sutomcat
No recent Cali or Iggy awards; Mr Irrelevant
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Welcome to Hug a Bear Day!
No, this is not a day for going out into the wild and hugging bears; it is a day when people hug their teddy bear, the comfort animal that was named after the 26th President of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt. In November 1902, Roosevelt, an avid hunter, went on a hunting excursion organized by Mississippi's governor, Andrew Longino, in Smedes, Mississippi. Roosevelt was accompanied by some aides, other hunters, and reporters, as well as a hunting guide, Holt Collier, and his hunting dogs. After a few days without success, Roosevelt and the hunting dogs were on the trail of a black bear. Having thought that they had lost the bear, Roosevelt went back to camp, but Collier and his dogs kept searching. Collier and his dogs found the 235 pound bear, and the dogs circled it and began biting and attacking it. The bear killed one of the dogs, and Collier clubbed the bear over the head and tied it to a tree. He bugled for Roosevelt, who found the bear mauled from the the dogs, and refused to shoot it. He also forbade anyone else from shooting it, but as the bear was so injured, he had the bear put out of its misery by having it be killed with a hunting knife.
SU News
The next day: Incohesive play calling is a serious problem for Sean Tucker (DO; Alandt)
In a postgame press conference filled with questions about Carlos Del Rio-Wilson’s first start with Syracuse, one reported simply asked what went wrong in the run game. It was the same question asked after the loss to then-No. 5 Clemson.
Since the early stretch of games to start the season when Sean Tucker stood as the focal point of an offense transitioning toward a more pass-heavy approach, the preseason All-American has slowly faded from the spotlight. The question seemed to catch Babers off guard.
Tucker collected just 10 rushes in the loss, netting 24 yards out of the backfield. The Orange’s prolific rusher that caused Syracuse Athletics to launched a #PLEASED campaign to help drum up support for his Heisman Trophy bid was merely an afterthought in a middling 19-9 loss to Pittsburgh.
Babers has been asked numerous times throughout the season why he didn’t use Tucker, why Garrett Shrader threw the ball more than Tucker ran it. The head coach has admitted the Orange need to run the ball more, which he said was addressed internally. But against the Panthers, in the midst of an unproductive offensive performance, Tucker went out wide or didn’t get the ball. Incohesive offensive play calling led to Syracuse netting just 145 total yards, just 25 on the ground.
“We couldn’t get enough push on (Pittsburgh’s) big guy. They got the NFL guy inside,” Babers said. “We couldn’t get to (SirVocea Dennis) … because he was protected by the three in one technique.”
The Orange have strayed too far away from the running game, and it’s not only hurting their chances of winning, but it’s putting too much pressure on SU’s quarterbacks. Over the last three games — all losses for a once undefeated SU team — Tucker is averaging just 10.3 rushes per game as opposed to 20.7 attempts through the first six games.
Tucker gets enough yards when Syracuse gives him the ball, though 1.9 yards per carry against Pitt and 3.8 yards against Notre Dame aren’t Tucker’s usual levels. But he’s not getting the ball on a consistent enough basis to get anything going. Robert Anae’s motion-heavy and bunch-set approach to getting receivers open leaves Tucker without extra blockers or flushed out of the pocket as a heavily covered receiving option.
On SU’s first of three scoring drives on Saturday, Tucker got the ball six times, one time on a wheel route. But four of those targets or runs came in the first seven plays of the drive. Then the Orange didn’t go to Tucker at all until they were at the goal line, and both rushes — one being a pitch to the left on 3rd and goal — netted no gain. The next scoring drive, Syracuse only went to Tucker once, a run on first down for a short gain. The same thing happened on Syracuse’s final scoring drive.
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Syracuse falls out of AP Top 25 Poll following 3rd straight loss (DO; Alandt)
Syracuse is once again unranked. The Orange fell out of the AP Top 25 Poll on Sunday after losing their third straight game, a 19-9 slog at Pittsburgh. After first getting ranked No. 22 in the poll following its 22-20 win over Virginia, Syracuse climbed as high as No. 14 with two more wins over Wagner and NC State.
But the loss to Clemson dropped SU out of the top 15, and an ensuing loss to then-unranked Notre Dame placed them at No. 20 heading into its matchup with unranked Pittsburgh. A final loss, brought on by an unimpressive offensive performance led by backup Carlos Del Rio-Wilson and a rush defense that let up 161 rushing yards to the Panthers, would remove Syracuse from the rankings.
Prior to the game, head coach Dino Babers reiterated an optimistic reality of Syracuse’s season: the Orange were 3-1 in nonconference play and 3-1 in the Atlantic Coast Conference. They sat second in the Atlantic division and could have kept the pressure for a championship bid on Clemson had they won against Pitt.
