Huskies Run Their Way To Bowl Eligibility In Win Over Syracuse

With the wind blowing hard at Rentschler Field on Saturday afternoon, the UConn Huskies went to their strength in their running game against the Syracuse Orange.

Randy Edsall’s plan worked to perfection as Jordan Todman and Andre Dixon rushed for 196 yards and a combined four touchdowns in UConn’s 56-31 win over the Orange in front of a sold-out crowd at the Rent.

The win for the Huskies is their 6th of the season (6-5, 2-4) and makes them bowl eligible for the third straight season. The Orange finished up their season at 4-8 (1-6).

Scoring:

1st quarter

CON – Andre Dixon 4 Yd Run (Dave Teggart Kick) – UConn 7 Syracuse 0

SU – Ryan Lichtenstein 26 Yard field goal – UConn 7 Syracuse 3

CON – Mike Lang 80 Yd Kickoff Return (Dave Teggart Kick) – UConn 14 Syracuse 3

2nd quarter

SU – Mike Owen 4 Yd Pass From Ryan Nassib (Ryan Lichtenstein Kick) – UConn 14 Syracuse 10

CON – Jordan Todman 37 Yd Run (Dave Teggart Kick) – UConn 21 Syracuse 10

SU – Alec Lemon 3 Yd Pass From Greg Paulus (Ryan Lichtenstein Kick) – UConn 21 Syracuse 17

CON – Andre Dixon 1 Yd Run (Dave Teggart Kick) – UConn 28 Syracuse 17

3rd quarter

CON – Marcus Easley 8 Yd Pass From Zach Frazer (Dave Teggart Kick) – UConn 35 Syracuse 17

4th quarter

SU – Lavar Lobdell 12 Yd Pass From Greg Paulus (Ryan Lichtenstein Kick) – UConn 35 Syracuse 24

CON – Andre Dixon 45 Yd Run (Dave Teggart Kick) – UConn 42 Syracuse 24

SU – Delone Carter 10 Yd Run (Ryan Lichtenstein Kick) – UConn 42 Syracuse 31

CON – Marcus Easley 28 Yd Pass From Zach Frazer (Dave Teggart Kick) – UConn 49 Syracuse 31

CON – Dwayne Gratz 34 Yd Fumble Return (Dave Teggart Kick) – UConn 56 Syracuse 31

Offensive Player(s) of the Game:

The dynamic rushing duo of Jordan Todman and Andre Dixon.

Todman had 123 yards on 25 carries and a touchdown. His 37 yard touchdown run put him over 1,000 yards rushing for the season.

Dixon had 15 carries for 73 yards and three touchdowns.

Defensive Players of the Game:

Who else but Huskies linebacker Lawrence “Bama” Wilson. He had 17 tackles including 12 solo and a sack. He now has 33 tackles in his last two games.

Turning Point(s) of the Game:

• After a Syracuse field goal in the 1st quarter, freshman Mike Lang returned a kickoff 80 yards for a touchdown.
• With Syracuse trailing by 11 points to start the third quarter, UConn had the ball at the Syracuse 26 on 3rd and 6. Andre  Dixon ran the ball for a yard and the Huskies were called for a chop block. Instead of accepting the penalty, Syracuse head coach Doug Marrone declined the penalty setting up 4th and 5 at the Cuse 25. UConn went for it and made it when Zach Frazer hit Brad Kanuch for 16 yards.  The Huskies got a touchdown two plays later when Frazer hit Marcus Easley for an 8 yard touchdown pass.

Offensive Notes:

• Jordan Todman had 25 carries for 123 yards and a touchdown.
• Andre Dixon had 15 carries for 73 yards and three touchdowns.
• Zach Frazer was 13-of-21 for 173 yards with two touchdowns and an interception.
• Marcus Easley had six receptions for 105 yards and two touchdowns.
• The UConn offensive line didn’t allow a sack of Frazer.

Defensive Notes:

• Lawrence Wilson had 17 tackles, including 12 solo and a sack.
• Scott Lutrus had 11 tackles while Jerome Junior and Robert Vaughn both had 7.
• Trevardo Williams picked up a sack for the Huskies.
• Twyon Martin had a fumble recovery

Special Teams Notes:

• Mike Lang had an 80 yard kickoff return for a touchdown.
• Dave Teggart remained perfect on the season with 8 PAT’s. He’s now made 42 this season.
• Desi Cullen averaged 40 yards on four punts and had one downed inside the 20.
• Dwayne Gratz recovered a fumble in the 4th quarter and returned it for a touchdown.

