Syracuse football falls to UNC for second loss in a row
SU football falls at UNC for second loss in a row
The Orange fell 40-7 as the defense failed to stop the Tar Heels on first and third downs.
Burn the tape on this one.
That might be SU football head coach Dino Babers’ best course of action after a 40-7 dismantling at No. 14 North Carolina on Saturday afternoon.
It never felt like the Orange were in the game, with things quickly getting out of hand by halftime. For the second consecutive year, SU has come back to Earth after an extended winning streak to start the season.
Here are three takeaways from Saturday’s action.
Another week, another controversial call
After a confusing no-call on a hit that certainly looked like targeting on SU’s senior quarterback Garrett Shrader early in last week’s game against Clemson, the Orange were on the end of another controversial (to say the least) call in the first quarter against the Tar Heels.
Trailing 3-0 in the first quarter, SU got what would turn out to be a rare third down stop against UNC. Just shy of their own 40-yard line, the Tar Heels opted to punt. It looked like the Orange would get the ball back with the chance to tie or take the lead.
Sophomore defensive lineman Denis Jaquez Jr. was able to block the punt. UNC punter Ben Kiernan collected the loose ball and scrambled close to the first down marker before getting knocked out of bounds. The referees awarded Kiernan the first down before SU challenged the call. Replays appeared to show the ball being short of the line to gain, but the referees upheld the call on the field.
North Carolina went on to score a touchdown a few minutes later.
Given the lopsided final score, it’d be a stretch to say that the call changed the game’s outcome. But it certainly helped the Tar Heels set the tone.
Maye Day in Chapel Hill
UNC quarterback Drake Maye is the best signal caller the Orange will face this season. The sophomore had plenty of time in the pocket to dissect the SU defense. He finished the afternoon with 33 completed passes for 442 yards and three touchdowns, adding another score with his legs.
Most experts have Maye projected as one of the top picks for next year’s NFL Draft. Earlier this week, Syracuse.com reported the Orange were 0-13 against first-round quarterbacks it has faced in its time in the ACC.
Unless something completely unexpected happens, you can expect the record to be at 0-14 by the time April rolls around.
Third downs (and first downs) tell the story
There are a few stats that show just how dominant the Tar Heels were on Saturday. They outgained the Orange by over 110 yards and were better in every facet of the game. The hosts gained 33 first downs compared to just 11 for SU.
One of the reasons UNC was able to build such a big lead was because SU’s defense couldn’t get off the field on third down, and its offense couldn’t stay on the field.
North Carolina converted 10 of its 19 third down opportunities on offense, dealing the Orange defense a death by a thousand cuts in the first half. On the other hand, the SU offense struggled mightily to convert on third downs, finishing 4 of 11 in the afternoon.
This helped the Tar Heels dominate the time of possession in the first half and build a 27-0 margin by the half.
The Orange will return to action next week at No. 5 Florida State. SU just needs two more wins to qualify for a bowl game this season. Yet, they are likely looking at a third straight loss before a bye week.
is the Sports Lead Producer for The NewsHouse.