sutomcat
No recent Cali or Iggy awards; Mr Irrelevant
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World Architecture Day celebrates architecture and the commitment of architects to the world's societies, ecosystems, and cities. Created by the International Union of Architects (UIA), a "global federation of national associations of architects," it was first held in 1985 and originally took place on the first Monday in July. At the International Union of Architects Congress in Barcelona, Spain, in 1996, it was moved to the first Monday of October, to coincide with World Habitat Day. Some countries observe the day on other dates during the year. Each year the UIA comes up with a different theme that participants can tailor their events to. Common events include forums, symposia, panel discussions, conferences, and exhibitions.
Architecture consists of using engineering and art to design buildings and other structures. Houses, churches, hotels, office buildings, stadiums, roads, bridges, and tunnels are some of the structures it is used for. Various architecture styles can be found around the world. Ancient civilizations used architecture: Egyptians built large temples and the Great Pyramids of Giza, and the Greeks and Romans used laws and symmetry to create what became known as Classical architecture.
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Lequint Allen finished with four carries, 112 yards and a touchdown against Wagner.
The next day: LeQuint Allen shows what Syracuse’s backfield has in store for the future (DO; Smith)
With its worst field position of the game, Syracuse turned to freshman LeQuint Allen from its own 4-yard line. Allen eluded unblocked linebacker Jordan Francois, made another defender miss and found himself in the open field. Wide receiver CJ Hayes provided another block, and Allen took off down the left side of the field alongside Umari Hatcher.
Allen didn’t have enough to finish the run though, and was taken down at the opposite 6-yard line. Still, it was a 90-yard run that led to three more insurance points for SU. The Orange won 59-0, allowing them to give snaps to younger players like Allen. The running back finished with four carries, 112 yards and a touchdown.
Sean Tucker had gone down with an injury on the previous possession, inserting Allen into the game. It was the third time that’s happened this season, following instances against Louisville and Virginia, where Tucker laid on the field for several moments before eventually getting up and walking off the field. Tucker said postgame that he feels fine, something head coach Dino Babers also iterated. But the injury gave Allen another opportunity to prove why he was one of SU’s top recruits in this year’s class, and why he earned the No. 2 spot on the depth chart over New Mexico State transfer Juwuan Price.
“It looks like he’s going to be really good, we just have to wait and see,” head coach Dino Babers said of Allen. “He gave you guys a little taste of it today.”
Allen’s touchdown run came after he bulldozed Wagner’s Travis Laster to make it 55-0 SU. In response to questions about the offensive line’s play against Purdue and Virginia, Babers said “everything’s under consideration” on how to fix the struggles. The unit responded by locking down Wagner on Saturday.
“The o-line did a fantastic job today,” Allen said. “They got on their blocks, they knew who to block. So they just played a huge part in my performance.”
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Data Dive: The numbers defining No. 22 Syracuse’s undefeated start (DO; Cirino)
Similar to last season, No. 22 Syracuse heads into its bye week one win shy of bowl eligibility. But this year, the Orange are undefeated and ranked for the first time since 2019. New systems have been introduced on offense and the team’s youngest players have made their mark.
Just two years after winning just one game in 2020, Syracuse has a perfect record. However, the Orange’s biggest tests have yet to come, as three ranked opponents and Notre Dame await them.
Here are the stats to know about SU’s perfect season so far:
Shrader’s arm is paying off
Last season, Garrett Shrader averaged 19.5 passes per game with a 52.6% completion rate. In 2022, Shrader’s gone just one game under a 65% completion rate, which came against Purdue — the only game where he failed to break 230 passing yards.Robert Anae’s new offensive system has improved Shrader’s passing numbers. Syracuse has used Shrader 13% less in its rushing game than it did in 2021, per College Football Data. With Shrader being the focal point of offense, he has averaged 0.522 Predicted Points Added (PPA) per passing play.
Shrader’s quarterback efficiency ranks eighth nationally at 175.90. With his completion percentage of 70.9%, he’s on pace to shatter last season’s passing numbers.
This has allowed for less dependence on Sean Tucker and opened up more receiving options. Between Syracuse’s top-three receivers last year — Courtney Jackson, Anthony Queely and Damien Alford — only Jackson was involved in over 5% of the team’s offensive plays. This season, all three of Shrader’s main targets have all-purpose usage rates of 5% or greater.
Oronde Gadsden II leads at 7%, with a 17% mark in the passing game — the same as Sean Tucker and a percentage point higher than Jackson’s passing usage last season. Behind Gadsden, Devaughn Cooper and Jackson sit at six and five percent, respectively, but still combine to account for a quarter of Shrader’s targets this season.
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No. 22 Syracuse cracks AP top-25 rankings for 1st time since 2019 (DO; Vasudevan)
No. 22 Syracuse entered the Associated Press’ top-25 rankings for the first time since Sept. 3, 2019 after moving to 5-0 this weekend. The Orange were ranked No. 25 in the USA Today Coaches Poll last week, picking up 22 AP votes as well. This week, they earned 173 votes and moved up to No. 21 in the Coaches Poll.
SU is one of 16 remaining undefeated FBS teams, clinching a 5-0 start for the first time since 1987.