Now, they sit on the outside looking in for the first time in a month and a half. No. 25 Florida State jumped over the Orange into the ranking after a blowout win over Miami, along with No. 20 Notre Dame who upset then-No. 4 Clemson in South Bend.
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Five Takeaways: Pitt 19 Syracuse 9 (SI; McAllister)
Here are five takeaways from Syracuse's loss at Pittsburgh on Saturday.
1. Defense
Syracuse's defense was gashed by the run in the previous two games and had its issues at times on Saturday. However, largely, it held up pretty well. The Orange did allow 161 yards on the ground, but Pitt averaged just 3.4 yards per carry and the longest run of the day was just 13 yards. The defense also forced two turnovers and seven punts in the game while allowing only 337 yards of total offense. The defense did enough to win that game despite being banged up.
2. Missed Shrader
This is a game where Syracuse missed the playmaking ability and veteran leadership of Garrett Shrader. The offense stalled without him on the field and we can see the difference when he was out there (and healthy) versus not. The offense has not looked the same since the second half against Clemson and I think his health is a big part of that. It is now up to the coaching staff to figure out how to move the ball without him if he continues to deal with injuries.
3. Del Rio-Wilson
The redshirt freshman really struggled in his first start. He made some great throws and has an absolute cannon of an arm. However, he is still learning how to put touch on certain passes and had issues with accuracy down the field. That and he continues to get passes batted down at the line of scrimmage. The potential is still through the roof for him and he is in the very early stages of his development, but there are areas he will need to work on in order to become a more consistent quarterback.
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Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Syracuse football: Coming apart at the seams (TNIAAM; Ostrowski)
The Syracuse Orange were unable to do much of anything on offense against the Pitt Panthers, and a severely depleted Mob defense could only battle for so long in a 19-9 final. SU’s third straight loss threatens to further snowball a season that got off to a great start but has stalled out amidst tough competition and an ever-growing list of injuries.
First, the positive things. The ‘Cuse defense, even without several of its biggest pieces, still looks pretty good. Ja’Had Carter had a pick for the third straight game, bringing him up to four total turnovers on the year. Isaiah Johnson also had an interception on a botched trick play, along with a pass breakup. There were stretches where the Pitt offense was slowly moving the ball, but for the most part, Tony White’s guys fought tooth and nail to keep the game within reach.
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Why is a once 6-0 SU team falling apart? Right now, Babers doesn’t have a lot of answers (PS; Leiker)
Five times during his postgame press conference Saturday, Dino Babers uttered essentially the same line.
Syracuse’s seventh-year coach couldn’t find much to say after an ugly 19-9 loss to Pittsburgh. He provided few assessments of his team’s performance on either side of the ball and seemed emotional when asked about his offense’s struggles.
“I’ll have to watch the film,” he repeated again and again, albeit in what seemed an earnest fashion.
Syracuse, a team that defied odds and went 6-0 to start the season, has now lost three straight. It will likely drop out of the national polls and College Football Playoff rankings this week and be an underdog in two of its remaining three matchups.
One of the biggest questions that comes to mind as SU stares down three more ACC opponents and a bowl game in the next two months is when and if quarterback Garrett Shrader will return to the field.
Shrader has now been missing from six-straight quarters with an injury. Though he warmed up alongside his teammates pregame, the team’s starting quarterback one of its captains, the player who turned heads across the country earlier this season was in street clothes by the time kickoff came.
Babers declined to say how close Shrader was to being able to play when asked. The team has not said what’s keeping him off the field, though it appears to be a lower-leg injury given Shrader’s limited mobility in one half’s worth of work last week against Notre Dame.
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SU hype train derailed on a bad day for ranked teams in orange (what they’re saying) (PS; Mink)
Syracuse football is 6-3 after a 19-9 loss at Pittsburgh on Saturday afternoon at Acrisure Stadium.
SU’s loss gave the Clemson Tigers the ACC Atlantic Division title and a spot in the conference championship game Dec. 3 in Charlotte, North Carolina.
That’s the only championship Clemson will play for this season. The Tigers (and the ACC) saw their College Football Playoff hopes end with a 35-14 road loss at (soon-to-be-ranked) Notre Dame.
It capped a bad day for ranked teams that wear orange: Five of them lost (Tennessee, Clemson, Illinois, Oklahoma State and Syracuse). Texas’ burnt orange survived a comeback bid by Kansas State.
SU’s Orange (6-3, 3-2 ACC) is still assured a 13th game in December, like Clemson, but it can officially kiss goodbye the Orange Bowl.
