After Syracuse had spent 60 minutes dismantling Louisville, and the Carrier Dome was mostly empty, the diehard fans stuck around. They gathered close to the railing, as close to the field as they could get.
Syracuse’s seniors filed out of the tunnel and began their final lap around the Carrier Dome, shaking hands, receiving applause, soaking in the adulation. They were there to acknowledge the fans that supported them, and the fans were there to acknowledge the players’ work.
The fans gave the class that lived through three years and a combined 12-24 the praise it well deserved.