sutomcat
No recent Cali or Iggy awards; Mr Irrelevant
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Welcome to Jeep 4x4 Day!
Jeep 4x4 Day was first observed in 2016 in honor of the 75th anniversary of the first Jeeps, the Willys MBs, which started being made in 1941 and were used in World War II. The event takes place on the fourth day of the fourth month, a reference to 4x4, which means four-wheel drive. It celebrates all things Jeep and celebrates and is celebrated by Jeep enthusiasts and owners. It celebrates the freedom of off-road driving and is a day when people get outdoors with their Jeep.
The theme of the first observance was "Save the Dirt." In the lead-up to the day, fans were encouraged to be proud of the rugged and "dirty" look of their Jeep and to get their Jeep dirty and not wash it until after Jeep 4x4 Day. They were encouraged to share their best photos on the day and to consider the dirt in their photos as a badge of honor. The Jeep Snapchat channel was also launched in honor of the first observance.
In 2017, the custom Snapchat lens "Jeep Hair, Don't Care" was created in honor of the day, which allowed users to see themselves behind the wheel of an open-air Jeep Wrangler. For the 2019 observance, there was a pre-order opportunity for the Jeep Gladiator Launch Edition—which sold out on the day. Those who participated also were entered into a "Find Your Freedom" contest, which gave them a chance to win $100,000. In 2019, Jeep also posted content from fans, owners, influencers, and forums to create an Instagram Story celebration on the day.
SU News
WFXR
Malachi Coleman commits to Syracuse football (247sports; McAllister)
Class of 2025 Roanoke (VA) Fleming running back Malachi Coleman has committed to Syracuse football, he announced on social media. The Orange was Coleman's only power conference offer, but he had interest from schools like Virginia Tech, Wake Forest and others. Coleman is listed at 5-10, 185 pounds and is also a track star. He posted a time of 6.24 seconds on the 55-meters, which roughly calculates to around a 4.2 40-yard dash time
He ran for 1,787 yards and 16 touchdowns on 222 carries (8.04 yards per attempt) during his junior season. Despite the speed and production, Coleman was an under the radar prospect. Other than Syracuse, he had no power conference offers and did not even have a recruiting profile on any of the major recruiting services websites. Still, Syracuse loved his talent and you can see why when you look at the numbers. His speed is no joke and that seems to be a theme for the Orange this cycle. Syracuse is going after speed at every position and landing some of the fastest players in the class.
Coleman is Syracuse's twelvth commitment in the 2025 recruiting class and second running back. He joins edge Sharlandiin Strange out of Cheltenham High in Pennsylvania, wide receiver, Darien Williams out of Christian Brothers Academy in New York, defensive back Javon Lawrence out of North Rockland High in New York, offensive lineman Byron Washington out of DeSoto High in Texas, defensive back Marcus Upton out of Winslow Township High in New Jersey, defensive back Jordan Gibbs out of Longwood High in New York, two-way lineman Jaylan Pray out of Brunswick School in Connecticut, quarterback Luke Carney out of Dallas Christian School in Texas, running back Bo MacCormack out of Buckingham Browne & Nichols School in Massachusetts, offensive lineman Matthew Hawn out of Christian Brothers Academy in New York and wide receiver Julian McFadden out of LeSalle College High in Pennsylvania.
Syracuse football adds Virginia speedster to Class of 2025 (PS; $; Leiker)
Syracuse football picked up its 12th commitment for its Class of 2025 on Wednesday night.
Malachi Coleman, a running back out of Roanoke, Virginia, announced his commitment via social media, writing, in part, “To the City Roanoke I won’t let you down.”
The addition of Coleman means SU currently leads the ACC in number of commits this recruiting cycle, passing Clemson, which has 11. The class is No. 3 in the ACC, though, in ratings behind the Tigers and SMU, according to the 247Sports Composite. It is No. 16 in the country.
Coleman (5-foot-11, 180 pounds) is not currently ranked by any of the major recruiting services.
He plays for William Fleming High School and had 222 carries for 1,787 yards and 16 touchdowns last season, according to his Hudl highlights. He was voted player of the year in a poll run by a local radio station. Fleming finished 8-5.
What’s most notable about Coleman, and follows an emerging trend in Syracuse’s recruiting efforts, is he’s a track phenom.
Coleman ran a personal best 6.24-second 55-meter dash at an indoor track meet in January. It’s listed as the No. 3 time in the event in the country on AthleticNet. He also runs the 55-meter hurdles and 110-meter hurdles.
Other schools to offer Coleman include Air Force, Colgate and Cornell. Syracuse was his first Power 5 offer.
