sutomcat
No recent Cali or Iggy awards; Mr Irrelevant
- Joined
- Aug 15, 2011
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Welcome to Slinky Day!
One of the most recognizable toys for decades, the Slinky, walks its way down stairs with a little extra swagger today, because it's Slinky Day! In 1943, Richard James, a naval engineer, was in the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard working on a project that used springs to hold items up on moving ships, when he accidentally knocked down a spring and watched it "walk" and then coil itself up neatly on the floor. It was an idea-inspiring moment, and along with his wife, Betty, a plan was hatched to create a new toy. Betty combed through a dictionary and came up with the name "Slinky," and in 1945, with a 500 dollar loan, the couple created James Industries. At first, the Slinkys weren't selling, but when a demonstration table was set up in Philadelphia's Gimbels Department Store during the 1945 holiday shopping season, the James's sold 400 of them for a dollar each in 90 minutes—and people wanted more.
SU News
Young SU receiver gets chance to impress: ‘Like adrenaline just running through my body’ (PS; Leiker)
There was no fanfare around Donovan Brown finding himself at the top of Syracuse football’s Week 1 depth chart at slot receiver.
The redshirt freshman was just put in with the first-string group during practice, and that was that.
But ever since, things have felt a little different.
“It feels good,” Brown said Tuesday. “It’s like adrenaline just running through my body everyday. I wake up happy and get in my car and go to practice.”
Brown’s position as No. 1 on the depth chart does come with a slight caveat. Usual first-stringer, Trebor Pena, is battling a minor injury. Though Syracuse coach Dino Babers did not definitively rule Pena out for the week, his absence from the depth chart means he’ll likely be unavailable.
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Andrea Adelson "The 315: 8-29-23 (ESPN; radio; The 315)
ESPN ACC Reporter Andrea Adelson provides some interesting tidbits on conference realignment and where Syracuse stands going into another football season.
Keeping Up With The 315 8-29-23 (ESPN; radio; The 315)
Brian Higgins opens the show reacting to the latest news that the capacity is shrinking in the Dome for football. Then, he gives his latest thoughts on what the right move is for the ACC in regards to adding schools or not. Finally, Brian goes over how former Syracuse football players fared on NFL cut day.
30 Minutes in Orange Nation 8-29-23 (soundcloud; radio; Orange Nation)
Paulie and Steve were live yet again from the New York State Fair! Today the guys talked about the newest improvements made to the Dome and took calls from listeners to debate which Syracuse football players have made the biggest impacts to the university.
Oronde Gadsden "The 315" 8-29-23 (ESPN; radio; The 315)
Preseason All-American Oronde Gadsden chats with Brian Higgins this week about his expectations going into the season ahead of the opener Saturday against Colgate.
https://www.si.com/college/syracuse...o-babers-colgate-week-press-conference-082923 (SI; Supple)
Opening Statement
Babers: "We are excited to get started this season, we are excited to find out exactly where we are. I know a lot of people talk about the grind of one a day, but with me and I never believed in it being a grind, I believed it in being a find. You get to find out where you are at. We are going to get an opportunity to test ourselves against Colgate University, Coach Dakosty will have those guys ready there is no doubt about it. We are looking forward to getting ourselves back in the dome in front of our fans, seeing how crazy they can get this year. We need our 12th man if we are going to be able to get the things done that, we want to accomplish this year. One thing I want to get out to the media before we start questions, as a team we did go back and vote for our second set of captains. For special teams our second captain along with Justin Barron will be Brady Denaburg, with Marlowe Wax as our defensive captain, the second will be Isaiah Johnson and on offense with Garrett Shrader our second captain will be Damien Alford. With that I will close and open it up for questions."
Question: The biggest thing I am not seeing on here is Trebor Pena is that injury related or something else?
Babers: "Trevor has had a little owie and we are not sure if he will be available for us or not."
Question: For just the game or?
Babers: "For just the game, yes."
Question: J’Onre Reed looks like he won the starting center position, what did you see out of him that pushed him over the edge there?
Babers: "I would say that the competition has been extremely close between the both of them and I expect them both to play."
Question: Coach, what did you think of the opportunity of Donovan Brown and his chance to make a start against Colgate?
Babers: "You know I think any time you get a chance to Wally Pipp somebody, you know that is an opportunity to take advantage of and we think the world of Trevor and we know that he is an exciting player and when he is completely healthy, he is going to help us win games. But with someone else getting a shot to show us what they can do can be exciting."
Question: Obviously a guy like LeQuint who is stepping into that starting role this year after following Sean Tucker.
Babers: "He is very young but on the football field he is very mature. He plays with a lot of energy; a lot of excitement and he plays very clear. He does not make a lot of mistakes for someone as young as he is. We are looking forward to seeing how he does this year, along with the other running backs I don’t think it will be the other way it was with Sean Tucker for two years. I do think we have a good group and I think LeQuint is one of the members of that group."
Question: Do you expect Kalan Ellis to be healthy enough to play this week.
Babers: "We are going to have to see about that. He has an owie, he is still available, but I am not sure whether he will start or not."
Question: What were the decisions for Joe More and David Wohlabaugh to be that right side of your line?
Babers: "Well like I said, the biggest thing is they made it through camp. Ther are some guys that were out and in, we were going to mix some guys up so we could have the flexibility throughout season as guys go out and in on that offensive line. They were the guys who were at practice every day and when you are at practice every day normally you get better."
