sutomcat
No recent Cali or Iggy awards; Mr Irrelevant
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Welcome to National Cheeseburger Day!
Hamburgers are pretty satisfying, but they are just a little bit better when they are topped with cheese and turned into cheeseburgers. Celebrated today, cheeseburgers can be made with many types of cheese—as long as it has good meltability. Fast food restaurants often use processed cheese, such as American, but cheddar, pepper jack, Swiss, mozzarella, and blue cheese are often used to make cheeseburgers as well. Cheese slices are usually placed on top of burgers right before they are done cooking so that the cheese begins to melt over them. Multiple patties and multiple pieces of cheese may be used in each cheeseburger. Some cheeseburgers even have the cheese inside of the burger, often being called a Juicy Lucy. Just as with hamburgers, many other toppings are often added to cheeseburgers as well, such as ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, pickles, onions, lettuce, tomato, sauteed mushrooms, avocado, and bacon.
SU News
Film Review: How Syracuse dominated Purdue at the goal line in 35-20 win (DO; O'Brien)
The Orange are now 3-0 for the second straight season, the only time in Dino Babers’ tenure that this has happened.
SU never really dominated the Boilermakers in the passing attack like it had against Colgate and Western Michigan. With tight end Oronde Gadsden II missing the remainder of the season due to a Lisfranc injury, Garrett Shrader and his wide receivers struggled to air it out. Shrader finished the day with 184 passing yards, no passing touchdowns and one interception. But the quarterback made up for it by rushing for a career high 195 yards and four touchdowns.
Much of SU’s success, both on offense and defense, came in the red zone and more specifically at the goal line. Syracuse used bunch sets and Shrader’s legs to score, while the defense locked down from within the 20-yard line.
Here’s how the Orange commanded the goal line in their 35-20 win:
Justin Barron sets the tone
Syracuse vs. Purdue | EXTENDED HIGHLIGHTS | 9/16/2023 | NBC Sports
Quarterback Garrett Shrader had 25 carries for 195 yards and four rushing touchdowns to lead Syracuse to a 35-20 victory over Purdue in West Lafayette in Wee...
youtu.be
After Syracuse punted its first drive away, Purdue quarterback Hudson Card completed passes to Devin Mockobee and Abdur-Rahmaan Yaseen to eventually get the Boilermakers into the red zone. Tyrone Tracy Jr. got Purdue down to the 5-yard line, but Rocky Long’s defense didn’t allow a yard on the next two plays, setting up a 4th-and-1.
On this play, the Boilermakers’ top receiving option, Deion Burks, lined up at running back. Considering Burks didn’t have a single carry this season before that play, the Orange planned to play man defense on a pass, as Isaiah Johnson followed the motioning Tracy Jr.
Card faked the handoff to Burks and slightly rolled to the right. Within Card’s line of vision, all of his receivers were covered in the end zone, so he decided to scramble. SU safety Justin Barron snuck from behind to force the first fumble of the night.
Barron lined up on the left side of the defensive line, initially looking like he’d rush the quarterback. He eventually got into a blocking battle with Burks and running back Dylan Downing. As Card sprinted for the first down, Barron shed off his blockers and used his right hand to punch the ball out. Leon Lowery picked up the first of Syracuse’s three fumble recoveries.
Shrader the trickster
Syracuse vs. Purdue | EXTENDED HIGHLIGHTS | 9/16/2023 | NBC Sports
Quarterback Garrett Shrader had 25 carries for 195 yards and four rushing touchdowns to lead Syracuse to a 35-20 victory over Purdue in West Lafayette in Wee...
youtu.be
On the next drive, Shrader got the Orange into a 1st-and-goal situation by completing a 27-yard pass to Damien Alford and making back-to-back rushing plays for 15 and 20 yards.
Now in the red zone, Syracuse showed off its bunch set. The Orange brought in six offensive linemen and tight end Max Mang. Over half of the blockers, including fullback/defensive lineman Rashard Perry, lined up on the left side, giving the indication of a run with LeQuint Allen Jr. through the A or B gap.
But Shrader faked the handoff to Allen Jr., disguising the run by putting the ball in his left hand. Once Shrader spun the other way, he put the ball back in his right hand and casually strolled into the end zone.
Nearly every Purdue defender looked the other way, with their backs facing Shrader. One of those included linebacker Scotty Humpich, who had the sole purpose of containing Shrader.
Defensive lineman turned blocker
Syracuse vs. Purdue | EXTENDED HIGHLIGHTS | 9/16/2023 | NBC Sports
Quarterback Garrett Shrader had 25 carries for 195 yards and four rushing touchdowns to lead Syracuse to a 35-20 victory over Purdue in West Lafayette in Wee...
youtu.be
After giving up just seven points across the first two games, SU’s defense kept rolling in West Lafayette
The next day: Syracuse defense remains elite in 1st Power 5 matchup of 2023 (DO; Miller)
The Orange caused four turnovers in their statement win over Purdue on Saturday. Marlowe Wax led the way with his first career interception, two forced fumbles and 11 total tackles.
Up 21-7 at the end of the first half, Purdue quarterback Hudson Card dropped back to pass on 1st-and-10. SU’s Alijah Clark jumped Deion Burks’ post route, popping the ball up for grabs. Wax came down with it and went out of bounds after a 14-yard return.
“It was really easy,” Wax said of picking the batted ball. “Give all the credit to No. 5 — Cinco — he made a great play.”
Seven separate SU defenders had at least five tackles against the Boilermakers. To complement Wax’s career night, Jeremiah Wilson made a career-high nine solo tackles. Justin Barron also had 10 total tackles and forced two fumbles.
The Orange pass rush got to Card twice and forced a fumble both times. It was a dominant performance at every level as the Orange didn’t allow a single play over 25 yards.
To begin the 2023 season, Syracuse’s defense has allowed the fourth-fewest points per game in the Football Bowl Subdivision and rank sixth in turnovers. Pro Football Focus ranks them as the sixth-best defense nationally, with the third-highest coverage grade and fourth-highest tackling grade.
After giving up just seven points across the first two games, SU’s defense kept rolling in West Lafayette. They allowed three touchdowns in the 35-20 victory, but Syracuse dominated at all three levels.
The front seven was particularly bothersome for Purdue’s offensive line. Syracuse clogged the gaps, allowing just 2.5 yards per carry. Card was often flushed out of the pocket, finishing with -4 rush yards on eight attempts.
SU has now won its first three games by a combined score of 121 with a turnover margin of four, ranking 15th in the nation.
“Can’t get enough of them,” Babers said of the turnovers. “The way they played, the way they handled the rushing yardage, that was a good offensive line, good quarterback with some dynamite receivers and that quarterback has legs as well.”
The game was won when…
Shrader went untouched for a 28-yard touchdown to put the Orange up 15 with three minutes remaining. On the shotgun read-option, Shrader pulled the ball from LeQuint Allen Jr. and curled around a diving Will Heldt to jog comfortably into the end zone.Then, to run out the clock, Shrader executed the same play-action fake on the goal line. After faking the give, Shrader hid the ball from the defense behind his hip before taking off down the left side.
Shrader ran 39 yards before sliding down past midfield. Six more yards would have broken the SU record for quarterback rushing yards in a game.
Quote of the night: Babers on offensive fakes
“We like to believe that we’re the faking capital of the world,” Babers said. “Those guys do that on the practice field all the time. And when they do it on the practice field I have a punishment if I don’t know who has the ball.”...
Syracuse football: Orange open as heavy favorites at home against Army (TNIAAM; Tomaiuolo)
It’s been quite the start for Syracuse Orange football after three weeks. Most recently, the legs of Garrett Shrader helped steamroll the Purdue Boilermakers on the road for SU’s third straight win. Now, the Orange return home to prep for a notoriously run-heavy Army squad in week four.
DraftKings is confident that the ‘Cuse can extend its winning ways, opening the Orange as 13.5-point favorites against the Black Knights. The over/under line is set at 50.5. Syracuse has had no problems covering the spread against each of its three opponents this season. The Orange have gone over in two of their three games, with the under hitting against the Boilermakers despite SU scoring 35 points. Shrader rushed for 195 yards and four touchdowns, setting a Syracuse record for most TD’s in a game by a quarterback.
