sutomcat
No recent Cali or Iggy awards; Mr Irrelevant
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International Day of the World's Indigenous People raises awareness about the needs of indigenous peoples. It is held on August 9, on the anniversary of the opening day of the 1982 UN Working Group on Indigenous Populations, held in Geneva. International Day of the World's Indigenous People was declared with resolution 49/214 on December 23, 1994. Participants in the day "are encouraged to spread the UN's message on the protection and promotion of the rights of indigenous peoples." Events are held around the world. At the UN Headquarters in New York City, messages are given by indigenous peoples, UN and government officials, and other leaders. Indigenous artists give performances, and panel discussions are held.
SU News
https://www.si.com/college/syracuse/football/training-camp-qa-caleb-okechukwu-080823 (SI; McAllister)
Syracuse veteran defensive lineman Caleb Okechukwu spoke to the media after a recent training camp practice.
Q: What's it like to put the pads on for the first time?
Okechukwu: "It's fun, really. A lot of competing, a lot of trash talking. Guys were flying around hitting today even though we weren't in full pads. They had to kind of calm us down a little bit. It's just fun to be hitting and things like that. So it's been fun."
Q: Is there anything coach Long has shown you about the defense that you haven't seen yet?
Okechukwu: "He's really talked about being conditioned. I think that's made a big difference in the last two days. We've really emphasized that. I know see all of us really pushing to run to the ball every single down. Playing hardest the longest. That's his message. If we play hardest the longest we'll be fine. I'm taking that really personal.
Q: How different has it been this fall with the playbook?
Okechukwu: "His atmosphere, in the spring he was getting to know us. Now it's like an expectation because at the end of the day we want to win games. That's what he's about. It's been fun learning from him over the last six months. As we go deeper into the season, I'm looking forward to learning from him more."
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Syracuse Football: Oronde Gadsden II poised for huge season, pundits say (itlh; Adler)
Syracuse football star tight end/wide receiver Oronde Gadsden II was an All-ACC performer a season ago, and national experts are predicting even bigger things for him in the upcoming 2023 campaign.
To be fair, all of the national and Atlantic Coast Conference accolades that Gadsden has scored of late are preseason prognostications, so it remains to be seen how he and the rest of the Orange roster fare in the 2023 term.
That being said, Gadsden’s collection of hardware ahead of the 2023 stanza is piling up. On Monday, the preseason watch list for the 2023 Biletnikoff Award, honoring college football’s most outstanding FBS receiver, was disclosed.
Oronde Gadsden II, unsurprisingly, made the cut. The 6-foot-5, 223-pound junior who hails from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., is garnering a lot of preseason buzz, and deservedly so.
Syracuse football tight end/wide receiver Oronde Gadsden II is primed for a big-time 2023 season.
In 2022, when the ‘Cuse went 7-6 overall and reached a bowl game, Gadsden shined bright as a sophomore. He hauled in 61 passes for 969 yards, an average of 15.9 yards per catch, while scoring six touchdowns through the air.
Gadsden’s total receiving yards a term ago placed him at No. 6 in the ACC and within the top 40 across the country. Last year, Oronde Gadsden II was named to the All-ACC first team as a tight end.
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Watch: Carter on difference between OSU and Syracuse 'The rent is due every day' (247sports.com; Helwagen)
Ja'Had Carter had a plan when he made the decision last winter to transfer from Syracuse to Ohio State.
Carter, a native of Richmond, Va., played three seasons at Syracuse. He saw action in 31 games with 28 starts between the 2020-22 seasons.
The 6-1, 203-pound Carter recorded 138 career tackles for the Orangemen (97 solo), five interceptions, seven pass break-ups, two fumble recoveries a defensive touchdown and a forced fumble. He led the team with three interceptions in 2022, in consecutive games vs. Clemson, Notre Dame and Pittsburgh. He also had a 90-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown in the Clemson game. He was second on the team in 2020 with 67 total tackles.
He was on the field for the first portion of spring practice before suffering a knee injury. When preseason camp began last Thursday, it appeared that Carter was full-go and running with the first team at the Adjuster safety position in coordinator Jim Knowles’ defense.
Carter and the rest of the veteran safeties met with the media after Tuesday’s fifth practice session. He said it was difficult to come to a new program and almost immediately be sidelined.
“It's never good not practicing and going out with an injury, especially coming somewhere new and having to prove yourself again,” he said. “So it was tough but I fought through it, got back healthy and got prepared for fall camp.”
