Syracuse football couldn’t overcome three costly second-half turnovers Saturday, falling 34-26 to Louisville at the JMA Wireless Dome. The Orange dropped to 2-4 overall, while the Cardinals improved to 4-3.
Syracuse opened with a 10-0 lead behind a Shay Barker field goal and a 41-yard touchdown pass from Malachi Nelson to Umari Hatcher.
Louisville responded with two touchdowns, including an 82-yard scoring run from quarterback Lincoln Kienholz, to take a 14-10 advantage.
The teams exchanged leads throughout the second quarter. Calvin Russell III caught a 24-yard touchdown pass, while Ahmad Miller added a 20-yard rushing score for Syracuse. However, Louisville entered halftime leading 28-23.
The Orange struggled to capitalize on scoring opportunities after halftime, beginning with a fumbled handoff inside Louisville’s five-yard line. Nelson later threw two interceptions, ending additional possessions.
Syracuse’s defense improved considerably in the second half, with Davien Kerr recording his second interception of the game and adding a sack.
Barker’s 24-yard field goal brought Syracuse within 28-26 early in the fourth quarter, but Keyjuan Brown answered with a rushing touchdown to extend Louisville’s lead.
The Orange threatened again late, reaching Louisville’s 19-yard line before a holding penalty and consecutive sacks stalled the drive.
Nelson finished with 315 passing yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. Hatcher recorded 13 receptions for 224 yards and a touchdown, while Miller rushed for 123 yards.
The defeat marked Syracuse’s 11th consecutive conference loss, the second-longest streak in program history.
GAME RECAP LINKS
– Orange Rally Comes Up Short to Louisville (cuse.com)
– Syracuse falls 34-26 to Louisville, extending ACC losing streak to 11 games (syracuse.com)
– Louisville 34, Syracuse 26: Turnovers lead to Orange loss (nunesmagician.com)
– Amid QB fiasco, Syracuse drops 11th straight ACC game to Louisville 34-26 (dailyorange.com)
– Observations from SU’s 34-26 loss to UL: Hatcher’s hot, QBs inconsistent (dailyorange.com)
GAME HIGHLIGHTS
FRAN BROWN’S POSTGAME PRESS CONFERENCE
MEDIA
Syracuse loses another very winnable ACC game
— Syracuse Memes (@Cusememes) October 18, 2026
Syracuse loses another very winnable ACC game
Syracuse loses another very winnable ACC game . pic.twitter.com/zIipdqVJda
Kyle leads sports coverage and hosts the Concrete Jungle podcast. Have a lead or question? Send it to kyle@fingerlakes1.com.
