Normally, locals are to thank when the stands are filled at Yankee Stadium. That wasn’t the case this past December, when a college program that had struggled to fill half of its enclosed home venue sealed a long sought revival with an upset victory in the inaugural New Era Pinstripe Bowl.
When the supposedly neutral field morphed into a distinct home court advantage, it was thanks in large part to the fans that had traveled south from upstate New York. Clad in Orange and Navy, the migrators journeyed to see a Syracuse team that they had refused to travel across town to support only 12 months earlier.
An 8-5 season, a restored sense of pride, and anticipation for continued progress were now the themes of the day for Syracuse Football,