sutomcat
No recent Cali or Iggy awards; Mr Irrelevant
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Welcome to National Square Dance Day!
National Square Dancing Day is celebrated on November 29 every year in the United States to honor the square dance form of folk dancing. This enjoyable, healthful, and simple kind of dancing with a lengthy history deserves its festival, and it has roots in traditional English, Irish, and Scottish folk dance.
SU News
Caroline Dunn takes a selfie with Syracuse kicker Andre Szmyt following the Orange's win over Boston College. Szmyt certified Dunn as his "superfan" when he gave her a signed pair of game-worn cleats earlier this season. (Photo courtesy of Caroline Dunn)
This 15-year-old super fan got Szmyt's cleats on Senior Night. You may know her on Twitter (PS; $; Leiker)
Caroline Dunn received one of her most prized possessions at the JMA Wireless Dome earlier this month.
She was one of the few fans who stuck around close to midnight for Senior Night festivities following the Orange’s ugly 38-3 loss to Florida State.
She was chatting with her favorite Syracuse football player, Andre Szmyt, wearing the signed jersey she’d been gifted by him last summer.
During their conversation, Szmyt told Dunn his cleats were in the locker room.
Dunn had to make sure she understood what her favorite Orange player was implying. She was shocked he’d consider gifting her a pair of cleats before the season was even over.
But after about 10 minutes, Szmyt returned to Dunn with his game-worn cleats in hand.
On the left one he wrote in orange marker, “To: Caroline My super fan!” On the right, he signed his name.
Dunn, 15, is more than just a Szmyt super fan. She’s one of many Orange faithful who has made a name for herself on Twitter with a unique shtick, posting an SU football photo every day of the offseason for a total of 279 days under the screen name “I Miss Eric Dungey.”
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Football roundtable: Beat writers review SU’s up, then down 2022 season (DO; Staff)
Six weeks ago, Syracuse had its best start since 1987. No one expected SU to be undefeated, yet it climbed into the top 15 nationally. But the Orange lost their momentum just as fast as they built it, dealing with constant injuries and a lack of consistent offense en route to a five-game losing streak. They rebounded this past weekend against a poor BC team, and now have a few weeks to prepare for their first bowl game since 2018.
With the regular season in the books, our beat writers answered questions about Syracuse’s turbulent year:
Alex Cirino: Absolutely. Even though Syracuse finished the season 1-5 after clinching a bowl game berth in Week 7, SU’s 2022 campaign surpassed its preseason expectations. It’s obvious that Robert Anae and Jason Beck’s transformation of the Orange’s offense had a major impact. This team was ranked because it was well-balanced, especially during its six-game winning streak. The way Syracuse’s undefeated stretch came to an end in Clemson after an 11-point first half lead and four forced turnovers was tough, and was certainly a “what could have been” moment. But Syracuse was competitive in the vast majority of its games this season. All the pieces came together and this Orange team got its fans excited.
Connor Smith: Yes. This was up for debate last year, when Syracuse had a bit of a transitional season, changing quarterbacks and offensive systems in a 5-7 finish. But the Orange lost their last three games and bowl eligibility. Players couldn’t agree on whether 2021 was a success. But this season is much different. SU had its first 6-0 start to a season in 35 years and should’ve beat Clemson on the road. Syracuse spent time in the national rankings, reaching as high as No. 14, and sold out the JMA Wireless Dome twice. None of that usually happens in central New York. The five-game losing streak was disappointing, but Garrett Shrader, Garrett Williams and Mikel Jones all missed time due to injuries. The fact of the matter is that, given where SU has been over the last 20 years (i.e. mediocre, sometimes plain awful), a 7-5 regular season is a success.
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Syracuse wide receiver Damien Alford and offensive lineman Matthew Bergeron celebrate Alford's go-ahead touchdown against Boston College on Saturday in Chestnut Hill, MA. Alford's touchdown helped solidify SU's seventh win of the season. (AP Photo/Mark Stockwell)
SU finally got another win. Now everyone admits: A 5-game skid is ‘no fun at all’ (PS; $; Leiker)
The guest locker room at Alumni Stadium was filled with excitement, and even some cigar smoke, when Syracuse football finally made its way back inside following a chippy end to its win at Boston College.
For five weeks, both SU coach Dino Babers and his players have tried to assert the team’s morale had not been affected by its five-game losing slide.
But after snapping that streak just in time for the postseason, everyone was ready to talk about just how good it felt to be back in the win column and just how cloudy the skies had been for SU.
“We’re a talented team, and we knew that this year we kind of underachieved in terms of our record and what we were fully capable of,” quarterback Garrett Shrader said postgame. “A lot of that is just due to things that are out of our control at this point. ... There was a moment where I felt like the guys did kind of lose a little bit of faith. We were able to rally back.”
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Syracuse football: what’s college football saying about the Orange after the regular season? (TNIAAM; Wall)
Each week, we’ll take a look at what other college football media sites are saying about the Syracuse Orange. Now that the season is complete, let’s see where Syracuse ends up ranked
ESPN
In this week’s SP+ rankings Syracuse moves up three spots to 62nd with the offense 63rd while the defense ranks 51st. The Orange are ranked between Kansas and West Virginia.
The Football Power Index has Syracuse still at 48th between Michigan State and Boise State.
Syracuse.com
This week the Orange slide up one spot to 8th in the weekly ACC rankings in between Duke and Louisville.
Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports
CBS Sports
In the CBS Sports power rankings Syracuse is down one spot to 44th this week so we’ll allow the drop. The Orange are between Maryland and Louisville.
