TAMPA, FL (AP) -- Syracuse winning its Big East opener is a big deal.
How big? Doug Marrone shed a tear Saturday talking about how much beating South Florida 13-9 means to the Orange.
"I'm ecstatic. I know I don't look that way. I'm living and dying with every play, so I'm more exhausted right now," the second-year coach said.
"Am I happy? I'm extremely happy. But I'm happy for the players. I'm happy for the people when we go back to Syracuse. I'm happy for the student body because, there is something to believe. You can believe in this team."
Delone Carter rushed for 105 yards and Ryan Nassib finished a 98-yard scoring drive with a touchdown pass to Marcus Sales, helping the Orange match their win total for all of last season, as well as equal the number of conference victories they've had each of the past four seasons.
At 4-1, Syracuse is off to its best start since 1999. The Orange were 4-31 over the past five years, going 0-7 in 2005 and 1-6 in 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009.
Marrone said there is some significance to breaking through about South Florida (3-2, 0-1), a team that had won five straight against Syracuse by a combined score of 174-53 since the Bulls entered the league in 2005.
"For me to say none, that would be ridiculous. You go out, you open up on the road in the Big East and win. You beat a team that you've never really come close to beating in the previous five years. All of those things help us," Marrone said.
"And they help us get closer to our goal, realizing we haven't achieved that yet. So I think it's one of those games that after the season you might point back to say, 'Hey that was really big to do it,' but it all depends on how well we do from here on out."
Carter and his backup, Antwon Bailey, wore down the South Florida defense on the six-minute drive that put Syracuse ahead for good midway through the fourth quarter. Bailey had a 31-yard run on the march and finished with 81 yards on nine carries.
Carter amassed his game-high total on 26 attempts and moved past Bill Hurley and Ernie Davis into ninth on Syracuse's career rushing list with 2,395 yards. The Orange rushed for 178 yards and finished with 307 yards total offense.
"It's amazing. I really don't have time to soak it in right now because we're in the season, we're in this grind and I want to win," Carter said. "I'll definitely enjoy it when this is over and reflect on it."
Nassib completed 12 of 22 passes for 129 yards, one TD and no interceptions. Ross Krautman kicked field goals of 35 and 41 yards.
B.J. Daniels was 9 of 23 for 124 yards and two interceptions for South Florida. The speedy quarterback, an exceptional runner who's being asked to be more of a pocket passer this season, was sacked four times.
Both teams entered the game largely unproven against major competition. Each had come up short on its only test against BCS opponents - USF falling 38-14 at Florida and Syracuse losing 41-20 at Washington - while beating three overmatched opponents.
A 3-1 start already had the Orange off to their best start since 2003. The Bulls felt good about themselves, too, because they're still adjusting to the offensive and defensive systems that new coach Skip Holtz brought in from East Carolina this season.
USF sputtered offensively after marching from its own 17 to the Syracuse 31, only to have the opening possession of the game end on a sour note when Daniels' pass intended for Dontavia Bogan was intercepted by Da'Mon Merkerson in the end zone.
Daniels locked in on Bogan running up the left sideline and missed Evan Landi who was wide open down the middle of the field.
Bogan later made a nice one-hand catch on a 32-yard reception that set up Maikon Bonani's 31-yard field goal early in the second quarter. The Bulls recovered a muffed punt at the Orange 31, but wasted an opportunity to snap a 3-3 tie when the offense couldn't move the ball and Bonnani's 41-yard attempt sailed wide left.
USF scored its lone touchdown on Lindsey Lamar's 94-yard kickoff return that put the Bulls up 9-6 early in the third quarter.
"We just really struggled getting anything going. We couldn't get any consistency in the passing game. We couldn't get any consistency in the running game," Holtz said. "It's really frustrating. This is a down locker room right now."
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