Hey, all mid-level bowls love a ready-made-for-TV script. And with Illinois losing to Michigan State, a Tommy DeVito-Syracuse matchup at some American League East baseball stadium is exactly the stuff Disney draws up in the meeting room.
See more buzz on social media after SU dropped its third-straight game and its 10th in a row in Pittsburgh on Saturday afternoon.
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FSU opens as road favorite vs. Syracuse (tomahawknation.com; Kostadakis)
No. 25 Florida State Seminoles football (6-3, 4-3 ACC), fresh off a 45-3 blowout victory over rival Miami (4-5, 2-3 ACC), next heads on the road to take on the Syracuse Orange (6-3, 3-2 ACC).
The Orange, once a top-15 team, are on a three-game losing streak after stumbling vs. the Pittsburgh Panthers in a 19-9 loss. Syracuse has especially struggled, amplified by the temporary loss of quarterback Garrett Schrader.
From our SB Nation sister site, Troy Nunes is an Absolute Magician:
According to DraftKings, Florida State is a 6.5-point favorite vs. the Orange.
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(youtube; video; Axe)
Syracuse.com's Brent Axe chats live following Syracuse football's 19-9 loss to Pittsburgh on November 5, 2022.
Pitt defeats Syracuse as mounting injuries raise concerns - The Juice Online (the juice; Stechschulte)
#20 Syracuse lost their third straight game on Saturday, dropping a 19-9 contest at Pittsburgh. Missing starting quarterback Garrett Shrader, the Orange (6-3, 3-2 ACC) struggled to consistently move the ball on offense while had difficulties stopping the balanced offensive attack of the Panthers (5-4, 2-2).
While Shrader missed the game for SU, Israel Abanikanda, who was first in the nation in rushing touchdowns and third in rushing yards coming into the day, could not go for Pitt. Despite the low score, their replacements had a lot to say in the outcome, as Syracuse’s Carlos Del Rio-Wilson completed just 8-of-23 passes for 120 yards while suffering six sacks. Meanwhile, Rodney Hammond, Jr. racked up 124 yards and a touchdown on 28 carries for the Panthers.
The Orange mustered 145 yards of offense in the game, going just 3-of-14 on third down conversions. While Pitt’s 339-yard output was not overwhelming, they were able to keep the chains moving by converting 7-of-16 third downs and amassing 18 first downs.
The SU defense stopped the first Pitt threat when Ja’Had Carter made an interception in the end zone and their offensive mates strung together their best drive of the day. The Panthers helped out with three penalties for 28 yards and a pair of first downs, getting Syracuse close enough to open the scoring on the first of three Andre Szmyt field goals with 26 seconds to go in the first quarter.
Pitt responded with a touchdown drive, but Szmyt erased most of the Panther lead on a 48-yard field goal with 3:44 before halftime. Pitt responded with a three of their own for a 10-6 lead at halftime, then put some distance between the two teams with a touchdown drive late in the third quarter for a 17-6 lead.
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Syracuse football: this is why we told you to enjoy 6-0 (TNIAAM; Wall)
The Syracuse Orange once again failed to show up for a game against the Pittsburgh Panthers. A terrible 3rd-down play call early spoiled the best chance the Orange had to score a touchdown on the day and Pat Narduzzi got to enjoy an ugly, ugly win.
So now the Orange are 6-3. They won’t be ranked and the injuries continue to pile up. Carlos Del Rio-Wilson started 6-10 then went 2-13. He was throwing high all day. He was locked onto primary reads and he was under relentless pressure.
A lot of you were screaming for Sean Tucker to get more hand-offs. Tucker finished with 10 carries for 19 yards and 3 receptions for 7 yards. Oronde Gadsden II was targeted six times and finished without a catch. He would have walked into the end zone in the fourth quarter if the ball wasn’t thrown over his head. Syracuse had 48 snaps on offense yesterday and they tried to feed their best weapons- 10 of CDRW’s 23 pass attempts went to those two players.
There’s no more Orange Bowl talk and the Cheez-It Bowl might be out of reach as well. As excited as many were about the 6-0 start has been surpassed by how any of you are angry over the three-game losing streak.
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Harsh Twitter Reaction After Syracuse Is Handed Third-Straight Loss By Pitt – Orange Fizz – Daily Syracuse Recruiting News & Team Coverage (orangefizz.net; Amendolara)
After the good vibes following a 6-0 start, the Syracuse season has come to a screeching halt. Three straight losses, all by different measures, has the Orange wondering if there will even be another victory this season. At 6-3, there’s still three more chances to up the win total and separate this season from just another 6-6 campaign. But the looming reality is settling in. The Clemson game was a good effort on the road, but an offensive horror show in the second half. Notre Dame took advantage of a putrid Orange attack, and pummeled SU’s defensive front. Then yesterday Pitt did what it always does against SU: Beat them in Western PA. Here’s how Twitter reacted.
