sutomcat
No recent Cali or Iggy awards; Mr Irrelevant
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Welcome to National Bow Tie Day!
Sure, you could buy and wear a clip-on bow tie to celebrate the day, but if there ever was a day to finally take the time and teach yourself how to tie your own bow tie, this is it. It may take a little effort, but here is a video and directions to help you succeed. If you already are an avid bow tie wearer, this day is especially for you! Many have celebrated wearing a bow tie in the past, so you are not alone.
SU News
Syracuse QB Tommy DeVito, former Don Bosco star, primed for breakout season (northjersey.com; Johnson)
It's the 12th practice of fall camp for Syracuse, just 16 days until the season opener against Liberty on Aug. 31.
Tommy DeVito is at ease during the team's warm-up drills. As he works with his receivers on a variety of routes, the ball rips off his hands when he needs it to while he shows his developing touch on other throws.
This portion of practice is supposed to be easy and DeVito makes it look so. It's not hard to see why there's so much excitement about the redshirt sophomore taking over for the record-breaking Eric Dungey.
DeVito, the former Don Bosco standout, was selected preseason third-team All-ACC by Athlon Sports, and Bleacher Report projected the quarterback to be one of college football's breakout stars. Some publications are even projecting him as a sleeper Heisman candidate.
The hype makes it clear, it's his time now. It's been a moment he's been waiting for since he signed with Dino Babers in 2017, and he's embracing the opportunity to become a leader for the Orange.
"It's a lot of fun to be playing football again. It's been awesome to be able to help the younger guys around (campus). You really see everyone coming together and how that's tying into practice," DeVito said early in camp.
That was the first time media got a chance to lay eyes on DeVito. Babers traveled back to California the weekend of the first two practices to celebrate his mother's birthday for the first time in 40 years.
As a result, Babers allowed the media to stay nearly 75 minutes as the teams went through goal-line situations, red zone packages and position drills.
At one point during the session, DeVito patiently progressed through his reads before firing a laser to the back corner of the end zone. Freshman Courtney Jackson rewarded his quarterback with a circus one-handed catch with a defender draped all over him.
The precision and power shown in just that one play makes it easy to see where all of the hype is coming from. The experience of playing against North Carolina, Notre Dame and Florida State last season was also extremely valuable for DeVito's development.
"This young man, I think he has the opportunity to be good, but he's going to have to go through some things like the Notre Dame game, he went through something," Babers said. "As he develops those experiences, he won't be fooled again. You fool really good quarterbacks one time and the second time you try to fool them with the same thing, they burn you. That's the type of individual (DeVito) is."
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No. 22 Syracuse gets opening test at Liberty (gwinettprepsports.com; FLM)
The anticipation is building for No. 22 Syracuse, which opens a season of heightened expectations.
The Orange will find out how they stack up against top-ranked Clemson in two weeks, but they must first navigate two nonconference road games, starting with a visit to Liberty on Saturday night, followed by a trip to Maryland.
The Orange are coming off their first winning season since 2013 and their first 10-win season since 2001. Last year, Syracuse finished No. 15 in the AP poll thanks to quarterback Eric Dungey passing for 2,868 yards, but Dungey graduated and coach Dino Babers is hoping sophomore Tommy DeVito can be just as effective as his predecessor.
"We need to be sure that we stay locked in and let the process happen," Babers said.
"We have a very difficult nonconference schedule. We're away for (the first) two games on the road. That's not what you want to do with a football team that has the chance to do the things that people think we can do that the media has been talking about."
DeVito is hardly a novice, having completed 50.6 percent of his passes (44 of 87) while appearing in eight games last season. Heading into his first collegiate start, he is supported by numerous veterans, including running back Moe Neal and wideout Sean Riley.
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5 Bold Syracuse Football Predictions – Orange Fizz – Free Syracuse Recruiting News (orangefizz.net; Leonard)
1 Trishton Jackson Surpasses 1200 Yards
All the buzz around camp is Jackson is as advertised or even better. There is usually a go to guy in the Dino offense at wide receiver. Etta-Tawo had over 1400 yards in year one, Ishmael racked up 1300+ in year two and Custis, to a much lesser extent, was kind of that guy last year with roughly 900 yards on the season. Even with more competition, expect Jackson to separate himself from the pack this year.
