sutomcat
No recent Cali or Iggy awards; Mr Irrelevant
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National Hippo Day is commemorated on February 15 of every year. Hippopotamuses love water, which is why the Greeks named them the river horse. The hippopotamus or Hippo is the third-largest type of land mammal after elephants and rhinoceros. These mammals can be identified with wide-opening mouths revealing large canine tusks, nearly hairless bodies, and large sizes weighing an average of 1,500 kg. This hippopotamus lives near rivers, lakes, and mangrove swamps and they are not territorial on land. They emerge at dusk to feed on grasses. The hippopotamus is aggressive, unpredictable, and has attacked humans before. They are poached for their meat and ivory canine teeth.
SU News
Orange Watch: Time for ACC football to eliminate the two division format - The Juice Online (the juice; Bierman)
Item: The Alliance, comprising the ACC, Big Ten and Pac 12 conferences, is eyeing a more even distribution of teams that reach the current four team College Football Playoff, which has been dominated by the SEC. In fact, only three non-SEC schools, Clemson (ACC), Ohio State (Big Ten), and Oregon (Pac-12) have won CFP games since its debut in 2014. With the Big Ten considering the elimination of its East/West divisions to produce more competitive balance and opportunity for its conference teams to reach the CFP, it’s time for the ACC to follow suit. Let’s say goodbye to the Atlantic/Coastal, and have the top two teams in the final standings play in the conference championship game.
The ACC held its winter meetings in Fort Lauderdale last week, and one of the dozen or so major topics on the agenda was the future look of football. More specifically if the league is going to retain the two-division format, or expedite an appeal to the NCAA to alter its rule that requires separate divisions for conferences with 12 or more teams to hold a championship game.
During the pandemic-affected 2020 season, the Atlantic and Coastal divisions went into hibernation for a year as Notre Dame became a one-time 15th conference member, and the top two teams in the standings, the Fighting Irish and Clemson, played for the league title in Charlotte. Everything worked out producing a titlist in a trying season of postponements, as each conference team had 10 scheduled ACC games.
When commissioner Jim Phillips told the media last month that he and the league’s coaches were dead set against near-term expansion of the College Football Playoff from the current four teams to as many as 12 participants. Phillips is preaching to wait until after the current media rights deal with ESPN expires after the 2025 season, and his thinking makes sense.
Coming off of two seasons impacted by players missing games due to COVID-19 protocols, injuries and academic issues that have always been part of the sport, and with the proliferation of the transfer portal turning college football into a mini version of the NFL with instant free agency, coaches have plenty of worries about fielding teams with 85 scholarship players playing 12 games, let alone between 13 and 15 in a season.
CFP expansion would likely mean up to three post season games, and the coaches want a tradeoff, such as expanding to 90 the number of scholarship players on a roster.
Back to the regular season scheduling component. Besides eliminating divisions and having one 14 team race to the two championship game slots, there is also the issue of formatting a regular season schedule that maintains competitive balance over 12 games. The goal is to give teams the best shot at reaching the top of the standings with the conference champion eyeing the CFP, and for all teams a minimum goal to reach six victories and a bowl game.
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(youtube; video podcast; Locked on Syracuse)
With Frank Anselem being thrust into the starting center role for the rest of the season, what are the realistic expectations for him the rest of the way? Plus, Syracuse football had a busy offseason of coaching and transfer portal navigation. How would you grade the Orange's moves? Also, SU has a daunting schedule ahead for 2022. Could the hill be too steep for Syracuse to get to a bowl game? Tim Leonard and Tyler Aki discuss it all and more on the Tuesday edition of the Locked on Syracuse Podcast.
Syracuse Football: Breaking down the Orange 2022 schedule, Clemson (itlh; Fiello)
Before the Syracuse football 2022 schedule was released, I said that despite the tough teams on the schedule, I thought this team could still have success and be a bowl team based on what I have seen so far this offseason. And when the schedule came out, it does appear difficult but I still stand by it.
So I sat down and decided that instead of just saying that I believe it again, I wanted to break the games down one by one and give you the information you need to decide for yourself. I will go game by game with fun stats like head-to-head outcomes, players to watch, my way too early rating of difficulty, and a few other notes that might help.