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Wireless network at JMA Dome still isn’t ready yet: ‘It’s taken a little longer than we expected’ (PS; Carlson)
The mobile wireless network at the JMA Wireless Dome still isn’t ready, leaving Syracuse fans to tolerate bad jokes about their home stadium for at least a few more months.
While the school and JMA initially hoped to have the system in place one year ago, the new goal is to provide access to customers of the three main cell phone providers between October and the start of the spring semester.
Until then, the building that lacked air conditioning for decades despite being named for Carrier, will be the JMA Wireless Dome despite the struggles fans should expect to experience while downloading mobile tickets, connecting to social media and searching out-of-town scoreboards on their cell phones while in the building.
“Given our experience with these (projects), if there’s one thing we know, it’s that things tend not to happen at the pace you want,” Andy Adams, the chief operating officer of JMA, said on Tuesday. “We put out a schedule that we felt we could hit or close. At the end of the day, it’s taken a little longer than we expected.”
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Syracuse Football: 4-star Willy Love focused on 2 schools, including ‘Cuse (itlh; Adler)
Four-star athlete Willy Love from New Jersey, a top-500 national prospect in the 2024 class, is focused on two suitors, including Syracuse football, according to a media report.
The 6-foot-2, 200-pound Love, who suits up at multiple positions at his high school but is primarily being recruited at defensive back for the next level, is concentrating his recruitment these days on the Orange and Big Ten Conference member Maryland, per a recent piece from 247Sports national analyst Brian Dohn.
Dohn’s piece is a subscriber-exclusive article, so I won’t be sharing details. However, the headline for this story, which is publicly available, reads, “Safety Willy Love focused on Maryland, Syracuse.”
This is encouraging news as the ‘Cuse hopes to prevail in the recruiting process of Love, who has unofficially visited the Hill several times.
Syracuse football appears heavily in the mix for 2024 four-star athlete Willy Love.
Love just began his senior year at Eastside High School in Camden, N.J. As I’ve stated on numerous occasions, he is cousins with defensive back Duce Chestnut, who competed for two seasons with the Orange and now plays for Southeastern Conference team LSU.
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We Have A Syracuse Football Depth Chart - What Are The Biggest Surprises? (youtube.com; podcast; Locked on Syracuse)
As game day inches closer, there is finally a Syracuse Football depth chart just five days away from the season opener against Colgate. On your Locked On Syracuse Tuesday episode, Owen Valentine talks through the entire depth chart including the biggest surprises so far this season.
Syracuse Football Preview: Defensive Line (waer.org; Marcy)
Coaching
After back-to-back seasons with a top-30 finish in total defense, SU brings in new defensive coordinator Rocky Long to replace Tony White, who departed to Nebraska. Long comes in with boatloads of experience and high praise from head coach Dino Babers.
"You guys, he's really good I mean, check his record ask Alexa or Siri how good he is okay, you can't put what he's done in the past behind him, and we're very fortunate to have somebody with that type of experience."
No need to ask Alexa or Siri; Long spent the last three years as the defensive coordinator at New Mexico State. But before that had stints as head coach at San Diego State and New Mexico State. Long is currently the winningest coach in Mountain West Conference history and is largely credited for bringing the 3-3-5 defense to prominence. The first line of defense is the three D linemen, and the veteran coach has some studs to work with.
Caleb Okechukwu
The leader of the D line last season has returned for year 6. After pacing the team with seven sacks and ten tackles for loss, Okechukwu won the Tim Green Award, presented to the team's most outstanding defensive lineman. The veteran's impressive combination of burst off the edge, strong hands, and physical stature is a nightmare for opposing tackles. The DC native should be geared up and ready to lead this defense and potentially land a spot on one of the all-ACC teams.
Kevon Darton
It's not often you see a former walk-on front and center of a Power 5 defense, but SU is an outlier. At just 5'11, the undersized Darton made 11 starts at nose tackle for the 'Cuse last season. The redshirt junior is coming off the best season of his collegiate career, piling up 54 tackles, four tackles for loss, and three quarterback hurries. At the end of the season, Darton received the Ted Dailey Award for the defense's most improved player. The Massachusetts native should be a mainstay of SU's defensive front this season.
Sophomore Squadron
A great defense requires depth and SU has plenty of backup options this season to supplement the expected starters. Sophomores Terry Lockett, Denis Jaquez Jr, Elijah Fuentes Cundiff, Chase Simmons, and Kevin Jobbity Jr will all be in the rotation this season.
Jaquez Jr. has been named the third starting defensive lineman, along with Okechukwu and Darton. He appeared in just six games last year, recording three tackles and half a sack. Jaquez Jr. suffered a mid-season injury against Wagner that forced him to miss the final seven regular season games.
He played in the Pinstripe Bowl against Minnesota, and has earned a starting spot throughout the spring and fall.
Lockett and Jobbity Jr are the other headliners of the group. In Lockett’s first year in 2021, he appeared in 11 games, totaling 12 tackles and a pair of sacks. Heading into 2022, Lockett was poised for a big season. However, he suffered a season-ending injury against Virginia. Jobbity Jr on the other hand, saw loads of time last season with 13 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, and two sacks.
