sutomcat
No recent Cali or Iggy awards; Mr Irrelevant
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- Aug 15, 2011
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National Pumpkin Day celebrates pumpkins, a cultivar of the squash plant that is native to North America. Its name is derived from the Greek word "pepon", which means large melon. Pumpkins have long since been associated with the harvest season, and both Halloween and Thanksgiving. During Halloween many people pick or buy pumpkins—most often the Connecticut Field pumpkin—and carve them into jack-o'-lanterns. Vegetables such as turnips have long been carved in Ireland and Britain, and the practice of carving pumpkins into jack-o'-lanterns stemmed from the story of Stingy Jack. Pumpkins were one of the squashes long eaten by Native Americans, which they introduced to Europeans shortly after the settlers arrived in the Americas. In fact, pumpkin pie was served at one of the Pilgrim's first Thanksgivings in the early 1620's, and is now a staple of Thanksgiving meals. A smaller strain of the Connecticut Field pumpkin, the Small Sugar pumpkin, is often used for pumpkin pie, but most Americans buy pie filling or puree in cans instead of getting it from fresh pumpkins. Although most Americans only use fresh pumpkins for carving, there has been a growing interest in pumpkin flavored foods in recent years, which can be attributed to Starbucks' introduction of pumpkin spice latte in 2003.
SU News
SU faces another strong defense, rushing game in Notre Dame (scouting report) (PS; $; Leiker)
Syracuse football might have some déjà vu preparing for Notre Dame after last weekend’s game against Clemson.
While the Fighting Irish aren’t nearly as highly touted this season as the Tigers, they have similar strengths: a strong defense and running game.
That defense is anchored by defensive lineman Isaiah Foskey, one of the most talented players at the position in all of college football. He’s expected to be a first-round draft pick in 2023 and should be even better suited for a pro-style defense according to Pro Football Focus.
Foskey was the player of the game for Notre Dame on both defense and special teams against University of Nevada-Las Vegas. He finished the game with five tackles and three sacks. He’s tied for third in ND’s record book for career sacks with 21.5.
Notre Dame’s rushing attack is a bit of a Cerebrus with Audric Estime, Logan Diggs and Chris Tyree being near equal threats to opposing defenses. They’ve combined for 1,080 of the Irish’s 1,247 net rushing yards this season and are responsible for eight touchdowns.
No. 16 SU (6-1, 3-1 ACC) hosts Notre Dame (4-3) at noon Saturday at the JMA Wireless Dome. It’s the Irish’s first trip to the Salt City since 2003 and first meeting between the two programs since 2020. The game is sold out.
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Syracuse-Clemson tops ho-hum week eight of college season (sportsmediawatch.com; Paulsen)
Snapping a streak of five-straight wins by the SEC on CBS, it was the ACC on ABC that topped the ratings charts in week eight of the college football season.
ABC aired the two most-watched college football games in week eight of the season, with Syracuse-Clemson at a 2.7 rating and 4.75 million viewers and the Texas-Oklahoma State lead-out at a 2.5 and 4.46 million — both up double-digits from last year’s equivalent games.
Each game won its timeslot despite tough competition from the weekend’s third and fourth-place games, respectively — Iowa-Ohio State on FOX at a 2.4 and 4.38 million and Mississippi-LSU on CBS at a 2.3 and 3.86 million, which were also up double-digits from last year.
Rounding out the top five, ABC scored a 2.0 and 3.54 million for Minnesota-Penn State on Saturday Night Football — up modestly from Ohio State-Indiana last year (1.9, ~3.4M).
Placing just outside of the top five, Mississippi State-Alabama combined for 3.59 million across ESPN (3.46M) and the ESPN2 Pat McAfee simulcast (129K) Saturday night — down double-digits from last year’s Tennessee-Alabama game on ESPN alone (~4.7M). The top-ten UCLA-Oregon game on FOX drew a 1.8 and 3.34 million, the most-watched Pac-12 conference game this season but down from the same matchup in the same window on ABC last year (2.1, ~3.9M).
Other notable weekend results include a near-season high for FS1, which drew its second-largest audience this season for a matchup of top 25 teams between Kansas State and TCU (0.8, 1.53M), and a rare ESPN2 win over ESPN in the Noon window as Kansas-Baylor (0.44, 744K) edged Cincinnati-SMU (0.40, 682K).
The full list of week eight college football ratings is below, and the full season of charts is available on the following page.
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No. 16 Syracuse, coming off loss, faces resurgent Notre Dame - National Football Post (nationalfootballpost.com; FLM)
No. 16 Syracuse suffered its first loss last weekend, but the Orange don’t have much time to dwell on that defeat, as Notre Dame will visit the city Saturday for the first time since 2003.
In their most recent game, the Orange (6-1) led No. 5 Clemson by 14 points in the first half before a fourth-quarter collapse resulted in a 27-21 setback. The Orange were doomed by 10 penalties and a late interception, plus their 3-of-11 third-down conversion rate didn’t help.
“I think this team is focused,” Syracuse coach Dino Babers said earlier this week. “These guys are different. The culture of this team after seven games is different than the culture that has been on any other team. They are showing it in their record, and they’re showing it on how they play, and they’re showing it on how they go about their work.”
The Orange will need to be ready for a Fighting Irish team that has won four of its past five games, most recently a 44-21 rout of UNLV last week. Tight end Michael Mayer had six catches for 115 yards and a touchdown, while Isaiah Foskey blocked two punts for Notre Dame (4-3).
