sutomcat
No recent Cali or Iggy awards; Mr Irrelevant
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Welcome to National Taco Day!
Today is a day for tacos! There is some evidence that tacos with small fish were eaten in the Valley of Mexico before Spaniards arrived to the continent. In the 18th century Mexican silver miners used "plugs" or "wads"—paper wrappers with gunpowder fillings—to extract ore, and these were also called tacos. Tacos likely got their modern name because they resembled the explosives. Tacos usually consist of a protein such as beef, chicken, pork, or fish, wrapped in a hard or soft shell made of corn or flour. Toppings may include tomatoes, onion, lettuce, cheese, refried beans, cilantro, salsa, sour cream, or guacamole.
Traditional Mexican tacos include the al pastor, carne asada, tacos de camarones (shrimp tacos), tacos de pescado (fish tacos), and others. They are often served at taco stands and many times are accompanied with sliced red radishes, lime, salt, and chilis.
SU News
Syracuse defensive lineman Braylen Ingraham works out during fall camp. Ingraham transferred to Syracuse this offseason and played the most snaps in a single game of his career against Clemson. Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com
Medically retired at Alabama, transfer D-lineman gets second chance at Syracuse (PS; $; Leiker)
Early in the third quarter of Syracuse football’s loss to Clemson, Braylen Ingraham stopped Cade Klubnik from converting yet another third down, one that likely would’ve led to a touchdown.
The Tigers faced 3rd-and-goal from a distance after losing a combined 13 yards the previous two plays when Klubnik started to take off on a scramble up the middle.
Ingraham, a transfer defensive lineman from Alabama, caught sight of the quarterback right as he was about to reach the line of scrimmage and a clear field ahead.
He broke off his blocker, grabbed Klubnik, wrapped him up and brought him down with a little help from Caleb Okechukwu as he sandwiched him from the other side.
Clemson was forced to settle for a field goal.
“I was really happy,” Ingraham said Tuesday. “I’ve been wanting to have a breakout game, and I feel like Clemson was just the start. I’m trying to build each and every week. I’m trying to have a good game against North Carolina as well.”
It was the biggest play Ingraham has made in his first season at Syracuse.
He played a career-high 25 snaps in Syracuse’s 31-14 loss to Clemson, finishing with four tackles and the second-highest defensive lineman grade (71.%), per Pro Football Focus.
Okechukwu said Ingraham is “only going to get better” as the season goes on. The two have been putting in extra work together after practice on the field and in the film room.
Ingraham medically retired at Alabama ahead of the 2022 season. He said he tore his ACL and lateral meniscus during 2021 spring practice and hadn’t felt the same in his return to the field the next spring.
Taking the 2022 season off, though emotionally difficult, allowed him to get back to 100% and finish his bachelor’s degree before transferring.
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Data Dive: Demystifying the numbers behind Syracuse's opening 5 games (DO; Miller)
When Syracuse entered its matchup versus Clemson with an undefeated record, the stats backed up its success. Syracuse was the only Football Bowl Subdivision squad to rank top seven in scoring offense and scoring defense entering Week 5.
Statistically, the Orange were among the most complete teams in the FBS. And though SU did reinforce some of its early-season positives in Saturday’s 31-14 loss to Clemson, the two-loss Tigers exposed what seemed to be strengths for Syracuse.
The Orange now have two-straight road dates with ranked Atlantic Coast Conference opponents, No. 14 UNC and No. 5 Florida State. To compete in those games, and in the conference, SU needs to use its loss to Clemson as a base to build off of.
Sometimes, the stats do lie, especially when the competition doesn’t reflect what’s to come. Here are some of SU’s most significant numbers and whether the performance versus Clemson supported or debunked their validity:
Top red zone defense: Debunked
3rd red zone defense in the nation (.538), was 1st prior to Saturday (.444)Clemson went 3-for-4 on red-zone drives, punching in two touchdowns in the first half to squash the narrative around Syracuse’s top red-zone defense. Prior opponents only had nine trips to the red zone and had questionable quarterback play, making the stat somewhat misleading.
That said, the offense didn’t help. Clemson’s second red-zone drive began at the three-yard line. The Orange’s red-zone coverage was lacking and short-distance runs were often converted by pushing the pile with superior strength.
Sophomore receiver Troy Stellato, who started in place of the injured Antonio Williams, ran free across the end zone during a broken 3rd-and-7 play that put the Tigers up 7-0 early. The Orange didn’t set the edge on the pass rush, letting quarterback Cade Klubnik out of the pocket, untouched, with his eyes downfield.
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Syracuse tight end Dan Villari, who left breakout Clemson game with injury, says he’ll play against UNC (PS; $; Carlson)
Syracuse tight end Dan Villari, who was forced out of a breakout performance against Clemson with an injury, said he’ll be available for the Orange on Saturday when it visits North Carolina.
“I’m full-go this week,” Villari said. “Just banged up a little bit, but ready to go.”
His presence should be a boost for the Orange, whose pass-catching options have been whittled away substantially by injuries through the first five weeks of the season.
