sutomcat
No recent Cali or Iggy awards; Mr Irrelevant
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- Aug 15, 2011
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Welcome to No Pants Day!
I have Spoken No Pants?
No Pants Day gives everyone the perfect excuse to not wear pants. Participants go about their normal routine on the day, just without wearing pants. They act as normal as possible, as if nothing is odd about not wearing pants. By some accounts, the day started in the mid-1980s. Other accounts say it started informally in the late 1990s. This version of its provenance says that the day began being promoted in 2000, by the Knighthood of BUH student group at the University of Texas at Austin. It is unlikely that they started the day, but they were responsible for spreading its popularity. The day shouldn't be confused with No Pants Subway Ride Day, which is held in January and is organized by Improv Everywhere.
SU News
Syracuse football battling Wisconsin, ACC foe for top-flight defensive back from Ohio (itlh; Adler)
Jussiah Williams-West, a high three-star defensive back/safety in the 2025 class from Ohio, appears to have an unofficial top three that includes Syracuse football.
The 6-foot-3, 180-pound Williams-West, who unofficially visited the Hill in late March, seems to be high on the Orange, fellow Atlantic Coast Conference school Louisville and Big Ten Conference member Wisconsin, according to the headline from a subscriber-exclusive piece posted to the 247Sports Web site this week.
Williams-West is a standout at Wayne High School in Huber Heights, Ohio, which is a suburb of Dayton.
My official Junior season film
6’3 175 safety @AllenTrieu @Rivals_Clint @ChadSimmons_ @SWiltfong247 @MickWalker247 @Tkinnel_2 Junior Season Highlights!!
— Jussiah Williams️ (@JussiahWilliams) October 31, 2023
According to recruiting services, he holds more than 20 high-major scholarship offers. On January 20 of this year, Williams-West said via his X page that he had received an offer from the 'Cuse coaching staff.
Syracuse Offered !! @CoachJ_Schaefer @AllenTrieu @ChadSimmons_ @SWiltfong247 @MickWalker247 pic.twitter.com/KMGpHsvCxU
— Jussiah Williams️ (@JussiahWilliams) January 20, 2024
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Syracuse football a finalist for 4-star edge from D.C. area, top-125 national player (itlh; Adler)
| May 2, 2024
Cortez Harris, a four-star edge and a top-125 national prospect in the 2025 class who hails from the talent-rich Washington, D.C., market, has trimmed his list of contenders to 10 schools, and Syracuse football made the cut.
The 6-foot-4, 230-pound defensive end, via his X page, named a top 10 of the 'Cuse, Penn State, Tennessee, Florida, Texas A&M, Michigan State, Virginia Tech, Maryland, South Carolina and Michigan.
That's quite a list. The Orange staff certainly faces stiff competition to prevail for this elite high school junior. At the same time, it's highly encouraging to see the 'Cuse make Harris' top 10.
Per an article from On3's Collin Ginnan, Harris is scheduled to officially visit both Maryland and Penn State in June. Let's see if Syracuse football coaches can get him on the Hill for an official visit as well.
When I wrote this article on Wednesday evening, On3's recruiting prediction machine had Penn State as the leader in Harris' recruitment, followed by Maryland in the No. 2 spot.
Syracuse football is a finalist for 2025 four-star edge Cortez Harris.
Harris is a standout at the Riverdale Baptist School in Upper Marlboro, Md. Per his X page, he picked up a scholarship offer from the Orange staff in December of 2022.According to recruiting services, throughout his recruiting process, Harris has received around 20 high-major offers.
The Ostrom Avenue Podcast Episode 186: Syracuse Football and Men's Basketball Transfer Portal + SU Lacrosse Update (warer.org; podcast; Ostrom Avenue)
Jordan Leonard and AJ Myers break down Syracuse football and men's basketball in the transfer portal. Plus, the guys talk about SU women's lacrosse's ACC tournament run and how it impacts its NCAA tournament seeding. Lastly, Jordan and AJ preview men's lacrosse's upcoming conference tournament and give predictions for the weekend.
(youtube; podcast; Locked on Syracuse)
Syracuse Football Secures FIVE-STAR RECRUIT Izayia Williams - Recruiting Update with Brian Smith
Keeping Up With The 315 5-2-24 (ESPN; radio; The 315)
Brian Higgins starts things out on #The315 with Portal Watch Day 46: where the portal has closed for entry. Brian discusses what that means for Syracuse. Next, Brian goes over the first house and talks about the ACC portal more in-depth. Finally, Brian wraps the podcast up with BRACKETOLOGY, where he talks about the expected tournament seeding for next years March Madness.
