Syracuse scored two first-quarter touchdowns and watched its defense take charge in the third as the Orange beat host Duke 49-6 Saturday to snap a four-game losing streak at Wallace Wade Stadium in Durham, N.C.
Andre Cisco intercepted a batted ball and returned it 48 yards for a touchdown to thwart Duke's first possession of the second half. On the ensuing possession, Christopher Fredrick intercepted Duke quarterback Quentin Harris. That set up a 22-yard touchdown pass play from Tommy DeVito to Luke Benson.
A Duke fumble on the Blue Devils' next possession resulted in running back Moe Neal's 2-yard touchdown run. A 14-6 game at halftime was suddenly 35-6 little more than 10 minutes into the third quarter.
Syracuse's offense took a total of 10 snaps during a stretch when the team rang up 21 points.
Neal finished with 115 rushing yards on 17 carries and backup running back Jarveon Howard also picked up 115 yards on nine carries, helping the Orange (4-6, 1-5 ACC) to its second-most points of the season.
DeVito was 6-for-15 for 105 yards and two touchdowns. He also ran for a score.
The Orange had lost three previous meetings with Duke.
Harris finished 19-for-36 for 157 yards and two interceptions. The Blue Devils (4-6, 2-4) have lost four games in a row, and this was the most lopsided loss of the season.
Syracuse limited Duke, which lost for the third time at home this season, to 279 yards of total offense.
DeVito threw 18 yards to Trishton Jackson for the game's first points. DeVito's 1-yard run later in the first quarter helped stretch the lead to 14-0.
Duke scored on AJ Reed field goals from 31 and 51 yards in the second quarter. Both drives included fourth-down conversions.
Howard ran 28 yards and Jawher Jordan ran 7 yards for Syracuse touchdowns in the fourth quarter.
Duke starting offensive tackle Casey Holman was placed on a stretcher and taken away in an ambulance with a first-half injury.
It was Syracuse's first game at Duke since 1939.
--Field Level Media
