TAMPA, Fla. (Nov. 11, 2006) ?Matt Grothe set the school's single-game record for passing yards with 364 yards to lead the University of South Florida (7-3, 3-2 BIG EAST) to a 27-10 victory over the Syracuse Orange (3-7, 0-5 BIG EAST) on Saturday, Nov. 11 at Raymond James Stadium in the final home game of the 2006 season.
Eleven seniors played in the final home game of their USF career ? Will Bleakley, Ryan Bordeau, Jeremy Burnett, Devin Gordon, S.J. Green, Pat Julmiste, Stephen Nicholas, Ean Randolph, Walt Smith, Patrick St. Louis and Thed Watson were honored before kickoff.
Grothe accounted for 409 of the team's 519 total yards of offense. The Lakeland, Fla., native completed 25-of-32 for 364 yards and two touchdowns. He also ran for 45 yards on eight carries. Completing passes to 10 different receivers, Grothe also set the school's freshman record for passing yards in a single-season with 1,979, surpassing Marquel Blackwell (1,620 in 1999).
Seven Bulls combined for 150 yards rushing. Grothe led all players with 45 yards while Ricky Ponton rushed for 41 yards on 10 carries. Julmiste scored the team's lone rushing touchdown, carrying the ball three times for 10 yards.
Taurus Johnson finished the day with 131 yards receiving on five catches to lead USF in both categories. Johnson grabbed his second receiving touchdown during the contest. Green scored the Bulls' other touchdown through the air, making four catches for 53 yards versus the Orange. Marcus Edwards also registered four catches for USF, gaining 52 yards.
Defensively, USF held Syracuse to 250 total yards of offense, while tying the school record for sacks, recording seven on the day. Chris Robinson (2), Ben Moffitt, Josh Julmiste, Tyler Roberts, George Selvie and Nicholas each dropped Syracuse quarterback Perry Patterson behind the line of scrimmage.
The Bulls, which trailed early in the game, 3-0, scored a touchdown on their first possession of the contest and never looked back.
Patrick Shadle converted a 29-yard field goal attempt to give Syracuse a 3-0 lead with 10:08 left in the first quarter. The Orange drove 56 yards on 12 plays during their opening drive to take the early three-point lead.
USF answered with a touchdown on the ensuing possession, going 80 yards on 13 plays to take a 7-3 lead. A six-yard completion to S.J. Green gave Matt Grothe his 11th touchdown pass of the season with 5:56 left in the first quarter. With defender Tanard Jackson in the processes of bringing down Grothe for a sack, the freshman quarterback found Green in the end zone for the touchdown. Grothe threw for 67 yards on the drive including a 24-yard completion to Green, which the school record for freshmen passing yards (Marquel Blackwell 1,620 in 1999).
Delbert Alvarado gave USF a 10-3 lead with 9:21 left in the half. The freshman kicker booted a 47-yard field goal to extend the Bulls' lead to seven points. USF drove 39 yards on seven plays to set up the Alvarado attempt.
The Orange tried to cut into the Bulls' lead with a 45-yard field goal attempt by Shadle, however, the ball struck the right upright, snapping the Syracuse kicker's streak of 13-consecutive made.
After missing a 30-yard attempt on his previous try, Alvarado kicked a 56-yard field goal as time expired to give USF a 13-3 lead heading into halftime. The 56-yard field goal became the longest of Alvarado's career, eclipsing his previous long of 47 (set earlier in the quarter). It also marked the second-longest field goal in USF history (63 yards by Bill Gramatica on Nov. 18, 2000).
The field goal set the BIG EAST record for the longest field goal in conference history. The previous record was 54 yards by Brad Cooper (West Virginia against UCF on Sept. 11, 2004) and David Merrick (Pittsburgh against Texas on Sept. 3, 1994). This season Jeremy Ito (Rutgers) hit a 53-yard field goal (the 2006 season-best for the BIG EAST) against USF on Sept. 25.
It was also the third-longest field goal in the nation this season. Two players have hit a 58-yard field goal in 2006 (Alexis Serna of Oregon State versus Cal and John Vaughn of Auburn versus Mississippi State). The 56-yarder tied Mason Crosby (Colorado) for the third-longest this season.
USF entered halftime holding Syracuse to 115 yards of total offense, while logging 283.
Turnovers on each of USF's first three possessions of the second half halted the Bulls in Syracuse territory.
On the Bulls opening drive of the second half, USF went 75 yards down the field before a fumble by Benjamin Williams gave the ball to Syracuse. After stopping the Orange on their first drive of the half, including a fake punt attempt at their own 33-yard line, the Bulls turned the ball over on a Grothe interception. After holding the Syracuse to three plays and out, USF turned the ball over on a fumble by Amarri Jackson at the Orange 47-yard line.
The Bulls' lead increased to 20-3 following a 79-yard touchdown pass from Grothe to Taurus Johnson with 1:18 left in the third quarter. The completion was the longest of Grothe's career and gave the freshman the second 300-yard game of his career.
Syracuse responded with a 10-play, 66-yard drive which lasted 4:50, resulting in the first touchdown of the game for the Orange. A 27-yard completion from Perry Patterson to Mike Williams cut USF's lead to 20-10 with 12:19 left in the game.
USF found the end zone for the final time with a three-yard run by Julmiste. The score, which came with 7:33 left in the game, was Julmiste's first rushing touchdown of the season and the 14th of his career.
The Bulls will travel to Louisville, Ky., to face the No. 3 Cardinals on Saturday, Nov. 18. The game will be broadcast on ESPNU at 7:30 p.m.
