University of Louisville
Syracuse
No. 6 Louisville Takes Down Syracuse, 28-13
October 21, 2006 | Football
Oct. 21, 2006
Final Stats | Notes | Photo Gallery 1 | Photo Gallery 2
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) - Kolby Smith rushed for 165 yards and two touchdowns, Anthony Allen scored on two short runs, and No. 6 Louisville beat Syracuse 28-13 Saturday.
It was the fourth road win for the Cardinals (7-0, 2-0 Big East), who have a showdown with No. 4 West Virginia in 12 days. It took a while for Louisville to get going, but the Cardinals built a 21-6 lead early in the fourth quarter and handed the Orange (3-5, 0-3) their 10th straight conference loss.
Louisville, which squeaked past Cincinnati 23-17 a week ago, was stymied in the first half by a Syracuse defense that had allowed a school-record 457 rushing yards last week in a 41-17 road loss to the Mountaineers and had given up 1,487 yards and 96 points in the last three games.
Syracuse limited Louisville to seven points, its lowest output in any half this season, nearly intercepted two passes, registered two sacks, and forced a fumble by quarterback Brian Brohm that set up a 35-yard field goal by Patrick Shadle, his second field goal of the second quarter.
Brohm was 18-for-26 for 203 yards and one interception as Louisville totaled 421 yards on offense. Perry Patterson finished 24-for-38 for 303 yards and his third interception of the season for Syracuse.
Syracuse's 6-0 lead was erased quickly when Louisville finally got untracked and demonstrated why it entered the game averaging 40 points per game.
Smith had runs of 13 and 35 yards, Brohm completed three passes for 34 yards to 6-foot-6 wideout Mario Urrutia, the last a 10-yarder to set up Allen's 2-yard scoring run with 58 seconds left in the half.
Before that 80-yard drive, the Cardinals had gained just 63 yards in 20 plays.
Syracuse went three-and-out to start the second half, getting pinned deep in its own end after Patterson was sacked on consecutive plays, and Louisville took control.
George Stripling gained 32 yards on a screen pass to help set up Smith's 5-yard touchdown run for a 14-6 Louisville lead.
After each team committed a turnover, the Cardinals drove 73 yards in seven plays. Brohm, making his second straight start since missing two games with an injured right thumb, completed a 12-yard pass to Harry Douglas and a 30-yarder to Gary Barnidge before Allen scored on a 1-yard run on the first play of the fourth quarter for a 21-6 lead.
It was the 22nd rushing touchdown of the season for the Cardinals, who seemed poised to make it a rout.
Syracuse, held scoreless in the third quarter for the fifth time this season, finally scored after linebacker Kelvin Smith intercepted Brohm on a first-and-15 play from the Syracuse 16.
Patterson completed a 30-yard pass to tight end Tom Ferron after rolling away from trouble on a fourth-and-3 play, then hit Mike Williams in the left corner of the end zone for a 37-yard touchdown to move Syracuse within 21-13 with 5:09 left.
Undaunted after Stripling mishandled the ensuing kickoff, the Cardinals drove 93 yards in nine plays behind Smith's powerful runs. He gained 77 yards on seven carries, scoring on a 31-yard burst off left tackle with 1:43 left.