“Listen, it wasn’t perfect,” Irish coach Marcus Freeman said. “We know that. That’s the reality of football. It’s never perfect. There’s a lot of things that you’re going to look and want to correct, but overall they played a really good game.”
Drew Pyne threw for 205 yards and two touchdowns, while Logan Diggs chipped in 130 rushing yards as the Irish notched their second-highest point total of the season and their largest margin of victory.
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Four to watch when Notre Dame visits Syracuse (ndinsider.com; Noie)
NOTRE DAME FIGHTING IRISH (4-3)
(7) ISAIAH FOSKEY
Vyper defensive end
The senior captain hasn’t exactly had a season that has him splashed across the side of a milk carton, though it’s been too long since he went this long without turning a game the way Foskey did against UNLV.He blocked two punts. He had three sacks. He tallied five tackles. He earned team player of the game honors on defense and special teams. Games like Foskey had against UNLV would be good for some guys’ seasons, but not him. This was the type of stuff we expected every week from the 6-foot-5, 265-pounder from Antioch, California, who came into the season with designs on leaving as the school’s all-time sack leader. He may not make it there, but he and the Irish could use a few more dominant efforts like the one against UNLV.
Saturday’s game is tailor-made for a senior captain like Foskey to turn with a big hit, a sack or even another blocked punt. The Irish simply need more from him. Saturday would be a good time to pick up where he left off the previous week.
(10) DREW PYNE
Quarterback
Has anyone had more of a roller-coaster open to his collegiate career than Pyne? Against California in his first career start, he certainly didn’t look the part. His stay at quarterback might be really short after that one game. Then against North Carolina and Brigham Young, you looked at the 5-11 1/2 (maybe), 198-pounder from New Canaan, Connecticut and thought, OK, there might be something to build off there. Good game manager. Makes the right throws at the right time. Competes. Wins. It looked like the Pyne era at the game’s most scrutinized position would be a relatively successful one.Then Stanford happened. Then UNLV happened. The Irish won that game, but Pyne didn’t really win the day. He again missed on throws that should’ve been touchdowns. The offense failed to consistently produce points when points were there to produce. Instead of touchdowns, the Irish finished with field goals. Notre Dame won, but Pyne was just kind of … there.
He can’t be Saturday. The Orange defense is coming after him. The JMA Wireless Dome is going to rock. Pyne needs to get back to his steady self to keep the offense — and the Irish — from taking a step back.
No. 16 SYRACUSE ORANGE (6-1)
(34) SEAN TUCKER
Running back
Tucker’s bio on the Orange football page touts him as “one of the top players in the nation,” though in one of the most important football games that Syracuse has played in decades, the 5-10, 210-pound sophomore from Owings, Mills, Maryland barely played.Tucker finished Saturday’s loss at No. 5 Clemson with 54 yards on five carries. That’s it. Two games earlier, he ran wild. And crazy. And seemingly forever, gaining 232 yards on 23 carries with three touchdowns against Wagner. The next two games, Tucker’s carries and yards decreased — 14 for 98 and a score against North Carolina State before that too light of a load against Clemson. Even Irish head coach Marcus Freeman wondered Monday why Tucker had played so little. Yeah, Freeman said, that was … odd.
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No. 16 Syracuse, coming off loss, faces resurgent Notre Dame (yahoo.com)
No. 16 Syracuse, coming off loss, faces resurgent Notre Dame
No. 16 Syracuse suffered its first loss last weekend, but the Orange don't have much time to dwell on that defeat, as Notre Dame will visit the city Saturday for the first time since 2003.
In their most recent game, the Orange (6-1) led No. 5 Clemson by 14 points in the first half before a fourth-quarter collapse resulted in a 27-21 setback. The Orange were doomed by 10 penalties and a late interception, plus their 3-of-11 third-down conversion rate didn't help.
"I think this team is focused," Syracuse coach Dino Babers said earlier this week. "These guys are different. The culture of this team after seven games is different than the culture that has been on any other team. They are showing it in their record, and they're showing it on how they play, and they're showing it on how they go about their work."
The Orange will need to be ready for a Fighting Irish team that has won four of its past five games, most recently a 44-21 rout of UNLV last week. Tight end Michael Mayer had six catches for 115 yards and a touchdown, while Isaiah Foskey blocked two punts for Notre Dame (4-3).
"Listen, it wasn't perfect," Irish coach Marcus Freeman said. "We know that. That's the reality of football. It's never perfect. There's a lot of things that you're going to look and want to correct, but overall they played a really good game."
Drew Pyne threw for 205 yards and two touchdowns, while Logan Diggs chipped in 130 rushing yards as the Irish notched their second-highest point total of the season and their largest margin of victory.
"We needed this. We needed this for our confidence," Freeman said. "We are a good team that doesn't always play that way. It's our job as coaches to get our team to perform this way."
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Scouting Report | Syracuse (irishsportsdaily.com)
Dino Babers was firmly planted on the hot seat coming into the 2022 season. A 6-1 start has quieted that talk for now and this team looks like the best one he’s had since 2018.
That group went 10-3 and this one could win 10 games again. They’ll likely get there if they can beat Notre Dame at home this Saturday.
Typically teams with their record are really good on one side of the ball and maybe average or below on the other side. Syracuse is simply good in every phase. They aren’t elite in any one area. They are just…good.
Ranked 24th in FEI, this is the most top-level ACC talent that Babers has had since he started coaching there in 2016.