Zaire Franklin "The 315" 5-2-24 (ESPN; radio; The 315)
Former SU star & current Colts linebacker Zaire Franklin gives Brian a call and the guys discuss the current state of SU Football, differences from seasons before to now, the Spring game, expectations of HC Fran Brown, and more!
Syracuse football: three former Orange selected in CFL Draft (TNIAAM; Wall)
While we didn’t have any former Syracuse Orange players selected in the 2024 NFL Draft, three former Orange went in the first round of the 2024 CFL Draft.
Wide receiver Kevin Mital was selected 5th by the Toronto Argonauts. Mital was in Syracuse for one redshirt season before he returned to Canada to play at Laval where he completed a dominant career.
Defensive back Ben Labrosse went 6th to the Calgary Stampeders. Labrosse spent two seasons in Syracuse, appearing in eight games and making 14 tackles. He returned to Canada after the 2020 season and finished at McGill. Before he joins Calgary he’ll participate in the New York Giants minicamp.
Linebacker Geoff Cantin-Arku was selected with the final pick of the first round when he was picked 9th by the Montreal Alouettes. Cantin-Arku spent three seasons in Syracuse before transferring to Memphis. While with the Orange he appeared in 22 games and made 105 tackles with a fumble return for a touchdown.
Cantin-Arku has been invited to rookie camp with the Dolphins where he’ll join Orange cornerback Isaiah Johnson.
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ACC News
https://www.newsobserver.com/sports/college/acc/article288229590.html (newsobserver.com; $; Carter)
One-hundred and thirty-two days, as of Thursday, have passed since the formal beginning of the legal case that will decide the ACC’s future. Or is it 133 days? To give you an idea of how things are going between Florida State and the ACC, they can’t even agree on when their court fight officially began, or which case is the case — the one that ultimately should settle their dispute.
Oh, they know the dates. Florida State last Dec. 22 sued the ACC in Leon County, Florida, in a legal offensive to attempt to maneuver its way out of the conference’s Grant of Rights agreement. But unbeknownst to FSU at the time, the ACC actually sued the university the day before in Mecklenburg County, in a defensive move to uphold the Grant of Rights.
Given that both FSU and the ACC have accused one another of filing first in an effort to establish jurisdiction, the great date debate carries significance. The conference believes its case should take precedence while the one in Florida should be stayed. FSU, meanwhile, believes its case should take precedence while the one in North Carolina should be stayed.
FSU already lost that argument in North Carolina, but is appealing to the state Supreme Court. The ACC hasn’t yet lost its fight to stay FSU’s case in Florida, but likely will.
And so both cases continue to operate on parallel lines in courtrooms about 400 miles apart. More than four months into these dueling lawsuits, it’s still unclear which one actually takes legal precedence. Is it the one Florida State filed in its home county? The one the ACC filed the day before, in its home county?
Is it neither, which would mean, really, that it’s both? Yes? No? Maybe?
And oh, by the way: Clemson is now also suing the ACC over the Grant of Rights, with similar-but-different arguments about why it shouldn’t be legally enforceable. The ACC is counter-suing Clemson. And not to be outdone: the Florida Attorney General, Ashley Moody, is also suing the conference and attempting to force the release of its television rights contract with ESPN, which Moody argues should be a public record under Florida law.
So that’s five lawsuits, if you’re keeping score, involving the ACC — all of which, to varying degrees, will determine the conference’s long-term viability. (And one of which could determine whether college athletics leagues are allowed to keep secret media rights agreements, which conferences have often protected over the years as if they’re some kind of sacred yet secret holy grails.)
A couple things, at least, have become clear over the past four months: One, we’re likely a long — long — way from any kind of final resolution that will provide clarity about the Grant of Rights and its legal enforceability. And, two, while it’s impossible to predict how this might end, clear winners have already emerged: the lawyers. There is no end in sight to the billable hours.
Just about every week now, there’s another slow-drip development in the proceedings. Last week, Moody, the Florida attorney general, announced her lawsuit against the conference. Meanwhile this week, on Thursday, there was another hearing in Mecklenburg County — a “status report” related to FSU’s appeal of its earlier defeat there. Already, these cases have produced reams of documents — complaints, amended complaints, orders and on and on. It can be a lot to try to follow.