Play-calling questioned:
https://twitter.com/BrentAxeMedia?ref_src=twsrc^tfw|twcamp^tweetembed|twterm^1588984628236455936|twgr^|twcon^s1_&ref_url=https://publish.twitter.com/?query=https3A2F2Ftwitter.com2FBrentAxeMedia2Fstatus2F1588984628236455936widget=Tweet
Brent Axe
@BrentAxeMedia
Oh my. A *forehead smack* play call on 3rd and goal there. A pitch out to Tucker loses 4 yards. Syracuse ends a 12-play drive with a field goal. Syracuse 3, Pitt 0. :26 to go in the first quarter.
4:00 PM · Nov 5, 2022
https://twitter.com/intent/like?ref_src=twsrc^tfw|twcamp^tweetembed|twterm^1588984628236455936|twgr^|twcon^s1_&ref_url=https://publish.twitter.com/?query=https3A2F2Ftwitter.com2FBrentAxeMedia2Fstatus2F1588984628236455936widget=Tweet&tweet_id=1588984628236455936
https://twitter.com/JRown32?ref_src=twsrc^tfw|twcamp^tweetembed|twterm^1589024553346699266|twgr^|twcon^s1_&ref_url=https://publish.twitter.com/?query=https3A2F2Ftwitter.com2FJRown322Fstatus2F1589024553346699266widget=Tweet
Josh Rowntree
@JRown32
What in the world is Syracuse doing there? At your own 1, dropping back to pass, and you put a TE on Deslin Alexandre? Good luck with that. #Pitt
6:39 PM · Nov 5, 2022
https://twitter.com/intent/like?ref_src=twsrc^tfw|twcamp^tweetembed|twterm^1589024553346699266|twgr^|twcon^s1_&ref_url=https://publish.twitter.com/?query=https3A2F2Ftwitter.com2FJRown322Fstatus2F1589024553346699266widget=Tweet&tweet_id=1589024553346699266
https://twitter.com/OrangeFizz?ref_src=twsrc^tfw|twcamp^tweetembed|twterm^1588995578012532736|twgr^|twcon^s1_&ref_url=https://publish.twitter.com/?query=https3A2F2Ftwitter.com2FOrangeFizz2Fstatus2F1588995578012532736widget=Tweet
Orange Fizz
@OrangeFizz
WHY ARE YOU RUNNING THE BALL ON THIRD AND 10
4:44 PM · Nov 5, 2022
https://twitter.com/intent/like?ref_src=twsrc^tfw|twcamp^tweetembed|twterm^1588995578012532736|twgr^|twcon^s1_&ref_url=https://publish.twitter.com/?query=https3A2F2Ftwitter.com2FOrangeFizz2Fstatus2F1588995578012532736widget=Tweet&tweet_id=1588995578012532736
The numbers don’t lie:
Jenna Harner
@JennaHarner11
Syracuse was averaging 164.5 rush yards per game coming into today. Pitt's defense held them to just 25 yards this afternoon (an average of 1 yard per carry)
8:42 PM · Nov 5, 2022
https://twitter.com/intent/like?ref_src=twsrc^tfw|twcamp^tweetembed|twterm^1589055496971243521|twgr^|twcon^s1_&ref_url=https://publish.twitter.com/?query=https3A2F2Ftwitter.com2FJennaHarner112Fstatus2F1589055496971243521widget=Tweet&tweet_id=1589055496971243521
https://twitter.com/LoudHouseFS?ref_src=twsrc^tfw|twcamp^tweetembed|twterm^1589027777260683264|twgr^|twcon^s1_&ref_url=https://publish.twitter.com/?query=https3A2F2Ftwitter.com2FLoudHouseFS2Fstatus2F1589027777260683264widget=Tweet
InsideTheLoudHouse
@LoudHouseFS
No. 20 Syracuse football has lost 3 straight after falling at Pitt, 19-9. SU had 25 rushing yards on 25 carries. Pathetic. Pitt didn't have its leading rusher and still got 161 rushing yards. FSU comes to the Dome in a week. This season is slipping away, and that makes me sad.
6:51 PM · Nov 5, 2022
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Locked On Syracuse - Daily Podcast On Syracuse Orange Football & Basketball: Syracuse Football Loses Its Third Straight, But SU Basketball Provides A Blank Slate on Apple Podcasts (apple.com; podcast; Locked on Syracuse)
Matt Bonaparte and Owen Valentine are not pleased with Syracuse Football after the team's third straight loss. The inability for SU to get the offense going with backup quarterback Carlos Del Rio-Wilson, offensive line struggles and greater offensive concerns give a grim outlook for the rest of the season. Despite the disappointment recently from football, Syracuse Basketball has its season opener tonight against Lehigh.
