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SYRACUSE, N.Y. Eric Ellestad kicked a 35-yard field goal in overtime to give Minnesota a 20-17 victory against Syracuse on Saturday, spoiling the debut of Orange quarterback Greg Paulus.
Paulus was 19 for 31 for 167 yards and one touchdown, but the former Duke point guard threw his only interception in the extra period to give the Gophers the break they needed.
Adam Weber was 19 for 42 for 248 yards and Eric Decker had nine catches for 183 yards to lead Minnesota.
Paulus had not played football since he was honored as 2004 national player of the year at Christian Brothers Academy in suburban Syracuse. New coach Doug Marrone, who played for the Orange in the mid-1980s, made Paulus the starter.
Paulus showed great poise for somebody who had never played the position in college, and his offensive line provided good protection – Paulus was sacked twice, one of which ended in a roughing the passer penalty against the Gophers.
He appeared calm most of the game, but his ill-advised pass on a scramble on the first possession of overtime sent the Orange to defeat.
Paulus, who received an NCAA waiver to play football at Syracuse with his one remaining year of athletic eligibility, seemed at home after the Orange's first snap of the game sailed way over his head and led to a quick Minnesota touchdown. He looked off defenders and scrambled when he had to, displaying the flair that made him a record-setting high school quarterback five years ago.
With Syracuse trailing 14-3 late in the first quarter, Paulus electrified the near-capacity crowd of 48,617, which included former Syracuse star Donovan McNabb, with his first collegiate scoring pass.
Facing a second-and-6 from the Minnesota 29, Paulus fooled three defenders with a pump fake and hit a wide-open Mike Williams near the goal line to move the Orange within 14-10. The last time Paulus, who grew up in the Syracuse suburbs, played in the Carrier Dome, he led Christian Brothers Academy to its first state title.
