Orlando, Fla. ? Syracuse ended its season with a rush, winning three of four behind a surging running game.

The Orange’s potent ground attack will face a stiff challenge tonight against Georgia Tech’s stingy defense in the Champs Sports Bowl.

Syracuse (6-5) is back in the postseason for the first time since 2001 in large part because of tailbacks Walter Reyes and Damien Rhodes and two-way player Diamond Ferri.

The Yellow Jackets have relied on a defense that is allowing less than 300 yards per game and ranked 19th nationally against the run. Georgia Tech (6-5) has held six opponents to 84 yards or less on the ground, including holding Maryland to just 7 yards.

“They have a lot of guys who can go out there and tote the rock,” Georgia Tech free safety James Butler said. “We cannot worry about who they have back there. We have to go out and play fundamental football, and go out there to stop their run.”

The running game got going just in time for the Orange. After averaging just 147 yards on the ground during a 3-4 start, the Orange ran for an average of 266 yards and 15 touchdowns in the final four games to claim a share of the Big East title.

Reyes contributed first, with 244 yards and three scores in wins over Connecticut and Pittsburgh. But he was hurt against the Panthers, and sat out the rest of the regular season.

“It has been a long season for the seniors and personally for me,” said Reyes, expected to start against Georgia Tech. “I came into the season with high expectations and then going down and missing the last couple of games with torn muscles in my shoulder, it was rough.”

If the chore of stopping that trio isn’t enough for Yellow Jackets coach Chan Gailey, the only coach to lead the program to bowls in his first three seasons, he also must coax a consistent effort out of promising but erratic quarterback Reggie Ball.

Ball’s sophomore season was a disappointment after being the Atlantic Coast Conference’s top rookie in 2003. He played well in the first two games, completing 60 percent of his passes for 452 yards and six touchdowns and just one interception. But Ball’s numbers fell off down the stretch as he completed just 46 percent of his passes and threw twice as many interceptions (16) as touchdowns (8).