And so consider this a primer, of sorts — a what-you-need-to-know, in Q-and-A form, about the legal efforts to preserve the ACC. Or, in the case of Florida State and Clemson, to destroy it.
Q. More than four months into the FSU-ACC dispute, where do things stand?
A. How much time do you have? The short answer is this: Both of these cases — the one the ACC filed in North Carolina and the one FSU filed in Florida — appear to be progressing as one might expect, though it’s still very early. The ACC has already received a favorable ruling in North Carolina Business Court, where Judge Louis A. Bledsoe denied FSU’s motion to dismiss that case or have it stayed.
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ACC mailbag: Can the new schools be competitive in '24? Will expansion affect recruiting? (theathletic.com; $; Staff)
Happy Friday and welcome back to another edition of our ACC Mailbag with The Athletic’s Brendan Marks, Manny Navarro and Grace Raynor. Due to the large number of questions (about 70 total!), we are breaking it up into two parts. Today’s mailbag will focus on the ACC’s 18 teams on the field and their outlook for 2024. Monday’s mailbag will get into conference realignment and NIL.
As always, thank you for your questions.
Editor’s Note: Questions have been lightly edited for length and clarity.
How competitive will the new members of the conference be this season? — Noah S.
The ACC is up to 17 teams for football, thanks to the additions of SMU, Cal and Stanford. None of the three will be instant contenders in the conference race and none exactly bolster the ACC from a competitive or optics standpoint. But they shouldn’t be cellar-dwellers either. Making a bowl and finishing in the middle of the pack is attainable.
Stanford and Cal will be better prepared for the level of competition, having previously competed at the Power 5 level. The Golden Bears return quarterback Fernando Mendoza — potentially a fun, under-the-radar player to watch — after he threw for 1,708 yards with 14 touchdowns and 10 interceptions as a redshirt freshman last season. And Stanford is recruiting well under new coach Troy Taylor; the Cardinal’s 2024 class ranked No. 30 and included two top-250 prospects. That’s all positive, but Cal still hasn’t had a winning season since 2019, and Stanford finished with the nation’s No. 91 offense and No. 132 defense a year ago. That’s why I don’t think I’ll be surprised if we look up at the end of the year and SMU has had the most success among the newcomers.
Rhett Lashlee inherited a quality program from Sonny Dykes when he returned to SMU as the head coach after the 2021 season and has kept the Mustangs among the top offensive teams in college football. Yes, the defenses SMU will see in the ACC will be tougher than the ones the Mustangs faced in the AAC, but Lashlee has made it a point to beef up his roster with plenty of Power 5 talent. SMU has signed 50-plus transfers since Lashlee took over, with more than 40 coming from the Power 5 level. Starting quarterback Preston Stone and leading rusher Jaylan Knighton are back after the Mustangs went 11-3 a season ago. Something tells me SMU, which has a manageable schedule, will be ready for 2024. — Raynor
Here’s a fun one: With NCAA 2025 releasing soon for consoles, what do you think the Hurricanes will be rated? Who do you think will be the highest rated on offense and defense? — Trell V.
I love this question so much. First off, I’m a 45-year-old NCAA Football video game recovering addict. I spent way too much time in my 20s and early 30s playing it. I feel like I have to declare that. Secondly, if you want to go down the rabbit hole of NCAA player ratings, I invite you to take a deep dive into this Madden Ratings website.
To answer your question, I think, on paper, Miami and Florida State are the two best teams in the league and will be ranked in the top 25. Clemson and Louisville are right on their heels and will likely be ranked or receiving votes. So, I’d guess Miami will probably receive a team ranking between 92-94.
For some background, Miami’s team rankings in the last four official iterations of the game (2011-14) were 92 (2010 season), 94 (2011 season), 91 (2012 season) and 90 (2013 season). Miami went 7-6, 6-6, 7-5 and 9-4 during those seasons. Those teams featured 28 NFL Draft picks, including guys like Duke Johnson, Travis Benjamin, Sean Spence, Lamar Miller, Olivier Vernon, Denzel Perryman and Ray-Ray Armstrong.
