SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Ryan Nassib threw three touchdown passes to tight end Nick Provo, Dorian Graham returned a kickoff 98 yards for another score, and Syracuse stunned No. 11 West Virginia 49-23 on Friday night with a spirited effort on both sides of the ball.
Syracuse (5-2, 1-1 Big East) hadn’t beaten West Virginia (5-2, 1-1) in the Carrier Dome in a decade and the Orange played a near flawless game to break the streak just as they did last year in a 19-14 upset of the Mountaineers in Morgantown, W.Va. That victory stopped an eight-game losing streak to West Virginia, and this one was even more impressive.
Syracuse hadn’t scored that many points in the series since a 45-0 win in 1960, and a Carrier Dome crowd of 45,265, the largest in three years, roared its approval with thunderous cheers as third-year head coach Doug Marrone enjoyed the most significant win of his brief tenure.
The high-powered West Virginia offense led by Geno Smith was kept in check most of the game, only shining in fits and spurts.
West Virginia entered the game averaging 40.8 points and 503.5 yards offensively and finished with 408 against the hard-hitting Syracuse defense.
Smith was 24-of-41 for 338 yards and two touchdowns, but threw interceptions at critical junctures — the first at the Syracuse goal line and the second on the final play of the third quarter when the game was still within reach.
Nassib was 24-of-32 for 229 yards and four touchdowns.
Louisville CB breaks neck
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Louisville coach Charlie Strong said cornerback Anthony Conner broke his neck Friday night when his head hit the knee of Rutgers receiver Mohamed Sanu.
Conner was carted off the field after going down on the first play of the second quarter, and team officials said a few minutes later that the senior was conscious with feeling in his extremities.
Strong gave an update after Louisville’s 16-14 victory.
“Anthony Conner, it’s so sad,” Strong said. “Our prayers go out to him and his family, but he ended up breaking his neck.”
Conner came in low to tackle Sanu, and the cornerback flipped the Rutgers receiver. But Conner’s helmet banged off Sanu’s right knee, and Conner went down on the field. Trainers worked on him for several minutes, strapping him to a backboard.
He did move his feet and a hand as he was carted off.
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