The most tangible sign of Syracuse’s failed upset bid against Florida State on Saturday was Perry Patterson’s interception in the end zone to end the game. But the loss may have had as much to do with clock management as the interception.

SU burned two timeouts early in the second half, leaving it with only one for its final drive with 2:36 remaining. It eventually lost to No. 8 FSU, 17-13.

The Orange spent its first timeout with 13 seconds left in the third quarter. Its next, and most egregious timeout, was used with 6:10 left in the fourth quarter to escape a delay of game penalty.

After the game, wide receiver Andre Fontenette accepted some of the responsibility for the burnt timeout. He said SU instituted new substitution patterns for the game, and some players were unsure of their assignments.

‘We wasted a timeout and it was kind of my fault,’ Fontenette said. ‘We were confused on the grouping signals because it was a new grouping we put in just for this game. And we kind of got messed up. Having a timeout would have been nice.’

Patterson called the last SU timeout with 2:05 left in the game.

‘We would have liked to have more timeouts (on that final drive),’ SU quarterbacks coach Steve Bush said. ‘We had some confusion about who was in the game a couple times.’

In the second quarter, it appeared SU had earned a safety when, after botching a punt, FSU recovered the fumble in its own end zone. After a brief discussion, the referees ruled the ball a touchback.

The call sent SU head coach Paul Pasqualoni into hysterics and elicited boos from the Carrier Dome crowd. Pasqualoni said the referees explained the call to him, and he later agreed with the decision.

‘They said that the momentum of the ball was the reason it went in the end zone,’ Pasqualoni said. ‘And once that happens, the momentum of the impetus of the ball is the reason it is in the end zone, there is no safety. If he picks the ball up on his own volition and brings the ball into the end zone, then it is a safety. But they thought the momentum of the ball brought it into the end zone.

‘I think it’s probably right. I want to see it on the film. They discussed it. They all got together and they talked about it. It was all I could ask for.’

Starting cornerback DeAndre LaCaille injured his left leg during Saturday’s game. His status was announced in the third quarter as questionable to return. Minutes later, in the fourth, it was announced that he would not return.

Thomas Whitfield, who started a few games at cornerback last season, played in his place.

Wide receiver Steve Gregory didn’t play for the fourth straight game because of a thigh injury. Linebacker Kellen Pruitt didn’t play for the second straight game because of a knee injury.

Tanard Jackson, who missed last week’s game versus Rutgers after recovering from stab wounds, started at cornerback. He made five tackles.

Brendan Carney averaged 46.8 yards per punt on six opportunities Saturday, including a career-long 65-yarder in the second quarter. On Monday, he earned Big East Special Teams Player of the Week. Strong safety Diamond Ferri earned Big East Defensive Player of the Week for his interception and fumble recovery. …The Florida State cheering section was the largest SU has seen from an away team this season. FSU sold approximately 3,000 tickets for the game through its ticket office.

Published on October 11, 2004 at 12:00 pm