The 1997 Syracuse Orange entered their game against the #17 West Virginia Mountaineers on a four-game winning streak having scored 196 points in that stretch. While the Orange couldn’t keep up that level of scoring, they once again coasted to a 40-10 win.
Syracuse got on the board first on a Donovan McNabb to Kaseem Sinceno 18-yard touchdown pass. The Mountaineers got the next 10 points but McNabb hooked up with Quinton Spotwood on a 15-yard pass. The extra point was blocked so it was 13-10 Orange at the half.
The Orange pulled out a trick play early in the third quarter as wide receiver Kevin Johnson tossed a 50-yard touchdown to Jim Turner.