Oct. 29, 2005
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SYRACUSE, N.Y. - Kevin McCullough scooped up a fumble and raced 17 yards for a TD early in the fourth quarter to lead Cincinnati to a 22-16 win at Syracuse.
The fumble was forced by Anthony Hoke's hit on quarterback Joe Fields. Dustin Grutza passed to Bill Poland for the 2-point conversion, which gave Cincinnati a 22-16 lead with 13:00 to play.
The defense continued to come up with big plays to preserve the victory. On Syracuse's ensuing possession, Anthony Williams had a 10-yard sack on a third-down play to force a punt. Hoke stopped Damien Rhodes dead in his tracks on a 3rd-and-1 situation to end the Orange's next drive. Syracuse drove to the UC 28 on its final possession. Tony Carvitti's 10-yard sack forced the Orange into 4th-and-17 spot, and their final pass was incomplete.
Syracuse scored on the game's first possession, Damien Rhodes' 4-yard run capping a 48-yard drive. Cincinnati retaliated with a 10-play, 80-yard scoring drive. Grutza was 5-of-5 for 61 yards, completing passes of 21 yards to Earnest Jackson and 18 yards to Derick Ross before finding Bill Poland for a 6-yard TD toss.
The Bearcats took a 14-7 lead on their next possession. The drive was kept alive by a roughing penalty on a UC punt and a Grutza run up the middle on a fake field goal try. Grutza carried the final two yards for the TD.
Rhodes took a screen pass 70 yards and scored from the 1-yard line late in the first half, but the extra point kick was missed.
Late in the third quarter, the Orange marched to the UC 2. Adam Roberts, who finished with three tackles for loss, threw Rhodes for an 8-yard setback and Syracuse had to settle for a field goal.