The Orange scored 49 points in the first half against Wagner on Saturday, led by Sean Tucker’s 232 rushing yards and Garrett Shrader’s 238 yards and perfect completion percentage. Following a bye week, SU has a tough schedule in its final seven-game stretch with matchups against three teams currently in the top 25.
“It’s a great feeling,” Shrader said after the Wagner win. “I’m just proud of our team, where we’re at, and just can’t get complacent. We got an exciting part of the schedule coming up, so we’re definitely excited about that.”
After the bye week, the Orange will face No. 14 North Carolina State in their final matchup of a four-game home stretch. Then, the Orange head to Death Valley to face No. 5 Clemson, the only other undefeated team in the ACC. The Tigers defeated the Wolfpack 30-20 this weekend and they’re currently 3-0 in conference play.
Syracuse plays its final two home games against Notre Dame on Oct. 29 and Florida State on Nov. 12. The Orange haven’t defeated the Fighting Irish since 2008. SU’s final ranked opponent will most likely be No. 15 Wake Forest, who defeated the Seminoles 31-21 on Saturday.
(youtube; video; Eads)
Sean Tucker and the 'Cuse beat up on FCS Wagner 59-0. Syracuse had been waiting for its ground attack to emerge and it certainly did against the inferior Seahawks.
Syracuse QB Garrett Shrader Highlights vs. Wagner (youtube; video)
Quarterback Garrett Shrader was perfect in the Orange's blowout win over Wagner. Playing in only three quarters, Shrader completed all 17 of his passing attempts to 238 yards and two touchdowns.
For football fans who bleed orange, tailgates are the soul of game day (DO; Szudlik)
On a brisk, fall morning in Syracuse, the gentle hum of an air pump floated through the air as a giant inflatable Otto the Orange began to take shape. Fans unloaded their cornhole, grills, speakers and orange garb from backseats, trunks and truck beds and assumed their usual positions in the Stadium Lot.
The Syracuse Orange were preparing to take on Wagner on homecoming weekend. It may have been several hours before the game, but that didn’t matter to some fans. It’s game day in Syracuse and to them, that means one thing — tailgating.
“I’ve been tailgating for over 30 years. I only missed one game since 1981 because I had to go to a wedding. And my wife and I seriously almost got a divorce over it, all because I missed that game,” Ron Benderski said. “She was inside talking to people, and I was in the car listening to the game. What can I say? I’m a diehard Orange fan.”
Benderski is a giant among the Orange tailgate community, as everyone knows where to go to say hello and play a round of orange cornhole. His pickup truck is always parked right next to Stadium Place with an inflatable Otto in the truck bed.
Next to the truck sits an orange tent filled with food that Benderski and his wife, Kristin Lovecchio, share with anyone who walks by. In 2014, Benderski and Lovecchio cooked an entire pig roast at the tailgate and shared their meal with around 200 people.
“I don’t view a football game as three hours — I view it as a whole day when I can come set up here with my family and friends,” Benderski said. “ (I) see my friends here, drink a beer, eat some good food and cheer on the team that has been a part of my whole life.”
Growing up locally, Benderski came to Syracuse games with his father. He said he cherished that time not only with him but the football family he made being on the hill for game days. He always knew he wanted his own family to experience that and that he wanted to carry on the tradition.
Benderski’s nephew, Mike Benderski, is a staple in the Syracuse tailgate scene now, too. “Big Mike,” as he’s known among fellow tailgaters, fell in love with the community atmosphere and family feel his uncle introduced to him when he’d bring him to games. Now, he even travels to away games and sets up there, whether it’s UConn, Clemson or Florida State, and has tailgated when the temperatures were nearly below zero.
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Max Von Marburg brings Australian boot to Syracuse (DO; Smith)
Max Von Marburg’s American football career began by scrolling through YouTube. He stumbled across a video of Michael Dickson, a punter for the Seattle Seahawks who, like Von Marburg, had a strong background in Australian rules football. Something stuck.
From that point, Von Marburg wanted to do everything he could to get into a college program in the U.S., he said. He tried out for Prokick Australia in January 2021, the same program that helped Dickson and hundreds of others cross over from Australia to the United States. While he started out as somewhat inconsistent and raw, Von Marburg developed into the program’s best punter by the time Syracuse called after last season.
Von Marburg’s weekly workouts and film sessions helped him quickly grow at Prokick. Not even two years after first getting into American-style punting, Von Marburg is now SU’s newest starting punter. Through five games this season, he has proved to be a key part of the Orange’s improved special teams play under first-year coordinator Bob Ligashesky, averaging 42.5 yards per punt.
“There’s definitely (been) a lot of improvement,” Von Marburg said. “As Coach Lig says, there’s always more meat on the bone. So there’s always more growth out there that I can show, and I definitely feel like I’m just starting to show what I can do.”
Megan Thompson | Digital Design Director
Prokick’s founder John Smith had a close relationship with Ligasheksy, who was recruiting Sami Sir to Bowling Green at the time. But Ligasheksy jumped to SU in early December, telling Prokick he’d likely need a punter there, too.
Prokick sent film of Von Marburg performing different punts to Syracuse, noting in the video if the kicks were directional and what the distances and hang times were. Prokick coach Tim Gleeson said when schools ask for film, Prokick tries to show the various types of punts a player can do.
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Syracuse football: the next win will be the toughest (TNIAAM; Wall)
The Syracuse Orange are 5-0 heading into the bye week. They’ve matched last season’s win total and are off to the best start since 1987.