Syracuse’s star tight end Oronde Gadsden II is out for the season with injury. The team played last week without two other veteran options in Isaiah Jones and Trebor Pena. Gadsen and Pena do the majority of their work in the middle of the field, leaving the Orange with few options who specialize in attacking the center of the defense.
The remaining receivers struggled to get open against Clemson last week, leading to an inefficient passing day for Syracuse and quarterback Garrett Shrader.
The Orange targeted the sidelines repeatedly but frequently threw the ball out of bounds, a combination of quarterback Garrett Shrader throwing the ball off-target, a consistent pass rush and receivers failing to create separation from defenders and being forced into the sidelines.
Pro Football Focus listed Shrader as going 0-for-7 on passes of more than 20 yards against Clemson, with all of them targeting either the right or left side of the field. In the Orange’s two games against Power-Five opponents this season, Syracuse is 1-for-14 on deep throws to either side.
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On The Beat: Critical Homestand Starts With Syracuse (247sports.com; podcast; Ashley)
Adam Smith and Jeremiah Holloway join producer John Bauman and host Tommy Ashley to look ahead to North Carolina's matchup against Syracuse in Kenan Stadium on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. on ESPN. The Inside Carolina OTB crew talks 'Cuse defense, UNC's prep work during the open date, and how the game will affect the league standings going forward in a wide open race to the ACC Championship game..
The show rundown (timestamps are from the YouTube version)
0:00 - Stream begins
1:08 - Overlap season is here
4:41 - The beginning of a critical homestead Saturday
6:49 - Not a trap
11:55 - UNC a veteran, focused team going into Syracuse
19:29 - Preparing for 2024, already
26:00 - Defending Garrett Schrader
33:16 - Readjusting preseason expectations
36:16 - Opportunities down the road
40:46 - Defending size at WR and TE
45:28 - Defending Schrader’s ability to run
50:48 - Who beats Louisville?
56:17 - Final Thoughts
https://https://tinyurl.com/3rwreb37 (R1vals; Videos; Jones)
Tuesday morning on football game weeks for North Carolina means several Tar Heels meet with the media to field a variety of questions.
On hand this week, as No. 14 UNC prepares to host Syracuse on Saturday, were Drake Maye, Kaimon Rucker, Corey Gaynor, and Cedric Gray.
The Tar Heels (4-0, 1-0 ACC) last played September 23 when they won at Pittsburgh, 41-24. The Orange (4-1, 0-1) are coming off a 31-14 home loss to Clemson.
Below are videos of all four interviews along with a few tidbits from what they discussed:
Drake Maye, Soph. QB
*UNC Coach Mack Brown asked his players to watch the Clemson-Syracuse game and take notes. Maye did so, but not with the volume on. He had the game on mute because he didn’t want the broadcasters’ comments to affect his thinking. Yes, he took some notes.*Also, Maye discussed how the offense can get better; on his near-73 percent pass completion percentage; his take on the Orange’s defense; just how good the Tar Heels can be; UNC’s TD success in the red zone and more.
Corey Gaynor, GR Center
*Carolina is ranked No. 56 in the nation in rushing offense, but the Tar Heels have averaged only 2.4 yards in their 76 attempts over the last two games, wins over Minnesota and at Pittsburgh. Gaynor discussed some of that issue while also taking responsibility upon himself to get the offensive line to play better.*Conversely, UNC has 14 touchdowns in 17 red zone trips, 11 of which are rushing scores. He gave a little insight into why. Plus, Gaynor discussed Syracuse, watching games this past weekend, and the interesting manner in which he did, and more.
UNC Football: Corey Gaynor Syracuse Week Interview
Want to be a Carolina insider too?! Visit https://northcarolina. for continuous and thorough coverage of all things UNC football, basketball, and r...
youtu.be
Former Syracuse LB Mikel Jones, OL Justin Pugh sign to NFL practice squads (report) (PS; $; Carlson)
A pair of former Syracuse players signed to NFL practice squads on Tuesday, with Justin Pugh joining the New York Giants and Mikel Jones landing with the Dallas Cowboys.
The Cowboys move was reported on social media by ESPN.com’s Todd Archer, while the Giants move was reported by the NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo and confirmed by Pugh.
Archer reported that Jones worked out with Dallas on Tuesday. He fills a spot at linebacker that was created when Dallas released Devin Harper, a second-year player out of Oklahoma State who had been playing primarily on special teams.
Jones was a three-time All-ACC player with Syracuse, led the Orange in tackles twice and was a two-time captain at SU. He started in 38 games over his four seasons and ranks 17th on SU’s all-time tackles list with 301. His playmaking was central to the team’s successful transition to a 3-3-5 defense under head coach Dino Babers and defensive coordinator Tony White.
Jones played four seasons for Syracuse, turning pro with one year of eligibility remaining and going undrafted. He left after helping Syracuse qualify for a bowl game last year, something he said was a goal of his with the Orange.
Jones performed well while in training camp with the Los Angeles Chargers but was among the team’s final cuts and was not ultimately signed to any of the league’s practice squads until now.
