Syracuse is suffering through a four-game slide after a 41-16 defeat at the hands of the Georgia Tech Yellowjackets on Saturday.
The reeling Orange ran headlong into a Yellowjacket buzzsaw, as the 8th ranked Tech improved to 8-0 on the season.
As painful as the losses have been, it is important to review them with a critical eye to find the takeaways that will allow head coach Fran Brown and the Orange to return quickly to the win column.
Inability to Capitalize on Opportunities
This was the second consecutive
road game in which the Orange started on defense, and the second game in a row where they got the ball back quickly and in their opponents territory.
At SMU, it was strictly the inability to convert on 3rd and 4th and goal from the 1 that destroyed the momentum, while on Saturday, penalties did the trick when Syracuse was knocking on the door of an early lead.
After a 41-yard rush from Yasin Willis on the offense’s first play from scrimmage, the Orange found themselves on the one yard line yet again, this time with a first and goal.
Here is what followed:
- False Start (minus five) – 6 yard line
- One yard rush (plus one) – 5 yard line
- Sack (minus four) – 9 yard line
- Offensive Offside (minus five) – 14 yard line
- Timeout
- Five yard Rush (plus five) – 9 yard line
- Field Goal – from the 9 yard line
While Syracuse may have captured a 3-0 lead, they had little to back it up on the road against a top 10 team, and the result was frighteningly predictable.
After holding Georgia Tech to a field goal on their next drive, the Orange offense began to stall out.
They proceeded to punt the ball on their next three possessions and followed those with a turnover on downs.
Georgia Tech did not look back, and with Syracuse trailing 20-3 at the half, missed opportunities once again loomed large.lf, not taking advantage of the opportunities that were presented to them once again loomed large.
Offensive Confusion
While many people were making the claim that quarterback Rickie Collins could not organize an offense a few weeks back, I looked to find reasons to give him the benefit of the doubt, something every athlete deserves.
I cannot do that anymore.
Collins has yet to demonstrate consistent command of the offense. The unit often looks disorganized under his direction, and when faced with pressure, he tends to lose his composure and fall out of rhythm.
Saturday was another example of a stat sheet with numbers that look reasonable, but do not tell the story of the game.
Even though Collins threw for 224 yards and, for the first time all season, finished a game without an interception, his play on the field told a different story.
He spent much of the afternoon scrambling, under duress, and forcing throws rather than running the offense with control and confidence.
There does not appear to be an offensive leader under center right now, and when the opponent starts to score, putting Syracuse in a hole, the void is even more apparent.
Haynes King will be a Heisman Candidate
With few places to look for positives for the Orange, the highlight is clearly Haynes King, and the talent that he puts on display every weekend.
King is a workhorse, and once he fell into a rhythm, he was able to dissect the Syracuse defense, which had legitimately been playing well of late.
Syracuse’s defense had Mason Heintschel of Pitt looking out of sorts for the majority of the game the week prior, but that just underscored that King plays at a different level.
Not only did he rush for 96 yards and two touchdowns, he also threw for 304 yards and three touchdowns. He was in control of the game, and is the reason why Georgia Tech is one of the six undefeated teams remaining in the FBS.
He continues to impress every time he steps onto the field as he takes hits, delivers throws, and refuses to let up. As the game wears on, he only seems to elevate his to counter any and everything that opposing defenses throw his way.
It may not be Syracuse’s year in the ACC, but with Haynes King and Georgia Tech sitting atop the standings and emerging as the conference’s likely College Football Playoff representative, the ACC appears to be in good hands.
Even without a traditional powerhouse leading the charge, the league is poised to make a strong national statement with King and his undefeated Yellowjackets.
What are your takeaways from the game Saturday?
