Syracuse football: three takeaways from Syracuse’s 44-41 OT win over No. 25 UNLV

Your doctor is getting really tired of you using Syracuse football for your heart medication.

We really shouldn’t be consuming Syracuse Orange football anymore. Medical professionals are concerned for the Central New York public.

A topsy-turvy battle between Syracuse and No. 25 UNLV saw multiple lead changes, ties and swings of momentum. Eventually, a touchdown with 23 seconds left from the Orange forced overtime. Syracuse held UNLV to a field goal and the Orange benefitted from a roughing the passer call and a gritty run from LeQuint Allen sealed the 44-41 overtime victory.

Here are our three takeaways from another heart-palpitating game featuring your beloved Syracuse Orange:

Special teams: optional

Syracuse’s special teams have been a massive problem throughout the season so far, and those issues flared up in an ugly way. Two blown punt coverages nearly cost Syracuse the game. On the first one, Jack Stonehouse recognized the unblocked pressure and tried to run away but he was hawked down. The second play, the pressure broke through and blocked Stonehouse’s punt. The ball ricocheted all the way to the end zone and UNLV fell on the ball to secure a touchdown.

Last week against Holy Cross, the kicking game gave Fran Brown and his staff fits, so much so that Jadyn Oh was the extra point and field goal kicker chosen over Brady Denaburg. This isn’t the first time that Syracuse has failed to provide adequate protection for Stonehouse while he punts, and the Orange nearly paid the ultimate price against the Rebels.

I know we’ve like to poke fun at the Dino Babers quote: “We’ll have special teams that is well coached.” But it’s clearly evident that there is something is missing, whether it’s coaching related or not, from all special teams units. It’s hard to see when special teams helps you secure or win games, but it’s very easy to see when special teams loses you games. Syracuse’s special teams have been more of a hinderance if anything this season, and Fran Brown needs to figure out how to get every special teams unit back on the right track.

That’s a bold strategy, Cotton

A lot of the offensive praise is going to go to LeQuint Allen’s four touchdowns, and for good reason. However, one of the other reasons why Syracuse’s offense was humming at points through the game was because of Oronde Gadsden. It has been a frustrating couple of weeks for Syracuse’s tight end. Stanford and Holy Cross came in with a clear plan to double Gadsden and essentially take him out of the game. OG only had two catches for 12 yards against Stanford and one catch for four yards against Holy Cross.

That all changed against UNLV. The Rebels did not resort to double team Gadsden. Instead, UNLV either ran single coverage against Gadsden or a zone defense. That plays right into his strengths. Kyle McCord has often described Gadsden as “unfair,” specifically mentioning the mismatch he creates. That was evident by the size difference that was clear to see between any single UNLV defender and Gadsden. When UNLV ran zone coverage, Gadsden flexed one of his best skills and found the soft part of the zone to sit in, creating a wide open target for McCord to hit.

Gadsden finished with 10 catches for 142 yards. While he didn’t score a touchdown, Gadsden moved the chains with a scary consistency and seemed to be the comfortable option that McCord could rely on, much like the first two weeks of the season. There are going to be games that Gadsden has like the ones against Stanford and Holy Cross. But those games don’t take away the presence and pressure he can bring to the field. This game against UNLV shows what happens when teams don’t specifically game plan against Gadsden.

Round two… don’t fight?

It’s wild to comprehend what we’ve seen from Syracuse in the first half over the past two games. The Orange have looked like the prime Kansas City Chiefs in the first quarter against Holy Cross and UNLV. Then, the second quarter rolls around and the Orange look worse than horrifically bad. Syracuse was outscored 21-3 in the second quarter against UNLV. The Orange were outgained 146-93 in total yards in the second 15 minutes.

It’s incredibly shocking to witness after Syracuse looked completely dominant in the first quarter. The Orange blanked the Rebels, taking an early 14-0 lead after grabbing 152 yards of offense to 47. There doesn’t seem to be a good explanation as to why the Orange start so fast and then crumble in the next phase of the first half. Syracuse cannot afford to fall behind against better teams in the ACC after establishing a lead. It’ll be hard against tougher competition to regain the lost momentum.