Army comes into this game at 2-1, beating UTSA in San Antonio as a 7-point underdog last week. Before that, the military school dominated Delaware State 59-0 as 39-point favorites and lost to Louisiana-Monroe 17-13 as 8.5-point favorites. Like the Orange, the Black Knights are also 2-1 in favor of the over.
This will be the toughest test on the ground for Army so far, currently averaging over 200 yards per contest. Syracuse’s run defense has thrived in the early season, holding opponents to less than 90 yards rushing per game. The Orange are 11-10 all-time against the Black Knights, winning their most recent matchup 42-17 way back on November 16, 1996.
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How Syracuse football transfers fared: Justin Lamson plays half at QB in Stanford loss (PS; Owens)
Justin Lamson replaced Stanford starter Ashton Daniels at halftime of Saturday’s game against Sacramento State, but couldn’t rally his team as the Cardinal were stunned by the Hornets, 30-23.
Stanford trailed 17-14 at the half, and Lamson took over for Stanford at the start of the third quarter. He was 7-of-17 passing for 138 yards and an interception.
Lamson did not see any game action in two years at Syracuse. He redshirted his true freshman year and then suffered an injury that kept him out for the full 2022 season. He entered the transfer portal after the season. Lamson is originally from El Dorado Hills, California, about two hours northeast of Stanford’s campus.
Here’s a look at how other Syracuse transfers fared over the weekend.
Ja’Had Carter, safety, Ohio State: Carter played but did not record any stats in the Buckeyes’ 63-10 blowout win over Western Kentucky.
Duce Chestnut, cornerback, LSU: Chestnut played but did not record any stats in LSU’s 41-14 win over Mississippi State.
Jatius Geer, edge, South Carolina: Deer did not play in the Gamecocks’ 24-14 loss to top-ranked Georgia.
Courtney Jackson, wide receiver, Arkansas State: Jackson had two catches for 33 yards, including an 8-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter, as the Red Wolves beat Stony Brook 31-7.
Jawhar Jordan, running back, Louisville: Jordan had another strong game for Louisville, rushing 18 times for 113 yards and a touchdown and catching two passes for 9 yards as the Cardinals beat Indiana 21-14. Jordan has rushed for 344 yards and four touchdowns on just 32 carries in three games this season
Lee Kpogba, linebacker, West Virginia: Kpogba started and had seven tackles, three solo, in West Virginia’s 17-6 “Backyard Brawl” win over Pitt.
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Syracuse Displays Resilience In Victory At Purdue – CitrusTV (citrustv.com; video; Citrus TV)
About two hours before kickoff Saturday night, Oronde Gadsden was declared out for season due to a lisfranc injury. To say he is a massive loss would be a massive understatement- the preseason All-American led Syracuse in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns last season. But, in SU’s first game without Gadsden, Garrett Shrader stepped up to a career-high 195 rushing yards and four touchdowns, while the mob forced four turnovers en route to a 35-20 victory over Purdue.
“You know, we had our ups and downs,” Head Coach Dino Babers remarked. “We had our mishaps and plays that weren’t made, but I thought we stayed together as a family.”
“We came together as a team,” safety Justin Barron said. “With Oronde being out, we knew guys had to step up and that’s exactly what they did.”
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Was Last Night a Preview of Jason Beck's New Offense (orangefizz.net; Gotkin)
Last night, Garrett Shrader had one of the greatest performances we’ve ever seen in a Syracuse uniform. In the 35-20 win over Purdue, QB1 was just okay through the air. 14-28 for 184 yards, no touchdowns and an interception through the air. But, on the ground Shrader was exceptional. The quarterback ran 25 times for a whopping 195 yards and a school record for a QB, four rushing touchdowns.
Multiple times, Shrader got the Purdue defense to bite on fake handoffs to LeQuint Allen. We’re still not sure how Shrader was able to hide the football like that. But, if he can continue to do it, it may be the best play in college football. Shraders runs came from designed options like that, but also from scrambles out of the pocket.
After the news broke that Oronde Gadsden would be out for the remainder of the season a few hours before the game, the focus was on what receivers would step up. However, none of them really did. LeQuint Allen got the most targets out of anymore. Just two wide receivers caught passes, Donovan Brown and Damien Alford. Neither Brown or Alford had more than 70 yards, and both had catches for more than 25.
Isaiah Jones and Umari Hatcher were both silent after the two both had over 100 receiving yards through the first two games. Hatcher didn’t catch the ball once, while Jones was never even targeted. The tight ends were out of the picture as well. Neither Max Mang or Dan Villari made any impact whatsoever in the passing game.
So, is this what we will see from Becks offense moving forward with the absence of Shrader? Running the ball 25 times with your quarterback is a risk. Especially, when it’s someone like Garrett Shrader who won’t shy away from contact. But, with who his weapons are on the outside, and neither tight end stepping up, it might be the only option for the first year offensive coordinator.
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That was ‘Garrett Shredder’ who ran all over Purdue (what they’re saying) (PS; $; Axe)
It wasn’t the instant classic the 2022 version of Syracuse football vs. Purdue provided, but SU’s 35-20 win over the Boilermakers on Saturday night was still entertaining in its own way (and a game full of penalties and too much involvement from the officials just like last year).
Let’s take a look at what fans, media and others were saying about the Orange moving to 3-0 on the season.
GIF IT UP
NFL TALENT SEES NFL TALENT
#GOACC
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Syracuse football receives votes in AP Top 25 for the first time this season (PS; Carlson)
The Syracuse football team earned votes in the AP Top 25 Poll for the first time this season, putting it in the “also receiving votes” category in each of college football’s two major polls.
Syracuse received two points in the AP Top 25. It received 10 points in the Coaches Top 25 Poll, one more than last week.
The Orange is 3-0 and coming off a 35-20 road win over Purdue. It’s the first time that Syracuse has started 3-0 in back-to-back seasons since 1959 and 1960.
In the coaches poll, Syracuse ranked 11th among the teams receiving votes and 36th overall. In the AP poll, Syracuse ranked 12th among the teams receiving votes and 37th overall.
Both polls continued to be led by Georgia and Michigan.
https://www.si.com/college/syracuse/football/five-takeaways-syracuse-35-purdue-20 (SI; McAllister)
Syracuse improved to 3-0 with a 35-20 win at Purdue Saturday night. Here are five takeaways from the victory.
1. Shrader is an Absolute Magician
With all apologies to Mr. Troy Nunes, Garrett Shrader should have this title moving forward. He was simply spectacular on this night. Purdue had no answer for Shrader's legs as he racked up 195 yards and four touchdowns on the ground. On top of that, he made several fantastic throws down the field that his receivers dropped. He was the best player on the field all night and made the Boilermakers defense look silly on a number of occasions. Whether it was scrambling for third down conversations when he seemed to be surrounded in the backfield, designed runs for big gains or throwing strikes on third and long, Shrader was magnificent. The offense racked up 455 total yards and scored 35 points even with those drops that would have added more points as well as a missed field goal. How dominant was Shrader on the ground? This stat sums it up perfectly. He was sacked four times and still averaged 7.8 yards per carry on the night (yardage lost in sacks is taken away from his rushing total).
2. Get 'em Some Stickum
The Syracuse wide receivers needed stickum in this game. The Orange wideouts dropped several passes, including some down the field that would have resulted in touchdowns. It was a subpar effort from this group and is the main reason why Shrader completed just 50% of his passes. Add six more completions to his total and he completes 70% and has at least one or two passing touchdowns as well. It was an equal opportunity offender situation, with Alford, Brown, Jones and Adams all having drops during the game. Without Oronde Gadsden for the rest of the season, they have to be better hanging on to the ball. The positive is that they are getting open and into position to make these plays. Now they have to make them.
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Fizz Instant Reaction: Syracuse Takes Down Purdue 35-20 (orangefizz.net; podcast; Frank)
Ethan Frank recaps Syracuse’s third straight win to start the season by going through his grades for the night, talking through some storylines, injury updates, and more!
Axe: SU football’s offensive plan can’t rest on Shrader’s legs alone (PS; $; Axe)
All 195 of Syracuse quarterback Garrett Shrader’s rushing yards were validated in a 35-20 win over Purdue on Saturday night.