2. Clemson Goes Down To The Final Play
I know there is a case to be made that the Tigers have learned their lesson and will treat Syracuse with the utmost respect, which is true. However, a packed Dome is the ultimate equalizer. That place is going to be flat out buzzing and I can’t see a world where there is a blowout against that environment, even if they are the “best team ever.”
3. Andre Szmyt Gets Off To Shaky Start
Last season was likely a blur for Szmyt. He went from completely unknown during the start of game one to the undisputed best kicker in the country. He didn’t even have time to think about what was going on. Now he’s spent a whole offseason being labeled the best in the country and has had more time to think about the expectations. I’m not at all saying he struggles the entire year. He is still going to be really good. I wouldn’t be surprised if he missed a couple kicks early though.
4. Mikel Jones Starts By Week 4
Every year it seems like a freshman breaks out on defense. Last year Syracuse had a couple, most notably of course was Cisco. Now, Jones isn’t going to be an All-American (at least I don’t think so). But, he’s the most likely candidate to be that freshman this year. We already know he is going to get playing time and the linebacker group has room for a playmaking freshman unlike essentially every other group on the roster.
5. Syracuse Loses To Maryland
It’s hardly even news to call Maryland a trap game for Syracuse at this point and based on what Kendall Coleman said at ACC Kickoff, I doubt the players overlook the Terps. That being said, it’s Tommy DeVito’s second start ever and it’s on the road. It will also be the first real test for the influx offensive line and new starters at linebacker. Maryland really isn’t even that good. It’s not that. It just feels like Syracuse will be upset once this year and early in the season makes the most sense.
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Syracuse football players meet with media, share thoughts on road trip to Liberty (cnycentral.com; video; Hauswirth)
It's game week for the Syracuse University football team, as the Orange prepare for a road trip to Lynchburg, Virginia to meet the Liberty Flames.
The players have been waiting for this very moment since last year's season-ending victory over West Virginia in the Camping World Bowl.
Now, it's time to put their finished product on the field for all to see.
It's the culmination of spring practice and summer workouts, leading into fall camp and now the season opener.
Liberty is no slouch, by the way. The Flames are led by former Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze and former Auburn quarterback Malik Willis.
Not to mention, the game's on the road, and certainly has the Orange's attention.
"To have an SEC coach to come into the program like that and be able to help them that much more, shows a lot," Orange redshirt-sophomore quarterback Tommy DeVito said. "You can't play them like they're any other opponent. Like I always say all the time, let's face this opponent -- it could be Clemson, Boston College or any other team -- we need to play them the same. The first game's going to be exciting and hopefully we can get that all figured out."
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Syracuse defensive back Andre Cisco on preparing for a road trip
Syracuse defensive back Andre Cisco on preparing for a road trip, with Syracuse playing it's first game against Liberty
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Syracuse defensive back Andre Cisco on preparing for a road trip, with Syracuse playing it's first game against Liberty
Episode 154- Syracuse Football, Liberty Preview! 'Cuse Militia podcast (player.fm; podcast; Cuse Militia)
What's up Cuse Nation? Listen...it's time foe Syracuse Football! Here's your Liberty preview!
Paul Russo & Nick Felice preview the Syracuse Orange ahead of the opening game of their 2019 season at Liberty during Tuesday night's Fresh Takes Podcast on FingerLakes1.com.
Offensive Outlook — 2019 Syracuse Football preview - The Juice Online (the juice; Stechschulte)
QUARTERBACKS
With record-setting quarterback Eric Dungey gone, the reins to Dino Babers’ electric offense get handed to redshirt sophomore Tommy DeVito. DeVito, one of the most heralded recruits to come to Syracuse in a long time, got his feet wet last season, appearing in eight games for the Orange. While playing a role in victories over Florida State and North Carolina, DeVito also got roughed up in the loss to Notre Dame. A first-time starter, DeVito takes over the offense with two years of tutelage to go with that playing experience already under his belt.
The listed backup to DeVito out of spring camp was Clayton Welch, a redshirt senior who transferred to Syracuse after spending two years in junior college, but he and Rex Culpepper were competing for the spot in camp. Welch struggled some in the spring game, but did connect on a 71-yard touchdown pass. A redshirt junior, Culpepper has thrown 75 passes in his career at SU, including a pair of touchdowns in his lone start, the 2017 season finale against Boston College.
