PITTSBURGH – After a season of struggles, it looked like the situation was only going to get worse in Pittsburgh. Syracuse’s starting quarterback had left with an injury, and the offense showed no semblance of a running game.

Yet with under a minute left, the Orange was driving for a game-tying field goal.

And then its pass protection – the same old setback that has plagued SU the most all season – marred Syracuse again.

Syracuse lost to Pittsburgh, 20-17, in front of 31,374 at Heinz Field Saturday afternoon and the defeat meant the Orange would not play in a bowl game for its third consecutive season. As Robinson, the third-year head coach, strives for his first-ever season with multiple Big East wins, Syracuse faces its final three games against foes with a combined record of 21-6 entering Saturday.

With Syracuse trailing by three and the final seconds ticking down, backup quarterback Cameron Dantley – in the game after halftime when Andrew Robinson left due to a back injury – dropped back to pass, looking for one final completion to bring the team within field goal range. Instead, a three-man rush brought him to the ground.

Any hopes of the SU offense setting up Patrick Shadle for an overtime-forcing field goal were ruined in the last 30 seconds. On a 2nd-and-1, Greg Romeus sacked Dantley – the fourth time in the half he was brought down. The offensive line allowed six sacks in the game.

A strong performance by Dantley and good play by the defense allowed Syracuse to stay competitive against the Panthers until the troubles that had blighted the Orange all season resulted in another defeat.

‘Sacks are ultimately a lost yardage play,’ said guard Ryan Durand. ‘No matter what happens or what the situation is, it’s the fastest way to kill a drive.’

The blown final opportunity might be what stings the most about the loss.

‘I was very disappointed in the way our offensive line played today,’ Greg Robinson said. ‘I don’t want to get into specifics…but I know we have to perform better. From what I could tell from the sideline, a lot of their pressures were coming on simple blitzes, with one extra guy coming. We need to be able to pick that up.’

The sack forced the junior quarterback to end the game with a desperation heave, but Dantley could not connect with Mike Williams, and the Panthers had staved off a comeback.

Dantley replaced sophomore quarterback Andrew Robinson, who re-aggravated a back muscle injury Robinson said he suffered during the week in the weight room. Dantley generated a spark for the Orange in the second half, finishing 15-of-28 for 189 yards and two touchdowns.

The SU running game was particularly woeful. The offensive line’s struggles combined with the inexperience at the running back position resulted in Syracuse rushing the ball 31 times for 30 yards.

First-time starter Doug Hogue scampered to a pitiful 10 yards on 12 carries. The true freshman replaced Curtis Brinkley, who broke his leg two weeks ago against Buffalo.

On third downs, the Orange finished 2-for-14. Quarterback pressure forced off-target passes.

Durand, considered SU’s best lineman, had defenders blow by him on several occasions.

‘I have no excuses for the way I played today,’ Durand said. ‘When you miss some time, you’re going to be rusty, naturally, but that doesn’t explain the way I played.’

Still, the defense and especially the defensive line did all it could to keep Syracuse in the game. The defense rallied to give the offense its final gasp to at least force overtime. After a Williams touchdown cut the Pitt lead to three, the Orange failed to recover an onside kick. The defense took the field with under two minutes left, two timeouts left and desperate for a quick stop.

On 4th-and-1, SU lineman Arthur Jones hit freshman running back LeSean McCoy for a loss. In the first quarter, McCoy, who rushed for 140 yards, was stopped at the goalline.

‘That’s the defensive mentality if the game comes down to the line we want it on our shoulders,’ SU defensive captain Jameel McClain said.

The defense was handicapped by two excellent returns by Pittsburgh’s special teams – a 64-yard kick return and a 53-yard punt return – that set up the two Pittsburgh touchdowns.

Still, Dantley and the Orange found themselves with a chance to tie or win the game on the final drive. It was yet another opportunity this season SU failed to cash in on.

‘We had a chance to win a football game,’ Greg Robinson said. ‘And doggone it, if we do a few things a little bit better – we win.’

Published on November 4, 2007 at 12:00 pm