Losses
While there is a lot to look forward to in 2023, the SU defensive front lost two of its leaders from last season, Jatius Geer and Steve Linton. Both players hit the transfer portal this offseason, with Geer off to South Carolina and Linton going to Texas Tech. Geer started 12 games on the edge and finished the year with 3.5 sacks, the fifth most ever by an Orange freshman. Linton was right with Geer in terms of productivity with 6 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks. Both players had significant impacts on last year’s success, and their loss will provide opportunity for new faces.
Fresh Faces
A new season also brings new contributors to the 315 to replace the old ones. The Orange bring in some exciting freshmen to this D-Line unit. 3 Stars Ty Gordon, Rashard Perry, Jalil Smith, and David Omopariola are the newest members of Rocky Long’s unit and will look to make an early impact on campus.
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https://www.si.com/college/syracuse/football/syracuse-not-taking-colgate-lightly-in-week-one (SI; McAllister)
Time is ticking down for the Syracuse Football program as they suit up for their first game of the 2023 season in less than four days. The Orange open up the campaign against New York foe Colgate for the 68th all-time meeting against the Raiders.
Over the last decade, Syracuse has won nine season openers, which includes a 33-7 victory over Colgate in 2016. That was Dino Babers’ first game as head coach of ‘Cuse, a matchup that he surprisingly didn’t have much recollection of when asked about his memories of that experience.
Coach Babers told the media at his press conference Monday that early non-conference games like this “keep him up at night” and produce anxiety instead of excitement. You wouldn’t expect to hear that from a coach who has a 25-5 lifetime record against FCS opponents. None of those five losses have occurred during his time at the helm of the Orange as he’s a perfect 6-0.
That feeling of worry for Coach Babers stems from not wanting his players to underestimate Colgate. He doesn’t want his guys to think they can take a snap off or not take their preparation as seriously as they would during an ACC game week.
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Syracuse Football: We no longer have to wait, SU starts 2023 vs. Colgate (itlh; Fiello)
It was September of 2008, and the head coach of the Syracuse football team then was the late Greg Robinson. The program was struggling so badly that ESPN College GameDay did a piece about it that featured the current staff and 44 legends Jim Brown and Floyd Little. That September, at home, the Orange fell to Akron, 42-28.
So when current Syracuse football head coach Dino Babers talks about in his press conference that games like this keep you from sleeping, there’s a reason.
In theory, much like that GameDay piece, when they asked if Syracuse football played Akron 1,000 times, they’d expect to win it 1,000 times, and the same should apply to Colgate, which comes to the JMA Wireless Dome for the 2023 season opener this Saturday.
But theories go out the window once you take the field and on any given day, any team can win. That’s why games are decided on the field and not by oddsmakers and fans.
Syracuse football is gearing up for its 2023 season opener.
The Colgate Raiders were 3-8 last season but also that was last season not this season. They did beat Georgetown so for that we thank them. But if you’re a player or even a fan and you think “this is an easy win…why show up?” you might wake up to a rude awakening the next morning (ask Michigan fans, too, when the Wolverines lost to Appalachian State University).This is a FCS opponent in the Patriot League and a good game to start the season with to test your depth and your determination. But take them lightly and the next social media graphic you’ll see about the best football team in New York State might just have to be Colgate.
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Syracuse football: Dino Babers’s Colgate Week Preview (TNIAAM; Ostrowski)
Syracuse Orange fans: congratulations! You’ve made it through the summer to another year of college football.
As Week 1 officially gets underway, we’re happy to restart our weekly check-ins with Head Coach Dino Babers. He held his first press conference of the new season on Monday - here’s the recap of the current State of the Orange:
Injury Report
The biggest question mark through training camp has been the relative health of Garrett Shrader, and the initial statement from Babers was a good one. Shrader will be playing without any kind of snap count or other limitations during the opener against Colgate.There was also some less pleasant news in the form of return specialist Trebor Pena being unexpectedly absent from the depth chart. Dino said he’s unsure if Pena will be ready on Saturday, but it’s thankfully not a season-ending issue.
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Syracuse football: Orange to open 2023 amid uncertainty (TNIAAM; Wall)
We probably won’t learn a lot about the Syracuse Orange football team this weekend. Not just about the ability of this year’s roster, I’m also talking about the program’s future.
Syracuse enters the 2023 season with moderate expectations nationally. People seem to think the Orange will be right around the 6-7 win mark and while most here feel this could be a better year, just as many commenters on Facebook feel the opposite way.
There are big questions facing this squad. Will Garrett Shrader stay healthy this season? Can Steve Farmer build a functional offensive line with three new starters? Will the Orange secondary be able to perform after losing a lot of talent?
The hope is that we leave the Colgate game talking about younger players emerging, or about the performance of two new coordinators in Jason Beck and Rocky Long. This Syracuse team offers the fanbase something to be excited about in 2023 and beyond...
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https://collegefootballnews.com/cfn/syracuse-vs-colgate-prediction-game-preview (CFN)
Syracuse vs Colgate Prediction How To Watch
Date: Saturday, September 2Game Time: 4:00 ET
Venue: JMA Wireless Dome, Syracuse, NY
How To Watch: ESPN+
2022 Record: Colgate (3-8), Syracuse (7-6)
- Syracuse 2023 Team Preview
Why Colgate Will Win
The Raiders have to get the pass rush going right away.That was a slight problem last season - the Colgate D was among the worst in the nation at getting into the backfield - but Syracuse hasn’t done much of anything in the Dino Babers era to keep the quarterbacks from getting popped.