Shrader nearly became the second quarterback in Syracuse history with 200 yards rushing in a game.
He accumulated four touchdowns (a new single-game record for an SU QB) and executed two of the greatest bootlegs in the history of college football.
If you ‘take what the defense gives you’ in football, the Boilermakers’ defense gifted Shrader an E-ZPass to run all over Ross-Ade Stadium.
The question now is how many more chances Shrader will have to get his 200-yard club membership card and what that means for the Orange offense going forward.
Shrader’s rushing mileage against Purdue partly came about from the disturbing propensity of his receivers dropping well-thrown footballs in their general direction.
It wasn’t just a player or two having a bad night. SU’s wideouts had a butterfinger bonanza on the heels of Oronde Gadsden’s season-ending foot injury being announced just about two hours before the game kicked off.
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ACC Power Rankings: Syracuse football one of 7 teams still undefeated in conference (PS; $; Leiker)
Exactly half of the ACC remains undefeated following the third week of the season.
That could begin to change this week as a handful of teams play their first conference games, including three of the four North Carolina-based schools.
Here’s where the conference power ranking stands after Week 3.
1. Florida State (3-0, 1-0 ACC)
Last week: W 31-29 at Boston CollegeThis week: at Clemson, noon, ABC
While Florida State holds on fairly firmly to its No. 1 despite a showing at Boston College that raised some red flags. The Eagles outscored FSU 21-0 in the final 16 minutes of the game.
The Seminoles will still be the favorite heading to Clemson for a midday matchup this week that could either be close or separate the two teams at the top of the preseason rankings even further.
2. North Carolina (3-0, 0-0 ACC)
Last week: W 31-13 vs. MinnesotaThis week: at Pittsburgh, 8 p.m., ACC Network
The Tar Heels took an early two-touchdown lead in their first ever game against Minnesota and didn’t look back.
No. 17 North Carolina next meets a struggling Pittsburgh team this week in primetime. Though the Panthers have one of the top rushing defenses in the country, its pass coverage has not been as successful and will likely struggle against Drake Maye and UNC’s receiving corp.
3. Duke (3-0, 1-0 ACC)
Last week: W 38-14 vs. NorthwesternThis week: at Connecticut, 3:30 p.m., CBS Sports Network
All five of Duke’s touchdowns came on the ground against Northwestern, with quarterback Riley Leonard and Jordan Waters each scoring twice. Leonard kept up a solid air game throwing for an easy 200 yards on 15 completions.
No. 18 Duke heads to a winless Connecticut and should cruise to an easy 4-0.
4. Miami (3-0, 0-0 ACC)
Last week: W 48-7 vs. Bethune CookmanThis week: at Temple, 3:30 p.m., ESPN2
No. 20 Miami is set up to make it to 5-0 if it keeps doing what its been doing with a road trip to Temple (2-1) this week and in its first conference game against Georgia Tech (1-2, 0-1) in Week 5.
The Hurricanes had 589 yards of offense against Bethune Cookman and continued to prove they’re a Top 10 rushing defense in the country with only 33 yards allowed in the Thursday night game.
5. Clemson (2-1, 0-1 ACC)
Last week: W 48-14 vs. Florida AtlanticThis week: vs. No. 4 Florida State, noon, ABC
Clemson has had two cupcake opponents since it dropped its season opener against Duke. The Tigers dropped out of the AP Top 25 following Week 2 when they struggled early against Charleston Southern before taking home a high-scoring victory.
This matchup will show whether Clemson’s offense has actually fixed its problem areas that were exposed in the opening two weeks or if the Tigers simply benefitted from scheduling being able to bounce back from 0-1.
6. Syracuse (3-0, 0-0 ACC) ↑1
Last week: W 35-20 at Purdue
This week: vs. Army, noon, ACC Network
The Orange passed its first road test with a two-score win over Purdue and received its first votes in the AP Top 25 poll. It now returns home for the next two weeks with a chance to get within one win of a bowl game.
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'Just play cleaner.' Purdue penalties, fumbles vs. Syracuse too much to overcome (indystar.com; Glaspie)
With home fans heading for the Ross-Ade Stadium exits and groups of Syracuse Orange-clad visitors waiting for the final whistle, Purdue's final offensive drive was the perfect summation of a game riddled with miscues, turnovers and driving-killing penalties.
On 1st-and-10 from the Syracuse 14, Purdue quarterback Hudson Card hit Deion Burks on a perfectly placed ball in the corner of the end zone for a touchdown. The score and a successful 2-point conversion would've made it a one-score game with an onside kick looming. Instead, the touchdown was nullified by a Jalen Grant holding penalty, one of the Boilermakers 11 penalties for 127 yards. Four plays later the Purdue offense was off the field, allowing Syracuse quarterback Garrett Shrader to run out the clock, giving the Orange a 35-20 win over the Boilermakers.
Three Purdue drives ended after lost fumbles. One drive ended with an interception, and three drives ended on failed fourth-down conversions. After not committing a turnover in its first two games, Purdue’s four turnovers against Syracuse were too costly to overcome.
Indystar
“Penalties, mental errors and turnovers will lose you games and we did that in abundance tonight,” Purdue coach Ryan Walters said. “I’ve got to go look at why. We've been really good in terms of ball security those first two games and we have been clean in that aspect in practice.
“We've really got to do a self evaluation as to why that happened, and ultimately, just play cleaner.”
On defense, Boilers' pass interference and roughing the passer calls gave Syracuse's offense new life. Purdue committed defensive penalties on two of the Orange's five scoring drives. Defensive backs Botros Alisandro and Cam Allen committed pass interference in the span of three plays in the third quarter. Allen’s penalty setup a 1-yard quarterback sneak from Shrader to start the fourth.
Something about Syracuse brings the worst out of the Boilermakers. Last season, Purdue committed 13 penalties for 138 yards against the Orange.
The pass interference calls were particularly backbreaking because the Purdue secondary players were usually in position to make the play. A late grab or failure to make a play on the ball often resulted in a flag. In Purdue’s man-to-man heavy defense, its defensive backs have to be fundamentally sound for the system to work.
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Turnovers Lead to Loss vs. Syracuse - Purdue Boilermakers (purduesports.com)
A late comeback effort fell short as the Purdue football team dropped a 35-20 decision to Syracuse at Ross-Ade Stadium on Saturday night.
The Boilermakers (1-2) put themselves in an early hole after committing four first-half turnovers, going into the break trailing 21-7. Hudson Card threw for a career-high 323 yards in the loss, completing 32 of 46 passes (69.6%) for a touchdown and an interception while also tallying a rushing score.
Dillon Thieneman continued to impress as a defensive leader in his freshman campaign, posting a team-best 14 tackles (10 solos), the most by a Boilermaker since Jaylan Alexander had 19 in the 2021 Music City Bowl win over Tennessee (Dec. 30, 2021). Sanoussi Kane finished second on the team with eight tackles, the second highest total of his career.
Abdur-Rahmaan Yaseen highlighted the offense with career highs in receiving yards (114) and catches (10), leading the team in both categories. It was his first career game eclipsing the century mark in receiving. Deion Burks scored his third touchdown of the season on a two-yard catch in the second quarter.
The offense put together back-to-back touchdown drives in the third and fourth quarters, the second of which lowered the Purdue deficit to 28-20 after a Tyrone Tracy Jr. one-yard rushing score capped off a 14-play, 75-yard drive. Tracy has found the end zone on the ground in every game this season.
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Syracuse takes down Purdue and moves to 3-0 (cbssports.com; video; Finneral)
247Sports' James Finneral discusses Syracuse's 35-20 win over Purdue.
(youtube; podcast; Lindsley)
Syracuse rolls Purdue
ACC News
https://www.si.com/college/georgiatech/football/acc-power-rankings-week-four-2023 (SI; Caudell)
It was another exciting week in the ACC. The league's top team, Florida State, got taken down to the wire by Boston College. North Carolina took down Minnesota in a matchup of 2-0 teams and Wake Forest fought their way back from a big deficit to win the game against Old Dominion.