(Note: some of their overall numbers have been boosted by playing FCS Wagner so that is why I’m using vs FBS competition so frequently)
Injuries
Syracuse has lost DL Terry Lockett, linebacker Stefon Thompson, fullback Chris Elmore, and wide receiver Isaiah Jones for the season. They were all starters.CB Garrett Williams did not play against Clemson and he’s a key player for them. He was a gametime decision, though, so the expectation is that he will be back for this game.
Offense
Former Virginia offensive coordinator Robert Anae is now at Syracuse and the offense has improved exponentially from where they were last season with him running things.They were 91st in yards per play vs FBS competition last season and have improved to 56th this year. They are currently 32nd in EPA per play, 41st in points per drive, and ranked 39th in FEI.
Expected Strengths
RB Sean Tucker is one of the best backs in college football. He averages 130 yards from scrimmage per game. He has 29 catches and he’s averaging 5.41 yards per carry. Tucker is a huge reason why they are 12th in opportunity rate.
He’s going to finish with another big season, but was even better last year.
Defenses have focused on stopping him and that might have led to a drop for the offense, but QB Garrett Shrader might be the most improved player in the Power 5. He’s shown he is more than just a threat in the running game.
He’s 28th in ESPN’s QBR after being 68th last season. He’s 16th in pass efficiency and averaging 9.0 yards per attempt. PFF has him graded as the 12 best passer in the country.
He’s still dangerous as a runner, though. He’s big (6’4” 228), is tough to tackle, and is a long strider that moves a lot faster than you’d expect. Shrader has 81 rushing attempts this season and is averaging 5.9 YPC. He previously played wide receiver at Mississippi State. While leaning on Shrader against Clemson, over 50% of Syracuse’s rushes went for 5-yards or more.
Clemson might not be what they have been on defense, but that kind of success running against them is notable.
Tucker, Shrader, and WR Oronde Gadsden II form the best triplet combination on offense in the ACC this season. The son of a former Miami Dolphins receiver, Gadson is a matchup problem with his size (6’5” 216). He’s caught 7 of 10 on contested targets and is one of the best receivers in the ACC.
LT Matthew Bergeron is a potential early-round NFL prospect. He’s a very good athlete for his size. His matchup with Isaiah Foskey will be one to watch.
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OFD Podcast: What kind of win will Notre Dame get against Syracuse? (onefootdown.com; Vowels, podcast; ndjrs & McAlinden)
Joshua, Jude, and Brendan have a lot of podding to do in one episode as the Notre Dame Fighting Irish had a weird game against UNLV, and now travel to the [insert whatever name you want] Dome to take on the Syracuse Orange. In this episode:
- HELLO!
- There are only certain things that you ride until it dies... and yes a toaster is one of them, and quarterbacks are not.
- Recapping the win over UNLV.
- Missed opportunities continue for the Irish.
- Should we really be excited about the Logan Diggs performance?
- Brandon Joseph’s value.
- The almighty Mitchell Evans.
- Finding someone that isn’t Michael Mayer.
- Everything is weird.
- Brendan breaks down Syracuse and tells us how they aren’t very good - which made Jude push back with every ND example possible.
- The ACC’s path.
- What can Notre Dame do against Syracuse?
- A realistic way to look at the Syracuse game can be a couple of wildly different things.
Notre Dame (4-3) faces one of its toughest tests of the season on Saturday when it heads East to take on the 16th-ranked Syracuse Orange. The Dino Babers led squad is the second highest ranked team Notre Dame will face this season.
Game Date: Saturday, October 29
Start Time: 12:00 PM ET
Network: ABC
Current Line: Syracuse -3.0, O/U 47
Let's take a look at Syracuse.
HEAD COACH - Dino Babers (8th season)
Overall Record: 35-44 at Syracuse, 72-60 overallBabers is in his seventh season at Syracuse, and the Orange are going through a much-needed resurgence. After a pair of 4-8 seasons to start his tenure, Babers led Syracuse to a 10-3 record. That was followed by a pair of 5-7 seasons, which a 1-10 campaign sandwiched in between.
At 6-1 the Orange already have the second most wins in a season under Babers, who came to Syracuse with the reputation of being a top offensive mind. His Eastern Illinois (19-7 in two seasons) and Bowling Green (18-9 in two seasons) teams won primarily with offense, but Syracuse in 2022 has been more about top-notch defense.
Prior to his time as a head coach Babers spent four seasons as an assistant at Baylor (2008-11) and four seasons at UCLA (2004-07).
Offensive Coordinator: Robert Anae (1st season)
Defensive Coordinator: Tony White (3rd season)
2022 RESULTS (6-1)
Louisville - Won 31-7at UConn - Won 48-14
Purdue - Won 32-29
Virginia - Won 22-20
Wagner - Won 59-0
NC State - Won 24-9
at Clemson - Lost 21-27
Notre Dame
at Pittsburgh
Florida State
at Wake Forest
at Boston College
2022 STATISTICAL OVERVIEW
2022 STATISTICAL LEADERS
Rushing: RB Sean Tucker - 129 att., 698 yards, 5.4 YPC, 6 TD; QB Garrett Shrader - 99 att., 371 yards, 3.8 YPC, 6 TD; RB LeQuint Allen - 16 att., 138 yards, 8.6 YPC, 1 TDPassing: QB Garrett Shrader - 124 com., 178 att., 69.7%, 1,601 yards, 13 TD, 4 INT, 164.82 rating
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Syracuse football: Week 8 grades vs Clemson (TNIAAM; De Guzman)
Syracuse Orange fans and players are probably still kicking themselves over Saturday’s missed opportunity against the Clemson Tigers. One of the strongest halves of the season was followed up by one of the weakest halves of the season, ending up in a 27-21 loss.