The Athletic
The Orange stay at 50th in The Athletic’s Top 131 Power Rankings placing them in between Texas Tech and Maryland this week. BC is ranked 99th this week.
ACC Week Thirteen Scores
NC State 30 North Carolina 27
Florida 38 Florida State 45
Georgia Tech 14 Georgia 37
South Carolina 31 Clemson 30
Louisville 13 Kentucky 26
Wake Forest 31 Duke 34
Syracuse 32 Boston College 23
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Monday Thoughts: Syracuse Football has a dedicated goal - Pennsylvania News (localtoday.news; Turner)
It’s less than a month before the early signing phase begins and there’s bound to be drama throughout the recruiting landscape. There are always unpredictable flips, commitments, signings, commitment waivers, etc. How will this affect Syracuse? Let’s take a look.
Coaching changes
We’ve already seen some movement in the coaching carousel. Luke Fickell is expected to leave Cincinnati for the Wisconsin job. How does this affect Syracuse? The Orange had been chasing Garden State offensive lineman Nick Oliveira. He was offered in May but signed to Cincinnati a month later without attending the Orange. With the Fickell movement, Syracuse re-engaged when Oliveira announced a renewed offer from Syracuse. I spoke to Nick briefly and he said leaving Fickell, Cincinnati makes Syracuse a viable option. He’s not sure yet if he’ll visit, but the orange will definitely be pushing you. Other schools also pushing to get back involved include Penn State, Duke, Rutgers and Pittsburgh.
Scroll to Next
Situations like Oliveira could continue to arise when coaches change. This can be observed in the next few weeks from Syracuse’s point of view.
Flip season
As National Signing Day approaches, flips are becoming more common. For those unfamiliar, a flip is when a player signed to one school switches their signing to another. Or sign with a school he wasn’t involved with. It happens every cycle in almost every program. Syracuse is no different. That means there will likely be additions to the Orange Class of 2023 engaged at other schools and there could be a player or two currently engaged for Syracuse who could sign elsewhere.
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Syracuse football 4-star QB commit being recruited hard by in-state team (itlh; Adler)
Syracuse football 2023 four-star commit LaNorris Sellers is having a tremendous senior year, as the top-15 quarterback has led his high school to a state championship game in South Carolina this coming Saturday.
The 6-foot-2 Sellers, one of the top dual-threat quarterbacks in the 2023 class, verbally committed to the Orange in early March after previously committing to Virginia in the summer of 2021.
After the 2021 season ended, UVA had a change in head coaches, and Cavaliers offensive coordinator Robert Anae, as well as quarterbacks coach Jason Beck, both left Charlottesville, Va., to take the same positions with the ‘Cuse.
With all of the coaching switches at Virginia, Sellers reopened his recruitment. Syracuse football offered him a scholarship in January, and he committed to the Orange about two months later.
Syracuse football may be facing some competition for 2023 QB commit LaNorris Sellers.
Lou Bezjak of The State, in a recent piece, noted that Sellers “plans to sign during the December signing period and enroll in college in January. Syracuse remains atop his list right now.”
That being said, Sellers said in The State article that South Carolina, a home-state college squad for him, is “pushing hard” for the Orange 2023 commit. He said he talks “every day” with the Gamecocks coaching staff.
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ACC News
Mack Brown discusses upcoming ACC Championship game against Clemson :: WRALSportsFan.com (wralsportsfan.com; video)
Mack Brown discusses upcoming ACC Championship game against Clemson. North Carolina plays Clemson at 8 p.m. ET Saturday at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte.
ACC FOOTBALL: Clemson Falls in Rivalry Week; Is FSU Only Bright Spot of the Conference This Season? (youtube.com; video; Locked on ACC)
The ACC is looking funny in the light once again this football season. The Clemson Tigers fall to the South Carolina Gamecocks. The only top 10 team in the league put the conference out of national conversations and now many are wondering can the ACC recover?
Just how underwhelming was the ACC this season? (saturdayblitz.com; Lloyd)
The 2022 college football regular season is just about all wrapped up, and the bulk of the ACC should be thankful for that.
This year’s ACC regular-season slate is officially in the books and, just like any other conference’s, it had several ups and downs.
Some highlights from this installment of ACC football include the sudden comeback of the currently top-20 Florida State Seminoles, the unexpected rise of the Duke Blue Devils, and the Syracuse Orange managing to make a bowl game. The North Carolina Tar Heels also took a steep hike in respectability under the leadership of quarterback Drake Maye.
Maye, a redshirt freshman, saw one of the nation’s best season-long performances of 2022; attached to his iconic run are both Heisman conversations and an appearance in the ACC title game.
Especially when looking at Florida State and UNC, it is safe to say that the Atlantic Coast can hold its head up high with at least a couple of spikes in relevance. These spikes don’t quite reach the rest of the conference, though.
Of the 14 teams in the league, half of them finished with a regular-season record that was worse than theirs from 2021. Some harsher examples of this would have to be Wake Forest (10-2 to 7-5), Boston College (6-6 to 3-9), and both of the Virginia teams (each saw their 2021 win totals sliced in half).
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What Clemson football will miss without DB RJ Mickens in ACC championship game (greenvilleonline.com; Shanesy)
Clemson defensive back R.J. Mickens didn't feel like he had done anything against the rules.
Then he saw the evidence.
As referees were having further review of a play for a possible targeting penalty during Saturday's game against South Carolina, Mickens watched the video board.
