Orangeyes Daily Articles for Thursday - for Football | Syracusefan.com

Orangeyes Daily Articles for Thursday for Football

sutomcat

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Welcome to New Year's Eve!

New Year's Eve takes place on the last day of the Gregorian calendar. The first New Year's Eve festivities date back approximately 4,000 years, to the time of ancient Babylon; Babylonians celebrated the new year during the first new moon after the vernal equinox, in late March. During antiquity, the first days of the new year were celebrated at different times around the world, and the day was usually tied to an agricultural or astronomical event. For example, Egyptians celebrated their new year as the Nile flooded, and the Chinese New Year has long begun with the second new moon after the winter solstice.

In 46 BCE, Julius Caesar consulted with prominent astronomers and mathematicians, and introduced the Julian calendar, which closely resembles the Gregorian calendar. He made January 1 the first day of the year, partly to honor Janus, the Roman god of beginnings. At the time, the new year was celebrated by offering sacrifices to Janus, decorating homes with laurel branches, the attendance of parties, and the exchanging of gifts. During the Middle Ages, Christian leaders in Europe changed the date of New Year's celebrations to coincide with religious holidays such as Christmas and the Feast of Annunciation. In 1582, New Year's was reestablished to follow the Gregorian calendar by Pope Gregory XIII.

SU News


Throwback Thursday: Syracuse Tops Ohio State in 1992 Hall of Fame Bowl (SI; McAllister)

Marvin Graves led the Syracuse Orangemen to a 24-17 win over Ohio State in the 1992 Hall of Fame Bowl to cap off a 10-2 1991 campaign that saw Syracuse finish 11th in the final Associated Press Poll. Graves was named the bowl game's most valuable player after throwing for a career high 309 yards, two passing touchdowns and rushing for another score.

Syracuse jumped out to a 14-0 lead after scoring touchdowns on their first two possessions against a Buckeyes defense that had been among the stingiest in the country. On Syracuse's first possession, the Orangemen were facing a second and 21 from midfield. Graves tossed to wide receiver Shelby Hill on a middle screen, and he did the rest racing 50 yards for a game opening touchdown.

After forcing a punt, Syracuse marched down the field on their next possessions, capped by a three yard touchdown run by Marvin Graves on third and goal.

The defenses controlled the action for the next two quarters or so, with Syracuse holding a 17-3 lead in the third. Ohio State scored on a Carlos Snow two yard run to trim Syracuse's lead to 17-10. Midway through the fourth quarter, the Buckeyes would make a huge special teams play to tie the game.
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Mike Cavanaugh's Wife Laurie Needs Help Finding a Kidney Donor (SI; McAllister)

Laurie Cavanaugh, the wife of Syracuse offensive line coach Mike Cavanaugh, needs help finding a kidney donor. Coach Cavanaugh took to Twitter tweeting out a link to her story and why there is such a need. The story was retweeted by the Syracuse coaching staff.

Below is more on Laurie's story from her donor app page. If you know of anyone who can help, please consider contacting the please consider contacting the Cavanaughs using the contact links on the donor app page.

"My name is Laurie Cavanaugh. I am a retired nurse. I was born with Polycystic Kidney Disease. I had a transplant in 2007 but it is starting to fail due to scarring. I have 2 siblings who have had transplants that are doing fine. I am passionate about my family. I am trying to avoid dialysis so I can live a normal life and avoid complications from dialysis. I have a lot of antibodies due to pregnancies, blood transfusions and the first kidney transplant. I had 17 people tested the first time I had a transplant before I found a donor. I have had 10 people tested so far but to no avail.

"I have to take a lot of medicine to keep my kidney functioning. Dialysis would limit my daily activities. I would have to be on hemodialysis 3 times a week for 4 hours a time or peritoneal dialysis which is done through the abdomen 4 times a day at home. They will keep you alive but they do not function as well as a kidney. There are a lot of complications with dialysis.
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Teel: Clemson-Alabama Part V inevitable for College Football Playoff? (richmond.com; Teel)

Trevor Lawrence is the first quarterback to lead his team to three consecutive College Football Playoffs. Notre Dame is the largest underdog in the CFP’s seven years.

