#16 Syracuse simply was not a match for Notre Dame’s offensive line on Saturday afternoon at the JMA Wireless Dome, dropping a 41-24 contest. The Fighting Irish (5-3) rolled up 245 yards on 55 carries, including a combined 208 yards out of Audric Estime (123 yards and two touchdowns) and Logan Diggs (85 yards and a touchdown) as the Orange (6-2) simply could not stop their interior ground game.
SU also was hindered by Garrett Shrader having an off day prior to leaving the game due to injury at halftime. Shrader completed just 5-of-14 passes for 35 yards with a touchdown and an interception that was returned for a touchdown on the first play from scrimmage in the game.
While Syracuse matched that score on their next drive when Shrader connected with Oronde Gadsden II on a 13-yard touchdown pass, that was pretty much the end of the good news for SU on the day. Notre Dame was the only team to score in the second quarter, tacking on a pair of touchdowns, then struck for a field goal midway through the third quarter for a 24-7 lead.
Carlos Del Rio-Wilson, who entered the game in Shrader’s absence, responded by leading the Orange on consecutive scoring drives. The first resulted in Andre Szmyt tying his career long with a 54-yard field goal and the second was capped when Sean Tucker bounced left and coasted into the end zone for a four-yard touchdown to clip the margin to 24-17 with 25 seconds left in the third.
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The Irish responded with another run-heavy drive for a touchdown, then blocked an SU punt and recovered at the two, setting up another scoring run. The two quick touchdowns were a one-two-combination that effectively knocked out the Orange at 38-17 midway through the fourth.
Del Rio-Wilson did lead another scoring drive for Syracuse, connecting with D’Marcus Adams on a 13-yard scoring toss. Notre Dame closed the scoring with a chip shot field goal with just under two minutes to play.
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