The stark difference in performance makes it tough to grade this game given the drastic change in quality from the team. With that being said, let’s attempt to do that.
Quarterbacks: B-
Shrader linked up well with Gadsden in the first half, but afterwards, he didn’t do enough to keep drives alive. Whether it was holding onto the ball for too long or receivers not getting open, Shrader seemed to force things in the second half, a bad habit that he’s still struggling to break out of. His legs helped in the first half, but as the field and down positions worsened, he didn’t have the same confidence to scramble away from broken plays. Much like the rest of the team, he had a fine first half, but a subpar second half.
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https://www.thestate.com/sports/college/acc/clemson-university/article267818827.html (thestate.com; Fowler)
Two days after Clemson football beat Syracuse to take control of the ACC’s Atlantic Division, the late-game officiating — or a lack thereof — remained a hot topic.
Syracuse coach Dino Babers, who admitted penalties are “something normally I do not speak about,” used the opening statement of his Monday news conference to offer a measured critique of two critical second-half moments in the No. 16 Orange’s 27-21 road loss to the No. 5 Tigers on Saturday.
Babers’ frustration centered around two plays: a third-quarter personal foul penalty on Syracuse defensive lineman Elijah Fuentes-Cundiff, who was flagged 15 yards for driving Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik out of bounds on third and long, and a similar fourth-quarter play when Clemson linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Jr. drove Syracuse QB Garrett Shrader out of bounds on third and long but wasn’t flagged.
“Now, this is not me crying about calls,” Babers said. “I’ve turned them in (to the ACC for review). I have not gotten a response back from the league. I would like to just know what we can do to be able to do those things better so we don’t make those mistakes in the future.”
These Syracuse, Clemson ACC referees are terrible. If you’re going to call the first one in Clemson’s favor you HAVE to call the second one in favor of Syracuse.
These plays completely flipped the momentum and ultimately may have ended Syracuse’s season. IT CAN’T HAPPEN. pic.twitter.com/apsbt1HhCb — The College Football & Basketball Experience (@TCEonSGPN) October 22, 2022
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Saturday’s SU football game is sold out (localsyr.com; Longley)
If you’ve been procrastinating on getting your ticket to Saturday’s SU vs. Notre Dame game….you’re outta luck.
Syracuse University announced on Twitter Tuesday that the game is sold out.
The university has announced an “Orange Out” requesting fans to wear orange. Those attending the game are asked to arrive early due to the expected crowd.
The game is slated to kick off at Noon.
It will be broadcast on NewsChannel 9 if you don’t have tickets to the game.
This will mark the second consecutive sellout of the “Loud House” with SU’s last home game back on October 15 against NC State also a sellout.
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Syracuse football vs. Notre Dame prediction and odds for week 9 college football (itlh; Adler)
Syracuse football will look to get back into the win column when the Orange hosts Notre Dame this coming Saturday afternoon on the Hill.
The ‘Cuse (6-1), currently ranked No. 16 in both major top-25 polls, played its heart out last weekend at No. 5 Clemson. The Tigers have a long winning streak going in Death Valley, and Syracuse football nearly ended that success.
The Orange held a 21-10 lead heading into the fourth quarter versus Clemson, but the Syracuse football offense was stifled after halftime, and the Tigers (8-0) outscored the ‘Cuse, 17-0, in the final 15 minutes to come away with a 27-21 triumph.
That heartbreaking setback dropped Syracuse football from the ranks of the unbeaten in college football, but to me, the Orange showed that it can hang with the giants in college football given the team’s showing at Clemson.
Now Syracuse football has to move past that outcome and get ready for the Fighting Irish. Notre Dame, prior to the 2022 term starting, found itself inside the top 10 of the preseason top-25 polls, but the Fighting Irish has struggled to date this fall.
Under first-year head coach Marcus Freeman, who replaced current LSU boss Brian Kelly, Notre Dame (an independent in football) sits at just 4-3 overall after defeating UNLV at home this past Saturday.
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(youtube.com; video; ROC Boys)
ROC Boys preview a massive matchup as the Notre Dame Fighting Irish head on the road to play the Syracuse Orange. Two teams that have surprised the country in how they have played. This one should be a good one.
CFB Week 9 ATS: Can Syracuse bounce back with a win over Notre Dame? (cbssports.com; video)
Can Syracuse bounce back with a win over Notre Dame?
Insider’s Preview: No 16 Syracuse (247sports; $; O'Malley)
Dino Babers’ Orange entered the season with a proven top-tier running back, an experienced back seven defensively, and an All-American kicker among its personnel strengths. Thanks in part to first-year coordinator Robert Anae (previously of Virginia), former ‘single-threat’ quarterback in Garrett Shrader now passes with aplomb as well, making Syracuse a tough task for opponents to handle.
James Finneral, reporter for CuseNation.com, stops by Irish Illustrated for an update on a 16th-ranked Syracuse team that was one quarter (and an 11-point lead) away from an undefeated, national Top 10 ranking this weekend but instead fell 27-21 in Death Valley to the fifth-ranked Clemson Tigers.
