sutomcat
No recent Cali or Iggy awards; Mr Irrelevant
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Welcome to Orangemen's Day!
Also known as the Twelfth or the Glorious Twelfth, Orangemen's Day commemorates and celebrates the Battle of the Boyne, fought in 1690, and the Glorious Revolution of 1688, which took place when James II, a Roman Catholic, was deposed, and William of Orange, a Protestant, received his throne. Orangemen's Day primarily is celebrated by people with Protestant Irish or Scottish backgrounds. In some locations, it is observed on the Monday closest to July 12th.
The Battle of the Boyne was fought on July 1, 1690, outside of Drogheda, along the River Boyne, in what now is the Republic of Ireland. Prince William of Orange and James II of England and Ireland, who was also known as King James VII of Scotland, each raised an army of about 30,000 troops, and Prince William came out victorious in the battle. The battle remains a symbol of the sectarian struggles in Ireland between Protestants and Roman Catholics. Not long after it, the defeated Catholics formed underground societies in an attempt to restore the line of James. The Protestants countered by forming the Orange Order.
SU News
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Jayden Mann commits to Syracuse football, discusses decision (247sports.com; McAllister)
Class of 2025 Bronx (NY) Cardinal Hayes offensive lineman Jayden Mann has committed to Syracuse, he announced on social media Thursday evening. He picked the Orange over his other finalists Georgia Tech, Rutgers and West Virginia. The 6-4, 285 pounder also held offers from Auburn, Boston College, Michigan State, Maryland, Minnesota, Pittsburgh and Tennessee, among others.
"You got Fran up there, coach Dale Williams, I just love how they're running the program and how God is such a big, big part of the program," Mann said. "It's just great."
Mann further explained it was a very difficult decision to pick one school.
"It was pretty hard, to be honest," Mann said. "It was down to GT and Syracuse. I just felt like Syracuse was at home, New York, staying at home. It was pretty hard. Going on all the visits opened my eyes."
His relationship with the Syracuse coaches played a big role in why he decided to stay in his home state.
"Very important," Mann said. "Everyday, somebody from the staff is calling me, texting me, they're always checking in on me. It was very important. It's really cool what they've got going on up there."
Staying in his home state and being able to represent New York was also very important.
"Putting on for the city," Mann said. "Making New York shine. Show that we've got ballers and stuff. I just want to be one of the legendary guys to go down as one of the best to come out of New York."
Mann's high school quarterback, Rich Belin, is also committed to Syracuse. In addition, the Orange is after one Cardinal Hayes' defensive lineman in Blake Belin (Rich's brother). Mann admitted he will try to help Syracuse recruit Blake.
"It's very special," Mann said. "We've been together for three years now, so we already have a special connection that's only going to build."
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Syracuse football gets big pledge from 3-star OL Jayden Mann, New York's No. 2 prospect (itlh; Adler)
Leading up to his commitment announcement on Thursday evening, 2025 three-star offensive lineman Jayden Mann from New York City had a final four of Syracuse football, Rutgers, Georgia Tech and West Virginia.
And the Orange, before Mann made his college decision known, landed several analyst predictions in its direction on . These recruiting experts were correct in their forecast.
The 6-foot-4, 300-pound Mann, via his Instagram page, announced his verbal commitment to Syracuse football on Thursday night, giving head coach Fran Brown and his top-flight staff another talented offensive lineman within the team's sizable 2025 class.
First and foremost, a huge congrats and welcome from 'Cuse Nation to Jayden.
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Syracuse football lands commitment from in-state offensive lineman over Rutgers, others (PS; $; Leiker)
A New York offensive lineman in the Class of 2025 announced his verbal commitment Thursday night.
Jayden Mann committed to Syracuse football during an Instagram live from an event with friends and family gathered. He chose between the Orange, Rutgers, Georgia Tech and West Virginia.
Mann is from the Bronx and plays at Cardinal Hayes, where he protects Syracuse quarterback commit Rich Belin. He is a 3-star by all four major recruiting services, though still unranked in the 247Sports Composite.
The 6-foot-4, 285-pound lineman helped Cardinal Hayes to 6,538 all-purpose yards on offense last season, according to its MaxPreps page. Over half of those came on the ground, as the team had two 1,000-yard rushers.
Mann’s teammate, wide receiver Reid Jones, also committed alongside him. He chose Yale.
Syracuse currently has 28 prospects verbally committed to its 2025 class, which ranks No. 32 overall in the 247Sports Composite.
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Syracuse Football: The "FRAN"chise Continues with Record Number of 2025 Commits (theforkball.com; Malloy)
The Syracuse Orange football team has been very busy on the recruiting trail.