Welcome to the 2020 season’s final four — No. 2 Clemson versus No. 3 Ohio State in the Sugar Bowl, and No. 4 Notre Dame against No. 1 Alabama in the Rose Bowl — where those subplots and many more will play out New Year’s Day.

Most expect the Tigers (10-1) and Crimson Tide (11-0) to advance to their fifth playoff collision in the last six years, and you’ll get no argument here. Lawrence is 34-1 as Clemson’s starter, while Alabama boasts six first-team Associated Press All-Americans, five on offense and including quarterback Mac Jones, receiver DeVonta Smith and running back Najee Harris.

But the Buckeyes (6-0) and Fighting Irish (10-1) don’t lack intrigue.
On the heels of a 34-10 ACC championship game loss to Clemson, Notre Dame is a 20-point pup Friday. Previously, the widest CFP point spread was Alabama by 14½ against Oklahoma two years ago — the Tide won 45-34 but led 28-0 early. Translation: no contest.

The presumptive Rose Bowl carnage is due largely to an Alabama offense that hasn’t scored fewer than 40 points since a 38-19 dusting of Missouri in the season opener. But part is the Fighting Irish’s grim track record — they lost a 2018 semifinal to Clemson 30-3, the January 2016 Fiesta Bowl to Ohio State 44-28 and the 2012 national title game to Alabama 42-14, the combined deficit 71 points.

Notre Dame’s last national championship was in 1988, and its November victory over shorthanded Clemson ended an 11-game losing streak against top-five opponents.

“I don’t know why this narrative continues to pop up when we’re always in the games,” 11th-year Irish coach Brian Kelly said. “No, we haven’t won a national championship. That’s correct. I’m not changing the record. But we are there every single year and we’re grinding it out just like everybody else. And only one team gets to celebrate at the end of the year. And we’re going to keep banging it, and we’re going to keep getting back here.”
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Clemson RB Travis Etienne expands game for final title run (wnct.com; AP)

for gbo

While Travis Etienne’s rushing total alone this season tells a disappointing story, the Clemson senior tailback believes there is a more positive tale that has made his decision to return to school for a final year well worth it.

Etienne finished last season as the two-time reigning Atlantic Coast Conference player of the year. He was — and is — a speedy, powerful runner who had totaled 4,038 yards and 56 touchdowns as he led the team in rushing in each of his three years.

He was NFL ready, but instead of heading to the pros, Etienne made another of his signature moves fans gasp at and returned to the Tigers for his senior season.

It all sounded good, but he’s got 882 yards, little more than half his totals of the previous two years. But for Etienne, the numbers don’t tell the story.

“Coming back, I feel like I accomplished everything I wanted to accomplish,” he said. “I’ve grown as a player in so many ways, you wouldn’t understand.”

Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said Etienne’s choice in the wake of the team’s disheartening, 42-25 loss to LSU in last year’s national title game was one of a mature player understanding his shortcomings and wanting to improve.

He get to showcase those improvements when the Tigers (10-1, CFP No. 2) face No. 3 Ohio State (6-0; CFP No. 3) in the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans on Friday night.

Etienne had gotten a second-round grade from the NFL’s underclassmen advisory panel — good, just not good enough for Etienne.

He understood he needed to improve in pass protection and become more of a threat on the outside. Mission accomplished. He has a career high 44 catches for 524 yards, the most ever gained receiving by a back at Clemson. He’s also led the Tigers with a 24.3-yard average on kickoff returns this season.
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The Gap: Superpowers hoard talent, leaving ND, others behind (wnct.com; AP)

Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly is clearly tired of the question: Do the Fighting Irish have something to prove as they again prepare to take on one of college football’s elite teams in the College Football Playoff?

“No, I mean, we’re knocking on the door every year playing really good teams and great opponents,” Kelly said. “I don’t know why this narrative continues to pop up when we’re always in the games.”

What often gets categorized as a Notre Dame problem is actually a major college football problem. A tiny group of teams have bolted away from the field simply because they are accumulating far more talent than their competitors.