Irish Illustrated: Marcus Freeman had a humorous moment at his press conference today when he wondered aloud why Sean Tucker only had five carries, adding, "I guess they're probably not going to tell us."
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Syracuse football: Dino Babers’s Notre Dame week preview (TNIAAM; Ostrowski)
This week is a first for the No. 16 Syracuse Orange this season - they’re looking to rebound after a close loss to Clemson. Before ‘Cuse welcomes Notre Dame to the Loud House on Saturday, Head Coach Dino Babers took the stage to relay some updates.
Change of Pace
For the first time this year, Dino beat us to the punch with his opening statement. It was over eight minutes long and covered virtually every topic of concern from Saturday’s game:- On the 25 second runoff before using his final timeout: “There was a mistake on our part. It’s been handled internally... Based off of how we do things, I feel like it’s corrected, and that will not happen again.”
- On Sean Tucker’s limited usage: “When it comes to Tucker having five carries, that’s something that should not happen. I agree with everyone else.”
- On penalties: “Everybody’s entitled to a mistake. We’re trying to make it so we don’t make constant mistakes.”
- Dino compared Elijah Fuentes-Cundiff’s hit on Clemson QB Cade Klubnik to a situation from last year. During their game against FSU, the Orange defense failed to force their quarterback out of bounds, and he picked up yardage that eventually led to them winning the game. “We use a new technique, what we call ‘escorting’ their quarterback out of bounds... We were not going to allow him to cut back inside of us and do the same thing that happened to us last year.”
- Babers didn’t argue the penalty call but questioned why a flag wasn’t thrown when Garrett Shrader was hit a similar way. He also said that he submitted both plays to the league for an official explanation. Former NFL QB Mike Glennon seems to feel the same:
How to Watch Syracuse vs Notre Dame (SI; McAllister)
Matchup: #16 Syracuse (6-1, 3-1) vs Notre Dame (4-3)
Location: JMA Wireless Dome (Syracuse, NY)
Time: 12:00 p.m. Eastern - Saturday, October 29th.
Television: ABC
Stream: LIVE STREAM
Broadcast Team: Joe Tessitore, Greg McElroy, Katie George
Radio: TK99, WAER, Cuse.com, TuneIn App
Series History: Notre Dame leads the all-time series 7-3. Of the 10 prior meetings, only one came in the Dome. That was in 2003 when Walter Reyes ran for 194 yards and a program record five touchdowns in a 38-12 Orange victory. Four of the matchups have come in neutral locations while four have come at Notre Dame. The most recent matchup was during the 2020 season, when the Irish won 45-21. Sean Tucker was one of two Syracuse players to run for over 100 yards in that game. The first game came in 1914, when ND won at Syracuse 20-0. The Irish is currently on a four game winning streak against the Orange.
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30 Minutes in Orange Nation 10-25 (ESPN; radio; Orange Nation)
Brian and Paulie open the show setting their expectation for tonight’s Syracuse men’s basketball exhibition game. Then, Syracuse on SI’s Mike McAllister joins to discuss tonight’s game and SU football’s turnaround to a sold-out game in the JMA Dome this weekend. Last, the guys get a call that signals basketball season may finally be here.
Drew Carter "The 315" 10-25 (ESPN; radio; The 315)
Drew Carter of the ACC Network joins Brian Higgins to share insight on the Syracuse-Clemson game, take a look around the ACC and pose an interesting hypothetical for this year’s football team.
Keeping Up With The 315 10-25 (ESPN; radio; The 315)
Brian Higgins is in The 315 as he compares previous head coaches to Dino Babers. Later, courtesy of Drew Carter, he ponders which former Syracuse football player you would want to bring back to this current team.
Caleb Okechukwu "The 315" 10-25 (ESPN; radio; The 315)
Syracuse defensive lineman Caleb Okechuwku joins Brian Higgins to discuss the team’s transition from Clemson to Notre Dame.
On The Block On Demand 10-25 (ESPN; radio; Axe)
Brent Axe is On The Block to explain why Syracuse has the upper-hand heading into the weekend’s game vs. Notre Dame. Also on the show, Syracuse basketball opens up tonight.
Ex-Notre Dame QB Brady Quinn says Syracuse's Garrett Shrader could be 'Achilles heel' against Irish (247sports.com; Backus)
Notre Dame football’s game at Syracuse this Saturday is one of the most interesting of the Week 9 slate. The Irish in the midst of a down year in their first season under head coach Marcus Freeman, while the Orange are having their best campaign yet under Dino Babers. Despite a recent loss to Clemson, Syracuse came in at No. 16 in the latest AP Poll Top 25. A big reason for Syracuse's success quarterback Garrett Shrader's breakout year. During a recent segment on CBS Sports HQ, former Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn predicted Shrader could give the Fighting Irish some problems.
“Bottom line is, I’m looking at this thing, Garrett Shrader’s going to be a problem for Notre Dame’s defense,” Quinn said. “The way he’s able to run the football alongside of Sean Tucker, that to me is going to be maybe the Achilles heel of how this game goes. That being said though, I do think if you look at the way Clemson was able to run the football — and other opponents, for that matter — Syracuse played somewhat of a soft schedule until Clemson. Clemson was able to get away with some big gains. That’s clearly going to be Notre Dame’s calling card in this one. So I’ll take the three points with Notre Dame on the road in this one. Like I said, it’s going to be razor-tight either way with how this game shakes out.”