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ACC Football Spring Power Rankings 2024 (youtube; podcast; LucasRoss Sports)
My 2024 ACC Football Spring Power Rankings for the 2024 College Football Season.
Teel and Barber Podcast: Va. Tech makes noise in the portal, UVA quiet, and an early look at ACC football on Apple Podcasts (apple.com; podcast; Teel & Barber)
Hosts David Teel and Mike Barber talk about college basketball's portal news as Va. Tech makes noise, UVA is quiet, and some early looks at ACC football.
Bleav Georgia Tech: First Look At ACC Win Totals; Can Georgia Tech Go Over Their Projected Total of 5.5? (SI; podcast; Caudell)
You can get a sense of how oddsmakers see the conference race going into the season by looking at the projected win totals for each team. For the ACC, there are several intriguing teams and one of them is Brent Key's team in Atlanta.
While the Yellow Jackets return most of its starters from one of the conferences top offenses, their win total is at 5.5 going into the season and a lot of that has to do with the schedule that Georgia Tech plays. It is not unusual for the Yellow Jackets to play one of the nation's toughest schedules and Key found a way to get his team to a bowl game last year and its first bowl win since 2016. Can Georgia Tech find a way to do that again? That is what we discuss on the latest episode of the Bleav Georgia Tech podcast, as well as give our early thoughts on the other teams projected win totals.
ACC football power rankings after spring portal closes: Did Blue Devils get better? (balldurham.com; Conner)
It should be a wild year in the ACC with the addition of three new teams. However, the conference appears to be on shaky ground despite the expansion with SMU, Cal, and Stanford. Many teams appear disgruntled with the league and its media rights deal and that drama is likely to continue throughout the season.
On the field, it will be a competitive year for the conference but is any team good enough to be a national title contender? Surely, the expanded playoff will help the conference avoid the scenario it faced in 2023 when its undefeated champion, Florida State, was left out of a four-team playoff.
This year, the ACC champion will be in the playoff but will it make any noise. For the conference to perhaps stabilize itself, fans around the league may have to root for the conference in the playoff, even if that representative is a hated rival.
On the other hand, many fans might be rooting for the collapse of the league so that their school can find a better situation. It all makes for a fascinating dynamic and one that Duke football fans and fans across the ACC will be watching closely.
So as we enter the summer months, let's take a look at how the conference stacks up. Here are our post-spring ACC power rankings.
17 Stanford Cardinal
Expectations are low for one of the new ACC members, Stanford. After all, the Cardinal went just 3-9 a season ago.
What's more, 2024 will be a transition year in Palo Alto. New head coach Troy Taylor comes over from Sacramento State in the FCS ranks and he's likely to find that life in the ACC will be a rude awakening.
Known as an offensive innovator, Taylor's biggest job will be to fix the defense. Last year, Stanford allowed 37.7 points a game and 6.6 yards per play.
16 Virginia Cavaliers
Another ACC team coming off of a 3-9 record in 2023 is Virginia. But this will be year three for head coach Tony Elliott and he needs to show some serious improvement.
As a freshman last fall, QB Anthony Colandrea showed flashes of being a solid player. Can he fend off Monmouth transfer Tony Muskett who had a nice showing this spring?
One reason for hope at UVA is that last year, the Cavilers lost five one-score games. Perhaps this year, some of those tight decisions might go the other way and Elliott will find the tangible results that he will need in order to stay off of the hot seat.
15 Wake Forest Demon Deacons
Wake Forest was dreadful in ACC play last year going just 1-7. That was a disappointment after going 8-5 and winning a bowl game in 2022.
There are questions at QB where Hank Bachmeier has transferred in from Louisiana Tech. Last year, that position was a problem for the Demon Deacons and it must improve this year.
Defense was also an issue in 2023, especially against the pass. That will be tough to improve upon after losing cornerback Caelen Carson to the NFL and safeties Chelen Garnes and Malik Mustapha.
14 Syracuse Orange
Another team with a new head coach is Syracuse. The Orange are counting on former Georgia defensive backs coach Fran Brown to be the ace recruiter he was with the Bulldogs. But recruiting to Athens is much easier than recruiting to Syracuse.
Brown has hit the portal hard and has a nice transfer class set to come to Western New York. Leading that movement is Ohio State transfer QB Kyle McCord, a huge get for Brown.
