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South Florida vs Syracuse recap: 3 things we learned

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 9:31 p.m. ET

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The Syracuse football team is really looking itself in the mirror after a tough loss to USF on Saturday. Here are the three things we learned after Week 3.

Sep 17, 2016; Syracuse, NY, USA;South Florida Bulls running back D

Syracuse let one slip away on Saturday afternoon against South Florida. The Orange know it and more importantly head coach Dino Babers knows it.

While it seemed early on that the Orange had the advantage if the game ended up being a shootout. This was the third straight home game for Syracuse to start the season.

There were a few positives and several negatives from the contest. Syracuse showed potential, while South Florida’s offense proved to be too much.

Lets take a look at some of the keys from the game. Here are three things we learned from Syracuse’s Week 3 matchup against South Florida.

Sep 17, 2016; Syracuse, NY, USA; Syracuse Orange wide receiver Ervin Philips (3) catches a touchdown pass over South Florida Bulls linebacker Nigel Harris (57) during the first quarter of a game at the Carrier Dome. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports

3. False Hope

First of all, this was the hardest pill to swallow for this Orange team. As they progress through this season, no matter what happens, they’re going to look back at this game.

They had a 17 point lead and looked to shift to cruise control and then they lost the wheel. We talked about it in our rapid reaction piece, it’s a tough pill to swallow.

The problem is, that’s going to be the narrative all season long. “False hope” will be the theme because of how good this explosive offense can be, at times.

To prevent this in the future, when the Orange get a lead, they need to play to win. That’s the theme of their head coach, they played not to lose and ironically enough they lost the game.

Sep 17, 2016; Syracuse, NY, USA; South Florida Bulls running back Marlon Mack (5) runs in for a touchdown during the third quarter of a game against the Syracuse Orange at the Carrier Dome. South Florida won the game 45-20. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports

2. It’s going to be a long season for defense

This is a lesson for multiple reasons after that loss to USF. First of all the offense goes so fast, the three and out possibility is always there.

While on top of that these players were recruited for a different scheme. Consequently Babers is cooking without his ingredients and he’s winging it for lack of a better phrase.

In addition, the Orange are dealing with a myriad of injuries. As a result, safety Antwan Cordy and cornerback Juwan Dowels learned they’ll be out for the entire season.

If you thought the defense was already questionable after the Louisville loss, it got a lot worse on Saturday. For the Orange to win any games this year, it’s going to be in spite of their defense, not because of it.

Sep 17, 2016; Syracuse, NY, USA; Syracuse Orange head coach Dino Babers prior to a game against the South Florida Bulls at the Carrier Dome. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports

1. You have to take the good and the bad with Dino

We are already through a quarter of the season for the Syracuse football program. While Babers continues to buck the trends of previous regimes.

Babers is willing to go for it on 4th down and fans love it, when it works. Hence this is where the controversy lies.

More from Inside the Loud House

While against South Florida he went for it an unprecedented five times and only found success twice. Sometimes it’s going to work and sometimes it won’t, with Dino, you have to take the good and the bad.

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