"I didn't think anything of it, honestly, until they went to review it," Mickens said Monday. "I saw the replay and was like, 'Dang. Yeah.' "
Mickens, a junior safety, had an interception in the game but was later disqualified for the rest of the eventual 31-30 loss at Memorial Stadium. He will also have to sit out the first half of the ACC championship game, per NCAA rules.
Clemson (10-2) plays Saturday (8 p.m., ABC) against North Carolina (9-3) at Bank of American Stadium in Charlotte.
Mickens leads Clemson with three interceptions and is seventh in tackles with 42. He also has three tackles for loss, two pass breakups and a quarterback pressure. He's made five starts, sharing time with Andrew Mukuba at strong safety, and has played on 428 snaps.
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https://www.thestate.com/sports/college/acc/clemson-university/article269304452.html (thestate.com; Fowler)
A scroll through Clemson football’s bowl projections confirms the obvious: Saturday’s home loss to rival South Carolina has essentially eliminated the Tigers from the College Football Playoff.
Now, according to updated predictions, Clemson is down to two postseason paths entering next Saturday’s ACC championship game against North Carolina:
Win, and play in the Orange Bowl.
Lose, and play in a second-tier ACC bowl. Again.
Clemson (10-2, 8-0 ACC) entered its regular-season finale with an unlikely yet possible path to the four-team CFP that involved winning out and getting some help from other teams come conference championship weekend.
But coach Shane Beamer’s Gamecocks ended an opponent’s championship dreams for the second straight week, knocking off Clemson 31-30 behind 360 yards and two touchdowns from quarterback Spencer Rattler and a superb second-half defensive effort.
The loss snapped Clemson’s seven-game winning streak against South Carolina and 40-game home winning streak at Memorial Stadium and gave the Tigers a 1.8% chance to make the College Football Playoff, according to ESPN’s Football Power Index.
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ACC football power rankings: Florida State claims top spot as Seminoles end on five-game winning streak (247sports.com; Marsdale)
Florida State ended its regular season winning its last five games to vault into the top spot in the final ACC Power Rankings of the regular season. Defeats suffered by Clemson and UNC allow the Seminoles to move up two spots from number three, as a nine-win FSU team finished the season playing its best football of the fall.
"It's about that continued growth," Florida State head coach Mike Norvell said after the win about how big this season was for the program, via Noles247. "We want to show it's a football team and a football program that's building, that's obviously going in the right direction. I don't know how many people at the beginning of the year, what their thoughts of this team was. I knew who I had in that locker room. I knew the heart, I knew the work. I watched them throughout the off-season. Being able to help them understand what they can do and what they can accomplish, these experiences are just going to set us up for our future and where we're going.
"But it was big. We needed to see those positive steps. Those players in that locker room, they are confident. They're confident because of the work that they've invested and also the experiences that they've had."
With Florida State leading it off, here are the rest of this week’s ACC power rankings:
Entering his third season in Tallahassee Norvell was in need of a breakthrough year, and he got it in a big way. He kept his team on track after a three-game losing streak in October and led the Seminoles to a strong finish, including snapping a three-game losing streak against arch-rival Florida. FSU will not play in a bowl game, but they are sure to get a good destination. Yes, Florida State lost to Clemson in mid-October, but if that game were played today, you could argue the Seminoles should be favored.
Clemson saw an end to an eight-game winning streak against South Carolina snap and watched its College Football Playoff hopes disappear at the same time. It will mark the second-straight time the Tigers have missed the playoff for the first time since it was created in 2014. D.J. Uiagalelei had arguably his worst game of the season, throwing for just 99 yards. Head coach Dabo Swinney says Uiagalelei will start in the ACC Championship Game against North Carolina, but it will be interesting to see if there is a quick hook and if he starts the bowl game should he struggle.
The Wolfpack started their fourth quarterback of the season in redshirt freshman Ben Finley, and were able to pull out a 30-27 double-overtime win at North Carolina. Dave Doeren's time had plenty of ups and downs this fall, with the most notable one being the season-ending injury to starting quarterback Devin Leary, but the Wolfpack managed to get to the finish line and gather eight wins in the process. It will be interesting to see what Leary's future plans are as NC State turns the page to 2023.
What could have been for UNC in Year 4 under Mack Brown. The Tar Heels dropped their second-straight game at home as a favorite, this time coming against NC State. The Georgia Tech upset one week ago was tough to swallow, but to miss out on a 10-win season is frustrating for Tar Heels fans, who have one of the best quarterbacks in college football in Drake Maye. UNC needs a win over Clemson to head to a New Year's Six bowl.
It was not the season Pitt hoped for after winning the 2021 ACC Championship, but the Panthers were able to win their final four games to finish with eight wins. The regular season finale was a blowout at Miami, as Pittsburgh heads into the offseason with momentum. The NFL Draft decision of Israel Abanikanda is going to be something to watch. Abanikanda was the ACC's leading rusher this season with 1,431 yards. He went over 100 yards in each of his final six games.
"You could argue no coach had a more impressive debut in 2022 than Mike Elko," wrote 247Sports' Chris Hummer. "The Blue Devils moved to 8-4 on the season with a 34-31 win over Wake Forest. It’s quite a rebound for Duke after it looked listless the last two years under David Cutcliffe."
Louisville sat at 2-3 with Scott Satterfield catching plenty of heat early in the season. The Cardinals won five of their final seven games, but it came to a disappointing end with their fourth-straight loss against arch-rival Kentucky. Will 7-5 suffice next season? Louisville has not won eight or more games in a season since Satterfield's first campaign in 2019. The pressure is on for improvement next season.
