It's like the butterfly effect. If we score on the first dropped pass then it would have changed the game completely. USF might have adjusted, we would have called different plays. Nobody knows. But the dropped passes changed the game for sure.
I don't know much about butterflies so I went back to recheck.
At 8:47 1st Qtr. Tim Boyles 5th pass was dropped by Parker in the end zone. Sure TD turns into 3 pts. +4
At 6:19 1st Qtr. Boyle throws a spot on sideline pass to Davis who is dragged down from behind or he would have cruised in for 6. Didn’t count this as multiple penalties negated the play and then this happened > Next play Boyle sends his 7th pass in the air to Foxx who drops it at the 2 while falling into the end zone. The more I watch this play the more obvious it is Foxx misjudged the ball at the end and leaped past the trajectory of the ball having it hit his forearms and bounce off. Clear drop costs us 7 pts. And possession ends in missed FG. +7
At 4:11 of 3rd Qtr. Boyle floats a 35 yard pass down to the 2 yard line which appears to be misjudged a bit by Foxx who still gets under the ball with 2 hands on it and drops it on his way to the turf. Whether or not this would have been a TD is debatable but I feel that if he was properly under the ball he gets in the end zone here. At worst we’re on the 2 first and goal. Afterwards our FG attempt is blocked and returned into UConn territory but USF possession results in a punt or it could have been worse. +7
So that’s it. A lot of things
could have happened differently but I was looking at the actual throws and game situation to come up with the point swing. You might have a better definition but I'm not watching all those drops again no matter what!