RUNNING BACKS
Moe Neal returns for his senior season with some impressive marks in the school record book in sight. Neal has just over 2,000 yards from scrimmage in his first three seasons, including 1,714 rushing yards. Matching last season’s 869 yards on the ground would push him to eighth all-time in rushing yards and reaching the 1,000-yard plateau would propel him to sixth place in front of Syracuse legend Floyd Little.
Neal is just one of many talented backs in the Orange stable. Jarveon Howard, who rumbled for 327 yards and seven touchdowns last season as the primary short-yardage back, returns for his sophomore season. Redshirt junior Abdul Adams, a transfer from Oklahoma who averaged over seven yards per carry and had a 99-yard touchdown at his previous stop, debuted in the Camping World Bowl with a pair of touchdowns.
Chris Elmore, who splits time in the backfield and at tight end, works mostly as a blocker, but did have a pair of one-yard scores last season. Markenzy Pierre, who redshirted as a sophomore last season, has 33 career carries in orange. Freshman Jawhar Jordan enrolled at SU in January and showed what he can do in the spring game, blazing past the defense for a 47-yard touchdown. That speed makes him a wild card both on offense and as a potential kick returner.
WIDE RECEIVERS
Three different wideouts who were major contributors last season return to lead the receiver group. Senior Sean Riley, who operates out of the slot, paced the team with 64 receptions last season. Riley logged three 100-yard receiving games last season, including ten grabs for 164 yards against North Carolina State, and had a 75-yard touchdown catch against Boston College.
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4 years since being medically disqualified, AJ Long reflects on self-doubt from football (DO; Hillman)
When AJ Long decided to coach football, he told himself one thing: never lie to your players.
Long didn’t want to be like the coaches who had led him astray. The coaches who’d recruited him to play as a mobile quarterback, only to change to a west coast system. The coaches who told him he wasn’t good enough to play the position he’d been recruited for at Syracuse.
Returning to the game as a signal caller was always his long-term plan, just not this early. Coaching at Whitehall High School (Pennsylvania) and Diamond Athletics is his way of keeping his passion alive, showing kids that the most important part of the game is having fun – something he lost throughout much of his time at Syracuse and Wagner.
“If they do a great job, I’m gonna tell them they did a great job. If they did a bad job, I’m gonna tell them they did a bad job,” Long said. “I’m focused on being honest with these kids for the sake of these kids’ health, because this stuff impacts what you think, feel and do off the field.”
Five years ago, Long became the first true-freshman quarterback to win his first career start at Syracuse. He threw for 171 yards and ran for a score in an October 2014 win over Wake Forest and started five games for the Orange that season after Terrel Hunt’s injury.
A year later, on Oct. 13, 2015, Long was barred from playing at SU. After suffering his third concussion in less than two years, Dr. James Tucker, a former Syracuse team physician, “disqualified him from further participation in football and any other contact sport at Syracuse,” per a 2015 press release from SU Athletics.
When Long stepped out of Manley Field House on that cold October 2015 day after he was disqualified, his mind wouldn’t stop racing. He paced back to his apartment, 843 Small Road Apt. 3, climbed up the stairs and crawled into bed.
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Syracuse football will always maintain ‘RB-U’ crown (itlh; Esden Jr)
Syracuse football will always maintain the ‘RB-U’ crown in college football. Our Paul A. Esden Sr provides all the details and highlights.
Everyone has their juices pumping and is ready for Saturday nights kickoff and the beginning of another campaign for Dino Babers and the Syracuse football squad!
To help ease the wait it’s time to bring up a fun debate regarding the prestigious history of Syracuse’s running game (the legend of 44) and how that bright light has started to dim over recent years.
There are many of these unofficial titles across the nation such as :
- Lineback University – Penn State
- Tight End University – Miami Hurricanes
- Quarterback University – USC Trojans
- Wide Receiver University – Miami Hurricanes
For those new to being a fan of the Orange or are too young to remember; here are some of the legends that have stepped onto the field for the Orange:
- Jim Brown (recognized by most players as the greatest football player that has ever laced up his cleats). For the Andrew Luck haters out there, Jim Brown retired from the game on his own terms (I wouldn’t recommend booing him).
