MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. — The play was whistled dead and a flag was falling to the grass, but Joe Ostman rushed into the backfield and blindsided Terrel Hunt.

Two weeks ago, Hunt was hit from behind by Villanova linebacker Dillon Lucas, swung at him with his left hand and was ejected from Syracuse’ season-opening win before halftime.

This time, he stood in front of Ostman and pointed to the scoreboard on the south side of the field, and Ostman looked up at a 30-point spread.

“He actually said, ‘Punch me in the face,’” Hunt said. “That’s what he told me. He said ‘Punch me in the face and I said ‘Nah, just take a look at the scoreboard.’ And that hurts more.

“He walked away and was like ‘Man, we’re getting killed.’”

With Hunt leading the offense for four quarters and Syracuse’s (2-0) defense putting the Chippewas in a proverbial straitjacket, SU beat Central Michigan (2-1) 40-3 at Kelly/Shorts Stadium in front of 25,531 on Saturday afternoon. The Chippewas gained just 48 more first-half yards after collecting three points on their opening drive, and Hunt ran for 92 yards and three touchdowns while connecting with 11 different receivers and throwing for 175 yards and another score.

Syracuse outgained CMU 464 to 217 in total yards, and started the season with back-to-back wins for just the second time since 1999.

“He came out and did what we expected him to do,” McDonald said of Hunt. “He came out and led the offense.”

Central Michigan was without starting running back Thomas Rawls, who started the weekend with the most carries in the Football Bowl Subdivision but was sidelined due to an “issue” that came to CMU’s attention on Friday.

SU head coach Scott Shafer didn’t tell his team about Rawls and starting nose tackle Eric Crume — who finished with a forced fumble and a sack — said he didn’t know about Rawls’ absence until the running back wasn’t on the field at the start of the game.

But along with the absence of leading receiver Titus Davis, who sat with a knee sprain, Central Michigan’s offense was handcuffed without Rawls. Quarterback Cooper Rush had minimal options out of an often-collapsing pocket and the Chippewas finished with 34 rushing yards.

“I kind of wanted him because that was the whole talk about Rawls,” Crume said. “… But I wasn’t really focusing on who was at running back. But I would have loved to play against him.”

After Brian Eavey hit a 26-yard field goal to give the Chippewas their only lead on their first possession, Ryan Norton tied the game before the Orange pushed ahead with its first defensive touchdown since 2012.

Defensive end Robert Welsh had a beat on Rush from the left side. Syracuse’s secondary locked down the Chippewas’ long and short options and Eric Crume reached around his blocker to strip the ball.

Marqez Hodge picked the ball up and stood in place, unsure if the play had been whistled dead. No one moved, and then Dyshawn Davis pushed Hodge with both hands to start a 36-yard sprint to the end zone.

After a short review, the refs confirmed the fumble and the Chippewas’ day began rolling downhill.

With the Orange front making itself at home in the CMU backfield and the secondary cleaning up its early-game mistakes, Hunt orchestrated a methodical rout complemented by a third-quarter safety by Cameron Lynch and solid running from freshman Ervin Philips.

Hunt found Brisly Estime for a 4-yard touchdown just before halftime and, after Devon Spalding dropped a kickoff, ran for back-to-back touchdowns within 33 seconds of each other toward the end of the third.

And when tested, he found it easier to let his actions speak.

Said Hunt through a smile: “The last time I made a move I got kicked out.”

Published on September 13, 2014 at 3:33 pm

Contact Jesse: jcdoug01@syr.edu | @dougherty_jesse