The elite high school players are clustering at a small number of schools and creating an almost insurmountable gap between the very best and the rest.

No. 4 Notre Dame heads into its latest referendum game against No. 1 Alabama on Friday in the relocated Rose Bowl semifinal in Texas as a nearly three-touchdown underdog. In the other semifinal, a more fair fight is expected between No. 2 Clemson and No. 3 Ohio State at the Sugar Bowl.

Kelly has raised Notre Dame football to its highest level since Lou Holtz led the school to its last national title in 1988. The Irish are 43-7 over the last four years.

Still, Notre Dame drags into the playoff the recent memories of a BCS blowout against the Crimson Tide in 2013, a lopsided semifinal loss to Clemson two seasons ago and overall a six-game losing streak in BCS/New Year’s Six games that dates to the 2000 Fiesta Bowl.

“No, we haven’t won a national championship, that’s correct,” Kelly said. “I’m not changing the record. But we are there every single year and we’re grinding it out just like everybody else. And only one team gets to celebrate at the end of the year.”
...


ACCN Playoff Coverage 2020-21 (RX; HM)

No, no, no, no, no, absolutely no to pairing Syracuse and Louisville as rivals. It makes no sense at all.

ACCN Playoff Coverage 2020-21

From ESPN Press Release, Mon, Dec 28th

ACC Network’s Extensive Surrounding Coverage of Clemson and Notre Dame in the 2021 College Football Playoff Semifinals

  • More Than 14 Hours of Dedicated Programming Friday
  • Andrea Adelson and Kelsey Riggs On Site in Dallas and New Orleans
  • Hometown Radio Alternate Viewing Experience
With the ACC having two teams – No. 2 Clemson and No. 4 Notre Dame - in the College Football Playoff Semifinals for the first time since the inception of the Playoff, ACC Network, the 24/7 national platform dedicated to ACC sports, will have wide-ranging surrounding coverage of both the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Rose Bowl Game Presented by Capital One and College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Allstate Sugar Bowl all week long and as part of ESPN’s MegaCast offerings on Friday, Jan. 1.

ACCN will have more than 14 hours of dedicated programming on Friday, Jan. 1 surrounding both CFP Semifinal games as No. 4 Notre Dame meets No. 1 Alabama in the Rose Bowl Game (4 p.m. ET, ESPN) and No. 2 Clemson takes on No. 3 Ohio State in the Allstate Sugar Bowl (8 p.m. ET, ESPN). ACCN’s signature studio shows Packer and Durham and The Huddle will have additional coverage all week as well as pregame, halftime and postgame coverage on Friday beginning at 11 a.m. ET.
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News, Links and Rumors - 12/31/20 (RX; HM)

News, Links and Rumors - 12/31/20

Not only did Louisville and Kentucky extend their football series through 2030, but they even adjusted the home/away to make up for the fact that the 2020 game was canceled. From the Courier-Journal:

An amendment to the contract for the series signed by UK athletic director Mitch Barnhart and Louisville athletic director Vince Tyra in September extends the rivalry for three years through 2030 and pushes back the alternating home games one year to accommodate the 2020 cancellation. The new contract was obtained by the Courier Journal through the state's open records law.
Louisville will now host the game in odd years, starting in 2021, and Kentucky will host in even years, opposite the previous arrangement. Here are the dates for the future rivalry games:
Nov. 27, 2021 -- Louisville
Nov. 26, 2022 -- Lexington
Nov. 25, 2023 -- Louisville
Nov. 30, 2024 -- Lexington
Nov. 29, 2025 -- Louisville
Nov. 28, 2026 -- Lexington
Nov. 27, 2027 -- Louisville
Nov. 25, 2028 -- Lexington
Nov. 24, 2029 -- Louisville
Nov. 30, 2030 -- Lexington
...



Best Divisionless FB Scheduling

The 2020 pandemic-shortened season gave us a glimpse of divisionless scheduling - and we loved it! More of the games we wanted, fewer of the ones we don't. Could this become a permanent feature of ACC football? Read on!

What's the best scheduling model for keeping ACC football at eight conference games, but without divisions? That depends on how many teams are playing.

