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The Daily OrangeFB | Orange implodes after Dantley's fumble in 2nd half
By Jared Diamond
Posted: 10/20/08, 4:29 AM EST Section: Sports
TAMPA, Fla. - Finally, for the first time all afternoon, it looked like Syracuse's defense was finally starting to settle down. Trailing by only eight points at halftime, the Orange managed to hold South Florida dormant for two consecutive drives, first forcing a fumble, then a punt.
It was an opportunity for the Syracuse offense, which had actually out-gained the Bulls in the first half, to battle back into the game.
But on 3rd-and-7 from his own 15-yard line, SU quarterback Cameron Dantley was sacked by Keith McCaskill and fumbled the ball. USF's Craig Marshall scooped up the ball and returned it to the Orange one-yard line. On the next play, USF quarterback Matt Grothe found A.J. Love wide open for a touchdown, completely deflating the Orange as it appeared to be stealing away some of the momentum.
Cue the meltdown.
This critical third-quarter exchange turned out to be a crucial turning point in Syracuse's 45-13 blowout loss to No. 19 South Florida Saturday. Dantley's mistake preceded a dismal second half offensively, in which the Orange did not earn a single first down and gained only nine yards.
"When you fumble on the two-yard line, guys, we have a problem," SU head coach Greg Robinson said. "We have a problem there, because they're good enough to score, and they're going to score right there."
The laundry list of statistics all lead to the same conclusion: The second half was ugly.
Syracuse had the ball for a grand total of 6:40 in the contest's final 30 minutes. Tailback Curtis Brinkley, who rushed for 106 yards in the first half, managed six more yards the rest of the way. Dantley, whose fumble may have been the turning point of the entire game, went 1-of-10 after halftime and finished 11-of-27 for 129 yards.
This after Syracuse's offense played a consistent first half, gaining 221 yards and going into halftime trailing, 21-13.
That's when the wheels fell off. SU offensive coordinator Mitch Browning didn't even try to deny or sugarcoat it. His team stunk.
It was an opportunity for the Syracuse offense, which had actually out-gained the Bulls in the first half, to battle back into the game.
But on 3rd-and-7 from his own 15-yard line, SU quarterback Cameron Dantley was sacked by Keith McCaskill and fumbled the ball. USF's Craig Marshall scooped up the ball and returned it to the Orange one-yard line. On the next play, USF quarterback Matt Grothe found A.J. Love wide open for a touchdown, completely deflating the Orange as it appeared to be stealing away some of the momentum.
Cue the meltdown.
This critical third-quarter exchange turned out to be a crucial turning point in Syracuse's 45-13 blowout loss to No. 19 South Florida Saturday. Dantley's mistake preceded a dismal second half offensively, in which the Orange did not earn a single first down and gained only nine yards.
"When you fumble on the two-yard line, guys, we have a problem," SU head coach Greg Robinson said. "We have a problem there, because they're good enough to score, and they're going to score right there."
The laundry list of statistics all lead to the same conclusion: The second half was ugly.
Syracuse had the ball for a grand total of 6:40 in the contest's final 30 minutes. Tailback Curtis Brinkley, who rushed for 106 yards in the first half, managed six more yards the rest of the way. Dantley, whose fumble may have been the turning point of the entire game, went 1-of-10 after halftime and finished 11-of-27 for 129 yards.
This after Syracuse's offense played a consistent first half, gaining 221 yards and going into halftime trailing, 21-13.
That's when the wheels fell off. SU offensive coordinator Mitch Browning didn't even try to deny or sugarcoat it. His team stunk.
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