Film review: A glimpse into Syracuse’s 3rd down struggles

The Orange converted 2-of-14 on third down in Saturday’s 38-24 loss against Liberty.The Daily Orange is a nonprofit newsroom that receives no funding from Syracuse University. Consider donating today to support our mission.

Syracuse dropped its second consecutive game in the Carrier Dome to Liberty, 38-24, on Saturday. The Orange’s run defense struggled to contain Liberty’s dual-threat quarterback Malik Willis and failed to prevent the big play, but on the other side of the ball, most of Syracuse’s issues came on third down.

SU converted 2-of-14 on third down, the main reason why the Orange scored seven points in the second half and couldn’t keep up with the Flames’ offense.

Here’s a look at…