A matchup once thought to be an epic showdown between two ACC opponents turned out to be a one-sided blowout after the first thirty minutes of action; as the Syracuse Orange (5-2) were completely dismantled by the Pitt Panthers (7-0) on this Thursday night football meeting, 41-13.
Syracuse quarterback Kyle McCord threw five interceptions, including three pick-sixes. Those mistakes quickly put the game out of reach, creating a deficit that proved to be insurmountable for the Orange to overcome.
And yet while the game itself provided little context overall, there were some key points – and comments – from this ACC matchup.
Did Kyle McCord tank his draft stock?
As previously stated, the matchup between Syracuse and Pitt was highly anticipated. So much so, that 10 NFL draft scouts were present at the event. While it’s impossible to gage who they were targeting with one-hundred percent accuracy, one thing was certain – McCord’s five-interception performance did not do him favors.
By McCord’s third interception of the night, scouts in the press box were in disbelief from the performance. And, by halftime, all but one had exited the building.
And now multiple scouts have packed up and left the press box as the game goes into halftime. https://t.co/aVD0NRqbH3
— Tommy Jets (@ThomasCP_NFL) October 25, 2024
McCord looked rattled, throwing into tight coverage, leaving clean pockets, and having overall poor decision-making. This includes an inexcusable 10+ yard sack that took the team out of field goal range. It didn’t help that many of his throws bounced off of his receivers; but five interceptions is inexcusable no matter how you slice it.
As stated in my preview for this matchup, a key to this game was McCord being safe with the football. It’s safe to say he didn’t accomplish that. Instead, he cost Syracuse the game – and potential damaged his draft stock in the process.
An insurmountable hole
To be honest, the Syracuse defense played well in the first half – all things considering. The team didn’t allow 100 total yards and were regularly thwarting the Pitt offense. Yet given the size of the Panthers’ lead, there was little that the defense could do.
The Orange had a chance to change momentum in the first half with an interception, but a (very) questionable roughing the passer penalty erased it completely. From there, it was nothing but damage control as the Panthers slowly chipped away at a defense playing with their backs against the wall.
Undisciplined football
As if the turnovers weren’t enough, the Syracuse Orange struggled in nearly all facets in this football game. From concentration drops, to poor decision-making by McCord, to penalties, the Orange couldn’t stop getting in their own way.
Syracuse was penalized eight times for 70 yards, dwarfing the three penalties for 28 yards from the Panthers. In essence, it summed up the performance on the night for a team that was desperately looking for a win in this rivalry matchup.
A questionable gameplan
Now, this should be prefaced by saying that the Orange likely had to change things on the fly as McCord started throwing the game away. With that said, from a coaching perspective, the team’s offensive gameplan was questionable at best.
Pitt plays in a 4-3 defense predicated on stopping what’s in front of them. Instead of trying to attack the Panthers defense laterally and spreading them apart, they chose to attack them head-on. Which, isn’t the best move when the offensive line is having struggles picking up blocks and creating push in the rushing attack.
Furthermore, when Syracuse was trying to mount a comeback, there was little the Orange could do on the football field. It seemed like Pitt was one step ahead, as the Syracuse offense ran concepts that played right into the coverage of the Panthers defense.
Coming out of the bye, you expected Syracuse to be better prepared. Instead, they were beaten in dominating fashion.
Syracuse Orange postgame comments
Addressing the media for nearly 15 minutes, Syracuse head coach Fran Brown was disappointed in the team’s performance. However, instead of making excuses, he expected his team to learn from this experience going forward.
While the loss was embarrassing for the program, one comment stuck out. Coach Brown exclaimed that how the players handle adversity will be key going forward. And, instead of putting their head down, they must own up to the loss.
After their loss to the Pitt Panthers, Syracuse head coach Fran Brown spoke to the media. While upset at the loss, Coach Brown stressed that the team must not let this loss dictate the rest of the season.@CuseFootball | #GoOrange pic.twitter.com/MCPgqnJ8BY
— Tommy Jets (@ThomasCP_NFL) October 25, 2024
Quarterback Kyle McCord took to the podium shortly after coach Brown. Entering the postgame presser, the disappointment in McCord was apparent. However, like his head coach, McCord reiterated that it’s important for the team to look ahead. And, the quarterback acknowledged that the team must not crumble during the second half of the season like Syracuse teams have been privy to doing in years past.