Aliquippa’s Zuriah Fisher gains popularity with ACC, Big 10 football coaches | Trib HSSN (tribhssn.triblive.com; Harlan)
Aliquippa junior Zuriah Fisher is popular with ACC and Big 10 football coaches.
The 6-foot-3, 230-pound linebacker announced scholarship offers this week from Michigan State, Virginia and Purdue — giving him six from the Big 10 and four from the ACC.
Both Pitt and Penn State already have offered him.
ranks Fisher as a three-star recruit and the eighth-best prospect in Pennsylvania.
His other Big 10 offers are from Maryland, Indiana and Minnesota. His additional ACC offers are Boston College and Syracuse.
Fisher announced his first SEC offer Thursday night from Kentucky.
Fisher holds nearly 20 offers with a number of Mid-American schools also included.
He was Aliquippa’s second-leading tackler last season when the Quips won WPIAL and PIAA Class 3A titles.
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ACC News
College football reacts as hilariously muddy young fan goes viral (thecomeback.com; Harrish)
It’s usually the college football plays who go viral on fall Saturdays for their play on the field, but during Saturday afternoon’s game between the Virginia Cavaliers and the North Carolina Tar Heels, it was one young fan who stole the show for his extremely messy antics while attending the game.
There was plenty of rain in Virginia ahead of Saturday afternoon’s game, and that usually leads to some unpleasant conditions for anyone hoping to watch the game in some lawn seats. But it appears that one young fan made the most out of those conditions – much to the delight of the college football world.
During the third quarter of the game, cameras captured a child “living his best life” in the messy conditions. The kid had his hair dyed and face painted blue and was shirtless as he slid and rolled in the mud.
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Wake Forest vs. NC State Condensed Game | 2022 ACC Football (youtube; video; ACCDN)
In a hard-fought prime time matchup in Raleigh, the No.22 NC State Wolfpack beat the No.21 Wake Forest Demon Deacons 30-21. Freshman QB MJ Morris threw for 3 touchdowns for the second straight game in the win with 210 passing yards. He’d also add 43 yards on the ground. The Pack defense also forced 3 Deacon turnovers. In the loss, Wake Forest QB Sam Hartman passed Philip Rivers for 2nd all time in TD passes in ACC history with 2 scores to go along with 397 yards.
Florida State vs. Miami Condensed Game | 2022 ACC Football (youtube; video; ACCDN)
It was a dominant performance for Florida State at Hard Rock Stadium in the rivalry matchup with Miami, as the Noles beat the Canes 45-3. FSU’s defense was a huge factor in the win, holding Miami to 188 total yards and forcing 3 turnovers. RB Trey Benson rushed for 128 yards and 2 touchdowns, while QB Jordan Travis had 3 passing touchdowns on an efficient 10-12.
ACC Panic Room: Despite title game basically set, lots of questions left for teams :: WRALSportsFan.com (wralsportsfan.com; podcast; ACC Panic Room)
Despite the title game basically set between Clemson and UNC, plenty of questions left for a bunch of teams. Lauren Brownlow and Joe Ovies discuss Drake Maye's Heisman chances, MJ Morris giving NC State's season some life, Dabo's error and more...
3 takeaways from a statement win by Notre Dame football over Clemson (saturdayblitz.com; Peterson)
It was an upset that you could see coming a mile away and here are the key takeaways as Notre Dame football just obliterated Clemson on Saturday night in South Bend.
Notre Dame football isn’t going to be a College Football Playoff team in 2022 or a contender. But the Irish could have a say on who makes the four-team playoff and after dismantling Clemson 35-14, it sure doesn’t look like it will be the Tigers.
Clemson has struggled all season really with teams like Syracuse, NC State, and Wake Forest. Last week, Notre Dame football blew out Syracuse on the road.
So it really shouldn’t have been that surprising to see Notre Dame football beat Clemson. The way the Irish dominated the Tigers was a bit of a surprise. Clemson’s defense got exposed and here are three takeaways from a really impressive win by Marcus Freeman and the Fighting Irish.
Notre Dame football is the best team in the ACC
If the Irish were actually part of the ACC conference, I have no doubt in my mind that they would walk away as the ACC champion this season. Just look at the results.Notre Dame went on the road and beat North Carolina and Syracuse in impressive fashion. Yes, the North Carolina game was closer but both wins were by double digits.
