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The Daily OrangeFB | Fading away
Syracuse collapses in 4th quarter, falls to Pitt in Big East opener
By John Clayton
Posted: 9/29/08, 12:53 AM EST Section: Sports
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He shouted, clapped and motioned with the rolled up sheet in his hand. One more quarter. That was all Syracuse needed. All it needed for a banner win in its Big East opener. All it needed to show its season wasn't lost quite yet.
Instead, Robinson watched as his team folded and allowed the Panthers to seize control and run away with a 34-24 win at the Carrier Dome. Pittsburgh scored the game's final 21 points, its ball control-style wearing down a Syracuse team that had played front-runner all day. The Orange was limited to 27 total yards and one first down in the final 15 minutes, unable to answer the Panthers' offensive flurry.
"I give Pitt credit, especially there in the fourth quarter when they got control of the game and did a lot of things," Robinson said. "It's still a 60 minute game … I think we had our chances, that's the thing that I say, that we had chances and didn't really capitalize enough."
Missed opportunities have been a common occurrence for Syracuse (1-4) this season, but the Orange needed this game, needed a bright start to its conference schedule.
Any loss Saturday would have been difficult to swallow. But Syracuse's fourth quarter collapse made it even harder.
"We shoulda won the game," said senior tailback Curtis Brinkley. "The momentum was in our favor. The offense was executing, the defense was doing good. I'm very upset right now."
That's because Saturday looked destined to be Syracuse's day.
Like when sophomore cornerback Mike Holmes gave the Orange a 7-3 lead, taking a first quarter kickoff and streaking down the left sideline for a 90-yard touchdown return.
Or when Brinkley, who ran for 119 yards on 16 carries, broke a highlight-reel run in the second quarter, shaking Pitt defenders and scampering 43 yards. That set up a 25-yard Pat Shadle field goal to give SU a 17-13 lead at the half.
Or when freshman wideout Van Chew - with one career catch coming into the game - made a circus grab in tight coverage for a 36-yard score to put the Orange up, 24-13, in the third quarter. It was Dantley's second touchdown pass.
Viewing Comments 1 - 3 of 4
Marc LeVine
posted 9/29/08 @ 12:52 PM EST
What power is it that protects against the upset? What takes the fun out of sports and makes it so the favored team wins over 90% of the time - even when the favored team needs to come from behind late in the game?
I tuned into the game midway through the first quarter and thought I was thrust back in time by eight or nine years. (Continued…)
Kristen - Class of 92
posted 9/29/08 @ 2:36 PM EST
Fading away? YOU CAN'T FADE WHEN YOU WEREN'T THERE TO BEGIN WITH!!!!! The fading occurred years ago in the Pasqualoni regime.....Crouthamel let Pasqualoni lose for far too long and now Gross is doing the same?!!!!!! This program is so far gone at this point, it will take at least 10+ years to come back, with GOOD leadership - which starts with a new AD. (Continued…)
PJ
posted 9/29/08 @ 3:27 PM EST
When does Lloyd Carr start?
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