Syracuse Football What If: The Orange Lost to Boston College in 2013?

Thanks to the powers of discarded Food Lion produce and dishonored contracts, I have found a way to view an alternate universe named Earth-44. Every time I visit this place, something has changed with Syracuse Football. This series will report my chronological travels to this alternate earth and the TNIAAM staff tries to figure out what it all means, since I can only view the one game I end up in. Today, I saw Syracuse vs Boston College. Oh no.

Previously — What If: 2010; What If: 2011 What If: 2012

Scenario: So far, I’ve seen some good alternate Syracuse outcomes and a bad Syracuse outcome. When I recognize an angry visored man patrolling the Dome sidelines versus Boston College, I realize I’m in for some heartbreak.

In full transparency, I never saw the end of this game. Otto had another appearance after the game, requiring us to transport our Orange friend in the dying minutes of the game. I’m nervously anticipating what will happen with my eyes actually on the field, and not ears tuned keenly for cheers. With only a handful of seconds on the clock, Terrel Hunt has taken the Orange down, down the field. I know what comes next: a rollout with a pass across the field to Josh Parris, the Orange go bowling and TNIAAM becomes famous. Only I watch in horror as Hunt’s perfect rollout pass sails wide, leaving 8 seconds on the clock. On the next play, a broken play leads to a Hail Mary end zone pass harmlessly batted to the ground as the clock ticks in horror. My face hung open in terror, I’m sucked back to 2018, fervently looking to make sure I still had my Texas Bowl champions t-shirt.

What does it mean?

John

It certainly removes the best resume item for Scott Shafer, who was a continuity hire. Failing to make a bowl in 2013 likely takes the luster off of 2014 and creates some real urgency leading into year three. To be honest, the biggest change is probably that it just eliminates the #IStandWithShafer crowd in 2015... maybe.

Personally, this can’t be good news for Scott Shafer. A few more pieces of reject Food Lion produce lets me see headlines of a 2014 Post Standard, decreeing that Scott Shafer was fired after a 3-9 season, blaming him for mismanaging the 2013 quarterbacks in the early going and being outclassed in the ACC. RIP bubble screens, I guess. I’m left to wonder...

Would the Orange have had a shot at being Bo Pelini’s rebound?

Would we have beat out Pitt for Pat Narduzzi? Would we event want that?

Most tantalizing, would Syracuse get in the door for Ohio State offensive coordinator Tom Herman? The world will never know...