2012 Syracuse Orange football team The 2012 Syracuse Orange football team represented Syracuse University in the 2012 NCAA Division I FBS football season . The Orange were led by fourth year head coach Doug Marrone and played their home games at the Carrier Dome . The season marked their last as members of the Big East Conference , as they are joining the Atlantic Coast Conference in 2013 . They finished the season 8 – 5 , 5 – 2 in Big East play to claim a four - way share of the Big East Conference championship . They were invited to the Pinstripe Bowl where they defeated long - time rival West Virginia , whom they did not play in the regular season due to the Mountaineers ' move to the Big 12 Conference . The 2012 season also proved to be the final one for Marrone as the Orange head coach , as he was hired as the new head coach of the NFL ' s Buffalo Bills shortly after the end of the season . Preseason . The Orange finished the 2011 season with a 5 – 7 record , going 1 – 6 in Big East play to finish in a tie for seventh place . The 2012 recruiting class added 21 new players to the roster , including 13 three - star players . Rivals . com ranked the 2012 Syracuse recruiting class at number 65 in the nation . On offense , the Orange are returning senior quarterback Ryan Nassib , starting for his third consecutive season . Key offensive players such as Alec Lemon , Marcus Sales , Jerome Smith , and Prince - Tyson Gulley are also returning . On defense , key players returning include Shamarko Thomas , Marquis Spruill , and Deon Goggins . The program lost a number of significant contributors in the 2011 campaign , including tight end Nick Provo and defensive end Chandler Jones , and such losses left a number of questions regarding how a relatively young defense would be able to mature without many experienced players . In its preseason rankings , College Football News ranked the Orange 57th in the country , and projected that they would go 6 - 6 in 2012 . Their 2012 schedule is the 42nd - toughest in the nation , according to rankings compiled by statistician Jeff Sagarin . Big East media poll . The 2012 Big East Preseason Poll was announced at the Big East Media Day in Newport , RI on July 31 , 2012 . Syracuse was chosen to finish seventh in the conference . Game notes . Northwestern . Northwestern defeated Syracuse in the Orange ' s home opener by a score of 42 - 41 . Syracuse quarterback Ryan Nassib threw for 482 yards with four touchdowns and one interception . Wide receiver Marcus Sales caught twelve passes for 129 yards and one touchdown . After trailing 35 - 13 half way through the 3rd quarter , the Orange stormed back to take a 41 - 35 lead with less than three minutes left in the game . The defense would not hold , however , as Northwestern scored the go - ahead touchdown with 44 seconds remaining . 1st quarter scoring : SYR : Ross Krautman 22 Yd FG ; SYR : Ross Krautman 33 Yd FG ; NU : Mark Venric 82 Yd Punt Return 2nd quarter scoring : SYR : Prince - Tyson Gulley 14 Yd Run ( Ross Krautman Kick ) ; NU : Mark Venric 21 Yd Pass From Kain Colter ( Jeff Budzien Kick ) ; NU : Christian Jones 14 Yd Pass From Kain Colter ( Jeff Budzien Kick ) 3rd quarter scoring : NU : Chi Chi Ariguzo 33 Yd Fumble Recovery ( Jeff Budzien Kick ) ; NU : Kain Colter 1 Yd Run ( Jeff Budzien Kick ) ; SYR : Marcus Sales 7 Yd Pass From Ryan Nassib ( Ross Krautman Kick ) ; SYR : Jeremiah Kobena 50 Yd Pass From Ryan Nassib ( Ross Krautman Kick ) 4th quarter scoring : SYR : Jeremiah Kobena 7 Yd Pass From Ryan Nassib ( Ross Krautman Kick ) ; SYR : Christopher Clark 20 Yd Pass From Ryan Nassib ( Prince - Tyson Gulley Two - Point Run Conversion ) ; NU : Demitrius Fields 9 Yd Pass From Trevor Siemian ( Jeff Budzien Kick ) USC . This game was played at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford , New Jersey . Ryan Nassib threw for 322 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions . Marcus Sales caught eight passes for 104 yards and two touchdowns . The Orange looked poised to upset the Trojans , trailing by only five points at the end of the third quarter . A dominating 4th quarter performance by USC quarterback Matt Barkley proved to be too much , however , as the Trojans dealt Syracuse their second loss with a final score of 42 - 29 . 