MIAMI – The Syracuse defense took the field Saturday at SU’s 13-yard line with 12:38 left in the third quarter. Miami trailed at the time, 10-7, and here was UM’s chance to take the lead for good.

Instead, SU thwarted Miami, forcing it into a fourth-and-one, which UM couldn’t convert.

‘I couldn’t be prouder of the defense, the way they hung in there,’ tight end Joe Donnelly said. ‘I mean, a goal-line stand against Miami? That’s unheard of.’

The series marked a pinnacle of fine defensive play for the Syracuse football team. SU held the once-explosive Hurricanes to 260 yards while forcing three turnovers, playing perhaps its best defensive game this season.

‘Our defense played their asses off today,’ offensive tackle Matt Tarullo said. ‘They played their butts off. They played terrifically.’

Questions abounded after Syracuse insisted it would change nothing defensively this week in preparation for Miami quarterback Derrick Crudup, who replaced Brock Berlin in the lineup. SU stopped Crudup – who is more of a running threat than Berlin – better than other double-threat quarterbacks like Rod Rutherford and Darian Durant, holding Miami’s junior to 29 yards on 14 carries in large part because of middle linebacker Rich Scanlon, who made a career-high 17 tackles.

SU held running back Jarrett Payton to 61 yards on 14 carries. Without one 18-yard run, Payton would have gained 43 yards on 13 carries, a 3.2 average.

‘The defense played lights out,’ Donnelly said. ‘It’s as good as I’ve seen them play.’

But UM switched backs in the second half, handing freshman Tyrone Moss the ball. Moss darted through the hole with a burst Payton doesn’t possess.

Moss rushed for 91 yards on 18 carries, most of which came in the second half. On the 9-yard game-winning score, Moss broke tackles and pummeled defenders.

‘One of the big factors in the game was the yards that Moss got,’ SU head coach Paul Pasqualoni said. ‘He’s a good back. The problem is we didn’t know. They got different guys. He came in, and I said, ‘Who’s No. 30?’ ‘

Said Moss: ‘I just kept driving toward the end zone. I felt (defenders) on my back, but my instincts said to just keep going and get into the end zone.’

Syracuse held Miami, known as a team capable of driving 80 yards in less than two minutes, to 80 total passing yards, in part because of good coverage and partly because Crudup played rusty in his first start.

One breakdown in coverage, though, cost SU.

SU cornerback Steve Gregory tackled Miami receiver Kevin Beard 10 yards beyond the line of scrimmage late in the first quarter after falling for a Crudup pump-fake. After everyone stopped and checked to see what happened, Crudup looked back to his right side and found an open Ryan Moore 43 yards downfield, giving Miami its first touchdown and a 7-3 lead.

Cornerback Troy Swittenburg allowed Moore to pass him, and safety Anthony Smith failed to cover Moore deep.

Referees flagged Gregory for holding, but Miami declined after the score.

‘Just a flat-out shame,’ Pasqualoni said. ‘To their credit, OK, they made the play. But at the same time I thought it was a total breakdown in coverage.’

Syracuse, though it picked off two passes, missed two other interception opportunities. One Crudup pass slid through Scanlon’s hands. Another ball dropped right next to a diving Steve Gregory, who couldn’t hold on.

Miami, too, blew a number of opportunities. Tight end Kellen Winslow dropped one ball and Crudup overthrew receivers on a number of passes.

Overall, though, holding Miami to 17 points left SU wondering, ‘What if?’

‘Really, in this game, we gave up one big play,’ Pasqualoni said. ‘But it’s amazing how big one play can be.’

Published on November 16, 2003 at 12:00 pm