- Ernie Davis winner of the Heisman trophy in 1961. A bright light that was too soon extinguished. If you are unfamiliar with him I recommend watching the movie ‘The Express’ and also visiting his statue that stands proudly on campus.
Ed Hardin: Wake Forest making the best of Friday night slights (greensboro.com; Hardin)
Wake Forest football is about to own Friday nights.
And while the Deacs would prefer to be playing on Saturday afternoons in the traditional atmosphere of college football, Wake is embracing the reality that it will open the season with not one but three straight Friday night games.
A series of agreements involving schools and conferences and ESPN and the ACC Network meant a new matrix of college football games would evolve, and the once-sacred high school Friday night lights are now going to be dimmed nationwide, not just for Wake Forest.
It’s a trend that began years ago as ESPN and the major networks began moving games to almost every night of the week. Friday night’s long-standing tradition of high school games has all but disappeared.
So this week, as college football begins in earnest across the country, it will include a Friday night telecast of Wake Forest and Utah State on the new ACC Network at 8 o’clock.
And then one week later, Wake will travel to Rice for an 8 p.m game on CBS Sports Network, and a week after that the Deacs will return home for a Friday night game against North Carolina on ESPN.
John Currie, the new athletics director at Wake, said that all three were unique and happened not in coordination but in separate circumstances involving a lot of moving parts.
“These are all individual circumstances that just coalesced or conspired or collided in this particular year,” he said describing a process that involved the launch of the network and the league moving the opener from Thursday to Friday.
Clemson and Georgia Tech will now play Thursday in the first game since the network launch.
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Sapakoff: If the Gamecocks lose three straight ACC games, it's punchline status (postandcourier.com; Sapakoff)
Charlotte, a “neutral site” for South Carolina versus North Carolina on Saturday?
Not on the map Will Muschamp is looking at with his garnet-colored glasses.
“I don’t call it an out-of-state game,” he said Tuesday. “It’s an in-state game for us.”
If a U.S. president can suggest purchasing Greenland, why can’t a Gamecocks head coach annex an oversized suburb of the Rock Hill-Fort Mill-Tega Cay metroplex?
Of course, that didn’t work at the Belk Bowl, where South Carolina ended its 2018 season with a miserable 28-0 loss to Virginia, which followed a 56-35 loss to eventual national champion Clemson.
That makes Saturday’s season opener unusually important.
Gamecock Nation — its fans, players, mascot, tailgate food preparation people — cannot stand an 0-3 stretch against the theoretically inferior ACC. Not with two of those losses coming to underdogs on the Bank of America Stadium turf some prominent people consider a patch of backyard.
“You hear it a lot,” South Carolina quarterback Jake Bentley confirmed Tuesday when asked about the SEC versus ACC thing.
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ACC Power Rankings: Preseason Edition (tarheelblog.com; Davis)
As we head into the 2019 season, here is the biggest question in the ACC: who will face Clemson in the ACC Championship Game?
The Tigers are the top-ranked team in both the AP Top 25 and the Coaches Poll, and there is not much faith in the conference among the prognosticators in the coaching or sports journalism worlds. Syracuse is the only other league member with a preseason ranking outside of football holdout Notre Dame.
Beyond that big question surrounding the ACC title, there are a ton of questions surrounding each program in the league.
With that in mind, in honor of those questions and the uncertainty creating this preseason power ranking, below are the team rankings and a question facing that program in 2019:
1. Clemson
Can the Tigers avoid any missteps to make their way back to the College Football Playoff?
When looking at Clemson’s schedule this season, the two biggest challenges will be in Weeks 2 and 3 versus Texas A&M and at Syracuse. If the Tigers survive those two tests, can they run the table? It is certainly possible, and it will likely be needed if the ACC is as weak as the experts predict.
2. Syracuse
Will the Orange be giant killers and flip the league on its head?
As mentioned with Clemson, the biggest date on the conference calendar so far in 2019 is Saturday, September 14. Syracuse will host Clemson in New York and an Orange victory will have ripple effects throughout college football. And it can happen: just look at the past two seasons between these teams.
3. Miami
Can Jarren Williams be a difference-maker for the Hurricanes’ offense?
The redshirt freshman won the training camp battle for the starting quarterback role and made his first collegiate start against Florida on Saturday night in the first game of the 2019 season. The Hurricanes had some chances to win in an ugly first game of the season, but Williams will need a lot more help from his offensive line to breakout this year.
