Collaros throws for 4 TDs, No. 5 Cincinnati gets two big turnovers and beats Syracuse 28-7

Collaros leads No. 5 Cincy over SU, 28-7

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Zach Collaros threw four touchdown passes, the Cincinnati defense forced two critical turnovers and the No. 5 Bearcats beat Syracuse 28-7 on Saturday.

Collaros hit Armon Binns on scoring passes of 81 and 13 yards, Kazeem Alli for 16 yards off a botched field goal, and Adrien Robinson for 4 yards as Cincinnati (8-0, 4-0 Big East) won its 14th straight regular-season game to remain in contention for the national championship.

Collaros finished 22 of 28 for 295 yards and no turnovers against Syracuse (3-5, 0-3), playing again in place of injured quarterback Tony Pike.

Drew Frey intercepted Greg Paulus’s pass in the back of the end zone late in the second quarter and defensive tackle Derek Wolfe forced and recovered a fumble on a first-and-goal carry from the Cincinnati 7 by Delone Carter late in the third to help seal the win.

Cincinnati is one win off the best start in school history — the 1951 team won nine straight to begin the season. Its mistake-free offense — the Bearcats did not have a turnover and remain the only team in the nation not to lose a fumble this season — and opportunistic defense made the difference.

Standout wideouts Mardy Gilyard of Cincinnati and Mike Williams of Syracuse were hardly noticed. Gilyard finished with six catches for 62 yards, while Williams caught four passes for 34 yards in his return from a one-game suspension. They entered the game ranked 1-2 in the Big East in receiving, Williams with 118.7 yards per game and Gilyard with 96.3.

Collaros’ ability to dodge the rush frazzled the Orange, who registered eight tackles for losses but just one sack. Collaros had three TD passes in his first college start a week ago, a 41-10 victory over Louisville, and was able to scramble away from trouble and find wide open receivers most of the afternoon.

Even when his receivers were covered, it didn’t matter. Facing a second-and-9 and leading 14-7 early in the third quarter, Collaros rolled right and, just when he seemed out of time, hit Binns in the corner of the end zone despite solid coverage by Da’Mon Merkerson.

Paulus was 12 of 17 for 85 yards, with one score and his 11th interception of the season. Backup Ryan Nassib was 7 of 10 for 97 yards.

Cincinnati didn’t waste time getting on the board. Two plays after a holding call nullified a 50-yard reception by D.J. Woods, Collaros scrambled and hit Binns all alone in the right flat, and he raced 81 yards to give the Bearcats a 7-0 lead after four plays from scrimmage.

Syracuse responded with a six-play, 75-yard drive to tie it. Nassib hit tight end Cody Catalina for 17 yards to get the Orange going. Two plays later, Antwon Bailey caught a 31-yard pass from Paulus, making a nice diving catch at the Cincinnati 9. After a pretty backfield fake on the next play, Paulus hit Catalina to tie it late in the first.

Facing fourth-and-4 at the Syracuse 16, the Bearcats lined up for a field goal and Collaros, the holder, rolled right after the botch and hit Alli near the goal line for a 14-7 lead early in the second.

The Orange defense rose up midway through the quarter. A sack by Arthur Jones on third-and-5 was nullified by a personal foul against linebacker Doug Hogue. Two plays later, Jones had another sack and forced Cincinnati to punt.

Syracuse got a break when Jake Rogers shanked the kick 13 yards, and Paulus drove the Orange inside the Cincinnati 10 with under 2 minutes left in the half. On first down, his pass to the back of the end zone for Williams sailed too far and Frey intercepted.