Notre Dame then welcomed big, bad Clemson to South Bend, just a few days after the College Football Playoff selection committee ranked the Tigers No. 4 over teams like Michigan and TCU.
It didn’t make sense and on Saturday, Notre Dame made the committee look stupid. Even worse, the Irish have made the entire ACC look like a joke.
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JHowell's Picks for 2022 Week 11 (RX; HM)
JHowell's Picks for 2022 Week 11
Below are the projections through the games of 11-12-22. Games against non-rated (FCS) teams are excluded. The favorite is listed first with the projected margin of victory (i.e., the line) in parenthesis. 'TP' represents the total number of points expected to be scored in the game and 'Odds' represents the odds of the favorite winning straight-up (not against-the-spread).
Saturday, November 5, 2022
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Updated CFP Odds 2022 Nov 6th (RX; HM)
Updated CFP Odds 2022 Nov 6th
From oddspr.com via prnewswire.com...
CFP and Heisman odds shift following upsets
Alabama, Clemson and Tennessee all lost in Week 10 of college football, and the aftershock produced a seismic shift in terms of the odds.SportsBetting.ag updated its CFP Championship chances Sunday morning, and Georgia is the clear-cut favorite with almost even-money odds...
Clemson's odds did not change following its loss to Notre Dame...
| 2023 CFP Championship Odds | |
| Georgia | 110 |
| Ohio State | 210 |
| Michigan | 700 |
| Tennessee | 1400 |
| Clemson | 1800 |
| Oregon | 3300 |
| TCU | 3300 |
| LSU | 4000 |
| USC | 5000 |
| Alabama | 5500 |
| North Carolina | 8000 |
| Ole Miss | 8000 |
| UCLA | 10000 |
| Utah | 10000 |
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AP Analysis 2022 Nov 6th (RX; HM)
AP Analysis 2022 Nov 6th
First, let's compare last week's poll to this week's, side-by-side:
| AP Top 25 (Oct 30th) | AP Top 25 (Nov 6th) | |||
| RK | Team | RK | TEAM | Chg |
| 1 | Georgia | 1 | Georgia | - |
| 2 | Tennessee | 2 | Ohio State | up1 |
| 3 | Ohio State | 3 | Michigan | up1 |
| 4 | Michigan | 4 | TCU | up3 |
| 5 | Clemson | 5 | Tennessee | dn3 |
| 6 | Alabama | 6 | Oregon | up2 |
| 7 | TCU | 7 | LSU | up8 |
| 8 | Oregon | 8 | USC | up1 |
| 9 | USC | 9 | UCLA | up1 |
| 10 | UCLA | 10 | Alabama | dn4 |
| 11 | Ole Miss | 11 | Ole Miss | - |
| 12 | Utah | 12 | Clemson | dn7 |
| 13 | Kansas State | 13 | Utah | dn1 |
| 14 | Illinois | 14 | Penn State | up2 |
| 15 | LSU | 15 | North Carolina | up2 |
| 16 | Penn State | 16 | Tulane | up3 |
| 17 | North Carolina | 17 | NC State | up4 |
| 18 | Oklahoma State | 18 | Texas | up |
| 19 | Tulane | 19 | Liberty | up4 |
| 20 | Wake Forest | 20 | Notre Dame | up10 |
| 21 | NC State | 21 | Illinois | dn7 |
| 22 | Syracuse | 22 | UCF | up3 |
| 23 | Liberty | 23 | Kansas State | dn10 |
| 24 | Oregon State | 24 | Washington | up7 |
| 25 | UCF | 25 | Florida State | up9 |
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ACC football power rankings: Why NC State made a huge jump and Clemson is No. 1 (fayobserver.com; Thompson)
Here are the USA TODAY Network's ACC power rankings heading into week 11 of the college football season.
