Focus has rightfully been on the positive for Syracuse Orange football fans following a 10-3 season that defied all expectations and landed SU in the final top 25 rankings for the first time since 2001.
That said, this team was also a couple minutes away from an 11-1 regular season with quite a bit more on the line, as any Orange fan is keenly aware. Such an alternate reality starts with September’s 27-23 loss to the eventual national champion Clemson Tigers. Syracuse led for much of that game, but a late Tigers score and some questionable time management derailed the upset bid at Clemson.