Listed at 6-foot-1 and 225 pounds while at Syracuse, Jones is small for a linebacker in the NFL, presumably one of the major reasons he hadn’t previously been on a roster.
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Clemson vs. Syracuse Full Game Replay | 2023 ACC Football (youtube; video'; ACC DN)
Clemson battled on the road to pick up a 31-14 victory in the JMA Dome. Cade Klubnik had a solid game, picking up 263 yards and 2 touchdowns on 23-37 passing. Will Shipley and Phil Mafah each picked up touchdowns on the ground, and freshman wideout Tyler Brown racked up 151 receiving yards on 8 receptions in the win. Syracuse QB Garrett Shrader finished with a pair of touchdowns in the loss.
Syracuse football, despite loss, in top 25 nationally of football power index (itlh; Adler)
Syracuse football, over the weekend, suffered its first defeat of the 2023 season, but the Orange remains in the top 25 across the country, according to ESPN’s football power index (“FPI”).
The FPI, by the way, is “a measure of team strength that is meant to be the best predictor of a team’s performance going forward for the rest of the season,” according to ESPN’s Web site.
In the latest FPI, the ‘Cuse (4-1) resides at No. 22 nationwide. The team fell two spots from last week, when it checked in at No. 20 overall in the FPI.
On Saturday afternoon at the JMA Wireless Dome, during homecoming weekend for Syracuse University, the Orange struggled on offense and was hampered by both turnovers and penalties in losing to Clemson (3-2), 31-14.
With the Atlantic Coast Conference, the ‘Cuse is No. 5 in the FPI. Florida State is No. 1, followed by Miami, Clemson, North Carolina and then Syracuse football. This coming Saturday, Oct. 7, the Orange will travel to top-20 North Carolina (4-0) in another tough test for the ‘Cuse in ACC play.
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Two Part Task for UNC Football Against Syracuse (cbssports.com; video; Schoettmer)
Former Tar Heel Jeff Schoettmer discusses what North Carolina needs to accomplish against Syracuse this weekend.
Leon Lowery "The 315" 10-3-23 (ESPN; radio; The 315)
Orange starting linebacker Leon Lowery chats with Brian about his growth at Syracuse, his season so far and much more.
Keeping Up With The 315 10-3-23 (ESPN; radio; the 315)
Brian Higgins begins the show by reacting to a pathetic performance from his Giants. Then, he breaks down where the Orange fit in a wide open conference through five weeks with his ACC Power Rankings.
Wes Durham "The 315" 10-3-23 (ESPN; radio; The 315)
ACC Network’s Wes Durham hops on the show to discuss the major story lines surrounding the conference, where Syracuse fits into a wide-open conference title race and how some of former Orange guys are doing in the NFL.
Top ACC QBs clash as Syracuse visits No. 14 UNC (Buffalo News; FLM)
Two of the top quarterbacks in the Atlantic Coast Conference will be on display Saturday when No. 14 North Carolina hosts Syracuse in Chapel Hill, N.C.
The Tar Heels (4-0, 1-0 ACC) have scored at least 31 points in every game behind dynamic sophomore Drake Maye, who has completed at least 70 percent of his passes in every contest.
Maye does have four interceptions after tossing just seven picks (with 38 touchdowns) a season ago. He also was sacked five times in the Tar Heels' last game -- a 41-24 victory at Pittsburgh on Sept. 23.
Regardless, Syracuse coach Dino Babers sees Maye as a formidable foe for his squad, which is coming off its first loss of the season.
The Orange (4-1, 0-1) were thumped by Clemson 31-14 last weekend following a nonconference slate in which they won their four games by an average of 33.5 points.
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Syracuse football: Dino Babers’s UNC Week Updates (TNIAAM; Ostrowski)
Syracuse Orange football lost their first game this past weekend and now begin a long stretch without a game in the Dome. First up on the October calendar is a trip to North Carolina to face the #14 Tar Heels. As always, we checked in with Coach Babers to start off the week:
Injury Report
- Receiving options Isaiah Jones, Trebor Pena, and Dan Villari are all week-to-week. Neither Jones nor Pena suited up for the game against Clemson, with the later re-aggravating the undisclosed injury that caused him to miss the first three weeks of the season. Villari had a strong start against the Tigers, with two big catches and a touchdown, but he was very limited in the second half - Dino confirmed postgame that he was banged up by that point.
- Justin Barron has “a thing” (yes, that is the exact wording Babers used) and is questionable for this weekend. That “thing” is most likely an issue with his left hand/wrist, as myself and other reporters spotted him exiting the Syracuse practice facility wearing a cast which covered that area. Myles Farmer is listed as an “OR” at rover on the depth chart and could be in line to make his first start since transferring in from Nebraska.
Drake Maye Will Be Syracuse's Toughest Defensive Test Yet (orangefizz.net; Frank)
After Syracuse’s 31-14 loss to Clemson, where the Orange gave up the most points it has all season, it would be logical to look at the defense and see that they gave up their most points in a game this season by a considerable margin and they were at fault. But, that is not the case, as three Syracuse turnovers turned into 21 Clemson points on short fields. If anything, it was the offense that did not do a good enough job scoring points and sustaining drives against the Tigers’ defense.