1. Clemson (8-1, 6-1 ACC)
The Tigers remained at No. 1 despite a 35-14 loss to Notre Dame. Clemson still clinched the ACC Atlantic division after Syracuse’s loss to Pitt.Last week: No. 1
2. UNC (8-1, 5-0)
UNC staved off disaster with a 31-28 win over lowly Virginia.Last week: No. 2
3. NC State (7-2, 3-2)
The Wolfpack jumped four spots after their 30-21 win over Wake Forest. NC State has won two straight behind true freshman quarterback MJ Morris.Last week: No. 7
4. Louisville (6-3, 3-3)
The Cardinals continued to roll with a 34-10 win over James Madison.Last week: No. 4
5. Florida State (6-3, 4-3)
FSU decimated Miami during a 45-3 win. The Seminoles have won two straight games after a three-game losing streak.Last week: No. 6
6. Syracuse (6-3, 3-2)
The Orange lost their third straight, this time falling 19-9 to Pitt on the road.Last week: No. 3
7. Wake Forest (6-3, 2-3)
The Demon Deacons continued their free fall down the Atlantic division after a 30-21 loss to NC State.Last week: No. 5
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ACC Football Power Rankings: Week 11 (SI; Conroy & Thayer)
1. Clemson (8-1)
Last week: 1
Game Result: 35-14 loss to Notre Dame
The last time Clemson traveled to South Bend in 2020, the Irish upset the Tigers in a high-scoring 47-40 double overtime affair. Two years later, Clemson all but spoiled their hopes at a return to the College Football Playoff with another loss. The Tigers failed to remotely score at the same level as they did during the COVID season — they did not post their first points of the game until the fourth quarter. Everything seemed to go wrong for Clemson — for the second-straight game, head coach Dabo Swinney benched starting quarterback DJ Uiagalelei, only to put him back in after a Cade Klubnik interception. Trailing by 14 and in the red zone, Uiagalelei responded by throwing a pick-six that put the Tigers to bed. Clemson struggled elsewhere on the field too, allowing a special teams touchdown and 263 rushing yards defensively. Still with a lot on the line — an ACC Championship game and potential New Year’s Six bowl appearance — Swinney will once again have to make a decision at quarterback and find a way to reinvigorate his team. - Essex Thayer
Up Next: vs Louisville, Saturday, 3:30 ET, ESPN
Opening Line: Clemson -8
2. North Carolina
Last week: 2
Game Result: 31-28 win over Virginia
Despite a valiant effort from the 3-6 Virginia Cavaliers, the Tar Heels were able to overcome an early deficit and notch their fifth road win of the season, more than any other team in the country. Star QB Drake Maye posted another solid outing, throwing for 293 yards and 2 TDs without any interceptions. UNC hasn’t always won in dominant fashion this season — three of their last four games have been decided by just three points — but Mack Brown’s group has now won five in a row and remains undefeated in ACC play. As it stands now, UNC is by far the favorite from the Coastal division to earn a trip to Charlotte come ACC championship weekend. The Tar Heels are now 8-1 and retain their No. 2 ranking on our list leading into a road matchup with Wake Forest. - Ben Conroy
Up Next: at Wake Forest, Saturday, 7:30 ET, ESPN2
Opening Line: North Carolina +3
3. NC State (7-2)
Last Week: 6
Game Result: 30-21 win over Wake Forest
With freshman MJ Morris making his first collegiate start at quarterback, the Wolfpack dominated Wake Forest in every facet of the game in front of a raucous home crowd. Morris was a near perfect 18 of 28 for 210 yards and three touchdowns, but most notably was risk averse and did not turn over the ball. Morris’ best moments of the game came in the team’s opening drive of the second half — he led NC State on a 15-play, 7-plus minute touchdown drive that gave the Pack a 10-point lead and put them in the driver’s seat. Wide receiver Thayer Thomas led the way with 8 receptions for 79 yards. Morris found his touchdowns via acrobatic catches from Darryl Jones (2) and Keyon Lesane (1). The NC State defense was successful at turning Wake Forest into a one dimensional offense, only allowing 17 rushing yards and forcing the Deacs to put the ball into the air. In doing so, the Wolfpack utilized a potent pass rush to post 4 sacks and 9 tackles for loss. NC State has a recovery game against Boston College before tough season-ending matchups with Louisville and North Carolina. - Essex Thayer
Up Next: vs Boston College, Saturday, 3:30 ET, ACC Network
Opening Line: NC State -17
4. Florida State (6-3)
Game Result: 45-3 win over Miami
Last Week: 7
The Seminoles snuck their way back into this week’s AP poll for the first time since they lost to Wake Forest at home, clocking it at No. 25 following a 45-3 thrashing of the Miami Hurricanes. The offense was about as balanced as could be, putting up 225 rushing yards and 229 passing in the home victory. This FSU team is starting to pick up steam — they’ve put up 86 combined points in their last two contests and QB Jordan Travis has nearly 600 passing yards, six touchdown passes and only one interception over that stretch. It appeared that FSU’s season had hit the skids after they lost three in a row to Wake Forest, NC State and Clemson, but Mike Norvell’s squad has rebounded nicely from that brutal stretch of the schedule and jumps up three spots in our rankings after back-to-back blowout wins. The Noles face another tough test next weekend, traveling to Syracuse to take on the Orange in primetime. - Ben Conroy
