sutomcat
No recent Cali or Iggy awards; Mr Irrelevant
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Welcome to Mischief Night!
Mischief Night is an evening filled with mischief and pranks done to neighbors, mainly carried out by children and teenagers. Steeped in folk tradition, the holiday usually takes place the night before Halloween. In practice, the holiday separates the trick from the treat of trick-or-treating, which is an activity often done on Halloween. Although, in some circumstances, Mischief Night is observed on Halloween night and is combined with trick-or-treating.
SU News
Film Review: How Syracuse totaled zero rushing yards against the Hokies (DO; Miller)
LeQuint Allen Jr. finished with 42 rushing yards against Virginia Tech. Garrett Shrader finished with -42. By the end of the night, Syracuse finished with zero rushing yards against a VT side which ranks 10th in the Atlantic Coast Conference in rushing yards allowed.
The Hokies’ front bullied Syracuse’s offensive line throughout, leaving limited rushing lanes for Allen Jr. His 110-yard performance against FSU was far from replicated. Plus, Shrader was sacked eight times, having little success on designed runs.
Despite head coach Dino Babers’ confidence that less-talented defenses would yield better offensive production, Syracuse’s rushing attack often went backwards Thursday. Those negative plays put the Orange behind the sticks, digging a hole they couldn’t climb out of.
Here’s what led to Syracuse’s (4-4, 0-4 ACC) rushing failures in the 38-10 loss to Virginia Tech (4-4, 3-1 ACC):
Eight sacks deflate the Orange
The first play from scrimmage set a precedent for the game. With nowhere to throw and Antwaun Powell-Ryland Jr. in his face, Shrader spun out of the pocket and got tripped up. As he fell, Shrader tried to flip it to the boundary, but there was no receiver in the area. On top of the sack, he was hit with intentional grounding, which brought up 2nd-and-21.Shrader lost a total of 54 yards on sacks, meaning his pure rushing total was three rushes for 12 yards. In the past, Shrader and Babers have acknowledged Shrader’s dual-threat ability as an integral part of the offense. His inability to get the ground game going put the SU offense against the wall, and he couldn’t throw his way out.
This isn’t all on Shrader. The offensive line could not handle the Hokies’ eighth-ranked pass rush in the ACC, according to PFF, which provided no scramble lanes and constant pressure. Of the 20 players graded by PFF, not a single SU blocker had a run blocking grade of 62 or above.
LeQuint hit at the line
Syracuse started the game with four-straight three-and-outs. Most of the time, it began with rushes downed behind the sticks. Penalties also contributed to the long field early on.
The second drive of the game started that way, ending quickly. On 1st-and-15, following a false start, Allen Jr. got the handoff from the shotgun. Offensive guard Chris Bleich got caught up while pulling across the line. Two other blockers also failed to push into the second level as the Hokies’ big men forced them backwards.
Allen Jr. was stuck behind Bleich and tight end Dan Villari, who also failed to clear on the pull. With three defenders either at or behind the line of scrimmage, Allen Jr. attempted a spin move. Keli Lawson shedded Villari’s block and brought Allen Jr. down from behind for a 1-yard loss.
The failures up front persisted throughout this game. SU’s longest rush was just 14 yards, and Allen Jr. averaged just 3.0 yards per carry, following a 1.2-yard average in the first half. Trailing 30-3 at the half, Syracuse totaled -3 rushing yards and only managed to get back to even in the second half.
Read Option gets shut down
Syracuse vs. Virginia Tech Full Game Replay | 2023 ACC Football
Virginia Tech looked dominant in a 38-10 home victory over Syracuse. Hokies QB Kyron Drones threw the ball 24 times and racked up 15 receptions, 250 total ya...
youtu.be
https://waw.dailyorange.com/2023/10/syracuses-offense-is-past-concerning-it-might-be-a-lost-cause/ (DO; Alandt)
Syracuse’s offense tried to run the ball against North Carolina and slowed the tempo against Florida State. Against Virginia Tech, it implemented a more spread-heavy offense, starting the game with three passes and a run. None of it worked and SU fell to its fourth consecutive blowout defeat.
The Hokies were supposed to be a team Syracuse could compete with out of the bye week. The Orange sounded confident on Monday and Tuesday. The extra rest had worked, film reviewed in a different way and picked out holes that it was ready to fix. The message was clear: Stop stalling out drives with self-inflicted wounds, and there’d be success, especially against teams that SU does well against.
None of that happened, though. Syracuse went three-and-out on its first four drives. It didn’t get past the 50-yard line until more than 20 minutes into the game. It gained 61 rushing yards and 137 receiving yards. Whether it was a miscue or a mistake, the offensive woes continued.
“It’s starting to be a thing, and I’m not satisfied with that. We have to find a way to stop that,” head coach Dino Babers said.
Consecutive losses to Clemson, North Carolina and Florida State were brushed aside. Babers simply said that the opponent was full of future NFL talent after every loss. He said the second half of the season was going to be “easier.” But in the Orange’s (4-4, 0-4 Atlantic Coast) 38-10 loss to the Hokies (4-4, 3-1), that similar lack of an offensive identity continued. Now, Babers said he and offensive coordinator Jason Beck need to figure out what this offense can do well.
The only time SU’s offense looked productive Thursday night was when it was down 32-3. A crop of Virginia Tech’s starters were out already, moved on to the Hokies’ next game against Louisville. The Orange completed an 80-yard drive that ended with a nifty play action pass over the middle from Garrett Shrader to Dan Villari.
The drive was puzzling. Why was Syracuse able to move the ball so easily down the field? The Orange hadn’t seen a drive that successful since Clemson in Week 5. “We’re the offense where y’all see at 4-0. We just gotta bring it back out,” Damien Alford said after the loss. But what was it to begin with?
Beck doesn’t have an established record of being a play caller. For the last nine seasons, across three schools, Beck’s been Robin to former offensive coordinator Robert Anae’s Batman. It felt through the first four games that there would be little change. Shrader talked about the excitement of going into the second season of a system. Donovan Brown and Umari Hatcher took over for Devaughn Cooper in the slot that Beck typically moved around to confuse opposing secondaries. Isaiah Jones and Alford were the deep threats making spectacular catches. Then the realities of a college football season set in.
