Behind a nearly flawless performance from every aspect of their team Friday, the Syracuse Orange routed the visiting Connecticut Huskies, 40-10, in a Big East Conference game at the Carrier Dome. SU senior quarterback Ryan Nassib finished 14-for-20 with 251 passing yards and two touchdowns while junior running back Jerome Smith ran for a collegiate-best 137 yards on 19 carries to help the Orange (3-4, 2-1 Big East) snap a six-game losing streak to the Huskies (3-5, 0-3).
Senior wide receiver Alec Lemon caught eight passes for a collegiate-best 166 yards and a touchdown, which helped SU take a commanding 37-10 lead with two minutes reaming in the third quarter. A 47-yard field goal by junior kicker Ross Krautman with 12:08 to play in the game capped the game's scoring.
Lemon also produced a 68-yard catch-and-run that helped setup a four-yard rushing touchdown by junior running back Prince-Tyson Gulley. That score helped the Orange earn a 30-10 lead with 13:12 to go in the third quarter.
Krautman connected on all four of his field goal attempts with the others coming from 22, 33 and 42 yards.
Defensively, the Orange stuffed UConn's rushing attack holding it to minus-6 yards on 18 carries. SU also sacked Huskies' quarterback Chandler Whitmer twice and forced a fumble that was recovered by the Orange.
The turnover led to a one-yard touchdown run by SU running back Adonis Ameen-Moore, who capped a nine-play, 44-yard drive which ended with 8:37 to go in the third quarter and gave the Orange a 13-3 lead.
UConn's Whitmer finished 23-for-41 with 296 yards and one touchdown.
Next Saturday, Syracuse will play at the South Florida Bulls (7 p.m. on ESPN3).