No one at Syracuse can pinpoint exactly when or why it all started to go so wrong this season, but the Orangemen know how to begin making things right again: With a victory over Kentucky in the Nashville's Music City Bowl on Dec. 29.

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"It would be huge,'' tight end Stephen Brominski said. "A lot of stuff would be negated if we could come out with a big win. It could kind of springboard the program into next year. Hopefully, we can do something like Virginia Tech last year. Jumpstart it and then get it going for the younger guys, leave something behind for them.''

For now, all this team has as its legacy is a collapse of near-record proportions in a year filled with turmoil.

Once 5-1 and a Top 10 hopeful, the Orangemen limped home 1-4, suffering a 62-0 loss at Virginia Tech, a one-point home loss to Boston College, and a stunning overtime loss to 30-point underdog Rutgers. In between, three players were stabbed outside a local bar and coach Paul Pasqualoni, who had led Syracuse to three straight Big East championships before this season, was coming under heavy fire.

"I think the Boston College game (a 24-23 loss on Oct. 30) was the turning point of the season,'' said running back Dee Brown. "It really frustrated us to lose a game that we were so heavily favored in. We knew we were a better team, but for some reason we didn't get it done at crunch time to win the thing.''

Senior linebacker Keith Bulluck traces the problems back even further. Syracuse had a 17-0 halftime lead on Pittsburgh on Oct. 7 before holding on to win 24-17. That left the Orange 5-1 but suddenly reeling a bit.

"I think everything started to go a little bit crazy the second half of the Pittsburgh game,'' Bulluck said. "It was just like a snowball effect and we never got back on course.''

Righting things in the bowl game against the 6-5 Wildcats won't be easy, however. It is, essentially, a road bowl game for the Orangemen -- just one more thing they will have to overcome in a season filled with obstacles.

That's because Kentucky fans have snapped up in excess of 30,000 tickets for the game, requesting 6,000 of Syracuse's 12,000 allotment. Syracuse fans have bought slightly more than 2,000 tickets.

"We're looking forward to overcoming whatever we have to overcome and going down there and playing a great game against Kentucky,'' said Pasqualoni.

The Personnel File

PAUL'S THEIR GUY: Remember all the grumbling about Pasqualoni because of Syracuse's 1-4 finish? It turns out it might have simply been a lot of noise being made by a few people. A poll commissioned by the Syracuse Newspapers showed the 69.7 percent of those questioned in the four-county area surrounding the school felt Pasqualoni should not be fired, 9.2 percent said he should be fired and 21.1 percent was unsure. Among those who identified themselves as Syracuse football fans, 79.5 percent said he should not be fired while 11.1 percent said he should get the axe.

"This doesn't surprise me,'' athletic director Jake Crouthamel said. "I really think that, deep down, this community, despite what people say about it, is not atypical. These are people who do understand, who do care.''

POSITION SWITCHES: Pasqualoni has used the bowl practice time to make several position changes. The most significant one for now has redshirt freshman wide receiver Jeremy Cooper shifting to defensive back, where he will see time in the Music City Bowl. "He's got a lot of speed,'' Pasqualoni said.

Other changes have sophomore Sheldon King moving from tight end back to defensive end; sophomore Mark Holtzman changing from defensive end to defensive tackle and offensive tackle Giovanni DeLoatch moving to tight end. DeLoatch played defensive end last year.

ALL-STAR INVITES: Linebacker Keith Bulluck and offensive tackle Mark Baniewicz head the list of Syracuse seniors invited to all-star games. Both will play in the Senior Bowl on Jan. 22 in Mobile, Ala. In addition, WR/PR Quinton Spotwood will play in the East-West Shrine game and the Hula Bowl, TE Stephen Brominski will also play in the Hula Bowl (Jan. 22 in Maui) and offensive tackle Jeff Pilon will play in the Gridiron Classic on Jan. 29 in Orlando.

FRESHMEN OF INFLUENCE: While preparing to play Kentucky, Pasqualoni has used the extra bowl practice time to take a longer look at several of the true freshmen he is redshirting. The newcomers who have impressed him the most? QB R.J. Anderson, who will vie for the starting job next year; LBs Jameel Dumas, Rich Scanlon and Reggie Everett; WR Jamel Riddle; TE Joe Donnelly; FB Lenny Cusumano and CB Mike Postell.

WILLIAMS TO PLAY: Sophomore quarterback Madei Williams was cleared by school officials to play in the Music City Bowl even though Syracuse police applied for a warrant charging him with second-degree harassment for allegedly shoving and pushing down his ex-girlfriend during an incident in a parking lot on campus. Williams says he was playing the role of peacemaker during the incident.

