Syracuse (2-1) rebounded from its loss to Middle Tennessee State last week by beating up on Central Michigan (2-1) in a 41-17 win Saturday evening. The Orange settled in after getting down 17-10 in the second quarter to finish the game scoring 31 unanswered points

Here’s what to take away from the Week 3 victory:

Finally in a rush

Improvement on the ground was supposed to help elevate SU’s offensive production to a new level this season. That was not the case through two games, as quarterback Eric Dungey led the team in rushing and the combined rushing total between running backs Dontae Strickland and Moe Neal had not reached 100 yards.

That all changed against CMU. The Orange finished with 300 rushing yards and it scored two touchdowns on the ground. SU used an effective rushing attack to score quickly and open up passing shots over the top of the defense. The 41 points SU scored show what a balanced offense can do.

Yet the averages still aren’t completely there. Strickland averaged three yards per carry on 15 touches. But two third-quarter runs of more than 70 yards — one from Moe Neal and another from Dungey — broke open the game in the third quarter. Sean Riley added a 41-yard dash as well. The big plays might have inflated SU’s numbers, but inflated numbers are better than bad ones.

Third is the word

A few long plays early made it seem like the Chippewas would not be burdened by the loss of their leading receiver Corey Willis, who was inactive because of injury. But SU’s defense smothered that narrative and consistently halted any promising drives with timely third-down stops. SU, which entered Saturday with the fifth-ranked third down defense in the country, held the Chips on three of 16 third-down conversions.

Even after CMU linebacker Alex Briones intercepted Eric Dungey to give the Chips aggressive field position, the SU defense didn’t budge with a shortened distance to goal. On a third down from the 12-yard line, blanket coverage forced CMU quarterback Shane Morris to toss the ball out of bounds past the back of the endzone.

Finish strong

Last week, second-half defensive lapses plagued SU. Middle Tennessee State scored two touchdowns in the final quarter to sneak out of the Carrier Dome with a seven-point win. Syracuse head coach Dino Babers said his team wasn’t tired, and even if that was true, SU’s performance dipped when the game was on the line.

Not this week. Even in a warm Carrier Dome, the Orange finished the game on a 31-0 scoring run.

As Central Michigan marched down the field in garbage time, SU’s persistence didn’t dissipate. With less than seven minutes left, CMU’s Romello Ross rumbled toward the goal for what appeared to be a sure touchdown when linebacker Austin Valdez poked the ball out from behind. Cornerback Scoop Bradshaw did what he was named to do and scooped the loose ball. But the officials called the play a touchdown on the field, saying the ball crossed the plane before Valdez knocked it out. A look at the replay overturned the call.

Published on September 16, 2017 at 7:31 pm

Contact: jtbloss@syr.edu | @jtbloss