“That’s been the biggest thing, fighting an uphill battle. Some guys are a little bit out of position,” Shrader said.
The free and loose style of play that offensive skill position players preached throughout training camp and during the early part of the season began to falter. Multiple players, along with Babers, that the offense had a lot of guys out of position after the loss to Virginia Tech. Shrader said there’s a great deal of “learning them on the fly” throughout the course of a game.
Over the last four weeks, creative and explosive has been traded in for dull, ineffective and complacent. Sprinkle in penalties and miscues and the Orange’s offense has hardly been able to move the ball across midfield. LeQuint Allen Jr. said it’s a matter of each guy on the field doing their “1/11th” so that the entire offense can work as a unit. Syracuse hasn’t done that.
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Garrett Shrader, players to watch in the Syracuse vs. Boston College football game - November 3 (usatoday.com; Skrive)
On Friday at 7:30 PM ET, Damien Alford and the Syracuse Orange (4-4) will host the Boston College Eagles (5-3).
How to watch Syracuse vs. Boston College on TV or streaming
- When: Friday, November 3, 2023 at 7:30 PM ET
- Location: JMA Wireless Dome in Syracuse, New York
- TV: ESPN2
Orange players
- Garrett Shrader: 1,513 PASS YDS / 189.1 YPG / 62.4% / 9 TD / 5 INT / 89 CAR / 316 RUSH YDS / 6 TD
- LeQuint Allen: 119 CAR / 553 YDS / 69.1 YPG / 7 TD / 25 REC / 170 YDS / 21.3 YPG / 1 TD
- Alford: 24 REC / 389 YDS / 48.6 YPG / 1 TD
- Umari Hatcher: 22 REC / 356 YDS / 44.5 YPG / 2 TD
- Donovan Brown: 23 REC / 305 YDS / 38.1 YPG / 1 TD
- Marlowe Wax: 57 TKL / 5.0 TFL / 4.0 SACK
- Justin Barron: 52 TKL / 2.0 TFL / 0.5 SACK / 2 INT / 2 PD
Eagles players
- Thomas Castellanos: 1,571 PASS YDS / 196.4 YPG / 58.5% / 11 TD / 7 INT / 125 CAR / 673 RUSH YDS / 9 TD
- Kye Robichaux: 99 CAR / 495 YDS / 61.9 YPG / 6 TD / 9 REC / 86 YDS / 10.8 YPG / 0 TD
- Lewis Bond: 31 REC / 437 YDS / 54.6 YPG / 5 TD
- Joseph Griffin Jr.: 21 REC / 261 YDS / 32.6 YPG / 1 TD
- Ryan O’Keefe: 23 REC / 235 YDS / 29.4 YPG / 1 TD
- Shitta Sillah: 13 TKL / 2.0 TFL / 2.0 SACK
- Vinny DePalma: 43 TKL / 1.0 TFL
- Elijah Jones: 18 TKL / 3 INT / 3 PD
Syracuse stats
- The Orange rank 80th in total offense (367.0 yards per game) and 98th in total defense (399.1 yards allowed per game) this year.
- Syracuse is putting up 220.9 passing yards per game on offense (76th in the FBS), and ranks 108th on defense with 250.0 passing yards allowed per game.
- The Orange are putting up 146.1 rushing yards per game on offense this year (79th in the FBS), and they are allowing 149.1 rushing yards per game (81st) on defense.
- From an offensive standpoint, Syracuse ranks 51st in the FBS with a 42.2% third-down conversion rate. Meanwhile, the team’s defense ranks 100th in third-down conversion rate allowed (149.1).
- With 12 forced turnovers (54th in the FBS) against 12 turnovers committed (79th in the FBS), the Orange (0) own the 66th-ranked turnover margin in college football.
Syracuse vs. Virginia Tech Full Game Replay | 2023 ACC Football (youtube; video; ACC DN)
Virginia Tech looked dominant in a 38-10 home victory over Syracuse. Hokies QB Kyron Drones threw the ball 24 times and racked up 15 receptions, 250 total yards, and a touchdown. RB Bhayshul Tuten toted the ball 18 times for 118 yards and a touchdown of his own. VT’s defense was stellar throughout, holding Syracuse QB Garrett Shrader to just 138 yards while sacking him 8 times and allowing exactly zero rushing yards.
Louisville Football: Highlights v. Duke
#18 Louisville Cardinals shutout the #20 Duke Blue Devils, 23-0, at L&N Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 28.
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Dwight Freeney Set for Nov. 3 NFF Hall of Fame On-Campus Salute, Presented by Fidelity Investments® - National Football Foundation (footballfoundation.org)
Syracuse and The National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Hall of Fame announced today that they will jointly honor 2023 College Football Hall of Fame electee Dwight Freeney with an NFF Hall of Fame On-Campus Salute, presented by Fidelity Investments®. The Salute will take place this Friday, Nov. 3, during the Orange's home football game against Boston College, which will kick off at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2.
"Holding the NCAA record for career pass sacks per game, Dwight Freeney unnerved opposing quarterbacks while leading the Orange to three bowl berths and authoring one of the best defensive performances in Syracuse football history," said NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell. "We are thrilled to honor him at the JMA Wireless Dome as a member of the 2023 College Football Hall of Fame Class."
The NFF Hall of Fame On-Campus Salute program, which began with the inaugural College Football Hall of Fame Class in 1951, has become a hallowed tradition, and to this day the singular events remain the first of numerous activities in the Hall of Fame experience.
During the NFF Hall of Fame On-Campus Salutes, each electee returns to his respective school to accept a Hall of Fame plaque that will stay on permanent display at the institution. The events take place on the field during a home game, and many Hall of Famers cite the experience as the ultimate capstone to their careers, providing them one more chance to take the field and be recognized in front of their home crowd.
A 2001 unanimous First Team All-American, Freeney was a finalist for the Bednarik, Lombardi and Nagurski awards, and he finished ninth in 2001 Heisman Trophy voting. He holds the NCAA record for career pass sacks per game (1.61), and he finished his career as the NCAA leader in single-season sacks with 17.5 in 2001. He had eight forced fumbles in 2001, which currently places him third in the NCAA record books, and he averaged .67 forced fumbles per game in 2001. His 4.5 sacks against Virginia Tech on Oct. 21, 2000, set a conference record.