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(youtube; radio; Orange Nation)
AllSyracuse.com publisher Mike McAllister joins Steve and Paulie to discuss position battles at Syracuse football camp, how conference realignment could impact recruiting as a whole, and more
Pads come on for Syracuse football on day six (spectrumlocalnews.com; MacWilliam)
Week two of fall camp is heating up on the hill for the Syracuse football team.
Day six of practice saw the Orange come out in full pads. But even though there was an uptick in intensity, head coach Dino Babers is keeping it in check.
What You Need To Know
- The Orange were in full pads as they enter week two of fall camp
- Head coach Dino Babers said they didn't go full contact for the full practice as they getting the players acquainted to their pads
- He also touched on a wild week of conference realignment
- On the injury front, Babers said that tight end Steven Mahar suffered a torn ACL and will miss the upcoming season
While the pads were popping at times, the Orange didn't really go full contact. For most of practice on Tuesday, the Orange eased their way into it, knowing the season is a marathon, not a sprint.
“[The] first day today we really didn't tackle anybody to the ground, just want them to get used to their pads," Babers said after practice. "But it was a lot more physical and a lot more quiet, which means people are hitting, listening and learning.”
While Babers is solely focused on Syracuse this season, the topic of conference realignment did come up on Tuesday. Babers offered his thoughts on the decimation of the Pac-12 and the ever-changing landscape of college athletics.
Babers spent time at Arizona State, Arizona and UCLA during his coaching career.
“I can still remember when the Pac-12 was the Pac-8," Babers said. It's interesting. You would never think that that league wrapped around one of the bowl games, the Rose Bowl game being the granddaddy of them all with the Big Ten that they would ever lose it. But here we are in this day and age, adjusting [and] improvising. I'm sure though everybody in the conference is looking at that stuff just a lot different from six years ago, 10 years ago, 12 years ago. To think that all this stuff would be going on. It's just very interesting.”
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Syracuse football loses first player to season-ending injury (PS; Leiker)
Syracuse football lost its first player to a season-ending injury in Week 1 of fall camp.
Fourth-year tight end Steven Mahar Jr. is out for the year with an ACL tear in his left knee that he suffered during Friday’s practice, Babers said Tuesday.
The diagnosis came in Monday night, Babers said, and Mahar will have surgery after his knee has settled and the swelling has gone down. His knee was bandaged and he was wearing a brace while watching practice Tuesday.
Mahar, who’s from Rochester, New York, has appeared in 28 games in three seasons for Syracuse, though primarily on special teams.
The tight end depth chart was unlikely to include Mahar.
Last season, three Orange players are known to have torn their ACLs: Chris Elmore, Stefon Thompson and Garrett Williams.
SU lost five depth chart players to injuries in the opening five games of the 2022 season and a handful of other players battled week-to-week injuries in the back half of the year, which contributed to a five-game losing slide.
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Syracuse football will face three teams ranked in preseason Coaches poll (itlh; Adler)
The preseason Coaches top-25 poll ahead of the 2023 campaign is out, and Syracuse football is not included. No surprise there.
Three of the Orange’s opponents in the upcoming term are included in this top-25 poll. By the way, the preseason Associated Press top-25 poll is slated for release on Monday, Aug. 14.
Making the cut in the preseason Coaches top-25 poll, among ‘Cuse foes for 2023, are Florida State at No. 8, Clemson at No. 9 and North Carolina at No. 20.
None of the Orange’s non-conference opponents (Colgate, Western Michigan, Purdue and Army) is featured in the preseason Coaches top-25 poll.
Syracuse football will battle several squads ranked in the preseason this coming stanza.
It makes sense that the Seminoles, the Tigers and the Tar Heels are in the preseason Coaches top-25 poll. Those are the top-three groups in the Atlantic Coast Conference’s preseason media poll, which was disclosed last week, with Clemson at No. 1, FSU at No. 2 and UNC at No. 3 (the ‘Cuse is No. 10 here).
To make things even more challenging for the Orange, it will suit up versus these three teams all in a row between late September and mid-October, with two of those encounters coming on the road against presumed ACC heavyweights North Carolina and then Florida State.
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Syracuse Athletics isn’t in a bad place...at least not yet (TNIAAM; Wall)
The last week turned college athletics upside down and while nothing directly impacts the Syracuse Orange now, that hasn’t stopped everyone from wondering what’s next.
Here’s the reality, it’s mostly out of Syracuse’s control. Let’s break down some of the big topics and how they impact the Orange.
Pac 12 is done
As someone who suggested recently that the ACC could have benefited from the Pac-12’s status, it does feel like it’s a missed opportunity. We heard rumors that the ACC discussed adding a number of schools before Washington and Oregon officially joined the Big Ten, but those rumors also said the money wasn’t there.
