sutomcat
No recent Cali or Iggy awards; Mr Irrelevant
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Welcome to National Mushroom Day!
National Mushroom Day celebrates edible mushrooms, which can be eaten plain, be stuffed, or be used in salads, soups, and sauces. Culinary mushrooms first began being cultivated in the early eighteenth century, in France. They were known as Parisian mushrooms by those outside of the country, and the English exported them to America by the end of the nineteenth century. It was mainly these white and brown Agaricus bisporus mushrooms that were cultivated and sold, none more so than cremini mushrooms. Beginning in the 1940s, many other types of mushrooms began being cultivated on a wider basis.
SU News
Liberty vs. Syracuse Football Prediction and Preview (athlonsports.com; Minnich)
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When Syracuse Has the Ball
Syracuse was already struggling to put points on the board, and now starting quarterback Tommy DeVito could be lost for the season. Rex Culpepper figures to take DeVito's spot. A senior, Culpepper has completed eight of 19 pass attempts this season for 113 yards, a touchdown (69-yarder to Taj Harris in the loss to Pittsburgh), and an interception. Culpepper, a senior who was diagnosed with testicular cancer in March 2018 and missed that entire season before being declared cancer-free and returning the following year, has seen limited action in his career, playing in nine games across three seasons. Because of his relative inexperience (53-for-95, 613 yards, 3 TDs, 4 INTs in career), head coach Dino Babers may opt to run the ball more to let his new quarterback settle in. The problem there is that Syracuse is averaging less than 80 rushing yards per game and its top two running backs — Sean Tucker and Jawhar Jordan — are dealing with injuries. Liberty is giving up 250 yards on the ground per game, so the opportunity appears to be there, but do the Orange have the personnel to take advantage of it?
Final Analysis
Syracuse has not been able to consistently produce any offense this season while Liberty is among the nation's top 25 teams in total, scoring and rushing offense. The Flames are undefeated and brimming with confidence. They should have little problem moving the ball against an Orange team that is battered and searching for answers.
Prediction: Liberty 28, Syracuse 17
Crash Course: Syracuse Orange (aseaofred.com; Jones)
This Saturday, Liberty will ride a six-game winning streak into the Carrier Dome for a matchup against the 1-3 Syracuse Orange.
Quite a bit has changed since the Flames fell to Syracuse 24-0 in last season’s opener at Williams Stadium. Both teams will feature new starting quarterbacks: Malik Willis for Liberty, and fifth-year senior Rex Culpeper for the Orange.
Syracuse lost starting quarterback Tommy DeVito to a season-ending injury last week at Duke. Culpepper, who has not started a game since 2017, has completed 9 of 18 passes for one touchdown and one interception this year. Before a 2018 battle with cancer, Culpeper was 45 of 75 in 2017. That year, he threw for two touchdowns and three picks. Syracuse does retain starting running back Sean Tucker, who has rushed for 188 yards on 40 carries in 2020.
Taj Harris will likely be Culpepper’s top target against the Flames. Harris, who leads the team in receiving yards with 338, is averaging nearly 20 yards per reception and has caught three touchdowns in 2020. Containing Harris will be crucial for the Flames.
Duke ran all over the Syracuse defense last week: amassing 363 rushing yards and 645 yards total en route to a 38-24 win. Syracuse’s poor defensive showing is a good sign for the Flames, who rank seventh in the nation in rushing. Expect Joshua Mack to get plenty of carries early in Saturday’s game to test Syracuse’s defense. Containing Liberty’s running back corps and Malik Willis could prove challenging for Syracuse.
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Rochester's Josh Mack leads undefeated Liberty at running back (DO; Shetty)
Growing up in Rochester, Josh Mack always knew he wanted to make it to the NFL.
Now the leading rusher for the undefeated Liberty Flames, Mack has begun to turn a few heads in the NFL for his strong play at LU and in high school.
Halfway through his college career, he transferred to Liberty from Maine. Even without starting a game last year — his first eligible season with the Flames — Mack put together 1006 all-purpose yards and tacked on seven touchdowns. Now the starting running back in his redshirt senior year, Mack has piled up 59 rushes for 359 yards and one touchdown in the first four games of the season.