The 2001 team captain and MVP, Freeney currently holds school records for career (50.5) and single season tackle for loss (25.5 in 2001) and forced fumbles in a career (14). He finished his career with 104 tackles and 34 sacks, second only to College Football Hall of Famer Tim Green on Syracuse's all-time list.
Freeney led the Orange to three bowl berths, including a 20-13 win over Kentucky in the 1999 Music City Bowl and a 26-3 victory over Kansas State in the 2001 Insight.com Bowl. During his four seasons in upstate New York, he helped guide the Cuse to a 31-17 record and a No. 25 final national ranking in 1998 and the No. 14 spot in 2001. His efforts landed him an invitation to participate in the 2002 Senior Bowl.
A two-time unanimous First Team All-Big East performer and a two-time First Team All-ECAC selection, Freeney helped Syracuse claim the 1998 Big East title, and he shared Defensive Player of the Year honors with College Football Hall of Famer Ed Reed (Miami, FL) in 2001.
Drafted in the first round of the NFL Draft (11th overall) by the Colts, Freeney played in Indianapolis from 2002-12, San Diego (2013-14), Arizona (2015), Atlanta (2016) and Seattle/Detroit (2017). He was a seven-time Pro Bowl selection, and he was named First Team All-Pro three times (2004-05, 2009) and Second Team All-Pro in 2003. He helped the Colts win Super Bowl XLI in 2007.
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How Syracuse football transfers fared: Jawhar Jordan leads Louisville over Duke (PS; Owens)
Louisville running back Jawhar Jordan, who left the Cardinals’ last game with a hamstring injury, roared back on Saturday to lead his team to a 23-0 home shutout of No. 20 Duke on Saturday.
Jordan rushed for a career-high 163 yards on 21 carries, including first-quarter touchdown runs of 14 and 23 yards to stake the Cardinals an early 14-0 lead.
“We didn’t miss a beat in the running game,” Jordan said after the game. “The O-line made my job easy. They were doing their part. I just ran the ball.”
Jordan has rushed for 824 yards and 10 touchdowns on 110 carries this season, an average of 7.5 yards per carry. He also has 10 receptions for 174 and a touchdown.
Jordan appeared in four games for Syracuse in 2019 as a redshirt freshman, and three more in 2020 before a knee injury ended his season. He transferred to Louisville before the 2021 season.
The Cardinals, who moved up to No. 15 in the latest Associated Press poll, face Virginia Tech at home on Saturday.
Here’s a look at how other Syracuse transfers fared over the weekend.
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GIFTORY: Frame-by-Frame Highlight Reel of Virginia Tech's 38-10 Win Over Syracuse (thekeyplay.com; photo gallery; Lanza)
GIFTORY: FRAME-BY-FRAME HIGHLIGHT REEL OF VIRGINIA TECH'S 38-10 WIN OVER SYRACUSE
Virginia Tech Football: 3 dominating performances against Syracuse (fightinggobbler.com; Roche)
It was another dominating all-around effort for the Virginia Tech football team Thursday night in a 38-10 win over Syracuse at Lane Stadium. In the win, several different players stepped up, but here are three players who had a big role in the victory.
Bhayshul Tuten
It was clear early in the game that the Hokies were going to establish the run once again. Things started well for the North Carolina A&T transfer, but he left with an injury but returned and Virginia Tech is glad he did as he put the finishing touches on a strong first half with a touchdown.Bhayshul Tuten finished with 118 yards rushing of the Hokies’ 318 in the game, he had a touchdown and returned after he exited the game at the end of the first quarter when he closed the quarter on a 10-yard run and limped off the field. He did not return to begin the second quarter to finish off the drive, but he returned for the next drive. It was his most impressive game hitting the holes and beating the defenders to the outside and getting upfield. He continues to get better and better each game in the last month.
Kyron Drones
The first few throws for quarterback Kyron Drones were not pretty as he overthrew his receivers and on his first throw, he missed a wide-open Stepehn Gosnell in an underneath route who plenty of green grass in front of him. As the game went along, he got better and connected with Da’Quan Felton and Jaylin Lane for some big plays.Drones finished 15-for-24 for 194 yards through the air and a 62-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter to Felton. Later in the quarter, he hit Jaylin Lane for 41 yards down to the Orange 10-yard line, which set up Tuten’s touchdown run. Drones also finished with 65 yards rushing on eight carries. It was a slow start, but once he got going, he was tough to stop in the opening half.
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Turning A Corner (sportswar,.com; Coleman)
When you start winning football games, every game suddenly becomes “the biggest game of the Brent Pry era at Virginia Tech.” I wasn’t around to write the game preview ahead of Syracuse, but I did write this on the boards a few hours before the game:
“Things seem like they are starting to turn for the better, so it’s very important to keep that momentum going. It would be three wins in a row against beatable teams, which is a huge sign of progress. The Hokies have shown they can beat bad teams. ‘Cuse is probably mediocre/slightly below average, so that would be another step up. If Tech does win, the turn wouldn’t be complete, but it would be closer to being complete. It’ll have to beat a good team at some point, but winning this would complete the first stage of the turnaround, I believe.”
I think I was wrong about Syracuse being a mediocre/slightly below average team. Look at its last four results. That’s a bad team. But still, unlike the Pitt and Wake Forest games, which featured some moments of doubt, the Hokies planted their foot firmly on the throat of the Orange in the first quarter and never took it off. It was thorough domination in all three phases of the game from start to finish.
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Virginia Tech football: 5 takeaways from Hokies’ 38-10 win over Syracuse (gobblercountry.com; Manning)
The Virginia Tech Hokies improved to 4-4 on the season after Thursday night’s 38-10 beatdown of the Syracuse Orange in Blacksburg. The win was Tech’s first over Syracuse as ACC foes. The two Big East rivals had only played twice since ‘Cuse entered the ACC in 2013.
It was a convincing and thorough performance from the Hokies that left many fans wondering if this could even be real. Remember the days when blowouts were the norm in Lane Stadium?
Virginia Tech dominated in all three phases from start to finish.