A Mississippi State transfer, Shrader is in his second season with the Orange. He has improved leaps and bounds as a passer, already throwing for more yards (1,601) and touchdowns (13) than he did all of last season. He has accomplished that in fewer total attempts, as well.
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Back-to-back sell out crowds for Syracuse Football in the Dome ahead of Notre Dame game (cnycentral.com; Lockman)
The Syracuse Orange’s upcoming game against Notre Dame at the JMA Dome is officially sold out for the general public, SU announced Tuesday afternoon.
Syracuse Athletics' allotment of tickets for the general public are sold out for Saturday’s game and only a limited number of student tickets are still available, as of Tuesday.
Student tickets can be purchased online HERE, and fans can purchase verified resale tickets on the secondary market HERE.
This comes after the October 15 game against NC State brought a sold-out crowd. Syracuse is 6-1, its first loss of the season coming last Saturday against Clemson.
Syracuse Athletics urges fans to arrive at the Dome early for Saturday’s game and wear orange as part of Orange Out.
Tickets for Syracuse’s final home game against Florida State on November 12 are still available and can be purchased HERE.
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ACC News
ESPN Scores Six of Top 10 Most-Viewed College Football Games of Week 8, Continues Year-Over-Year Viewership Growth (espnpressroom; Brooks)
Syracuse at Clemson is Most-Viewed Game of the Weekend with 4.7 Million Viewers
ESPN networks notched a banner viewership week as the 2022 college football season moved past its midpoint, delivering six of the top 10 most-viewed games of Week 8 and the top college football games in the noon, afternoon, primetime and late prime windows. In addition, ABC won the noon and afternoon windows across all networks.
ABC aired the top two games of Week 8 and the most-viewed game in the noon and afternoon windows. Across all three games, ABC averaged 4.3 million viewers, the network’s most-watched college football Saturday since Week 1 and up double digits from 2021’s Week 8.
Syracuse and Clemson’s clash in Death Valley registered 4.7 million viewers – a top-five regular-season noon game on ABC since 2018. The Orange/Tigers tussle peaked at 7.2 million viewers. In the afternoon, 4.5 million viewers tuned into Texas at Oklahoma State, the most-watched Big 12 Conference game in 2022, peaking at 6.6 million viewers.
Mississippi State at Alabama was the top college football game across cable and in primetime in Week 8 with a combined 3.6 million viewers between the main telecast on ESPN and CFB Primetime with The Pat McAfee Show on ESPN2. The audience was up slightly from the same matchup in a similar viewing window in 2021.
ESPN’S MOST-VIEWED GAMES OF WEEK 8
| Top-10 Rank* | Time | Matchup | Viewership | Network |
| 1 | Noon | Syracuse (21) at Clemson (27) | 4.7 million | ABC |
| 2 | Afternoon | Texas (34) at Oklahoma State (41) | 4.5 million | ABC |
| 5 | Primetime | Mississippi State (6) at Alabama (30) | 3.6 million | ESPN/ESPN2 |
| 6 | Primetime | Minnesota (17) at Penn State (45) | 3.5 million | ABC |
| 9 | Late Prime | Washington (28) at California (21) | 1.3 million | ESPN |
| 10 | Afternoon | Purdue (24) at Wisconsin (35) | 1 million | ESPN |
https://www.wdrb.com/sports/bozich-...cle_c93fda68-5498-11ed-afaa-3ffaef169197.html (wdrb.com; Bozich)
There are 64 college football programs swimming in the shark tank known as the Power 5 leagues, the land of the Atlantic Coast, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12 and Southeastern Conferences.
There is one program in that group of 64 that has four remaining games against opponents ranked in the current Associated Press Top 25.
That program is not Tennessee, which plays three Top-25 teams.
Nor is it ACC leader Clemson, which plays one. Defending national champion Georgia, Alabama, Ohio State and Michigan all play two.
That program is Louisville, which begins its dance with the heavyweights at 3:30 p.m. Saturday when No. 10 Wake Forest visits Cardinal Stadium.
On Tuesday, during his weekly media session, U of L head coach Scott Satterfield talked like someone who hoped that the opportunity to watch the Cardinals upset the defending ACC Atlantic Division champions would energize U of L fans to fill more of Cardinal Stadium's 60,800 seats.
"If you don't have plans or you're on the fence about whether or not to go, we really need you to come out to this game," Satterfield said.
Over three home games, the Cardinals' average announced home crowds has been 43,172, about 71% of capacity. That ranks 65th nationally and 12th in the ACC, ahead of Virginia and Duke.
In 2019, when Satterfield was voted ACC coach of the year during his first season, the Cards averaged 49,913 for six home games, filling 82% of the seats. That average ranked 39th nationally and seventh in the ACC, ahead of Virginia, Georgia Tech, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Boston College, Wake Forest and Duke.
For a variety of reasons — with COVID-19, losing and expenses high on the list — a pocket of fans have lost that loving feeling. Getting them back in the stadium is one thing on the line against Wake.
What else is at stake?
A chance for Satterfield to improve his 1-6 record here against ranked opponents as well as his 0-3 mark against top-10 opponents.
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https://athlonsports.com/college-fo...es-vs-nc-state-wolfpack-prediction-picks-2022 (athlonsports.com; Staley)
Both the Virginia Tech Hokies and the NC State Wolfpack will be looking to rebound from difficult losses as they face each other Thursday night at Carter-Finley Stadium.
Virginia Tech (2-5, 1-3 ACC) had a week to reflect on its 20-14 loss to the Miami Hurricanes. The Hokies have lost four consecutive games, which is tied for the longest streak in 30 years.
