Disappointing way to open Big East play

Published Oct. 20, 2010 10:12 p.m. ET

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Syracuse stuns USF with 13-9 win on homecoming.

By ADAM ADKINS

aadkins@tampatrib.com

TAMPA - It felt like a punch in the mouth. That's how Mistral Raymond described the feeling following the University of South Florida's loss Saturday afternoon to Syracuse.

"This is something that we didn't see coming," said Raymond, a senior defensive back. "Honestly, I didn't see it coming."

Syracuse, a team USF had dominated since joining the Big East Conference in 2005, walked into Raymond James Stadium and walked out with its first victory against the Bulls in six tries.

Thanks to a 98-yard touchdown drive in the fourth quarter - and a lot of USF offensive struggles throughout - the Orange stunned the Bulls, 13-9, in front of an announced crowd of 41,917.

"It's certainly disappointing to lose an opening conference game with how hard this football team has worked and some of the things we're trying to do in this program," Bulls coach Skip Holtz said. "We definitely had plenty of opportunities today. ? We just really struggled getting anything going."

The Bulls (3-2) had a season-low 219 yards of offense and struggled to take advantage of positive field position provided by the defense and special teams. USF began three drives inside the Syracuse 42-yard line, and the offense marched inside the Orange 40 on six occasions but managed just three points.

Perhaps the toughest offensive miscues came in the passing game when USF quarterback B.J. Daniels, under pressure all day from an aggressive Orange defense, failed to recognize wide-open receivers on two occasions.

The first occurred on USF's opening drive, when Daniels didn't see Evan Landi streaking free down the seam and instead threw a pass toward Dontavia Bogan that was intercepted in the end zone by Da'Mon Merkerson.

The second occurred on a drive midway through the third quarter, when it was Bogan who was wide open and Daniels threw to a receiver on the other side of the field. That drive later ended with an interception by Jeremi Wilkes at the Orange 13.

"I really just try to stay with my keys and my reads. Sometimes guys (are) on the backside and those (are) the last people I look at. It's not like I can sit back there all day and just pick apart and just look everywhere," said Daniels, who finished 9-for-23 for 124 yards and was sacked four times.

"There are some times that guys will be open that won't be in your reads. Sometimes you hit it and sometimes you miss it."

Despite the offensive shortcomings, the Bulls clung to a 9-6 lead midway through the fourth thanks to a big special-teams play - a 94-yard kickoff return for a touchdown from Lindsey Lamar in the third quarter - and a solid effort from the defense. The Orange (4-1), however, put together the only touchdown drive by either offense on the day to pull out the win.

Syracuse got big production in its ground game from Delone Carter (26 carries, 105 yards) and Antwon Bailey (nine carries, 81 yards) before quarterback Ryan Nassib capped the 14-play drive with a 3-yard touchdown pass to receiver Marcus Sales with 7:15 left to play.

"It just seemed like, I guess, they wanted it more," USF senior defensive lineman Craig Marshall said. "They did what they had to do to come out with a victory.

"That's all we can say about it."

The Bulls had two possessions after that point but never crossed midfield. It was the missed opportunities before that, however, that seemed to seal the Bulls' fate.

"At some point, if we're going to be a good football team, we're going to have to turn and learn to be productive and take advantage of some situations that we have," Holtz said.

Reporter Adam Adkins can be reached at (813) 259-7616.

Photo Credit: Staff photo by JASON BEHNKEN

Photo: USF's B.J. Daniels uses a stiff-arm to knock the helmet off Syracuse's Chandler Jones during Saturday's game.

Photo Credit: Staff photo by JASON BEHNKEN

Photo: South Florida quarterback B.J. Daniels was under pressure from an aggressive Syracuse defense throughout Saturday afternoon's loss.