Just a week after beating nationally-ranked West Virginia University and being placed as the favorite to earn the Big East Conference's Bowl Championship Series automatic qualifying spot in the Orange Bowl, the Syracuse University football program lost Saturday at the University of Louisville, 27-10, and is no longer in the BCS spotlight.
A victory would have helped the Orange (5-2, 1-2 Big East) become bowl eligible for the second straight season, however, now Syracuse, which slipped from a tie for third to a tie for sixth in the Big East standings, is predicted to play in the BBVA Compass Bowl in Birmingham, AL.
"Talk about dominating one week and uninspired the next.," wrote ESPN.com's Andrea Adelson Sunday. "Who are these Orange? Are they the dominant force that dismantled West Virginia or the punchless group that scored 10 against Louisville?"
Meanwhile, for the fourth straight week, Adelson predicts that the Rutgers University football program, which was edged by WVU, 41-31, Saturday, will be playing in the New Era Pinstripe Bowl played at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx.
"The Scarlet Knights have hit a bit of a slide here with two straight losses, but I still think they become bowl eligible with games remaining against USF, Army, Cincinnati and UConn."
-- For more bowl projects or reaction to the latest BCS standings, check out SB Nation's college football home page.