A big clash between Florida State and Clemson looms large over the conference next week, with the winner in the driver's seat to be the league's top team (though Miami and Duke might argue).
So how do the ACC Power rankings shake out after week three?
14. Virginia (0-3). Last week's ranking: 14
Virginia remains at the bottom of the rankings this week. The Cavs fought hard against Maryland for a time but ultimately lost 42-14. Tony Elliott's team hosts NC State next Friday and it will probably be a very long season in Charlottesville. The defense completely fell apart against the Terrapins and it is supposed to be the strong point of the team. NC State has issues on offense, so maybe there is a possibility of an upset.13. Virginia Tech (1-2). Last week's ranking: 12
Virginia Tech drops a spot this week after getting housed by Rutgers on the road. After an encouraging performance against Old Dominion, The Hokies have looked pretty bad in the last two games. The Rutgers offense is not very good, yet managed to score 35 points on Brent Pry's defense and run the ball successfully. A loss against Marshall next week would make things uneasy in Blacksburg.12. Boston College (1-2). Last week's ranking: 13
It is strange to move a team up after a loss, but Virginia Tech was terrible and the Eagles at least almost pulled off an upset of third-ranked Florida State. BC quarterback Thomas Castellanos had a fantastic game and at the very looks like a promising player to build momentum around for the rest of the year. Jeff Hafley is perhaps on the hottest seat in the ACC and must travel to Louisville next week.11. Georgia Tech (1-2). Last week's ranking: 10
I considered putting Pitt here, but the Georgia Tech defense is too bad to overlook for the 11th spot. The Yellow Jackets gave up nearly 600 yards to Ole Miss, including 139 yards rushing to Rebels quarterback Jaxson Dart. Quarterback Haynes King continued to play well, but this team has a lot to figure out on the other side of the ball. Georgia Tech has a huge game against Wake Forest next week that could determine whether the Yellow Jackets are going bowling.10. Pitt (1-2). Last week's ranking: 9
Pitt is a really bad football team right now. The Panthers lost the backyard brawl to West Virginia 17-6 and quarterback Phil Jurkovec threw for three interceptions and only 81 yards. It is amazing to think Pitt won the ACC a couple of years ago because of their offense and now the team can't score any points. Pitt hosts North Carolina next week, but this team looks like it could be heading to a non-bowl game season in 2023.9. NC State (2-1). Last week's ranking: 7
The Wolfpack did get an easy win this week over VMI, but there are still questions about the offense, especially the wide receivers and offensive line. The Wolfpack travel to UVA next week in what should be a win.8. Wake Forest (3-0). Last week's ranking: 8
It looked like Wake Forest was going to have their first loss of the year today against Old Dominion, but Dave Clawson's team found a way to get the job done. Quarterback Mitch Griffis threw for over 300 yards and three touchdowns, but also had two picks. The defense continues to be an issue as well. Wake will look to take a step toward a bowl game next week against Georgia Tech.7. Syracuse (3-0). Last week's ranking: 11
I finally moved Syracuse up after an impressive road win against Purdue. I had been hesitant about moving the Orange up too high just solely based on their record, but Dino Baber's team was impressive and is now 3-0 to start the season. The Orange should be 4-0 next week after facing Army, though those games can be tricky....
Friedlander: What we learned about every ACC football team in Week 3 - Saturday Road (saturdayroad.com; Friedlander)
During the 24 years of its annual intraconference challenge on the basketball court, the ACC got the better of the Big Ten by a tally of 13-8-3.
This weekend, the league showed that it’s just as adept at holding its own against on the gridiron.
It wasn’t an official competition like the dearly departed ACC/Big Ten Challenge on the hardwood. But with 4 wins in 6 head-to-head matchups between the leagues, the ACC can still claim its share of bragging rights.
Thanks to victories by Duke, Louisville, North Carolina and Syracuse, the conference can now claim winning records against both of the top 2 leagues in college football this season.
Even with a few hiccups, most notably Pittsburgh’s loss to West Virginia in the Backyard Brawl and Florida State’s sloppy performance in a tight win at Boston College, it was another good week for the ACC.
Here’s what we learned about each team:
Boston College
Say what you want about moral victories. But while Jeff Hafley and his Eagles can be proud for throwing a scare into No. 3 Florida State, Saturday’s 31-29 loss in BC’s “Red Bandana Game” was a disappointment because it could very easily have been an actual, program-changing win.The Eagles showed that they’re vastly improved, especially on offense with dual-threat quarterback Thomas Castellanos working behind a rebuilt line. At the same time, though, we learned that they still leave a lot to be desired when it comes to discipline and execution.
On this occasion, those problems manifested themselves in the form of penalties. A school-record 18 to be exact. While they all were damaging, 1 stood out: the facemask call that extended FSU’s final drive and cost them 1 final chance at getting the ball back and pulling the game out.
Clemson
Cade Klubnik was efficient. The defense created 4 turnovers and the Tigers stormed to a 41-0 lead before easing off in the 4th quarter for a 48-14 win against Florida Atlantic.But none of that matters as much as the fact that for the first time in 3 games this season, Dabo Swinney’s team managed to play an entire game without any egregious self-inflicted mistakes.
It wasn’t a completely clean performance. Clemson did lose 1 fumble late. But it was an encouraging tune-up that showed us the Tigers are as ready as they’ll ever be for next week’s critical ACC battle against another, much more talented team from the Sunshine State.
Duke
The Blue Devils showed us that they’re ready and able to play with the big boys by upsetting Clemson in Week 1. Over the past 2 weeks, Mike Elko’s team has displayed a personality that’s just as important.Just as it did last week against Lafayette, we learned that Duke knows what to do against teams it’s supposed to beat by taking care of business early and emphatically in a routine 38-14 win against Northwestern.
“We started fast. We got the lead,” Elko said afterward. “That’s what you want to do in a game like this.”
Riley Leonard and Jordan Waters each ran for 2 touchdowns and the Blue Devils built a 31-7 lead after 3 quarters before coasting home with their 3rd straight win to begin the season.
Florida State
We learned that it might be a little premature to start penciling the Seminoles into the College Football Playoff. Maybe they got caught taking Boston College lightly and looking ahead to next week’s showdown at Clemson. Or perhaps they were bothered by the early start time.Whatever the reason, Mike Norvell’s team showed a few flaws in a win that was much closer than it should have been.
Beyond the obvious issues – the turnovers, the missed assignments in the secondary, the inability to contain a mobile quarterback – the most troubling thing we saw was its loss of focus. It was particularly evident early in the 2nd half.
Instead of putting an inferior opponent away after scoring 2 quick touchdowns to open a 31-10 lead, the Seminoles took their foot off the accelerator and allowed BC to battle back and nearly steal the game. They won’t be as lucky if they do that against one of the better teams on their upcoming schedule.
Georgia Tech
It’s hard to take encouragement from a 48-23 loss. And yet, in the case of the Yellow Jackets’ defeat at Ole Miss on Saturday, there is a distinct silver lining.For one thing, they scored 23 points, which is 23 more than they mustered against the Rebels in Atlanta last season. And while the 48 points and 550 yards they surrendered in Oxford might look similar to those of a year ago, most of these – including half the points – came in the 4th quarter after Brent Key’s team ran out of gas.
We learned that Tech is a much more competitive team against top-level competition than it was in 2022. What does that mean moving forward? We’ll see next week against Wake Forest.
Louisville
We still don’t know how good the Cardinals are or aren’t. Two of their 3 wins to begin Jeff Brohm’s tenure as coach have come against FBS opponents picked to finish at or near the bottom of their conference. The other was against an overmatched FCS team.And Saturday’s 21-14 win against Indiana was hardly a work of art. They needed a heroic stop from freshman linebacker Stanquan Clark on Indiana’s Josh Henderson on a 4th-and-goal play from inside the 1 with 4½ minutes left to preserve their first 3-0 start since 2016.
More than anything else, we learned that the Cardinals need to work on their consistency. They outscored the Hoosiers 21-0 in the 1st half. But after watching their opponent recover an onside kick to start the 2nd, they were outscored 14-0 the rest of the way.
But they won. And that’s important because it already puts Louisville halfway toward bowl eligibility in Brohm’s debut season at his alma mater.