What looked like a promising season for Wake Forest quickly went down the drain in a sense. The Demon Deacons lost four of their last five games after a 6-1 start. It was not the season Wake Forest was hoping for after a 10-win campaign last fall with plenty of talent returning.
Things started really good in a make-or-break season for Dino Babers. The Orange won seven in a row and vaulted into the AP Top 25. Things did not go so well after that, as they lost their next five games and were on the ropes at three-win Boston College before completing a comeback to finish 7-5. Will that record cut it for Babers next fall? It remains to be seen, but he did enough to save his job.
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https://accfootballrx.blogspot.com/2022/11/2022-jacobs-blocking-trophy-winner.html (RX; HM)
2022 Jacob's Blocking Trophy Winner
From the official ACC release of Monday, Nov. 28, 2022...
Clemson’s McFadden Awarded ACC’s Jacobs Blocking Trophy
GREENSBORO, N.C. (theACC.com) – Clemson offensive tackle Jordan McFadden has been voted the winner of the 2022 Jacobs Blocking Trophy, the Atlantic Coast Conference announced on Monday.
The Jacobs Blocking Trophy has been awarded annually since 1953 to the player selected most outstanding blocker in the ACC by a poll of the league’s head coaches and defensive coordinators. The trophy is given in memory of William P. Jacobs, who served as president of Presbyterian College from 1935 to 1945.
McFadden, a 6-2, 305-pound first-year graduate student from Spartanburg, South Carolina, heads into next Saturday night’s Subway ACC Football Championship Game having played more than 2,800 career snaps in 54 college games. He has started every game this season while leading the Tigers to a 10-2 overall record and an unbeaten mark in ACC play.
With McFadden paving the way, Clemson boasts one of three ACC 1,000-yard rushers (Will Shipley) and has amassed close to 5,000 yards in total offense. McFadden, who completed his undergraduate degree in sociology last spring, was voted the ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week twice during the 2022 season.
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https://accfootballrx.blogspot.com/2022/11/2022-jim-tatum-award-winner.html (RX; HM)
2022 Jim Tatum Award Winner
From the official ACC release of Monday, Nov. 28, 2022
The award is given annually in memory of the late Jim Tatum to the top senior student-athlete among the league's football players. Tatum, a two-time ACC Coach of the Year, coached in the 1950s at both Maryland and North Carolina and believed strongly in the concept of the student-athlete.
Gibbons made his mark as one of the league’s top offensive linemen upon transferring from Notre Dame last season, and the Florida State senior’s academic accomplishments are equally impressive. Sporting a career GPA above 3.5, Gibbons already owns a bachelor’s degree in Management and Consulting from the prestigious Mendoza College of Business at Notre Dame and is putting the finishing touches on his MBA from Florida State.
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https://accfootballrx.blogspot.com/2022/11/2022-brian-piccolo-award-winner.html (RX; HM)
2022 Brian Piccolo Award Winner
From the official ACC release of Monday, November 28, 2022...
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https://accfootballrx.blogspot.com/2022/11/no-you-dont-know-which-team-is-best.html (RX; HM)
No, you don't know which team is best!
You folks who are against CFP expansion almost always say it's unnecessary because we "know" who the best 1/2/3/4 teams are. Oh yeah? Consider this poll by David Hale:
Other
https://www.syracuse.com/drinks/202...ut-performed-the-country-yes-theres-data.html (PS; $; Cazentre)
The night before Thanksgiving, sometimes called Drinksgiving, is typically one of the busiest evenings for bars across the country. And the Syracuse area is often one of the leaders.
That held true again this year, as the Syracuse market once again stood out, according to data from BeerBoard, an Armory Square-based company that manages and collects stats and information from draft beer accounts nationwide.
In fact, the Syracuse area posted a Thanksgiving Eve gain in drinking volume over the same night last year, BeerBoard says, while the numbers fell nationally.
Across the country, the volume of draft beer poured fell 17.1% from Thanksgiving Eve in 2021, BeerBoard found. In the Syracuse area, however, the volume increased 8.1% over 2021.
The Syracuse area also recorded a 14.2% volume bump over the previous, or “regular,” Wednesday this year, Nationally, that fell 2.3% this year. In 2021, the national Thanksgiving Eve bump was 69.2% above the previous Wednesday.
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National Square Dancing Day is celebrated on November 29 every year in the United States to honor the square dance form of folk dancing. This enjoyable, healthful, and simple kind of dancing with a lengthy history deserves its festival, and it has roots in traditional English, Irish, and Scottish folk dance.
SU News
Caroline Dunn takes a selfie with Syracuse kicker Andre Szmyt following the Orange's win over Boston College. Szmyt certified Dunn as his "superfan" when he gave her a signed pair of game-worn cleats earlier this season. (Photo courtesy of Caroline Dunn)
This 15-year-old super fan got Szmyt's cleats on Senior Night. You may know her on Twitter (PS; $; Leiker)
Caroline Dunn received one of her most prized possessions at the JMA Wireless Dome earlier this month.
She was one of the few fans who stuck around close to midnight for Senior Night festivities following the Orange’s ugly 38-3 loss to Florida State.
She was chatting with her favorite Syracuse football player, Andre Szmyt, wearing the signed jersey she’d been gifted by him last summer.
During their conversation, Szmyt told Dunn his cleats were in the locker room.
Dunn had to make sure she understood what her favorite Orange player was implying. She was shocked he’d consider gifting her a pair of cleats before the season was even over.