1st quarter scoring : None 2nd quarter scoring : USC : Marqise Lee 13 Yd Pass From Matt Barkley ( Alex Wood Kick ) ; USC - Robert Woods 29 Yd Pass From Matt Barkley ( Alex Wood Kick ) ; SYR - Ross Krautman 37 Yd FG 3rd quarter scoring : USC - Robert Woods 4 Yd Pass From Matt Barkley ( Alex Wood Kick ) ; SYR - Marcus Sales 3 Yd Pass From Ryan Nassib ( Ross Krautman Kick ) ; SYR - Prince - Tyson Gulley 8 Yd Run ( Two - Point Conversion Failed ) 4th quarter scoring : USC : Xavier Grimble 22 Yd Pass From Matt Barkley ( Alex Wood Kick ) ; USC - Marqise Lee 4 Yd Pass From Matt Barkley ( Alex Wood Kick ) ; SYR - Marcus Sales 17 Yd Pass From Ryan Nassib ( Two - Point Conversion Failed ) ; USC - Marqise Lee 3 Yd Pass From Matt Barkley ( Alex Wood Kick ) ; SYR - Ryan Nassib 1 Yd Run ( Ross Krautman Kick ) Stony Brook . The Orange returned to the Carrier Dome to take on FCS Stony Brook . After trailing by three at the half , the Orange defense held the Seawolves to a scoreless second half , and the offense did the rest at Syracuse won its first game , 28 - 17 . Ryan Nassib threw for 335 yards with three touchdowns . 1st quarter scoring : SB : Kevin Norrell 63 Yd Pass From Kyle Essington ( Wesley Skiffington Kick ) ; SYR : Prince - Tyson Gulley 61 Yd Pass From Ryan Nassib ( Ross Krautman Kick ) ; SB : Wesley Skiffington 20 Yd FG 2nd quarter scoring : SYR : Ashton Broyld 22 Yd Run ( Ross Krautman Kick ) ; SB : Miguel Maysonet 71 Yd Run ( Wesley Skiffington Kick ) 3rd quarter scoring : SYR : Jarrod West 13 Yd Pass From Ryan Nassib ( Ross Krautman Kick ) 4th quarter scoring : SYR : Marcus Sales 19 Yd Pass From Ryan Nassib ( Ross Krautman Kick ) Minnesota . The Orange traveled to Minnesota and were stifled by the Golden Gopher defense . Ryan Nassib threw for 228 yards , with one touchdown and two interceptions . This loss gave Syracuse a 1 - 3 overall record for the season . 1st quarter scoring : MIN : Donnell Kirkwood 2 Yd Run ( Jordan Wettstein Kick ) ; SYR : Ross Krautman 33 Yd FG 2nd quarter scoring : None 3rd quarter scoring : MIN : Donnell Kirkwood 1 Yd Run ( Jordan Wettstein Kick ) 4th quarter scoring : MIN : Jordan Wettstein 43 Yd FG ; SYR : Marcus Sales 14 Yd Pass From Ryan Nassib ( Ross Krautman Kick ) Pittsburgh . Big East Conference play began as Pittsburgh came to the Carrier Dome . After scoring fourteen points in the first quarter , the Orange were held scoreless by the Pitt defense . Despite scoring only twice , Syracuse held on to edge the Panthers by a score of 14 - 13 . This victory snapped an eight - game FBS losing streak , and was the Orange ' s first win over Pitt since a double - overtime affair in 2004 . 1st quarter scoring : SYR : Adonis Ameen - Moore 1 Yd Run ( Ross Krautman Kick ) ; SYR : Dyshawn Davis 52 Yd Fumble Return ( Ross Krautman Kick ) 2nd quarter scoring : PIT : Ray Graham 1 Yd Run ( Kevin Harper Kick ) ; PIT : Kevin Harper 40 Yd FG 3rd quarter scoring : PIT : Kevin Harper 27 Yd FG 4th quarter scoring : None Rutgers . Despite putting up 438 total yards , turnovers proved costly as Rutgers beat Syracuse for the second year in a row by a score of 23 - 15 . Ryan Nassib threw for 356 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions . 1st quarter scoring : RUT : Jawan Jamison 1 Yd Run ( Nick Borgese Kick ) 2nd quarter scoring : SYR : Adonis Ameen - Moore 3 Yd Run ( Ross Krautman Kick ) 3rd quarter scoring : RUT : Duron Harmon 75 Yd Return Of Blocked Field Goal ( Nick Borgese Kick ) ; RUT : Nick Borgese 25 Yd FG 4th quarter scoring : SYR : Christopher Clark 40 Yd Pass From Ryan Nassib ( Ryan Nassib Pass To Marcus Sales For Two - Point Conversion ) Connecticut . The Connecticut Huskies took on the Orange in former Syracuse head coach Paul Pasqualoni ' s first return to the Carrier Dome since he was fired at the end of 2004 season . The Orange blew out the Huskies by a score of 40 - 10 behind Ryan Nassib ' s 251 passing yards and running back Jerome Smith ' s 133 yards on the ground . 1st quarter scoring : SYR : Ross Krautman 22 Yd FG ; SYR : Ross Krautman 33 Yd FG ; CON : Chad Christen 23 Yd FG 2nd quarter scoring : SYR : Adonis Ameen - Moore 1 Yd Run ( Ross Krautman Kick ) ; CON : Ryan Griffin 32 Yd Pass From Chandler Whitmer ( Chad Christen Kick ) ; SYR : Beckett Wales 3 Yd Pass From Ryan Nassib ( Ross Krautman Kick ) 3rd quarter scoring : SYR : Prince - Tyson Gulley 4 Yd Run ( Ross Krautman Kick ) ; SYR : Ross Krautman 42 Yd FG ; SYR : Alec Lemon 11 Yd Pass From Ryan Nassib ( Ross Krautman Kick ) 4th quarter scoring : SYR : Ross Krautman 47 Yd FG South Florida . After trailing by a score of 23 - 3 at halftime , the Orange rallied in the second half and won on a last - second touchdown pass by Ryan Nassib , who threw for 328 yards and four touchdowns . 1st quarter scoring : SFL : Demetris Murray 1 Yd Run ( Maikon Bonani Kick ) ; SYR : Ross Krautman 20 Yd FG ; SFL : Maikon Bonani 35 Yd FG 2nd quarter scoring : SFL : Maikon Bonani 32 Yd FG ; SFL : Lindsey Lamar 80 Yd Run ( Maikon Bonani Kick ) ; SFL : Maikon Bonani 46 Yd FG 3rd quarter scoring : SYR : Jarrod West 31 Yd Pass From Ryan Nassib ( Ross Krautman Kick ) ; SYR : Alec Lemon 4 Yd Run ( Ross Krautman Kick ) ; SYR : Marcus Sales 5 Yd Pass From Ryan Nassib ( Ross Krautman Kick ) ; SFL : Maikon Bonani 41 Yd FG 4th quarter scoring : SFL : Andre Davis 30 Yd Pass From B . J . Daniels ( Maikon Bonani Kick ) ; SYR : Marcus Sales 19 Yd Pass From Ryan Nassib ( Ross Krautman Kick ) ; SFL : Maikon Bonani 47 Yd ; SYR : Alec Lemon 1 Yd Pass From Ryan Nassib ( Two - Point Pass Conversion Failed ) Cincinnati . Looking to go above . 500 for the first time all season , the Orange entered Cincinnati and lost a sloppy contest that featured five total turnovers . Despite doubling the Bearcats ' total yardage and 286 passing yards from Ryan Nassib , Syracuse fell to 4 - 5 on the season . 1st quarter scoring CIN : George Winn 5 Yd Run ( Tony Miliano Kick ) ; SYR : Ryan Nassib 1 Yd Run ( Ross Krautman Kick ) ; SYR : Ross Krautman 24 Yd FG 2nd quarter scoring CIN : Travis Kelce 37 Yd Pass From George Winn ( Tony Miliano Kick ) ; SYR : Alec Lemon 14 Yd Pass From Ryan Nassib ( Ross Krautman Kick ) 3rd quarter scoring CIN : George Winn 1 Yd Run ( Tony Miliano Kick ) ; SYR : Jerome Smith 1 Yd Run ( Ross Krautman Kick ) ; CIN : Travis Kelce 13 Yd Pass From Brendon Kay ( Tony Miliano Kick ) 4th quarter scoring : CIN : George Winn 2 Yd Run ( Tony Miliano Kick ) Louisville . Homecoming was good for the Orange as they romped to hand # 9 Louisville their first loss of the season . Behind a dominating offensive performance from quarterback Ryan Nassib and running back Jerome Smith , Syracuse put up 524 total yards as they won by a score of 45 - 26 . 1st quarter scoring : SYR : Ross Krautman 20 Yd FG ; LOU : John Wallace 37 Yd FG ; SYR : Prince - Tyson Gulley 8 Yd Run ( Ross Krautman Kick ) ; LOU : Corvin Lamb 53 Yd Pass From Teddy Bridgewater ( John Wallace Kick ) 2nd quarter scoring : SYR : Alec Lemon 13 Yd Pass From Ryan Nassib ( Ross Krautman Kick ) ; SYR : Alec Lemon 37 Yd Pass From Ryan Nassib ( Ross Krautman Kick ) ; SYR : Prince - Tyson Gulley 55 Yd Run ( Ross Krautman Kick ) ; LOU : John Wallace 35 Yd FG 3rd quarter scoring : SYR : Jerome Smith 35 Yd Run ( Ross Krautman Kick ; LOU : Eli Rogers 44 Yd Pass From Teddy Bridgewater ( PAT Blocked ) 4th