Up Next: at Syracuse, Saturday, 8 ET, ACC Network
Opening Line: Florida State -6
5. Louisville (6-3)
Last Week: 4
Game Result: 34-10 win over James Madison
Despite not forcing a single turnover after snagging eight against Wake Forest two weeks ago, Louisville cruised to victory behind a complete team effort against James Madison, a team that is performing well in their first season in the FBS. The defense held Dukes’ quarterback Todd Centeio to just four completions for 52 yards, holding their opponent scoreless in the second half. On offense, quarterback Malik Cunningham completed 14 of 20 passes for 233 yards and three touchdowns, including a 44-yard ball to Tyler Hudson — Hudson ended the day with six receptions for 142 yards and the score. After bursting for a big 52-yard TD against Wake Forest, running back Tiyon Evans one-upped that play with a 71-yard scamper in the third quarter to give the Cardinals a 10-point lead. From there, Louisville didn’t look back, adding two fourth-quarter scores to pull away to a comfortable victory. The future gets much tougher next week — the Cardinals will travel to Death Valley to face a Clemson team looking for redemption. - Essex Thayer
Up Next: at No. 12 Clemson, Saturday, 3:30 ET, ESPN
Opening Line: Louisville +8
6. Wake Forest (6-3)
Last Week: 5
Game Result: 30-21 loss to NC State
After starting out 6-1 and climbing as high as No. 10 in the AP rankings, Wake Forest is now an unranked, three-loss team following consecutive defeats to Louisville and NC State. The Deacs didn’t have their best stuff on Saturday — Sam Hartman threw three interceptions in the loss and Wolfpack QB MJ Morris put up three touchdown passes in his first career start. At one point, Wake trailed by just six points in the fourth quarter, but the defense couldn’t get off the field and NC State sealed the game with a late field goal. The Wake offense has been far less efficient over the past two games, scoring just 21 points in each contest after putting up 40-plus in five of their first seven. The defense has hit a cold streak in the turnover category as well — they’ve forced just one takeaway in the last two games, a forced fumble in garbage time against Louisville after the game was already out of reach. The road doesn’t get much easier for the Deacs — UNC comes to town on Saturday for a prime time matchup on national TV. - Ben Conroy
Up Next: vs No. 15 North Carolina, Saturday, 7:30 ET, ESPN2
Opening Line: Wake Forest -3
7. Syracuse (6-3)
Last Week: 3
Game Result: 19-9 loss to Pittsburgh
After losing starting quarterback Garrett Shrader in last week’s loss to Notre Dame, the Syracuse offense was dead in the water from the start — they punted the ball seven times. The only points for the Orange all game came off the foot of Andre Szmyt. Backup quarterback Carlos Del-Rio Wilson only completed eight passes for 120 yards, and highly-touted running back Sean Tucker mustered just 19 yards on 10 carries. The Syracuse defense struggled to get to the quarterback, only posting one sack, but forced two turnovers in coverage. Despite all the offensive struggles, the Orange went into the half only trailing 10-6. With Shrader at quarterback, this is a game Syracuse likely runs away with. They will certainly hope to have him back from concussion protocol for the final stretch of the season, which begins with a ranked Florida State coming to town. - Essex Thayer
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Other
Kevin Younis stands in front of two houses where he lived as a child. When Younis was born, the ninth of 12 children, his family lived in one side of the duplex at left. Later his family moved into the next house to the right, where he shared a room with four brothers. (Katrina Tulloch | ktulloch@syracuse.com)
How a Syracuse guy from a family of 12 kids helped bring home the Micron deal (PS; Knauss)
Kevin Younis’ 87-year-old mom was in the audience as the president of the United States celebrated the arrival of a new semiconductor industry that could transform Syracuse.
Just before the president spoke, Joanne Younis, who raised 12 kids in a working-class neighborhood on the southwest side, got to hear the governor of New York praise her son’s role in bringing Micron Technology to town.
“Kevin Younis,’’ Gov. Kathy Hochul said. “I want to thank him personally.’’
That was a sweet moment for the 52-year-old Younis. He grew up on scrappy block of Bellevue Avenue sharing a bedroom with four brothers – two bunk beds, one crib – and saw his parents struggle to make ends meet.
Younis lives in Albany now, where he is second in command at the state’s 500-person economic development agency. But he can still rattle off the decades-old home phone numbers of his childhood friends in Syracuse. His mother and most of his siblings still live here.
He said he thought often about his roots and the hardships in Syracuse’s poor neighborhoods while working on the Micron project.
“To know where I came from, the benefit of doing a project like this is that hopefully there’s opportunity for other kids and there’s less poverty for folks,’’ he said.
Micron required billions in taxpayer-funded incentives before agreeing to build in the Syracuse suburb of Clay. The majority of that will come from state incentives that Younis negotiated.
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