But after about 10 minutes, Szmyt returned to Dunn with his game-worn cleats in hand.
On the left one he wrote in orange marker, “To: Caroline My super fan!” On the right, he signed his name.
Dunn, 15, is more than just a Szmyt super fan. She’s one of many Orange faithful who has made a name for herself on Twitter with a unique shtick, posting an SU football photo every day of the offseason for a total of 279 days under the screen name “I Miss Eric Dungey.”
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Football roundtable: Beat writers review SU’s up, then down 2022 season (DO; Staff)
Six weeks ago, Syracuse had its best start since 1987. No one expected SU to be undefeated, yet it climbed into the top 15 nationally. But the Orange lost their momentum just as fast as they built it, dealing with constant injuries and a lack of consistent offense en route to a five-game losing streak. They rebounded this past weekend against a poor BC team, and now have a few weeks to prepare for their first bowl game since 2018.
With the regular season in the books, our beat writers answered questions about Syracuse’s turbulent year:
1. Was the 2022 regular season a success?
Anthony Alandt: Taken as a whole, yes. This team was a few plays and incomplete passes away from having just three or four wins. The Orange did one thing right that they didn’t do last year: win close games. Think Purdue, Virginia and to a lesser extent NC State. Those games — and possibly even the Boston College win — wouldn’t have been victories last year. Flipping a 5-7 record to a 7-5 record is a success, even if there was a five game losing streak. It’s clear Syracuse has a depth problem, has difficulty winning on the road and still puts out questionable play calling. But it’s in a bowl game again and holds a winning record, with some really bright spots on the defense, offensive line and receiving group.Alex Cirino: Absolutely. Even though Syracuse finished the season 1-5 after clinching a bowl game berth in Week 7, SU’s 2022 campaign surpassed its preseason expectations. It’s obvious that Robert Anae and Jason Beck’s transformation of the Orange’s offense had a major impact. This team was ranked because it was well-balanced, especially during its six-game winning streak. The way Syracuse’s undefeated stretch came to an end in Clemson after an 11-point first half lead and four forced turnovers was tough, and was certainly a “what could have been” moment. But Syracuse was competitive in the vast majority of its games this season. All the pieces came together and this Orange team got its fans excited.
Connor Smith: Yes. This was up for debate last year, when Syracuse had a bit of a transitional season, changing quarterbacks and offensive systems in a 5-7 finish. But the Orange lost their last three games and bowl eligibility. Players couldn’t agree on whether 2021 was a success. But this season is much different. SU had its first 6-0 start to a season in 35 years and should’ve beat Clemson on the road. Syracuse spent time in the national rankings, reaching as high as No. 14, and sold out the JMA Wireless Dome twice. None of that usually happens in central New York. The five-game losing streak was disappointing, but Garrett Shrader, Garrett Williams and Mikel Jones all missed time due to injuries. The fact of the matter is that, given where SU has been over the last 20 years (i.e. mediocre, sometimes plain awful), a 7-5 regular season is a success.
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Syracuse wide receiver Damien Alford and offensive lineman Matthew Bergeron celebrate Alford's go-ahead touchdown against Boston College on Saturday in Chestnut Hill, MA. Alford's touchdown helped solidify SU's seventh win of the season. (AP Photo/Mark Stockwell)
SU finally got another win. Now everyone admits: A 5-game skid is ‘no fun at all’ (PS; $; Leiker)
The guest locker room at Alumni Stadium was filled with excitement, and even some cigar smoke, when Syracuse football finally made its way back inside following a chippy end to its win at Boston College.
For five weeks, both SU coach Dino Babers and his players have tried to assert the team’s morale had not been affected by its five-game losing slide.
But after snapping that streak just in time for the postseason, everyone was ready to talk about just how good it felt to be back in the win column and just how cloudy the skies had been for SU.
“We’re a talented team, and we knew that this year we kind of underachieved in terms of our record and what we were fully capable of,” quarterback Garrett Shrader said postgame. “A lot of that is just due to things that are out of our control at this point. ... There was a moment where I felt like the guys did kind of lose a little bit of faith. We were able to rally back.”
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Syracuse football: what’s college football saying about the Orange after the regular season? (TNIAAM; Wall)
Each week, we’ll take a look at what other college football media sites are saying about the Syracuse Orange. Now that the season is complete, let’s see where Syracuse ends up ranked
ESPN
In this week’s SP+ rankings Syracuse moves up three spots to 62nd with the offense 63rd while the defense ranks 51st. The Orange are ranked between Kansas and West Virginia.
The Football Power Index has Syracuse still at 48th between Michigan State and Boise State.
Syracuse.com
This week the Orange slide up one spot to 8th in the weekly ACC rankings in between Duke and Louisville.
CBS Sports
In the CBS Sports power rankings Syracuse is down one spot to 44th this week so we’ll allow the drop. The Orange are between Maryland and Louisville.
The Athletic
The Orange stay at 50th in The Athletic’s Top 131 Power Rankings placing them in between Texas Tech and Maryland this week. BC is ranked 99th this week.
ACC Week Thirteen Scores
NC State 30 North Carolina 27
Florida 38 Florida State 45
Georgia Tech 14 Georgia 37
South Carolina 31 Clemson 30
Louisville 13 Kentucky 26
Wake Forest 31 Duke 34
Syracuse 32 Boston College 23
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Monday Thoughts: Syracuse Football has a dedicated goal - Pennsylvania News (localtoday.news; Turner)
It’s less than a month before the early signing phase begins and there’s bound to be drama throughout the recruiting landscape. There are always unpredictable flips, commitments, signings, commitment waivers, etc. How will this affect Syracuse? Let’s take a look.