Getting to this point hasn’t been easy (or pretty) but with one more win Syracuse will be able to claim this as a successful season. I know what some of you are going to say right now and let me just tell you this once again- if Syracuse finishes the year 6-6 it will be a successful season.
Will it hurt to come back from the bye and watch this team go 1-6 the rest of the way? Of course. Despite what some of you might think we’re all fans here. We want to see the teams and athletes do well and have success. We are excited about top 25 rankings, appearing in bowl projection or being talked about in a positive manner by college football media. We want the Orange to keep this ride going...but we’re also realistic.
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Axe: Tucker should wear 44 for one night only (SU football mailbag) (PS; $; Axe)
The inbox is full of questions, suggestions, frustrations and celebrations on the Syracuse football front.
I thought with the Orange in a bye week, it would be a good time to shine a light on a few.
Axe me a few questions, I’ll tell you no lies.
To your emails!
Have one of your own you’d like to shoot my way? baxe@syracuse.com is how you do it.
Hi Brent,
It would be a really cool moment if the families of Jim Brown, Ernie Davis and Floyd little (who will all be in attendance at the Syracuse N.C. State game for the ring of honor ceremony) asked Tucker to wear 44 for one night only.
I am picturing a theatre marquee with Sean Tucker starring in 44 for one night only. Sell t-shirts jerseys with Tucker 44 on the back for Sean to make some money. Let’s make it happen!
Kevin
Kevin, I couldn’t love this idea more.
There was some buzz last year that Tucker would take on the hallowed No. 44 full-time as he emerged as the next all-time SU back, but that fizzled when he said he prefers his own No.34.
Now imagine Tucker wearing the number for Syracuse’s biggest potential home game in years on Oct.15 against N.C. State for just one night, as Kevin noted, where Jim Brown, Floyd Little and Ernie Davis will be honored.
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The mercy rule doesn’t exist in college football. Or does it? (what they’re saying) (PS; Mink)
Syracuse football is 5-0 following a 59-0 victory against Wagner on Saturday night in the JMA Wireless Dome.
In an exceptional agreement between both sides at halftime, the game featured 10-minute quarters in the second half with the Orange leading 49-0.
The exhibition featured a career outing by running back Sean Tucker, who will have to settle for a 232-yard, three-touchdown performance on a night he was intent on breaking the school’s single-game rushing record. (He came up 20 yards shy of Joe Morris’ mark.)
Quarterback Garrett Shrader set an unbreakable record by going 17-for-17 for 238 yards and three total touchdowns (two pass, one rush).
He bested Don McPherson and Troy Nunes for highest completion percentage in a game with at least 10 attempts.
McPherson and Nunes shared the record of 90.9% against Colgate on Oct. 24, 1987 and against Brigham Young on Sept. 30, 2000, respectively.
Here’s what social media is saying after SU remained undefeated on the season:
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Syracuse Football: Now we’ll get to see how good the Orange really is (itlh; Adler)
Syracuse football, ranked No. 25 in the latest Coaches top-25 poll, is 5-0 to start a season for the first time in 35 years, dating back to that truly special 1987 Orange squad.
Given the team’s struggles in recent years, for the ‘Cuse in 2022 to get to 5-0 is really something for which I’m proud. Sure, Wagner was no challenge at all for Syracuse football in Central New York on Saturday in the late afternoon, with this lopsided non-conference contest on homecoming for Syracuse University stretching into the evening.
But amid that 59-0 domination by the Orange against the FCS Seahawks (0-4), the ‘Cuse has still proven perfect through its first five games, and it only needs one more triumph to achieve bowl eligibility.
Of course, Syracuse football was 5-4 a stanza ago, and it only needed one more win to get to a bowl game. Unfortunately, the Orange would drop three in a row to end the 2021 campaign.
The ‘Cuse does have a brutal schedule coming up, so is it possible that the Orange could lose seven straight to wrap up 2022? Anything’s possible, but I don’t see that happening. In fact, I think our boys will attain seven, maybe eight, victories this fall.
Syracuse football has reached 5-0 for the first time in a long time.
The Orange’s crushing of Wagner was kind of absurd. The two squads even agreed to play 10-minute quarters in the second half, given the score was 49-0 at half-time.
Star running back Sean Tucker had around 230 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns, although why he was still playing to start the second half is bewildering to me.
Running back LeQuint Allen Jr., a freshman, had a run of 90 yards, scored a rushing touchdown and tallied more than 100 yards on the ground.
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ACC Power Rankings: SU awaits a chance to announce itself as a title contender (PS; $; Mink)
Syracuse broke into the national polls.
Now it awaits a chance to announce itself as an ACC title contender.
The No. 22 Orange (5-0, 2-0 ACC) will get to plant a stake in the division race in back-to-back games against North Carolina State and Clemson on the other side of the bye week.
The N.C. State matchup on Oct. 15 could end up being the first game in Syracuse since 2001 in which both teams are ranked.
Yet in some respects, the Oct. 22 trip to Clemson looms larger after the Tigers defeated N.C. State over the weekend.
The Tigers have already knocked off Wake Forest, and if they get past Florida State in a couple weeks, they hold the trump card in the Atlantic with head-to-head wins over the primary challengers.