But, this week, the Orange defense has an even steeper test with a trip to Chapel Hill to take on #14 North Carolina and the undefeated Tar Heels. Leading the way for UNC is quarterback Drake Maye, who has been projected as at least a first-round pick, if not top-10 by industry draft experts for the 2024 NFL Draft.
“This will be the best quarterback we’ve played this year,” Syracuse head coach Babers said in his Monday press conference according to syracuse.com. “Obviously (Klubnik) played extremely well. This guy is different. He’s going to be an NFL guy. He’s what makes that team go on offense. He gets his playmakers the ball in situations where they can make plays. That’s why they are an explosive team and score a lot of points.”
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Syracuse football: Duke’s Mayo Bowl O’Meter update following the Clemson loss (TNIAAM; Chiappone)
For the first time this season, our Duke’s Mayo Bowl O’Meter sits at a standstill following the Syracuse Orange football team’s 31-14 home loss to the Clemson Tigers this past weekend.
Syracuse had anything but twang in a game where the Orange fell into a double-digit deficit early that they ultimately couldn’t climb out of. But fear not, says the Bowl O’Meter — coach Dino Babers and company still boast a 99.7% chance to reach six wins according to ESPN’s College Football Power Index.
Which means: the Duke’s Mayo shower dream lives on to fight another week.
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From the Sidelines: One of Clemson's Best Performances at Syracuse (theclemsoninsider.com; podcast; MacRae)
Each week I share some thoughts after watching the Tigers From the Sidelines.
In this week’s edition, some thoughts after watching Clemson defeat Syracuse in one of the Tigers’ best performances at Syracuse.
ACC News
ACC Power Rankings: Week Five (tarheelblog.com; Ferenchick)
While not too many high ranked teams lost this past weekend in college football, it was still a bit of a chaotic one. Several of them had close calls and played in some wild games. With one very notable exception, that chaos didn’t really extend to the ACC. Several of the teams atop the conference had bye weeks, including our very own North Carolina Tar Heels.
Now that the dust has settled after the weekend, let’s see how the ACC is shaping up.
1. Florida State (4-0, 2-0 ACC)
Last Week: Bye
FSU had the weekend off, but no one who played did anything to take away their top spot in the power rankings.
Next Week: Saturday vs. Virginia Tech
2. North Carolina (4-0, 1-0 ACC)
Last Week: ByeCarolina also had a bye and held onto their spot just behind the Noles.
Next Week: Saturday vs. Syracuse
3. Miami (4-0, 0-0 ACC)
Last Week: ByeYet another team that got the weekend off. The Hurricanes are the only team that still have yet to play an ACC game, but they’re about to play some biggies in the next month and change.
Next Week: Saturday vs. Georgia Tech
4. Duke (4-1, 1-0 ACC)
Last Week: lost to Notre Dame 21-14They lost in the end, but the Blue Devils put in a fairly valiant performance against Notre Dame, and don’t drop too far despite the defeat. However, quarterback Riley Leonard did get hurt at the end of the game, and his status could have a big impact on where their ranking goes from here.
Next Week: Bye
5. Louisville (5-0, 3-0 ACC)
Last Week: beat NC State 13-10The Cardinals’ revival under first year coach Jeff Brohm continues, as they beat NC State to get to the cusp of bowl eligibility. In the actual standings, they currently top the conference as the only team with three ACC wins so far.
Next Week: Saturday vs. Notre Dame
6. Clemson (3-2, 1-2 ACC)
Last Week: beat Syracuse 31-14Over the last couple weeks, the Tigers have started to resemble a competent team, and that included a win over previously unbeaten Syracuse on Saturday.
Next Week: Saturday vs. Wake Forest
7. Syracuse (4-1, 0-1 ACC)
Last Week: lost to Clemson 31-14The Orange fell from the list of unbeatens last week, but dropping one to an at least solid Clemson team isn’t season-ruining. We’ll get a good look at them when they play UNC this coming week.
Next Week: Saturday at North Carolina
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https://www.si.com/college/louisville/football/acc-power-rankings-2023-week-six (SI; McGavic)
Five full weeks of college football are now in the books, and the battle for the Atlantic Coast Conference is about to start heating up.
Duke and Syracuse are no longer a part of the undefeated ranks, but the ACC still sports four teams - Florida State, North Carolina, Miami and Louisville - that have yet to lose a game. Plus with five teams ranked in the AP Top 25 - which includes the Blue Devils - this continues the string start for the ACC as a whole.
So where do things currently stand in the conference following the first five weeks of football? Check out our week five ACC power rankings below:
1. Florida State Seminoles
Record: 4-0, 2-0 ACCLast Week's Ranking: No. 1
Week 5 Result: Bye Week
Florida State should handle business this upcoming weekend against Virginia Tech, but considering how well Kyron Drones looked last weekend, the Seminoles better not have a Boston College-type performance.
2. North Carolina Tar Heels
Record: 4-0, 1-0 ACCLast Week's Ranking: No. 2
Week 5 Result: Bye Week
Speaking of Boston College-type performances, North Carolina hosts Miami in a couple weeks. The Tar Heels would be wise to take a lesson from FSU and not overlook their next opponent in Syracuse.