Miami
There wasn’t much to learn from a routine blowout of a guarantee game opponent.But this much is certain about the Hurricanes: They are vastly improved from a year ago, especially on offense, thanks in part to a rebuilt line and the return to health of difference-makers Tyler Van Dyke and Xavier Restrepo.
They’re also good enough and deep enough on defense to come within a couple of minutes of pitching a shutout, even with starters Kam Kinchens, Akheem Mesidor, Nyjalik Kelly and Branson Deen on the sidelines nursing injuries.
As wide as the final 48-7 margin was over Bethune-Cookman, it could have been even bigger. But coach Mario Cristobal was wise enough to pull most of his starters after halftime. Better to live to play another day than risk injury by trying to run up the score.
North Carolina
The biggest takeaway from the Tar Heels’ impressive 31-13 win against Minnesota is that all quarterbacks, even those as elite as Drake Maye, are only as good as the receivers to whom they’re throwing.That was visible to even the most uninitiated eye on Saturday as Maye celebrated the arrival of slot receiver Nate McCollum by throwing for 414 yards, the 2nd-most of his storied UNC career. McCollum, who was recruited as a transfer from Georgia Tech to help replace the production lost by the departure of NFL Draft pick Josh Downs, has been sidelined with a leg injury.
It didn’t take long for him to make up for lost time. He was targeted 5 times on the Tar Heels’ opening drive and finished with 15 catches, 1 off Downs’ school record. McCollum ended up with 165 yards and a touchdown to help add some badly needed diversity to a UNC offense that relied heavily on the running game in its opening 2 wins.
NC State
Sure it was only VMI. But for the first time in 3 games, the Wolfpack finally showed glimpses of the offensive explosiveness they expected to gain with the arrival of transfer quarterback Brennan Armstrong and offensive coordinator Robert Anae.Armstrong threw for 264 yards and a touchdown on 27-of-32 completions.
While the 6th-year quarterback had his best game in his short tenure at State, we also learned that coach Dave Doeren’s team also has some good young talent as well. Freshman Kendrick Raphael led the Pack with 85 yards rushing, and classmate Kevin Concepcion caught a game-high 6 passes for 62 yards.
The Wolfpack’s defense also bounced back from a tough day against Notre Dame last week by holding the Keydets to just 191 total yards.
Pittsburgh
If you thought that Kedon Slovis’ 1-year tenure as the Panthers’ quarterback was bad, let me introduce you to the past 2 weeks of this year’s rental Phil Jurkovec. The Boston College transfer got booed by his own home fans last week after a dismal performance in a loss to Cincinnati.He was just as ineffective Saturday in a woeful 17-6 loss to rival West Virginia in the Backyard Brawl.
Jurkovec completed only 8-of-20 passes for 81 yards and 3 of interceptions – 1 of which led to 1 of the Mountaineers’ 2 touchdowns. The Panthers finished with 211 yards and only a pair of short field goals in their lowest-scoring effort against WVU since getting shut out in 1996.
We learned that Pat Narduzzi and his staff have a lot of work to do between now and Saturday when Pitt plays its ACC opener against high-scoring North Carolina.
Syracuse
The most significant thing we learned about the Orange on Saturday happened before the its game at Purdue. Shortly before kickoff, the Orange announced that All-ACC tight end Oronde Gadsden II will miss the rest of the season with a Lisfranc injury to his foot suffered early in last week’s win against Western Michigan.Without him, Syracuse’s offense still managed to put up 35 points in its first test against a Power 5 opponent. Garrett Shrader threw for 184 yards and ran for a game-high 123 yards and 3 touchdowns to beat the Boilermakers for the 2nd straight year and improve to 3-0 this season.
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Locked On ACC - Daily College Football & Basketball Podcast: ACC Handles Business Against Big Ten Opponents; Which QBs Are Balling, Who's in A Slump? on Apple Podcasts (apple.com; podcast; Locked on the ACC)
ACC Handles Business Against Big Ten Opponents; Which QBs Are Balling, Who's in A Slump
FSU survives Boston College in first scare of 2023: Postgame analysis from ACC opener )tomahawknation.com; Silversmith)
The Florida State Seminoles bandwagon seemingly lost some weight on the flight back to Boston this weekend, as Saturday’s performance provided the first display of mortality in the Seminoles.
There is no reason to sugarcoat it: FSU collapsed in the second half. If not for a missed extra point, the score is, at best, 31-31 against a team that beat Holy Cross by a field goal. Boston College started blazing, scoring on their opening drives and giving Jordan Travis one possession in the first quarter. The ‘Noles capitalized on their opportunities and led 17-10 at the break-even if the offense played only 12 minutes of game action.
Florida State erupted to start the 3rd quarter with two touchdowns in the first 4 minutes and took a 31-10 lead. After that, no one has an explanation for what happened next. Mike Norvell said FSU “ pressed” on the sideline, and the coach implored his players to keep their “edge.” Florida State exhibited the former as two turnovers, no points the rest of the game, and atrocious third down defense led to a collapse in Alumni Stadium.
Suddenly, the scoreboard read 31-29, and if not for a bonehead facemask penalty, BC would get the ball back. Florida State survives in a win that felt like a loss. DJ Lundy and Rodney Hill seemed calm in the press conference, but this performance will not fly next week at Clemson — or against most of the schedule remaining.
Norvell mentions three words over and over again during press conferences: Consistency, intensity, and speed. Each one of these words plagued the Seminoles yesterday and is a word that needs to be focused on closer to dissect what went wrong for the Seminoles yesterday.
Consistency
In his opening statement, Mike Norvell said, “We did not play a full 60 minutes today.” Florida State has not played a complete game since the season began. In the third quarter yesterday, FSU outscored Boston College 28-0, held BC to 11 yards on ten plays, and blew the game wide open. If they play like they did during the other portions of the game, welcome back to a second-tier bowl at the end of the year.From a holistic standpoint, Florida State does not look like the same team game to game; the numbers reflect that. Situational football was a catastrophe yesterday. Multiple fumbles during special teams play (luckily on one near catastrophic moment, Keon Coleman muffed the ball and it went out of bounds), BC converting 50% on third and fourth down, and losing the turnover battle are unlike how they played against LSU or USM.
Florida State’s success came because of its ability to get off the field on “cash downs” and continue staying on the field when they got the chance (FSU offense 4-5 on 4th down last week). The Seminoles lost the turnover battle for the first time yesterday, aiding the Eagles back into the game instead of making the put-away play with an interception in the last two games. Finally, stopping the quarterback run play lifted FSU to victory against the Tigers and Southern Mississippi and would be their number #1 reason for a loss against Boston College. After mostly holding Jayden Daniels in check two weeks ago, Castellanos ran all over the FSU defense, continually making his biggest plays in the most significant moments and keeping Boston College in the game. Consistency did not make the trip to Boston; hopefully, the Seminoles packed it with them on the way to South Carolina.
Intensity
No player will outright say it, but Florida State got trapped yesterday. All week at practice for Southern Mississippi, the intensity was through the roof because everyone knew it was the letdown game. FSU decided to delay its trap game for the following week. On a red bandana day, the Seminoles would always have difficulty matching the energy from Boston College. Florida State did not look ready for play yesterday. The defense had three busted coverages on the first drive, resulting in a touchdown, and when the game started to get close, both sides of the ball wilted. There seemed to be a lack of energy on the sideline, which transpired to the field....
The Hokies vs. Scarlet Knights Fallout: Good, Bad, and Ugly (gobblercountry.com; Schneider)
The Heartburn wasn’t the Chili
There was a whole lot to think about as we did dishes and finished up the dinner conversation Saturday evening. The chili was good, but the game was frustrating. It was the end of the third quarter, and the Hokies had narrowed the lead enough to give hope that at 21-10 they’d figure out a way to at least compete. The defense had managed a couple of stops, and the offense had finally settled in enough to drive the ball once to score a touchdown on a nice series and 39-yard pass completion to Da’Quan Felton who was wide open.
The close of the third and opening of the fourth had found the Hokies knocking on the door near the goal line. Even though it was a discouraging head-butting battering ram approach, the Hokies punched the ball across the goal line with 14:28 left on the clock. The score was an encouraging 21-16. A PAT would have given them a positive, completed drive with a doable 4-point deficit and nearly an entire quarter to make that up.
