[Tuck4Bama]

Pittsburgh- The changes keep shaking up the Syracuse defense. On Saturday, the Orange started redshirt freshman Parker Cantey at outside linebacker for the first time this season and moved Dowayne Davis back to strong safety from his season-long plug at cornerback. True freshman Mike Holmes started at cornerback. And sophomore Mike Stenclik made his second straight start at outside linebacker after missing the first seven games with a concussion.

The Orange lost 20-17 to Pittsburgh on Saturday, but the defense had its best game of the season. It held the Panthers to 294 yards total offense. It stopped the Panthers twice on fourth down, once at the 1-yard line.

"I thought we left it all on the field as a defensive unit," said Syracuse
linebacker Jake Flaherty, who led the Orange with 11 tackles including a sack and a terrific open-field tackle on a screen play to Pitt running back LeSean McCoy. "The best thing I can say is we played well as a group for the most part."

Defense shines in defeat