Coaching changes
We’ve already seen some movement in the coaching carousel. Luke Fickell is expected to leave Cincinnati for the Wisconsin job. How does this affect Syracuse? The Orange had been chasing Garden State offensive lineman Nick Oliveira. He was offered in May but signed to Cincinnati a month later without attending the Orange. With the Fickell movement, Syracuse re-engaged when Oliveira announced a renewed offer from Syracuse. I spoke to Nick briefly and he said leaving Fickell, Cincinnati makes Syracuse a viable option. He’s not sure yet if he’ll visit, but the orange will definitely be pushing you. Other schools also pushing to get back involved include Penn State, Duke, Rutgers and Pittsburgh.
Scroll to Next
Situations like Oliveira could continue to arise when coaches change. This can be observed in the next few weeks from Syracuse’s point of view.
Flip season
As National Signing Day approaches, flips are becoming more common. For those unfamiliar, a flip is when a player signed to one school switches their signing to another. Or sign with a school he wasn’t involved with. It happens every cycle in almost every program. Syracuse is no different. That means there will likely be additions to the Orange Class of 2023 engaged at other schools and there could be a player or two currently engaged for Syracuse who could sign elsewhere.
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Syracuse football 4-star QB commit being recruited hard by in-state team (itlh; Adler)
Syracuse football 2023 four-star commit LaNorris Sellers is having a tremendous senior year, as the top-15 quarterback has led his high school to a state championship game in South Carolina this coming Saturday.
The 6-foot-2 Sellers, one of the top dual-threat quarterbacks in the 2023 class, verbally committed to the Orange in early March after previously committing to Virginia in the summer of 2021.
After the 2021 season ended, UVA had a change in head coaches, and Cavaliers offensive coordinator Robert Anae, as well as quarterbacks coach Jason Beck, both left Charlottesville, Va., to take the same positions with the ‘Cuse.
With all of the coaching switches at Virginia, Sellers reopened his recruitment. Syracuse football offered him a scholarship in January, and he committed to the Orange about two months later.
Syracuse football may be facing some competition for 2023 QB commit LaNorris Sellers.
Lou Bezjak of The State, in a recent piece, noted that Sellers “plans to sign during the December signing period and enroll in college in January. Syracuse remains atop his list right now.”
That being said, Sellers said in The State article that South Carolina, a home-state college squad for him, is “pushing hard” for the Orange 2023 commit. He said he talks “every day” with the Gamecocks coaching staff.
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ACC News
Mack Brown discusses upcoming ACC Championship game against Clemson :: WRALSportsFan.com (wralsportsfan.com; video)
Mack Brown discusses upcoming ACC Championship game against Clemson. North Carolina plays Clemson at 8 p.m. ET Saturday at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte.
ACC FOOTBALL: Clemson Falls in Rivalry Week; Is FSU Only Bright Spot of the Conference This Season? (youtube.com; video; Locked on ACC)
The ACC is looking funny in the light once again this football season. The Clemson Tigers fall to the South Carolina Gamecocks. The only top 10 team in the league put the conference out of national conversations and now many are wondering can the ACC recover?
Just how underwhelming was the ACC this season? (saturdayblitz.com; Lloyd)
The 2022 college football regular season is just about all wrapped up, and the bulk of the ACC should be thankful for that.
This year’s ACC regular-season slate is officially in the books and, just like any other conference’s, it had several ups and downs.
Some highlights from this installment of ACC football include the sudden comeback of the currently top-20 Florida State Seminoles, the unexpected rise of the Duke Blue Devils, and the Syracuse Orange managing to make a bowl game. The North Carolina Tar Heels also took a steep hike in respectability under the leadership of quarterback Drake Maye.
Maye, a redshirt freshman, saw one of the nation’s best season-long performances of 2022; attached to his iconic run are both Heisman conversations and an appearance in the ACC title game.
Especially when looking at Florida State and UNC, it is safe to say that the Atlantic Coast can hold its head up high with at least a couple of spikes in relevance. These spikes don’t quite reach the rest of the conference, though.
Of the 14 teams in the league, half of them finished with a regular-season record that was worse than theirs from 2021. Some harsher examples of this would have to be Wake Forest (10-2 to 7-5), Boston College (6-6 to 3-9), and both of the Virginia teams (each saw their 2021 win totals sliced in half).
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What Clemson football will miss without DB RJ Mickens in ACC championship game (greenvilleonline.com; Shanesy)
Clemson defensive back R.J. Mickens didn't feel like he had done anything against the rules.
Then he saw the evidence.
As referees were having further review of a play for a possible targeting penalty during Saturday's game against South Carolina, Mickens watched the video board.
"I didn't think anything of it, honestly, until they went to review it," Mickens said Monday. "I saw the replay and was like, 'Dang. Yeah.' "
Mickens, a junior safety, had an interception in the game but was later disqualified for the rest of the eventual 31-30 loss at Memorial Stadium. He will also have to sit out the first half of the ACC championship game, per NCAA rules.
Clemson (10-2) plays Saturday (8 p.m., ABC) against North Carolina (9-3) at Bank of American Stadium in Charlotte.
Mickens leads Clemson with three interceptions and is seventh in tackles with 42. He also has three tackles for loss, two pass breakups and a quarterback pressure. He's made five starts, sharing time with Andrew Mukuba at strong safety, and has played on 428 snaps.