The Power Rankings have flipped the calendar to October, when contenders will further separate from the pretenders.
1. Clemson (5-0, 3-0 ACC)
Last game: W 30-20 vs. N.C. StateNext game: at Boston College; 7:30 p.m.; ABC
Clemson is riding the nation’s longest home winning streak at 37 games after its decisive victory against N.C. State.
That ties the ACC record set by Florida State from 1995-2001 in the middle of the Bobby Bowden dynasty.
The Tigers will try to claim the mark for themselves Oct. 22 against ... Syracuse.
2. North Carolina State (4-1, 0-1 ACC)
Last game: L 30-20 at ClemsonNext game: vs. Florida State; 8 p.m.; ACC Network
North Carolina State, a preseason College Football Playoff sleeper in some circles, will lick its wounds and try to turn the page from a disappointing loss on the national stage.
With Florida State and a trip to Syracuse looming, not to mention in-state rivalries with Wake Forest and North Carolina in November, the Wolfpack can still turn in a memorable season, if it needs help to reach Charlotte.
3. Wake Forest (4-1, 1-1 ACC)
Last game: W 31-21 at Florida StateNext game: vs. Army; 7:30 p.m.; ESPN3
Wake corrected after a closer-than-expected win vs. Liberty and a double-overtime loss to Clemson.
The Demon Deacons rushed for 171 yards against a Florida State front that returned star transfer edge Jared Verse (2.5 TFL, one sack), the most against an FBS opponent this season. And quarterback Sam Hartman moved into fifth place on the ACC’s career list with 10,462 passing yards.
Army is 1-3 on the season and is coming off a 31-14 loss to previously winless Georgia State in which the Panthers pulled away late.
4. Syracuse (5-0, 2-0 ACC) ↑2
Last game: W 59-0 vs. WagnerNext game: vs. N.C. State; Oct. 15
That was a dead body falling down the stairs ... for 50 minutes.
They actually called off the dogs at halftime, when both coaches agreed to play shortened, 10-minute quarters in the second half.
Wagner got a nice game check to come to Central New York, but here’s hoping the restructured NCAA governance model puts an end to these FBS-FCS sacrificial matchups in the future.
5. Florida State (4-1, 2-1 ACC) ↓1
...ACC football power rankings: Clemson soars while Pitt and NC State tumble (fayobserver.com; Thompson)
The Clemson Tigers secured their place at the top of the ACC with Saturday's 30-20 win over NC State while Pitt took a tumble after its surprising loss to Georgia Tech.
Here are the USA TODAY Network's ACC power rankings:
1. Clemson (5-0, 3-0 ACC)
The Tigers all but wrapped up the ACC Atlantic Division with an impressive 30-20 win over NC State on Saturday night. Clemson stretched its nation’s best home winning streak to 37 games.Last week: No. 1
2. Wake Forest (4-1, 1-1)
After last week’s 51-45 double-overtime loss to Clemson, the Demon Deacons bounced back with a 31-21 win over Florida State. Wake Forest jumps up three spots.Last week: No. 5
3. NC State (4-1, 0-1)
The Wolfpack failed to produce in the program’s biggest game to date, falling to Clemson 30-20 in a game that never felt very close in the second half.Last week: No. 2
4. Florida State (4-1, 2-1)
FSU drops from No. 3 to No. 4 after suffering its first loss of the season to Wake Forest at home.Last week: No. 3
5. Syracuse (5-0, 2-0)
The Orange continued their perfect start to the 2022 season with a 59-0 win over Wagner before entering the bye week. Syracuse will face its toughest test so far in two weeks against NC State.Last week: No. 7
6. Miami (2-2, 0-0)
Miami stayed put at No. 6 during a bye week. The Hurricanes face UNC next weekend.Last week: No. 6
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Notre Dame football: Is Syracuse the best Irish foe before Clemson? (slapthesign.com; Weiss)
The Notre Dame football team takes on ranked BYU in Las Vegas next Saturday, but is it Syracuse that is their biggest foe before the Clemson matchup?
After beating both Cal and UNC prior to their bye week, the Notre Dame football team is on a bit of a roll heading into their matchup against BYU next weekend. The Cougars went into their Thursday night matchup with Utah State ranked No. 19 in the country, and after winning, could be a top-15 team by the time these two squads battle it out inside Allegiant Stadium next Saturday.
While BYU is ranked, and the last ranked opponent the Irish will play before a matchup against Clemon, are the Cougars really the best team Notre Dame football will face before then?
BYU is a solid team and has a dynamic quarterback in Jaren Hall, but he was banged up against Utah State their last time out. That means he could be at least playing at less than full capacity when these two teams meet up in Las Vegas, which changes everything in this matchup.
Based on talent, it could be the Syracuse Orange that presents Notre Dame football with their biggest test before Clemson.
Notre Dame football should run the table before the Clemson matchup
Notre Dame will get BYU in Las Vegas, and then travel home for two home games against both Stanford and UNLV. That could be three straight victories before heading to Syracuse, New York to take on the Orange inside the JMA Wireless Dome, a team that has a perfect record after five games.Syracuse may have rolled over Wagner this past weekend, but that does not mean all of their wins have not been significant. They have notched wins vs Louisville, Purdue, and Virginia, and they now go into a gauntlet of games that include NC State, Clemson, and then the Irish.