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(youtube; video; WFXR)
William Fleming junior RB Malachi Coleman commits to Syracuse University
Syracuse football gets verbal commitment from Class of 2025 WR, now tied with Clemson for most in ACC (PS; $; Leiker)
Julian McFadden, a wide receiver from Philadelphia, verbally committed to the Syracuse football team on Tuesday. He announced his commitment on social media.
McFadden, a member of the Class of 2025, has not yet been ranked by the major recruiting websites. Syracuse’s recruiting graphic lists him as 5-foot-11 and 185 pounds. His offer list on 247 Sports included offers from Boston College, along with schools like Buffalo and Western Michigan.
According to McFadden’s account on X (formerly Twitter) he was offered by Syracuse on March 21. Less than two weeks later he was committed to the Orange.
He brings the number of verbal commitments in Syracuse’s Class of 2025 to 11. That is tied for the most in the ACC, along with Clemson. Verbal commitments are not binding until after a player signs a National Letter of Intent.
Boosted by the high number of players already committed, Syracuse’s group of commitments for 2025 is currently ranked by 247 Sports as the No. 15 class in the country and the No. 2 class in the ACC. It includes one four-star prospect. Syracuse is one of 10 ACC schools (out of 17) that currently has a four-star commitment.
McFadden plays football at La Salle Academy, the same high school as former Syracuse and current NFL star Zaire Franklin. The Explorers went 6-5 last year.
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Fran Brown & Syracuse Strike Again (pafootballnews.com; Pietrangelo)
Fran Brown’s recruiting impact is heating up for Syracuse football as they received their eleventh verbal commitment from the class of 2025 when LaSalle’s Julian McFadden (5’11” 160 lbs) WR verbally committed to the Orange via his social media accounts this morning. McFadden is rated a three-star on 247Sports but no other major outlets have him ranked though I feel a sudden shift coming in the next few months. He concluded the 2023 season with 53 catches for 796 yards and scored 13 total touchdowns. He holds 10 other offers from Towson, New Hampshire, Monmouth, Lafayette, Delaware State, Buffalo, Western Michigan, Bucknell, Bethune-Cookman, & Boston College. Syracuse offered 2 weeks ago and McFadden told Brian Dohn of 247Sports after his visit, “The visit was great. All of the coaches and staff were great and they have all bought into the mindset that Coach Fran (Brown) has brought. He has set the tone early and this program is on the rise. McFadden also said he had a strong relationship with wide receivers coach Ross Douglas.“I can’t say enough about coach Douglas,” McFadden continued, “He has been amazing. His communication is great and I felt like knew him when I walked through the door. I really liked the energy that he brought to the practice and to his players. He also seems to have a great connection with all his receivers, which is really important to me.”
Syracuse Football: Another day, another 2025 pledge as Philly 3-star WR commits to SU (itlh; Adler)
Syracuse football head coach Fran Brown and his staff continue to make waves with their 2025 recruiting class.
On Wednesday, three-star wide receiver/cornerback Julian McFadden from the Philadelphia market announced his verbal commitment to the Orange via his X page.
A huge congrats and welcome from 'Cuse Nation to Julian. He says on his X page that he's listed at 5-foot-11 and 170 pounds.
McFadden is a standout at La Salle College High School in Wyndmoor, Pa., which is about a 30-minute drive to Philadelphia, one of the key recruiting areas for Brown and his assistants.
Syracuse football has scored a pledge from 2025 three-star prospect Julian McFadden.
According to his X account, in the 2023 season as a junior for La Salle, McFadden hauled in 53 catches for 796 receiving yards. He tallied 916 total yards and 13 touchdowns, while also making one interception on the defensive end.
McFadden's verbal commitment to the Orange came quickly. On March 21 of this year, he said that he had received a scholarship offer from the 'Cuse. That same day, per the 247Sports Web site, McFadden took an unofficial visit to Syracuse football.
Roughly two weeks later, he has verbally pledged to the Orange. When I wrote this article on Wednesday, the 'Cuse had at least 11 verbal commitments in 2025 class, and all but one have occurred since mid-March.
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Westford’s Bo MacCormack commits to play football at Syracuse University (lowellsun.com; Hurley)
After putting up monster numbers on the gridiron at Buckingham, Browne & Nichols this past fall, Bo MacCormack is looking ahead to the next stage of his football career.
The Westford resident and BB&N junior has committed to play at Division 1 Syracuse University.
A 5-foot-11, 200-pound junior running back, MacCormack was one of the top area high school prospects after rushing for 1,765 yards and scoring 31 touchdowns. He’s thrilled to be joining the Orange in 2025.
“It feels awesome to be honest,” said MacCormack, 18. “I’m really happy with my decision knowing where I’m going. I think the coaching staff is awesome and it’s a great place. I’m really excited.”