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https://www.thestate.com/sports/college/acc/clemson-university/article269304452.html (thestate.com; Fowler)
A scroll through Clemson football’s bowl projections confirms the obvious: Saturday’s home loss to rival South Carolina has essentially eliminated the Tigers from the College Football Playoff.
Now, according to updated predictions, Clemson is down to two postseason paths entering next Saturday’s ACC championship game against North Carolina:
Win, and play in the Orange Bowl.
Lose, and play in a second-tier ACC bowl. Again.
Clemson (10-2, 8-0 ACC) entered its regular-season finale with an unlikely yet possible path to the four-team CFP that involved winning out and getting some help from other teams come conference championship weekend.
But coach Shane Beamer’s Gamecocks ended an opponent’s championship dreams for the second straight week, knocking off Clemson 31-30 behind 360 yards and two touchdowns from quarterback Spencer Rattler and a superb second-half defensive effort.
The loss snapped Clemson’s seven-game winning streak against South Carolina and 40-game home winning streak at Memorial Stadium and gave the Tigers a 1.8% chance to make the College Football Playoff, according to ESPN’s Football Power Index.
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ACC football power rankings: Florida State claims top spot as Seminoles end on five-game winning streak (247sports.com; Marsdale)
Florida State ended its regular season winning its last five games to vault into the top spot in the final ACC Power Rankings of the regular season. Defeats suffered by Clemson and UNC allow the Seminoles to move up two spots from number three, as a nine-win FSU team finished the season playing its best football of the fall.
"It's about that continued growth," Florida State head coach Mike Norvell said after the win about how big this season was for the program, via Noles247. "We want to show it's a football team and a football program that's building, that's obviously going in the right direction. I don't know how many people at the beginning of the year, what their thoughts of this team was. I knew who I had in that locker room. I knew the heart, I knew the work. I watched them throughout the off-season. Being able to help them understand what they can do and what they can accomplish, these experiences are just going to set us up for our future and where we're going.
"But it was big. We needed to see those positive steps. Those players in that locker room, they are confident. They're confident because of the work that they've invested and also the experiences that they've had."
With Florida State leading it off, here are the rest of this week’s ACC power rankings:
1. FLORIDA STATE SEMINOLES (9-3, 5-3 ACC)
Previous ranking: 3Entering his third season in Tallahassee Norvell was in need of a breakthrough year, and he got it in a big way. He kept his team on track after a three-game losing streak in October and led the Seminoles to a strong finish, including snapping a three-game losing streak against arch-rival Florida. FSU will not play in a bowl game, but they are sure to get a good destination. Yes, Florida State lost to Clemson in mid-October, but if that game were played today, you could argue the Seminoles should be favored.
2. CLEMSON TIGERS (10-2, 8-0 ACC)
Previous ranking: 1Clemson saw an end to an eight-game winning streak against South Carolina snap and watched its College Football Playoff hopes disappear at the same time. It will mark the second-straight time the Tigers have missed the playoff for the first time since it was created in 2014. D.J. Uiagalelei had arguably his worst game of the season, throwing for just 99 yards. Head coach Dabo Swinney says Uiagalelei will start in the ACC Championship Game against North Carolina, but it will be interesting to see if there is a quick hook and if he starts the bowl game should he struggle.
3. NC STATE WOLFPACK (8-4, 4-4 ACC)
Previous ranking: 4The Wolfpack started their fourth quarterback of the season in redshirt freshman Ben Finley, and were able to pull out a 30-27 double-overtime win at North Carolina. Dave Doeren's time had plenty of ups and downs this fall, with the most notable one being the season-ending injury to starting quarterback Devin Leary, but the Wolfpack managed to get to the finish line and gather eight wins in the process. It will be interesting to see what Leary's future plans are as NC State turns the page to 2023.
4. NORTH CAROLINA TAR HEELS (9-3, 6-2 ACC)
Previous ranking: 3What could have been for UNC in Year 4 under Mack Brown. The Tar Heels dropped their second-straight game at home as a favorite, this time coming against NC State. The Georgia Tech upset one week ago was tough to swallow, but to miss out on a 10-win season is frustrating for Tar Heels fans, who have one of the best quarterbacks in college football in Drake Maye. UNC needs a win over Clemson to head to a New Year's Six bowl.
5. PITTSBURGH PANTHERS (8-4, 5-3 ACC)
Previous ranking: 7It was not the season Pitt hoped for after winning the 2021 ACC Championship, but the Panthers were able to win their final four games to finish with eight wins. The regular season finale was a blowout at Miami, as Pittsburgh heads into the offseason with momentum. The NFL Draft decision of Israel Abanikanda is going to be something to watch. Abanikanda was the ACC's leading rusher this season with 1,431 yards. He went over 100 yards in each of his final six games.
6. DUKE BLUE DEVILS (8-4, 4-4 ACC)
Previous ranking: 8"You could argue no coach had a more impressive debut in 2022 than Mike Elko," wrote 247Sports' Chris Hummer. "The Blue Devils moved to 8-4 on the season with a 34-31 win over Wake Forest. It’s quite a rebound for Duke after it looked listless the last two years under David Cutcliffe."
7. LOUISVILLE CARDINALS (7-5, 4-4 ACC)
Previous ranking: 4Louisville sat at 2-3 with Scott Satterfield catching plenty of heat early in the season. The Cardinals won five of their final seven games, but it came to a disappointing end with their fourth-straight loss against arch-rival Kentucky. Will 7-5 suffice next season? Louisville has not won eight or more games in a season since Satterfield's first campaign in 2019. The pressure is on for improvement next season.