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UVA Football Fan Reacts Results: How the Syracuse loss impacted the fanbase’s expectations for this season (streakingthelawn.com; Carey)
Through an odd four games, the Virginia Cavaliers sit at 2-2 (the same record they had last year after four contests) as they hit the road to play the Duke Blue Devils this coming Saturday night. Earlier this week we asked you all a few questions about your thoughts on the team following the Syracuse loss, so here are the results:
For starters, it seems like the loss to Syracuse didn’t change too many minds with 49% of UVA fans noting that they feel the same as they did going into the game. That makes sense following a two-point loss on the road against a solid conference opponent. Perhaps a bit surprisingly, more Virginia fans were encouraged by the result than were discouraged which likely speaks to how good the Wahoo defense has been and the team’s resilience to come back after being down 16-0.
Of course, the weak point for Tony Elliott’s squad so far this season has been the offense. So, we wanted to know what the perceived root cause was. The vote was fairly split with the offensive line being the most popular answer, Offensive Coordinator Des Kitchings coming in second, Elliott himself not too far behind in third, and then Armstrong fourth and the wide receivers last.
Obviously the offensive line was always going to be an issue for this roster, so Kitchings and Elliott combining to take 46% of the answers is interesting and indicates the fanbase’s general frustration with the offensive scheme rather than its execution by Armstrong and his receivers who only combined for 20%.
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Pitt Loss to Georgia Tech Third Biggest ACC Upset in the Last 25 Years (pittsburghsportsnow.com; Campbell)
Pitt’s 26-21 loss to Georgia Tech is tied as third biggest upset in ACC play in the last 25 years, in terms of the spread.
The Panthers came in to the game as 21.5 favorites over the Yellow Jackets. The game it ties with is when North Carolina played then ranked No. 4 Miami, who also started out as 21.5 favorites, and won 31-28 in 2004.
The most recent unlikely win came when Syracuse defeated then ranked No. 4 Clemson, 27-24, in 2017. Clemson started the game as 23.5 favorites to win the game.
The biggest upset in the last 25 years saw NC State beat 26.5 favorites and then ranked No. 2 Florida State, 24-7.
This is only the seventh time that a team favored by 21.5 lost a game since 2003. The record for a 21.5 favorite is 140-7, meaning that it has only happened 4.8% in those matchups.
https://www.thestate.com/sports/college/acc/article266576001.html (thestate.com; Alexander)
It wasn’t that long after the game, after N.C. State had taken a 30-20 beating at Clemson on Saturday, when Isaiah Moore emerged from the locker room. Moore appeared grim. It was apparent the linebacker still was hurting and angry about the way the No. 10 Wolfpack had handled the matchup, and itself, against the fifth-ranked Tigers in Death Valley. “It’s a big missed opportunity for us, we realize that,” Moore said.
But Moore also was steadfast in how the Pack must now handle the unsettling loss in the ACC showcase and Atlantic Division showdown game. “The championship game wasn’t played tonight,” Moore said. “We’ve still got a long season ahead. We’ve got to reset and get back to work.” Moore paused, adding, “We can either get bitter or get better.” For every team, a big win or big loss reveals something about it — good, bad or indifferent.
So it will be with the Pack, which faces Florida State and Syracuse in the next two weeks in the ACC. For N.C. State, there are three things to consider:
STICK WITH THE BEST RECEIVERS
A year ago, the Pack had Emeka Emezie as its big-play receiver to go with Thayer Thomas, as reliable a possession type as there is in the ACC. It’s as if the offensive coaches are trying to replace Emezie by committee, but not getting the job done. One option for the Wolfpack would be deciding on the best couple of receivers to complement Thomas, who had a game-high nine catches for 84 yards. Let Devin Leary put in a lot of practice and game repetitions with a thinned-down corps and reconsider a parade of Devin Carter, Keyon Lesane, Porter Rooks, Darryl Jones, Julian Gray and others. Thomas took a physical beating at Clemson, which was understandable in that he was targeted 16 times, more than double anyone else in the game. But you can’t blame Leary for looking in his direction. There has to be a trust factor between a quarterback and his receivers, a quick recognition of a receiver’s reaction when things get tight in a game and passing windows even tighter and his ability to make the catch. Leary and Thomas have that.
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No. 5 Clemson's path to perfection, ACC title gets clearer (AP; Iacobelli)
No. 5 Clemson entered the season with several questions and doubters galore. Less than halfway through the season, the Tigers are in control of the Atlantic Coast Conference.
Clemson knocked off its second straight ranked ACC Atlantic opponent with a 30-20 victory over No. 14 North Carolina State on Saturday night. Combined with its 51-45 overtime win against No. 15 Wake Forest a week earlier, the Tigers are again the front-runner for another league championship and looking like a contender for the College Football Playoff.
New No. 1 Alabama still has games against top-10 opponents in No. 8 Tennessee and No. 9 Mississippi.
No. 2 Georgia, the defending national champions, also must face the Vols, No. 13 Kentucky and maybe the Crimson Tide in the Southeastern Conference title game.
No. 3 Ohio State and No. 4 Michigan will settle things against each other next month.
Clemson may have the cleanest path to college football's final four among the current AP top five.
The Tigers (5-0, 3-0) aren't a finished product, coach Dabo Swinney said, but “this team is getting better.”
