Published: October 12, 2008 12:31 am         

WVU struggles to win

Devine’s late 92-yard TD run seals Mountaineers’ 17-6 win over Syracuse

MORGANTOWN — West Virginia did not look anything like a 24-point favorite and had to struggle on a beautiful, 76-degree Saturday afternoon to turn back an inspired Syracuse in a Big East football game.

The final score of 17-6 certainly was misleading because the Mountaineers needed a spectacular 92-yard touchdown run by sophomore tailback Noel Devine to lock up the victory with just 4:16 left on the clock.

West Virginia played without two of its best players. Quarterback Patrick White was advised not to play because of lingering effects of a hard hit in the 24-17 win over Rutgers, and linebacker Reed Williams is medically redshirted.

Some in the crowd of only 58,122 at Mountaineer Field/Milan Puskar Stadium booed the home team at times as lack of a consistently productive offense and the laboring of an overworked defense kept the visiting Orange in the contest.

In making their record 4-2 overall and 2-0 in the Big East, the Mountaineers extended to three their current winning streak and stretched to seven their success skein in this series. Syracuse, now 1-5 and 0-2, still leads the all-time rivalry 30-26.

WVU coach Bill Stewart complimented Syracuse for playing hard, and he told his team this was just another example of an opponent giving the Mountaineers its best shot.

“It’s never going to change, and I can go right down the line,” he said. “Not many people think we’re very good, but we find a way to win and that was impressive to me at the end of the game.

“We stuck with our gut, gave the ball to the little guy (Noel Devine), and that was a heck of a play called by coach (Jeff) Mullen. That was tremendous play-calling in a crunch situation.”

Greg Robinson, the Orange’s embattled four-year coach, lamented, “It’s unfortunate that we could get that close and not pull it off. We had our chances, took it all the way down late in the fourth quarter, a 10-6 ball game, got in position to score and were unable to do it.

“We really needed to stop one more play. Just one play right there. Get a chance to block a punt. Just give the offense one more chance. Give them credit.”

It was difficult to recall a game West Virginia won when it so clearly trailed in the statistics.

Syracuse managed a 20-13 margin in first downs, outgained WVU 346 to 288 yards in total offense, and, equally significant, had 77 offensive plays to a mere 52 and controlled the ball for nearly 11 more minutes (35:16 to 24:44).

Patrick Shadle, a Morgantown native, gave the Orange a 3-0 lead in the first quarter with a 26-yard field goal. With 1:03 before halftime, he made another from 53 yards, a stadium record and the longest by a WVU opponent.

That made the score 7-6 at intermission.

Jarrett Brown, playing the entire afternoon at quarterback, completed a 12-yard pass to Jock Sanders for the Mountaineers’ first touchdown. That capped a 63-yard, seven-play drive with 7:39 remaining in the second quarter.

Pat McAfee kicked a 33-yard field goal with 3:19 gone in the fourth period, making the score 10-6, and Syracuse remained very much in contention.

In fact, for the third time in as many tries, WVU held the Orange for downs at its five-yard line with 4:42 left to play as Anthony Leonard knocked down a pass in the end zone.

Then, on third-and-seven, Devine circled the left side and, behind Will Johnson’s key block, broke into the open field for his 92-yard touchdown run. McAfee tacked on the 17th point.

Devine, whose run was the longest of his collegiate career, finished as the day’s top rusher with a net 188 yards on only 18 carries. Brown was next with 18 yards on eight keeper plays.

“It felt real good,” Devine admitted. “After Johnson’s block, I just saw open field and turned up the speed. We don’t worry about the boos. We just go on playing as best we can.”

Brown, a junior signal-caller, completed 14 of 20 passes for only 52 yards and one score. His longest throw covered only 12 yards. Devine caught six passes for just six yards, with Sanders getting four receptions for 22 yards.

Camron Dantley connected on 24 of 40 passes for 204 yards as the Syracuse quarterback. Donte Davis caught seven for 62 yards.

Tailback Curtis Brinkley rushed 28 times for a net 144 yards to lead the SU ground game. He was the slashing type of runner WVU could use, especially on third-down-and-short plays.

Brown said, “Penalties (eight for 69 yards) hurt us a lot today and we couldn’t get into any kind of rhythm. At times I felt too comfortable. I’d grade my performance a C-minus.

Leonard, a defensive lineman who had eight tackles, said his breaking up the late fourth-down pass in the end zone felt really good. He thought Dantley passed well and that Brinkley was clearly the best running back WVU had seen this season.

All-America offensive tackle Ryan Stanchek said he heard the boos but thinks fans for the most part at WVU games are great.

“That doesn’t bother me,” he said.

Stanchek drew two penalties, but he thought one was a legal pancake block.

“Syracuse played great today,” he noted.

Linebacker Mortty Ivy said, “We just went out and played hard. We’ve learned a lot since the season started. They threw quick passes and had good offensive schemes.

“I told everyone that Brinkley was a great runner. We played together in high school. I also thought Syracuse had a real good defense.”

The Mountaineers are off this week, but will start preparations for the Thursday, Oct. 23, TV game against Auburn at home. Syracuse plays at South Florida next Saturday.



WEST VIRGINIA 17, SYRACUSE 6

SU (1-5) 3 3 0 0 — 6

WVU (4-2) 0 7 0 10 — 17

First Quarter

Syr—FG Shadle 26, 5:11.

Second Quarter

WVU—Sanders 12 pass from Brown (McAfee kick), 7:39.

Syr—FG Shadle 53, 1:03.

Fourth Quarter

WVU—FG McAfee 33, 11:41.

WVU—Devine 92 run (McAfee kick), 4:16.

A—58,133.

Syr WVU

First downs 20 13

Rushes-yards 35-139 32-216

Passing 207 52

Comp-Att-Int 25-42-1 14-20-0

Return Yards 9 25

Punts-Avg. 5-44.8 7-47.0

Fumbles-Lost 2-0 1-0

Penalties-Yards 6-50 8-69

Time of Possession 35:16 24:44

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING—Syracuse, Brinkley 28-144, A.Bailey 3-10, Dantley 4-(minus 15). West Virginia, Devine 18-188, Brown 8-18, Sanders 4-11, Team 2-(minus 1).

PASSING—Syracuse, Dantley 24-40-1-204, Brinkley 1-1-0-3, Team 0-1-0-0. West Virginia, Brown 14-20-0-52.

RECEIVING—Syracuse, Davis 7-62, Fiammetta 4-18, Lobdell 3-43, Owen 3-30, Sales 3-20, Brinkley 1-9, Merkerson 1-8, Cervino 1-7, Chew 1-7, Dantley 1-3. West Virginia, Devine 6-6, Sanders 4-22, Lyons 2-12, Johnson 1-8, Arnett 1-4.