Keith Molinich, Mack’s coach at Pittsford Mendon High School, said that NFL teams have contacted him and have asked about Mack’s background on and off the field.
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Opponent preview: Syracuse faces FBS newcomer Liberty in nonconference game (DO; Dabbundo)
After beginning the 2020 season with four conference games, Syracuse will play its lone nonconference game of the year against Liberty at 12 p.m. Saturday in the Carrier Dome. The Orange (1-3, 1-3 Atlantic Coast) lost 38-24 last week to a previously undefeated Duke and will now take on unbeaten Liberty (4-0).
The matchup is the second of three scheduled with FBS newcomer Liberty and the first of two home games in a series between the two programs. The third game will take place in 2022.
Here’s what you need to know about the Flames heading into Saturday’s game:
Betting odds: Liberty is a 3.5-point favorite, with a total of 52.5 points, per DraftKings.
All-Time Series: Syracuse leads, 1-0
Last time they met:
Syracuse traveled to Lynchburg to kick off its 2019 season at Liberty, and the Orange’s defense shut out the Flames in a 24-0 victory. SU’s defensive line dominated, holding the Flames to minus-4 rushing yards and forcing two fumbles. The SU secondary intercepted Liberty quarterback Stephen Calvert twice en route to the win, and Moe Neal was both the Orange’s leading rusher and receiver in the game. But Syracuse struggled to move the ball consistently on offense, and Tommy DeVito threw two interceptions.
The Liberty report:
This season is just the Flames’ second year of FBS competition. They’re still not a member of a conference, and they play a schedule that features a few ACC opponents, Group of Five conference opponents and FCS teams. The Flames are 4-0 after two close wins against Western Kentucky and Florida International, followed by blowout wins against North Alabama and Louisiana-Monroe.
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Beat writers divided on Syracuse’s outcome against Liberty (DO; Staff)
As Syracuse inches toward the midway point of its 2020 season, the Orange (1-3, 1-3 Atlantic Coast) face Liberty on Saturday for its only nonconference game of the year. The Flames (4-0) are undefeated, and they received votes in this week’s AP Top 25.
Auburn transfer and quarterback Malik Willis leads Liberty, who most recently defeated Louisiana-Monroe, 40-7. Syracuse dropped its last game to Duke, as the Blue Devils ran for 363 yards and generated 645 yards of total offense.
Here’s what The Daily Orange’s beat writers think will happen when Syracuse faces Liberty in the Carrier Dome:
Anthony Dabbundo (2-2)
Rock bottom
Liberty 24, Syracuse 17
I wasn’t sure we’d ever get to the point where the Orange were 3-point underdogs at home to Liberty. When these two teams met last year in Lynchburg, SU was a 19-point favorite and won 24-0. Playing without quarterback Tommy DeVito and potentially four of its best running backs from preseason, I’m not sure how Syracuse will score in this game without its defense creating turnovers. But the injuries are starting to pile up on that side of the ball, too.
Liberty was able to move the ball on the Orange last season but faltered in the red zone. I can’t pick the nation’s worst offense to win a game, so Liberty narrowly wins this one. The Orange move to 1-4, with Clemson up next, and it becomes time for head coach Dino Babers to see what he has in some of his younger talent across the board.
Danny Emerman (2-2)
Crisis averted
Syracuse 21, Liberty 17
Losing to Liberty, even with such a depleted roster and a season unlike any other, would be the low point in Babers’ Syracuse career. There’s no way anyone in central New York envisioned SU being underdogs to the Flames when the teams agreed to a three-game series in 2018. Hugh Freeze’s program has only been in the FBS for two full seasons.
I don’t expect Rex Culpepper to light the Flames on fire, but he’s capable of doing just enough game-managing to keep Liberty at bay. Even Syracuse’s backups should be able to stave off Liberty at home. If not, that would be a big “owie,” to use a Babers phrase, for the Orange.
Adam Hillman (2-2)
Relief
Syracuse 30, Liberty 20
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Dabbundo: Syracuse shouldn’t be playing games against Liberty (DO; Dabbundo)
Syracuse claims it’s fighting against systemic injustice. After Minneapolis police killed George Floyd, SU Director of Athletics John Wildhack released on June 11 a powerful statement about systemic racism that said, “I commit to being better, I commit to our Athletics Family being better.” One month later, SU Athletics hired Salatha Willis, the first associate athletic director for diversity, culture and climate.
