Syracuse (3-4, 1-2 Atlantic Coast) lost to No. 25 Pittsburgh (6-1, 4-0), 23-20, on Saturday afternoon in the Carrier Dome. For the first time this season, the Orange has dropped below .500.

Here are three quick observations from SU’s loss to the Panthers.

1. Defense falls apart

Pitt received a kickoff with about nine minutes remaining in the fourth quarter and after a penalty, the drive started on Pitt’s own 5-yard line. The Panthers drove 89 yards on 19 plays to eventually kick the game-winning field goal as time expired. For the second week in a row, the Orange yielded a game-changing drive in the waning minutes of the fourth quarter as Virginia went 88 yards for a game-tying field goal last week.

2. Head on

Starting quarterback Eric Dungey left the game after being hit in the head on a scramble in the third quarter. He returned on the Orange’s next offensive possession but then threw an interception. On Syracuse’s next offensive play, Dungey threw another pick. Entering this game, he had only thrown one all season. The freshman finished 21-for-30 for 210 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions.

3. Catching on

Sophomore receiver Steve Ishmael had a career-high 114 receiving yards and seven catches. He caught a touchdown on an inside slant route in the second quarter, but had a crucial drop on a second down as Syracuse was driving down the field in the fourth quarter. A Josh Parris catch on third down wasn’t enough for the first down as SU had to kick a field goal, which immediately preceded Pitt’s game-winning drive.

Published on October 24, 2015 at 3:36 pm