Several weren't sure that would happen this season.
Quarterback DJ Uiagalelei was a mess whose five-star talent had gotten lost in 2021. Clemson's receivers were largely inconsistent, and its back seven on defense was mostly new starters who hadn't lived up to those players who took the Tigers to six ACC titles, six CFP trips and two national crowns from 2015-20.
But last season's issues are starting to straighten out, especially on offense.
Suddenly, a perfect season doesn't look so farfetched.
“We've got a lot of things to clean up,” said Uiagalelei, who ran for two touchdowns and threw for another against the Wolfpack. “But we'll continue to put in the work to do that.”
Clemson's schedule takes the Tigers on the road against struggling Boston College and one-loss Florida State the next two weeks.
The Tigers' only ranked opponent left is No. 22 Syracuse, the ACC's only other 5-0 team, on Oct. 22. But the Orange have lost eight of nine games to Clemson since joining the conference in 2013.
November brings Clemson what figured to be some of its most difficult hurdles, with a trip to Notre Dame on Nov. 5 followed by home games against Louisville and Miami to close league play.
But the Fighting Irish are 2-2 and neither Louisville nor Miami is a lock to even make a bowl game.
Clemson closes the season as usual with its Palmetto State rivalry game against South Carolina. The Tigers have owned things recently, winning seven in a row over the Gamecocks.
A return to the ACC title game as Atlantic Division champs for Clemson would match the Tigers against the winner of a Coastal Division with no ranked teams.
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In ACC win against Virginia, Duke football showcased its transformation and newfound expectations (dukechronicle.com; Kaplan)
They did it. After 721 days, the Blue Devils have beaten an ACC opponent.
Duke defeated Virginia Saturday night 38-17 at Wallace Wade Stadium. It was 60 minutes of offensive efficiency and defensive domination. The Blue Devils controlled every aspect of the game, pounding the Cavaliers' defense on the ground and disrupting Virginia quarterback Brennan Armstrong’s rhythm through the air. They tallied 26 first downs, 248 rushing yards and five touchdowns.
But where did this Duke team come from?
Last season’s conference slate proved devastating for the Blue Devils. They lost all eight of their ACC matchups by an average of 31.8 points per game. They ranked last in the nation in yards per game allowed with 518. Senior running back Mataeo Durant was the sole source of hope on a seemingly hopeless team, driving the offense as the defense surrendered 39.8 points per game.
In last year’s matchup against Virginia, Duke was shut out 48-0. Nothing went right for the squad that was already two ACC losses into the year as it turned the ball over four times, one of which was a goal-line fumble by then-freshman backup quarterback Riley Leonard with less than two minutes to play. Those fourth-quarter snaps were the first of Leonard’s career, and they were memorable.
“We have to remember the past, but we can't live in it,” Leonard said of the fumble Saturday.
Though his past mistakes might have been on his mind, the sophomore did not let that show against Virginia. The Fairhope, Ala., native had 188 all-purpose yards and three total touchdowns. His 75% completion percentage exemplifies his efficiency and accuracy and, in a game that was dominated by the rush, Leonard still led his team with poise.
“With the new staff, new offense, new defense, new special teams to come out and get our first ACC win is huge…” said Leonard. “It was good to get some redemption.”
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Duke tied with UNC atop ACC Coastal Division (SI; Giles)
Neither the Duke football team nor its UNC football counterpart appears in the USA TODAY Sports AFCA Coaches Poll or the AP Top 25, except among "others receiving votes." The Blue Devils received one vote from the coaches and zero from AP voters, and the Tar Heels racked up nine and five votes, respectively.
Still, Duke (4-1, 1-0 ACC) and UNC (4-1, 1-0 ACC) won their conference openers in impressive fashion on Saturday and are now in a tie atop the ACC Coastal Division standings.
After suffering a 48-0 loss at Virginia last season, the Blue Devils shined this go-round at home, beating the Cavaliers, 38-17 (Blue Devil Country, now 5-0 in forecasting Duke wins and losses this season, predicted 31-17). Duke dominated by racking up a season-high 242 rushing yards and capitalizing on Virginia's untimely penalties early.
Meanwhile, the Tar Heels soundly defeated Virginia Tech (2-3, 1-1 ACC), 41-10, behind star quarterback Drake Maye's 363 yards in the air, three passing touchdowns, and two rushing touchdowns.
While the Blue Devils and Tar Heels helped themselves with potential tiebreakers by defeating teams in their division to jump out to their oh-so-early lead in the standings, it's only fair to mention one of the seven teams in the Coastal Division, Miami (2-2, 0-0 ACC), has yet to play its first ACC game.
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It’s time to look at Wake Forest as an ACC contender (saturdayblitz.com; Lloyd)
Wake Forest football is 4-1 after downing the once-unbeaten Florida State Seminoles. Can we now view the Demon Deacons as a true threat in the ACC?
History has not been overly kind to the Wake Forest football program, but it’s proven over the course of these last couple of years that history only matters so much when discussing the present.
The Deacs won 11 games last season, which is a very rare number to hit when considering their typical standards. But while such a run was one for the books, most of us assumed that we wouldn’t see another like it just a year later—yet here we are.
