MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – If you believe half the Syracuse football team, anything could still happen. But after dropping a 27-6 game to West Virginia on Thursday night, SU’s hopes of realizing its preseason goal – to win the Big East – took a hit harder than any one quarterback Perry Patterson suffered.

Syracuse lost its fourth game to a Top 25 team this year, dropping a 21-point game to No. 15 West Virginia at Mountaineer Field. With it, SU lost any realistic chance at a Bowl Championship Series bowl berth – now or any time soon.

‘Yeah, it’s frustrating,’ assistant coach Steve Bush said. ‘This was a big Big East game. We had a chance to knock them off. But we still have four Big East games left.

‘Going into the game, there were only two teams in the Big East with undefeated records (SU and WVU). If we (won), we’re in the driver’s seat.’

Syracuse had a chance last night to sneak into the BCS spotlight through the backdoor – winning the weakest conference that is awarded a BCS bowl. This was one game. But by losing to WVU, SU whiffed on its opportunity to smell the cold, hard cash that accompanies a BCS bowl.

If SU beat WVU, the favorite to win the Big East, the Orange could have reached the Fiesta Bowl, thus pulling off the biggest sham this side of Enron’s accounting.

Those three earlier losses – in which Purdue, Florida State and Virginia outscored SU a combined 99-23 – could be forgotten, forgiven and even hailed if SU knocked off WVU last night.

Three losses to Top 25 teams is definitely a fair price to pay if it prepares you to pierce just one top team, so long as it’s the most important one. A win at WVU and Syracuse could have stolen an $11 million check from the BCS by just cake-walking through the rest of its Big Yawn schedule.

SU lost the game against the only worthy conference team. SU also lost its chance.

Certainly, SU isn’t mathematically eliminated. But then again, neither is Ralph Nader. The writing on the wall, though, is clear. SU blew its chance at winning a weakened Big East last night.

Since WVU is the favorite to win the Big East anyway, SU would’ve owned the tiebreaker – and a better record – than the most challenging Big East team out there. Now, even if WVU loses once more and SU runs the table, the Mountaineers have the tiebreaker.

Of course, SU could march through the rest of its Big East schedule, finish 5-1 and watch conference stalwarts WVU and Boston College falter.

But people will grow wings before that happens.

For that, the blame falls entirely on SU. Syracuse used a quartet of embarrassing stats to sidestep any chance of winning the Big East.

First, SU fumbled three times – on an option, a pitch and a direct handoff, just to cover the three possible ways – in the sloppiest display of the season.

Kicker Collin Barber, whom the university claims is a Lou Groza Award candidate, missed two field goals, had one blocked and doinked an extra point off the left upright.

And the topper: With 1:10 left in the first quarter, WVU rushed one person at punter Brendan Carney. That one person, Thandi Smith, split 10 rows of blockers to reach the sophomore punter. One rusher, and the Orange failed to stop him.

‘There is no talent gap between these two teams,’ safety Anthony Smith said. ‘We can play with any team in the country. It was just one or two plays.’

Which we’ve heard after every game. But this time it’s no excuse.

Next year, that opportunity evaporates. The addition of South Florida, Cincinnati and Louisville ensures these stronger teams will prevent SU from stealing a conference title.

It’s not a total loss this year. SU missed a bowl game each of the past two seasons. If SU loses to Boston College on the road but still beats Big East doormats Temple, Rutgers, Connecticut and Pittsburgh, SU is 6-5 and perhaps bowl-bound.

A minor victory. Perhaps one that makes this season a success after the last two laughers. But the Continental Tire Bowl doesn’t have an $11 million stipend.

Last night was more than just one game in a mediocre season. It marked the best chance SU will get to seeing glory – and the cash that accompanies it – for years to come.