MacCormack fielded plenty of attractive offers from a number of high-profile schools, including Rutgers, Wisconsin, Costal Carolina, UConn and Boston College. But at the end of the day he opted to run with the Orange. He’s excited to work with offensive coordinator/running backs coach Jeff Nixon and incoming head coach Fran Brown.
“They’re the two best coaches in the country,” said MacCormack. “I think they have something special going on down there. I just really want to be a part of that. I feel like I can fit into that system really well.”
He got to tour the campus last week.
“I loved it,” said MacCormack. “I’ve been talking to them for a while since the new coaching staff came in. I obviously loved everything I heard. Going up there just made it even better seeing it in person. Everything about it was awesome.”
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Syracuse Football: Big Ten power has analyst buzz for 4-star WR who visited SU last month (itlh; Adler)
Early last month, 2025 four-star speedy wide receiver and return man Vernell Brown III from Florida took an unofficial visit to Syracuse football, and that trip went well, according to media reports.
The 5-foot-11, 175-pound Brown, who is rated inside the top 60 nationally by and in the top 250 overall by all of the primary recruiting services, has the Orange among his finalists. In late February, Brown disclosed a top 11 of Syracuse football, Alabama, Clemson, Florida, Florida State, Louisville, Miami, Ohio State, Stanford, Tennessee and UCF.
These days, the Buckeyes out of the Big Ten Conference are receiving some analyst buzz for Brown on various recruiting Web sites.
When I wrote this column on Tuesday, I counted at least three predictions in Ohio State's direction for Brown between the 247Sports Web site and the On3 Web site. Additionally, On3's recruiting prediction machine currently has the Buckeyes as the heavy favorite for Brown.
Syracuse football faces steep competition for 2025 four-star target Vernell Brown III.
Brown, a standout at Jones High School in Orlando, Fla., received a scholarship offer in late January of this year from the new Orange coaching staff, which is led by head coach and ace recruiter Fran Brown.
Vernell Brown III, throughout his recruiting process, has landed more than 40 scholarship offers from a range of high-major programs, according to recruiting services.
As a junior at Jones during the 2023 season, Brown tallied 1,404 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns through the air, as well as 16 total scores and more than 2,000 all-purpose yards, per reports.
Earlier this year, when refreshed its 2025 national rankings, Brown made one of the biggest jumps around the country, vaulting to No. 58 overall, No. 3 at athlete and No. 10 in Florida.
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Overheard at SU football spring practice: 'Would you believe me if I said it was harder up here?' (PS; $; Axe)
Changing the culture, changing roles on the field and Syracuse’s conditioning is harder than Georgia?
Those were just some of the things I overheard at Syracuse football spring practice this week.
Head Cooch Fran Brown
On changing the culture of Syracuse football: “I’m just trying to bring the whole family back together. (SU AD) John Wildhack said this is what I want- let’s get everybody back together. Just trying to keep the family together.”On where he is focusing his experience as a defensive backs coach with SU: “Working on eye discipline and transition. Just understanding those little details that a lot of times they don’t think are important and knowing you are going to do it over and over and over again. We may only do two drills because you haven’t done it the right way. We can’t go on until you do it the right way. Eye discipline is everything when it comes to being a good corner.”
On his message to getting LB Marlowe Wax to return to Syracuse: “I know what it takes for you to go be a pro. I coached (Buffalo Bills LB) Tyler Matakevich and a bunch of guys that played his position. I can show you how to be a pro. From the way you eat, the way you sleep, your body, everything. You wanna be a pro? Let us show you how to be a pro.”
“We gotta change your body. You gotta get your body right. Let’s get you real lean. Let’s get you to be sexy. Let’s get some abs and things of that nature. I think he did a good job of cutting his body fat down. He got strong. He did (bench pressed) 225 (pounds) about 25 times. When we first got here, it was 16, 17. His body fat went down into the single digits. All those little things it takes for those guys to go be a pro. He’s a pro. He handles himself like a pro. He already had it, now let me show you how to keep that fire lit.”
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Keeping Up With The 315 4-3-24 (ESPN; radio; The 315)
Brian opens the show discussing the news that Colorado center Eddie Lampkin is coming to Syracuse and what that means for the potential rotation next season. Then, he has some random breaking news before an update on FRAN BROWN and SU football. Lastly, Brian gives his thoughts on Stefon Diggs being traded to the Texans.
Syverud, other top officials, pitch 70-school super league that would pay athletes (report) (PS; $; Carlson)
College Sports Tomorrow, a think tank whose membership includes Syracuse Chancellor Kent Syverud, is reportedly pitching a model for the future of college sports that would include an upper division with 70 permanent schools and pay athletes.