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Keeping up with the Card-dashians: U of L football behind-the-scenes show airs Sunday (courier-journal.com; Aulbach)
A behind-the-scenes look at the Louisville football team's offseason airs this weekend on the ACC Network, and it'll be a little more "Card Knocks" than "Keeping Up with the Card-dashians."
"All Access: Louisville Football" airs at 9 p.m. Sunday, just in time for the Cardinals' season opener a day later against Notre Dame. And ESPN officials say Louisville fans should get comfy and heat up some popcorn — this will be must-see TV.
"It’ll be a great snapshot of what they can expect, at least in what they’re trying to build at the program," said Stacie McCollum, senior director of programming and acquisitions with ESPN. "They’ll get a chance to know the new coaching staff and get a little bit of a flavor for who they are and what their area of focus is going to be throughout the season."
New coach Scott Satterfield arrived last December and was tasked changing the culture at Louisville in the wake of the program's collapse during Bobby Petrino's final season. He brought in an entirely new coaching staff, and that group has spent the summer working with Louisville players and getting to know them ahead of their first season.
Pregame reading: 3 key points for the Cardinals on Monday vs. Notre Dame
The cameras have been rolling for much of that time. And they're great cameras, too. – Arri Alexa series models, McCollum said, the same ones used to film movies like "Black Panther" and "The Jungle Book."
"From a cinematography standpoint, it’s going to be beautiful. It’s going to have a very stylized film type of quality to it," McCollum said. "We have filmed everything from coaches' meetings to practices, position meetings, weight room workouts and conditioning sessions."
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How experts are projecting BC football’s season to play out (boston.com; Haas)
Most ACC writers believe Boston College football will finish 7-5 or 6-6 this season. A few think head coach Steve Addazio will be on the hot seat if BC doesn’t make a noticeable jump this year.
The consensus among all experts is that the Eagles will rely heavily on star running back AJ Dillon, and some also pointed out that quarterback Anthony Brown and linebacker Max Richardson are poised for big seasons.
Many pundits currently have BC in the same echelon as Wake Forest and NC State, so the Eagles’ success in those games could shape their season.
ESPN
Senior Writer Mark Schlabach isn’t too optimistic about the Eagles’ chances. He believes they’ll take a step back, rather than a step forward, and finish the season 6-6 overall and 3-5 in ACC play.
Schlabach expects BC to end up fourth in the Atlantic division, behind Clemson, Syracuse, and Florida State, and ahead of NC State, Wake Forest, and Louisville.
He also put Steve Addazio as his “coach on the hot seat,” though he did predict that the Eagles will upset Florida State. Most experts are high on Florida State this year after a rare down year for the Seminoles a season ago. Schlabach is one of those people, but he believes the Eagles will win this round after losing by one point to FSU a year ago and smacking the Seminoles, 35-3, in 2017.
Preseason media poll
Members of the media determined that BC is most likely to finish fifth in the division, behind Clemson, Syracuse, Florida State, and NC State, and ahead of Wake Forest and Louisville.
Out of 173 voters, 170 chose Clemson to win its fifth straight ACC championship, while two voters went with Syracuse and one picked Virginia, according to CBS Sports.
Voters selected Virginia as the most likely Coastal champion, ahead of Miami, Virginia Tech, Pitt, Duke, North Carolina, and Georgia Tech.
Writer Kerry Miller has junior running back AJ Dillon as one of his biggest stars in the conference. Miller noted how Dillon still managed to finish with over 1,100 yards and 10 touchdowns despite missing two games in October due to an ankle injury.
“September games against Richmond, Kansas, Rutgers, and Wake Forest ought to make Dillon’s name an oft-mentioned one in the early Heisman debate,” Miller wrote.
Miller also put Addazio “on the hot seat,” pointing out that Addazio’s overall record in seven years at Boston College is 38-38.
“The schedule isn’t going to do Addazio any favors this season,” Miller wrote. “Boston College should win at least five of its first seven games, but it’s liable to crash and burn down the stretch against Clemson, Syracuse, Florida State, Notre Dame and Pittsburgh —all of those games on the road except for the one against the Seminoles.”
