Orlando, Fla. ? Maybe Georgia Tech coach Chan Gailey will ease up on Reggie Ball.

Ball threw two touchdown passes, ran for another score and led the Yellow Jackets to a 51-14 victory over Syracuse in the Champs Sports Bowl on Tuesday night.

Gailey has been critical of his sophomore quarterback all season, and he reiterated this week that Ball would have to win back the starting job next spring.

Ball certainly stated his case against the Orange, finishing 12-of-19 for 207 yards with an interception.

“I just let loose,” Ball said. “I wasn’t worried about proving anything. I know what I can do. I know what kind of leader I am.”

Ball also got plenty of help.

P.J. Daniels ran 17 times for 119 yards and two scores, Calvin Johnson set a school record for touchdowns by a freshman with his seventh, and the defense set the tone by returning an interception for a touchdown on the second play. The unit added a safety with 1:42 to play.

Georgia Tech's Chris Reis celebrates with teammates Kenny Scott (2), Nathan Burton (15) and Dawan Landry (20) after Reis intercepted a Syracuse pass. The Yellow Jackets won, 51-14, in the Champs Sports Bowl on Tuesday in Orlando, Fla.

Even special teams played a role, blocking a punt in the first quarter that the Yellow Jackets (7-5) converted into a touchdown.

The loss was the worst in a bowl game for Syracuse (6-6) since the 1953 Orange Bowl, a 61-6 drubbing by Alabama. It also means more questions about the future of embattled coach Paul Pasqualoni.

Syracuse was making its first postseason appearance since beating Kansas State in the 2001 Insight Bowl. The Champs Sports Bowl formerly was known as the Tangerine Bowl.