Final score: Louisville 30, Syracuse 0

The Syracuse Orange football team had nearly two weeks to prepare for a game against a struggling Louisville Cardinals squad. However, you wouldn’t know it from the effort we witnessed on national TV Friday night. SU fell 30-0 in a game that the Orange never really looked prepared for on offense.

After holding Louisville to just three points in the first quarter, the floodgates opened in the second and SU found itself down 20-0 at the half. From there, the Cards coasted to a 30-0 victory. ‘Cuse never really challenged once they were down two scores.

Through more than three quarters, Syracuse had just 28 plays run and 88 yards of offense, finishing with 137 total yards. Sean Tucker was the only source of hope for the offense, collecting 95 yards on 16 carries. But there was little help to be found in the passing game as JaCobian Morgan found himself constantly under fire behind a putrid performance by the line. He was pressured constantly and sacked three times before he unfortunately exited the game due to injury.

Morgan was just 5-for-12 for 40 yards, a game after he helped keep Syracuse close with Boston College at the Dome in a 16-13 loss. In relief of Morgan, Rex Culpepper completed 1 pass for 5 yards in garbage time and freshman Dillon Markiewicz handed the ball off a few times. But that obviously didn’t make much of a difference.

Defensively, SU played as well as it could before offensive and special teams gaffes derailed everything, and made Louisville’s offense a boulder rolling downhill. Both Ifeatu Melifonwu and Garrett Williams recorded interceptions. Geoff Cantin-Arku had two sacks. Syracuse had 11 tackles for loss as well, as Stefon Thompson led the way with four.

Not much else to say here. Embarrassing effort, bye or not, and there’s little hope Syracuse competes in the final two games. At least your Saturday’s free this weekend.