The details of the group’s plan were reported on Wednesday by The Athletic. The group’s existence and Syverud’s involvement had been reported previously by ESPN.
In January, Syverud told ESPN that “the current system of college sports can’t continue” and acknowledged being part of a group that was exploring how the enterprise could look in the future.
The Athletic article provided more details on their plan.
According to The Athletic, College Sports Tomorrow is pitching a “super league” with a 70-team top division. That top division would include all the former members of the Power-Five, along with SMU and Notre Dame.
The 70 teams would play in seven permanent 10-team divisions. An eighth division would be created from 10 second-tier schools that would be promoted and relegated in a style similar to European soccer.
The plan would reportedly be used to govern the 130 Football Bowl Subdivision schools.
According to the report, top brands like Alabama and Notre Dame would receive a greater portion of revenue generated by the super league.
Still, the model would seem to benefit Syracuse, entrenching the school in the top tier of college sports.
Syverud described the goal as trying to make sure all schools can compete but also building a model that will generate more revenue, allowing schools to take on both the burden of paying athletes and continuing to operate Olympic sports.
“We’ve been looking at something that’s large enough that it gives everybody a chance to compete, and that does translate into about 70 schools,” Syverud said. “That also creates content that’s more valuable so that it generates the resources to do more things that the university presidents think are important for college sports. It is not the case that the money to do what’s right for our college athletes in football is just going to emerge from nowhere. Somehow it has to be generated. That’s what we are trying to figure out, as well.”
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College football 'Super League' proposal draws skepticism over lack of top schools' involvement (awfulannouncing.com; Bucholtz)
Perhaps the most remarkable thing around the significant media coverage of a proposed college football “super league” is who is not involved. A key story on this from Andrew Marchand and Stewart Mandel at The Athletic Wednesday involved on-the-record quotes from executives at just two schools that are not generally perceived to be even close to national title contention. That would be Syracuse and West Virginia:
As per that story, the idea from group “College Sports Tomorrow” is for an 80-team setup. That would include 70 permanent members (all members of the five former major conferences, plus Notre Dame and new ACC member SMU) in seven 10-team divisions, with an eighth 10-team division involving promotion and relegation for the other schools in the 130-plus team FBS.
And, yes, there are significant people cited as being involved. Those include NFL chief media and business officer Brian Rolapp, Philadelphia 76ers owner David Blitzer and lead organizer Len Perna of search firm TurnkeyZRG. But the people actually in college sports quoted here are West Virginia president Gordon Gee and Syracuse chancellor Kent Syverud (Perna is quoted, but he’s leading this on-the-outside-looking-in group), and it’s difficult to imagine a world where figures at those schools are two of the most important people in college athletics. And while the quotes from Syverud and Gee suggest potential apocalypse under the current system (albeit without much to defend that view), the piece’s note on how few conferences will even take a meeting with them perhaps stands out more:
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I think I've found the greatest pub of all time... | TechSideline.com (virginiatech.sportswar.com; Coleman)
I think I've found the greatest pub of all time...
Apparently Gio lives right down the street, and he waited all this time before he finally told me.Link: Coleman's
Posted: 04/03/2024 at 11:25AM
ACC News
College Football Playoff revenue model treats ACC, Big 12 the same when they really aren’t (seattletimes.com; Wilner)
It has been two weeks since the College Football Playoff formalized a new contract with ESPN and created a revenue model that declares, with no pretense or shame, that the Big Ten and SEC are better than everyone else.
No matter how many teams from each conference qualify for the playoff in a given year, no matter where they are seeded or how they perform, the Big Ten and SEC will receive hundreds of millions of dollars more annually than the Big 12 and ACC.
That, folks, is March madness.
The Big Two conferences are expected to collect 59% of the $1.3 billion available annually during the six-year agreement, which begins in the fall of 2026.
Meanwhile, the revenue model assigns second-class cash to the Big 12 and ACC, which are set to receive 32 percent of the total revenue each year.
(Other details of the playoff’s next chapter remain undetermined, including the number of participants, automatic bids, at-large spots and opening-round byes.)
In a sport that traditionally treats its power conferences as equals, the change in revenue distribution is unprecedented — the first visible evidence of The Great Split, with the Big Ten and SEC consolidating authority following the latest realignment wave.
But as the process plays out in surreal time, a second dynamic, far less tectonic in nature but equally fascinating, is unfolding: The CFP contract negotiations have cast the Big 12 and the ACC as necessary partners, the strangest of bedfellows.
Aside from the outsized role basketball plays in their cultures, the two leagues could not be more different. Yet they have been forced to grab the hind legs of the CFP cash cow and hold on, together, for dear life.