Wake Forest entered Saturday with a 3-1 record, coming off of a hurtful home loss to Clemson that reached two overtime periods. The Deacs had to put their emotions from that defeat on the back burner, though, as facing a 4-0 Florida State team in Tallahassee wasn’t going to be much softer of an obstacle to overcome.
The Seminoles had not managed to turn many heads with their quality of performance early on, but they were nonetheless unbeaten, ranked, and ready to take on whoever stood in their way.
Doak Campbell Stadium was packed as the Demon Deacons came in to take on one of their more hated rivals and, especially with FSU getting on the board first, it was looking like things could get dicey rather quickly.
However, the Seminoles did not stay in control for very long.
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Riley Leonard leading the ACC in passing accuracy (247sports.com; Rowe)
Through five games as a full-time starter, Riley Leonard has completed an ACC-leading 72.0% of his passes. Just a sophomore, Leonard won the starting job in a hotly contested battle with his classmate Jordan Moore during Fall Camp and has managed the Duke offense to a 4-1 record while putting up 35.0 points per game. The 6'4", 212 pound Alabama native has found his receivers in the end zone seven times (the offense threw for just nine touchdowns all of last year), but isn't getting it done just through the air. He's second on the team in rushing yards per game, picking up 6.34 yards each time he carries it and scoring touchdowns four times.
“A lot of people look at me as a pocket passer, but I've kind of always been a runner," Leonard told the media after the team's win over Virginia on Saturday night. "A lot of people just don't know that just the way I look and the way I run sometimes, but I like to get outside the pocket. And tonight I did an alright job at it.”
After throwing for 324 yards against Kansas, Duke's offense showed they can be effective in the running game too, tallying 248 yards on the ground against the Cavaliers. It was a season high for the Blue Devils on the ground, and the most Virginia's defense has allowed so far. Duke is third in the conference in rushing yards per game at 200.40 per contest behind only Louisville (209.00) and Florida State (203.80). A big reason for that has been the play of the Blue Devils' offensive line, and they had an impressive showing last night.
“That was one of the most dominant O-line performances I’ve seen, especially in that last drive," Leonard said. "I think it was seven minutes and 25 seconds off the clock. I mean hats off to those guys. They're incredible. Our passing game has been working throughout the year, but to see the run game dominate like that was really incredible”.
Duke ran two plays on their first offensive series in the fourth quarter: an 8-yard run by Riley Leonard and a 59-yard touchdown by Jaquez Moore to make the score 35-10. But after Virginia scored their second touchdown of the night, it was time for the Blue Devils' offense to eat up some clock and put the game away. 11 plays and 7:25 later, Charlie Ham kicked in a field goal and the game was effectively over.
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ESPN updates college football power rankings after Week 5 (usatoday.com; Hole)
Just when you think you know something, it turns out, maybe you don’t.
Such is the nature of college football. Ten AP Top 25 teams were upset on Saturday, completely shaking up the middle of the pack across the sport. Meanwhile, Georgia needed late heroics to escape a trip to Columbia, Missouri, where it had been dominated by the host Tigers for much of Saturday evening.
Which teams are going to stand out of the pack? At the top, will it be Alabama, Ohio State, still Georgia, or another team such as Michigan? How does an undefeated team like Kansas figure in? Which one-loss team is an exception to the rule?
ESPN updated its power rankings with Week 5 in the books. Here’s the current pecking order of college football.
25 Washington State Cougars (4-1)
24 Syracuse Orange (5-0)
23 Arkansas Razorbacks (3-2)
22 Baylor Bears (3-2)
21 Washington Huskies (4-1)
20 BYU Cougars (4-1)
...AP Top 25 Analysis 2022 Oct 2nd (RX; HM)
AP Top 25 Analysis 2022 Oct 2nd
Another eventful week in the AP Top 25
| AP Top 25 | ||
| RK | Team | Change |
| 1 | Alabama | up1 |
| 2 | Georgia | dn1 |
| 3 | Ohio State | - |
| 4 | Michigan | - |
| 5 | Clemson | - |
| 6 | USC | - |
| 7 | Oklahoma St | - |
| 8 | Tennessee | up1 |
| 9 | Ole Miss | up2 |
| 10 | Penn State | up2 |
| 11 | Utah | up2 |
| 12 | Oregon | up3 |
| 13 | Kentucky | dn5 |
| 14 | NC State | dn4 |
| 15 | Wake Forest | up6 |
| 16 | BYU | up4 |
| 17 | TCU | up20 |
| 18 | UCLA | up17 |
| 19 | Kansas | up7 |
| 20 | Kansas State | up5 |
| 21 | Washington | dn6 |
| 22 | Syracuse | up8 |
| 23 | Miss. State | NR |
| 24 | Cincinnati | up3 |
| 25 | LSU | up9 |
| Others receiving votes: | ||
| 26 | Washington St | up3 |
| 27 | Baylor | dn11 |
| 28 | Florida State | dn5 |
| 29 | Arkansas | dn9 |
| 30 | James Madison | up7 |
| 31 | Florida | dn3 |
| 32 | Maryland | up5 |
| 33 | Coastal Car. | up4 |
| 34 | Minnesota | dn13 |
| 35 | Tulane | - |
| 36 | Illinois | up1 |
| 37 | N Carolina | NR |
| 38 | Texas A&M | dn11 |
| 39 | Purdue | NR |
| 39 | Oklahoma | dn21 |
Here the link if you need a reminder of last week's rankings:
BIGGEST RISERS:
- TCU rose by 20 spots after beating #18 Oklahoma by 31 points(!)