If that’s the case, it’s not a big miss for the league. You don’t want to add schools and dilute the revenue shares because that’s the biggest issue facing the long-term health of the ACC. Is it worth adding Cal, Stanford, Oregon State and Washington State? Probably not now, but the two California schools do fit the ACC’s preferred institutional profile, so file that away...Cal could get right back in this.
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Get to Know Your Orange Man: #34, RB JJ Branham (TNIAAM; Chiappone)
It’s time to start preparing for the upcoming Syracuse Orange football season. We’re going through the roster to take a look at each Syracuse player as we get ready for a critical season for the Orange.
Up next is….
Name: JJ Branham
Position: Running back
Year: Redshirt junior
Height: 5’10”
Weight: 205 lbs
Hometown: Columbus, OH
High School/Previous College: Northland High School (Eastern Michigan and Blinn College)
2022 stats: Branham carried the ball 107 times for 648 yards (over six yards per carry) and seven rushing touchdowns in his return to the field last season.
2023 projections: Branham was added to the roster at the time when presumed starting running back LeQuint Allen’s return was up in the air. With Allen back in the fold and loaded depth in the backfield, Branham will be one of several backs competing for touches this fall.
How’d he get here?: Branham redshirted in 2019 at Eastern Michigan before suiting up with Blinn College this past season. He joined the Orange over offers from Kentucky, Boston College and Pittsburgh.
What’d recruiting sites say?: Three stars on 247Sports, Rivals and ESPN
Money quote: Branham’s journey has been an inspiring one, and he was definitely a fan of the love the Syracuse program was showing him:
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ACC News
Preview | Pitt football enters 2023 season with a lot of question marks - The Pitt News (pittnews.com; Sherry)
After posting a 20-7 overall record and finishing in the top 25 over the past two seasons, Pitt football enters a crucial year in 2023. The departures of several key players has left the team in need of new leaders and a new identity.
By no means is this a sink or swim year for head coach Pat Narduzzi and company. The immense success the program saw over the past few seasons will keep Narduzzi out of the hot seat for years to come. Nonetheless, posting a third straight season with nine-plus wins would go a long way in earning national respect for the program. If Pitt wants to reach elite status, then another winning season in 2023 is a must.
But this is no easy task. As it stands right now, the team lacks an identity. In 2021, the Panthers were led by their electric offense. With quarterback Kenny Pickett at the helm, the Panthers were fast and fierce, which earned them an ACC title. In 2022, Pitt was led by its dominant defense. Even though the passing game held the team back, players like defensive lineman Calijah Kancey and linebacker SirVocea Dennis stepped up big time, leading the Panthers to an impressive 9-4 record.
But Pickett, Kancey and Dennis are all gone in 2023, along with a lot of other valuable players. Both the offense and defense will look nearly completely different this season, which raises a lot of questions.
Perhaps the biggest question entering the new season is whether redshirt senior quarterback Phil Jurkovec can successfully lead the Panther offense. Jurkovec transferred to Pitt from Boston College, where he played three years in the Maroon and Gold.
During his tenure at Boston College, Jurkovec was plagued by injuries and ultimately failed to live up to expectations. This was especially evident last season. Despite playing alongside first-round draft pick wide receiver Zay Flowers, Jurkovec managed to complete just 59.5% of his passes with eight interceptions and led the Eagles to an abysmal 2-6 record as the starter.
While Jurkovec undoubtedly disappointed many during his time in Boston, it doesn’t mean that he does not possess the talent to succeed in Pittsburgh. Standing at 6 feet, 5 inches, Jurkovec is a tough, pro-style pocket passer who can utilize his size to make plays. If Jurkovec can stay healthy and improve his decision-making, then the Panthers’ passing game is in good hands. But if he can’t, then Pitt will likely end up like Boston College did in 2022.
Jurkovec will have a solid supporting cast on offense, as the Panthers have several starters returning in 2023. The strongest unit on offense is arguably the wide receiver corps. The unit will have a good mix of veterans and up-and-coming players, as junior Konata Mumpfield and redshirt senior Bub Means return to lead a group filled with new faces. Means specifically is set to have a breakout year. The former Louisiana Tech transfer posted 84 yards and a touchdown in the Sun Bowl, which led the Panthers in receiving for the game.