The key to success for the Orange, though, will be on defense after allowing seven opponents to top 30 points in 2023. That's where Brown has brought in Isaiah Hastings (Alabama), Fadil Diggs (Texas A&M), and defensive back Devin Grant (Buffalo) among others to try to sure things up.
13 Pittsburgh Panthers
Yet another team that was just 3-9 last fall, Pitt is looking for a rebound season. Most of the improvements need to come on offense.
Last year, the offense scored over 21 points in only one of the Panthers' losses. In all, they averaged only 20.2 points per game.
Head coach Pat Narduzzi has hired a new OC to remedy that problem. However, Alabama transfer QB Eli Holstein will be the key. Can he provide a significant boost in his first opportunity to be the man?
12 California Golden Bears
Unlike their Northern California brothers at Stanford, Cal comes into the ACC with some momentum after reaching a bowl game in 2023. What's more, they bring back a bell cow at running back.
Jaydn Ott ran for over 1,300 yards last year and found the endzone 12 times. Can he repeat those numbers in the ACC? The Golden Bears hope so.
At QB, North Texas transfer Chandler Rogers has to prove he's a major-conference starter. Also, a defense that allowed 50 or more points four times last fall has to take a step forward.
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ACC football power rankings after spring portal closes: Did the Hokies' get better? (fightinggobbler.com; Roche)
The last two months have been busy in college football. All teams held their spring practices and then Spring Games, all while monitoring the spring transfer portal the last two weeks in April.
Some schools had players enter the portal, but Virginia Tech head coach Brent Pry again avoided losing any key pieces to his roster for the 2024 season. He filled a huge hole on the roster Tuesday night when he got a commitment from UCLA quarterback Collin Schlee in the transfer portal after losing Dylan Wittke two weeks ago after Pry said that Pop Watson had passed Wittke as the QB2 following the Spring Game.
Like other teams, the Hokies still have additions they would like to make, including the offensive line, but as they are currently constructed, where do they rank within the ACC following the transfer portal closing?
Where does Virginia Tech currently rank following the spring transfer portal?
17 Virginia Cavaliers
16 Stanford Cardinal
15 Wake Forest Demon Deacons
14 Pittsburgh Panthers
13 Boston College Eagles
12 California Golden Bears
11 Duke Blue Devils
10 Syracuse Orange
9 North Carolina Tar Heels
8 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
7 SMU Mustangs
6 Virginia Tech Hokies
5 Miami Hurricanes
4 North Carolina State Wolfpack
3 Louisville Cardinals
2 Clemson Tigers
1 Florida State Seminoles
It’s certainly going to be interesting to see just how California, SMU, and Stanford end up fairing in Year 1 of the ACC. The Hokies will travel to Stanford in early October after they open ACC play at Miami on Sept. 27.
Florida State, Clemson, and Louisville are expected to be at the top of the standings, but where everyone else falls will be interesting. Tech’s ACC schedule aside from Clemson and Miami is very doable in terms of competing for a spot in the ACC Championship Game in December.
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Clemson Takes The Gloves Off In Legal Fight vs. ACC! FSU vs. ACC Mediation, ACC Heisman Candidates? (youtube; podcat; Locked on ACC)
The Clemson Tigers took a hard shot at the ACC in their amended complaint. Clemson is suing the conference and is now seeking unspecified damages, accusing the conference of hurting Clmeson’s ability to seek a new conference with their “erroneous assertions” in regards to the Grant of Rights agreement. Does Clemson offer a valid claim, here? Meanwhile, Florida State and the ACC were ordered into mediation by a Florida judge, but are unable to agree on a mediator so far. They’ve asked for a 60 day extension. Can the ACC find a way to settle with FSU and Clemson without creating a mass exodus?Hosts Alex Donno and Kenton Gibbs discuss these developments at FSU and Clemson. The guys take a look at possible Heisman candidates in the ACC. Can Cam Ward, DJ Uiangalelei, Lawrence Toafili or Damien Martinez find a way onto the stage in New York? Will a dark horse candidate emerge?
Lawsuit(s) Update 2024 May 02 (RX; HM)
Lawsuit(s) Update 2024 May 02
The FSU vs ACC and Clemson vs ACC lawsuits are starting to heat up... today the Tigers amended their claim against the ACC, stating that the conference acted with 'malicious conduct' and says the conference 'slandered its title.' (Clemson is asking for damages, too).