The Orange offense overall should be okay, once again that O line is an issue with everything being patched together. Colgate has to take a whole lot of chances to generate stops, it needs to control the clock, and it has to force enough mistakes to overcome the lack of firepower. And …
Why Syracuse Will Win
Colgate won’t be able to do any of that.The Raiders don’t have a pass rush to take advantage of the Syracuse Achilles heel, the offense needs to prove it can move the ball to keep the chains moving after not being able to do it last year, and everything will be that much harder against an Orange D that now has legendary defensive mind Rocky Long running it.
As long as Syracuse can avoid a slew of bad turnovers - it was great at that last year - everything should be just fine.
Syracuse vs Colgate Who Will Win
Syracuse needs a ton of reworking and tuning. That’s why you schedule Colgate and Western Michigan to start the season.It’s not going to be smooth, and the lines will need time to come together, but Colgate won’t show off any offensive pop to make this dangerous. The Orange have obliterated FCS teams in the Babers era.
Syracuse vs Colgate Prediction, Line
Syracuse 45, Colgate 6Line: COMING, o/u: COMING
ATS Confidence out of 5: COMING
Syracuse vs Colgate Must See Rating (out of 5): 1
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How to watch Syracuse football in 2023: Full season schedule, TV channels, where to stream (PS; Axelson)
The Syracuse University football team will host the Colgate Raiders at the JMA Wireless Dome on September 2 to open the 2023 football season, which includes 12 games scheduled through the end of November.
Fans who can’t make it to the game can still tune in all season long on live TV, or via live stream online. But navigating the best place to watch every Syracuse Orange football game can be complicated.
The games don’t always air on the same channel, and the channel isn’t usually announced until a week or two before the next game. Cord cutters also have to figure out which live TV streaming services, such as DirecTV Stream (free trial) or fuboTV (free trial), have which channels.
...https://collegefootballnews.com/cfn/nebraska-vs-minnesota-prediction-game-preview
https://us.firenews.video/us-news/s...ayers-survived-nfl-cuts-live-updates-tracker/ (firenews.video)
It’s cut down day in the NFL as teams must trim rosters to 53 players by the league’s 4 p.m. deadline.
We’ll be tracking former Syracuse football players throughout the day.
It portends to be a tense day for linebacker Mikel Jones (LA Chargers), wide receiver Trishton Jackson (Minnesota Vikings), Kingsley Jonathan (Buffalo Bills) and other former Orange players.
Kicker Andre Szmyt was cut by the Chicago Bears earlier this month.
Defensive end Alton Robinson was released by the Seattle Seahawks last month.
Note: Refresh this page throughout to see the latest updates
Sean Tucker makes Buccaneers’ 53-man roster
Running back Sean Tucker has made Tampa Bay’s roster after signing with the team as an undrafted free agent.Tucker’s career in the NFL was uncertain months ago after a heart condition kept him off the field. He could open the season as the team’s No. 2 tailback behind Rachaad White.
In a recent interview with ESPN, Tucker would not elaborate on the specifics of the heart condition that scratched him from participating in the NFL Scouting Combine and Syracuse University’s Pro Day.
“It was hard at first, just hearing everything,” Tucker told ESPN. “When I got the news … it came as a surprise. Hearing that, like the day before like my position group has the combine drills – it was definitely hard.”
Tommy DeVito waived by Giants
The former Syracuse quarterback was waived by the Giants Tuesday morning, according to a reports.DeVito has impressed throughout the preseason but was stuck in an established QB hierarchy in New York behind starter Daniel Jones and longtime veteran Tyrod Taylor.
Still, DeVito showed enough to likely earn a spot on the Giants’ practice squad and serve as the team’s No. 3 quarterback.
He’ll have to clear waivers first, but there’s a strong chance he remains close to home and earns an NFL paycheck this fall.
Bills keep Syracuse product Kingsley Jonathan on initial 53-man roster (PS; Parrino)
Former Syracuse football pass rusher Kingsley Jonathan made it through final cuts on Tuesday and made the initial Buffalo Bills 53-man roster to start the 2023 season.
Jonathan was a long shot at the start of training camp because he was buried on the third team behind several Bills draft picks from the past few seasons. But when Buffalo decided to trade former second-round pick Boogie Basham on Tuesday before the cut deadline, a path was cleared for Jonathan to stick on the team.
The former Orange standout who collected 15 sacks in five seasons at Syracuse, was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Bills in May of 2022. He was waived at final cuts a few months later and claimed by the Chicago Bears, where he played in five games before getting released in November. The Bills signed Jonathan to their practice squad and he played in one game for them - coincidentally against the Bears - in the regular season.
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The NFL’s Connection to Little Falls; Steve Gregory & Rosanne Geraty Gregory Share Their Pro Football Journey (mylittlefalls.com; Gregorka)
Steve Gregory coached for the Miami Dolphins last season and was a safety during his NFL playing days. He is married to Little Falls native Rosanne Geraty Gregory, and when football season would end, they would spend time here in Little Falls at her childhood home.
Steve & Rosanne, with daughters Aviana (9) & Vivienne (2) enjoying family time this summer in Little Falls.