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Top 5 Returning Tight Ends | ACC Football 2023 (youtube; video; ACC DN)
The ACC has a great history of showcasing outstanding tight ends during football season. This season looks like one where the big, burly pass-catchers and blockers might make headlines. Syracuse's Oronde Gadsden II is a physical freak with NFL talent and NFL pedigree. Jake Briningstool showed major flashes for Clemson during the 2022 season, and alongside Davis Allen was part of a historic duo for the Tigers. Pitt's got a major threat in Gavin Bartholomew, and the Tar Heels have a trio of scary options in Kamari Morales, Bryson Nesbit and Chad Kopenhaver. Who made our top 5 returning tight ends list for 2023.
Top 5 Returning Wide Receivers | ACC Football 2023
The ACC will put on display some of the nation's absolute best this season at all of the skill positions, and wide receiver is no different. Florida State's ...
www.youtube.com
The ACC will put on display some of the nation's absolute best this season at all of the skill positions, and wide receiver is no different. Florida State's Johnny Wilson has the size and strength of a prototypical NFL wideout and certainly has the talent to go with it. Jalon Calhoun will be a favorite target of Riley Leonard's once again, and Clemson's Antonio Williams is going to benefit from another season with Cade Klubnik. Who else made our top 5 returning wide receivers list for 2023?
HAVOC! Notre Dame to join Cal & Stanford in talks to join ACC?! | Get Up (youtube.com; podcast; McElroy)
On Get Up, Greg McElroy breaks down the latest on California and Stanford's talks with the ACC and how Notre Dame could factor into the equation.
UNC appeals NCAA's denial of top receiver's transfer eligibility waiver :: WRALSportsFan.com (wralsportsfan.com; Fernandez)
North Carolina junior wide receiver Devontez "Tez" Walker's waiver for immediate eligibility has been denied by the NCAA, potentially leaving the Tar Heels without a preseason All-ACC performer on offense.
UNC is appealing the decision, football coach Mack Brown announced after practice on Tuesday.
"Tez has only played football at one school and should be considered a one-time transfer," Brown said.
The NCAA passed stricter rules on two-time transfers for undergraduates in January and made it effective for the 2023-24 season.
UNC argued that Walker should be considered a first-time transfer and be immediately eligible. The NCAA rules state waiver will be considered for athletes related to their physical or mental health and well being.
Walker initially signed with East Tennessee State University in 2019, but after an ACL tear, his signing was deferred. He signed with North Carolina Central University in 2020, but the season was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Walker transferred to Kent State, where he played 20 games, starting 12 of them. In 2022, Walker finished with 58 catches for 921 yards and 11 receiving touchdowns. He transferred to UNC in January.
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Latest on Conference Realignment: Eyes Set Next on ACC, ‘Pac-4’ (evsportsnow.com; Bock)
Conference realignment has taken over college athletics news over the past week. The Pac-12 has been picked apart as the Big 12 added Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah while the Big Ten grabbed Oregon and Washington.
It doesn’t sound like the news will end soon as the final Pac-12 schools Cal, Oregon State, Stanford and Washington State need to figure out a plan for the 2024-25 season. The four remaining schools have been referred to as the “Pac-4” over social media.
Each school put out a statement over the weekend expressing their disappointment in the departing schools and their hope for finding the best situation for their institutions. Let’s take a look at the possible scenarios.
ACC could add Stanford, Cal
ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported on Tuesday morning that the ACC Presidents met but they did vote on adding Cal or Stanford. The league is still considering the move.The ACC has been looked upon as the next conference to get picked apart. Every school is locked into their grant of rights deal that ends in 2036 but seven of the schools are trying to find a loophole to get out of the deal. Clemson, Florida State and Miami are linked with the SEC for being the top programs but it’s the Seminoles that seem to be rushing out of the conference.
“It’s not a matter of if we leave [the ACC], but how and when we leave,” FSU trustee Drew Weatherford said in a public meeting last week.
Pac-4 merging with Mountain West or AAC?
Cal, Oregon State, Stanford and Washington State may have to merge with the Mountain West or the American Athletic Conference. The Mountain West would be the best option for proximity reasons and for the value of the programs in that conference. MW schools like Boise State, San Diego State, UNLV, etc. have been linked with Pac-12 expansion for what seems like forever but this move could keep the remaining Pac-12 schools relevant.Big 12 not finished poaching
Jason Scheer of Wildcat Authority reported that the Big 12 was in early talks with Oregon State and San Diego State. Now while The Athletic countered the original report saying they weren’t in talks, it’s something to monitor.With the various reports from the national media, it’s hard to determine which reports have substance to them.
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SMU on ACC’s short list of candidates if conference looks to expand (dallasnews.com; Hoyt)
The next round of realignment began when USC and UCLA announced they were leaving the Pac-12 for the Big Ten.
