Derrell Smith News

Despite missing the final quarter of the season as result of a knee ailment, Syracuse University senior defensive tackle Arthur Jones was named a first-team Big East Conference football all-star for a second consecutive season.

Syracuse's Arthur Jones goes after Cincinnati quarterback Zack Collaros during the game at the Carrier Dome on October 31.

On paper, this season wasn't much different than any other under previous head coach Greg Robinson.

Doug Hogue got all the honors. Mike Stenclik got the Bone. The two Syracuse University linebackers played roles in the Orange's 31-13 win over Rutgers on Saturday at the Carrier Dome.

Site: Rentschler Field, East Hartford Time: Noon TV: Ch. 59, SNY Radio: WTIC-AM 1080 Line: UConn by 13 1/2 Weather: Fox 61's Garett Argianas says ... Very windy, blustery, partly to mostly sunny.

We've got two weeks left in the season, though two Big East teams -- Louisville and Syracuse -- wrap up their 2009 this weekend.

Defensive tackle Andrew Lewis channels his best Fred Flintstone tip-toeing toward the foul line before unleashing the mighty bowling ball down the lane.

Your mascot is still just a dude. Syracuse is now officially out of the Bowl Game hunt.

As any self-respecting Orange fan with a sense of his teama s history will tell you, Rutgers is not Syracusea s rival.

Their hearts are in the right place. It's just that their numbers and talent are down, and that makes the task for the Syracuse University football team especially difficult.

Rutgers defensive back Joe Lefeged sacks Syracuse quarterback Andrew Robinson, causing a fumble, during a game in 2007.

It gets worse and worse for Syracuse. The Orange play their final home game of the season Saturday, facing Rutgers at 3:30 p.m. at the Carrier Dome.

Derrel Smith - SU Linebacker Syracuse a ' Syracuse Universitya TMs head football coach Doug Marrone announced the loss of another player from his team a ' this time due to injury.

Series Record: Syracuse leads 28-10-1. Last Meeting: 2008, Rutgers, 35-17. Syracuse is 0-5 and in the Big East cellar after its 10-9 loss at Louisville, and Orange coach Doug Marrone dearly wants the seniors on the team to go out with a win in their final home game.

Derrell Smith never heard the voice message himself, rather secondhand from his high school coach.

To roast or to toast? That is the question. Roast the Syracuse University football team for finding a way to fall to a Louisville team that seemed intent on losing its third consecutive game to the Orange and seal the fate of third-year head coach Steve Kragthorpe.

The question caught Syracuse linebacker Derrell Smith a little off-guard, if only because it's one the Orange aren't used to answering.

Take your pick. Just about every type of distraction blindsided Syracuse's football team this week.

Coaches often say that every game is important, and while that is generally true, it is also true that some games are a little more important than others.

Pitt runs the ball as well as anybody in the Big East, and Syracuse stops the run nearly as well as anybody in the nation.