Then the Hokies killed their momentum and dropped the curtain on any hopes that they had of coming from behind to win this one. In explicably the Hokies went for the 2-point conversion and it failed miserably as the pass play evaporated and the running lanes for Kyron Drones never developed. That drive would be the last effective offensive effort that the Hokies would manage, and the failed extra point conversion looked like the offending pin that popped the momentum balloon.
Tech’s offense sputtered from then on, and Rutgers running game, behind their lead back and quarterback just burned up clock and exhausted defenders who all seemed to develop alligator arms. The Scarlet Knights plowed through 14 unanswered points on dominant running drives with minimal passing except precious seconds on the clock. The Tech offense had no answers, again.
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https://www.newsobserver.com/sports/college/acc/unc/article279440069.html (newsobserver.com; $; Carter)
This is going to be controversial, to some. It’s going to be misunderstood, like when we began the discussion around this time a year ago about Appalachian State having the best college football program in North Carolina.
And yet it needs to be said. Because it’s true, for one. And because it’s timely, too, with Duke and UNC off to fast football starts, again, for the second consecutive year. And so here it is, some honesty that might be difficult to accept for a lot of folks in North Carolina:
There’s no longer any such thing as a “basketball school.” At least not in any major conference.
Call it blasphemy. Call it bologna. Call it bull, and even add an expletive or two of your choosing.
Nothing changes the reality or the fact that, in 2023 — and for a long while now — there’s not a major-conference school in the country that doesn’t understand the significance of football, and how it drives, well, everything at the highest level of college athletics.
This isn’t about the records at Duke and UNC, though they certainly help underscore the larger point. The Tar Heels are 3-0 for the 18th time since the formation of the ACC in 1953, and are 3-0 for the second consecutive season for the first time since 1996 and ‘97. The Blue Devils are 3-0 for the 17th time in the ACC era, and five of those 3-0 starts have come since 2014.
Together, Duke and UNC are both 3-0 in back-to-back seasons for the first time since ... wait for it ... 1935 and ‘36. Who among us doesn’t remember those halcyon days? Back when Wallace Wade (they named a stadium after him, if you didn’t know) was coaching the Blue Devils, and when Carl Snavely and Raymond Wolf led the Tar Heels.
Both UNC and especially Duke were somewhat national football powers then, with UNC peaking at No. 1 in 1948 and with Duke a regular top-10 or -15 program from the mid-1930s through the early 60s. And then you know the rest. Everett Case turned N.C. State basketball into a national power. UNC upped its game, and won the ‘57 national championship.
Dean Smith arrived in Chapel Hill. David Thompson in Raleigh. Mike Krzyzewski in Durham. Somewhere in there, Jim Valvano ran around a court in Albuquerque, looking for a hug. And college basketball became, and in some way remains, the dominant sport of interest in this state.
This isn’t about fan interest, though. If it was, one could still argue that Duke and UNC are basketball schools because, undoubtedly, there are more people who care about and follow their basketball teams — both established, national brands — than their football programs. That’s to be expected, given the tradition and their combined 11 NCAA championships.
Yes, basketball still matters. Just not nearly as much as football, which has been behind every major movement in college athletics for at least the past two decades. All this realignment at the highest level of college sports? All this chasing of television revenue? It’s all because of football, and there’s not an athletic director or university president or chancellor or conference commissioner who doesn’t understand the truth that if you’re behind in football, you risk being left behind, period.
Look at Duke, for instance, where it wasn’t all that long ago that a track still surrounded the field at Wallace Wade Stadium, which has undergone several rounds of transformation. Look at UNC, which has foregone major renovations at the Smith Center — showing its age more and more all the time — while upgrading football facilities and salaries. Look at Wake Forest, which over the past seven years has invested about $100 million in football facilities. Look at Kansas, which last month announced $300 million in improvements to its stadium and the surrounding area.
“It’s critically important,” Nina King, the Duke athletics director, told The News & Observer last year of improving in football. “We need to do well, so that we can have a seat at the table and really be a part of meaningful conversations relative to the ACC. We’re investing more, as we should be.”
Indeed, for a long time, it was fair and accurate to describe Duke and UNC as basketball schools. It’s a label that’s impossible to shake, given the history they share in that sport. And yet it’s not really accurate anymore, either. Just follow the money. In the ACC and in every major conference these days, they’re all football schools now.
ONE BIG THING
Speaking of the above is it possible, somehow, maybe that the ACC ... could be ... the best football conference in the country? Here are the talking points, if one were to make such an argument:
Through the first three weeks of the season, the ACC has eight wins over SEC and Big Ten schools, while the rest of the country has seven, combined. There are seven undefeated ACC teams, second-most of any other league. And eight undefeated ACC teams in non-conference play, also second-most of any other league.
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Welter & Lea wrap up week 3 in the ACC :: WRALSportsFan.com (wralsportsfan.com; podcast; Welter & Lea)
UNC, Duke & NC State all got wins at home on Saturday. Chris Lea and Pat Welter recap the weekend
https://www.thestate.com/sports/college/acc/clemson-university/article279337614.html (thestate; $; Fowler)
Clemson football hasn’t been a home underdog in a long time.
But that’ll change next Saturday against No. 4 Florida State, according to a review of early Week 4 betting lines for one of the ACC’s top regular-season games of 2023.
FSU opened as a 2.5-point betting favorite against Clemson on FanDuel and DraftKings and a 3-point favorite on BetRivers and Caesars, according to those websites. The consensus line on VegasInsider.com is Florida State -2.5.
Clemson, which made six straight College Football Playoffs from 2015-20, has only been a home underdog three times in the last decade, according to Odds Shark data.
The Tigers most recently closed as a 1-point home underdog to Louisville in 2016 (a memorable AP Top 5 game they won 42-36).
Clemson was also a 4.5-point home underdog to FSU in 2013 (lost 51-14) and a 1.5-point home underdog to Georgia in 2013 (won 38-35).
The Tigers (2-1, 0-1 ACC) blew out Florida Atlantic, 48-14, on Saturday while Florida State (3-0, 1-0 ACC) escaped Boston College with a 31-29 win in its first conference game of the year.
Quarterback Cade Klubnik had four total touchdowns, the offense had zero turnovers and the defense forced four turnover as Clemson got what coach Dabo Swinney deemed its “most complete” game of the season. The Tigers experienced some early-season turbulence, losing at Duke by 21 points in their season opener and starting slow against FCS Charleston Southern.
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https://www.courier-journal.com/sto...-college-acc-schedule-jeff-brohm/70819948007/ (C-J; Cubit)
Louisville's 3-0 start to the season is its best in seven years as the team continues to adjust to a new system and culture under head coach Jeff Brohm.
Despite the learning curve, the Cardinals’ offense (528.7 yards per game) ranks 10th in the country and second in the ACC, behind only Syracuse, with the team’s red zone defense tying for ninth nationally and seventh in the conference.
U of L enters Week 4 as one of seven unbeaten ACC teams. The Cardinals have a chance to add another win Saturday when they host Boston College. The Eagles have had a rough start to the year after opening the season with a 27-24 loss to Northern Illinois before barely beating Holy Cross, 31-28.
BC showed promise in Week 3 by narrowly falling, 31-29, to a Florida State team that was ranked third nationally. The Eagles head to Louisville seeking a third win over the Cardinals in four meetings.
Here are three story lines to follow ahead of Saturday's game:
New season, new Cardinals
Louisville went to Boston College last season as a 15 ½-point favorite and needed a conference win after losing its first two ACC games. Instead, the Cardinals, who lost starting quarterback Malik Cunningham in the contest, struggled to stop the Eagles from making big plays and fell, 34-33. Dropping to 0-3 in conference play and 2-3 on the year, U of L was at a pivotal point in the season and the program's tenure under then-head coach Scott Satterfield....
https://www.greenvilleonline.com/st...s-antonio-williams-beaux-collins/70794380007/ (greenvilleonline.com; Long)
One of the biggest concerns for Clemson football coming into the 2023 season was the wide receivers. The Tigers hadn't had a consistent go-to at receiver the year prior, and coach Dabo Swinney said throughout the offseason that Clemson had to get better "throwing and catching" to have a better season.
