A number of Syracuse players shot off their mouths before the game that they were going to hit Jake Locker in the mouth early, hard, and often. It didn't happen and the Huskies dominated three of the four quarters of play to rout the Orangemen 41-20.
The Huskies started slow with four straight miscues on special teams in the first quarter. For awhile it looked like a replay of last week when Washington was stifled by field position the entire game because of special teams errors. Syracuse used the disparity in field position to rush out to a 10-0 first quarter lead but Washington settled down to rally and take a 13-10 lead going into the half.
Jermaine Kearse scored three touchdowns including a 57 yard scamper at the start of the second half where he did most of the work on his own. Kearse is the first Washington receiver with three touchdown catches in a game since Reggie Williams did it during the 2002 season.
Locker completed 22 of 33 passes for 289 yards , while Chris Polk added 117 yards rushing and a 52-yard touchdown run. Freshman James Callier added 46 yards in eight carries with a long of 24.
Next up for Washington is Nebraska, which coasted to a 38-17 win over Idaho this afternoon. Despite the respectable score the Vandals were never in the game after falling behind 31-3 at the half. The Cornhuskers picked off Idaho QB Nathan Enderle five times which was the biggest key to the win.
Odds and Ends
Kevins Smith and Sean Parker returned kickoffs for the first time this evening. Smith looks like he has a lot of potential.
Marlion Barnett caught two passes for 15 yards.
Princeton Tuimaono recovered a second half onside kick.
Kyle Rasp did a good job punting but he needs to get it off quicker next week and find more hang time or it could be a big problem against Nebraska.
Erik Kohler and Colin Porter got a lot of playing time tonight. Kohler jumped offside twice but otherwise looked pretty good. Expect the duo to be starting at some time during the year.
WR James Johnson made an appearance in the fourth quarter.
LB Brandon Huppert saw his first action of the season.
According to Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times Syracuse coach Doug Marrone could be heard loudly and apparently profanely yelling at his staff after the game. The visitor's locker room area is not really that cordoned off and easy to hear, and Marrone apparently was rather animated.