Here are the teams scheduled and links to those that are already published in case you missed one:
Louisville
UConn
Purdue
Virginia
Wagner
Bye Week
NC State
Clemson
Notre Dame
Pittsburgh
Florida State
Wake Forest
Boston College
Breaking down the daunting Syracuse football bout at Clemson.
Syracuse Orange vs Clemson Tigers
Saturday, October 22, 2022 (time and viewing options TBD)
Location: Memorial Stadium (Death Valley/Frank Howard Field) in Clemson, SC
Last season head to head: Clemson won 17-14. According to winsipedia, Clemson also has won 8 games against Syracuse football while the Orange only has two wins against them (at least two of those SU losses should have been wins).
Opponent’s overall record last season: 10-3 last season overall and 6-2 in the conference. Undefeated at home. Only lost to Georgia, Pittsburgh and NC State. Played Iowa State in the Cheez-It Bowl and won 20-13.
Stats from their last face-off: The ESPN game summary had Syracuse football QB Garrett Shrader with 191 yards passing while Clemson QB DJ Uiagalelei passed for 181 yards. Sean Tucker didn’t have a rushing TD but he did have 157 yards rushing. Stefon Thompson and “Quarterback Hunter” Cody Roscoe each had a sack. Andre Szmyt missed from 48 yards out with a chance to tie with 43 seconds left in the game.
Possible level of difficulty on a scale of 1-10: I’m giving this one a 9. This game is at Clemson and while the Orange almost beat them there in 2018 and had every chance to win at home last season, 2022 will likely see a Clemson team fighting to get back to the level of contending for a national championship as they have been in the past. I’d actually consider it a 10 if Syracuse football didn’t play them so closely last season and there is part of me still wanting to see Clemson perform better offensively.
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Bishop McDevitt RB Marquese Williams adds ACC offer (pennlive.com; Linder)
Marquese Williams added another ACC offer to his list of potential suitors Monday.
The Bishop McDevitt junior running back said that Louisville was the latest school to enter the mix for his services. He also recently added an offer from Akron.
Williams’ list of offers claimed also includes Duke, Temple, Notre Dame, Penn State, Pitt, Michigan State, Maryland, Arkansas, Arizona State, Bowling Green, Central Michigan, UConn, Kent State, Rutgers, Texas A&M, Toledo, Vanderbilt, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Syracuse, Cincinnati, Old Dominion, Boston College and West Virginia.
The 5-foot-10, 185 pounder helped lead McDevitt to the Class 4A title game last season and finished with 1,914 yards — 1,697 rushing, 217 receiving — and 31 touchdowns.
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Syracuse Orange American Football 3D Printed Hoodie - Teeruto (teeruto.com)
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The transfer portal can change a program for the better, but which teams have best managed to master the incredibly difficult numbers game this cycle?
Over 2,000 college football players have entered the portal during the current cycle starting Aug. 1. Not every player will find a new home, and teams rarely fill every empty roster spot because of scholarship limitations. The NCAA has offered a reprieve in 2022, but it’s not a perfect cure. The organization is allowing programs to add seven players out of the transfer portal in addition to the 25 players those teams are allowed to sign out of the high school and JUCO ranks. The programs, however, must also remain at or below the limit of 85 scholarships. So, at most, teams can offer 32 scholarships to new players — even if they have 40 or more spots available.
The math rarely matches in the ledgers. Also attempting to compare a team with seven additions via the transfer portal after losing 20 players can seem like a daunting exercise. In an effort to simplify the problem and better evaluate teams as we exit the first of two big waves in the portal (the next coming in April and May), let’s evaluate where each Power Five team stands. To do so, 247Sports will take the average rating of the players leaving each program — ratings via the 247Sports transfer rankings team — and compare it to the average rating of the players entering the program. The gross difference in players are not factored into the evaluations. Instead, the average player rating is all that matters, and we simply distill that number to reach a net gain or net loss via the 247Sports rating system.
Who are the biggest winners and losers? 247Sports examines the ACC today.