Almost immediately, representatives from SMU — especially David Miller, the chairman of the board of trustees, began reaching out to representatives from the Pac-12, the Big 12 and the ACC.
“You have to feel good about where we’re at,” an SMU official said in July 2022.
Things have changed a lot since then. The Pac-12 is on the brink of demise, the Big 12 has already added eight other schools and now the Atlantic Coast Conference could be ready to broaden, as well.
SMU, according to multiple people familiar with the situation, has been on the short list of expansion candidates for the ACC for quite some time.
The ACC, according to Yahoo! Sports, may be targeting SMU.
One person familiar with the situation theorized that SMU’s potential entrance to the ACC could be connected with the possibility of other expansion candidates. ACC officials have discussed adding Cal and Stanford, according to multiple reports.
SMU leaders have been internally optimistic, even outwardly cautious, about their realignment hopes over the last year. It accelerated when Pac-12 Commissioner George Kliavkoff visited SMU’s campus for a basketball game in early February.
After that, SMU to the Pac-12, along with San Diego State, seemed a matter of when, not if. That is, as long as the Pac-12 stayed alive.
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Sources: ACC considering SMU in addition to Cal and Stanford in expansion talks (yahoo.com; Dellenger)
The expansion conversation in the ACC goes beyond Stanford and Cal.
A third school, SMU, is in consideration, sources tell Yahoo Sports.
At a meeting of league presidents on Tuesday, executives explored the possibility of adding all three universities or inviting only the Pac-12’s two members. Administrators are expected to continue examining the expansion options and will review financial models for both scenarios — adding three or adding just two.
For more than a year now, SMU has held various degrees of dialogue with several leagues in its pursuit to join a power league, including the Big 12, Pac-12 and ACC. A small private school, SMU resides in one of America’s most populous metro areas, Dallas, and in the heart of a talent-rich football state.
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Maybe even more important: The university would arrive at a reduced rate. Employing a rich donor base and a healthy desire to advance to the Power Four level, the university is open to forgoing conference distribution pay for its first several years in a new league. SMU officials held similar conversations with Pac-12 administrators.
The financials are the most significant piece to potential ACC expansion. ACC schools are handcuffed for another 13 years as part of a binding agreement tied to an ESPN contract that pays league members only a portion of Big Ten and SEC TV cash. The ACC announced a distribution of $39 million last year, most of which came from the TV contract.
In expanding, the league must avoid reducing the annual distribution paid to each team to supplement new schools. That is a “non-starter,” several administrators tell Yahoo Sports.
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Friedlander: Expanding to add Stanford and Cal isn't a winning move for the ACC - Saturday Road (saturdayroad.com; Friedlander)
Remember the movie “War Games?”
It’s the one in which Matthew Broderick accidentally brings the world to the brink of nuclear annihilation by hacking into a military computer and playing what he thinks is a harmless simulation.
The crisis is averted only when the computer figures out that the only winning move is not to play the game at all.
That sums up where the ACC appeared to be on Sunday afternoon.
Through all of Florida State’s bluster, the pillaging of the Pac-12 by the Big Ten and Big 12, the ACC remained intact and unscathed.
And then, just when it seemed safe to start preparing for actual football games again, we’re right back at DEFCON 1.
Late Monday, news began to break that the ACC’s athletic directors and presidents will hold separate meetings on Tuesday to discuss the possibility of adding Stanford and California as new members.
Nothing is set in stone at this point. But there seems to be growing momentum toward transforming the Atlantic Coast Conference into the All Coast Conference.
The question is why?
There’s a reason Stanford and Cal weren’t invited into the life raft sailing to safety in the Big 12.
If the ACC was really serious about opening a second front and expanding into the Pacific Time Zone, it should have fired a preemptive strike and beat the Big 12 to Arizona, Arizona State and Utah, to go with the Cardinal and Bears.
As it is, the conference is left to pick over the carcasses of the prey the other vultures didn’t want.
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Pitt mailbag: Will TE Malcolm Epps be a weapon? And should ACC add remaining Pac-12 schools? (P-G; Hiles & Carter)
Blake: Were there any freshmen that impressed during the first week of training camp? If so, who?
Hiles: The guy Narduzzi highlighted Monday was Kenny Johnson. It seems like all four of these true freshman wide receivers are in the mix for some serious playing time, but Narduzzi brought him up without us asking specifically about any freshmen. He along with Bub Means and Konata Mumpfield were making some big catches on deep balls over the weekend.
https://www.post-gazette.com/sports...w-conference-realignment/stories/202308080129
Carter: On Friday, Pat Narduzzi named a few guys on each side of the football. Zion Fowler-El is another receiver they seem to be very high on. The challenge with him is learning the playbook, because like Johnson, he didn’t report to campus until the summer. A defensive guy Narduzzi is high on is Cruce Brookins, the former standout at Steel Valley. Apparently he was able to workout all summer in the Pitt weight room, and it’s showing.
