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The Daily OrangeFB | Devine intervention
Devine's 92-yard touchdown run seals SU defeat
By Andy McCullough
Posted: 10/13/08, 3:57 AM EST Section: Sports
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MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - All day Saturday, Noel Devine threatened. Devine, the pint-sized dynamo and sophomore West Virginia running back, broke off a pair of 20-yard runs in the first half, his speed a visual and visceral reminder of the danger he posed to the Syracuse football team.
While the Mountaineer offense - playing without concussed, multi-threat quarterback Pat White all game - sputtered around him, Devine remained a weapon, volatile and looming during West Virginia's 17-6 win in front of 58,133 fans at Mountaineer Field. He was lightning in a bottle, and he would strike late.
He exploded when the Mountaineers needed it most and the Orange could afford it least. With West Virginia leading by four late in the fourth quarter and looking to run out the clock after Syracuse had turned the ball over on downs, Devine took a handoff on a 3rd-and-7 from the WVU 8, and stretched toward the left sideline.
Then Devine found a seam. Then he was gone. Then the game was over. Over just like that for the Orange (1-5, 0-2 Big East). Over that fast, even for a 92-yard sprint, even for a game that still had 4:16 left when he hit the end zone.
"He saw a little gap, and we just couldn't recover from it," said senior defensive tackle Nick Santiago. "As soon as he hit it, he was out the gate. There really is no catching that guy."
Devine's final jaunt was a shocking, abrupt end to a day that, at times, seemed as if it might belong to the Orange. The defense played its best game of the season and the offense had its chances, glimpses that flashed and then disappeared.
SU didn't score a point in the second half.
The Orange drove into Mountaineer territory on its last four drives, but imploded each time: Cameron Dantley threw an interception on the first, then led his team to three turnovers on downs.
West Virginia had gained just 177 yards before Devine's outburst. He finished with 194 total yards, 188 on the ground on 18 carries, the lion's share of his team's production.
Other than that, the Mountaineers had little rhythm on offense, only an overload of short passes from backup quarterback Jarrett Brown that did little damage (just 52 passing yards). They converted 4-of-12 third downs and committed eight penalties for 69 yards.
Viewing Comments 1 - 3 of 3
Jerald Cole '79
posted 10/13/08 @ 9:05 AM EST
Oiy vay!
Marc LeVine
posted 10/13/08 @ 9:31 AM EST
Let's get something straight. West Virginia is not the same powerful team it has been these past few years. Holding our own in that game should give us little strength. (Continued…)
Matt
posted 10/13/08 @ 12:53 PM EST
Get rid of him now.
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