No. 24 NC State (5-2, 1-2) also was on a bye last weekend after coming off an Oct. 15, 24-9 loss at Syracuse. Once considered possible favorites to win the ACC, the Wolfpack will now need a lot of help even to reach the conference championship game in Charlotte.
Thursday will be the 51st meeting between the Hokies and Wolfpack. Virginia Tech holds a 28-18-4 edge in the series. Since joining the ACC, the Hokies are 5-1 against the Wolfpack.
Virginia Tech at No. 24 NC State
Kickoff: Thursday, Oct. 27 at 7:30 p.m. ETTV: ESPN
Live Stream: fuboTV (Start your free trial)
Spread: NC State -13.5
Tickets: As low as $43 on SITickets.com*
When Virginia Tech Has the Ball
Virginia Tech's offense has struggled all season. The team is tied for 115th nationally in scoring offense (19.1 ppg) and sits 116th in total offense (321.9 ypg).Wide receiver Kaleb Smith is a playmaker for the Hokies. He has 28 catches for 428 yards and two touchdowns in seven games this season.
Virginia Tech also uses multiple running backs in its offense with Keshawn King and Malachi Thomas. King has rushed for 259 yards and two touchdowns, while Thomas has 125 yards on the ground along with a touchdown.
The Hokies will be facing an NC State defense that is allowing 16.9 points per game, good for second in the ACC and 14th in FBS.
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https://tarheelswire.usatoday.com/2...-hes-a-legend-hes-great-for-college-football/ (usatoday.com; Lasley)
The UNC football program is preparing to extend its lead in the ACC Coastal division on Saturday as it takes on Pitt in Chapel Hill.
Ahead of the matchup, Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi spoke on his relationship with Tar Heels’ head coach Mack Brown and had some high praise.
“I just think he’s a legend. I love him. I just think he’s great for college football, period,” Narduzzi told reporters this week. “I’m glad he’s out of the media industry and back into college football because he’s good for college football. He gets it. He’s old school. Just listening to him in coaches’ meetings — hanging out with him in coaches’ meetings, he gets it and he’s old school, and that’s what I love about him. He does it the right way.”
Narduzzi comes into this weekend’s matchup 2-4 all-time as a head coach against North Carolina. Both wins have come in back-to-back seasons.
Pitt, sitting at 4-3 overall and 1-2 in conference, is looking to get back on track after a 24-10 loss to Louisville last weekend. Its lone win in confidence came against Virginia Tech the week prior.
The Tar Heels on the other hand, are 6-1 and ranked No. 21 in the country. Its lone loss was against Notre Dame this season.
https://www.tomahawknation.com/flor...travis-sims-georgia-tech-lovett-injury-update (tomahawknation.com; Scarpio)
The Seminoles were back at the practice facility today for their first warmup ahead of Georgia Tech. Florida State had a bye week last weekend, so players nursing injuries and mishaps in communication were discussed to see just how much this time can improve in the next five games. The Noles have three ACC matchups ahead of them, along with two non-conference games later in the season.
Florida State headed into this week as a heavy favorite for Saturday’s contest against the Yellow Jackets. FSU has proved they can dominate against the lower-level teams in the conference, and Georgia Tech definitely meets that criteria. Head coach Mike Norvell has been pleased with the Noles response following a three-game skid, knowing the Seminoles have to improve in order to retain bowl eligibility and come out with a winning record in the second half of the season.
Norvell spoke with the media following Tuesday’s practice to talk about what they worked on in practice after the bye, Fabian Lovett’s injury, newcomer improvement, and more in his full interview below:
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https://www.wralsportsfan.com/holliday-duke-rocks-miami-eyes-bowl-bid/20537720/ (wralsportsfan.com; Holliday)
After whipping Miami 45-21 for its fifth win, Duke needs only to beat Boston College at Chestnut Hill or Virginia Tech in Durham to lock up a postseason trip in head coach Mike Elko’s first season.
Saturday’s pivotal win at Hard Rock Stadium revealed qualities in this 2022 Duke team we had not previously seen. Duke had not lost a fumble all season, yet receiver Jalon Calhoun fumbled deep in Duke territory on the game’s second play, gifting Miami a short field touchdown. The Blue Devils fumbled again the first time they had the ball in the second half; three plays later Miami took a 21-17 lead.
But not only did Duke overcome those fumbles, the Blue Devils also overcame a somewhat pedestrian offensive performance. Duke did run for 200 yards against a very good Miami run defense. But the Blue Devils only amassed 336 yards of total offense and that’s about 100 below their seasonal average of 434. And yet Duke won handily without moving up and down the field all day as it had in its previous wins and indeed even in the close losses to Kansas and North Carolina.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nf1-a4tidzs (youtube; video; PG)
In their weekly Pitt football mailbag, Post-Gazette beat writers Christopher Carter and Noah Hiles answer questions from readers. Among them, whether there could be big changes to the roster and/or coaching staff over the offseason now that Pitt has fallen to a disappointing 4-3 following its ACC championship a year ago.
https://www.si.com/college/wake-forest/football/week-9-wake-forest-fpi (SI; Remis)
Last week, we took a look at what ESPN’s Football Power Index predicted for the remainder of the Wake Forest football season. Again, you can learn about FPI and view the entirety of what it has to say here.
After a resounding win against Boston College, No. 10 Wake Forest is starting to get the national recognition that has eluded them all season. As the Demon Deacons rose in the AP poll, they also improved in the Football Power Index (FPI).
