SYRACUSE, N.Y. — A new quarterback for the Syracuse Orange was not enough to get the offense going. The North Carolina Tar Heels eventually broke away and defeated the Orange 27-10 for Syracuse’s fifth
straight loss.
A curveball was already thrown before the game as it was reported that true freshman Joseph Filardi would start at quarterback for Syracuse. Filardi is a two-sport athlete at Syracuse. He’s a walk-on for football football and a scholarship close defender for men’s lacrosse.
The Orange defense started on the field and, after a chunk scramble play from UNC quarterback Gio Lopez, stalled the Tar Heel offense. Filardi didn’t get a chance to throw on his first drive as he had to scramble on his first pass play and got sacked on his second.
UNC threatened to find the end zone first after Lopez escaped a near sack from Denis Jaquez Jr. The Tar Heel QB found Kobe Paysour down the field who scampered to the Syracuse three-yard line. However the Orange defense held strong and UNC couldn’t break the goal line. A Tar Heels false start on 4th-and-inches forced UNC to kick a chip shot 24-yard field goal to lead 3-0.
Filardi finally got pass attempts off during his second drive. He missed on both attempts. The first one was to Johntay Cook, who couldn’t come down with a 50-50 ball. His second one was behind Darrell Gill on a crossing route. Syracuse went three-and-out for the second drive in a row.
The Orange suddenly gained momentum through the defense. Lopez completed a shallow crossing route to Shamar Easter. Devin Grant made first contact with Easter low, and the contact was enough to force the ball loose. Anwar Sparrow scooped up the ball and ran the other way to the house. Syracuse took the lead on the scoop and score touchdown, 7-3. It was Syracuse’s first lead at home since the Colgate game on September 12. 70:22 of game time at home had elapsed since the Orange held a lead at the JMA Wireless Dome.
Syracuse’s defense forced a three-and-out immediately afterwards. The Orange offense started to march down the field with the run game. Filardi, Will Nixon and Yasin Wills all moved the chains on the ground to get into the red zone. The Orange couldn’t find the end zone either with Filardi missing on two passing plays inside the 10-yard-line. Tripp Woody hit a 31-yard field goal to increase the Orange lead to 10-3 into the second quarter.
Both teams traded multiple defensive stops to close out the second half. Filardi finally completed a pass on a flea flicker to Darius Johnson for 25 yards. He had started the game missing his first eight passing attempts. UNC used a big 44-yard run from Demon June to get into Syracuse territory before the two-minute warning. Tar Heels kicker Rece Verhoff hit his second field goal of the half to cut the Syracuse lead to 10-6, which was the score at the half.
The second half started disastrously for Syracuse. After Filardi completed an eight-yard rollout pass to Emanuel Ross, the Orange couldn’t move the chains. The very first play of the ensuing UNC drive was a quick out pass to June and no one on Syracuse could tackle him. June ran 63 yards to the house and the Tar Heels jumped back in front 13-10.
Syracuse called for a quarterback change afterwards, sending Luke Carney out to take snaps. The Orange run game, highlighted by an 18-yard run by Carney, got as far as the UNC 30-yard line. But a couple negative plays and a delay of game pushed Syracuse out of field goal range.
The Tar Heels then ran a methodical 12 play, 80 yard drive down the field to score. UNC took advantage of an old Syracuse defensive weakness to slowly make its way down the field. Outside rushes and screens moved the ball forward for the Tar Heels. By the time June punched the ball into the end zone from five yards out, the Tar Heels took all but eight seconds off the third quarter clock. UNC led 20-10 heading into the fourth quarter.
Filardi came back into the game to start the next drive and the fourth quarter. However, while he was escaping from the pocket, Melkart Abou Jaoude slapped the ball out of Filardi’s hands. Smith Vilbert fell on the ball before it rolled out of bounds. The Tar Heels took advantage of the field position as Lopez found Jordan Shipp for a 21-yard touchdown pass. UNC took a 27-10 lead.
The lead would prove to be insurmountable as the Orange offense continued to stall. Syracuse only managed 147 yards of offense. Filardi finished 4-18 passing for 39 yards. Yasin Willis led the way offensively with 61 yards on 15 carries.
The Orange take on No. 10 Miami next week in Florida. Kickoff is set for 3:30 on ESPN.
