Get the latest Syracuse news delivered right to your inbox. Subscribe to our sports newsletter here.

PITTSBURGH — Syracuse traveled to Pittsburgh looking to end a two-game losing streak and trying to snap a nine-game skid at Acrisure Stadium that dates back to 2001. 

The banged-up Orange were without starting quarterback Garrett Shrader, who’s still battling an undisclosed injury, and several others who have been lost to season-ending injuries. Starting defensive back Alijah Clark also didn’t travel with the team. 

Carlos Del Rio-Wilson made his first career start at quarterback, and Syracuse struggled to move downfield in without the dual-threat abilities Schrader has shown. The Orange recorded only 145 total yards, and Pitt, even without star running back Israel Abanikanda, ran it time and time again (totaling 174 rushing yards behind three different backups), as the Orange failed to take advantage of opportunities to comeback. 

Here are some observations from No. 20 Syracuse’s 19-9 loss against Pittsburgh:  

Del Rio-Wilson gets the start

Head coach Dino Babers didn’t give any insight during the week into who the Orange would send out at quarterback against the Panthers. Both Shrader and Del Rio-Wilson saw time in practice, and both warmed up before the game. Ultimately, it was Del Rio-Wilson starting after going 11-for-22 passing for 190 yards in the second half against Notre Dame last week. 

Del Rio-Wilson’s first drive wasn’t successful, which was indicative of how the rest of his day would go. Syracuse went backwards, and linebacker Solomon DeShields hit Del Rio-Wilson from behind for a sack on 3rd-and-15. The second possession went better, with Del Rio-Wilson connecting on throws of 17 and 12 yards to Damien Alford and Trebor Pena, respectively, before the drive stalled inside the 10. It finished with a 23-yard Andre Szmyt field goal. 

The Orange punted seven times, and showed no evidence of a running game. Sean Tucker was shut down for 19 yards on 10 carries, Del Rio-Wilson completed 34.7% of his passes for 120 yards, Pitt registered six sacks and there were plenty of times when Del Rio-Wilson stepped up in the pocket, only to fight for minimal yardage. With the ball at the one-yard line, 1:35 left on the clock and Syracuse trailing by eight, Deslin Alexandre sacked Del Rio-Wilson in the endzone for a safety.

Pitt keeps it on the ground even without star back

Abanikanda, the Atlantic Coast Conference’s rushing yards leader and a lock for All-American recognition, didn’t play Saturday after sustaining an injury in last week’s game against North Carolina. He participated in pregame warmups, but a Pitt spokesperson said he wasn’t expected to play. 

Even without Abanikanda, the Panthers kept their offensive focus on the ground, with backup Rodney Hammond Jr. totaling 28 handoffs for 124 yards, and C’Bo Flemister recording 42 yards. Pitt controlled the time of possession, holding the ball for 13 more minutes than SU. 

On Pittsburgh’s second drive, Hammond got six carries, eventually scoring on a six-yard run off the left side to put the Panthers up 7-3. Pitt used heavy sets with multiple tight ends and a fullback to give Hammond extra blockers, rarely running plays out of the shotgun and instead having Slovis turn around and hand to his running back. 

In the second half, Flemister had carries on 10 of Pitt’s 11 plays during its scoring drive that put it ahead 17-6. On 1st-and-goal from inside the one-yard line, the redshirt senior flipped over the pile into the end zone for the touchdown.  

Where’s Tucker?

Two games removed from only getting five carries against then-No. 5 Clemson, Tucker again disappeared at times on Saturday. Babers said after the loss to the Tigers that Tucker’s lack of touches had been addressed and shouldn’t happen. But with his 19-yard performance against Pitt, Tucker has now gone four-straight games with fewer than 100 rushing yards. Before a seven-yard carry late in the first half, the running back only had seven carries for nine yards. 

Del Rio-Wilson had 23 passing attempts, but Tucker only got 12 total touches. Syracuse tried to go for play action or sideline throws even in early-down situations, often leaving Tucker out of the mix. The quarterback especially targeted one-on-one matchups down the sideline, often overthrowing receivers. 

Tucker caught a screen pass early in the fourth quarter, but linebacker Shayne Simon got off his block and dropped Tucker for a loss of four. Del Rio-Wilson was sacked on second down, and threw an incompletion on 3rd-and-16, giving Pitt the ball back with a punt. 

Syracuse can’t capitalize on Pitt mistakes

The Orange picked off Pitt twice on Saturday, the first coming in the first quarter when Slovis lofted one toward the end zone while Jason Simmons tried to wrap him up. Ja’Had Carter came up with his third interception in as many games by out jumping everyone else. Early in the third quarter, Pittsburgh tried to trick Syracuse with a double pass, as Slovis threw a backwards toss to Jared Wayne, who then looked toward the opposite sideline. Isaiah Johnson jumped the route, giving SU the ball at its own 14-yard line.

But the Orange couldn’t punch it in after either interception, with Carter’s pick leading to a 12-play, 75-yard drive that came up one yard short. A third-and-goal pitch to Tucker was snuffed out easily by the Panthers, who dropped the running back for a four-yard loss, leading to a field goal. 

After Johnson’s interception, Pitt was called for roughing the passer on Del Rio-Wilson, who responded by nearly giving it back to the Panthers on a throw intended for Oronde Gadsden II. A.J. Woods couldn’t haul in the interception, but it barely mattered. Del Rio-Wilson had to evade pressure on 3rd down, only to muster a few yards, and the Orange had to punt. The Panthers responded with a 65-yard touchdown drive to take a 17-7 lead. 

Early in the fourth quarter, Caleb Okechukwu dropped Slovis for a sack on third down, and Cam Guess’ line drive punt hit a player at the line of scrimmage, totaling just two yards and giving Syracuse the ball at Pitt’s 27-yard line. The Orange, however, only went backwards, and Szmyt trotted out for a 46-yard field goal after two incompletions and a Tucker run for loss. Szmyt’s field goal came up just short, nearly hitting the crossbar, and SU still trailed 17-6 after another missed opportunity.

Published on November 5, 2022 at 7:08 pm

Contact Connor: csmith49@syr.edu | @csmith17_