Just as Florida State has borrowed some of the language from the Clemson lawsuit, it now appears that the Tigers' attorneys are also copying some of the strategy employed by the Seminoles.
You can download a copy of the new Clemson filing here.
Let's just say not everyone agrees with this tactic...
More to come as I figure it out (or more likely, someone explains it to me!)
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One possible future, 2024 May 2nd (RX; HM)
One possible future, 2024 May 2nd
From the CSNBBS thread "How long until conferences shrink?", here are some comments from Auburn/SEC fan JRSEC:
This is an interesting perspective from an SEC fan, isn't it? JR keeps up on this stuff pretty well, both from the internet and from people within the schools themselves. He keeps saying FSU+Kansas to the SEC to match the Big Ten's 18 teams. Then...
In the thread "FSU AD Michael Alford Possibly Hints At Big 10 Move During Chicago Boosters Event", JR added:
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Links, News and Rumors 2024 May 2nd (RX; HM)
Links, News and Rumors 2024 May 2nd
Welcome to another Links post...
From David Teel's Roanoke Times article "Football drove Hokies' marked 2022-23 revenue increases", here are some interesting numbers from the Virginia Tech athletic department:
VT AD total revenues $129.5 million (up 14.9%)
Notable line-item changes for Tech include:
- ACC media rights: $41.9 million (up 30.9%)
- Football media rights: $31.5 million (up $9.2M)
- ACC bowl revenues $7.9 million (up 49%)
- Ticket revenues $18.6 million (up 37.8%)
In case your calculations are based on really old numbers.
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Here are some highlights from CBS Sports: ACC spring football overreactions: Miami has 'the one' in Cam Ward, Florida State defense will key title run
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Best of the Rest, 2024 ACC-vs-OOC (RX; HM)
Best of the Rest, 2024 ACC-vs-OOC
We've looked at ACC vs Big XII, Big Ten, and SEC. Are there any other non-conference games worth watching? You know it!
ACC vs Notre Dame
09/28/24 Louisville @ Notre Dame10/12/24 Stanford @ Notre Dame
10/19/24 Notre Dame @ Georgia Tech
11/09/24 Florida State @ Notre Dame
11/16/24 Virginia @ Notre Dame
Last year the Irish played 4 games at ACC stadiums (5 if you count @ Stanford). This year it's 4 games @ Notre Dame and only 1 @ ACC (Georgia Tech). Advantage: Irish
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ACC vs G5/Pac2
09/07/24 Marshall @ Va Tech09/14/24 UConn @ Duke
09/21/24 Miami @ USF
09/21/24 UVA @ Coastal Car.
10/26/24 Oregon St @ Cal
11/23/24 UConn @ Syracuse
Apparently Miami and Virginia didn't get the memo. I do like some of these matchups, rivalry-wise. Obviously Marshall is not far from Virginia Tech, and Miami and USF are both in "South" Florida (with Miami a lot further south). Oregon State and Cal were conference mates last season, and the UConn vs Syracuse rivalry is an old one - in basketball, but still.
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UCF adds Big Ten, ACC opponents, finishes football schedule through 2027. Here's a look. (news-journalonline.com; Boyle)
UCF announced future football home-and-home series with both Pittsburgh and Northwestern on Thursday morning, officially filling its schedule through 2027.
The Knights will head to Pittsburgh in 2026 and to Northwestern in 2028, with the respective return trips to Orlando booked for 2029 and 2031, respectively. UCF is 1-2 all-time against Pitt, splitting a home-and-home series in consecutive seasons in 2018-19. The Knights have never met Northwestern.
"We look forward to welcoming visitors to Orlando from Pitt and Northwestern and the road games are fantastic cities for our fans to travel," UCF vice president and director of athletics Terry Mohajir said in a statement. "Pennsylvania is currently ranked a top-five state UCF students come from, and Chicago is home to one of our top alumni communities.
"With a nine-game Big 12 schedule, we're very strategic in how we schedule each year. Our philosophy for non-conference has been to play a Power Four, a Group of Five team and an FCS program. As we navigate the analytics of the new College Football Playoff, we will continue to evaluate how we schedule."
UCF's schedule is booked for the next four seasons. In addition, the Knights will face Maine and Florida Atlantic in 2028, James Madison in 2029 and Florida in both 2030 and '33 to conclude their three-game series.