Here are five takeaways from Thursday’s win.
The offensive line was moving bodies
One of the biggest concerns from any Virginia Tech fan has been the offensive line. Whether it’s recruiting or development, the loss of Joe Rudolph, or bringing his replacement, it’s been a tumultuous year for Tech’s offensive line.We've seen some improvement from the group in recent weeks. Offensive line coach Ron Crook has tinkered with the lineup, and it appears to be working. On Thursday, the Hokies had their best performance from the front five in years. VT ran for 318 yards against Syracuse. Bhayshul Tuten rushed for 118 yards and a touchdown. He could’ve had more. Tuten always gains positive yardage. Malachi Thomas looked great. He rushed for 87 yards and could’ve had more. QB Kyron Drones finished with 56 yards.
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Tim Leonard "The 315" 10-27-23 (ESPN; radio; The 315)
Syracuse women’s basketball and men’s lacrosse play-by-play man Tim Leonard joins Brian Higgins to recap last night’s SU-VT game, discuss what to expect from SUMBB’s exhibition game tonight, and more.
Keeping Up With The 315 10-27-23 (ESPN; radio; The 315)
Brian Higgins starts the show looking back on what past Syracuse football coaches sold to the fanbase and how they delivered on those promises. Then, some callers chime in frustrated with the Orange’s performance against Virginia Tech last night. Later, Brian looks at how some other Syracuse Athletics programs are doing that you may not have your eye on right now.
Syracuse Football: I love Dino Babers, but it’s time for change at the top (itlh; Adler)
I despise writing this column on Syracuse football head coach Dino Babers. I really do.
Without question, I think that he is a stand-up person. A good, kind, loving human being. I also think he’s a solid head coach.
At the same time, I feel like perhaps it’s time for a head-coaching change on the Hill, and many Orange fans echoed that sentiment in the wake of the ‘Cuse getting crushed for the fourth game in a row on Thursday night in Blacksburg, Va., on prime-time television.
We all knew that the three-game Atlantic Coast Conference stretch that recently transpired was brutal for Syracuse football. Clemson at home, followed by North Carolina and Florida State on the road.
However, then the Orange had a bye week to rest and regroup. Yes, the ‘Cuse had to travel to Virginia Tech for a third road affair in a row, but the Hokies haven’t appeared to be on the same level in the 2023 season as that other trio of Atlantic Coast Conference heavyweights (I acknowledge that Clemson isn’t stellar this year, but it’s still Clemson).
Virginia Tech dominated Syracuse football, the latest dud for the Orange and head coach Dino Babers.
Ahead of its encounter at Virginia Tech, I picked the ‘Cuse to knock off the Hokies. Whoops. Virginia Tech was a small betting favorite, and playing at home. I guess I was naive with this projection.
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Syracuse football: Time is running out for Dino Babers (TNIAAM; Wall)
I was a Syracuse Orange season ticket holder as the end of the Paul Pasqualoni tenure was unfolding. Despite earning a bowl bid, you could sense it was time for a change.
We all know that things went from bad to worse, but if Syracuse fans are honest about their hindsight they’d agree that the program had slipped and needed a change. Watching the Orange stumble at Virginia Tech last night brought back those same feelings.
Dino Babers might end up getting Syracuse to back-to-back bowl games. The administration is finally investing in the program. There were reasons I preached patience and development of a succession plan.....until last night.
Last night turned into a three-hour national undressing of the Syracuse football program by Virginia Tech and ESPN. I don’t think you’ll find anyone associated with the program who enjoyed hearing the harsh, honest assessment of the performance. There was no escaping the fact that Syracuse was completely dominated by an opponent who is playing better, but is still a very average squad.
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Syracuse football: Orange open as slight favorites at home against Boston College (TNIAAM; Tomaiuolo)
Things are unraveling for Syracuse Orange football after a fourth straight loss. What was expected to be a close game in Blacksburg turned into a Virginia Tech demolition of SU, and now questions surround the future of head coach Dino Babers. Now, Boston College heads to the Salt City on a four-game win streak, looking to become bowl-eligible for the 30th time in school history.
But DraftKings is confident Syracuse can return to its winning ways, opening the Orange as 4-point favorites against the Eagles. The over/under line has not been set. After covering the spread in each of its first three games, SU has failed to do so in its last five contests. The over cashed by a point against the Hokies, but 6-of-8 Syracuse games finished under the point total, thanks to its offense scoring 20 points in the last month.
BC comes into this one rolling on all cylinders, most recently beating UConn by seven on Saturday for its fourth straight dub. They’ve also won outright as underdogs against Army and Georgia Tech, then defeating Virginia by a field goal. Overall, the Eagles are 3-5 ATS and 7-1 O/U.
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Syracuse May Not Win Another Game (orangefizz.net; Griffin)
After last night’s terrible, horrible, no good, very bad showing in Blacksburg, Syracuse has gone from 4-0 to 4-4. The Orange looked like locks to qualify for a bowl game after taking down Army in mid-to-late September, that is anything but the case now. Entering last night’s game, there was a legitimate case to be made that SU could win all five games, but there was also a world in which all five games could be Ls. Not only is the latter option the only one of the two that could happen now, but there is a very legitimate possibility that it does happen. We’ll go opponent-by-opponent before going in-depth on Syracuse at the end.
BOSTON COLLEGE
Talk about two teams trending in opposite directions. The Eagles hit rock bottom after falling to Northern Illinois at home in week 1 and barely escaping FCS Holy Cross in week 2. But dual threat QB Thomas Castellanos has BC at 4-3 with a layup on Saturday in the form of a UConn team that has fallen back to Earth after last season. Boston College should be playing with both momentum and for bowl eligiblity a week from tonight, neither of which Syracuse can claim. Oh, this could also be considered a rivalry, which adds more fuel to it....
Syracuse lays an egg at Virginia Tech: Is this the unofficial end of the Dino Babers' era? (youtube; video; Axe & Leiker)
Syracuse.com's Brent Axe and Emily Leiker breakdown Syracuse football''s 38-10 loss to Virginia Tech on Thursday, Oct. 27, 2023.
Axe: Babers’ on-field results are hindering Syracuse University’s stated vision for football (PS; podcast; Axe)
Syracuse lays an egg at Virginia Tech: Is this the unofficial end of the Dino Babers' era?
