SYRACUSE - Beleaguered Syracuse coach Greg Robinson finally has something to look forward to - a seemingly sure victory after three straight losses.

Then again, even an opponent from college football's second tier might be a match for his struggling Orange, who have allowed 127 points in three games.

Northeastern comes to town for the first time on Saturday, and the Huskies (0-2) could create some high anxiety in the Carrier Dome despite their record. They're coming off an overtime loss at Georgia Southern, a perennial powerhouse in the Championship Subdivision, formerly Division I-AA.

“It's a real important game for us,” Robinson said Monday. “It's our last game before we get started in the Big East, and we need to gain some momentum.”

The Orange dropped to 7-31 in Robinson's three-plus years as head coach after Saturday's 55-13 drubbing by Joe Paterno's No. 16 Penn State Nittany Lions. That dropped the Orange defense to 115th in the nation, allowing 507 yards per game.

Syracuse has lost seven straight dating to last November and has won just three of its previous 19 games.

“I want this thing to turn,” Robinson said. “Right now, my focus is just one day at a time, keep working. If we can get some guys back - we had to play a number of young kids here in the past two weeks - all of a sudden I think it can work in our favor.

“Some of these younger players that did play have a little more experience and we have a little more depth,” Robinson said. “The timing of all that would be great if all of a sudden this week we were more equipped. Right now, we're not a deep football team, and that's showing.”

Especially in the secondary.

In Jordan Norwood, Deon Butler and Derrick Williams, Penn State has a trio of receivers that's as good as any group in the country. Sophomore Mike Holmes, who was beaten for a pair of touchdowns in the previous week's 42-28 home loss to Akron, was beaten twice by Butler for scores.

Freshman Dorian Graham and sophomore Da'Mon Merkerson played cornerback in place of Nico Scott, who started the game with a sore ankle. Scott left soon after allowing Jordan Norwood to slip out of a tackle and score on a 55-yard touchdown reception on Penn State's third play from scrimmage.

And redshirt freshman Kevyn Scott started against the Nittany Lions at strong safety in place of slumping senior A.J. Brown.

“The positive out of this game is, my first game's over,” said Graham, who also was beaten by Norwood for a touchdown. “The butterflies are out of there. From here on out, I'm not a veteran, but you might as well say I have some experience. Now I just need to work on getting better.”

So, too, does the offense. It's ranked 114th, having gained just 737 yards, an average of 245.67 yards per game. And only three teams have a worse mark than the Orange's 4.19 yards per pass attempt.

Cam Dantley, who played well against Akron in only his second career start at quarterback, appeared flummoxed at the outset by the Penn State defense and never got into a rhythm until long after the game was decided. Dantley finished 13-for-32 for 110 yards with one interception before giving way to last year's starter, Andrew Robinson, in the fourth quarter. The Orange failed to convert any of 12 third-down chances through the first three quarters and finished 2-of-17.

“I wasn't dissatisfied with Cam,” Greg Robinson said. “There were a couple situations where he could've made better throws, but he handled the situations pretty well and I liked the touchdown pass (to freshman Marcus Sales) on fourth down. He hung in there tough.”

Notes:Tailback Delone Carter had an MRI Monday on a pulled hamstring suffered against Penn State, but Greg Robinson said Carter was walking around pretty good before the procedure. ... Patrick Shadle was named to the Big East weekly honor roll after converting two 44-yard field goals and scoring seven points against Penn State. Shadle moved into seventh place all-time at Syracuse with 29 field goals, one more than Tim Vesling.