Six down, six to go for the 2014 Syracuse University football team.
Syracuse is 2-4 as it enters the second part of its schedule and a "must win" on the horizon against Wake Forest to keep its bowl hopes alive.
What do you think will happen to the Orange in the second half of the season?
Here are five questions to ponder:
1. Can Tim Lester revive the offense?
The reviews were mostly positive for offensive coordinator Tim Lester's debut on Saturday against Florida State.
Lester let quarterbacks AJ Long and Austin Wilson sling it, the running game got a spark from Prince-Tyson Gulley, the bubble screen seems to be shelved for now and Steve Ishmael may have emerged as a "go-to" threat.
Every coordinator says it, but Lester needs to seek balance for the offense going forward.
The Florida State game offered a good primer for him to follow.
Syracuse had 11 first downs passing and eight on the ground. The Orange had 256 yards passing to go with with 156 rushing.
It's also important that Lester find a way for Syracuse to cash in more touchdowns from red-zone opportunities.
Syracuse has scored only nine touchdowns in 23 trips to the red zone this season.
That's simply unacceptable.
2. Will Scott Shafer correct the self-inflicted wounds?
The biggest story of the first half of the season surrounding Syracuse football was that they shot themselves in the foot so many times they ran out of toes.
The red-zone issues, untimely penalties, not cashing in enough turnovers to points, and various missed opportunities have held back Syracuse from being more competitive and from having a better record.
Think of the final drive of the first half against Louisville where Syracuse called timeouts it didn't have and didn't know the spike rule. That's a microcosm of what needs to be eliminated.
It's critical that Scott Shafer finds a way for his team to cut back on the mistakes and maximize opportunities if Syracuse is going to stay in the hunt for a bowl game.
3. Can the Orange overcome the injury bug?
Syracuse is a banged-up football team and needs to get healthy.
It sounds like making excuses, but its a valid one for a team that doesn't have the depth of a big-time program in the ACC like the one that came into the Carrier Dome on Saturday.
Syracuse listed 12 players as out or doubtful for Florida State.
Now you can add Ben Lewis, Austin Wilson and John Miller to the list of players who got hurt on Saturday.
The Orange is teetering on a line it cannot cross when it comes to injuries. It's something they can't control but may ultimately play a major factor in their second half success.
Syracuse especially needs Ashton Broyld and Brisly Estime to return to the field to revive the offense.
4. Who is the quarterback of the future?
While the second half of the 2014 season is in focus, the future of Syracuse football in 2015 and beyond may be on display through the final six games.
Lester says that AJ Long and Austin Wilson (provided he is healthy) will both get opportunities to play going forward.
Long won round 1 of this QB battle on Saturday. He should be the favorite going forward with his ability to make throws on the run and from the pocket, while Wilson is more a traditional pocket quarterback.
That said, Florida State had no film to go on with either quarterback. The more they play, the more teams will pick up on tendencies and be able to game plan for them.
And Terrel Hunt will have something to say about getting his job back when he returns from injury.
5. Can the Orange still make a bowl game?
Going to a fourth bowl game in five seasons seems like a tall task for the Orange given the injuries, mistakes and other factors listed above.
But that's why they play the games, folks.
The second half schedule looks like this:
Oct. 18: at Wake Forest
Oct. 25: at Clemson
Nov. 1: N.C. State
Nov. 8: Duke
Nov. 22 at Pitt
Nov. 29 at Boston College
Do you see four wins in there? If so, how can they do it?
What questions do you have for the second half of the SU football season
Drop below in the comments or contact me at the info below to give me your take.
Contact Brent Axe: Email | Twitter
Listen to "On the Block" with Brent Axe weekdays from 5-6 p.m. on ESPN Radio Syracuse