Syracuse.com's Brent Axe and Emily Leiker breakdown Syracuse football''s 38-10 loss to Virginia Tech on Thursday, Oct. 27, 2023. It was the fourth straight l...
youtu.be
It has taken just more than a month for the stated vision of Syracuse University football, set by Chancellor Kent Syverud and AD John Wildhack, to steer miles off course under head coach Dino Babers.
“This team is well-coached,” Syverud said at the groundbreaking for the new John A. Lally Athletic Complex Football Operations Center on Sept.22. “I just need to say that twice. This team is well-coached and it’s ready for challenges.”
Syracuse defeated Army 29-19 at the JMA Dome the day after that speech but has since lost four straight games by a combined score of 150-34. All of those games were on national television via ESPN and ABC.
It needs to be said, twice, that this team is not well-coached right now.
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Two CNY coaches to be inducted into Greater Syracuse Sports Hall of Fame (localsyr.com; McMullen)
A Little Falls native and a Hamilton basketball coach will headline the 2023 class of the Greater Syracuse Sports Hall of Fame, which will hold its induction ceremony on Monday, October 30.
Bob Casullo, who is originally from Little Falls, is one of nine members who will be inducted on Monday. Casullo, who was a three-sport athlete for the Mounties, coached football at several levels for 38 years, including two stints at Syracuse University. He coached at the high school level as well, serving for 12 seasons at Henninger and Baldwinsville.
Casullo was also a respected coach at the pro level, coaching with the Raiders, Jets, Buccaneers and Seahawks. He has coached in one Section III title game, ten bowl games and two Super Bowls.
Also earning his spot in the Greater Syracuse Sports Hall of Fame is Hamilton basketball head coach Tom Blackford. Currently, Blackford is the winningest coach in Section III boys’ basketball history and the fifth-winningest coach in the state, with a record of 607-290 as coach at Hamilton and Fayetteville-Manlius. Blackford also coached the Emerald Knights to two state championships — in 1994 and 2000 — as well as coaching NBA star Adonal Foyle.
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ACC News
Friedlander: What we learned about every ACC team in Week 9 - Saturday Road (saturdayroad; Friedlander)
The Coastal Division might be gone. But the chaos for which it was famous is still alive and well in the ACC.
Just 2 weeks ago, Florida State and North Carolina were both ranked among the nation’s top 10 and appeared to be on a collision course to meet for the conference championship in Charlotte on Dec. 2.
With the Tar Heels and fellow contender Duke both losing for the 2nd straight week, the new favorite to meet FSU for the league title is the winner of next week’s game between Louisville and Virginia Tech – teams that were picked to finish 8th and 11th in the preseason poll.
But then, with 4 weeks still remaining in the regular season, there’s no telling what kind of chaos is still to come.
While we wait to find out, here’s a look at everything we learned about each of the ACC’s 14 teams during an unpredictable Week 9:
Boston College
There’s something about UConn that brings out the worst in the Eagles. This year, though, Jeff Hafley’s team found a way to grind out a victory against the lowly Huskies. In the process, we learned that Thomas Castellanos, the league rusher in the nation among quarterbacks, isn’t BC’s only productive runner.Western Kentucky transfer Kye Robichaux picked up 112 yards and 2 touchdowns on the ground while sophomore Alex Broome added 80 more as the ACC’s best rushing team rolled up 242 in a closer-than-expected 21-14 win.
At 5-3 with 4 straight wins, the Eagles need only 1 more victory in their final 4 games to earn bowl eligibility. Only 1 of those remaining opponents, Miami, has a winning record.
Clemson
We learned a lot about the Tigers in their 24-17 loss at NC State.We learned that their streak of consecutive double-digit wins seasons will end at 10. Even if they win out, the best they can do is 9 wins. They haven’t had that few since going 6-7 in 2011.
We learned that coupled with last week’s double-overtime defeat at Miami, Dabo Swinney’s team lost back-to-back games for the first time since falling to the Wolfpack and South Carolina in the final 2 games of the 2011 regular season.
In falling to 4-4 (2-5 ACC), we learned that this is the first time since that 2011 season Clemson has been at .500 overall and under .500 in the conference this late in a season. And because of it, we learned that the Tigers are suddenly in danger of missing out on a bowl for the 1st time since 2004.
One thing we didn’t need to learn is that Clemson is its own worst enemy. Turnovers and kicking problems had a direct result on its downfall, just as it did in its 3 previous losses.
Duke
We learned that the Blue Devils’ rash of injuries finally caught up to them. It’s more than just the ankle ailment that has limited the mobility and effectiveness of star quarterback Riley Leonard.Of even greater impact on Duke’s decimated offense against Louisville on Saturday was the absence of left tackle Graham Barton – an almost certain NFL Draft pick – and tight end Nicky Dalmolin before the game and the loss of starting right guard Jacob Monk during it.
The result was a shutout loss in which the ACC’s top rushing team coming into the game to just 51 yards on the ground. The 4 sacks the Blue Devils allowed were 1 fewer than they’d given up in their 1st 7 games combined.
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What Rivalries Should the ACC Protect? | The Poolside Post (runyourpool.com; Meyer)
Starting in 2024, the ACC will have 17 teams that span from California, Texas, Florida, and Massachusetts. The additions of Cal, Stanford, and SMU force the league to rethink its scheduling model, including the rivalries it protects.
We will know those protected rivalries this Monday when the league reveals the matchups for its 2024 through 2030 seasons. What we know of the new format so far is that it will be based around a seven-year scheduling model and that none of the current 14 schools will travel to the state of California more than three times in one full seven-year cycle. There is smoke around the likelihood of the league employing a Flex Protect model like the Big Ten has announced for its 18-team future, protecting select rivalries without mandating a quantity for each program. Some schools might have multiple annual adversaries, while others might have none.
Given the direction the sport is headed and conferences often copying and pasting whatever the others are doing when it comes to their schedules, it seems probable to me that this will be the new reality in the ACC, and it begs a major question: what rivalries should the ACC protect?