The first quarter of the season is finished, and No. 23 Clemson (2-1, 0-1 ACC) has its biggest test on deck in No. 3 Florida State (3-0, 0-0) on Saturday (noon ET, ABC). The Tigers still seem to have some questions at receiver. Clemson wants to spread the ball around in its new offense under Garrett Riley, and it's done a good job so far of involving a lot of players. There's no shortage of talent among the receivers, but in terms of on-field results, no one has really emerged yet as a dominant pass-catcher the Tigers can count on when they need a big play.
With the heart of the ACC schedule about to begin, Clemson needs to find its best combination in the passing game. Here's how the Tigers' top four wide receivers have graded out so far.
Antonio Williams
Pro Football Focus offensive grade: 70.6PFF receiving grade: 72.6
Williams led Clemson in receiving yards last season with 604, averaging 10.8 yards per reception and catching four touchdowns. This season, he's been the Tigers' most consistent receiver through three games. He's the most frequently targeted with 20, according to PFF, and he's caught 15 of those for 145 yards.
Beaux Collins
PFF offensive grade: 67.3PFF receiving grade: 66.7
Collins is Clemson's receiving leader with 197 yards on 13 catches thanks to a career game against Charleston Southern. He had a career-high seven receptions and 137 yards in Week 2. He wasn't a big factor in the receiving game against FAU, however, with one catch on three targets for 10 yards. He's actually grading out slightly better through three games than he did last season, and he's caught 72% of his targets compared to 59% last season. Clemson needs him to find some consistency.
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https://www.sfchronicle.com/sports/college/article/cal-stanford-acc-travel-hawaii-18367174.php (sfchronicle.com; Letourneau)
In a college-sports landscape rife with seven-figure NIL deals and state-of-the-art facilities, new Hawaii athletic director Craig Angelos has a relatively modest goal: securing charter flights to bring the Rainbow Warriors’ football team back home from away games.
“Having to fly commercial is a real killer for us,” Angelos said in a recent phone interview. “Life would be a lot easier if we could at least fly charter on the return leg.”
Just look at Hawaii’s travel itinerary this past weekend for its game at No. 13 Oregon. After losing 55-10 on Saturday in front of 52,779 fans at Autzen Stadium, the Rainbow Warriors took a bus an hour north to Salem, Ore., where they stayed the night before riding another hour north to Portland and boarding a six-hour Hawaiian Airlines flight to Honolulu.
Such logistics often put Hawaii at a competitive disadvantage, but that’s reality for a cash-strapped athletic department located in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. As Vallejo native and Rainbow Warriors men’s basketball guard JoVon McClanahan put it, “No one’s going to feel bad for us that we have to travel further than other schools. We just have to be pros about it.”
Cal and Stanford must adopt a similar mindset as they prepare to join the Atlantic Coast Conference next August. With far less TV revenue about to come in than many of their ACC peers, and travel schedules that could rival Hawaii’s as the most burdensome in Division I, the Bears and Cardinal have a lot to hammer out over the next 11 months.
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https://www.espn.com/college-footba...k-3-highlights-top-plays-games-takeaways-2023 (ESPN; Hale)
This is where the ride should've ended. This is the game Colorado looked mortal, looked like there was only so much magic Coach Prime could conjure, only so much that could be done when the Buffaloes' best player, Travis Hunter, left with an injury.
And yet, there was really never any doubt.
Colorado erased an 11-point, fourth-quarter deficit, drove 98 yards in the final 2 minutes of action, and pulled off a double-overtime stunner against rival Colorado State.
Coach Prime on win: 'To be great, you have to be resilient'
Deion Sanders tells Quint Kessenich what he learned from Colorado's 2OT win over Colorado State.
Colorado had been the story of the season through two weeks, with Sanders proudly announcing he was keeping receipts on all the doubters -- something that seemed difficult considering the countless slights he's endured (both real and imagined) and the three cell phones he supposedly has, too. No man has that many pockets.
Still, Colorado State coach Jay Norvell offered the latest salvo, saying his mother taught him to take off his hat and glasses when talking to an adult, an apparent shot at Coach Prime's too-cool attire during interviews. And for 58 minutes, Norvell's Rams backed up the talk.
But this is Colorado and Coach Prime and the Sanders kids, and we all knew the story wouldn't end without some drama. After all, The Rock was on the sideline for this one, and he would never be associated with an overhyped disappointment -- unless you count "Black Adam." Or "Jungle Cruise." Or "Jumanji: Next Level." OK, perhaps this was a bad example.
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https://accfootballrx.blogspot.com/2023/09/saturday-early-results-2023-sep-16.html (RX; HM)
Saturday Early Results 2023 Sep 16
Here are the Saturday ACC football results as of 7:00 pm...
Unofficial 2023 ACC/B1G Football Challenge Results
Saturday early game
Louisville 21, Indiana 14 W
(in Indianapolis)
Saturday mid-day games
Virginia Tech 16, Rutgers 35 LNorthwestern 14, Duke 38 W
Minnesota 13, N. Carolina 31 W
Friday night (repeat)
Virginia 14, Maryland 42 LSo far this weekend, the ACC/B1G "Challenge" stands at 3-2 in favor of the ACC. If we include last week's VT/Purdue game, it's 3-3 for the season, with the "rubber match" tonight as Syracuse visits Purdue.
__________
Other early games
Florida State 31, Boston College 29Wake Forest 27, Old Dominion 24
VMI 7, NC State 45
The FSU/BC and WF/ODU games have something in common: those games meant much more to the home teams, and it showed in the effort BC and ODU gave. They came close to a pair of upsets! Of course, that didn't apply to NC State, who was the home team (and against an FCS opponent, too).
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https://accfootballrx.blogspot.com/2023/09/saturday-evening-results-2023-sep-16.html (RX; HM)
Saturday Evening Results 2023 Sep 16
Here are the Saturday ACC football late results...
Saturday Evening/Late Games
ACC/B1G Challenge:
Syracuse 35, Purdue 20 WACC wins the unofficial ACC/B1G Challenge, 4-3.
ACC/SEC Challenge:
Georgia Tech 23, Ole Miss 48 LThe ACC now leads the SEC 4-2. Four games remain, all in the final week.
Back Yard Brawl:
Pittsburgh 6, W Virginia 17 LCan't win 'em all. The Brawl returns to Steel City next year.
Other
FAU 14, Clemson 48 WNice warm-up game for the Tigers
Newbies:
Idaho 17, California 31 WPrairie View A&M 0, SMU 69 W
Sacramento St 30, Stanford 23 L
Cal may not be all that bad this year... but Stanford is!
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https://accfootballrx.blogspot.com/2023/09/acc-p5-ooc-pelts-2013-2022.html (RX; HM)
ACC P5 OOC Pelts, 2013-2022
Non-conference wins is what defines the narrative of whether your conference is any good or not, and wins over other P5 teams just magnifies that effect by also bringing those guys down a bit.
How many different P5 non-conference teams has each ACC team beaten from the beginning of the 2013 season through Week 3 of the 2023 season?
Here's a list of the P5 opponents taken down by each ACC school over the last 10 years and 3 weeks:
| ACC Team | # | P5 OOC Teams beaten |
| Clemson | 8 | S. Carolina, Texas A/M, Oklahoma, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Alabama, Georgia, Iowa State |
| Florida State | 8 | Ole Miss, Michigan, Auburn, Oklahoma St, Florida, Notre Dame, LSU, Oklahoma |
| Duke | 5 | Baylor, Kansas, Indiana, Northwestern, Notre Dame |
| Pitt | 5 | Notre Dame, Penn State, Tennessee, WVU, UCLA |
| Virginia Tech | 5 | W Virginia, Purdue, Arkansas, Ohio State, Notre Dame |
| Wake Forest | 5 | Texas A/M, Indiana, Rutgers, Vanderbilt, Missouri |
| Louisville | 5 | Rutgers, Texas A/M, Purdue, Kentucky, Inciana |
| Boston College | 4 | Rutgers, Maryland, USC, Missouri |
| Georgia Tech | 4 | Vanderbilt, Mississippi St, Kentucky, Georgia |
| Miami | 4 | W Virginia, Nebraska, Florida, Notre Dame |
| NC State | 4 | Arizona State, Vanderbilt, Notre Dame, Texas Tech |
| Syracuse | 3 | W Virginia, Minnesota, Purdue |
| N Carolina | 3 | Illinois, S Carolina, Minnesota |
| Virginia | 2 | S Carolina, Illinois |
P5 non-conference victories are rare because, well, P5 non-conference games are rare. Most teams only get, at most, three shots at this per season (and for many, it's only one).