1. LOUISVILLE
Departures: 13 (83.37 average player rating)Newcomers: 7 (86.71)
Net rating gain: +3.34
Louisville lost four-year running back Hassan Hall to ACC rival Georgia Tech but picked up commitments from three players ranked higher than the outgoing transfer, including Tennessee running back Tiyon Evans, who was rated higher than Hall as a 4-star prospect with a grade of 90, according to the 247Sports. Not only did the Cardinals offset losses at running back and receiver, they upgraded on paper.
2. MIAMI
Departures: 9 (84.38)Newcomers: 5 (87.2)
Net gain: +2.82
Miami might prove to be the biggest winner in the transfer portal. The Hurricanes have not only survived a coaching change by upgrading with Mario Cristobal, attrition has mostly been limited to the coaching carousel. Four of the five highest-rated players coming and going from the portal are arrivals, with outgoing defensive tackle Nesta Jade Silvera (5.5 tackles for loss in 2021) leading the pack atop the rankings as a 4-star prospect. He landed at Arizona State. Meanwhile, Ole Miss running back Henry Parrish, Clemson receiver Frank Ladson and USC defensive lineman Jake Lichtenstein have picked the Hurricanes. The Hurricanes are cleaning up in the portal and is upgrading an already-strong roster.
3. FLORIDA STATE
Departures: 18 (84.71 average)Newcomers: 10 (87.1)
Net gain: +2.39
Florida State has long been trying to correct course in recruiting and the transfer portal has become Mike Norvell’s haven. The Seminoles own a conference-high 10 commitments from the portal, led by coveted pass rusher Jared Verse of Albany. The 4-star prospect earned a 94 grade per 247Sports, providing the portal a success story after he was unrated out of high school. Quarterback Chubba Purdy is the highest-rated player to leave the program, but his rating ranks ninth overall among players entering and exiting the portal with FSU ties.
4. VIRGINIA
Departures: 21 (84.52)Arrivals: 5 (86.6)
Net gain: +2.08
No team’s volume was hit harder than Virginia, which isn’t surprising considering the unexpected departure of head coach Bronco Mendenhall. The Cavaliers lose 21 players (and counting) to the portal, including offensive guard Victor Oluwatimi, who now calls Big Ten champion Michigan as his home. The Cavaliers have countered the mass exodus with five pickups so far under new coach Tony Elliott. Former Georgetown offensive tackle Mac Hollensteiner is the biggest addition with a 3-star grade of 89. The offensive line might still be a concern with three departures in the trenches. Simply put, the sheer number of departures provides a big challenge for Elliott to fill his first Virginia roster.
5. PITT
Departures: 11 (84.8)Arrivals: 4 (86.75)
Net gain: +1.95
Pitt made waves with the addition of USC quarterback Kedon Slovis, whose transfer rating is five points higher than the grade assigned during his high school days. Slovis is expected to step in immediately for departing NFL quarterback Kenny Pickett, who broke records and gave the Panthers a legitimate contender in the Heisman Trophy race in 2021. Slovis also has Biletnikoff Award winner Jordan Addison as a teammate. He caught 100 passes for 1,593 yards and 17 touchdowns last season. Watch out, ACC.
6. GEORGIA TECH
Departures: 11 (84.79)Newcomers: 7 (86.71)
Net gain: +1.92
Georgia Tech lost a pair of 4-star players to SEC teams in the portal, including Jahmyr Gibbs, who rushed for a team-best 746 yards in 2021. Still, despite its top two portal transactions chalked up as departures, the Yellowjackets have upgraded the roster on paper, according to 247Sports. Offensive tackle Ahmari Harvey transferred from nearby Auburn, Clemson guard Paul Tchio is also committed and Notre Dame safety Khari Gee is enrolled in classes. The position to watch is quarterback, where only incumbent Jeff Sims (1,468 yards, 12 TDs, 7 INTs) returns after the Yellowjackets lost four signal callers. Akron quarterback Zach Gibson is set to join the Yellowjackets after throwing for 1,262 yards and 10 touchdowns with zero interceptions last season, and will challenge Sims for the starting job under new coordinator Chris Weinke.
