Well is it settled after the regular season is over? Quite possibly.

The Empire Conference season ended with three games this weekend, and still most of the league with hope of making the conference final. League-leaders Binghamton lost, but got bonus points for four tries and a close loss, and that was enough to keep Binghamton in front.

Stony Brook beat Colgate - or did they? There's some dispute as to whether an early conversion went through the uprights or not. If a look at the film confirms the kick was good, then Colgate and SBU tried 15-15. If not, then it was a 15-13 victory for Stony Brook. Colgate Coach David Chapman said he would like to get the tie, but added that poor clearance kicking and coverage of those kicks led to two Stony Brook tries. And some missed tackles led to another. That was the difference.

Meanwhile, Fordham won 45-10 over Kings Point to put themselves in perfect position to make the championship game with a 4-2 record. However, the team that beat Binghamton, Syracuse, may have done enough with a 26-24 victory.

Syracuse spent the early moments defending their tryline, and did so successfully before Angus Bishop went over for the first try. Binghamton replied but then Syracuse got a try when Greg Fligor intercepted a pass and went the distance. Binghamton closed within two by halftime, but Syracuse moved ahead further when Anthony Pugliese blocked a clearance kick and Fligor chased it down for his second. Matthew Hoalcraft hit his third conversion, which was crucial. Eric Fray then powered up the middle to make it 26-17. Binghamton scored an important try to make it 26-24, but that it. Why was Binghamton's try important? See below.

That result put Syracuse and Fordham tied at 4-2 with 20 standings points. So the tiebreaker goes down to head-to-head between the two tries teams. Syracuse beat Fordham 22-12 at the beginning of the season. That seems to put Syracuse in 2nd.

Fordham beat Stony Brook 22-17 on October 14, and we checked the Fordham game report an extra time, and Fordham did not score four tries in that game. And the same goes for the Syracuse win over Fordham. That was also 22-17 and the scoring was the same - three tries, two converted, and a penalty. Syracuse gets their close loss BP from their 3-0 loss to Brockport, and Fordham from their 11-10 loss to Binghamton.

So according to our records, Syracuse takes 2nd thanks to head-to-head, and will play Binghamton a second time for the conference title.

Now to that try for Binghamton at the end of this Saturday's game. Binghamton was also 4-2, and had they not scored that try they would have ended the season with 20 standings points as well. But that try gave them a point for four tries, and a point for a close loss, and ensured they would be 1st. Had Binghamton not scored that try, they would have been tied with Syracuse and Fordham, and by head-to-head Fordham would have lost out despite the best points difference because they lost to both Binghamton and Syracuse. But, Syracuse would then have ended up 1st.