Rosanne is the daughter of Maria & Richard Geraty and sister to Richard Jr. If Geraty Pools comes to your mind, then you have the right family. Steve grew up in Staten Island, NY.
The two of them met in a Sociology class at Syracuse University. Rosanne was a freshman studying Advertising, & Steve was a sophomore studying Marketing & Finance.
They were both athletes at the time. Rosanne played field hockey, and Steve was playing as a defensive back for Syracuse football.
Rosanne already had an appreciation for football since she and her family started going to Syracuse games when she was only six years old. She stated, “My whole family went. We tailgated…it was a big deal.” When she met Steve, her family was very happy to hear he was on the football team. They both laughed when Steve stated, “That’s the joke. The only reason she went to Syracuse was to find me.” The last year Steve played at Syracuse, Rosanne’s mom and dad went to every home and away game with her except one. She said, “They were always there and supportive.”
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The role of SU Orange girl has a long, storied history. Abigail Veccia is the latest twirler for the marching band and keeps in touch with the women who previously held her position.
Beyond the baton: Syracuse athletics through the eyes of its Orange Girl (DO; Boehm)
The Orange Girls, Syracuse University’s featured twirlers, have stayed in contact through a Facebook group for years. They send messages to each other about their lives from across the country, but more importantly, the group is a tool for the current twirler.
Last year, Abigail Veccia became the newest SU Orange Girl, immediately receiving support from those formerly in her position.
“There is that sense of history with the Orange Girl that I love,” Veccia said. “And now there were quite a few past Orange Girl’s who reached out to me and (said), ‘welcome to the legacy. You’re gonna do great.’”
The feature twirler position started in 1947, when they were the one woman out of 100 men in SU’s band. Veccia is the 26th-ever Orange Girl, following a line of members who have always been a section of one.
Veccia has been twirling since she was 4 in her home state of Florida. She competed regionally, nationally and even internationally, earning medals and traveling abroad to countries like France and Croatia.
Lindsey Finkel opened her own twirling gym after Veccia’s first coach retired, leading a group that Veccia was a part of called Team Dynamite. Finkel said Veccia is equally devoted to helping younger twirlers as she is advancing her own career.
“If I were to walk in the gym and they were all there she would have (the younger twirlers) doing warm ups,” Finkel said. “She could read my mind.”
Veccia always knew she wanted to twirl in college, but she wasn’t sure where. Unlike other band sections, twirlers can only audition after being accepted into a school they’ve applied to. This is the unique aspect of collegiate twirling compared to other D1 athletes.
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ACC News
Mike Bianchi's Big 12, SEC, ACC predictions (orlandosentinel.com; Bianchi)
BIG 12
Oklahoma (11-1)Texas (10-2)
Kansas State (9-3)
UCF (8-4)
Texas Tech (8-4)
TCU (7-5)
Baylor (7-5)
Iowa State (7-5)
Kansas (6-6)
BYU (6-6)
Oklahoma State (6-6)
Cincinnati (6-6)
West Virginia (5-7)
Houston (4-8)
SEC East
Tennessee (11-1)Georgia (11-1)
South Carolina (8-4)
Florida (7-5)
Kentucky (6-6)
Missouri (6-6)
Vanderbilt (5-7)
SEC West
Alabama (11-1)LSU (10-2)
Texas A&M (8-4)
Ole Miss (8-4)
Arkansas (7-5)
Mississippi State (7-5)
Auburn (6-6)
ACC
Florida State (11-1)Clemson (10-2)
North Carolina (9-3)
Miami (8-4)
Louisville (8-4)
Duke (7-5)
Pittsburgh (7-5)
N.C. State (6-6)
Wake Forest (6-6)
Georgia Tech (6-6)
Syracuse (5-7)
Boston College (5-7)
Virginia Tech (4-8)
Virginia (3-9)
ACC Football: Power Rankings ahead of 2023 season (usatoday.com)
The 2023 college football season begins this week with a full slate of games across the nation. While there is talk about the Atlantic Coast Conference expanding and adding three more teams, the focus now is on the football field for the conference.
From a national perspective, the ACC is top-heavy with Clemson and Florida State earning recognition as top 10 teams and potential College Football Playoff teams. But after that it’s a handful of teams fighting for the No. 3 spot to try and play spoiler as well as teams rebuilding and looking to find their footing.
The 2023 season should be another exciting one with some big games on the ACC slate including Florida State vs. Clemson, North Carolina vs. Clemson, Duke vs. Clemson and more.
With the season getting set to kick off, let’s look at our preseason power rankings for the conference.
14. Boston College
Boston College could struggle again in 2023 coming off another bad year in 2022. There aren’t many strengths on this roster but if they are going to surprise some teams it may have to come in gritty, defensive battles.
Previous ranking: NA
2022 record: 3-9 (2-6)
13. Virginia
Brennan Armstrong is gone and Virginia is looking for answers in 2023 coming off a disappointing 2022 campaign.
Previous ranking: NA
2022 record: 3-7 (1-6)
12. Virginia Tech
The 2022 season was a disaster for Virginia Tech and going into 2023, they are looking to improve and get better in the second season under Brent Pry.
Previous ranking: NA
2022 record: 3-8 (1-6)
11. Syracuse
This is a big year for the Orange and head coach Dino Babers as he appears to be on the hot seat. They ended last season losing 6 of their last 7 as they fell apart. Syracuse has a tough schedule but does get Clemson at home which could be a statement games.