The ACC is based on the Eastern Seaboard with a slew of small private schools and some of the nation’s academic powerhouses. The Big 12 is loaded with massive universities and centered in the Southern Plains.
The commissioners are different, too. The ACC’s stately Jim Phillips has spent a lifetime in college sports while the Big 12’s hard-charging dealmaker, Brett Yormark, is a relative newcomer to the space.
The conferences are also dissimilar in the valuation levels of their football programs.
Were the SEC and Big Ten to hold an expansion draft, the top four picks would come from the ACC: North Carolina would be the first off the board — it’s the Caitlin Clark of realignment — followed by some combination of Virginia, Florida State and Clemson. Heck, Miami might even give the ACC a clean sweep of the top five selections.
In that regard, the revenue distribution within the CFP’s new contract doesn’t reflect the competitive stature of the two leagues.
The model is based, in part, on CFP participation over the past 10 years using schools in their new conferences, which makes sense.
What doesn’t make sense is the Big 12 ended up with an annual revenue share of approximately 15 percent of the ESPN deal while the ACC is collecting 17 percent.
The difference in percentage is slight; the difference in performance is substantial.
After all, the new ACC can claim seven playoff appearances to date, thanks to Clemson (six) and Florida State (one). But the new Big 12 has just two CFP appearances to its name, courtesy of Cincinnati and TCU.
Seven is a lot more than two, just as Clemson and Florida State (and North Carolina) are a lot more valuable than any program in the Big 12.
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https://athlonsports.com/college-fo...-best-must-see-game-every-week-in-2024-season (athlonsports.com; Lassan)
The ACC heads into the 2024 college football season with some big-time changes and plenty of interesting games on the schedule. The addition of California, Stanford, and SMU creates some new matchups and road trips across the conference. However, the league's top battles and must-see games is still likely to remain with high-profile showdowns like Florida State-Clemson, Miami-Florida State, and Clemson-NC State.
Although the 2024 season is still months away, it's never too early to take a look at the upcoming schedule and project what the top contests and matchups will be this fall.
Which matchups involving ACC teams are the best for each week in the 2024 college football season? Athlon Sports picks the No. 1 contest for all 14 weeks of the regular season:
ACC Football: Predicting the Best Game Every Week in the 2024 Season
Week 1: Georgia vs. Clemson (Atlanta, Ga.)
It's a toss-up between Georgia-Clemson for a neutral site opener or Miami at Florida for the pick in Week 1. The 'Canes-Gators showdown is likely to be more competitive, but it's hard to pass up on a contest featuring the potential No. 1 team in Georgia and a Clemson team motivated to get back to the top of the ACC.
Other Matchups: Boston College at Florida State; Ohio at Syracuse; Virginia Tech at Vanderbilt; TCU at Stanford, North Carolina at Minnesota; Miami at Florida
Week 2: Tennessee vs. NC State (Charlotte, N.C.)
This matchup would be better if it was played in Raleigh, but a top-25 showdown in Week 2 between Tennessee-NC State in Charlotte is still appealing. How will new Wolfpack quarterback Grayson McCall and a rebuilt defense handle Tennessee rising star quarterback Nico Iamaleava?
Other Matchups: Duke at Northwestern; BYU at SMU; California at Auburn, Virginia at Wake Forest; Appalachian State at Clemson; Georgia Tech at Syracuse, Pitt at Cincinnati
Week 3: West Virginia at Pitt
The Backyard Brawl. This bitter rivalry is easily the must-see game in Week 3 after these two teams split the series the last two years. This matchup is also a good test for Pitt's revamped offense after a contest at Cincinnati the previous week.
Other Matchups: Ole Miss at Wake Forest, Boston College at Missouri; Maryland at Virginia; San Diego State at California; Memphis at Florida State; Virginia Tech at Old Dominion
Week 4: NC State at Clemson
This game could be huge for positioning in the ACC in '24. The Wolfpack won the last two meetings in Raleigh but have not defeated Clemson in Death Valley since '02. This contest should be a good showdown between the Tigers' standout defense and new NC State quarterback Grayson McCall.
Other Matchups: Stanford at Syracuse; Michigan State at Boston College; Rutgers at Virginia Tech; California at Florida State; Georgia Tech at Louisville; Miami at South Florida; James Madison at North Carolina; Virginia at Coastal Carolina; TCU at SMU
Week 5: Virginia Tech at Miami (Friday, Sept. 27)
The Hokies were one of the ACC's hottest teams at the end of the '23 season and should be 4-0 going into this showdown at Miami. The 'Canes have won five out of the last six against the Hokies.
