SYRACUSE, NY - Senior DB Corey Barnes found the end zone twice, and redshirt-freshman QB Mike Teel threw two touchdown passes in his first career start, as Rutgers defeated Syracuse 31-9 Saturday afternoon at the Carrier Dome. Barnes, a former wide receiver, scored once on a blocked punt return and once on a fumble recovery, as the Scarlet Knights improve to 4-2, 2-1 in the BIG EAST.
The Rutgers defense made a statement, allowing just 238 yards, including 65 rushing yards, while forcing five turnovers. The Scarlet Knights also collected five sacks, the third time this season.
Teel (Oakland, NJ) completed 13-of-27 passes for 203 yards and two touchdowns in Rutgers’ first victory at Syracuse since 1986. The Rutgers defense and special teams units forced nine fumbles – five recovered by RU – and scored 17 of RU’s 31 points.
Linebacker Quintero Frierson (Coral Gables, FL) led the defense with seven and a half tackles and a fumble recovery. Senior defensive end and honors candidate Ryan Neill (Wayne, NJ) had four tackles, including two tackles for loss and a sack. Junior DT Ramel Meekins (Westwood, NJ) recorded three tackles, including two for loss, a sack and a fumble recovery.
Freshman RB Ray Rice (New Rochelle, NY) led RU on the ground with 81 yards on 17 carries. All-America and Doak Walker Candidate Brian Leonard (Gouverneur, NY) had 34 yards on the ground, and caught four balls for 66 yards, earning 100 all-purpose yards for the 19th time in the last 21 games. Leonard also moved into fourth all-time in all-purpose yards at Rutgers, amassing 3,352 yards in just 29 career games.
Rutgers jumped out to a 3-0 lead with a career-long 51-yard field goal by Jeremy Ito (Redlands, CA). Leading 3-0 after one quarter, Rutgers extended its lead early in the second, when junior DB Manny Collins (Plainfield, NJ) and freshman DB Glen Lee (New Rochelle, NY) combined to block a Syracuse punt with 12:16 remaining in the half. Barnes scooped up the loose ball and carried it 16 yards into the end zone for the 10-0 Rutgers advantage.
After the Scarlet Knight defense forced a three-and-out by Syracuse, Teel led RU on a 70-yard scoring drive, culminating with a 37-yard touchdown pass to senior WR Tres Moses (Delray Beach, FL) for the 17-0 lead. The throw was Teel's first collegiate touchdown pass, while the catch by Moses moved him into first all-time in career receptions at Rutgers with 172. Moses passed consensus All-American tight end Marco Battaglia (171 catches from 1992-95). A Biletnikoff Award candidate, Moses ended the game with three catches for 59 yards.
Rutgers continued the momentum into the second half, as the defense held Syracuse on both third and fourth down with inches to go, earning the turnover on downs inside the Orange 40-yard line. After two runs by Rice, Teel hit junior TE Sam Johnson (Midland Park, NJ) on third down with a beautiful touch pass down the seam for a 24-yard score and the 24-0 lead.
Rutgers extended the lead to 31-0 on Barnes’ second touchdown. Junior LB Devraun Thompson (Piscataway, NJ) sacked Orange quarterback Perry Patterson, stripping the ball in the process. Barnes found the loose ball, carrying it 26 yards for the score.
Syracuse was able to score on three field goals in the second half, but Rutgers' stingy defense kept the Orange out of the end zone.
Rutgers looks to ride the momentum as it heads to rival Connecticut next Saturday, October 22, seeking the first 3-1 conference record since joining the BIG EAST.
POSTGAME NOTES
Teel Makes First Career Start
Redshirt freshman QB Mike Teel (Oakland, NJ) made the first start of his career vs. Syracuse. Teel made appearances in four of Rutgers first five games this season, and made his collegiate debut vs. Villanova on Sept. 10, 2005.
Teel Career Long Pass on First Drive
Mike Teel's 37-yard second quarter TD pass to WR Tres Moses was the first TD pass of his career. He added a second TD pass, a 24-yarder to TE Sam Johnson in the third quarter.
Moses Becomes RU's All-time Leader in Career Receptions
With his 37-yard TD reception in the second quarter, WR Tres Moses became the all-time leading receiver in Rutgers history, with 172 career receptions. He passed former All-America TE Marco Battaglia, who had 171 receptions from 1992-95.
Ito Career Long Field Goal
Sophomore PK Jeremy Ito's 51-yard first quarter field goal was a career long. His previous career-long was 48 yards vs. New Hampshire (9/11/04) and Pittsburgh (11/23/04). Ito's FG tied for the second-longest FG in Rutgers history (with five other players). The longest in Rutgers history was a 55-yarder by John Benestad vs. West Virginia (11/10/90).
First Punt Blocked Returned for TD Since 2003
Manny Collins' second quarter blocked punt, which was returned 16 yards for a TD by Corey Barnes, was the first blocked punt return for a TD by Rutgers since Nov. 8, 2003 when Nate Jones blocked a punt vs. Connecticut that was returned 36 yards for a TD by Markis Facyson.
Barnes Two TD Day - Second and Third Career TDs
Corey Barnes scored the second TD of his career when he scooped up a blocked punt and returned it 16 yards for the score in the second quarter vs. Syracuse. He then recorded his second TD of the game when scooped up a third quarter fumble caused by LB Devraun Thompson on SU QB Perry Patterson, and returned it 26 yards for a TD. On Sept. 18, 2004, he recovered a fumble in the end zone vs. Kent State. Barnes, a former wide receiver who converted to cornerback during the 2004 season, has also thrown a TD pass in his career. On Nov. 30, 2002, he threw a 36-yard TD pass to Shawn Tucker vs. Boston College.