3. Miami Hurricanes
Record: 4-0, 0-0 ACCLast Week's Ranking: No. 4
Week 5 Result: Bye Week
Now that the (mostly) easy non-conference slate is over for Miami, we'll finally get to see if they're a true threat to get to Charlotte. Time will tell, starting against a Georgia Tech squad looking to bounce back after getting embarrassed.
4. Duke Blue Devils
Record: 4-1, 1-0 ACCLast Week's Ranking: No. 3
Week 5 Result: L, 21-14 vs. Notre Dame
Duke came so incredibly to snapping Notre Dame's lengthy win streak against the ACC. All the Blue Devils had to do was not play prevent defense on 4th and 16, and they probably win this game. Or maybe if the offense had not started so slow. They just have to hope that Riley Leonard doesn't miss extended time with that ankle injury.
5. Louisville Cardinals
Record: 5-0, 3-0 ACCLast Week's Ranking: No. 5
Week 5 Result: W, 13-10 at NC State
Louisville is consistently inconsistent. Their offense, which lit up the scoreboard the previous week against BC, couldn't do hardly anything against NC State. However, their defense, which has been surprisingly good, stepped up in a massive way. The Cardinals are still searching for that elusive complete game, but considering they're also undefeated, they could be a force in the conference when firing on all cylinders.
6. Clemson Tigers
Record: 3-2, 1-2 ACCLast Week's Ranking: No. 7
Week 5 Result: W, 31-14 at Syracuse
A conference title for Clemson is highly unlikely at this point, but that's not stopping them from trying to claw their way back into the picture. That Tigers defense looked incredible against a Syracuse offense that had been pretty efficient to start the season, notching five sacks and three turnovers. Not to mention their rushing tandem of Will Shipley and Phil Mafah is still pretty good.
7. Syracuse Orange
Record: 4-1, 0-1 ACCLast Week's Ranking: No. 6
Week 5 Result: L, 31-14 vs. Clemson
Maybe, just maybe, Syracuse's undefeated start to the season was more so a byproduct of an easy schedule. Sure, Clemson has made plenty of teams look foolish over the years, and the Orange were able to pull within 10 in the fourth, but their previously prolific rushing attack and improved passing game was stymied in a big way.
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ACC power rankings: Florida State, Miami, UNC still in full control entering Week 6 (247sports; Hughes)
Four undefeated remain in the ACC as the college football season enters Week 6. The conference’s top three teams, Florida State, Miami and North Carolina, all come off bye weeks, while Louisville became the conference’s first team to improve to 5-0 with an impressive win over NC State.
Headlined by the Seminoles at No. 5, the AP Poll put five ACC teams in the top 25 this week, including North Carolina at No. 14, Miami at No. 17, Duke at No. 19 and Louisville at No. 25. Clemson fell into the “others receiving votes” category but has an opportunity to scratch its way back into the top 25 with resume-boosting matchups against Wake Forest and Miami over the next two weeks.
Five ACC teams remain undefeated against conference opponents, led by Louisville (3-0) and Florida State (2-0). UNC, Duke and Virginia Tech have won their loan ACC matchup, while Miami has yet to play in-conference. Virginia is the only team in the conference without a check in the win column.
Entering Week 6, here are the ACC power rankings.
14. VIRGINIA CAVALIERS (0-5)
Last Week's Ranking: 14 (Same)The Cavaliers are one of three winless teams in the nation after falling, 27-24, at Boston College. Virginia lost three of its last four games by less than a touchdown and has its best opportunity for its first victory against William & Mary on Saturday. However, four of its last six games are against ranked opponents, and it looks more and more likely the Cavaliers post three or fewer wins in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 1981-82.
13. PITTSBURGH PANTHERS (1-4)
Last Week's Ranking: 11 (Down 2)The Panthers, coming off back-to-back 17-point losses, will have a lot to work on during the bye this week. Pittsburgh ranks No. 98 (of 131) teams in the nation in scoring offense (23.4 points) and No. 78 in scoring defense (26.0). The outlook for Pat Narduzzi's squad doesn't look much better coming out of the bye with matchups against No. 25 Louisville, No. 19 Duke, No. 10 Notre Dame and No. 5 Florida State over the final seven weeks of the season.
12. VIRGINIA TECH HOKIES (2-3)
Last Week's Ranking: 13 (Up 1)Kyron Drones is getting more comfortable behind center and raising the ceiling for Virginia Tech's offense. He completed 12-of-19 passes for 228 yards and three touchdowns in the win over Pittsburgh but will face his toughest test of the season at Florida State this weekend. After the matchup with the Seminoles, the Hokies only play one game against a ranked opponent, at No. 25 Louisville on Nov. 4.
