Sure, guys like Syracuse's Ryan Powell, Johns Hopkins' Dan Denihan and Georgetown's Andy Flick are the ones lighting up opposing defenses and grabbing most of the glory. But it's guys like Chris Cercy, Scott Bross, Chad DeBolt, Jason Hard, Trevor Tierney, Robby Mulligan, Derek Kenney, Ryan Curtis, Stephen Card, Marshall Abrams and Casey Connor that are in the trenches winning ballgames and carving new scares in themselves and their opponents. These are the guys battling for face-offs, knocking those sissy attackmen to the turf and fending off those rocket shots. So there is no secret how these eight teams remain alive in the 2000 Tournament. This is the big weekend, though.
Top teams can break a season and underdogs can make one.
These two teams met just two weeks ago in the Carrier Dome and SU blew the Hoyas away 24-16, with the score being a generous reflection of the game. Syracuse dominated every aspect and, in so doing, probably cleared up any doubts that it deserved the top seed. Two weeks was a long time ago, however, as the Orangemen have not played since. There is always a question whether that time off hurts or helps the top seeds and Syracuse has not had a week off all season. The Orangemen have played one of the toughest schedules in the country and have turned back them all.