Previous ranking: NA
2022 record: 7-6 (4-4)
10. Georgia Tech
...Pete Thamel updates next step in ACC realignment discussions involving Cal, Stanford and SMU (on3.com; Connolly)
ACC school presidents were set to meet Monday night to discuss potentially adding Cal, Stanford and SMU to the league. However, that meeting was put on hold after an on-campus shooting at North Carolina on Monday.
That meeting remains on hold, according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel. The college football insider shared the latest on the ACC possibly expanding on College Football Live Tuesday afternoon.
“The tragic shooting at the University of North Carolina has muted those conversations a bit in the ACC and put any decision in a bit of a holding pattern out of respect for the leadership at North Carolina,” Thamel said.
It has seemed over the past week that momentum is growing for SMU, Cal and Stanford to join the ACC. However, Thamel said Tuesday that he is uncertain which way the votes will go.
“Things are about where they were mid Monday afternoon when the vote was scheduled. There are still four dissenting votes from the earlier straw poll a few weeks back, and there’s no clear view… heading into Monday there wasn’t, anyway, of whether one of those four votes would flip and allow the three teams – Cal, Stanford and SMU – to enter the league,” Thamel said.
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ESPN Agrees with Theater Sports Network to Broadcast ACC Football Games (pittsburghsportsnow; Bechtold)
ESPN Agrees with Theater Sports Network to Broadcast ACC Football Games
The ACC is going to the movies. Literally.
ESPN announced Tuesday afternoon that the company has paired with Theater Sports Network to broadcast ACC football games this fall. The games include weekly matchups, New Year’s Six Bowl games, including the Cotton Bowl and Orange Bowl, as well as the 2024 College Football Playoff.
Altogether, the deal results in 75 games being broadcast. According to ESPN’s press release, road games for the visiting team’s market will be able to watch Theater Sports Network while both home and road team fan bases are able to view during neutral site meetings.
Theater Sports Network President and CEO Scott Daw expressed his excitement Tuesday in moving forward to a new avenue of live sports viewing in 2023.
“We believe movie theaters are the next great frontier for live sporting events, and we are elated with this unprecedented agreement with ESPN,” Daw said. “We look forward to bringing these games to ACC football fans. We believe that theaters have the ability to generate excitement around live sporting events. These events will replicate the feel of a football stadium experience as fans gather and fill theaters to watch the games on the big screen.”
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https://www.si.com/college/miami/football/week-1-acc-football-schedule (SI; Smith)
From the Miami Hurricanes to the Boston College Eagles, here’s the rundown for each ACC team’s Week 1 matchup.
Thursday - Aug. 31
Elon at Wake Forest, 7 p.m., ACC Network
North Carolina State at Connecticut, 7:30 p.m., CBS Sports Network
Friday - Sep. 1
Miami of Ohio at Miami Hurricanes, 7 p.m., ACC Network
Louisville at Georgia Tech, 7:30 p.m., ESPN
Saturday - Sep. 2
Virginia at Tennessee, 12 p.m., ABC
Northern Illinois at Boston College, 12 p.m., ACC Network
Wofford at Pittsburgh, 3:30 p.m., ACC Network
Colgate at Syracuse, 4 p.m., ESPN+/ACC Network Extra
North Carolina versus South Carolina (Charlotte), 7:30 p.m., ABC
Old Dominion at Virginia Tech, 8 p.m., ACC Network
Sunday - Sep. 3
Florida State versus LSU (Orlando), 7:30 p.m., ABC
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ACC football's Top 7 non-conference games in 2023, including two with Clemson and FSU-LSU (greenvilleonline.com; Keepfer)
The ACC’s 2023 non-conference football schedule is loaded with games against prominent opponents, including 25 games against Power Five teams and 10 games against teams that were ranked in the final 2022 USA TODAY Coaches Poll.
Fans won’t have to wait long to derive some viewing pleasure from some intriguing matchups as Florida State and LSU – a pair of Top 10 preseason teams – face off on Sunday night.
Here are the Top 7 non-conference games featuring ACC teams in 2023, presented chronologically:
Sept. 2: North Carolina vs. South Carolina
This season-opening showdown looms large in setting the course for both teams’ level of success in 2023. It’s Carolina vs. Carolina in a border war that will be contested in Charlotte for the fourth time in nine years. South Carolina has won three of those games, including a 38-21 decision two years ago.Sept. 3: Florida State vs. LSU
The Seminoles prevailed last season 24-23, which helped propel them to their first 10-win season since 2016. Another similar outcome could be in the offing when No. 5 LSU and No. 8 Florida State battle in Orlando, Florida.Sept. 9: NC State vs. Notre Dame
Unranked but dangerous, NC State could make a huge statement by knocking off the Fighting Irish in Raleigh, North Carolina, where Carter-Finley Stadium creates a raucous environment and advantage that has helped the Wolfpack win 17 of its past 18 home games.Nov. 4: Clemson vs. Notre Dame
This clash will be the sixth game between Clemson and Notre Dame since 2015, but marks the Fighting Irish’s first game at Clemson since that season, when the Tigers won 24-22 on a last-minute goal-line stand. The teams have split the four meetings since, with Notre Dame claiming a 35-14 victory last season in South Bend.Nov. 16: Wake Forest at Notre Dame
Although Notre Dame is likely to be a heavy favorite, it’s the “game within the game” that makes this clash in South Bend worth a watch – namely, former record-breaking Wake Forest quarterback Sam Hartman is now at Notre Dame as a graduate transfer. Can Wake coach Dave Clawson dial up a defense to beat his former star?Nov. 25: Clemson at South Carolina
South Carolina and up-and-coming coach Shane Beamer strolled into Death Valley and sneaked out with a 31-30 upset last season, ending a seven-game losing streak against Clemson and knocking the Tigers out of College Football Playoff contention. Clemson coach Dabo Swinney is 8-6 vs. the Gamecocks, including a 4-3 record in Columbia, and this regular-season finale will go a long way toward determining both teams' postseason fate.Nov. 25: Florida State at Florida
Florida State won a wild one, 45-38, against its archrival last season in Tallahassee, and this year’s showdown – this time in Gainesville – could be just as entertaining. Both teams have plenty of offensive firepower, so buckle up for what could be a wild ride.ACC Realignment is Picking Up Steam (orangefizz.net; Frank)
College football season is officially here, and with Week 0 in the rearview mirror, that means Week 1 is in sight. Yet, despite the fact that games are actually going to be played this week across the country to match the few that were contested last week, conference realignment is all the rage, and it’s hot and heavy in the ACC.