11. GEORGIA TECH YELLOW JACKETS (2-3)
Last Week's Ranking: 12 (Up 1)Georgia Tech looked like it was building momentum with a 30-16 win over Wake Forest in Week 4 but came crashing back down with a brutal 38-27 loss to Bowling Green over the weekend. Quarterback Haynes King continued to fill the stat sheet with 348 passing yards and four touchdowns but threw two costly interceptions. The Yellow Jackets get No. 17 Miami this week, their first of three top-15 opponents over the final seven weeks of the season (UNC, Georgia).
10. BOSTON COLLEGE EAGLES (2-3)
Last Week's Ranking: 10 (Same)Coming off a 27-24 win over Virginia, Boston College enters Saturday's matchup as a 3.5 underdog to Army on the road. Quarterback Thomas Castellanos is tied for third in the ACC with 13 total touchdowns through five weeks but is in for a tough test against a Black Knights defense that's allowed just five passing scores all season. A win gets the Eagles to 3-3 and firmly in the bowl picture with winnable matchups against UConn, Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech and Pitt left on the schedule.
9. NC STATE WOLFPACK (3-2)
Last Week's Ranking: 8 (Down 1)NC State just isn't that good this season, and Dave Doeren's squad has steadily dropped down these rankings as a result. However, there's hope that MJ Morris can spark life back into the Wolfpack's passing offense. Transfer Brennan Armstrong threw for 112 yards and two interceptions in the loss to Louisville over the weekend, making it clear NC State couldn't be a contender with him under center.
8. WAKE FOREST DEMON DEACONS (3-1)
Last Week's Ranking: 9 (Up 1)The Demon Deacons trailed by 17 points at half at Old Dominion and had to outscore the Monarchs 14-0 in the fourth quarter to squeak out a 27-24 win in Week 3. They followed with a blowout loss to Georgia Tech before entering their bye. Quarterback Mitch Griffis started the season strong but threw five interceptions over his last two outings and has the misfortune of playing Clemson in Death Valley this weekend.
7. SYRACUSE ORANGE (4-1)
Last Week's Ranking: 7 (Same)Syracuse had its first opportunity to prove it belongs among the ACC's elite last week but stumbled with a 31-14 loss to Clemson at home. They'll have more chances this weekend at North Carolina and at Florida State in Week 7. The Orange lost six of their last seven after a 6-0 start last season and hope this season doesn't follow a similar trajectory after starting 4-0.
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Pitt vs. Virginia Tech Full Game Replay | 2023 ACC Football (youtube; video; ACC DN)
Virginia Tech picked up a 38-21 home victory over Pitt in a strong offensive performance by the Hokies. VT QB Kyron Drones had a terrific game, scoring 5 total touchdowns. He completed 12 of 19 passes for 228 yards and 3 scores, and then added 41 yards and 2 touchdowns on the ground. RB Bhayshul Tuten had a 109 yard game on 24 carries. Pitt QB Phil Jurkovec went 11-22 for 235 yards and 2 touchdowns in the loss.
Drones and Klubnik vault up ACC QBR standings after major signs of promise (AP; Haley)
With some of the ACC’s elite quarterbacks like Jordan Travis and Drake Maye on bye, other conference passers were able to make names for themselves. Some of the more mercurial passers in the league took advantage of the opportunity.
Despite the Panthers’ lackluster record, the Pittsburgh pass defense hadn’t really been bullied early on in 2023, surrendering just 159.5 yards per game and five touchdowns through the air in their first four games. In just his third start, Virginia Tech’s Kyron Drones eviscerated them. He completed 12 of 19 passes for 228 yards and three touchdowns, adding two more scores on the ground in a 38-21 romp. Drones earned an 89.7 QBR, his first grade above 60 for the season.
Vaunted Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik hadn’t quite lived up to the billing in the first few games of the season. He threw an interception in each of the first two games, including a blowout upset loss to Duke in Week 1. He flashed at times in an overtime loss to Florida State in Week 4, but in this weekend’s game against Syracuse, he delivered. He carved up the Orange defense for 263 yards and a pair of touchdowns, his first excellent game against a Power 5 opponent this season.
Here is how the ACC’s starters shake out after Week 5.
| Name | Team | QBR | Last Week (Rank) |
| Tyler Van Dyke | Miami | 92.0 | 91.5 (1st) |
| Jordan Travis | Florida State | 86.0 | 86.5 (3rd) |
| Drake Maye | North Carolina | 86.0 | 87.3 (2nd) |
| Garrett Shrader | Syracuse | 75.6 | 82.3 (4th) |
| Riley Leonard | Duke | 72.9 | 80.1 (5th) |
| Anthony Colandrea | Virginia | 72.4 | 69.8 (8th) |
| Haynes King | Georgia Tech | 66.2 | 73.2 (7th) |
| Jack Plummer | Louisville | 65.2 | 78.6 (6th) |
| Kyron Drones | Virginia Tech | 63.9 | 46.4 (12th) |
| Cade Klubnik | Clemson | 58.8 | 46.8 (11th) |
| Thomas Castellanos | Boston College | 51.9 | 53.7 (9th) |
| Brennan Armstrong | Virginia | 41.0 | 51.8 (10th) |
| Phil Jurkovec | Pittsburgh | 37.5 | 41.5 (13th) |
| Mitch Griffis | Wake Forest | 30.7 | 33.4 (14th) |
Kelly Gramlich and Eric Mac Lain talk ACC football - Gramlich and Mac Lain (M & G; podcast; Maclain & Gramlich)
Kyron Drones is coming off a 5 TD performance in Virginia Tech's big win over Pitt on Saturday. He joins us to preview the Hokies' massive road contest at #5 FSU this weekend. Presented by Ingles Markets.
