own 1-yard line. Down six points with 3:16 remaining, quarterback Perry Patterson entered the game and gave the Orange a chance at its first win in six games.

Four passes and 51 yards later, Syracuse’s hopes stalled as receiver Tim Lane dropped a cross-route pass on the Bearcat 20, marking an anticlimactic finish to the first game SU had a shot at in its last five.

Syracuse lost to Cincinnati, 22-16, in front of 42,457 at the Carrier Dome on Saturday for its sixth straight loss. Though Patterson could not lead the Orange to a fourth-quarter comeback, it was starter Joe Fields who put Patterson in position to do so.

Fields started for the first time since SU’s 19-7 home win against Cincinnati on Sept. 18, 2004. He shared time with Patterson on Saturday before hurting his index finger and thumb on his right throwing hand early in the fourth quarter.

While Fields completed only five passes on nine attempts, his spirited play kept the Orange (1-7, 0-5 Big East) in the game.

‘I don’t see great arm strength (in Fields),’ SU head coach Greg Robinson said. ‘I see a little competitor out there who is feisty as all get out and he did what I thought he would do – compete – and that’s his game.’

On SU’s first drive, Fields ran four times for 25 yards, setting up a Damien Rhodes touchdown run, giving Syracuse a 7-0 lead.

‘(Fields’) mobility is his game,’ SU quarterbacks coach Major Applewhite said. ‘He’s shown that he could do both (throwing and running), but his mobility keeps the defense off balance a little bit.’

Fields quarterbacked two of SU’s three scoring drives, including impressive third-quarter strikes that led to a 27-yard field goal. Fields found Lane and Rice Moss on the drive for 42- and 50-yard completions, respectively.

Neither Fields nor Patterson threw an interception in the game. Patterson showed a sense of urgency in his first time as a backup this season. He was 9-for-17 for 154 yards and he found Rhodes for SU’s other touchdown, a 70-yard screen in the second quarter.

Patterson was not available to the media after the game.

Applewhite said the quarterbacks were told Fields would start early last week.

‘We wanted to try and get something going and create a little momentum,’ Applewhite said. ‘I remember telling the guys that Texas has a streak going since 1990 that a quarterback hasn’t started and finished the season as a starter. You’re gonna have to play the second guy at some point. I commend those guys for handling the situation with class.’

Cincinnati’s (4-4, 2-2 Big East) winning score came with 13 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. Fields was sacked on the SU 26-yard line and coughed the ball up to Bearcat linebacker Kevin McCullough, who returned it 17 yards for the final score of the game.

Fields came out with spasms in his right hand after two incomplete passes. He said he planned to go back in at the end of the game, but Robinson chose Patterson for the final drive instead.

Robinson said there were good things to take from the loss. SU’s 15 first downs were the most it’s had since the Orange’s 27-24 loss to Virginia on Sept. 16.

Applewhite would not speculate on which quarterback might start SU’s next game Nov. 12 against South Florida.

‘I always knew I could play ball,’ Fields said. ‘I guess I can run, too. Coaches and everybody always knew I could run the ball, it’s the media who only thought I could run.’

Published on October 30, 2005 at 12:00 pm