Other Matchups: North Carolina at Duke; Stanford at Clemson; Florida State at SMU; Louisville at Notre Dame
Week 6: Clemson at Florida State
The Seminoles and Tigers have combined for 12 out of the last 13 ACC Championships and this year's game is likely to play a huge role in shaping the top of the league once again. Also, it's a reunion for Florida State quarterback DJ Uiagalelei, who played at Clemson from 2020-22.
Other Matchups: Boston College at Virginia; Miami at California; Duke at Georgia Tech; SMU at Louisville; Pitt at North Carolina; Virginia Tech at Stanford; Wake Forest at NC State
Week 7: Georgia Tech at North Carolina
Week 7 doesn't have an obvious No. 1 matchup, so let's go with a contest that produced 86 points and over 1,000 yards of total offense last season.
Other Matchups: California at Pitt; Stanford at Notre Dame; Clemson at Wake Forest; Louisville at Virginia; Syracuse at NC State
Week 8: Miami at Louisville
The Cardinals won a 38-31 thriller in Miami last season. This year's matchup is likely to be just as entertaining and also crucial to positioning within the league. This showdown is also a battle between two of college football's top transfers at quarterback (Cameron Ward, Miami and Tyler Shough, Louisville) for '24.
Other Matchups: SMU at Stanford; Virginia at Clemson; NC State at California; Boston College at Virginia Tech; Florida State at Duke; Notre Dame at Georgia Tech
Week 9: Florida State at Miami
The battle for bragging rights in the Sunshine State is always a must-see matchup. Florida State is trending up under coach Mike Norvell, while Miami hopes to do what the 'Noles did last season with a trip to the ACC title game. Florida State has won three in a row in this series, including a 45-3 blowout in '22 in Hard Rock Stadium.
Other Matchups: Syracuse at Pitt; Louisville at Boston College; Oregon State at California; SMU at Duke; Georgia Tech at Virginia Tech; North Carolina at Virginia; Wake Forest at Stanford
Week 10: Louisville at Clemson
Clemson has won all eight matchups on the gridiron against Louisville. The Cardinals have lost by 15 or more points in four out of the last five, including a 77-16 blowout in Death Valley in '18. Can coach Jeff Brohm and a reloaded Louisville roster change the direction of this series? Or will the Tigers simply hold serve at home behind a standout defense and quarterback Cade Klubnik?
Other Matchups: Stanford at NC State, Virginia Tech at Syracuse; Duke at Miami, North Carolina at Florida State; Pitt at SMU
Week 11: Florida State at Notre Dame
A showdown of top-10 teams could be in the works when Florida State plays at Notre Dame on Nov. 9. The Seminoles have plenty of familiarity with new Fighting Irish quarterback Riley Leonard after he transferred from Duke this offseason. Also, new Florida State starting quarterback (and Clemson/Oregon State transfer) DJ Uiagalelei threw for 439 yards in a previous start for the Tigers at Notre Dame in 2020.
Other Matchups: Syracuse at Boston College; California at Wake Forest; Duke at NC State, Miami at Georgia Tech, Virginia at Pitt; Clemson at Virginia Tech
Week 12: Boston College at SMU
The ACC doesn't have a clear No. 1 matchup this week, but a rematch of the Fenway Bowl between SMU and Boston College has some intrigue. By Week 12, the Mustangs should have a good feel of how they stack up in their first season of ACC play. Also, this November showdown will give new Boston College coach Bill O'Brien plenty of time to develop quarterback Thomas Castellanos.
Other Matchups: Virginia at Notre Dame; Louisville at Stanford; Boston College at SMU; Syracuse at California; Clemson at Pitt; Wake Forest at North Carolina
Week 13: Stanford at California
The Big Game is now an ACC rivalry with the Cardinal and Golden Bears moving to the ACC in '24. California has won four out of the last five against Stanford.
Other Matchups: NC State at Georgia Tech; North Carolina at Boston College; Virginia Tech at Duke; Pitt at Louisville; Wake Forest at Miami; SMU at Virginia
Week 14: Florida at Florida State
This week doesn't lack for options with several high-profile rivalries on the slate. The last three games have been decided by 10 points or less, including a 24-15 win by the 'Noles in the Swamp last year. Can Florida State continue its recent success (two in a row) in this series? Or can the Gators get a big-time win on the road in this rivalry?
Other Matchups: NC State at North Carolina; Florida at Florida State; Georgia Tech at Georgia; Louisville at Kentucky; South Carolina at Clemson; Pitt at Boston College; California at SMU; Duke at Wake Forest; Miami at Syracuse; Virginia at Virginia Tech
Matt's Guesses, Weeks 0-3, 2024 (RX; HM)
Matt's Guesses, Weeks 0-3, 2024
For years, Matt Sarzniak has been predicting TV schedules for college football games before the TV networks release their picks, which he posts on his blog. Here are his ACC picks for the first four weekends of the 2024 season...
