Syracuse’s frustration has returned. After two straight wins, the Orange fell to Cincinnati in a game where it made ample mistakes and failed to take advantage of critical opportunities.

It’s become a recurring theme in a season in which Syracuse is on the verge of missing a bowl game for the second straight season.

“I think at the end of the day what’s frustrating is the mistakes that we make, which really puts us in a tough position to win a football game and it’s happened through the course of the season,” head coach Doug Marrone said on the Big East coaches’ teleconference on Monday. “We’re a team; it’s become very tough for us to overcome those mistakes.”

The Orange began its game in Cincinnati poorly on Saturday after Jeremiah Kobena dropped the opening kickoff, and it never got much better for Syracuse in its 35-24 loss to the Bearcats. There were plenty of dropped passes, interceptions and two missed field goals.

Mistakes have cost the Orange games all season. Now Syracuse has to win two of its final three games of the season to become bowl eligible. That’s no easy task considering the Orange is playing No. 9 Louisville followed by Missouri and Temple on the road.

Marrone said Monday that Louisville will be the best team SU has played so far this season.

“Even with the tough out-of-conference schedule, I would say the quarterback, Teddy Bridgewater, is the best quarterback we’ll face so far this season,” Marrone said. “We’re going to have to play a near-perfect game for us to even have an opportunity to beat them.”

So far, Syracuse has shown an inability to play a near-perfect game.

Cornerback Brandon Reddish dropped what almost certainly would’ve been a pick six against the Bearcats, and Ri’Shard Anderson did the same earlier in the game. Those drops combined with wide receiver Jarrod West failing to secure a near-perfect pass from quarterback Ryan Nassib in the end zone left SU to wonder, once again, what could’ve been had the team taken advantage of those chances.

The Syracuse head coach acknowledged why the Orange finds itself in need of two wins in its final three games.

“I’ve never really looked at it from the overall picture because you can’t. I think it distracts you from the task at hand,” Marrone said. “For me, to this point when I say frustration, I’m talking about coaches and players. We’re frustrated with the mistakes that we make.”

Now, the Orange is preparing to face the conference’s top team this weekend. The Cardinals have the second-best scoring offense in the Big East with 34 points per game. Bridgewater is first in the conference in passing efficiency at 170 and second to Nassib in yards per game with 270.4.

Any mistakes will surely hurt Syracuse’s chances against the Cardinals, especially against a quarterback in Bridgewater who doesn’t leave much room for error.

“I just think he’s really gotten a lot better. He can extend plays and still keep his eyes down the field. He can move around the pocket and still make all the throws,” Marrone said. “I think he has a very, very good control and grasp of what’s going on.”

Published on November 6, 2012 at 2:23 am

Contact Chris: cjiseman@syr.edu | @chris_iseman