Joe: What is the expectation for Malcolm Epps, the USC tight end that transferred into Pitt this spring. How do they plan on using him?
Hiles: I originally looked at Malcolm’s size — 6-6, 255 pounds — and thought he’d be used as a blocking tight end. However, based upon some conversations I’ve had with both players and coaches, I think he could actually be more of a weapon in the passing game. While he might be 255 pounds, his frame is slim. He’s built more like Jimmy Graham or Darren Waller than, say, Rob Gronkowski. I’ve heard his blocking needs work, but people are really excited about his catch radius. His size and athleticism give Pitt a weapon the program hasn’t had in a long time — someone you can just throw a jump ball to in 1-on-1 coverage.
Carter: I think he’s going to be a fun option in the red zone. I think they’d be smart to line him up on the outside against a smaller corner, and like Noah said, just throw him a jump ball in the end zone. He’s a great addition to the tight end room, even if he’s used in a limited role.
Tom: Would the ACC benefit by bringing in any of the four remaining Pac-12 schools?
Hiles: I’m really note sure. I don’t see how any of those programs would add value to the league, other than it would show they’re able to follow the trend of expanding west. Stanford and Cal are great academic institutions. Oregon State should have a good team this year, and Washington State, well, has been decent here and there. I just don’t know what you’re truly gaining. Do any of those schools truly have a massive following? Are any of them legitimate powers that could compete year-to-year for a league title in football or basketball? I just don’t know if those four schools are worth adding all the extra travel, all the extra effort. However, if it does happen and I end up getting to make a few work trips out to California, you won’t hear me complaining.
Carter: Here is the real answer — none of us know how this is all going to unfold. It’s been a crazy few years and I don’t see it stopping anytime soon. I still think West Virginia, or other teams located closer to the East Coast, would be better additions than the four remaining Pac-12 schools. Those four schools almost have to be some sort of group package. It would make no sense for just one or two of them to be out, three time zones away from the rest of the league. Then again, a lot of these recent moves make no sense.
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Can Cal+Stanford Help ACC Revenue? (RX; HM)
Can Cal+Stanford Help ACC Revenue?
Most people look at the teams being added by various conferences in 2024...
...and when they do, their first reaction is "Wow, the ACC is getting the least help by far!"
And, from a pure football wins & losses, fans in the seats, eyeballs on the television numbers game, they may be right (although I'd withhold judgment on the Big XII for now if I were you). Without a doubt, the SEC and the Big Ten snatched up the best brands they didn't already have and were not in the ACC.
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https://www.greenvilleonline.com/st...-big-ten-sec-pac-12-stanford-cal/70548340007/ (greenvilleonline.com; Keepfer)
In what appears for all the world like a never-ending cycle of comings and goings in this age of rampant realignment in college athletics, can we pause to take a breath?
Probably not.
Here’s a quick recap so we can at least attempt to play catch up:
The Big Ten, er B1G, soon will be the Big 18, with two of its members (Rutgers and Washington) comfortably located only 2,846 miles apart. That’s a mere 6½-hour flight or a 41-hour drive for a gaggle of football-crazed college kids eager for a totally dope road trip.
The Big 12’s new incarnation will be the Big 16, which is much more geographically centralized. Central Florida and Arizona State are separated by only 1,896 air miles.
The Pac-12, having had the bulk of its headliners plucked by the Big Ten and Big 12, is now the Pac-4, which soon could be rendered the Pac-2 if negotiations go swimmingly between the ACC and Stanford and Cal.
Yes, more change could be on the way.
Loyalty and traditional rivalries be damned.
ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported Monday that the ACC will have two calls “to vet and have early exploratory discussions on the potential addition of Cal and Stanford.” One call will be for the ACC’s athletic directors, the other for the ACC’s presidents and chancellors.
This doesn’t appear to be a realignment match made in heaven for multiple reasons – none of which benefit Clemson athletics in any way.
Let’s be honest here. Conference expansion has been based on football and little else, and neither Cal nor Stanford provide any boost whatsoever when it comes to widespread gridiron appeal.
Even though the addition of those two programs would enable the ACC to gain a foothold in the San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose metro area – the No. 10 TV market in the country – one must question how much financial reward would follow. After all, even when having schools in four of the top 12 national TV markets last year, the Pac-12 was able to yield only a $37 million payout per school, last among Power 5 leagues.