quarter scoring : SYR : Lewellyn Coker 3 Yd Pass From Ryan Nassib ( Ross Krautman Kick ) ; LOU : DeVante Parker 8 Yd Pass From Teddy Bridgewater ( John Wallace Kick ) Missouri . Needing one more win to become bowl eligible , the Orange went to Missouri and escaped with a comeback win reminiscent of the game against South Florida a few weeks earlier . Ryan Nassib threw for 385 yards with two touchdowns and one interception , and running backs Prince - Tyson Gulley and Jerome Smith combined for 101 rushing yards and two touchdowns . With their 31 - 27 win , the Orange became bowl eligible with a 6 - 5 record . 1st quarter scoring : MIS : Dorial Green - Beckham 70 Yd Pass From James Franklin ( Andrew Baggett Kick ) ; SYR : Ross Krautman 44 Yd FG ; MIS : Jimmie Hunt 30 Yd Pass From James Franklin ( Andrew Baggett Kick ) 2nd quarter scoring : MIS : Andrew Baggett 20 Yd FG ; SYR : Prince - Tyson Gulley 1 Yd Run ( Ross Krautman Kick ) 3rd quarter scoring : None 4th quarter scoring : SYR : Alec Lemon 13 Yd Pass From Ryan Nassib ( Ross Krautman Kick ) ; MIS : Kendial Lawrence 3 Yd Run ( Andrew Baggett Kick ) ; SYR : Jerome Smith 8 Yd Run ( Ross Krautman Kick ) ; MIS : Andrew Baggett 46 Yd FG ; SYR : Alec Lemon 17 Yd Pass From Ryan Nassib ( Ross Krautman Kick ) Temple . Looking to extend their winning streak to three games and improve their overall record , the Orange went to Temple and beat the Owls by a score of 38 - 20 . The win brought the Orange ' s record to 7 - 5 , with a Big East record of 5 - 2 . This game was their last conference game as members of the Big East Conference , and gave the Orange an overall record of 76 - 75 in the conference . 1st quarter scoring : TEM : Brandon McManus 47 Yd FG ; TEM : John Christopher 12 Yd Pass From Clinton Granger ( Brandon Mcmanus Kick ) 2nd quarter scoring : SYR : Marcus Sales 24 Yd Pass From Ryan Nassib ( Ross Krautman Kick ) ; SYR : Adonis Ameen - Moore 18 Yd Run ( Ross Krautman Kick ) ; TEM : Brandon McManus 22 Yd FG ; SYR : Ross Krautman 26 Yd FG 3rd quarter scoring : TEM : Clinton Granger 10 Yd Run ( Brandon McManus Kick ) ; SYR : Adonis Ameen - Moore 1 Yd Run ( Ross Krautman Kick ) 4th quarter scoring : SYR : Prince - Tyson Gulley 3 Yd Run ( Ross Krautman Kick ) ; SYR : Keon Lyn 31 Yd Interception Return ( Ross Krautman Kick ) West Virginia ( Pinstripe Bowl ) . After finishing the season at 7 - 5 and claiming a share of the Big East Conference title , the Orange were invited to play in the Pinstripe Bowl against former Big East rival West Virginia , who were finishing their first season in the Big 12 Conference . Syracuse entered the game riding a two game winning streak over the Mountaineers , including a 49 - 23 blowout the previous season . West Virginia entered the game after having been ranked as high as # 5 in the nation , but a five game losing streak dashed any national championship hopes they might have had . At halftime , the score stood 12 - 7 in favor of the Orange , who came out of the locker room hot and won by a final score of 38 - 14 . Syracuse put up 511 total yards , and their defense held the vaunted Mountaineer offense to just 285 yards , with two safeties . The Orange finished their season with an 8 - 5 record , winning six of their last seven games . 1st quarter scoring : SYR : Ross Krautman 25 Yd FG 2nd quarter scoring : SYR : Team Safety ; SYR : Prince - Tyson Gulley 33 Yd Run ( Ross Krautman Kick ) ; WVU : Stedman Bailey 32 Yd Pass From Geno Smith ( Tyler Bitancurt Kick ) 3rd quarter scoring : SYR : Beckett Wales 10 Yd Pass From Ryan Nassib ( Ross Krautman Kick ) ; SYR : Prince - Tyson Gulley 67 Yd Run ( Ross Krautman Kick ) ; WVU : Stedman Bailey 29 Yd Pass From Geno Smith ( Tyler Bitancurt Kick ) ; SYR : Prince - Tyson Gulley 10 Yd Pass From Ryan Nassib ( Ross Krautman Kick ) ; SYR : Team Safety 4th quarter scoring : Ross Krautman 36 Yd FG