Listed below are the Knights' confirmed opponents for 2024-27:
UCF football schedule
2024Non-conference: New Hampshire, Sam Houston, at Florida
Big 12 home: Arizona, BYU, Cincinnati, Colorado, Utah
Big 12 road: Arizona State, Iowa State, TCU, West Virginia
2025
Non-conference: Jacksonville State, North Carolina, North Carolina A&T
Big 12 home: Houston, Kansas, Oklahoma State, West Virginia
Big 12 road: Baylor, BYU, Cincinnati, Kansas State, Texas Tech
2026
Non-conference: Bethune-Cookman, Massachusetts, at Pittsburgh
Big 12 home: Arizona State, Baylor, BYU, Iowa State, TCU
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Other
The proposed roundabout at Route 31 and Thompson Road in Cicero.
https://www.syracuse.com/news/2024/...out-in-onondaga-countys-northern-suburbs.html (PS; Breidenbach)
Central New York is getting its second traffic roundabout since New York state transportation officials started a policy to consider that design first when rebuilding an intersection.
The new roundabout will be built on state Route 31 at the intersection with Thompson Road in Cicero. It is expected to cost $8.3 million, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced this week.
The money will come from the federal infrastructure law, the governor said.
The project also includes new left turn lanes at Route 31 and South Bay Road. The state also plans to resurface and restore drainage on South Bay Road and build a sidewalk on the south side of Route 31.
State transportation officials proposed a roundabout for the intersection at least three years ago. They said it was the best option to keep traffic flowing and reduce the number of accidents.
The state DOT has a policy that requires engineers to consider a roundabout as the preferred option when it makes sense for the traffic volume and geography of an intersection.
Compared to traditional red-and-green-light intersections, roundabouts reduce emissions, traffic jams and severe accidents, studies show.
The state also plans to build three new roundabouts in Syracuse as part of the redesign of Interstate 81.
Some Cicero residents have objected to the size of the roundabout and raised questions about pedestrian use, driver confusion and snow removal.
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Venison bolognese with fettuccine pasta at The Tailor and The Cook, Utica, N.Y. (Jared Paventi | jaredpaventi@gmail.com)
https://www.syracuse.com/food/2024/...-needle-on-fine-dining-dining-out-review.html (PS; $; Paventi)
Dinner at The Tailor and The Cook in Utica is as much of a meal as it is art. A mural of broken plates, flatware and kitchen tools greets you upon entering. Our server didn’t merely walk us through the menu and specials; it was a leisurely stroll, stopping to point out the kitchen’s technique or a particular farm where an ingredient was sourced. Even the restrooms, tucked behind a restored staircase, were thoughtfully designed down to the all-in-one soap dispenser, water faucet and hand dryer.
As for the food, well, this is not a case where the atmosphere and vibe cover for a deficient meal. In fact, owner Tim Hardiman and his kitchen team have raised the bar on themselves since our last visit eight years ago, expanding on the farm-to-table concept to showcase the versatility of ingredients. (We also encountered Hardiman during the pandemic as part of the Social-From A Distance virtual dinner party series.)
Take the watermelon radish pastrami ($13), for instance. Radishes were cured like the meat then sliced thin and served like a deconstructed Reuben sandwich with sauerkraut, 1000 Islands dressing and gouda cheese. The kraut was tangy, which amplified the acidic sweetness of the dressing, and grilled rye bread offered a platform to bring the flavors. It also offered an additional bit of crunch. All the flavors of a Reuben were there but without a slice of meat in sight.
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https://www.syracuse.com/news/2024/...-its-been-a-tradition-for-100-plus-years.html (PS; Moss)
The annual Memorial Day parade in Liverpool has been cancelled this year, village officials said Thursday.
The village has had a parade each Memorial Day, with few exceptions, for more than a century.
The annual parade, like many around the region, usually included school marching bands, veterans, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and civic groups. People would line the route.
Liverpool Mayor Stacy Finney said organizers had “run out of time” to pull together the parade before May 27. There also would not have been adequate security this year, she said.
Finney said she is hopeful the parade will return next year, and can be restored to its “original glory” from before the COVID-19 pandemic.
A parade organizing committee is being created for next year, Finney said. People interested in joining can email or call 315-457-3441, extension 1.
The village has included $8,000 in its next budget to cover security for next year, she said.
There are other options to celebrate Memorial Day in Liverpool this year, Finney said.
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