PISCATAWAY, N.J. (AP) _ Lee McDonald kicked a 25-yard field goal and Rutgers ended the nation's fourth-longest active losing streak at 11 games with a stunning 24-21 overtime victory over four-touchdown favorite Syracuse on Saturday.

The win not only ended the Scarlet Knights' 11-game losing dating to last season, but the improbable triumph helped Rutgers (1-9, 1-5 Big East) avoid a second winless season in three years. Terry Shea's team was 0-11 in 1997.

It also marked the first time that Rutgers has beaten Syracuse (6-4, 3-3) in 12 games since 1986, and this one may have cost the Orangemen a chance at a postseason bowl bid.

What made the win even more remarkable was that McDonald, a senior who was a starter in 1997, was forced into the placekicking job when sophomore Steven Barone was suspended on Saturday for an undisclosed violation of team rules.

However, he was mobbed by teammates and about 100 fans after his wobbly kick went through the uprights for his first field goal of the year.

The game-winner came five plays after Nate Trout, Syracuse's all-time leading scorer, missed a 31-yard field goal attempt on the opening possession of overtime. The Orangemen had outscored Rutgers 162-17 in the last three games between the teams.

Freshman quarterback Chad Schwenk threw for a touchdown and ran for another and halfback Jacki Crooks tied the game with 2:13 to play with a 1-yard run capping a 96-yard drive.

Troy Nunes threw two touchdown passes to tight end Stephen Brominski and James Mungro tallied on a 2-yard run for Syracuse.

South Carolina, Buffalo and Ball State all had longer losing streaks entering the game.

Rutgers, which had been outscored 248-86 in its last five losses, tied the game with 2:13 when Crooks capped a 12-play drive with his run around right end. Schwenk hit Crooks on a 20-yard, third-down pass to keep the drive alive early and Jason Ohene had a career-long 34-yard run two plays later.

Syracuse missed a chance to attempt a game-winning field goal when a wide-open Jeff Lowe dropped a Nunes' pass at the Rutgers 25 with about 30 seconds to go in regulation.

Nunes, who played almost the final three quarters in place of starter Madei Williams, had put the Orangemen ahead 21-14 with a 3-yard touchdown pass to Brominski with 5:33 left in the third quarter.

Rutgers, which had led only once at halftime this season, was deprived of another lead when Mungro scored on a two-yard run on the final play of the half. The pitch play capped a 13-play, 68-yard drive that was kept alive early by a third-down roughing-the-passer penalty against Scarlet Knights tackle Mike Behl.

Schwenk had put Rutgers ahead 14-7 with a 1-yard run with 2:10 left in the half. Dennis Thomas set up the score with a 46-yard kickoff return and a 30-yard pass reception on the ensuing play.

The half ended with four straight scores. Schwenk threw a 34-yard scoring pass to linebacker turned tight end Shin Black with 10:12 left in the second quarter. Nunes then drove the Orangemen 73 yards in nine plays, hitting wide open tight end Stephen Brominski for the final 26 yards.