Only 2 ACC games in Week 0, and the FSU/GT game being played in Ireland means it's pretty much a noon-ish game in the United States - still ESPN, since it's the best matchup and all - but that SMU game has prime time written all over it.
Games on 4 out of 5 days (sorry, no ACC game on Sunday). Week 1 features one ACC conference game on Labor Day Monday (pretty much guaranteed to be on ESPN), and 6 ACC-vs-P5 non-conference games, if we include the Notre Dame game (the 2 headliners on ABC, and 3 more on ESPN, including one on Friday night).
Week 2 has twice as many conference games (2), but the focus definitely remains on OOC games. Matt also sees this as ESPN2 week, with 3 games on that network. He has one big ACC/SEC matchup on ABC in prime time, and a slightly less enticing ACC/SEC game on ESPN.
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2025 Recruiting Rankings as of April 3, 2024 (RX; HM)
2025 Recruiting Rankings as of April 3, 2024
This article was suggested* by long-time reader John Dever, a Syracuse fan (who is rightly proud of how his team's new coach is tearing it up on the recruiting trail!)
247Sports posted this on X on April 1st:
Turns out it was NOT an April Fool's joke (I had to be sure!); there really are that many ACC teams in the (way too early) Top 25. Here's the updated rankings as of April 3rd, with more details:
| 2025 Team Recruiting Ranking, by total points | |||||||
| Rank | Team | Total | 5* | 4* | 3* | Other | Avg |
| 1 | Notre Dame | 19 | 0 | 11 | 8 | 0 | 90.59 |
| 2 | Ohio State | 11 | 2 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 95.15 |
| 3 | LSU | 11 | 3 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 94.28 |
| 4 | Clemson | 11 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 93.36 |
| 5 | Penn State | 11 | 0 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 89.28 |
| 6 | Oklahoma | 10 | 0 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 90.29 |
| 7 | USC | 8 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 93.72 |
| 8 | Alabama | 8 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 93.07 |
| 9 | Auburn | 9 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 90.89 |
| 10 | Texas Tech | 10 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 87.76 |
| 11 | Tennessee | 7 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 90.6 |
| 12 | Baylor | 9 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 86.66 |
| 13 | Wisconsin | 7 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 87.77 |
| 14 | UCF | 6 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 89.87 |
| 15 | Syracuse | 11 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 4 | 87.27 |
| 16 | Georgia | 5 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 92.76 |
If the ACC loses 2, who should be #16? (RX; HM)
If the ACC loses 2, who should be #16?
It looks like Florida State is definitely leaving the ACC, one way or another, but Clemson is looking more and more like they will be leaving as well. With 17 football playing members scheduled to begin play in 2024, if two left that would drop the number to 15. Odd numbers of teams limit what you can do in terms of scheduling - and it would make the ACC smaller than the Big XII for the first time, too. Not good!
So, if the conference needs to add a school to get back up to 16 football teams, which school should it be?
My first choice has to be a school already in the "power conference" level. That school is Utah. The Utes check all of the boxes:
- recently good football
- new state for ACCN
- good academics
- good basketball tradition
If it turns out the ACC really can pull Utah, they should also look into the other 3 "Four Corners" schools. Take 'em all if you must - this isn't just a game of "who adds value now" anymore; part of the strategy going forward has to be about getting more of the Big XII's pie...
Shaking Up the ACC: Key Transfers Set to Make an Impact in the 2024 Season (Pt. 2) (clemsonsportstalk.com)
The 2024 college football season will kick off in August, and the ACC will have a new look with three additional teams joining the conference. Across the conference and college football, the transfer portal has sparked a new wave of recruiting.
Over the next few weeks, we will be highlighting some transfers heading to the ACC that we expect to make an immediate impact on the 2024 season. The portal opens again for the spring transfer period from April 15-30, so there could be more additions by the start of fall camp.
- Shaking Up the ACC: Key Transfers Set to Make an Impact in the 2024 Season (Pt. 1)
- Shaking Up the ACC: Key Transfers Set to Make an Impact in the 2024 Season (Pt. 2)
- Shaking Up the ACC: Key Transfers Set to Make an Impact in the 2024 Season (Pt. 3)
- Shaking Up the ACC: Key Transfers Set to Make an Impact in the 2024 Season (Pt. 4)
- Shaking Up the ACC: Key Transfers Set to Make an Impact in the 2024 Season (Pt. 5)
Miami Hurricanes
Cameron Ward, QB: After originally declaring for the NFL Draft, Cameron Ward committed to Miami and gave the Hurricanes one of the top quarterbacks in the transfer portal cycle. Ward totaled 48 passing touchdowns and 13 rushing touchdowns in just two seasons with Washington State, throwing for 6,968 yards.C.J. Clark, DT: Former NC State defensive tackle C.J. Clark committed to Miami in December. Clark is currently considered the No. 13 defensive lineman in the 247Sports Transfer Portal Rankings. Clark spent five years in Raleigh as a member of the Wolfpack football team and started 23 games over the course of his career. Over the last two seasons, Clark has been accredited with 7.5 tackles for loss and 4 sacks.