If it's 14 teams, the best model is 3 annual rivals plus 5 of the remaining 10 teams in rotation.
If it's 15 teams, the best model is 2 annual rivals plus 6 of the remaining 12 teams in rotation.
Either way, it adds up to eight conference games (3+5 or 2+6).

15 teams, 2 annual rivals, 6 rotating
Who would be the rivals in that 15-team model? Look no further than ACC men's basketball...

ACC MBB annual rivals:

  • Boston College: Notre Dame, Syracuse
  • Clemson: Florida State, Georgia Tech
  • Duke: North Carolina, Wake Forest
  • Florida State: Clemson, Miami
  • Georgia Tech: Clemson, Notre Dame
  • Louisville: Pitt, Virginia
  • Miami: Florida State, Virginia Tech
  • North Carolina: Duke, NC State
  • NC State: North Carolina, Wake Forest
  • Notre Dame: Boston College, Georgia Tech
  • Pitt: Louisville, Syracuse
  • Syracuse: Boston College, Pitt
  • Virginia: Louisville, Virginia Tech
  • Virginia Tech: Miami, Virginia
  • Wake Forest: Duke, NC State
That works pretty well and gives every team a pair of games they can look forward to each year (presumably one at home, the other on the road, alternating). That also makes the six rotating games a nice, tidy three home/three road each year.

14 teams, 3 annual rivals, 5 rotating
Going back to the 14-team model (i.e. without Notre Dame), my first thought was to simply add one more to the two basketball rivals, but that didn't work because Boston College and Georgia Tech each lost Notre Dame, so I went with a more football-first approach. In the end, these are the rival triples I came up with for the 14 current ACC football members:

  • Boston College: Syracuse, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest
  • Clemson: Florida State, Georgia Tech, NC State
  • Duke: North Carolina, Wake Forest, Georgia Tech
  • Florida State: Clemson, Miami, Louisville
  • Georgia Tech: Clemson, Duke, Pittsburgh
  • Louisville: Florida State, Virginia, Syracuse
  • Miami: Florida State, Virginia Tech, Pittsburgh
  • North Carolina: Duke, NC State, Virginia
  • NC State: North Carolina, Wake Forest, Clemson
  • Pittsburgh: Miami, Syracuse, Georgia Tech
  • Syracuse: Boston College, Pittsburgh, Louisville
  • Virginia: Louisville, Virginia Tech, North Carolina
  • Virginia Tech: Miami, Virginia, Boston College
  • Wake Forest: Duke, NC State, Boston College
...

2020 Duke's Mayo Bowl Results (RX; HM)

2020 Duke's Mayo Bowl Results

FINAL SCORE: Wake Forest 28, Wisconsin 42

Wake Forest vs. Wisconsin

Duke's Mayo Bowl Highlights (2020)


Wake Forest vs. Wisconsin: Turnovers did in the Demon Deacons as the Badgers outscored them 28-7 in the second half and went on to win, 42-28. Wake's Sam Hartman passed for 318 yards, 3 touchdowns and 4 interceptions. All 3 of Hartman's TD tosses were to Jaquarii Roberson, who also hauled in 8 receptions for 131 yards.

The primary reason the Deacs lost: turnovers. Four interceptions, plus three failed fourth-down attempts, really did Wake Forest in - despite out-gaining the Badgers by a whopping 252 yards (518 to 266)! Very unusual for a team that rarely beats itself and is usually more disciplined than their opponents.
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Wisconsin Shattered The Duke’s Mayo Bowl Trophy While Dancing (uproxx.com; Kalland)

Wednesday afternoon saw Wisconsin dominate Wake Forest in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl — aka, the artist formerly known as the Belk Bowl — and for much of the fourth quarter the only drama was whether the giant Duke’s Mayo branded jug on the sideline for the winning team to dump on their coach was full of mayo or not.

Sadly — or, in the case of Paul Chryst, happily — it was not and was instead full of white Gatorade, leaving the internet upset that Chryst wasn’t doused in condiment.