7. NORTH CAROLINA
Departures: 13 (84.88)Arrivals: 3 (86.67)
Net gain: +1.79
North Carolina has been patient in the transfer portal but it did pick up Virginia linebacker Noah Taylor as a 4-star prospect out of the portal. The Tar Heels have added only three player so far after losing 13 in the portal, with several heading to big-time programs such as Oklahoma, Auburn, Mizzou and Virginia Tech. Three receivers, including Beau Corrales, entered the portal and have since landed elsewhere.
8. VIRGINIA TECH
Departures: 6 (84.5)Arrivals: 4 (86)
Net gain: +1.5
Virginia Tech dealt with a coaching change but Brent Pry has limited the damage with only six players entering the portal since Aug. 1. That’s a victory for the program, which has also added four players via the portal, including Temple receiver Jadan Blue. He was a preseason All-AAC selection two preseason magazines in 2021. The most notable departure is Braxton Burmeister, the former starter who completed only 55.7 percent of his passes and threw for 1,960 yards and 14 touchdowns against four interceptions in 2021. The Hokies countered with the additions of Marshall quarterback Grant Wells and South Carolina’s Jason Brown. Wells started two years at Marshall and threw for 5,626 yards and 34 touchdowns with 22 interceptions.
9. NC STATE
Departures: 4 (86.25)Arrivals: 1 (87.7)
Net gain: +1.45
NC State’s losses seem negligible, and the Wolfpack has added only one player to the roster with receiver Darryl Jones set to arrive from Maryland. He caught 23 passes for 319 yards and two touchdowns last season.
10. SYRACUSE
Departures: 17 (83.05)Arrivals: 5 (84.4)
Net gain: +1.35
Syracuse could be doing better via the transfer portal with 17 departures against five newcomers, but the Orange is doing well in quality. Four of the program’s top six transactions are departures, including receiver Taj Harris, who departed for Rutgers as a 4-star prospect. Harris was the team’s best receiver with 2,028 receiving yards in his career (ninth all time at Syracuse) and left the program four games into the 2021 season. Quarterback Tommy DeVito was replaced by Garrett Shrader early last season, so the veteran left the team for the Big Ten, where he signed with Illinois in January. He was originally a 4-star prospect out of high school in 2017 and threw for 2,360 yards at Syracuse in 2019.
11. BOSTON COLLEGE
Departures: 13 (83.75)Arrivals: 2 (83)
Net loss: -.75
After two straight offseasons of hitting the portal hard, there's not much to write home about on either side for Boston College. The Eagles lost a lot of players as Jeff Hafley continues to turn over the roster. Many of those players haven't found homes yet and currently stand as unrated prospects, so an average of 83.75 might even be a little high (unrated players don't factor into the net). As for arrivals, Boston College added edge-rusher Regen Terry from Arizona (83) and wide receiver Dino Tomlin, the son of Steelers coach Mike Tomlin.
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Projecting college football's 15 toughest schedules in 2022 (247sports.com; Crawford)
Surprised Syracuse is not on this list...
Ranking college football's toughest schedules during the 2022 season represents an expansive look at where we believe teams will see success or failures based on what they'll have to tackle on a week-to-week basis next fall. Very few of these programs will have time to breathe when projecting possible pitfalls and trouble spots on the schedule.
Schedule favorability means a great deal in college football and could be both a blessing and a curse for those having to endure. Circling back to last season's most difficult schedules projection during spring practice, only three of 10 teams facing ever-so-daunting slates finished ranked inside the top 25, including Big Ten champion Michigan. Six others were below .500.
Given the fact the SEC and Big Ten are easily the nation's two most competitive conference, it's no surprise most of this season's inclusions come from those two leagues. Honestly, you could put just about every team from the SEC and Big Ten in a schedule difficulty ranking and find validity there. Getting through those two conferences in 2022 will be a serious challenge.
Here are college football's toughest schedules for the 2022 ranked in order of difficulty with a heavy emphasis on projecting the strength of opponents, where games are played and at what point of the season. After all, it's February and predicting where these teams are eight months from now is a shot in the dark to an extent.
15. PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS
Number of potential ranked opponents: 4The first of several Big Ten teams in this year's schedule-difficulty ranking, Penn State is aiming to bounce back from its second straight disappointing campaign and will try and do so against a loaded slate, specifically in October when the Nittany Lions play Michigan, Minnesota and Ohio State in consecutive weeks. That trio comes after Penn State travels to Purdue and Auburn in September. That Purdue game opens the season on a Thursday night and the Boilermakers have flexed their muscle quite often against ranked teams at home during Jeff Brohm's tenure. Penn State hosts Michigan State, another team in this ranking, in the regular-season finale.
14. BYU COUGARS
...AAC commish rebuts obstacles to CFP revamp (ESPN; Dinich)
In an "open letter to college football" on Monday, American Athletic Conference commissioner Mike Aresco pushed back against the Atlantic Coast Conference's reasons for not wanting to expand the four-team College Football Playoff right now, and issued rebuttals for other key obstacles that have slowed down the approval process for a 12-team format.
"There is considerable doubt that an expanded playoff format can be adopted and implemented as early as the 2024 season," he wrote, "or perhaps at all in the future." The current 12-year deal expires after the 2025 season.
Aresco, who is typically the most vocal commissioner in support of a 12-team format and his campaign to eliminate the Group of 5 label, highlighted two main issues in his lengthy letter. The first, he wrote, is the ACC's public opposition to expansion in the immediate future because of health and safety concerns, along with the instability of the overall collegiate landscape.
Under the current proposal, which was made public on June 10, it is possible a team could play 17 games to win the national title, but only if a team that didn't receive a bye in the first round (teams ranked Nos. 5-12) plays and wins four straight postseason games. The six highest-ranked conference champions would qualify for the playoff, along with the next six highest-ranked teams. Aresco wrote that the most likely annual scenario would feature a top-four team with a bye that would play only one additional game beyond the current 15 games it takes to win the conference, a semifinal and the national title.
According to the letter, the 10 FBS commissioners and Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick are considering a 12-day break following the conference championship game, along with changes to how the regular season is structured. Swarbrick, along with SEC commissioner Greg Sankey, Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby and Mountain West commissioner Craig Thompson, constituted the working group that spent almost two years developing the 12-team model still under consideration.
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College Football Playoff expansion: Commissioners set to meet in early March - Sports Illustrated (SI; Selbe)
The battle to expand the College Football Playoff continues to roll on among the power brokers of the sport. After failing to reach any kind of unanimity in December, the conference commissioners are prepared to take another crack at it in the spring.
The commissioners will reconvene in the first week of March to discuss the issue, sources told Sports Illustrated’s Ross Dellenger. Among the obstacles still standing in the way include exactly how many teams to expand to, what format an expanded playoff would take and how the Rose Bowl complicates the matter even further.
When the group met in Las Vegas in December, a clear divide formed among the different leagues. The Big Ten and ACC were both in favor of a model that guarantees automatic berths to the Power 5 conference champions. The Pac-12, meanwhile, is on the fence about which format to support and would be open to either a 12- or eight-team model, with or without automatic qualifiers.
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Brett McMurphy releases his early 2022 college football bowl projections (saturdaydownsouth.com; Farner)
With the Super Bowl now in the rearview mirror, Brett McMurphy of The Action Network has put out his way-too-early 2022 college football bowl projections.
There are a couple of SEC-related changes.
In its second game with its new conference affiliations, the Las Vegas Bowl will get teams from the Pac-12 and SEC. Last year, Las Vegas had Pac-12 vs. Big Ten. The Duke’s Mayo Bowl will feature the ACC vs. the Big Ten. Last year, it was SEC vs. the ACC.