But Syracuse has also scheduled and maintained its matchup with Liberty on Saturday. It’s the second of three scheduled meetings between the two teams, a series that shouldn’t have originated to begin with.
Two Liberty football players announced in June that they were transferring from the program due to racial insensitivity and “cultural incompetence” they felt at the school. One player, Kei’Trel Clark, said the decision was “bigger than football.” Asia Todd, a women’s basketball player, also transferred.
“Sports is at the center of the toxic culture at Liberty, and athletes are becoming more and more aware of that,” said Caleb Fitzpatrick, a former member of student government and a 2019 LU graduate.
Syracuse shouldn’t be playing games against Liberty, and the optics of doing so are even worse in a year that has featured athlete activism across the country. SU’s rhetoric about creating an accepting culture within its athletic department and on its campus doesn’t match its action of scheduling a school that routinely insults the ideas of racial sensitivity and inclusion.
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College football: Former SU teammates support Cisco with his decision (nny360.com; St Croix)
As the Syracuse University football team prepares to move forward without star junior safety Andre Cisco, many within the program have taken time to offer support to their former All-American teammate as he chases his NFL dream.
Cisco declared for the 2021 NFL Draft Tuesday night by posting a video announcement to his social media pages, one day after coach Dino Babers confirmed that Cisco would miss the remainder of the season due to a lower-body injury.
The Daily Orange student newspaper reported that Cisco suffered a torn ACL when he collided with a teammate in pregame warmups of the Sept. 26 game against Georgia Tech in the Carrier Dome. Babers and the SU athletics staff have not specified on the exact ailment.
Cisco ultimately played in just two games this year and has opted out of the remainder of the season to turn his attention to the draft. The 6-foot, 209-pound ballhawk from Valley Stream has been projected as high as a potential first-round pick and was widely considered by draft forecasters to be a top-60 prospect entering this season.
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Syracuse Football: Orange fans should support Andre Cisco decision (itlh; Adler)
Syracuse football junior safety Andre Cisco plans to enter the 2021 NFL Draft, and why some Orange fans would trash him for this is simply ridiculous.
We’re all entitled to our opinions, and I respect all Syracuse football fans out there even when we agree to disagree, however, it’s appalling to me that even one Orange fan would hate on the decision by star junior safety Andre Cisco to enter the 2021 NFL Draft.
Cisco, a pre-season All-American candidate heading into the 2020 campaign, suffered a lower-body injury when he collided with a ‘Cuse teammate prior to the team’s contest on Sept. 26 versus Georgia Tech inside the Carrier Dome, according to media reports.
Earlier this week, Syracuse football head coach Dino Babers confirmed that Cisco would miss the rest of the fall term. The Orange currently sits at 1-3 after losing to previously winless Duke last weekend on the Hill, and the ‘Cuse will host non-conference foe Liberty this coming Saturday afternoon.
Word came on Tuesday night via Cisco’s Twitter page that he would pass up on his remaining collegiate eligibility and enter into the 2021 NFL Draft.
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'Cuse Militia Podcast - Armchair Media Network (armchairmedianetwork.com; podcast)
Episode 249- Syracuse Football: Liberty Preview!
https://www.radio.com/wfnz/sports/n...ggs-acc-football-update-on-wilson-and-parcell (radio.com; radio; Riggs)
ACC Network's Kelsey Riggs joined Wilson & Parcell for an ACC Football update.
The guys opened up discussing the Tar Heels’ 5th overall ranking, Riggs said she’s very high on UNC and Notre Dame.
Riggs discussed the Heisman frontrunners for 2020 and said both Travis Etienne and Trevor Lawrence deserve to be in the conversation, but gave the nod to Etienne.
Eagles visit No. 23 Hokies in key game on ACC schedule (AP; Beard)
Here are things to watch in the Atlantic Coast Conference in Week 6:
GAME OF THE WEEK
Boston College at No. 23 Virginia Tech. This is the only game on the week’s schedule to match a pair of one-loss teams, meaning the loser will slide significantly back in an ACC race headlined by three unbeatens: No. 1 Clemson, No. 4 Notre Dame and No. 5 North Carolina. The Hokies (2-1, 2-1 ACC) are coming off a 56-45 road loss to the Tar Heels and have played shorthanded every week due to a combination of coronavirus and injury issues, though returning starting quarterback Hendon Hooker made his debut in UNC loss and played the entire way after halftime. As for the Eagles (3-1, 2-1), first-year coach Jeff Hafley’s squad is coming off a 31-30 overtime win against Pittsburgh after a close home loss to UNC.