THAT'S NOT MAYO pic.twitter.com/J36VdtDOac
— Timothy Burke (@bubbaprog) December 30, 2020
Maybe the karmic justice for not gifting us the GIF that would live forever that would’ve been a giant tub of mayo being dumped over the head of Wisconsin’s coach was that the Mayo Bowl trophy was not to survive the afternoon. During the locker room celebration, photos emerged of the carnage that was the crystal football that once adorned the top of the trophy, shattered into thousands of pieces on the floor.
Uh @BadgerFootball… pic.twitter.com/DSGPEKudNj
— Duke's Mayo Bowl (@DukesMayoBowl) December 30, 2020
The culprit, we would eventually learn, was Wisconsin quarterback Graham Mertz, whose dance with the trophy caused it to take its fateful tumble to the ground, with the noise of it shattering acting as the proverbial record scratch that briefly stopped the party.
This is how Wisconsin broke its trophy

(via juliusdavis__/Instagram) pic.twitter.com/CJRfK6N4JD
— ESPN (@espn) December 30, 2020
It’s not the first time a trophy has met its demise, as there have been instances of broken crystal trophies many times over the decades in college sports. A tub of mayo wouldn’t have broken, so maybe they’ve learned their lesson and will pick a sturdier, albeit less shelf stable, option for the winners to lift next year, as Mertz fashioned with some tape after breaking it.
...


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Cuomo defends idea to let Bills fans attend game (PS; $; Weaver)


Could this pave the way for the Dome hosting small crowds late this basketball season?

Gov. Andrew Cuomo today defended the state’s efforts to open a few thousand seats to Buffalo Bills fans amid the coronavirus pandemic for the team’s upcoming playoff game.

The plan, overseen by the state’s Health Department, would allow 6,700 fans to attend the game -- but only after testing each person for Covid-19.

The goal, Cuomo said today, isn’t just to let fans into the Bills’ stadium in a year when the team won its first AFC East title in 25 years.

It could provide a model for rapidly testing large groups of people, and thereby reopening other economic activity that is still on hold because of the pandemic.

“This is not just about attending a football game,” Cuomo said today. “We are trying to find a way to reopen businesses.”

There’s still no final decision about the plan.

The idea drew criticism from some, including state lawmakers, who said football shouldn’t be a priority.
...


Other

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Gazpacho from The Horned Dorset topped with chargrilled shrimp was a study in delightful contrasts. (Jane Marmaduke Woodman)Jane Marmaduke Woodman

CNY’s best takeout food in 2020: Our critics pick their favorites (PS; $; Miller)


Covid-19 drove restaurants to change the way they did business this year, and it changed the way we ate. As dining rooms and bars were forced to close, chefs suddenly had to plate their creations in to-go boxes for us to enjoy at home.

Our food writers—Jared Paventi, Jane Woodman and Charlie Miller—continued to highlight the best food Central New York has to offer; we just did it from home.

Here are some of our favorite spots for takeout that we visited in 2020:

Chi’Soul Food

Address: 2859 S. Salina St., Syracuse
Phone: (315) 373-0136

From Jared Paventi: The best fried fish and restaurant macaroni and cheese in Syracuse. Hands down, game over, thanks for coming out. The haddock’s (whiting and catfish are also available) golden coating remained crunchy and the flavor fresh, even after a 10-minute drive home.

The casserole-style mac and cheese was dense, creamy and righteous. It’s only open on Fridays and Saturdays, and food sells out here regularly.

Esquina Habanera

Dinner at Esquina Habanera, Syracuse, N.Y.
Address: 324 Burnet Ave., Syracuse
Phone: (631) 307-5026.
From Jared Paventi: Syracuse’s only Cuban restaurant is an absolute joy.

The ropa vieja (slow-roasted shredded beef) and pernil (slow-roasted shredded pork) are stars of this menu, but do not leave without a Cuban sandwich. Made with the house pernil, and ham and bread from Miami, these massive sandwiches weigh at least five pounds each. It’s not just an amazing value at $10, but one of the finest sandwiches you will wrap your hands around.

After eating one, you’ll think every other Cuban sandwich in Syracuse is just ham and cheese.

Inn of the Seasons
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