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The ACC Football Show: Big Test For Noles In Jacksonville - Chris Landry Football (landryfootball.com; podcast; Landry)
Chris and TJ break down the Miami-Florida game from Week Zero. They also look ahead and preview each of the ACC games from the upcoming slate of games. The ACC Football Show is part of the Big 3 Roll Up Network.
ACCN projects modest gain for ACC schools in television revenue (clemsoninsider.com; Vandervort)
for gbo
Thursday is a big night for Clemson and the Atlantic Coast Conference.
A week after the league debuted the ACC Network, it will hit another milestone on Thursday when the top-ranked Tigers host Georgia Tech in the first live televised football game on the network.
“Usually, when we play on Thursday nights it is on the road, so this is a unique situation for Clemson to play on a Thursday night and to kickoff this ACC Network. That is huge for our league. We are honored to be the first game on it, it is a big deal.
“I know our fans are going to show up and give us a good atmosphere to play in Thursday night.”
ACC Commissioner John Swofford will be one of nine dignitaries on hand at Memorial Stadium, while ESPN’s College Football Live and College GameDay shows will broadcast live from inside Death Valley.
“This is a pretty big deal and were excited about what this means for us as an institution and for the ACC as a whole,” Deputy Athletic Director Graham Neff said to The Clemson Insider.
Neff and athletic director Dan Radakovich placed just a modest increase on Clemson’s budget for the new network. Last year, the ACC reported about $26 million per school for his television revenue. The Clemson Athletic Department budgeted just over $29 million for this coming season.
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50 "Must-See" College Football Games of 2019 (athlonsports.com; Light)
Will Ohio State-Michigan top the list?
We enjoyed a nice appetizer last weekend with two games on the Week 0 slate, but the college football season begins in earnest this weekend with games on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday. There are three games from Week 1 on this list — Oregon vs. Auburn in Arlington, Texas; Boise State vs. Florida State in Jacksonville; and Houston at Oklahoma — and a bunch to follow in Week 2.
Must See-Games of 2019 by Conference: ACC I Big 12 I Big Ten I Pac-12 I SEC I Group of 5
Here are the top 50 must-see games on the 2019 college football schedule:
1. Ohio State at Michigan, Nov. 30
It will be a tough blow to the Jim Harbaugh defenders (and we at Athlon Sports are included on that list) if the Wolverines drop an eighth-straight game to hated Ohio State.
Fun fact: The Ohio State game represented only 11.1 percent of Michigan’s Big Ten schedule last season, but the Wolverines allowed 37.8 percent of their points and 24.4 percent of their yards (in league games) in the loss to the Buckeyes.
2. LSU at Alabama, Nov. 9
It’s still must-see TV, but LSU needs to break through against the Crimson Tide at some point. The Tigers have scored a total of 10 points in the last three meetings.
Fun fact: Both teams have been ranked in the AP top 25 at the time of the game in each of the past 13 meetings (including the 2011 BCS title game). In six of those games, both teams were ranked in the top 10.
3. Oklahoma vs. Texas, Oct. 12 (Dallas)
Like last season, this likely will be the first of two matchups between these bitter rivals. This one is big, but the rematch in December — assuming it happens — will be for a championship.
Fun fact: Each of the last five regular-season meetings has been decided by seven points or fewer.
4. Georgia vs. Florida, Nov. 2 (Jacksonville)
This could emerge as the game of the year in the SEC over the next decade. These two programs are poised to dominate the East Division.
Fun fact: Florida has not topped 200 yards passing against Georgia in any of the past seven games. The Gators have thrown for fewer than 100 yards twice in that span.
5. LSU at Texas, Sept. 7
This might be the most important non-conference game on the 2019 college football schedule. The winner will be included — at least temporarily — in the discussion for a spot in the College Football Playoff.
Fun fact: It’s the first regular-season matchup between these two storied programs since 1954. They last played in the Cotton Bowl, on Jan. 1, 2003.
6. Alabama at Auburn, Nov. 30
This will always be one of the biggest games on the college football schedule, and its magnitude increases when both teams are in the national title hunt. We are confident Alabama will do its part. The ball is in your court, Gus.
Fun fact: Alabama has been ranked first or second nationally in 10 of the last 11 meetings in the series. In 2010, Alabama was ranked ninth and dropped a 28–27 decision to second-ranked Auburn — the eventual national champs.
