Comments Facebook Twitter Google+ The 2001 Syracuse Orangemen entered their bowl game against Kansas State as an underdog with something to prove.Despite finishing the season 9-3, good for second in the Big East behind Miami (Fla.), SU was shut out of a more prolific bowl game. And to top it off, the team wasn’t even favored against a 6-5 Kansas State team in the Insight.com Bowl.But Syracuse didn’t let the pundits stop it in its 26-3 rout of Kansas State in the 2001 Insight.com Bowl in Phoenix, Ariz. Led by running back James Mungro’s 112 yards and three touchdowns, the Orangemen (10-3) became the sixth SU team in 112 years to win 10 games.It was the Orangemen’s 12th win in a bowl game, a number that still stands today.‘The fact that Kansas State was favored was an incentive to us,’ Mungro told reporters after the game. ‘We just wanted to go out and prove to America that we are a better team.’AdvertisementThis is placeholder textThe game was a rematch between two teams that played in the 1997 Fiesta Bowl. Kansas State won that version 35-18. But outside of the school names, the two games held no similarities.Mungro, who ran for over 1,000 yards during the season, ran 65 yards for a score to give SU a 7-0 lead in the first quarter. The Orangemen would never look back, moving down the field with ease on four touchdown drives while holding Kansas State to just a first quarter field goal. Johnnie Morant had two big catches for a total of 93 yards and a score, and Syracuse outgained Kansas State 109 to 33 in rushing yards.But as quick and dominating as the SU offense was, its defense was even better. Kansas State entered the game averaging 255 rushing yards per game but were shut down completely. Orangemen junior linebacker Clifton Smith was a big reason for the Wildcats’ offensive ineptitude. Smith led the SU defense with 12 tackles and a sack.Syracuse forced Kansas State to four turnovers — two interceptions and two fumble recoveries. One Wildcats quarterback, Eli Roberson — KSU switched between two QBs throughout the game — was just 2-of-15 for the game.‘I think we played very aggressively because we were underdogs,’ Smith told reporters after the game. ‘Even with playing two quarterbacks, we knew they were a running team. But it’s nothing new in terms of our ability to stop the run.’Winning was nothing new for SU head coach Paul Pasqualoni’s 18th-ranked Orangemen. The team may not have been able to play in a New Year’s Day bowl, but the win against a previously Kansas State team that was favored by nearly a touchdown provided confirmation for Syracuse. The team was just as good as its record read.Even more impressive was SU’s record after its first two games. The team went 10-1 following an 0-2 start and had an eight-game winning streak.‘I feel very satisfied,’ Pasqualoni told reporters after the game. ‘We played 10 teams with winning records and nine of them went to bowl games. We are only the sixth team in 112 years of Syracuse football to win 10 games.’– Compiled by Asst. Copy Editor Rachel Marcus, rnmarcus@syr.edu Published on December 28, 2010 at 12:00 pm Contact Rachel: rnmarcus@syr.edu read more