Bill Trocchi talks national college football, why the ACC is better this football season – 105.9 WLNI-FM (wlni.com; radio; Trocchi)
College football editor for the Sporting News, Bill Trocchi joins The Sportsline to talk top national college football headlines around the country, including why the Georgia Bulldogs are no longer his number one team in the AP poll, on why he is looking forward to Pac-12 foes battling it out as the season continues, and why the ACC is significantly better than in previous seasons.
ACC FB on ABC as of 2023 Oct 2 (RX; HM)
ACC FB on ABC as of 2023 Oct 2
The ACC is having a great football season, and ESPN is taking advantage of it by putting lots of games on ABC...
| Game on ABC | Date/Time |
| S. Carolina vs. N. Carolina | Saturday 9/2 7:30 PM |
| LSU vs. Florida State | Sunday 9/3 7:30 PM |
| Notre Dame at NC State | Saturday 9/9 12:00 PM |
| Texas A&M at Miami (FL) | Saturday 9/9 3:30 PM |
| Florida State at Boston College | Saturday 9/16 12:00 PM |
| Florida State at Clemson | Saturday 9/23 12:00 PM |
| Clemson at Syracuse | Saturday 9/30 12:00 PM |
| Notre Dame at Duke | Saturday 9/30 7:30 PM |
| Virginia Tech at Florida State | Saturday 10/7 3:30 PM |
| Notre Dame at Louisville | Saturday 10/7 7:30 PM |
| Miami at N. Carolina | Saturday 10/14 12 or 7:30 PM [1 each] |
| Syracuse at Florida State | |
| Future Games on ABC | Date/Time |
| Notre Dame at Clemson | Saturday 11/4 TBA |
| Miami (FL) at Boston College | Friday 11/24 12:00 PM |
| ACC Championship | Saturday 12/2 8:00 PM |
As you can see, there have already been 12 ACC football games broadcast or scheduled on ABC this season, with at least three more to come in future weeks. And notice that several high-profile games are still future but the tv network has not been determined, such as..
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Rx: Covering the TE (RX; HM)
Rx: Covering the TE
I've noticed a trend in college football lately... ok, it's not so new after all. I'm talking about using the tight end in the passing game. After watching Notre Dame attack defenses with tight ends like Michael Mayer all last season, then seeing an otherwise stout Auburn defense get shredded by Georgia Bulldogs' tight end Brock Bowers last weekend - even when everyone in the stadium knew they were going to throw to him - it just convinces me that college defenses simply don't know how to stop a good TE!
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Banter: Can BC Football Build on Their First ACC Win? (bcinterruption; Staff)
Curtis: Hey, that’s a BC football win! Did we like what we saw from the team on Saturday? For me, it was a tale of two halves. BC came out of the gate looking like the same old squad who can’t get out of their own way. UVA was able to march down the field on our defense multiple times, including a score on that Hail Mary at the end of the half. And the offense looked inept, only putting up 7 points and punting too many times. But they pulled it together in the second half and performed like we all believed they could! The offense strung together a lot of successful drives and the defense got a lot more stops. If they can just play like that for a full 60 minutes, we may see a few more wins this year.
Arthur: Yeah, so I appreciate their grit, because it would have been very easy to pack it in after that Hail Mary. That was a brutal thing to happen going into the room. But they came back! The first half was rough. The second half looked pretty competent. And yeah, with BC’s schedule there may be more wins coming at that level. But first halves like Saturday can’t happen again against better competition.
Curran: Yes, it was nice to fight back and get the win. But to me, it just seems more of the same: BC came out flat, digging themselves into a huge hole, and just tried to beat themselves. Every time one issue is plugged, BC just finds other ways to hurt themselves. It was encouraging to see the improvement with penalties. Yet, against this awful UVA defense, we committed 4 turnovers that should’ve cost us the game. So yea, I’m happy about the win but I don’t see at as any sort of meaningful building block.
Kieran: A win is a win I guess, even if it wasn’t exactly how you drew it up. After that Hail Mary I kinda thought that’d be the end of the game and BC would pack it up. But they really fought back well on both sides. It was good to see sustained drives from the offense and nice stops from the defense. But I do see Curran’s point and agree with it. BC was lucky that those turnovers didn’t impact the game as much as they should have, and it’s definitely true that every time one issue seems to be solved, another one takes its place.
Arthur: I think mentally winning is important too. I think what could be built on is Hafley pointing to this game, saying “see we can do it if we keep our heads with us,” and let them keep digging in practice. It has to feel better in the room now that they’ve got that monkey off the back. That’s huge particularly with a team with a lot of youth.
