The Daily OrangeOut for revenge: Louisville looks to break three-game losing streak against SU, earn first Big East victory
By Jen McCaffrey
Posted: 11/12/09, 12:34 AM EST Section: Sports
It's not often Big East teams cringe at the name of Syracuse football. Yet for Louisville, playing Syracuse the past two seasons has meant two upset losses, something no other Big East team can claim.
As the Cardinals prepare for a very different SU team this weekend, they are hoping the third time truly is the charm.
"I think the fact that they beat us the past two years definitely adds fuel to the fire," Louisville sophomore defensive end Greg Scruggs said.
In 2007, the 18th-ranked Cardinals fell to the Orange, the 37-point underdogs, in a 38-35 shocker. It was SU's first win of the season and only Big East win of the year.
Then-quarterback Andrew Robinson threw for a career-best 423 yards, completing 17-of-26 passes and throwing for four touchdowns. Taj Smith had four receptions for 173 yards and two scores, and the Orange offense exploded for 474 yards. The 38 points were the most Syracuse had scored until its 41-24 win over Maine this season.
The following season, two wins and 13 losses later, the Orange again dominated Louisville in a 28-21 victory at the Carrier Dome, once again marking the only Big East win for Syracuse on the season.
The Orange had another record-setting game at the hands of the Cardinals. Running back Curtis Brinkley rushed for 166 yards, breaking a single-season record with five consecutive 100-yard rushing games.
That loss for the Cardinals set in motion a nine-game Big East losing streak, which Louisville hopes to bring to an end this weekend.
"What hurt us a lot last year was not executing our assignments," Scruggs said. "Really not doing our jobs, people not hitting their gaps, not executing blitzes, hesitations, things like that. I think we've fixed that and put ourselves in a pretty good position, and that's against every opponent."
This time around, the two teams that seemed so different from each other the last two seasons now have identical records at 3-6 overall and 0-4 in the Big East. They will match up at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium Saturday (noon, TW26).
As the Cardinals prepare for a very different SU team this weekend, they are hoping the third time truly is the charm.
"I think the fact that they beat us the past two years definitely adds fuel to the fire," Louisville sophomore defensive end Greg Scruggs said.
In 2007, the 18th-ranked Cardinals fell to the Orange, the 37-point underdogs, in a 38-35 shocker. It was SU's first win of the season and only Big East win of the year.
Then-quarterback Andrew Robinson threw for a career-best 423 yards, completing 17-of-26 passes and throwing for four touchdowns. Taj Smith had four receptions for 173 yards and two scores, and the Orange offense exploded for 474 yards. The 38 points were the most Syracuse had scored until its 41-24 win over Maine this season.
The following season, two wins and 13 losses later, the Orange again dominated Louisville in a 28-21 victory at the Carrier Dome, once again marking the only Big East win for Syracuse on the season.
The Orange had another record-setting game at the hands of the Cardinals. Running back Curtis Brinkley rushed for 166 yards, breaking a single-season record with five consecutive 100-yard rushing games.
That loss for the Cardinals set in motion a nine-game Big East losing streak, which Louisville hopes to bring to an end this weekend.
"What hurt us a lot last year was not executing our assignments," Scruggs said. "Really not doing our jobs, people not hitting their gaps, not executing blitzes, hesitations, things like that. I think we've fixed that and put ourselves in a pretty good position, and that's against every opponent."
This time around, the two teams that seemed so different from each other the last two seasons now have identical records at 3-6 overall and 0-4 in the Big East. They will match up at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium Saturday (noon, TW26).
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