For some reason, The Mag's Eric Adelson took the Thruway up to Syracuse to watch the Orange drop to 5-5 in a 26-0 loss to Miami.

Three things stuck with me as I drove out of Syracuse this morning:

1) Townies are referred to by their contribution to society. Steve the Cop. Mark the Bartender (who, incidentally, lives with Steve the Cop). The Security Guard.

2) It's incredibly easy to scalp tickets outside the Carrier Dome. One buddy of mine got two $25 tickets for $20. Another just got handed a pair for nothing.

3) They still miss Donovan McNabb. Badly.

Jim Brown? Floyd Little? Forget it. I saw about 30 No. 5 jerseys last night for every No. 44. Remember McNabb's last home game? Two years ago this weekend, also against Miami. Fans on the way to the game last night told me that was the loudest its ever been in the bubble. I heard "numbing," "chilling," and "the place shook." McNabb ran out with an arm extended and a No. 1 finger extended beyond that. It was his 48th straight start. "He was pumped," a student said. "We all were." Final score: Syracuse 66, Miami 13. Rout 66, it's called. "That game was over," said one radio guy in the press box tonight, "before it began."

So was this game. Why they gave poor redshirt frosh QB R.J. Anderson McNabb's No. 5 is beyond me. "They're trying to clone McNabb," one of the players' parents said. I will say Anderson does look like Donovan. He's got huge legs and a stringy mustache like McNabb. On an early 1st and 10, Anderson crouched real low under center and barked and swiveled his head like Donovan. But as the play clock dwindled, Anderson looked down at his wristband and then behind him -- twice. I heard a fan mutter in the nearly silent Dome: "S---." The play went for a five-yard loss.

But it's worse than a young QB learning the system. I sat in the student section last night, and it was seriously depressing. Forget about chants and high-fives. Students weren't even watching the game! Most had their backs turned to the play, and only spun back after another Miami score. "How did they get 23 points"? I heard. The only student-esque display I saw was when a balloon went up and got batted back and forth over the rows. As it got close, I could read it:

"O God Have Mercy on Us."

At halftime, most of the students left. I asked one where they were all going, and he said, "Hey, there's drinking to do."

Late in the fourth, I spotted a grad student sitting all alone in the top row. Jon was his name. He wore orange, and a glum look. "It's just a lot less exciting since he left," he said. "Reduced expectations, you know. Used to be a Big East title and maybe a BCS game. Now it's a winning record and maybe a bowl."

Can you think of another program that's been hurt so much by one player's graduation? Jake Plummer at ASU? Daunte Culpepper at Central Florida? Shaun King at Tulane? Ryan Leaf at Wazoo?

Memo to the folks in Blacksburg: Enjoy Michael Vick while you can.

E-mail eric.adelson@espnmag.com, or click the "reply" button at the top.