Washington Football At Syracuse

Aug. 31, 2007

Recap | Final Stats | Quotes | Photo Gallery

SYRACUSE, N.Y. - The University of Washington football team opens its 2007 season on Friday, August 31 at Big East Conference member Syracuse University in the Carrier Dome on the SU campus.

The game was televised live beginning on ESPN. Sean McDonough, Chris Spielman, Colin Cowherd and Rob Stone are provided the gameday television coverage. The telecast marks one of possibly four regular-season games on ESPN this season.

A total of 72 players made the trip to Syracuse. The team left campus at 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday and arrived at 11 p.m. (Eastern) that evening. Thursday was filled with meetings, a 90-minute practice in the 74-degree, un-airconditioned Carrier Dome and a few ESPN interviews in preparation for the national telecast.

Of the 72 players on the trip, nearly 30 are either making their first trip as a college football player or are potentially playing in their first game. 11 of those 30 are true freshmen.

Captains for the Syracuse game: Juan Garcia, Dan Howell, Louis Rankin and Jordan Reffett. Washington names captains on a game-by-game basis.

Temperature in the Carrier Dome prior to kickoff was 72 degrees.

Coaches in the press box during the game are: Tim Lappano (OC), Chris Tormey (LB) and Trent Miles (RB) and Anthony Gabriel (GA). On the field are: Kent Baer (DC), Charlie Baggett (WR), Mike Denbrock (OL), Randy Hart (DL), Luke Huard (GA), Bob Simmons (TE) and J.D. Williams (DB).

In the stands: Former Washington head football coach Don James is on the trip as a guest of the football program ... Approximately 70 friends and family from Ferndale, Wash. made the trip to support sophomore quarterback Jake Locker ... Washington's seating section is located in the lower corner of the stadium, directly surrounding the visiting team's locker room tunnel.

Syracuse won the toss and elected to receive. Jared Ballman kicked-off for Washington. Other players seeing their first action as Huskies on the kickoff team were: Victor Aiyewa, Mason Foster, Fred Wiggs, Nate Williams. Brandon Johnson played as part of the return team following Syracuse's game-opening drive for a field goal.

Quarterback Jake Locker's first career completion was a 10-yard pass to Marcel Reece around the 7:00 mark in the first quarter.

Although he played last year as a true freshman, primarily on special teams, sophomore fullback Paul Homer received his first career carry in the first quarter, a five-yard plunge through the line for a first down.

Ryan Perkins, who redshirted the 2005 season and missed the 2006 season due to a knee injury, converted a successful PAT in his first career attempt with 13:32 remaining in the second period following a Louis Rankin's 13-yard TD rush.

Louis Rankin's 47-yard TD rush in the third quarter put him past the 100-yard mark for the game, giving him consecutive games over 100 yards. He had 118 yards against Washington State in the season finale in Pullman.

In last year's season opener against San Jose State, quarterback Isaiah Stanback (102) and Louis Rankin (145) both eclipsed the 100-yard barrier.

D'Andre Goodwin took a handoff on a reverse from Louis Rankin and raced around the right end for a 31-yard rush - the first (and longest obviously) of his career at Washington.

Rankin's three TD rushes against the Orange are just two shy of his career total (5) coming into the season. His 147 yards heading into the fourth quarter eclipsed his previous career-high of 145 last year against San Jose State.

Players who saw their first Division I collegiate action at Syracuse (23): Victor Aiyewa, Jay Angotti, Jared Ballman, Tony Chidiac, Mason Foster, D'Andre Goodwin, Cody Habben, J.R. Hasty, Charles Hawkins, Jr., Matt Houston, Brandon Johnson, Jake Locker, De'Shon Matthews, Vonzell McDowell, Matt Mosley, Ryan Perkins, Morgan Rosborough, Curtis Shaw, Austin Sylvester, Ryan Tolar, Fred Wiggs, Nate Williams, Sho Yoshinaga.

Jake Locker's final stats in his first game as a Husky: 10 rushes for 83 yards and 2 TDs. 14-19-142 with no interceptions or TDs.

Washington's 42 points were the most in a season-opener for the Huskies since a 44-20 victory over Idaho in 2000. The 30-point margin of victory was the most against a non-conference opponent on the road since a 34-0 win at Northwestern to open the 1983 season.

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