Rutgers Beats Syracuse in Their Final Big East Meeting PISCATAWAY, N.J. - Syracuse, whose football tradition helped shape the Big East Conference since the league's football beginnings in 1991, lost its final conference game against Rutgers on Saturday, 23-15. In many ways, the No. 20 Scarlet Knights (6-0, 3-0 Big East) may have overtaken the Orange as the region's premier college football program. Kyle Flood became the first Rutgers coach to win his first six games, and the team became bowl eligible for the seventh time in eight seasons. During that time, Syracuse (2-4, 1-1), which leaves for the Atlantic Coast Conference in 2013, played in only one bowl game, the 2010 Pinstripe Bowl. Defense and special teams carried the Scarlet Knights to their sixth victory in their last eight meetings against the Orange. With the score tied, 7-7, Rutgers linebacker Jamal Merrell blocked Ross Krautman's 32-yard field-goal attempt in the third quarter, and Duron Harmon returned the ball 75 yards for a touchdown. Last season, Merrell blocked an extra point and a field goal during a 19-16 double-overtime win at the Carrier Dome. On the block, Merrell said that he hit the same gap as last year and that the Orange were not focusing on him. "I just used my speed and height and made a play," he said. That was a big momentum changer because they were starting to get rolling. After a first half in which the Rutgers offense struggled at home for the second straight week, gaining 133 total yards, the Scarlet Knights" defense caused five turnovers in the second half, led by Khaseem Greene, who had an interception and helped force three fumbles. Greene also had 14 tackles and 1 ½ sacks. Flood, who called Greene's day "an all-American, player-of-the-year-type performance," said: "It doesn't surprise me when he has a game like this. Opportunities presented themselves, and he made the plays. Greene's third-quarter interception led to a 12-yard touchdown reception by tight end Tyler Kroft, putting the Scarlet Knights ahead by 23-7. Nick Borgese, filling in for the injured Rutgers kicker Kyle Federico, missed the extra point. Borgese connected on a 25-yard field goal earlier in the quarter. During his postgame news conference, Flood said Borgese kicked well in practice and that he did not think Federico "was 100 percent and could give us what we needed." The Rutgers run defense, ranked second nationally, was again dominant, holding Syracuse to 62 yards on the ground. Orange quarterback Ryan Nassib was able to move the ball for the majority of the game, though, throwing for 356 yards. Syracuse used a no-huddle offense for much of the game but had trouble converting in the red zone. With 9 minutes 40 seconds left in the game, Nassib drove the Orange to the Rutgers 10 in less than a minute. But Syracuse did not score on the next eight plays - even after a pass-interference call on fourth and goal put the ball on the Rutgers 2. The Orange turned the ball over on downs after Alex Lemon dropped the ball in the end zone. "When you get down there, everything happens so fast, so our decision-making needs to be quicker," Nassib said. They did a good job in the red zone, shutting us down and showing us different looks that we hadn't yet seen. I give them credit. Syracuse was able to cut the lead to 23-15 with 4:19 left after Nassib hit Christopher Clark for a 40-yard touchdown pass, followed by a 2-point conversion. After stopping Rutgers, the Orange had the ball on their 12 with 2:45 left, but Nassib was intercepted by Brandon Jones on the ensuing play. Brandon Coleman led Rutgers on offense with six receptions for 104 yards and a touchdown. Syracuse wide receiver Marcus Sales had 100 yards on four receptions. Jawan Jamison, who entered Saturday leading the Big East in rushing with 120.2 yards a game, was held to 64 yards on 28 carries. After the game, Jamison, who scored Rutgers's first touchdown, a 1-yard run in the first quarter, said he thought that the Scarlet Knights" offense had yet to play a complete game, but added, "The best is yet to come."