8. WAKE FOREST DEMON DEACONS (7-5, 3-5 ACC)
Previous ranking: 5What looked like a promising season for Wake Forest quickly went down the drain in a sense. The Demon Deacons lost four of their last five games after a 6-1 start. It was not the season Wake Forest was hoping for after a 10-win campaign last fall with plenty of talent returning.
9. SYRACUSE ORANGE (7-5, 3-5 ACC)
Previous ranking: 9Things started really good in a make-or-break season for Dino Babers. The Orange won seven in a row and vaulted into the AP Top 25. Things did not go so well after that, as they lost their next five games and were on the ropes at three-win Boston College before completing a comeback to finish 7-5. Will that record cut it for Babers next fall? It remains to be seen, but he did enough to save his job.
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https://accfootballrx.blogspot.com/2022/11/2022-jacobs-blocking-trophy-winner.html (RX; HM)
2022 Jacob's Blocking Trophy Winner
From the official ACC release of Monday, Nov. 28, 2022...
Clemson’s McFadden Awarded ACC’s Jacobs Blocking Trophy
GREENSBORO, N.C. (theACC.com) – Clemson offensive tackle Jordan McFadden has been voted the winner of the 2022 Jacobs Blocking Trophy, the Atlantic Coast Conference announced on Monday.
The Jacobs Blocking Trophy has been awarded annually since 1953 to the player selected most outstanding blocker in the ACC by a poll of the league’s head coaches and defensive coordinators. The trophy is given in memory of William P. Jacobs, who served as president of Presbyterian College from 1935 to 1945.
McFadden, a 6-2, 305-pound first-year graduate student from Spartanburg, South Carolina, heads into next Saturday night’s Subway ACC Football Championship Game having played more than 2,800 career snaps in 54 college games. He has started every game this season while leading the Tigers to a 10-2 overall record and an unbeaten mark in ACC play.
With McFadden paving the way, Clemson boasts one of three ACC 1,000-yard rushers (Will Shipley) and has amassed close to 5,000 yards in total offense. McFadden, who completed his undergraduate degree in sociology last spring, was voted the ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week twice during the 2022 season.
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https://accfootballrx.blogspot.com/2022/11/2022-jim-tatum-award-winner.html (RX; HM)
2022 Jim Tatum Award Winner
From the official ACC release of Monday, Nov. 28, 2022
FSU’s Gibbons to Receive ACC’s 2022 Jim Tatum Award
GREENSBORO, N.C. (theACC.com) – Florida State offensive guard Dillan Gibbons has been named the recipient of the 2022 Jim Tatum Award, the Atlantic Coast Conference announced Monday.The award is given annually in memory of the late Jim Tatum to the top senior student-athlete among the league's football players. Tatum, a two-time ACC Coach of the Year, coached in the 1950s at both Maryland and North Carolina and believed strongly in the concept of the student-athlete.
Gibbons made his mark as one of the league’s top offensive linemen upon transferring from Notre Dame last season, and the Florida State senior’s academic accomplishments are equally impressive. Sporting a career GPA above 3.5, Gibbons already owns a bachelor’s degree in Management and Consulting from the prestigious Mendoza College of Business at Notre Dame and is putting the finishing touches on his MBA from Florida State.
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https://accfootballrx.blogspot.com/2022/11/2022-brian-piccolo-award-winner.html (RX; HM)
2022 Brian Piccolo Award Winner
From the official ACC release of Monday, November 28, 2022...
Wake Forest’s Hartman to Receive ACC’s Brian Piccolo Award
GREENSBORO, N.C. (theACC.com) – Wake Forest redshirt junior quarterback Sam Hartman has been named the recipient of the Atlantic Coast Conference’s 2022 Brian Piccolo Award...
https://accfootballrx.blogspot.com/2022/11/no-you-dont-know-which-team-is-best.html (RX; HM)
No, you don't know which team is best!
You folks who are against CFP expansion almost always say it's unnecessary because we "know" who the best 1/2/3/4 teams are. Oh yeah? Consider this poll by David Hale:
Common sense says "Team A", right? Yet look at what the AP voters did in these A/B pairings:Team A and Team B have the same record.
Team A had a better strength of schedule.
Team B has a worse loss.
Team A beat Team B head to head.
Who should be ranked higher?
— ️️ (@ADavidHaleJoint) November 28, 2022
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https://www.syracuse.com/drinks/202...ut-performed-the-country-yes-theres-data.html (PS; $; Cazentre)
The night before Thanksgiving, sometimes called Drinksgiving, is typically one of the busiest evenings for bars across the country. And the Syracuse area is often one of the leaders.
That held true again this year, as the Syracuse market once again stood out, according to data from BeerBoard, an Armory Square-based company that manages and collects stats and information from draft beer accounts nationwide.
In fact, the Syracuse area posted a Thanksgiving Eve gain in drinking volume over the same night last year, BeerBoard says, while the numbers fell nationally.
Across the country, the volume of draft beer poured fell 17.1% from Thanksgiving Eve in 2021, BeerBoard found. In the Syracuse area, however, the volume increased 8.1% over 2021.
The Syracuse area also recorded a 14.2% volume bump over the previous, or “regular,” Wednesday this year, Nationally, that fell 2.3% this year. In 2021, the national Thanksgiving Eve bump was 69.2% above the previous Wednesday.
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