Most of Boston College's football fanbase didn't understand the depth of the program's history during its late-stage Big East membership. The Eagles played annual games against Notre Dame in those years, so the older battles against Holy Cross and Syracuse didn't match up to the thrills of beating the No. 1 Fighting Irish in South Bend one year after absorbing a blowout loss. The list of bowl game opponents grew longer and longer by the end of the decade, and the thought of playing Big East teams started to waver after the Atlantic Coast Conference's realignment conversation rammed into full gear.
The Tailgate: Syracuse
