The Syracuse football team’s matchup with Rutgers on Saturday had all the makings of a recovery game for the Orange. SU was back in the Carrier Dome after two straight road losses, and it hadn’t lost to the Scarlet Knights at home since 1986.

But when Syracuse took the field, it practically handed the ball, and the game, away.

Syracuse fumbled the ball nine times, five for turnovers, preventing the Orange from establishing an offensive rhythm. Sparked by the turnovers and first-time starting quarterback Mike Teel, Rutgers defeated the fumbling Orange, 31-9, on Saturday at the Carrier Dome in front of 39,022.

‘It behooves me,’ Syracuse head coach Greg Robinson said. ‘It came in every shape and size. When it rains, it pours. We worked very hard on that all through camp, all through spring. Maybe our emphasis hasn’t been strong enough lately. How many times was the ball on the ground? Nine times. That’s ridiculous. That’s bad coaching.’

Syracuse’s problems started early in the second quarter when Rutgers’ Manny Collins blocked punter Brendan Carney’s kick on the SU 32-yard line. RU cornerback Corey Barnes picked the ball up and returned it for the first touchdown of the game.

The score shifted the momentum entirely in the Knights’ favor, and Rutgers (4-2, 2-1 Big East) eventually scored the first 31 points of the game.

‘That was a huge play for them, especially to pick it up and score,’ Carney said. ‘That hurt us. It’s hard to do good after that.’

Turnovers weren’t the only thing plaguing the Orange. Syracuse (1-5, 0-3 Big East) committed six penalties for 55 yards, including numerous penalties that erased large gains for the SU offense.

With time running down in the first quarter and Syracuse driving, SU running back Damien Rhodes broke a 15-yard run deep in Rutgers’ territory. The run was called back after officials caught tight end Joe Kowalewski holding.

The penalty pushed the Orange back to the 32-yard line and, after another rush by Rhodes, freshman kicker John Barker missed a 37-yard field goal attempt.

‘It looks like (the team’s going backwards), but I don’t know if that’s part of the deal,’ Robinson said. ‘I don’t know that. It’s not looking good right now. I can tell you that. We have to get the offense rolling. We have to. Defense is fighting to hold their own. And to keep pulling like that, the other side has to turn the corner. That’s the bottom line.’

The Orange defense held Rutgers to only 123 yards rushing, and more notably contained RU’s running back hoss Brian Leonard to only 37 yards on 18 carries. Plus, SU free safety Anthony Smith intercepted Teel twice.

The defense wasn’t without its struggles, though. Defensive tackle Chris Thorner was called for a hands to the face penalty in the second quarter after defensive end Ryan LaCasse stopped Leonard for no gain on third down. The penalty gave Rutgers a first down, and the Scarlet Knights took advantage. Teel found wide receiver Tres Moses for a 37-yard touchdown pass three plays later.

And despite his two interceptions, Smith also had his problems. With less than five minutes less in the third quarter, Smith jumped in front of a pass. With nothing but open field in front of him, Smith began to run before he had the ball and ultimately dropped it.

‘That could have created a real big spark,’ Smith said. ‘That could have put six points on the board. But I couldn’t get it. My eyes failed. I was seeing too much green in front of me. I didn’t see the ball.’

But the majority of the miscues came on offense. Syracuse even tried to run the option, a staple of former SU head coach Paul Pasqualoni’s offense, twice. Both times it didn’t work and once it even led to one of Rhodes’ fumbles.

The loss means Syracuse needs to win its final five games to salvage a winning season.

‘Never in my life did I think we would be one and five in anything,’ Syracuse offensive guard Steve Franklin said. ‘That’s how I feel. But it’s happening. So we just have to keep coming out there and play hard.’

Published on October 14, 2005 at 12:00 pm