TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Delone Carter rushed for 105 yards and Ryan Nassib finished a 98-yard scoring drive with a touchdown pass to Marcus Sales, helping Syracuse win its Big East opener Saturday with a 13-9 victory over South Florida.
The Orange (4-1, 1-0) is off to its best start since 1999 and matched the number of conference wins Syracuse has had each of the past four seasons, when it went 1-6 in the league.
South Florida (3-2, 0-1) had won five straight in the series by a combined score of 174-53 since entering the Big East in 2005.
Carter and his backup, Antwon Bailey, wore down the South Florida defense on the six-minute drive that put Syracuse ahead for good midway through the fourth quarter. Bailey had a 31-yard run on the march and finished with 81 yards on nine carries.