The 17-team ACC will be a hodge-podge of long-term members who have been around since the 1970s and beyond, former Big East schools, three newcomers not located anywhere near anyone else, and Florida State. Teams will want games in the fertile recruiting grounds of California and Texas while still playing the familiar foes they’ve competed with for generations. Determining which rivalries to salvage is a tightrope the league must walk carefully.
To make the conference’s decision easier, I am listing out all the pairing they could consider prioritizing into three tiers: “You Have No Choice,” “You Probably Should,” and “Maybe.” You’re welcome in advance, ACC officials.
All series records as of Oct. 16, 2023, and via Winspiedia.com.
TIER ONE: YOU HAVE NO CHOICE
MIAMI VS. FLORIDA STATE
Series record: 35-32-0, Miami leads (67 all-time meetings)One of the marquee rivalries in all of college football, it’s paramount that the Seminoles and Hurricanes share a field at least once per season. They have taken part in some epic battles over the decades, and the ACC would have a riot on its hands if it left this rivalry off of its protected list. You think Florida State wants to leave the league now? It will set fire to ACC headquarters if it doesn’t get to play Miami every fall.
VIRGINIA TECH VS. VIRGINIA
Series record: 60-38-5, Virginia Tech leads (103 all-time meetings)One of the oldest rivalries the league has, it must ensure this in-state contest continues. The Hokies have had the better of the Cavaliers for the most part, especially since 2004 – Virginia Tech is 17-1 since then – but the hatred between them doesn’t diminish, even in the face of domination. The Commonwealth Cup must go on.
FLORIDA STATE VS. CLEMSON
Series record: 21-15-0, Florida State leads (36 all-time meetings)While Florida State and Clemson don’t have the same history as some other pairings on this list, they are among the biggest brands the league has. It’s important for the ACC to get the most out of its members, and that means pitting these two against one another annually. There are few other pairings the conference can come up with that will draw a national audience comparable to what these two can attract.
STANFORD VS. CAL
Series record: 60-46-10, Stanford leads (116 all-time meetings)Two of the newest members of the league and the only two members of the Atlantic Coast Conference to be situated squarely on the Pacific Coast, Stanford and Cal must match up against one another every season. There is no other option for the league but to protect the Big Game.
TIER TWO: YOU PROBABLY SHOULD
PITTSBURGH VS. SYRACUSE
Series record: 43-32-3, Pittsburgh leads (78 all-time meetings)The Orange and the Panthers have played in every season since 1955, and their series dates all the way back to 1916. It’s been a weird one, with oddities coming in more of their matchups than you might expect, like a 75-minute weather delay in 2018 in the midst of Syracuse blowing a 14-point lead, Pitt blowing a 10-point lead, and Syracuse choking away two new leads in the fourth quarter before Pitt took the win in overtime. They set the record for regulation scoring in 2016 with 137 total points. And that’s just in modern times. This rivalry isn’t on the level of Florida State-Miami or Stanford-Cal, but it’s something the league should aim to preserve.
NORTH CAROLINA VS. VIRGINIA
Series record: 66-57-4, North Carolina leads (127 all-time meetings)The South’s Oldest Rivalry is appropriately named for its beginnings long before your grandparents were born. In 1892, Virginia and North Carolina met on the gridiron for the first time, and very little has kept them from doing so on an annual basis since. There have been plenty of ups and downs in this series, and it’s one of the best out-of-state rivalries the ACC has. It means a lot to the people in the region, and with five of their seven games since 2017 being decided by one possession, these games offer plenty of entertainment, too.
NORTH CAROLINA STATE VS. WAKE FOREST
Series record: 68-42-6, North Carolina State leads (116 all-time meetings)Not the pandemic nor World War II kept North Carolina State and Wake Forest from playing football every year since 1910. The ACC made sure the Wolfpack and Demon Deacons continued to play annually when the league added divisions by putting them both in the Atlantic Division, deepening the relationship between this half of the ACC’s North Carolina state quad. It’s a torrent web for the ACC to parse through in which Tar Heel State matchups to protect, but with 116 all-time meetings, this one has a decent chance of making it through.
NORTH CAROLINA VS. NORTH CAROLINA STATE
Series record: 68-38-6, North Carolina leads (112 all-time meetings)When the ACC split into divisions, it salvaged this series by making the Tar Heels and Wolfpack protected cross-division rivals. Thanks to that decision, North Carolina and NC State haven’t skipped a beat since 1948. Located about 25 miles apart, these two teams have long been bonded at the hip, even if they hate their conjoined twin. It’s likely that the ACC will make sure it keeps happening, but it’s not as certain as some others.
NORTH CAROLINA VS. DUKE
Series record: 63-40-4, North Carolina leads (107 all-time meetings)Better known for their basketball games against one another, North Carolina and Duke still have a long history in football. UNC is Duke’s most-played opponent ever, and the Blue Devils rank in the top four for the Tar Heels with a mighty drop off below. Given their history and proximity to one another, the ACC will probably lock this up on the schedule every year.
DUKE VS. WAKE FOREST
Series record: 59-41-2, Duke leads (102 all-time meetings)These Tar Heel State sides threw down for the first time in 1889 and have repeated the process 101 times more. Only World War II and the pandemic have kept them from playing in every season since 1921, and the ACC has taken every step to ensure that’s the case every step of the way so far. It’s probable that the league will do so again in this latest opportunity.
TIER THREE: MAYBE
GEORGIA TECH VS. CLEMSON
Series record: 50-35-2, Georgia Tech leads (87 all-time meetings)Georgia Tech and Clemson are both fourth on each other’s most-played opponents list, and they’ve met annually since 1983. They have played some outstanding games against one another, especially in the 1990s and 2000s, but the Tigers have dominated the Yellow Jackets in recent memory. Clemson has one eight-straight in the series, mostly demolitions, and it’s unclear how much the league will value it as an annual contest. Clemson should have Florida State as a protected rival, and the ACC probably won’t want to lock it up with three permanent matchups – one, if not both, of Georgia Tech or North Carolina State will likely be excluded.