Here are the projections:
CFP National Championship
Monday, Jan. 9 ⋅ Los Angeles, CA
Projection: No. 1 Alabama vs. No. 2 Ohio State
Peach Bowl
Saturday, Dec. 31 ⋅ Atlanta, GA
Projection: No. 1 Alabama vs. No. 4 Clemson
Fiesta Bowl
Saturday, Dec. 31 ⋅ Phoenix, AZ
Projection: No. 2 Ohio State vs. No. 3 Georgia
Orange Bowl
Friday, Dec. 30 ⋅ Miami Gardens, FL
Projection: Wake Forest vs. Wisconsin
Cotton Bowl
Monday, Jan. 2 ⋅ Dallas, TX
Projection: NC State vs. Houston*
Sugar Bowl
Monday, Jan. 2 ⋅ New Orleans, LA
Projection: Oklahoma State vs. Texas A&M
Rose Bowl
Monday, Jan. 2 ⋅ Pasadena, CA
Projection: Michigan vs. Utah
Texas Bowl
Projection: Texas vs. Tennessee
Citrus Bowl
Projection: Penn State vs. Florida
Outback Bowl
Projection: Notre Dame vs. Kentucky
Arizona Bowl
Projection: Toledo vs. Fresno State
Gator Bowl
Projection: Pitt vs. LSU
Sun Bowl
Projection: Virginia Tech vs. UCLA
Music City Bowl
Projection: Iowa vs. Arkansas
Duke’s Mayo Bowl
Projection: Louisville vs. Michigan State
Las Vegas Bowl
Projection: Ole Miss vs. Washington
Alamo Bowl
Projection: Oklahoma vs. USC
Cheez-It Bowl
Projection: Miami vs. Baylor
Pinstripe Bowl
Projection: North Carolina vs. Nebraska
Fenway Bowl
Projection: Syracuse vs. Cincinnati
Holiday Bowl
Projection: Florida State vs. Oregon
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Kelly Gramlich and Eric Mac Lain talk ACC football - Gramlich and Mac Lain (maclainandgramlich.com; podcast; Gramich & Mac Lain)
It's time to continue our mini-series: ACC Under Review! Let's review Virginia Tech's 2021 season with Andy Bitter!
Led by Pitt standout Aaron Donald, 7 ACC players celebrate Super Bowl title - ACCSports.com (accsports.com; Geisinger)
The Los Angeles Ram held on to defeat the Cincinnati Bengals, 23-30, to win Super Bowl LVI. This means seven former ACC players came away with a Super Bowl title, including two of the best defenders in the NFL: defensive lineman Aaron Donald and cornerback Jalen Ramsey.
Including the practice squad, the Rams housed two former ACC quarterbacks, too: Bryce Perkins and John Wolford. Here’s the complete list.
- Tremayne Anchrum Jr. – Clemson
- Cam Akers – FSU
- Aaron Donald – Pitt
- Bryce Perkins – Virginia
- Jalen Ramsey – FSU
- John Wofford – Wake forest
- Tutu Atwell – Louisville
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Locked On Boston College - Daily Podcast On Boston College Eagles Football & Basketball (audacy.com; podcast; Locked on BC)ANOTHER Assistant Coach Heading Out at Boston College. Is This Reason For Concern?
Joe Dailey, Boston College wide receiver's coach is heading to the NFL to join the Carolina Panthers. This is the third coach since the end of the season. Is this reason to be worried? We look at Dailey's brief…
Matt Applebaum to the Dolphins, and BC starts another coaching search
Boston College is losing their offensive line coach Matt Applebaum to the Miami Dolphins. We look at his brief tenure, that was marked by uneven results. Who could be some names to replace him? We discuss.
Rx: Which 3 Rivals in Divisionless Scheduling (RX; HM)
When you put Louisville in the North, you know you need some rework done. No Mark, anyone but Louisville for Syracuse. Makes absolutely no sense. UL is actually a good fit for VT.