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Dee Brown, Sr., tailback. As inconsistent as Syracuse's ground game was, it might have been non-existent if not for Brown. He led the Orange in rushing with 741 yards on 145 carries (a 5.1-yard average), had two 100-yard games and scored four touchdowns. He also gets points for his versatility, since he saw spot duty at quarterback (although he didn't attempt a pass).

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Keith Bulluck, Sr., linebacker. A first-team all-Big East selection, Bulluck led the league in tackles with 135 despite being suspended for one game, spearheading a defense that finished No. 13 nationally even after being shredded by Virginia Tech and Miami. The 6-3, 236-pounder was also remarkably consistent, recording double-digit tackle totals in all 10 games he played. The Big East was brimming with good linebackers this year. Bulluck was among the best.

COACH UPDATE: Paul Pasqualoni (74-31-1, nine years at Syracuse; 108-48-1, 14 years overall). You'd never know Pasqualoni is taking Syracuse to its fifth straight bowl game the way he was roughed up by fans following the Orangemen's stunning loss to Rutgers. With the full backing of the Syracuse administration, Pasqualoni weathered that, as well as a 1-4 second-half of the season. There's nothing wrong with his coaching that a few good players won't cure. He enters this postseason with a 4-2 bowl record.

STRENGTHS: With the offense grinding to a halt the second half of the season and special teams unraveling at too many key moments, the only strength the Orangemen had left at the end -- and had all season -- was their defense. There's speed, athleticism and experience on the unit, which finished No. 13 nationally, No. 28 against the run and No. 18 in pass efficiency defense. Bulluck has pro size and potential, and DE Duke Pettijohn tied for second in the Big East in sacks with 10 1/2. Seven of Syracuse's 11 opponents were held to 18 points or less.

CONCERNS: The offense is a mess, and who has a clue about this team's psyche after its second-half collapse? Pasqualoni and his staff have time to patch things up, but has too much damage already been done? Both quarterbacks are playing as if they know they're simply keeping the position warm until R.J. Anderson, a true freshman who is redshirting this year, takes over next season. The Orangemen also went down meekly in their season-finale at Miami after vowing a big bounce-back effort. Their confidence is shot right now.

Noteworthy

THEY'RE REGULARS: The Music City Bowl marks Syracuse's fifth straight bowl appearance and its 11th in the past 13 years. Overall, the Orangemen have a 10-8-1 bowl record. Pasqualoni is 4-2 in bowl games at the school.

LOWE OUT AGAIN: Wide receiver Jeff Lowe, who missed the first five games of the year with a broken bone in his foot, is doubtful for the Music City Bowl after suffering the same injury to the same foot.

O'CONNOR TO START: Sophomore offensive guard Sean O'Connor will make just his third career start against Kentucky, doing so once again in place of the mending Joe Burton, who underwent knee surgery on Nov. 22 and is out until the spring. Burton started nine games this year.

SIX APPEAL: Syracuse has won at least six games in every season during the '90s, the first time in school history that every team has won at least six games in a decade and that none had a losing season.

THE DUKE OF SACKS: With 10 1/2 sacks this season, junior defensive end Duke Pettijohn is the first Syracuse player to register double-digit sacks since Rob Burnett in 1987.

SMITH HONORED: True freshman linebacker Clifton Smith, who played in 10 games, was named to The Sporting News' Freshman All-American team.

A Look Ahead

Here's a glance at who the Orangemen will have to replace in the starting lineup next season.

OFFENSE: Six -- The rebuilding job that starts in the spring on offense will focus on one area: The line. Though the offense sputtered this season, the Orangemen face the unenviable task of replacing four offensive line starters, including left tackle Mark Baniewicz (a first-team All-Big East selection), as well as tight end Stephen Brominski. Senior WR/PR Quinton Spotwood didn't have the year expected, but will also be missed.

DEFENSE: Four -- Two losses will hit the unit hard next season: Middle linebacker Keith Bulluck and reliable DE Donald Dinkins. They were the anchors on a defense that ranked 13th nationally. Bulluck led the Orange in tackles with 138 and should be playing on Sundays next fall.

SPECIAL TEAMS: One -- Kicker Nate Trout finished as the school's career scoring leader with 334 points, was second in career field goal percentage (75.4) and converted 187 of 195 extra points (95.9). He didn't have the strongest leg, but he did have one of the most reliable ones.