SYRACUSE - No matter what happens to his team, Syracuse head coach Greg Robinson always seems to be smiling. Now he actually has something to smile about: The Orange's first win of the season and its first Big East road victory since he took over the program.

“What I thought was good was that we were able to hang tough and still find a way to win that football game, even though we looked like we were losing momentum by making some mistakes,” Robinson said of Syracuse's stunning 38-35 upset of No.18 Louisville on Saturday. “I was pleased that we were still able to pull that off.”

He wasn't alone. Several friends, including Syracuse basketball coach Jim Boeheim, phoned after the game offering congratulations.

“It's everything I expected it would be,” Robinson said. “It's been good. There have been phone calls, e-mails and text messages.”

Even PGA golfer Steve Flesch briefly joined in the celebration while he was in the process of winning his second tournament in two months.

Flesch couldn't help but smile along with the throng of spectators who watched much of the Syracuse-Louisville game on a big screen TV during the third round of the Turning Stone Resort Championship in nearby Verona. Flesch, a former University of Kentucky standout, was still reveling in his alma mater's win the previous week over Louisville and was only too happy to see the Orange do the same, even though his caddie, Billy Lewis, is a former member of the Louisville golf team.

“We were walking up to the ninth green and we saw the big board over to the right and it had the end of the Syracuse game on and I just said, ‘Just keep walking straight, don't look right.' ” Flesch said. “Yeah, that was funny.”

And stunning, considering that Syracuse was a six-touchdown underdog to a Louisville team that hadn't lost at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium in 20 games, the second longest streak in the nation.

“It finally came where we put pieces together,” said Robinson, who had to be feeling increased pressure after Syracuse's woeful performances in its first three games. “We got a really good half put together, which gave us the momentum to finish the ballgame the way that we did.”

Syracuse needed just one play to take the lead as Andrew Robinson hit wideout Taj Smith for a 79-yard touchdown. Smith found himself all alone at midfield with no Louisville player within 10 yards when he caught the ball, allowing him to run free to the end zone.

Syracuse built a 21-7 halftime lead behind a 93-yard kickoff return by Max Suter and a 42-yard pass from Robinson to freshman receiver Da'Mon Merkerson.

Syracuse had 234 yards of total offense in the first half, 35 more than the Orange had been averaging for an entire game. And the Orange's 38 points were more than they had in the first three games of the season combined - lopsided losses to Washington (42-12), Iowa (35-0), and Illinois (41-20).

Syracuse's defense took its share of lumps, allowing Louisville to gain 628 yards of total offense, but the Orange recovered two fumbles and nabbed two interceptions, just enough to keep the Cardinals at bay.

So, despite some imposing discrepancies on the season stat sheet - Syracuse has been outscored 38-17 on average, has been outrushed 871 yards to 137, is averaging 1.1 yard per carry while allowing 5.4, has scored one touchdown running while giving up a dozen, and has allowed its opponents to convert 54 percent of their third downs - the Orange (and UConn) lead the Big East standings.

“We are 1-0 and tied for first place in the Big East,” Robinson said. “To our football team, that's exciting.”

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Notes: Andrew Robinson was named Big East offensive player of the week, Suter was named special teams player of the week, and senior defensive end Jameel McClain was named to the honor roll. Robinson had the best game of his career by completing 17-of-26 passes for 423 yards and tying a school record with four touchdowns.