SportsDirect Inc. staff
Nov 23, 2012
Syracuse 38, Temple 20: Ryan Nassib threw for 215 yards and a touchdown and Adonis Ameen-Moore added two scores on the ground to lead the visiting Orange to their third straight win.
Senior Montel Harris, the Big East's rushing leader with 948 yards entering the contest, ran for 106 yards for the Owls (4-7, 2-5 Big East). Quarterback Clinton Granger threw for a score and ran for another in his second career start, but tossed a pair of fourth-quarter interceptions that eliminated any hope for a comeback.
Temple jumped out to a 10-0 first-quarter lead, but Syracuse (7-5, 5-2) managed to find the end zone on its first drive of the second quarter as Nassib connected with Marcus Sales on a 24-yard touchdown pass.
An 18-yard scamper by Ameen-Moore gave Syracuse its first lead at 14-10 before the teams traded field goals prior to halftime. Ameen-Moore finished with 57 yards to complement Jerome Smith's 96 and Prince-Tyson Gulley's 83.
Temple controlled the ball for 12:22 of the first quarter and more than 20 minutes in the first half but the Orange found some rhythm after the break. After Granger's touchdown run gave the Owls a 20-17 lead midway through the third quarter, Ameen-Moore's second touchdown of the day put Syracuse back in front for good.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Syracuse improved to 26-10-1 all-time against Temple ... The Orange's Big East-leading offense was right on its season average of 473.3 yards per game with 475 against Temple ... Syracuse totaled 260 yards on the ground.