Syracuse alum Pete Thamel of ESPN reported earlier that after failed attempts throughout the last month for Stanford, Cal, and SMU to join the conference, there might be some momentum for them to join the Atlantic Coast Conference. Now, there was also allegedly momentum for the PAC-12 to stay together on the day six of its members bolted for greener pastures, but every situation is different.
“While there’s momentum toward additions, a decision either way is coming in the early part of this week,” Thamel wrote. “This is the fourth week that ACC officials have discussed the potential additions, and there’s a now-or-never tone hanging over the next few days.”
Now, the meeting that was supposed to take place on Monday night was postponed because of a situation at the University of North Carolina involving an active shooter on campus.
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VIDEO: Why Expand? (RX; HM)
VIDEO: Why Expand?
From YouTube:
David Glenn Shares Why Stanford & Cal May Be Attractive
ACC Expansion Targets
David Glenn Shares Why Stanford & Cal May Be Attractive ACC Expansion Targets for the ACC
DG Lays Out the Facts as to Why Stanford & Cal May Be Attractive ACC Expansion Targets
In a nutshell, it's because these three schools make it possible to open up new revenue sources such as the T1 contract (pro rata) and ACC Network subscriptions.
Has Louisville Been a Good Addition? (RX; HM)
Has Louisville Been a Good Addition?
With the ACC contemplating expansion, some have criticized the last school added to the conference, the University of Louisville.
Q: Does Louisville pull in national TV ratings worthy of a P5 spot?
A: Yes, especially when the Cardinals are good themselves. Consider these 2016 Louisville TV viewership numbers (rated games only):
9/9/16 - Louisville v Syracuse - 1.730 million viewers
9/17/16 FSU v Louisville - 6.216 M
10/1/16 Louisville v Clemson - 9.294 M
10/14/16 Duke v Louisville - 1.881 M
10/22/16 Louisville v N.C. State - 2.372 M
11/5/16 Louisville v Boston College - 0.653 M
11/12/16 Wake Forest v Louisville - 0.986 M
11/17/16 Louisville v Houston - 2.432 M
11/26/16 Kentucky v Louisville - 1.564 M
12/31/16 LSU v Louisville (Citrus Bowl) - 6.390 M
That's four regular season games above 2 million viewers (one over 9 million!), and over 6 million in a non-New Year's Six bowl game.
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SMU & ACC College Football Conference Realignment: Mustangs’ Move Could Be Next (herosports.com; Pool)
SMU has been among the multiple teams which have reportedly been considered by the ACC for expansion in recent days. It could become yet another school which leaves the Group of Five conferences and heads to the Power Five.
Here’s a look at SMU’s situation and what it means for the college football realignment landscape.
Cal, Stanford, And SMU In ACC Expansion Plans?
ACC school presidents have talked about adding SMU, Stanford, and Cal and have explored the financial benefits of doing so, according to ESPN. Those ACC presidents were reportedly considering voting on the matter during a meeting on Monday night, but that was postponed.If SMU does go to the ACC, the program might be expected to not take any broadcast media revenue for seven years. That could reportedly cost SMU $56 million because of the money it wouldn’t bring in from the American Athletic Association’s television revenue.
SMU could also have to pay an additional $10 million to the AAC as an exit fee, according to CBS, and that figure could be even higher if SMU intends to leave in 27 or fewer months.
SMU-ACC Football Record
SMU is 16-17 all-time against the teams which are currently in the ACC.Boston College, Clemson, Duke, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Louisville, Miami, N.C. State, North Carolina, Pitt, Syracuse, Virginia, Virginia Tech, and Wake Forest are the teams in the ACC this year.
Some of those schools have reportedly shared disinterest in adding other schools. Florida State, for example, has expressed frustration about the ACC’s media deal and a possible desire to go to another conference.
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Top 25 Rivalries (Athlon 2023) (RX; HM)
Top 25 Rivalries (Athlon 2023)
From Athlon Sports, via MSN:
Ranking the Top 25 Rivalries in College Football History
Here are their Top 25, along with their ACC-related comments...
