EAST HARTFORD, Conn. — Syracuse deferred and kicked off to Connecticut to open the game because the Orange wanted to stop UConn and win the field position battle early.

But Huskies kick returner Nick Williams burst through some nice blocks on the right side of the field. He found some open space down the sideline and tried to fight off safety Jeremi Wilkes on his way to the end zone, finally going down at the SU 33. Three plays later, UConn scored a touchdown.

‘Our kick coverage team has done a good job,’ SU head coach Doug Marrone said. ‘And then we start off the game with a 60-something-yard kickoff return. … Again, that’s disappointing, we’re talking about field position early on.’

The game plan backfired from the first play because of poor kick coverage by Syracuse’s special teams. And that was only the beginning. For the entirety of Syracuse’s 28-21 loss to Connecticut at Rentschler Field on Saturday, the Huskies (4-5, 2-2 Big East) dominated the Orange (5-4, 1-3 Big East) in all facets of special teams. Big kick returns from Williams. Good kick coverage to prevent Jeremiah Kobena from breaking one. Poor punts from SU punter Jonathan Fisher resulting in shanks of 21, 25 and 20 yards.

In a tight game, special teams made a remarkable difference.

Even though the Huskies only scored on their opening drive of the first half, they did start three of their first four drives in Orange territory. Meanwhile, Syracuse’s first four drives began from its own 24-, 11-, 20- and 4-yard lines, respectively. SU managed just three first downs total on those possessions.

And being backed up deep in its own territory may have negatively affected the Syracuse running game. Running back Antwon Bailey had just 9 yards on five first-quarter carries. He was limited to 50 yards on 16 carries for the game.

‘They have a good front, no doubt about it,’ Bailey said. ‘I think part of it was because of our position on the field, and there were lots of things that went into it.’

Special teams also directly cost SU points, like it did in the Orange’s close loss to Rutgers earlier this year.

With the score tied late in the first half, UConn quarterback Johnny McEntee made a putrid throw downfield, picked off by safety Phillip Thomas. Syracuse moved the ball from the Huskies’ 36 to the 17 in just 22 seconds, setting up a 34-yard field goal attempt with three seconds to go in the first half.

But Ross Krautman launched a wobbly line drive that flew wide left, his fourth miss in 14 attempts this season.

‘We missed a field goal that could have put us up by three,’ Marrone said. ‘And then when we scored the touchdown out of halftime. We could have had a two-score lead, which we didn’t.’

Provo sets Syracuse tight end record

The celebration on the field was because Syracuse had just taken the lead early in the third quarter. Ryan Nassib pulled off a slick play-action fake — walking with his back to the end zone a step, giving no indication he had the ball — before tossing a touchdown to tight end Nick Provo.

But Provo’s touchdown catch meant more than the 14-7 lead it gave SU. Provo broke the Syracuse record for most receptions in a single season by a tight end, taking a record held by Chris Gedney, Syracuse senior associate athletic director. The touchdown was made on his 35th catch of the season, surpassing Gedney’s 34 catches made in 1992.

It was also part of another strong game for Provo. He caught seven passes for 53 yards and a touchdown, finishing with 39 catches on the season by the end of the game. The senior has had at least 50 yards receiving in five of SU’s last seven games.

Provo and wide receiver Alec Lemon combined to make 16 receptions for 210 yards and two scores. All of Provo’s production came after halftime, when SU’s offense began clicking.

‘I think it was mainly just going out and playing,’ Provo said about SU’s second-half offense. ‘We came out in the first half, we didn’t start too well, had some turnovers, some three-and-outs. But it’s mainly just coming out and playing football like we know how to.’

This and that

Syracuse failed to become bowl eligible for the second straight week, missing out on picking up its sixth win. … With the loss, Syracuse fell to seventh place in the Big East standings. The Orange plays last-place South Florida (4-4, 0-4 Big East) on Friday. … With two more interceptions Saturday, Phillip Thomas is tied for second in the nation — and leads the Big East — with six this season.

mcooperj@syr.edu 

Published on November 6, 2011 at 12:00 pm

Contact Mark: mcooperj@syr.edu | @mark_cooperjr