- UCLA rose by 17 spots after beating Washington (and getting to 5-0)
- Mississippi State rose by 14 spots after beating an overrated Texas A&M team.
BIGGEST FALLERS:
- Baylor dropped 11 spots after losing to Oklahoma State
- Texas A&M dropped 11 spots after being destroyed by Miss. State
- Minnesota dropped 13 spots after losing at home to unranked Purdue
- Oklahoma dropped 21 spots after losing by 31 to unranked TCU
OTHER COMMENTS:
The AP keeps swapping Alabama and Georgia in the 1-2 spots as if no other team is even being considered.Clemson is currently outside the Top 4, but (a) if they keep winning, sooner or later 1-2 and 3-4 play each other, and (b) this isn't the poll that matters anyway.
The SEC has 5 teams in the top 15, while the ACC only has three. I guess it's refreshing they didn't drop NC State lower than they did (and corrected themselves for dropping Wake too far last week).
The AP welcomes Syracuse to the Top 25 - and it's about time! That gives the ACC four Top 25 teams. If that holds, we can look forward to these ranked-on-ranked games:
- Oct. 15 - NC State at Syracuse
- Oct. 22 - Syracuse at Clemson
- Nov. 5 - Wake Forest at NC State
- Nov. 19 - Syracuse at Wake Forest
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Biggest Losers 2022 Oct 1st (RX; HM)
Biggest Losers 2022 Oct 1st
Which ranked teams lost this weekend? For awhile there, I really thought #1 was going down...
#7 Kentucky lost by 3 at #14 Ole Miss, 19-22
#10 NC State lost by 10 at #5 Clemson, 10-20
#15 Washington lost Friday night by 8 at UCLA, 32-40
#16 Baylor lost by 11 to #9 Oklahoma St at home, 25-36
#17 Texas A&M lost by 18 at Miss. State, 24-42
#18 Oklahoma lost by 31 at TCU, 24-55
#21 Minnesota lost by 10 to Purdue, 10-20
#23 Florida State lost by 10 at home to #22 Wake Forest, 21-31
COMMENTS:
First - I knew I liked Lane Kiffin!Second - it was fun while it lasted, Wolfpack!
Don't look now, but UCLA is still undefeated - and basketball season hasn't even begun yet!
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Saturday Late Results 2022 Oct 1st (RX; HM)
Saturday Late Results 2022 Oct 1st
Teams from North Carolina continued to shine in Prime Time...
Virginia 17
Duke 38
The Cavaliers were bedeviled by that Duke defense.__________
The Headliner:
#10 NC State 20
#5 Clemson 30
Meet the new boss. Same as the old boss....
Saturday Early Results 2022 Oct 1st (RX; HM)
Saturday Early Results 2022 Oct 1st
The day started with a slight upset
Louisville 33
Boston College 34
It's highly unlikely that either of these teams become bowl-eligible this season, but this win may save Coach Hafley's job (while turning up the heat on Coach Satterfield).__________
The Orange remained undefeated with a win over an FCS team.
Wagner 0
Syracuse 59
The Orange are now 5-0, shutout their opponent, and hung 59 on them too. Those are the kind of numbers that get you into the Top 25.
__________
That's when the North Carolina run began...
#22 Wake Forest 31
#23 Florida State 21
The Deacs were coming off a close (2OT) loss to Clemson, while the Noles were still undefeated, but Wake appeared determined not to be eliminated from the ACC CG just yet.
__________
Virginia Tech 10
North Carolina 41
The Hokies offense doesn't scare anyone, but it's still noteworthy that the Tar Heels got a second half shutout. Just as noteworthy, UNC scored 41 on VT - the most the Hokies have surrendered this year.
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TV News 2022 Oct 1-3 (RX; HM)
TV News 2022 Oct 1-3
Something unexpected happened Friday night for a lot of ACC fans...
Here are some details:
From Variety: "Disney Networks Including ESPN, ABC Go Dark on Dish and Sling TV Amid Carriage Dispute"
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Other
See how new I-690 exits could change your commute to Syracuse University, Dome games, hospitals
The first construction project attached to the big Interstate 81 project within the city of Syracuse is not on I-81. It’s on Interstate 690. It’s the first s...
youtu.be
https://www.syracuse.com/news/2022/...syracuse-university-dome-hospitals-video.html (PS; $; Breidenbach)
Say goodbye to some of the traffic jams and scary highway mergers on the way to and from basketball and football games on Interstate 81 in Syracuse.
Even before the state tears down the I-81 overpass that drops drivers at Harrison and Adams streets, a new exit will be built on Interstate 690 to give drivers another option to get downtown.
It will forever change the way thousands of people get to work, school, hospital appointments and dome games. The new exit will also open up for development a neighborhood defined by vacant land and parking lots.
The project will be the first ground to break on the $2.25 billion redo of I-81. It’s been overlooked in the bigger conversation about how to move traffic to street level through Syracuse’s north and south corridor.
The state Department of Transportation plans to build a new interchange to get on and off I-690 where the highway goes over South Crouse and Irving avenues. Those streets are east of downtown, not far from the Teall Avenue exit.
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