Syracuse, N.Y. — The sharks sensed the blood in the water.

The Pittsburgh football team’s preferred nickname for its defensive unit was particularly apt on Saturday, as the Panthers took advantage of a wounded Orange offense and its especially vulnerable quarterback.

Syracuse fell 30-13 to Pitt in the JMA Wireless Dome, briefly replacing quarterback Rickie Collins with true freshman Luke Carney after halftime, then swapping the quarterbacks again to finish the game.

Collins struggled with turnovers for the third consecutive game since taking over for injured Steve Angeli, throwing three interceptions as the Orange wasted an unusually strong performance from its defense.

Syracuse fell to 3-4 (1-3 ACC) and now faces an exceptionally difficult climb toward a modest .500 record.

Pittsburgh, led by a defense that dubs itself “sharks,” improved to 5-2 (3-1) and extended its run of dominance over the Orange.

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Syracuse Football battles Pittsburgh at JMA Wireless Dome

Collins completed a high percentage of his passes in the first half against Pitt (10-for-16), opting for a high number of safe throws.

His misses, however, continued to land in the hands of Syracuse’s opponents at one of the worst rates in the country. He finished 16-for-32 for 126 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions.

Collins’ first turnover came on the third play of the game, resulting in the first of many rounds of boos, along with a short field for the Panthers and a 7-0 deficit for the Orange.

Syracuse pulled even later in the quarter but never led in the game, its 11th loss in the past 13 meetings with Pittsburgh.

Collins also threw a pair of incompletions as part of a poor end to the first half that served as the most crushing blow to the Orange hopes.

After receiving the ball with just 30 seconds remaining in the first half, Syracuse still surrendered a touchdown to the Panthers before halftime when Kenny Johnson returned a punt 66 yards. The return made the halftime score 17-7.

After appearing content to run out the clock moments earlier when Pitt had the ball, Syracuse coach Fran Brown opted to put the ball in the hands of SU’s struggling quarterback deep in his own end and permitted the possibility of a special teams disaster.

Collins was nearly intercepted on the first play of the series, completed a second short pass to running back Will Nixon, who went out of bounds, and threw incomplete pass on third down.

The possession took just 12 seconds off the clock.

Johnson chewed up the other 18 while running the ball back to the end zone, returning a Jack Stonehouse punt down the right sideline and into the end zone.

Syracuse turned to Carney to open the second half, but the Orange didn’t score on two-plus possessions with the true freshman leading the offense and making very conservative short throws.

Collins replaced Carney before a 3rd-and-9 play on SU’s third possession of the second half and was sacked, drawing another round of boos. Syracuse finished the game with just 212 yards of offense.

The LSU transfer played the rest of the game for Syracuse. He led a touchdown drive in the second half but fell well short in guiding a comeback.

The Orange had the ball trailing 23-13 midway through the fourth quarter, but a long run by Collins was called back by a hold and the Orange’s best chance to get back in the game ended when it turned the ball over on downs on Pittsburgh’s 35-yard line.

Syracuse’s next game is next Saturday at Georgia Tech, which is unbeaten through seven games.

The Orange, which has scored fewer than 14 points in two of its past three outings, will need to beat at least one nationally ranked opponent (Georgia Tech, Miami, Notre Dame) on the road in order to finish .500.

Notes: Syracuse wasted a good effort from its defense, which sacked Pitt quarterback Mason Heintschel seven times and held him to just 65 yards passing. Syracuse’s previous high for sacks in a game this season was four against UConn. … Davien Kerr set up SU’s first touchdown with a 34-yard interception return. … Syracuse starting center Austin Collins was injured on the first drive of the game and did not return. No player had played more snaps for the Orange this season entering the game. … Pittsburgh star linebacker Kyle Louis was also injured in the first quarter and left the game. … Syracuse held a moment of silence before the game for Art Jones, the NFL and college standout defensive tackle who died earlier this month at 39 years old.

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