Syracuse football is only two games into the 2020 campaign, but some Orange fanatics already think this season has amounted to a disaster.
Syracuse football has scored a total of 16 points in its first two contests of the fall term, and that pretty much sums up the state of the Orange program to date in the 2020 stanza.
The team’s new 3-3-5 defensive scheme, unveiled in the season-opening 31-6 loss to then-No. 18 North Carolina on Sept. 12 in Chapel Hill, N.C., has performed fairly well in the squad’s pair of Atlantic Coast Conference clashes, coming up with multiple interceptions of the Tar Heels and, more recently, No. 25 Pittsburgh.
Along with fumbles recovered, the ‘Cuse owns a 5-3 turnover edge against its opponents, including the 21-10 setback to the Panthers this past Saturday afternoon. Yet even with short fields, the Orange offense has managed just one touchdown over two affairs. That won’t do.
Following the Syracuse football defeat at the hands of Pitt, I asked fans on social media what positives they’ve noticed so far, if any, regarding the ‘Cuse. Other than the defense holding up its end of the bargain, fans didn’t really have anything positive to say, and that’s understandable.
Syracuse football isn’t getting described in an affirmative manner by fans after two ugly losses.
The Orange has one touchdown to date, and its foes have outscored Syracuse football by a combined 52-16. The running game is anemic. The passing attack is equally poor. The offensive line is giving up way too many sacks (seven in each encounter, which is horrendous). The team is committing untimely, costly penalties on both sides of the ball.
According to ESPN.com statistics, through two meetings, the ‘Cuse is 6-of-33 on third down and 0-of-3 on fourth down. That’s abysmal. In total, the Orange proved down by about 15 minutes in time of possession to UNC and Pittsburgh.
As far as yards gained in this duo of bouts, Syracuse football has 254 in passing and 119 in rushing, which is mediocre at best. Its adversaries, meanwhile, have accumulated 518 passing yards and 287 rushing yards. Those data points tell the story.
In going 0-2 to commence the 2020 campaign, the Orange has produced 33 fewer yards in the air than its opponents have tallied on the ground. No wonder that Syracuse football fans are disappointed – and concerned – about where the ‘Cuse is headed this fall.