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Miami football 2023 numbers are most dominant in ACC (caneswarning.com; Rubenstein)
The Miami football team has the best numbers in the ACC as they begin conference play on Saturday versus Georgia Tech. Miami leads the ACC in scoring offense, total offense and rushing offense and defense as they begin conference play. Miami is fourth in passing, second in scoring and total defense and eighth against the pass.
The Hurricanes have started the 2023 season 4-0 with the 13th-best strength of record, 15th-best Football Power Index according to ESPN versus the 102nd-best strength of schedule. The strength of schedule for the Miami football team will significantly improve as they go through their ACC schedule.
Real-Time RPI ranks the ACC as the third-best conference five weeks into the season. The Pac 12 is first and the SEC second. The ACC is behind the SEC despite a winning record in head-to-head games between the conferences. The four traditional in-state rivalry games between the ACC and SEC will occur on Thanksgiving Weekend.
Miami is topping the ACC averaging 43.8 points per game. The Hurricanes have scored at least 38 points in its first four games for the first time since 2022. Miami finished the 2022 season averaging 40.5 which was fourth out of 117 nationally. Most impressive is that Miami scored 48 on Texas A&M who is allowing 18.5 PPG.
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Other
New owners vow to restore Syracuse’s infamous Snowdon apartments. Their first step? They moved in (PS; Moriarty)
The new owners of the 121-year-old Snowdon Apartments say they have a long-term vision to bring the once-luxurious property back to its past glory but have no plans to evict its mostly indigent tenants.
Six young Hudson Valley real estate investors bought the Snowdon at 400 James St. for $3.4 million in August from the estate of the late Russell Phelps, who died in February at age 105. It was the first time in nearly half a century that the prominent -- and sometimes troubled -- property has changed hands.
Two of the new owners are brothers from Dutchess County who are facing federal charges in connection with the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol.
One of those brothers, Gregory Purdy, 25, says he’s no longer concerned with politics. He and his brother, Matthew, 24, have pleaded not guilty to charges.
Now, they say they want to rebuild the Snowdon. Gregory Purdy and another new owner, Ryan Blakley, 29, have already moved into the Snowdon and started making changes, from improving the bathrooms to cleaning out abandoned junk left behind by former tenants.
Blakley and Gregory Purdy gave a tour of the property to a reporter and a photographer from syracuse.com | The Post-Standard. They said the group’s long-term plan is to do a major renovation of the interior to make its apartments market-rate units again.
However, they said they will only do that after acquiring another property where the Snowdon’s residents could move to. The plan will take years to accomplish, they acknowledge, adding there are no immediate plans to evict current tenants, who include registered sex offenders, convicts and people who rely on government subsidies.
“We don’t want to disrupt the community,” said Purdy. “There are people who need to be there right now.”
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Lafayette Apple Fest 2018 c/o Post Standard
The LaFayette Apple Festival has brought people ‘back to simpler times’ for 50 years (PS; Croyle)
In the American folk tale of Johnny Appleseed, the main character wanders the eastern half of the United States planting huge apple orchards from a pouch of tiny seeds.
Although based on a real person, much of the legend is fiction. But it demonstrates how determined people can grow something small into something huge.
Like the LaFayette Apple Festival, which brings thousands of people every year to the southern Onondaga County town to salute New York’s official state fruit.
This weekend marks its 50th anniversary.
Director Dave Knapp says that the Festival’s formula has remained the same over the years.
Keep it family-friendly, affordable, and local, and add dash of nostalgia.
“We want to take people back to simpler times,” he said. “If it isn’t broke, don’t fix it.”
Knapp should know what works. He has been a part of the Festival since he was 11 years old.
His parents, Malcolm and Bettye, were two of its founders and he was enlisted early on to help out.
“I was told don’t make any plans on Columbus Day weekend,” he said, adding that he missed one only year, his “plebe” year at West Point.
“The Army did not care about the LaFayette Apple Festival,” Knapp jokes.
The “seed” for the Festival started with a handful of residents who thought that the area’s local apple industry and the typical beautiful early autumn weather would bring people to LaFayette.
It could “attract hundreds of visitors,” the “Tully Independent” predicted.
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Meghan Hendricks | Senior Staff Photographer
SU's Chimesmasters find friendship in secrecy (DO; Matlock)
Dealing with COVID-19 lockdown protocols their freshman year, one shy senior vocalist felt very isolated at SU. Joining the university’s musical secret society, the Chimesmasters, brought them out of their shell.
“It’s almost like having a useless superpower or like a double life,” the vocalist, who chose to remain anonymous due to their involvement with the Chimesmasters, said. “You hear (the bells) for miles, I can hear it from my house and I live off campus now. It makes me feel connected to campus and to other people.”
The vocalist said it was the first activity they really got involved with on campus, and that it has shaped their experience at SU. They have formed friendships with other Chimesmasters and gained a sense of responsibility for the campus.
“When you get to go up to the tower and you get to do your shifts …you get to feel a sense of power,” a senior bassist, who chose to remain anonymous due to their involvement with the Chimesmasters, said. “It can be a really cool and uplifting feeling knowing that everyone who’s walking around, even people in classes, can hear what you’re doing right now.”
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