Injuries:

• UConn linebacker Greg Lloyd was injured twice during the game and left the game for good the second time he was injured. His status is unknown for next Saturday.
• UConn safety Jerome Junior took a hard shot and appeared to have the wind knocked out of him and did return to the game.

Officials:

Officials: Referee: Gerard McGinn; Umpire: Rick Feeney; Linesman: Kavin McGrath; Line judge: Ralph Newell; Back judge: James Downey; Field judge: Rick Santilli; Side judge: Bruce Williams

The replay official was spot on during the game.

Kashif Moore fumbled in the first quarter that was recovered by UConn at the Syracuse 1 yard line. The play went to the booth and it was determined that Moore went out of bounds at the two before fumbling.

In the second quarter on third and 10, Syracuse QB Greg Paulus hit Donte Davis for a 10 yard gain and a Syracuse first down at their own 39. However, the play went to the replay booth and it was determined that Davis had stepped out of bounds at his 37 yard line, making it an 8 yard completion and forced the Orange to punt.

Game Notes:

Syracuse Orange @ UConn Huskies 11.28.09 box score

Game notes are courtesy of UConn Sports Information Department

• The Huskies are now 6-5 on the season, 2-4 in the BIG EAST
• The Huskies are 4-2 all-time against the Orange and remain perfect at Rentschler Field (3-0).
• Randy Edsall adds to his career wins at UConn now with 64 and is three away from overcoming J.O. Christian.
• The Huskies are now 471-498-38 in their 1,007 program games.
• UConn is 16-24 all-time in BIG EAST games since joining the league in 2004.
• The 56 points recorded today are the most since the Huskies defeated Liberty University (59-0) on Sept. 1, 2005.
• The Huskies scored more than 30 points for the third straight game, the last time they were able to do that was from 2004-05 when they scored more than 30 points in the Motor City Bowl in 2004 and their first two games of 2005.
• Andre Dixon recorded three touchdowns in the game and now has 11 on the season. He recorded his TD’s from the four-yard line, the half yard line and on a 45 yard run.
• Mike Lang’s kickoff return for a TD was the first of his career and his second touchdown of the season.
• This is the second week in a row that the Huskies have returned a kickoff for a touchdown, and the fourth week in a row to return a special teams return for a touchdown.
• Twyon Martin’s had his first fumble recovery of the season which set up a touchdown for the Huskies.
• Jordan Todman recorded his 14th touchdown of the season on a 37-yard run which also put him over 1,000 yards this season.
• Todman now has 1,079 yards this season which is ninth in UConn’s all-time single season record book. His 14 touchdown’s is tied for fifth on the single season list.
• Todman is one of two running backs to rush for over 100 yards against Syracuse (Dion Lewis, Pitt 110 yards) and had the most rushing yards of any running back against Syracuse this season (123 yards)
• Marcus Easley had the first multi-touchdown game of his career and was the first Husky to catch more than one touchdown in a game for UConn since Terence Jeffers did it against Maine on Sept. 8, 2007.
• Easley recorded his fourth 100+ yard receiving game of the season.
• Dave Teggart has converted on all 42 PATs this season which ranks second on the single-season consecutive PATs list.
• Dwayne Gratz’s fumble return for a TD in the final minutes is the first of his career and the first time a Husky has returned a fumble for a TD since Jamal Lundy did against Utah State on Nov. 10, 2001
• The Huskies were 1-of-1 on their fourth down conversions (10/14 on the year)
• Syracuse failed on their only fourth down conversion (6/10 on the year)

Big East Games and Results:

Friday, November 27

Rutgers 34
Louisville 14

Illinois 36
(5) Cinncinnati 49

(9) Pittsburgh 16
West Virginia 19

Saturday, November 28

(17) Miami (FL) 31
South Florida 10

Things to Work On:

• Shoring up the defense. While Syracuse is an improving team, the Huskies defense allowed 489 yards of total offense to the Orange and have been giving up a ton of yards the last few games.
• The perfect game plan. The Huskies will need another great offensive game plan to pick up their 7th win next Saturday night.
• Get Greg Lloyd healthy. Lloyd’s status won’t be known until Sunday but if he’s healthy, it gives UConn another weapon in the linebacker corps.

Up Next:

The Huskies finish up the 2009 regular season at The Rent next Saturday night against the South Florida Bulls. Kickoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. and the game will be nationally televised on ESPN2. It is senior night for the Huskies as well.