SOUTH BEND, IN – There’s an old saying: “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” But when you’re in Head Coach Fran Brown’s shoes, what do you do when everything seems broken?
That question didn’t just linger over the afternoon in South Bend, it was put on full display as Syracuse dropped its seventh straight game of the season against Notre Dame, suffering a 70-7 defeat, the program’s largest loss in the 21st century.
Still searching for stability under center, the Orange turned to freshman quarterback Joe Filardi. But before he could find any rhythm, Notre Dame asserted its dominance. On Syracuse’s opening drive, safety Jalen Stroman jumped a route and returned a 44-yard pick-six with just 57 seconds gone, marking the fifth time this season the Orange have turned the ball over on their first possession.
Things unraveled quickly from there. As Syracuse lined up to punt, heavy pressure crashed in on punter Jack Stonehouse, forcing a mishit that the Irish scooped and returned for another touchdown with 12:19 remaining in the first quarter. Minutes later, cornerback Leonard Moore added yet another defensive touchdown with a second pick-six.
A quarterback change followed, giving true freshman Luke Carney a chance to spark the offense. He managed to add a few positive gains, but the Irish defense was suffocating, allowing no play longer than seven yards while their own offense had yet to even take the field.
The Orange defense showed brief flashes, including two pass breakups by A’varius Sparrow. But Notre Dame closed the first quarter, and eventually the half, with a commanding performance befitting the nation’s 9th best team, heading into the locker room with a 35-0 lead.
The second quarter picked up exactly where the first left off. The Irish scored another touchdown in the opening minute, continuing to pile on. One of the few bright spots for Syracuse came in the developing connection between Filardi and tight end Dan Villari, who combined for 22 receiving yards, the most for the Orange in the half. But even that was overshadowed by yet another Irish touchdown at the 8:56 mark, stretching the margin to 49-0.
Defensively, Syracuse again flashed potential with a sack by David Reese, and the offense briefly found life with a 14-yard completion from Filardi to Darrell Gill Jr. The Orange attempted to salvage the drive with a field goal, but the kick sailed wide, sending them into halftime still trailing 49-0.
Notre Dame wasted no time in the second half. Jeremiyah Love opened the third quarter with a rushing touchdown to push the score to 56-0. Moments later, Irish lineman Jason Onye recorded the team’s fifth sack of the day, dropping Syracuse for a seven-yard loss.
Another turnover followed, an interception intended for Gill was returned nine yards by Ethan Long. With 13:32 remaining in the third, running back Aneas Williams burst up the middle for a 30-yard touchdown, stretching Notre Dame’s lead to 63-0.
In the fourth quarter, the Fighting Irish found a way to finish strong. Their defense consistently pressured the Orange, holding them to just 112 rushing yards compared to Notre Dame’s 329. With nothing left to lose, Filardi took matters into his own hands during Syracuse’s first red-zone trip, breaking free for a 33-yard run with 15 seconds left to finally put the Orange on the board, making it 70-7.
“This was a humbling experience, a learning experience, and I know this may sound crazy but just the opportunity of getting a chance to learn from that and being able to watch that football game. Later on, tonight and throughout the week, and learn from that the entire off season,” said Head Coach Fran Brown during the post-game press conference.
The Orange will conclude their season at home on November 29 against Boston College.