College Football's Top 25 Rivalries
1. Army-Navy (Navy, 62-53-7)2. Alabama-Auburn (Alabama, 48-37-1)
3. Michigan-Ohio State (Michigan, 59-51-6)
4. Oklahoma-Texas (Texas, 63-50-5)
5. USC-Notre Dame (Notre Dame, 48-36-5)
The nation's top intersectional rivalry owes a debt of gratitude to some unfriendly residents of Lincoln, Nebraska, and Bonnie Rockne's love of warm California weather. At a time when traditional gridiron matchups are being torn asunder by the whirling conference kaleidoscope, Notre Dame and USC continue their annual hostilities, treating the nation to a classic matchup of iconic programs. The schools almost didn't get together. But in 1925, after Notre Dame dropped a 17-0 decision at Nebraska, before an inhospitable crowd of Cornhusker fans, coach Knute Rockne and his wife were joined on the train back to Chicago by USC athletic director Gwynn Wilson and his wife, Marion. While Wilson tried to convince Rockne to ditch the burgeoning rivalry with Nebraska for an annual trip west, Marion Wilson and Bonnie Rockne became fast friends in another train compartment.
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ACCN Coverage of 2023 Week 1 (RX; HM)
ACCN Coverage of 2023 Week 1
From the ACC:
ACC Huddle and ACC PM shows to originate from three campuses – Wake Forest, Virginia Tech and Duke – during five-day kickoff weekend, Aug. 31 – Sept. 4
ACC Huddle also travels to Orlando for Florida State-LSU on Sunday, Sept. 3Elon at Wake Forest kicks off 2023 football season on ACCN on Thursday, Aug. 31
ACCN to offer alternate Command Center telecast of Clemson-Duke Labor Day game
Link to ACCN's Release: ACC Network Kicks Off 2023 College Football Season with Six Games and ACC Huddle Road Shows in Four Cities in Week 1
ACC Network will kick off Week 1 of the 2023 college football season with a six-game schedule and ACC Huddle road shows in four cities over five days, Thursday, Aug. 31 – Monday, Sept. 4.
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Other
Day 8 at the NYS Fair: Today’s handpicked menu and schedule (PS; Miller)
For a somewhat dreary weekday, the Fair vendors slinging food kept busy. The two evening concerts — Bret Michaels and Tyler Hubbard — helped draw 51,464 to the Fair, and those 51,464 folks had to eat and drink somewhere. Lines seemed just as long as last weekend.
Despite short waits, we could still get to try plenty of good grub. That includes boiled nuts and an Italian dinner on a bun.
Let’s have at it.
Today’s Menu
In a meeting to plan our State Fair coverage, my boss lifted a line from the classic movie “Animal House” as a parental-like suggestion: “Fat, drunk and stupid is no way to go through life, Charlie.” To which I replied, “Why not? It’s the Fair.” After all, I write about food and drinks for syracuse.com and The Post-Standard, and I rely on readers to tell me what’s good. That’s what I do at the Fair too. If you find something that makes your belly smile, text me at 315-382-1984 and I’ll give it a shot. I might join you for a meal or drink and pick up the tab if I write about it.
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The lone chicken speidie (aka spiedie) sandwich at the New York State Fair. (Charlie Miller | cmiller@syracuse.com)
Mystery at the NYS Fair: Where did all the spiedies go? (PS; Cazentre)
There was a time when “State Fair” and “Spiedie” seem to go hand-in-hand.
The sandwich made with meat marinated in a special sauce was once served at stands across the New York State Fair. One company, Salamida, had a fair stand serving nothing but spiedies for years and even launched a bottled version of “State Fair Spiedie Sauce” that can still be found on store shelves (and at the fair) today.
“Yes, there used to be spiedies all over the fair,” said former state fair director Troy Waffner, who continues his association with the fair by helping run The West End, a food stand operated by his wife Susan and her family. “Now, it’s hard to find.”
Syracuse.com spent several days combing the fairgrounds since Opening Day on Aug. 23 and has found just one stand that still serves a spiedie. Tommy C’s, in the Colonnade near Chevy Court, offers a Chicken Spiedie for $10.
Tommy C’s sign, which spells it “speidie,” also contains the word “Wow!” The sandwich, served on a hoagie bun, uses shredded chicken rather than the more traditional chunks, but has the tang and spice of the original Salamida sauce.
And the spiedie is just one of many items on the Tommy C’s menu, not the main food attraction.
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Patrick McGrath becomes the new owner of Syracuse's oldest bookstore Books End, located at 2443 James St.
Syracuse’s oldest bookstore finds new owner, will stay open (PS; Cobb)
Just months after the owner of Syracuse’s oldest independent bookstore announced his retirement, a new owner has emerged to take over the shop and continue the store’s legacy.
Patrick McGrath took over Books End in Eastwood last week. McGrath has lived in Syracuse for 10 years. Before owning the store, he was a frequent customer. An early dream for McGrath was to someday own a store. Combining his business knowledge and love for reading, he found himself as the new owner of Books End.
“I love used bookstores,” McGrath said. “I have spent a good amount of time wandering through used bookstores.”
Books End, at 2443 James St., opened in 1987. The location operated as a bookstore even before its opening. Despite putting the store up for sale, Jim Roberts, the previous owner, wanted to make sure whoever went on to own the store would keep Books End a community bookstore.
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