SYRACUSE VS. BOSTON COLLEGE
Series record: 33-22-0, Syracuse leads (55 all-time meetings)The two northernmost members of the conference met in most years between 1958 and 2004 until Boston College ditched the Big East for the ACC. Syracuse followed suit in 2013, and the series renewed and has remained thanks to the placement of the Orange in the Atlantic Division. Syracuse is Boston College’s most-played opponent that currently holds FBS membership, and the Eagles rank among the mainstays for the Orange as well. We shall see if that means enough for the ACC to ensure they meet unabated.
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https://www.si.com/college/miami/football/acc-football-crazy-weekend (SI; Smith)
While Miami Hurricanes fans are happy to see their squad win 29-26 in overtime over the Virginia Cavaliers, not all the ACC favorites did so well.
Yes, the Canes survived despite Tyler Van Dyke’s two interceptions and Miami’s offense being lethargic for much of the contest. How about Drake Maye and the North Carolina Tar Heels?
Well, Maye went 17 of 25 for 310 yards, 2 touchdowns, and zero interceptions. Still, UNC fell to Georgia Tech in a thriller, 46-42. With quarterback Hanes King’s touchdown pass to Brett Seither for a touchdown, the Yellow Jackets went up 46-42 with only 4:28 remaining. UNC still had time to come back at that point but failed.
A deep ball to Devontez Walker was good initially, but the talented pass catcher fumbled and it was recovered by the GT defense. At that juncture of the contest, UNC’s defense could not get off the field and the game was over. Clemson could not even get the lead in the fourth quarter of their contest at North Carolina State.
Trailing 24-7 to enter the fourth quarter, Tigers running back Phil Mafah plunged into the end zone for a score that cut the lead to 24-14 with 14:57 in the game. Clemson’s defense did its job down the stretch which helped get the Tigers in a position to at least tie the game.
From the Wolfpack’s final three drives, they had a total of 13 plays for 14 yards. Yes, NC ST finished with only 14 yards down the stretch, yet defeated Clemson.
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Virginia Tech Football: Hokies benefit from chaotic Week 9 in the ACC (fightinggobbler.com; Roche)
Four weeks into their ACC schedule, the Virginia Tech football team has a new-found life. After being a big disappointment in their four non-conference games going 1-3, there were a lot of concerns as to where the Hokies program was heading.
People were doubting second-year head coach Brent Pry, offensive coordinator Tyler Bowen, and defensive coordinator Chris Marve. However, since ACC play began on Sept. 30, Virginia Tech looks like a different team. Through nine weeks, the Hokies find themselves in third place in the conference and very much alive with an outside opportunity to find themselves in the…… dare we say ACC Championship game in December? After some of the results this weekend, Tech is in the thick of things over the final four weeks.
Virginia Tech sits in third place in the ACC after a crazy weekend of football
Thursday night, the Hokies did their part coming out of the bye week with a 38-10 win at Lane Stadium against Syracuse. Saturday, any results they needed to move up in the conference standings pretty much went their way.Louisville, next Saturday’s opponent, shutout Duke, 23-0, and improved to 4-1 in the ACC, a half-game ahead of Virginia Tech, and both teams are looking up at 6-0 Florida State. The Hokies started Saturday tied with North Carolina in the standings at 3-1, but the Tar Heels, coming off of a stunning home loss in Week 8 against Virginia, lost a wild 46-42 affair at Georgia Tech.
Miami was taken to overtime by Virginia, whom Tech closes the regular season with on Thanksgiving Weekend, and survived 29-26. North Carolina State beat Clemson at home and FSU continued their dominance over the whole conference with a convincing road win at Wake Forest. In a pair of non-conference games, Pittsburgh lost at Notre Dame and Boston College narrowly escaped a 1-7 Connecticut team at home.
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Miami football drops in both week 10 polls (caneswarning; Rubenstein)
The Miami football team is ranked 30th by the Associated Press and 29th in the USA Today Coaches Week 10 polls. Miami dropped in both polls after a sluggish 29-26 overtime win over Virginia on Saturday. The Hurricanes are the fourth-highest-ranked ACC team. Miami plays at North Carolina State next weekend.
The Miami football team received 35 points in the USA Today Coaches Poll. Miami received 27 points last week. Despite having more points than last week in the USA Today Coaches Poll, Miami dropped two spots after being ranked 27th last week. Miami’s highest 2023 ranking in the coaches poll was 17 on October 1.
Florida State is fourth, Louisville 15th and North Carolina 25th in the USA Today Coaches Poll. Miami plays at Florida State on November 4 and hosts Louisville on November 18 before finishing the season on November 24 at Boston College. FSU, Louisville and UNC are the only teams on the 2023 Miami schedule currently ranked.
Miami received 11 points in the Associated Press poll. The Hurricanes had 12 points and were ranked 30th in the week nine rankings. The highest ranking for Miami this season in the AP Top 25 was 17th in the October 1 poll. Miami spent five weeks in the AP Top 25 in 2023 from September 10 through October 8.
Florida State is fourth and Louisville 15th as the only ACC teams in the week 10 AP Top 25. The Cardinals and Seminoles are the only teams on the 2023 Miami schedule ranked in the AP Top 25. North Carolina is 27th with 54 points in the AP Top 25 after falling out of the rankings following their loss to Georgia Tech on Saturday.
If Miami hopes to return to the rankings in week 11 they will need a more impressive performance at North Carolina State on Saturday. Miami was fortunate to win consecutive overtime games versus Clemson and Virginia in the last two weeks. The Hurricanes made clutch plays in overtime to secure the wins.
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Louisville vs. Virginia Tech football game first look: Story lines, key players and odds (C-J; Cubit)
A loss to Pitt was no reason to panic.
Louisville learned from the defeat and bounced back with a 23-0 win over Duke on Saturday. The Cardinals found a balance in the passing and running game while their defense continues to elevate its performances each week.
Now in sole possession of second place in the ACC standings, No. 15 U of L is in control of its own destiny and will advance to the ACC championship game if it wins the rest of its conference contests. The Cardinals look to take their next step toward that goal when they host Virginia Tech at L&N Stadium on Saturday at 3:30 p.m.
Here are three story lines to follow ahead of the ACC contest:
Protecting home field ... and the football
Louisville has yet to lose at home this season. The Cardinals’ last home loss was to Florida State, 35-31, on Sept. 16, 2022. Since then, the program has won nine straight games at its home stadium.A big part of extending that streak to 10 will be taking care of the football on Saturday against Virginia Tech. Jeff Brohm said ball security was his team's top priority going into the Cardinals’ game against Duke, and it showed. While U of L had one fumble it didn't record any turnovers and was able to convert a forced turnover from its defense into a 24-yard field goal for the 23-0 lead.