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https://accfootballrx.blogspot.com/2023/09/undefeated-as-of-2023-sep-17.html (RX; HM)
Undefeated as of 2023 Sep 17
Which teams still have a zero in the loss column?
FBS UNBEATENS, by conference
Pac-12: (8) USC, Colorado, Oregon, Oregon St, UCLA, Utah, Washington, Wash. StateACC: (7) Duke, FSU, Louisville, Miami, UNC, Syracuse, Wake
Big Ten: (6) Ohio State, Penn State, Rutgers, Maryland, Michigan, Iowa
Big XII: (5) BYU, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, UCF
SEC: (5) Georgia, Kentucky, Missouri, Auburn, Ole Miss
MWC: (2) Air Force, Fresno St
American: (1) Memphis
C-USA: (1) Liberty
Independents: (1) Notre Dame
MAC: (0) none
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https://accfootballrx.blogspot.com/2023/09/ap-poll-2023-sep-17th.html (RX; HM)
AP Poll 2023 Sep 17th
Week 3 was loaded with more "showdown" P5-vs-P5 games, which of course necessitates some changes to the Top 25...
| AP Top 25 | ||
| RK | TEAM | REC |
| 1 | Georgia | 3-0 |
| 2 | Michigan | 3-0 |
| 3 | Texas | 3-0 |
| 4 | Florida St | 3-0 |
| 5 | USC | 3-0 |
| 6 | Ohio State | 3-0 |
| 7 | Penn State | 3-0 |
| 8 | Washington | 3-0 |
| 9 | Notre Dame | 4-0 |
| 10 | Oregon | 3-0 |
| 11 | Utah | 3-0 |
| 12 | LSU | 2-1 |
| 13 | Alabama | 2-1 |
| 14 | Oregon St | 3-0 |
| 15 | Ole Miss | 3-0 |
| 16 | Oklahoma | 3-0 |
| 17 | N Carolina | 3-0 |
| 18 | Duke | 3-0 |
| 19 | Colorado | 3-0 |
| 20 | Miami | 3-0 |
| 21 | Wash. State | 3-0 |
| 22 | UCLA | 3-0 |
| 23 | Tennessee | 2-1 |
| 24 | Iowa | 3-0 |
| 25 | Florida | 2-1 |
| Others receiving votes: | ||
| 26 | Clemson | 2-1 |
| 27 | Missouri | 3-0 |
| 28 | Kansas St | 2-1 |
| 29 | TCU | 2-1 |
| 30 | Fresno St | 3-2 |
| 31 | Kansas | 3-0 |
| 32 | Tulane | 2-1 |
| 33 | Kentucky | 3-0 |
| 34 | Maryland | 3-0 |
| 35 | BYU | 3-0 |
| 36t | Wisconsin | 2-1 |
| 36t | Syracuse | 3-0 |
| 38t | Louisville | 3-0 |
| 38t | Auburn | 3-0 |
COMMENTS:
After this weekend, ACC teams are 8-5 vs the Big Ten and the SEC - yet not a single ACC team was added to the rankings.Florida State was dropped a spot for only beating Boston College by two points... at BC... on Red Bandanna Day.
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Other
Each machine is roughly the size of a bus. Shipping their components requires 40 freight containers, three cargo planes and 20 trucks. Photograph ASHL
https://www.syracuse.com/business/2...and-so-are-the-worlds-top-chip-suppliers.html (PS; $; Coin)
When Micron Technology’s massive semiconductor plant opens in Clay a few years from now, it will be anchored by some of the most advanced and complex technology ever invented.
The centerpiece of the plant would be tractor-trailer-sized machines called EUVs, which cost in the neighborhood of $200 million to $500 million each. The machines lay the critical foundation for the 1,200 steps a silicon wafer goes through to become a computer chip, or semiconductor.
The sole maker of this highest-tech tool in the highest-tech industry is a Netherlands-based firm called ASML. The company has cornered the market on EUVs, which create the microscopic patterns that produce faster, more information-laden chips at a lower cost than any other similar machine on the planet.
Those machines are so complex that ASML would follow them to Clay, too, to keep them running 24 hours a day. That may mean ASML would deploy dozens of high-paid engineers and warehouse workers to a site near Micron’s Clay fabrication plants, or fabs.
ASML would be just the tip of a technology and supply chain iceberg that would crystallize around the four fabs Micron plans to build over the next 20 years. Dozens of the world’s best-known semiconductor companies are expected to converge in Micron’s back yard, all to support the astonishingly precise production process that transforms sand into the electronic underpinnings of modern life.
“I think Micron will demand it from their suppliers,” said Kevin Younis, a Syracuse native who helped land Micron as executive deputy commissioner of the state’s economic development agency. “I think that’ll be part of when they say, ‘Hey, you want to bid this contract? We need to know you’re not driving (parts) in from Texas, you’re not flying them in from Asia. You’re down the street.’”
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This 2015 file photo shows scary clowns at Frightmare Farms Haunted Scream Park. Matt Adams | syracuse.com
https://www.syracuse.com/entertainm...lloween-attractions-events-and-scary-fun.html (PS; Herbert)
If you’re looking for a screaming good time, check out our list of 2023 Halloween things to do in Central New York.
There are more than a dozen haunted houses in the Syracuse area, plus spooky hayrides, trails of terror, ghost tours, scream parks and more thrills. Highlights include the twisted labyrinth at Frightmare Farms, evil clowns in Penny’s Playhouse at Fright Nights, a jail break at Demon Acres, a zombie zip line at Greek Peak, a costume bar crawl in downtown Syracuse, and chances to hear real ghost stories.
But beware: Some places are not recommended for younger audiences and may require cash only. (Also, make sure you’ve got someone to hold your hand if you scare easily!) And plan ahead: The two busiest times of the season are expected to be the third Saturday in October and Friday the 13th.
Frightmare Farms Haunted Scream Park
What: Frightmare Farms’ Haunted Scream Park, located half an hour outside of Syracuse, features a haunted house, twisted labyrinth, a condemned mine trail, and a haunted hayride through the forest. Voted scariest experience by syracuse.com readers.
When: Fridays and Saturdays from 7-10 p.m. starting Oct. 6, plus Sundays Oct. 8, 22 and 29 from 6:45-9 p.m.
Where: 4816 State Route 49, Palermo, N.Y. 13069
Price: $20 for one attraction, $30 for two, $37 for three, $44 for four; or $65 for VIP admission (skip the line) to all four attractions. Get $2 off with valid Military, Police, Fire, EMS, or college student ID.
More info: frightmarefarms.net
Fright Nights
What: Formerly known as “Fright Nights at the Fair,” the expanded location in an 82,000 square foot factory near Carrier Circle features five haunted attractions, including evil clowns in Penny’s Playhouse and the Devil’s Dungeon Slide to Hell. The “greatest haunt on earth” was named one of the 20 best haunted attractions in the Northeast by USA Today.
When: Fridays and Saturdays, 7 p.m. to midnight; Sundays, 7-11 p.m. Oct. 6-29
Where: 1 LePage Place, Syracuse, N.Y.
Price: $30 for all 5 houses
More info: thefrightnights.com or 315-416-3995
Spooktacular Stroll
What: CNY’s not-so-scary, family-friendly walk-through experience (formerly known as “Halloween at the Park”) features ghosts, ghouls, witches, skeletons, mummies and more from the Lights on the Lake team. There will also be food trucks, popcorn and carnival games.
When: Thursdays through Sundays in October (starting Oct. 5) from 5-9 p.m.; dogs welcome Thursdays (with a Dog-O-Ween costume contest weekly); Sundays are “treats on the trail night” with option to purchase a trick-or-treat bag
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