First Defensive TD of Season for Scarlet Knights
Corey Barnes' 26-yard fumble return for a TD in the third quarter was the first scored by the Rutgers defense this season. On the year, Rutgers has scored TDs via rushing, passing, kickoff return, punt return, and a blocked punt returned for a TD.
Johnson Second TD Grab of Season, Fourth of his Career
Junior TE Sam Johnson caught his second TD pass of the season, a 24-yarder in the third quarter, vs. Syracuse. It was the fourth TD reception of his career. He caught a 10-yard TD pass vs. Buffalo (9/17/05) earlier this season and also snared TD passes vs. New Hampshire (9/11/04) and Michigan State (9/6/03).
First-Time Players
True freshman LB Chris Quaye and sophomore FB EJ Barthel became the 19th and 20th players to see action for the first time their careers. Each played on special teams.
Box Score (Final)
Score by Quarters 1 2 3 4 Score
----------------- -- -- -- -- -----
Rutgers............. 3 14 14 0 - 31 Record: (4-2,2-1)
Syracuse............ 0 0 6 3 - 9 Record: (1-5,0-3)
Scoring Summary:
1st 04:39 RUTGERS - ITO, Jeremy 51 yd field goal, 10-44 4:53,
RUTGERS 3 - SYRACUSE 0
2nd 12:16 RUTGERS - BARNES, Corey 16 yd blocked punt return (ITO, Jeremy kick),
RUTGERS 10 - SYRACUSE 0
05:26 RUTGERS - MOSES, Tres 37 yd pass from TEEL, Mike (ITO, Jeremy kick), 5-70 3:03
RUTGERS 17 - SYRACUSE 0
3rd 09:56 RUTGERS - JOHNSON, Sam 24 yd pass from TEEL, Mike (ITO, Jeremy kick), 3-31 1:25
RUTGERS 24 - SYRACUSE 0
08:55 RUTGERS - BARNES, Corey 26 yd fumble recovery (ITO, Jeremy kick),
RUTGERS 31 - SYRACUSE 0
05:47 SYRACUSE - HERROD, Donta 26 yd field goal, 7-40 3:08,
RUTGERS 31 - SYRACUSE 3
01:46 SYRACUSE - HERROD, Donta 45 yd field goal, 6-36 2:20,
RUTGERS 31 - SYRACUSE 6
4th 06:53 SYRACUSE - HERROD, Donta 38 yd field goal, 7-21 2:14,
RUTGERS 31 - SYRACUSE 9
RUTGERS SYRACUSE
FIRST DOWNS................... 15 11
RUSHES-YARDS (NET)............ 39-103 37-65
PASSING YDS (NET)............. 203 173
Passes Att-Comp-Int........... 28-13-3 28-14-0
TOTAL OFFENSE PLAYS-YARDS..... 67-306 65-238
Fumble Returns-Yards.......... 1-26 0-0
Punt Returns-Yards............ 4-61 4-63
Kickoff Returns-Yards......... 3-67 6-188
Interception Returns-Yards.... 0-0 3-0
Punts (Number-Avg)............ 7-35.4 7-42.0
Fumbles-Lost.................. 0-0 9-5
Penalties-Yards............... 7-60 6-55
Possession Time............... 34:07 25:53
Third-Down Conversions........ 5 of 15 1 of 14
Fourth-Down Conversions....... 0 of 1 0 of 1
Red-Zone Scores-Chances....... 0-1 2-3
Sacks By: Number-Yards........ 5-37 3-17
RUSHING: Rutgers-RICE, Ray 17-81; LEONARD, Brian 18-34; FOSTER, Willie
1-5; TEEL, Mike 3-minus 17. Syracuse-RHODES, Damien 19-72; FIELDS, Joe 5-25;
WASHINGTON, Tim 3-6; PATTERSON, P. 10-minus 38.
PASSING: Rutgers-TEEL, Mike 13-27-2-203; UNDERWOOD, Tiqu 0-1-1-0.
Syracuse-PATTERSON, P. 13-24-0-167; FIELDS, Joe 1-4-0-6.
RECEIVING: Rutgers-LEONARD, Brian 4-66; MOSES, Tres 3-59; TUCKER, Shawn
3-35; JOHNSON, Sam 1-24; HARRIS, Clark 1-12; RICE, Ray 1-7. Syracuse-LANE, Tim
4-66; MOSS, Rice 3-36; CHESTNUT, Nich 2-18; WASHINGTON, Tim 2-16; RHODES, Damien
2-9; KOWALEWSKI, Joe 1-28.
INTERCEPTIONS: Rutgers-None. Syracuse-SMITH, Anthony 2-0; PATTERSON, P.
1-0.
FUMBLES: Rutgers-None. Syracuse-RHODES, Damien 4-2; PATTERSON, P. 3-2;
TEAM 1-0; GREGORY, Steve 1-1.
Stadium: Carrier Dome Attendance: 39022
Kickoff time: 12:05 pm End of Game: 3:38 Total elapsed time: 3:33
Officials: Referee: Tom Tomczyk; Umpire: Rick Feeney; Linesman: Joseph Griesser;
Line judge: Wayne Mackie; Back judge: Paul Vargo; Field judge: Jim Smith;
Side judge: Bruce Williams; Scorer: Dan Kelly;
Temperature: Wind: Weather:
