As Perry Patterson stood at the podium answering questions during Syracuse’s postgame press conference, a voice suddenly popped up from the back of the room.

‘Yeah, Perry!’ Walter Reyes piped in.

Patterson paused briefly, maybe to take in Reyes’ praise. But it could’ve been quite different.

After the game, the storyline was how Patterson’s composure on SU’s two final scoring drives, along with Reyes’ key running, sealed SU’s 41-31 win over Rutgers on Saturday at the Carrier Dome.

But if not for Patterson pulling himself together and leading the offense when his team needed him most, the storyline could have been much different. It could have been how Patterson’s inconsistent play ruined Reyes’ big day and cost SU an important conference win. Or possibly how his inconsistent performance reopened Syracuse’s quarterback competition.

Instead, Patterson showed why he should be the Orange’s quarterback. He earned the respect and faith of his teammates. And, he did what every good quarterback should in the situation: He forgot about his two interceptions and his three overthrows of wide-open receivers.

For most of Saturday, Patterson looked lost in the pocket. He overthrew a wide-open Jared Jones three times on balls that Maurice Greene would struggle to catch up with.

Through three-and-a-half quarters, the offense had its strongest showing of the season. Reyes and Damien Rhodes were to thank for that. Patterson was 7-for-19 passing with two interceptions for just 63 yards.

But with 3:27 remaining in the game, Patterson led the type of drive that earns the respect of teammates. SU needed to drive 75 yards. It had just one timeout.

Patterson found Reyes for an 11-yard screen play. He hit Jones on the sideline for 10 yards, stopping the clock – the type of decision a confident leader makes.

A Matt Tarullo holding penalty cost Syracuse 10 yards. Earlier in the game, Patterson may have panicked. Instead, he threw a perfect crossing pattern down the middle to Andre Fontenette for 43 yards. Reyes then finished the drive with a 21-yard touchdown run.

Prior to that drive Patterson had thrown for 67 yards. During it, he threw for 64.

It all equaled Patterson leading SU’s most important scoring drive of the season.

‘He’s got our respect,’ running backs coach David Walker said. ‘What (the drive) does is gives him a lot of confidence. The thing is he made a couple of bad throws early but came back and made the plays at the end.’

If not for the big plays at the end, it could have been a disastrous day for Patterson and the Orange. It would have been SU’s second straight loss to Rutgers and second straight loss this season. And that’s with No. 8 Florida State and No. 16 West Virginia up next.

More importantly, it could have ruined Patterson’s confidence and reopened the disastrous quarterback controversy. In 2002, with R.J. Anderson and Troy Nunes splitting time, SU finished 4-8.

In this season’s first two games, with Patterson and Joe Fields splitting time, the Orange went 1-1, but averaged just 120.5 passing yards a game. Finally, against Cincinnati, Patterson earned the job. Last week he cemented it. Despite SU’s 31-10 loss to Virginia, Patterson showed the ability to consistently lead the Syracuse offense.

‘Perry’s done a great job managing the game,’ Reyes said. ‘He had experience before, but no game experience. I’m proud of the way he’s handled himself.’

Early in the game, that lack of game experience showed. By the end of it, Patterson made most of those early game memories fade away.

‘I definitely think (my teammates) believe in me,’ Patterson said. ‘They stuck with me when I made those first two turnovers. Basically, I think they have a lot of faith in their quarterback.’

Patterson nearly lost it through the first three-and-a-half quarters on Saturday.

After those two drives, he earned it back.