By John Antonik for MSNsportsNET.com
September 25, 1999

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Quarterback Troy Nunes passed for one touchdown and ran for another in leading Syracuse to a 30-7 win over West Virginia Saturday in the BIG EAST opener for both teams.

Nunes produced the game’s first touchdown on a 24-yard run in the second quarter and added a 22-yard pass to Pat Woodcock at the end of the first half. The second touchdown was set up when West Virginia quarterback Marc Bulger fumbled a shotgun handoff to Avon Cobourne.

The game was actually closer than the final score indicated, with West Virginia trailing just 17-7 at halftime.

But untimely turnovers were again West Virginia’s undoing. Trailing 17-7, WVU was driving for a touchdown midway through the third quarter when freshman Avon Cobourne fumbled trying to get extra yardage at the goal line.

Duke Pettijohn scooped the ball up and he raced out to the 39-yard line. Syracuse eventually converted a field goal to extend the margin to 20-7.

After another field goal, Ian McIntosh picked off a Brad Lewis pass and raced 48 yards down the sideline for the final score of the day. It was McIntosh’s second interception of the game.

Lewis played the entire second half in place of starting quarterback Marc Bulger, who injured the index finger on his throwing hand late in the first half. Later x-rays proved negative on Bulger’s finger.

Lewis finished the half eight-of-14 for 64 yards with two interceptions. The Mountaineers committed four turnovers in all, and show nine miscues in its last two games while being outscored 63-7.

West Virginia, without a touchdown in its last eight quarters, led off the scoring in the first quarter when defensive tackle Ryan Brady sacked Madei Williams in the end zone for a safety.

WVU added a 23-yard field goal by Jay Taylor in the second quarter before scoring another safety when a misdirected snap sailed over punter Mike Shafer’s head and out of the end zone.

The Mountaineers’ maligned defensive unit, which came into the game allowing 489.3 yards per game, held Syracuse to 227 total yards including just 119 on the ground.

Orange tailbacks Dee Brown and James Mungro combined to rush for 47 yards on 20 carries.

The Mountaineers were limited to 264 total yards. Cobourne led all rushers with 63 yards on 18 carries, while Cooper Rego added 46 stripes on 11 carries.

Antonio Brown produced 76 yards on six receptions including a 43-yard hookup from Bulger that led to Taylor’s field goal.

West Virginia, now 1-3, return home next Saturday to face Navy in a noon contest. Syracuse improves to 3-1 and faces Tulane in the Carrier Dome next Saturday.

Scoring Summary

WV – Safety Brady sacked Williams in end zone
SU -- FG Trout 23
WV – FG Taylor 23
SU – Nunes 24 run (Trout kick)
WV – Safety punt snapped out of end zone
SU – Woodcock 22 pass from Nunes (Trout kick)
SU – FG Trout 43
SU – FG Trout 23
SU – McIntosh 48 interception return (Trout kick)

Individual Statistics

Rushing --WVU: Cobourne 18-63, Rego 11-46, Wilson 3-14, Team 1-minus 3, Lewis 5-minus 5; SYR: Williams 12-50, Brown 12-37, Nunes 6-36, Mungro 8-10, Sudano 1-0, team 1-minus 14.

Passing --WVU: Bulger 9-14-0-85, Lewis 8-14-2-64; SYR: Nunes 9-13-0-102, Williams 1-5-1-6.

Receiving -- WVU: Brown 6-76, Becht 4-44, Cobourne 3-10, A. Green 2-11, Osegueda 1-4, Ivy 1-4. SYR: Spotwood 3-45, Woodcock 2-32, Brominski 2-24, Brown 2-4, Mungro 1-3.

Attendance: 44,890