Wake Forest was the second-largest riser of any team in the FPI top-50 this week, moving up ten spots to No. 19. The Deacs find themselves third in the ACC, behind Syracuse (18) and Clemson (7). The projected record of the Demon Deacons has adjusted slightly, moving up to 8.8-3.2. The chance of winning out has gone up a percentage point as well, from 4.6 to 5.5%.
Clemson’s victory over Syracuse has all but secured the Tigers a division title. FPI only gives the Deacs a 0.1% chance to win the ACC Atlantic, reflecting the undefeated record and relatively easy remaining schedule for Clemson.
After an exciting slate of games last weekend and with FPI ratings shifting each week, let’s revisit the predictions for each remaining opponent on Wake’s schedule:
Saturday Oct. 29 - AT LOUISVILLE (4-3)
ACC rank: 6 (7 last week)
National rank: 38 (39)
Projected Record: 6.4-5.6 (5.8-6.2)
Wake Forest Win Probability: 48.8
Last week: 48.3%
Change: +0.5%
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https://clutchpoints.com/north-carolina-football-3-reasons-tar-heels-will-win-acc-coastal-miami/ (clutchpoints.com; Alfano)
The ACC Coastal has earned a reputation for being one of the most chaotic divisions in college football. While Florida State and, more recently, Clemson have dominated the ACC Atlantic, no team in the Coastal has dominated in the same way. Every team in the division has won it over the past decade, and the last repeat champion was Virginia Tech in 2010 and 2011. With defending ACC champion Pitt struggling this season, it appears that streak will continue for another season, with North Carolina football looking like the favorite.
The division has turned into a bloodbath, with every team except for one having at least two conference losses. That one exception is North Carolina, which stands at 6-1 and 3-0 in ACC play.
Meanwhile, Miami, the preseason favorite in the division, has struggled immensely this season. The Hurricanes have limped out to a 3-4 start and sit at 1-2 in conference play. Mario Cristobal’s first year in Miami has not gone according to plan, and the Hurricanes are in jeopardy of missing a bowl game.
Despite their struggles this season, the Hurricanes are still technically in the running for the division. However, the Tar Heels and many other factors stand in their way. Let’s go over a few reasons why North Carolina will win the ACC Coastal over Miami.
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https://247sports.com/Article/UNC-f...anking-ACC-hype-entering-Pitt-game-196126781/ (247sports; Hughes)
North Carolina (6-1) entered the polls after its Week 7 over Duke and improved its standing to No. 21 (AP) during its bye last week. At their highest position in the polls since the 2021 preseason, Tar Heel head coach Mack Brown says his team isn't focused on its ranking ahead of Saturday's matchup with Pittsburgh, especially considering their recent lack of success with a number by their name.
"We were ranked fifth during the COVID year and went to Florida State and lost," Brown said during his Monday press conference. "We weren't fifth, and two conferences weren't playing. Last year, we were way over-ranked in the preseason (No. 10) after losing 4,200 yards of offense. It matters what you do when you're ranked more than getting ranked."
Following its 45-32 loss to Notre Dame in Week 4, the Tar Heels have rattled off three-straight wins, all over ACC Coastal opponents, and possess a 1.5-game lead in the division. In control of their own destiny, Brown says his "more mature" Tar Heel team is playing for their second ACC Championship game appearance rather than their ranking.
"We're one loss away from not being mentioned again for the year," Brown said. "Fans like it; they can talk about it. Recruits like it; they can talk about it. But outside of this building, none of that matters. I feel like this team is more mature than some we've had, even for a lot of young guys. I said, 'You're No. 21.' And then (linebacker) Cedric Gray said, 'Yeah, but it doesn't matter. Let's go back to work.' I do think they're maturing. I don't think the ranking will make any difference to them."
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Other
Pictured is the Micron Technology headquarters in Boise, Idaho. The company said Sept. 1 it will expand that campus but also has "multiple planned U.S. investments" in the works. (Photographer: Jeremy Erickson/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
https://www.syracuse.com/news/2022/...get-rid-of-old-chip-get-ready-for-micron.html (PS; Moriarty)
Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon told a group of business people Tuesday that Central New York must get rid of the “chip” it’s had on its shoulder after years of watching manufacturers exit the region.
With Micron Technology Inc. making plans to build a $100 billion semiconductor plant in Clay, McMahon told an audience of 150 business people during a “town hall” meeting to get ready to take advantage of the tremendous economic growth the company will bring to the county and surrounding communities.
“We saw 30 years of stagnant growth and in some ways we didn’t think that our community was worthy,” he said during the meeting at the Rosamond Gifford Zoo. “That chip needs to get brushed off our shoulder.”
Micron says the computer chip fabrication plant it plans to build in phases at White Pine Commerce Park will create 9,000 Micron jobs over the next 20 years, including 3,000 by the end of the decade. In addition, it will create more than 40,000 jobs at suppliers and other companies that will want to locate near the facility, according to the company.
Local officials say the project will also create 5,000 construction jobs.
Production of DRAM, a type of semiconductor memory that store bits of data for quick access by a computer’s central processing unit, is expected to start at the plant in 2026.
“We’ve been validated by the greatest technology company of memory in the world,” McMahon said after the meeting. “They’ve made their biggest investment in the company’s history in the people of this community. If that doesn’t get that chip brushed off our shoulders, I don’t know what will.”
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