Ball security will continue to be a point of emphasis against Virginia Tech, which has recovered five of its opponents’ nine fumbles.
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Top States for 2023 Recruiting (RX; HM)
Top States for 2023 Recruiting
These 11 power states - CA, TX, LA, AL, GA, FL, SC, NC, TN, VA, and OH - most of which lie in ACC and SEC territories, produced 76.4% of all top recruits in the last 10 years. In fact, the only ones of those states not in the new 2024 ACC footprint are LA, AL, TN, and OH.
Most recruits from top 11 states
However, only two ACC teams are among the top 10 in terms of number of recruits signed from those states:- Alabama 77
- Florida State 58
- Georgia 54
- USC 53
- Texas 50
- Florida 50
- LSU 49
- Ohio State 43
- Auburn 36
- Clemson 32
AP Poll 2023 Oct 29th (RX; HM)
AP Poll 2023 Oct 29th
This week's AP poll was not kind to the ACC after some of it's top teams lost (again)...
| AP Top 25 | |
| RK | TEAM |
| 1 | Georgia |
| 2 | Michigan |
| 3 | Ohio State |
| 4 | Florida State |
| 5 | Washington |
| 6 | Oregon |
| 7 | Texas |
| 8 | Alabama |
| 9 | Penn State |
| 10 | Oklahoma |
| 11 | Ole Miss |
| 12 | Notre Dame |
| 13 | LSU |
| 14 | Missouri |
| 15 | Louisville |
| 16 | Oregon State |
| 17 | Air Force |
| 18 | Utah |
| 19 | Tennessee |
| 20 | UCLA |
| 21 | Tulane |
| 22 | Kansas |
| 23 | James Madison |
| 24 | USC |
| 25 | Kansas State |
| Others receiving votes: | |
| 26 | Oklahoma State |
| 27 | North Carolina |
| 28 | Liberty |
| 29 | Fresno State |
| 30 | Miami, FL |
| 31 | Arizona |
| 32 | Toledo |
| 33 | Rutgers |
COMMENTS:
1. Here's my list of teams ahead of Florida State that the Noles cannot beat:2. Can someone explain to me why 2-loss Oregon State, Utah, Tennessee, UCLA, Kansas, and Kansas State teams are all ranked, but North Carolina and Miami are not?
3. How is it that Duke lost to a higher-ranked Louisville team and isn't even receiving votes any more? That's effectively a drop of 14 spots! Meanwhile, the Cardinals only moved up 3 spots...
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Biggest Losers 2023 Week 9 (RX; HM)
Biggest Losers 2023 Week 9
Who were the Biggest Losers in Week 9?
Top 25 Ranked Losers
#6 Oklahoma lost a close one at Kansas, 33-38
This is the first loss for the Sooners who remain in the hunt for the Big XII title, but their national title hopes just took a huge hit.#11 Oregon State lost by a FG at Arizona, 24-27
The Beavers lost their 2nd game and would likely need to sweep Washington and Oregon to make the Pac-12 Championship Game.#13 Utah lost badly at home to #8 Oregon, 6-35
This is the second conference loss for the Utes, with a game at Washington still looming.#17 N. Carolina lost at Georgia Tech, 42-46
This is the second loss for the Tar Heels - both in the ACC, with Duke, Clemson, and NC State still on the schedule.#20 Duke was shut out at #18 Louisville, 0-23
The Blue Devils lost their 2nd ACC game, 3rd overall. They are probably out of the Top 25 after this.Other Notable Losers
UConn is officially out of bowl contention thanks to Boston College.South Carolina is now one loss away from bowl elimination, but enjoy 4 home games to end the season.
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Other
Joe Biden sheds light on how feds will boost Syracuse to become global hub for computer chips (PS; $; Weiner)
If you want to know how a region stretching from Syracuse to Buffalo will cash in on its new status as a national tech hub, listen to what President Joe Biden has to say.
Biden last week touted Upstate New York – and its potential as a global leader in computer chip manufacturing – when his administration selected 31 regions to serve as technology centers of the future.
“A hub in Upstate New York is going to support a workforce training program for New York’s semiconductor industry, which by the way has seen tens of billions of dollars of new investment because of the CHIPS and Science Act,” Biden said.
“This hub will have a particular focus on training people from communities historically left behind – like women, people of color – to work in the semiconductor industry,” he said.
Biden wants to use $10 billion authorized by the CHIPS law to give an economic jolt to the new hubs, creating tens of thousands of jobs in places outside of the nation’s traditional tech centers.
The president made it clear the Thruway corridor of Syracuse, Rochester and Buffalo will now be part of an exclusive club eligible to compete for a huge pot of money aimed at boosting areas with potential to grow.
Watch President Biden’s speech
President Biden highlights Upstate NY tech hub as 'transformational'
A region stretching from Syracuse to Buffalo won a federal competition to be designated as one of 31 national tech hubs. The local hub will focus on the manu...
youtu.be
The Syracuse City School District marching band performs as an exhibition band at the New York State Field Band competition at the JMA Wireless Dome on Sunday. Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.comdnett@syracuse.com
The Syracuse City School District marching band came face-to-face with both the excitement and the enormity of its historical challenge at a little before 8 a.m. Sunday.
That’s when the students left their locker room in the JMA Wireless Dome and walked to the fringe of the field. They were about to perform an exhibition at the New York State Field Band Conference state show, but first the musicians made sure to take in their surroundings.
“I think the major part was when we were led to the side by the end zone and they took their first step into the actual field,” said co-director Holly McCoy. “They were awestruck. Their eyes all popped wide open like, ‘Whoa, you’ve got to be kidding me.’ It was amazing.”
The band then performed its show of Fun’s “We Are Young” and The Weeknd’s “Blinding Lights” before hundreds of fans, many of whom were family members and friends of the musicians waiting to play in the Small School 3 and Small School 2 competition that followed.
“They did fantastic,” McCoy said. “They had fun.”
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