BEST MATCHUP
Pittsburgh’s defense should challenge No. 13 Miami’s offense. The Panthers lead the ACC in total defense (263.4 yards per game), run defense (52.0) and sacks (4.8) – ranking in the top six in the Bowl Subdivision ranks in each. Pitt also ranks 12th nationally in scoring defense by allowing 18.2 points per game. The Panthers (3-2, 2-2) have lost consecutive one-point games to North Carolina State and Boston College. The Hurricanes (3-1, 2-1) struggled to 210 yards in last weekend’s loss at No. 1 Clemson, but averaged 499 yards in their first three games.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
Duke visits North Carolina State on Saturday for the 83rd meeting in a longtime series between instate neighbors, one far more rare after waves of ACC expansion. Separated by about 25 miles, the schools played every year except once from 1924 through 2003, the exception being in 1944 during World War II. But they haven’t played since 2013 and the Blue Devils haven’t visited Raleigh since 2009.
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Power Ranking ACC Teams - 10/14/20 (RX; HM)
Power Ranking ACC Teams - 10/14/20
Here are the power ratings (from JHowell.net) through the games of 10-10-2020; I added the gaps:
| Rank | Team | PR | PF | PA | W-L |
| 1 | Clemson | 0.911 | 42.25 | 13.25 | 4-0 |
| 6 | Notre Dame | 0.804 | 40.33 | 13 | 3-0 |
| ... | |||||
| 18 | Miami (FL) | 0.716 | 36.75 | 25 | 3-1 |
| 23 | N Carolina | 0.685 | 37.67 | 24.33 | 3-0 |
| 35 | Virginia Tech | 0.647 | 42.67 | 37 | 2-1 |
| 36 | NC State | 0.645 | 34.25 | 34.25 | 3-1 |
| 38 | Boston College | 0.636 | 25.75 | 20.75 | 3-1 |
| 44 | Pittsburgh | 0.612 | 31.6 | 18.2 | 3-2 |
| 51 | Virginia | 0.579 | 27.33 | 33 | 1-2 |
| 63 | Wake Forest | 0.555 | 40.33 | 32 | 1-2 |
| ... | |||||
| 85 | Georgia Tech | 0.493 | 25.75 | 31.5 | 2-2 |
| 88 | Louisville | 0.483 | 29 | 34.25 | 1-3 |
| 90 | Florida State | 0.467 | 22.5 | 33.5 | 1-3 |
| 94 | Duke | 0.454 | 21.6 | 30.6 | 1-4 |
| 96 | Syracuse | 0.445 | 19.25 | 27.5 | 1-3 |
| ... | |||||
| 102 | Oregon State | 0.427 | 0-0 | ||
| 117 | Vanderbilt | 0.340 | 8.67 | 33 | 0-3 |
| 121 | Rutgers | 0.305 | 0-0 | ||
| 124 | Kansas | 0.269 | 14.67 | 44 | 0-3 |
Other
Fall salmon run brings thousands of anglers to Upstate NY (photos) (PS; $; Nett)
The salmon run is at the peak of its season despite low water levels in the Oswego and Salmon rivers. Anglers from around the country are out casting their lures for the big one in tributaries along the southern shore of Lake Ontario.
The crowds offer a boost to the economy, in particular this year with the impact of the coronavirus on local businesses. License plates from Pennsylvania, Maryland, the New England area were spotted on the road and in parking lots.
The Oswego County Tourism Department has special messages flashing on billboards for visiting anglers. Those parked along the road in the Pulaski area are greeted with messages about distancing.
The fall foliage makes for beautiful backdrops as the fishermen wade in the Oswego River, an unusual feat thanks to the low water levels.
For many, the Salmon Run offers a moment of normalcy during an otherwise chaotic year.
Many who have regularly made the the trip are happy to be out, and for some, the first time was an experience of a lifetime.
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