2008 Woodie Awards
The Daily OrangeFB | SWAN SONG: Senior Day spoiled as Syracuse routed by UConn
By Andy McCullough
Posted: 11/17/08, 3:35 AM EST Section: Sports
When it was over, when his final game at the Carrier Dome had ended, Jake Flaherty trotted toward the Syracuse locker room and looked up at rows and rows of empty silver bleachers. Most of the 28,081 fans had fled, save for a small set of Connecticut supporters reveling in the Huskies 39-14 thumping of the Orange.
The ending fit. The end of Senior Day was gloomy, but it fit. Flaherty, a senior and the starting middle linebacker for Syracuse these past two seasons, has won nine times and lost 36 in his Syracuse career. The Dome holds mostly sour memories these days, even for someone who grew up wishing to wear these colors in front of these fans. Even for someone who wants to remain a part of this program after his playing days end in two weeks.
"I've been coming to games here since I was 3 years old, and I always dreamed about playing here," Flaherty said. "I think it's one of those things, I'd like to say teammates know I left everything out on the field today.
"Maybe it'll hit me even more, later on."
For now, the specter of Saturday's implosion is enough.
Donald Brown, the nation's leading rusher, gashed the Syracuse defense for 131 yards and a 49-yard touchdown. The Syracuse offense, meanwhile, tanked for the second game in a row: A season-low 147 yards and one score.
Syracuse kept it close early, but big plays torpedoed any second-half hopes. By the end of the third quarter, it was over. UConn's Jasper Howard returned a punt for a touchdown. Two plays later, Robert McClain intercepted an Andrew Robinson pass and streaked in for another score. Syracuse fans flooded the exit gates.
Saturday was business as usual for seniors like Flaherty and defensive back Bruce Williams: An ugly loss with few people watching by the end.
Williams finished the game in street clothes, his leg swollen. "It sucked," said Williams, a team captain along with Flaherty. "Senior Night, all of us seniors wanted to go out with at least a win under all belt for the last game at the Dome. But it didn't happen."
The ending fit. The end of Senior Day was gloomy, but it fit. Flaherty, a senior and the starting middle linebacker for Syracuse these past two seasons, has won nine times and lost 36 in his Syracuse career. The Dome holds mostly sour memories these days, even for someone who grew up wishing to wear these colors in front of these fans. Even for someone who wants to remain a part of this program after his playing days end in two weeks.
"I've been coming to games here since I was 3 years old, and I always dreamed about playing here," Flaherty said. "I think it's one of those things, I'd like to say teammates know I left everything out on the field today.
"Maybe it'll hit me even more, later on."
For now, the specter of Saturday's implosion is enough.
Donald Brown, the nation's leading rusher, gashed the Syracuse defense for 131 yards and a 49-yard touchdown. The Syracuse offense, meanwhile, tanked for the second game in a row: A season-low 147 yards and one score.
Syracuse kept it close early, but big plays torpedoed any second-half hopes. By the end of the third quarter, it was over. UConn's Jasper Howard returned a punt for a touchdown. Two plays later, Robert McClain intercepted an Andrew Robinson pass and streaked in for another score. Syracuse fans flooded the exit gates.
Saturday was business as usual for seniors like Flaherty and defensive back Bruce Williams: An ugly loss with few people watching by the end.
Williams finished the game in street clothes, his leg swollen. "It sucked," said Williams, a team captain along with Flaherty. "Senior Night, all of us seniors wanted to go out with at least a win under all belt for the last game at the Dome. But it didn't happen."
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