Other top portal acquisitions for Miami
- Mishael Powell, DB from Washington
- Savion Riley, DB from Vanderbilt
- Zach Carpenter, OL from Indiana
- Elijah Alston, DL from Marshall
- Isaiah Taylor, DB from Arizona
Louisville Cardinals
Ja'Corey Brooks, WR: After spending three years at Alabama, Ja’Corey Brooks committed to Louisville. Brooks caught 57 passes for 896 yards and 10 touchdowns with the Crimson Tide. He is currently rated by 247 as the No. 44 player overall in the transfer portal and the No. 8 wide receiver coming out of the portal.Brooks caught 57 passes for 896 yards and 10 touchdowns with the Crimson Tide.
Tyler Baron, DE: Tyler Baron, a defensive end who spent the first four years of his collegiate career with Tennessee, flipped from Ole Miss to Louisville in January. Baron was the second transfer to flip their commitment to Louisville from Ole Miss. Also, the third former Volunteer to transfer to the Cardinals, following former safety Wesley Walker. He recorded 16 solo tackles, two pass breakups, and one fumble recovery for a touchdown.
Overall, Louisville is bringing in 26 transfers, continuing the trend we’ve seen since Jeff Brohm took over last season. All in all, Brohm has acquired 51 players from the portal since taking over in December of 2022.
Other top portal acquisitions for Louisville
- Peny Boone, RB from Toledo
- Caullin Lacy, WR from South Alabama
- Thor Griffith, DL from Harvard
- Mark Redman, TE from San Diego State
- Jordan Guerad, DL from FIU
- Donald Chaney Jr., RB from Miami (FL)
- Jaleel Skinner, TE from Miami (FL)
- Wesley Walker, DB from Tennessee
NC State Wolfpack
Grayson McCall, QB: McCall was named the Sun Belt Player of the Year three years in a row, leading Coastal Carolina to memorable seasons from 2020-22. His Coastal career included setting the NCAA passer rating record in 2021 and a 29-4 record as a starter. Injuries limited his playtime at Coastal Carolina in the 2023 season, but he is an important piece of a portal class that has made NC State one of the teams to watch in the ACC in 2024.Donovan Kaufman, S: The former Tiger spent the last three seasons with the Auburn program and is coming off a year where he recorded 37 tackles, 4.5 tackles-for-loss, and picked off one pass. Kaufman brings some much-needed depth and experience to the Wolfpack defense.
Other top portal acquisitions for NC State
- Noah Rogers, WR from Ohio State
- Justin Joly, TE from UConn
- Jordan Waters, RB from Duke
- Wesley Grimes, WR from Wake Forest
- Daylan Smothers, RB from Oklahoma
Check back in later as we continue to unpack and highlight some more key transfer players that will make an impact across the ACC.
Fanteractive (fanteractive.com; Lauwerys)
During March Madness, one of the surprise teams of the NCAA Basketball Tournament was the 6-seed Clemson Tigers. The Tigers, known for their success in the College Football Playoff era, had been one of three ACC schools to advance to the Elite Eight. The conference’s postseason success starkly contrasts the controversy this past December when the College Football Playoff committee spurred an undefeated ACC team for a 1-loss SEC team in the CFP. The committee’s historic snub has triggered a chain of events, which has led at least two ACC member schools to take their revenue grievances to court to explore leaving the conference.
ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips and Clemson AD Graham Neff sat only a few feet apart, watching Clemson’s Sweet Sixteen. Still, given the current conference's situation, they did not seem eager to exchange pleasantries. Clemson, one of the ACC’s more prominent brands, recently filed suit against the conference in South Carolina state court. The lawsuit seeks judicial determination on three separate issues. First, Clemson is asking the court to declare that §1.4.5 of the ACC’s Constitution is invalid and unenforceable, which imposes an exit fee (liquidated damages) on any league member seeking to withdraw. Second, Clemson asks the court to rule on the scope of Clemson’s conveyance of intellectual property to the ACC. Last, Clemson asks the court to declare that Clemson does not owe the ACC any fiduciary duties. Under legal terms, these three claims involve contractual, intellectual property, and business law, respectively. ACC filed a countersuit (discussed later) and has 30 days to answer Clemson’s complaint.
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