Walter Reyes' 4 touchdowns lead Syracuse Orangemen over Central Florida, 38-14
The much-maligned Orangemen defense intercepted three passes.
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) -- Walter Reyes ran for a career-high 241 yards and four touchdowns and the Syracuse defense forced four turnovers as the Orangemen beat Central Florida 38-14 on Saturday.
Reyes, who rushed 31 times, scored on runs of 25, 1, 3 and 58 yards as Syracuse (2-1) remained unbeaten in three games against UCF (1-2).
Reyes, a junior, has scored 26 times rushing, fifth all-time at Syracuse, and has 519 yards on the season. Joe Morris holds the Syracuse single-game rushing record of 252 yards against Kansas in 1979.
The much-maligned Syracuse defense, which entered the game ranked near the bottom of Division I-A, allowing 478 yards a game, intercepted three of Ryan Schneider's passes and also forced a fumble. UCF, which entered the game averaging 450 yards offensively, gained only 149 in the first half and 376 for the game.
Schneider, who burned the Orangemen for 440 yards passing in a 38-35 loss last season, was 33-for-48 for 284 yards and one touchdown. He entered the game with only three interceptions in 87 pass attempts. Still, he became only the 24th player in NCAA history to go over the 10,000-yard mark in passing, finishing the game with 10,011.
Tied in third quarter
UCF, which fell behind 14-0 in the first quarter, tied it on the first possession of the second half. Schneider hit Darcy Johnson for 13 yards on a key third-and-13 play to set up a 13-yard scoring run up the middle by Alex Haynes.
That was it for the Golden Knights as Reyes gained 161 yards and scored twice in the second half. Troy Swittenburg returned an interception 32 yards to set up R.J. Anderson's 1-yard scoring run early in the fourth quarter.
Despite the heroics of Reyes, the Syracuse offense sputtered against one of the worst defenses in the nation. Anderson, who entered the game averaging 283 yards in total offense, was just 9-for-16 and 76 yards passing in the first half, and UCF finally took advantage in the final minute of play as Schneider's potent passing game consistently clicked for the only time in the game.
Schneider completed seven passes for 50 yards on a 62-yard drive that took 12 plays, hitting Dee Brown with a 1-yard scoring pass on the left side with just eight seconds left. The Orangemen had stopped a third-down pass by Schneider to set up a fourth-and-4 at the Syracuse 14. But the Golden Knights faked a field goal and holder Al Peterson ran 11 yards for a first down.
First turnover
The Orangemen quickly took advantage of the game's first turnover. After Syracuse failed to gain a first down on its first possession, Tavaris Capers fumbled the ensuing punt and Darryl Kennedy recovered for Syracuse at the UCF 42.
A pass-interference call against the Golden Knights on a third-and-8 play gave Syracuse a key first down, and one play later Reyes scored on a 25-yard run around the left side for a 7-0 lead.