EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Syracuse had chances to seize control of the game against Notre Dame, but repeatedly failed to capitalize. Here are some quick thoughts on that and how else the Orange lost to the Fighting Irish, 31-15.

Screen deficit

Just like Everett Golson, Terrel Hunt caught the ball out of shotgun, quickly turned to the sideline and picked out a receiver.

But Hunt’s passes came slower. His receivers had less space to run in. Notre Dame had more would-be and actual tacklers most every time the Orange looked to the perimeter. The Fighting Irish could set up 2nd-and-short, seemingly at will.

Almost contained

Syracuse had Notre Dame bottled up for much of the first half. The Fighting Irish got their yards on the edge, but a combination of turnovers and good defense in the middle kept Notre Dame off the board.

The Orange secondary, however, couldn’t keep up long enough.

William Fuller torched the entire SU defense to open the scoring off a screen with 3:54 left in the first quarter. And Fuller blew by Corey Winfield to again score untouched with 8:31 left in the first quarter, this time on a 72-yard touchdown reception.

Brandon Reddish pulled part of Corey Robinson’s jersey off his shoulder pads in the end zone, but the Notre Dame wide receiver caught the ball anyway, as a flag flew, to help make it 21-3 Irish.

Unpunishing

The Fighting Irish gave Syracuse plenty of opportunities to stay in and even take control of the game. But the Orange just kept giving them back.

Golson fumbled on the first drive of the game. Five players later, the ball was back in Notre Dame hands.

Reddish picked off Golson with 2:47 left in the first quarter, but a Sean Hickey false-start penalty killed off SU’s momentum at the Notre Dame 35 before the drive ultimately stalled out with Riley Dixon punting from the Irish’s 36.

To start the second half, Hunt led the Orange to the Notre Dame 29, only to zip a slant into the arms of UND safety Matthias Farley.

Who does that? No one that’s going to knock off the No. 8 team in the country.

Published on September 28, 2014 at 12:31 am