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Notre Dame football: Miami (FL) no longer on the schedule for 2024 (fightingirishwire.usatoday.com; Shepkowski)
Few rivalries can be defined by a t-shirt but Notre Dame vs. Miami fits that mold. Three simple words tell you pretty much everything you need to know about how the two feel about each other.
Catholics vs. Convicts.
Say no more.
You hear those words and flashbacks to 1988 immediately come to mind regardless of who you’re a fan of.
The once-annual football rivalry is a shell of itself now as the Irish and Hurricanes only meet when the rotation of Notre Dame’s ACC games calls for it.
Related
Notre Dame football: Ranking modern Irish rivals
That is, unless Miami over-books themselves and has to do some rearranging to their schedule.Miami Overbooked Themselves
Although Miami seems to be looking to get out of the ACC, they’re still a member. As long as they are, they’ll have eight conference games and four non-conference games each year.
I’m not sure how an athletic director makes this kind of oversight but someone did and it’s fairly laughable for it to occur. As a result Miami won’t travel to Notre Dame in 2024 but will instead play all non-ACC contests in their home state.
Miami won't leave Florida out of conference
The Miami schedule will consist of those four non-ACC games to be played against:
at Florida
vs. Florida A&M
vs. Ball State
at South Florida.
If you’re scoring at home, all non-conference games will be played in the state of Florida.
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2023 Preseason Coaches' Poll (RX; HM)
2023 Preseason Coaches' Poll
The Preseason AFCA Coaches' Poll is out!
Here's the expanded Coaches Poll Ranking (including "others receiving votes"):
| AFCA Coaches Poll | |
| RK | TEAM |
| 1 | Georgia |
| 2 | Michigan |
| 3 | Alabama |
| 4 | Ohio State |
| 5 | LSU |
| 6 | USC |
| 7 | Penn State |
| 8 | Florida State |
| 9 | Clemson |
| 10 | Tennessee |
| 11 | Washington |
| 12 | Texas |
| 13 | Notre Dame |
| 14 | Utah |
| 15 | Oregon |
| 16 | TCU |
| 17 | Kansas State |
| 18 | Oregon State |
| 19 | Oklahoma |
| 20 | North Carolina |
| 21 | Wisconsin |
| 22 | Ole Miss |
| 23 | Tulane |
| 24 | Texas Tech |
| 25 | Texas A&M |
| Others receiving votes: | |
| 26 | Iowa |
| 27 | South Carolina |
| 28 | Florida |
| 29 | UTSA |
| 30 | Pittsburgh |
| 31 | UCLA |
| 32 | Kentucky |
| 33 | Baylor |
| 34 | Troy |
| 35 | Arkansas |
| 36t | Fresno State |
| 36t | NC State |
| 38t | Boise State |
| 38t | Auburn |
| 40t | Miami |
| 40t | Minnesota |
| 42 | Miss. State |
| 43 | Oklahoma State |
| 44 | Missouri |
| 45 | Maryland |
| 46t | SMU |
| 46t | S. Alabama |
| 48 | Illinois |
| 49t | Air Force |
| 49t | Wake Forest |
| 51 | Toledo |
| 52 | Washington St |
| 53 | Houston |
| 54t | BYU |
| 54t | Duke |
| 54t | Arizona |
| 57t | Kansas |
| 57t | James Madison |
| 57t | Memphis |
Links, News and Rumors 2023 Aug 8th (RX; HM)
Links, News and Rumors 2023 Aug 8th
From FBSchedules: "Miami (FL), Notre Dame reschedule 2024 football game for 2026 season"
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ACCN Documentary on 1999 FSU Natl Champs (RX; HM)
ACCN Documentary on 1999 FSU Natl Champs
From the ESPN Press Release: We’re #1! – The Story of 1999 Florida State Football to Debut September 19 on ACC Network
We’re #1! – The Story of 1999 Florida State Football, a documentary chronicling the Seminoles’ undefeated BCS National Championship team that went wire-to-wire as college football’s No. 1 team during the 1999 season, will debut Tuesday, Sept. 19 at 7 p.m. ET on ACC Network. Produced by Raycom Sports in partnership with ESPN, the one-hour show is the latest installment in ACCN’s We’re #1! series.
After 24 seasons as head coach at Florida State, Bobby Bowden finally achieved his coveted “perfect season” in 1999. His Seminoles finished the year 12-0, and they did something no college football team had ever done – start the year as the preseason No. 1 and for the next 12 consecutive weeks remain in the top spot. A perfect wire-to-wire season. The Noles won the ACC Championship with an 8-0 conference record and capped their perfect season with a 46-29 win over Virginia Tech in the 2000 Sugar Bowl BCS National Championship Game.
