Instead of Joyce dying, there would have been some reason for her to have to move away from Sunnydale, and Dawn, being a minor, would have to leave with her, which would eliminate the whole Buffy-has-to-die ending. Instead, Willow and Tara devise a spell that sends Glory to her old hell dimension safely.
With Joyce gone, Buffy moves into Giles' apartment while he's out of the country on a semi-permanent basis on Watcher business (maybe he gets elected new Director of the group)
Faith is released due to a mistrial technicality, returns to Sunnydale to try and make peace with Buffy, and winds up sharing the apartment with he, after which they finally become real friends. After the end of the season, Faith is recruited by the reformed Initiative to travel all over the world fighting demon terrorists, but she makes frequent returns to Sunnydale between assignments.
And, finally, Riley meets Sam when she enrolls at Sunnydale U, they fall in love, he ditches Buffy for her. They get married and move back out west to work on Riley's cousin, Clark Kent's, farm when he moves to Metropolis, they raise corn and babies ever after, and are never, ever, mentioned or referred to on the show again.