Rx: Which 3 Rivals in Divisionless Scheduling
It's been a while since I posted a new map on this blog, so it's about time. The subject this time: divisionless scheduling and geographic/regional rivalries.If you're going to do a 3-5-5 divisionless schedule (which works out great mathematically for 14 teams and 8 conference + 4 non-conference games), let the 3 annual games all be based on geography, like this:
North Pod
Boston College - Syracuse, Pitt, LouisvillePitt - Syracuse, Louisville, Boston College
Syracuse - Pitt, Boston College, Louisville
Louisville - Pitt, Boston College, Syracuse
Mid-Atlantic Pod
Virginia Tech - Virginia, Wake Forest, NC StateVirginia - Virginia Tech, N Carolina, Duke
Wake Forest - NC State, Virginia Tech, Duke
Duke - N Carolina, Virginia, Wake Forest
N Carolina - Duke, NC State, Virginia
NC State - N Carolina, Wake Forest, Virginia Tech
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2022 Preseason Power Ratings (RX; HM)
2022 Preseason Power Ratings
Twitter was abuzz when Brett McMurphy first posted this:Two ACC teams in the top four - Whut? Four of the top eight? A total of six ACC teams in the top 20? Much as I'd love to believe it, this sounds too good to be true!
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Here's the complete 2022 College Football Power Ratings from Action Network, as of Wednesday, Feb. 9, 2022, starting with the top 25...
| Rank | Team | Power Rating |
| 1 | Ohio State | 109.2 |
| 2 | Alabama | 107.2 |
| 3 | Clemson | 96.7 |
| 4 | NC State | 92.1 |
| 5 | Georgia | 92 |
| 6 | Miami | 91.9 |
| 7 | Utah | 91.4 |
| 8 | Pittsburgh | 90.9 |
| 9 | BYU | 90.4 |
| 10 | Texas A&M | 88.8 |
| 11 | Iowa | 87.7 |
| 12 | Cincinnati | 87.1 |
| 13 | Florida State | 87 |
| 14 | Michigan | 86.2 |
| 15 | Penn State | 85.7 |
| 16 | Texas | 84.8 |
| 17 | Wisconsin | 84.3 |
| 18 | Virginia Tech | 84.2 |
| 19 | TCU | 84.2 |
| 20 | Florida | 84.1 |
| 21 | Nebraska | 83.9 |
| 22 | Louisville | 83.9 |
Other
The girls of the Cottage Restaurant in Baldwinsville: (left to right) Tracy Johnson, owner Michele McEwen, Tracy Laffin and Laura Hillman. (Charlie Miller | cmiller@syracuse.com)
Hidden Gems of CNY: A Baldwinsville diner that takes you back in time for a hearty meal (PS; $; Miller)
Walking into the Cottage Restaurant in downtown Baldwinsville is no different today than it was in 1988.
You’ll be met with classic rock music whispering from a yellowed clock radio. You’ll sense the nutty aroma of Farmer’s Brothers coffee dripping into a glass decanter. By the time you sit down, you’ll catch a whiff of the bacon, eggs and potatoes frying on the flattop. Couples and families will fill the orange booths as a few gentlemen sit alone at the counter arguing in the day’s debate.
That’s how it was when Michele McEwen first walked through the door of the basement-level diner for breakfast with her mother 33 years ago. Michele went on to wait tables at the Cottage for a few years, and in 2000, she bought the restaurant.
Little has changed since she took over. The menu is pretty much the same, and so are the prices. The Cottage, located in the back of the red brick building at the corner of Oswego and Genesee streets just past the bridge over the Seneca River, still has no televisions or WiFi.
“Imagine that; you’ll have to actually sit down and have a conversation,” Michele said during the breakfast rush last Wednesday.
The conversation du jour was about the upcoming Valentine’s Day. Michele had just hung pink and red hearts throughout the dining room, and she had stacks of unwrapped chocolates behind the counter ready for customers.
The gentlemen at the counter, each of whom has earned his own nickname over the years here, didn’t want any part of the so-called made-up holiday.
“I don’t like it. There’s a holiday every month that I have to shell out money to get something for my wife,” Happy Jack Harrington said. He got his nickname because of his laugh. When he gets ahold of something funny, he roars from the bottom of his belly and it sparks laughter from everyone in the diner.
Cranky John also gave Valentine’s Day a thumbs down. Laura Hillman, the youngest of the Cottage’s employees, stayed out of it.
“I love Valentine’s Day. Probably because I just love everybody,” Michele told us. “Are you going to write me a love letter in that notepad of yours?”
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