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Wake Forest's top WR will miss 3-5 months with knee injury (PS; AP)
Wake Forest receiver Donavon Greene has a knee injury that could keep him out for the season.
The school said Monday that Greene would miss three to five months after suffering the injury on the first day of preseason camp. Greene was expected to take a leading role among the receivers working with new starting quarterback Mitch Griffis.
Syracuse is scheduled to host Wake Forest on Nov. 25 in the final game of the regular season.
“Donavon Greene is a great player and an even better person,” coach Dave Clawson said in a statement. “He will play a key role off the field this season as he works towards a speedy and safe recovery in the coming months.”
Greene was second on the team last year with 642 yards receiving on 37 catches, including six touchdowns. Wake Forest had lost leading receiver A.T. Perry to the NFL. But Greene’s return, along with Jahmal Banks and Taylor Morin, offered plenty of depth.
Greene missed the 2021 season with a knee injury. Wake Forest opens the season against Elon on Aug. 31.
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Stanford coach: Our intention is Power 5 football (ESPN; Bonagura)
As Stanford grapples with the crumbling Pac-12, first-year football coach Troy Taylor said the school intends to remain at the Power 5 level.
"I think the players that committed to us and came here, they want to play Power 5 football, and that is what our intention is with this university," Taylor said Tuesday evening. "I can't imagine anything else."
ACC presidents met Tuesday morning to discuss the possibility of adding Stanford and Cal, but the matter was not voted on, sources told ESPN's Pete Thamel. With eight schools set to depart the Pac-12 after this season, Stanford's future is in limbo, and it's unclear where the Cardinal would turn if an offer were not extended from the ACC.
Joining the ACC would present logistical challenges in having to travel across the country for every road game, but Taylor dismissed any concerns that would create for football.
"I'm OK with traveling. Our guys love playing football, and if you've got to travel a little more, that means when people come play us, they got to travel," Taylor said. "We want to be in a great conference and we're sure that will happen. The travel, if that happens, it's fine.
"People used to have to come across the country in a covered wagon -- it would take them months and they'd be completely different people by the time they got there. We get on a plane for five hours, six hours, that's not the end of the world. You get drinks served to you and some snacks and it's not that bad."
The added travel generally is not viewed as a significant hurdle for football due to the minimal amount of road games. However, the prospect of Stanford's other sports being forced into regular lengthy road trips complicates the potential for the school to join the ACC as a full-fledged member.
Taylor said he has not been in conversations at the administrative level about Stanford's future but has fielded questions from potential recruits.
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Sources: ACC meets, still evaluating Stanford, Cal (ESPN; Thamel)
The ACC presidents met Tuesday morning about the potential addition of Stanford and Cal but did not vote on the matter, sources told ESPN. Instead, the league will continue to explore the additions and is "still evaluating" the schools, sources said.
No decisions are expected imminently, as another call of the athletic directors just to further dig into the finances is expected in the near future. A timeline is fluid, according to sources, but it would be surprising if a decision either way was reached this week.
The ACC completed its initial pair of exploratory calls, one of which was with the athletic directors Monday and another with the presidents Tuesday. Those were considered the first steps in a complicated process for a league that finds itself at a compelling crossroads.
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Other
Roasted corn at the New York State Fair, located at various stands throughout the fairgrounds. Nate Mink
NYS Fair Food Hall of Fame: Coming in at #10... (PS; Cazentre)
As New York State Fair foods go, it doesn’t get much simpler than Roasted Corn.
“A summer staple, fantastic at the fair when it’s freshly roasted and coated in butter,” is how local food lover and fair fan Danielle Benjamin describes it.
Roasted Corn comes in at No. 10 in the syracuse.com New York State Fair Food Hall of Fame.
Fresh roasted corn on the cob has been a staple of the fair since 1988, but, perhaps surprisingly, wasn’t a big hit at the start.
“When we started, we had to beg people to try it,” remembers Wahid Akl, who with his brothers-in-law David and Michael Tadros runs three Fresh Roasted Corn stands at the fair that serve nothing but … roasted corn.
Over the years, it caught on, big time.
The secret is the corn itself, Akl says, and the taste test to make sure it’s right.
“We taste the corn when it’s raw, for sweetness and freshness,” Akl said. “We only use corn that passes the test.”
The three Fresh Roasted Corn stands are next to the big Tully’s (tenders) stand, on Broadway next to King David’s and near the Poultry Building.
For many people, grabbing that ear of corn is a signature of a day at the State Fair.
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