7. Utah at Washington, Nov. 2
Let’s hope the rematch of the 2018 Pac-12 Championship Game — won by Washington 10–3 — is a bit more entertaining. The Pac-12 hopes both teams enter this game without a loss.
Fun fact: Washington has won six of the seven meetings between the two schools since Utah joined the Pac-12 in 2011. Utah won 34–23 in 2015 in Seattle.
8. Florida at LSU, Oct. 12
The intensity in this annual East vs. West clash has been ratcheted up since the two schools quarreled about relocating the 2016 game due to Hurricane Matthew.
Fun fact: Dan Mullen has now won two straight games against LSU for the first time in his career. Mullen’s 2017’s Mississippi State team pounded LSU 37–7 in Starkville, and his first Florida team beat the Tigers 27–19 in Gainesville last fall.
9. Notre Dame at Georgia, Sept. 21
It’s the return game from Georgia’s 2017 trip to Notre Dame, a 20–19 Bulldog win that served as the unofficial arrival of Kirby Smart’s program as a legitimate national power.
Fun fact: Georgia will be the sixth SEC venue Notre Dame has visited, joining Alabama, LSU, Ole Miss, Vanderbilt and Tennessee.
10. Notre Dame at Michigan, Oct. 26
Notre Dame is off the week prior to this short trip to Ann Arbor. Michigan plays at Penn State the week before. Advantage Notre Dame.
Fun fact: The last time both teams were ranked in the top 10 at the time of the game: 1994, when No. 6 Michigan beat No. 3 Notre Dame 26–24.
11. Oregon vs. Auburn, Aug. 31 (Arlington, Texas)
Oregon quarterback Justin Herbert can make a statement on a national stage against an elite Auburn defense.
Fun fact: Oregon is 4–5 all-time against SEC teams, with two wins apiece over Mississippi State and Tennessee and losses to Auburn (in the 2010 national title game), Georgia and LSU (three times).
12. Texas A&M at Clemson, Sept. 7
SEC fans might never shut up if the Aggies can find a way to knock off Trevor Lawrence and the defending national champs in Death Valley.
Fun fact: The three SEC teams that Clemson played last season combined to average 7.0 yards per play; the Tigers’ other 15 opponents averaged 3.4 yards per play.
13. Michigan at Penn State, Oct. 19
This will be the most difficult road game for the Wolverines, who are the pick by Athlon Sports and the Big Ten media to win the East Division title.
Fun fact: The home team has won three straight in the series — by scores of 49–10 (Michigan in 2016), 42–13 (Penn State in 2017) and 42–17 (Michigan in 2018).
14. Penn State at Ohio State, Nov. 23
Ohio State closes the regular season with a two-game stretch — Penn State at home and a trip to Michigan — that should have a huge impact on the College Football Playoff race.
Fun fact: Ohio State has rallied from double-digit deficits in the fourth quarter to beat Penn State in each of the last two years.
15. Clemson at Syracuse, Sept. 14
No ACC team has played Clemson tougher than Dino Babers’ Orange the last two seasons — with a win in Syracuse two years ago and a 27–23 loss at Clemson last fall. This is far from a sure thing for the Tigers.
Fun fact: Syracuse ran only 67 plays from scrimmage in last year’s defeat at Clemson, its fewest of the 2018 season.
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Other
Admission to the NYS Fair this weekend is $1 or for some, free (PS; Hernandez)
With several discounts on admission this weekend to the New York State Fair, you’ll have more money to spend on baked potatoes and Piggy Frito Pie.
The 2019 fair has been smashing attendance records left and right, but Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced a new price drop on August 23 as part of a new “Summer Send-Off” promotion in an effort to draw more people to the fairgrounds to see the new changes made over recent years.
Cuomo said in a statement, “It truly is one of the best fairs in America. I want all New Yorkers to see these changes for themselves and I urge everyone to take advantage of this special offer.”
One dollar adult tickets for admission on Aug. 31 and Sept. 1 will be available at the gate or online through the fair’s website. Those who purchase tickets online will be entered into a drawing for a lifetime fair pass, which will allow the winner free lifetime entry to the fair.
As part of the promotion, any unused 2019 fair tickets may be used for the 2020 fair.
Admission remains $1 on Labor Day and $3 on Thursdays. Students 18 and under get in for free on Friday, Aug. 30 and college students get in for $1 by showing their college I.D. as part of the numerous promotions throughout the fair.
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