We often hear “game of runs” associated with the sport of basketball. But this adage made its way to the Carrier Dome for a Saturday afternoon matchup that saw Syracuse (1-2, 0-1 ACC) fall to USF (2-0) 45-20. With this loss, the Orange have now lost two straight games to end the homestand by an average of 29.5 points.
“Right now, I’ve got a lot of disappointment on my face,” head coach Dino Babers told reporters following the game. “I really thought we could win that game.”
Syracuse channeled its inner Louisville, scoring on its first three possessions of this game to take an early 17-0 lead. Quarterback Eric Dungey completed fewer than 50 percent of his passes in that loss against the Cards, so it was incumbent upon him to be more efficient against a talented Bulls team.
But on the first drive of the game, we saw the Orange make more of a concerted effort to get the running game going. And after Syracuse legend Jim Brown dispersed wisdom to the team before the game, Dontae Strickland got his number called on eight of the 16 plays run from scrimmage on that opening drive. He totaled 36 rushing yards on eight carries that drive that ended with a touchdown pass from Dungey to Ervin Phillips.
Strickland was one of the bright spots for the Orange, finishing with 127 yards on the ground for his best game of the young season (he came into the game with just 48 rushing yards).
It looked like the Orange would win the first of the four rounds in this game unblemished, as they lead 17-0 with 30 seconds left in the opening frame. But the Bulls jabbed their way back into the contest with a momentous 40-yard rush at the end of the quarter, courtesy of Marlon Mack making his return from the concussion protocol.
USF further opened the wound in the second quarter when quarterback Quinton Flowers connected with Rodney Adams for a 27-yard score. Syracuse initially did an excellent job containing Flowers and forcing him to make plays from the pocket. After facing a dual-threat QB last week in Lamar Jackson, the Orange looked more prepared this time around. That, and Flowers certainly isn’t on Jackson’s level.
The defense brought the pressure and Flowers couldn’t seem to get into a rhythm. He missed wide-open receivers, which prompted head coach Willie Taggart to scold him on the sidelines a few times.
But eventually, the Bulls offense began to exploit an injury-ridden Orange defense that even when healthy wasn’t knocking anyone’s socks off. But even with the injuries, Babers is turning to the next man up philosophy and away from making excuses.
“We’ve got to find a way to win with the depth that we have,” he said. “No excuses.”
After trailing 17-0, USF went on to outscore Syracuse 45-3 the rest of the way to remain undefeated ahead of next weekend’s critical test against Florida State.
It was a rather pedestrian performance by Flowers, going just 12-for-24 with 183 yards. But Mack surely made his presence felt against the Orange for the second straight season. In this game, he rushed for 115 yards and two touchdowns on just nine carries.
It was a disappointing loss considering Syracuse legitimately could’ve won this game, but Babers isn’t bereft of optimism about the program’s future.
“We’re not there today, but we will get there someday and that’ll be a heck of a day,” Babers said.
Now, the Orange are set for three games away from the Dome. A home game at Metlife Stadium sandwiched by two road games is the slate before Syracuse returns home on Oct. 15 against Virginia Tech.
Click here to read Ty’s past reports