Under first-year head coach Fran Brown, the program is developing a solid reputation for picking the best high school talent in the country.
It brings their record number of 2025 commits to 28, and they have the second-most commits among Power Four Schools, only behind Rutgers.
Let’s take a look at five of their top-record number of 2025 commits:
1. Quante Gillians– One difference between last year’s and this year’s teams is the emphasis on adding size to the defensive line.
Gillians is a tank at 6’3″, 278 lbs. and can beat linemen off the line of scrimmage.
Gillians’s high school coach at Aquinas is former Syracuse Football standout Maurice Jackson, so Orange connections are present.
He is ranked the #6 prospect in New York by 247 Sports Composite rankings.
2. Eric (EJ) Thomas– Thomas is another big dawg for the Syracuse line under defensive coordinator Elijah Robinson.
Standing at a towering 6’5″, 325 lbs, Thomas aims to clog up the middle and stuff the run. He also chose Syracuse over blue chippers, such as Ole Miss, South Carolina, Georgia, and others.
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Keeping Up With The 315 7-11-24 (ESPN; radio; The 315)
Brian starts thing off with day 51 of 100 Days to Fran Brown. where he brakes down the recent history for Syracuse, Rutgers, Pittsburgh, and West Virginia. Next, Brian chats with a long time caller John, where the two discuss the Pirates pulling Rookie sensation Paul Skenes earlier today during a 6 IP, 11K, no hitter because of pitch count. To wrap things up, Brian recaps the first hour of the show and takes a deep dive into this season’s schedule for Syracuse Basketball.
(youtube; podcast; TotallyTmanCFB)
Predicting The Syracuse Orange 2024 Record
The biggest Syracuse sports stories of 2024 so far and predictions for the 2nd half of year l (PS; podcast; Axe)
Fran Brown shuffling the Syracuse football roster with a flurry of recruits and transfers.
The revolving door of transfers in and out of Syracuse men’s basketball.
Dyaisha Fair making women’s basketball history.
Syracuse men’s lacrosse appears to be back on track towards a Final Four.
Syracuse women’s lacrosse just can’t beat Boston College.
Those were just some of the more interesting Syracuse Orange sports headlines covered on the latest episode of Syracuse Sports, looking back on the biggest stories of the year so far.
Listen as Syracuse.com’s Brent Axe, Emily Leiker and Chris Carlson discuss their three most interesting stories of the year and make one prediction for the second half of 2024.
You can see the latest full episode of Syracuse sports in the YouTube clip above.
About Syracuse Football 3
️ Recruit Jayden Mann | Syracuse Orange Football Podcast (youtube; podcast; Locked on Syracuse)Syracuse Football is in a two-horse race with Louisville for 2025 four-star edge CJ May. The Orange are also in competition with Rutgers for three-star offensive lineman Jayden Mann. Fran Brown has also secured a pair of intriguing quarterbacks: Luke Carney and Rich Belin. Plus, the Cuse has a chance for five-star wide receiver Winston Watkins.Jackson Holzer brings on Locked On's Football Recruiting Expert Brian Smith to talk about the Cuse's chances with some high profile studs on this edition of the Locked On Syracuse Podcast.
Syracuse Football is in a Two-Horse Race for 4
️ Edge CJ May + Winston Watkins Recruitment is OPEN (youtube; podcast; Locked on Syracuse)Syracuse Football is in a two-horse race with Louisville for 2025 four-star edge CJ May. The Orange are also in competition with Rutgers for three-star offensive lineman Jayden Mann. Fran Brown has also secured a pair of intriguing quarterbacks: Luke Carney and Rich Belin. Plus, the Cuse has a chance for five-star wide receiver Winston Watkins.Jackson Holzer brings on Locked On's Football Recruiting Expert Brian Smith to talk about the Cuse's chances with some high profile studs on this edition of the Locked On Syracuse Podcast.
https://collegefootballnews.com/col...ers-top-transfers-season-prediction-win-total (CFN; Fiutak)
Welcome to the family, Fran Brown.
Syracuse University keeps its coaches for a long, long time.
Jim Boeheim was the main man for the basketball program for a mere 47 years.
In football, Ben Schwartzwalder was around from 1949 to 1973. Frank Maloney took over, struggled, and was still the head coach for seven years.
Dick MacPherson was around for ten years, and then Paul Pasqualoni took over and was solid-to-great for 14 seasons.
Greg Robinson won seven games in three years, and he got a fourth season. Doug Marrone wasn’t bad for four years, Scott Shafer gave it a run for three seasons, and Dino Babers had six losing seasons, but those two winning campaigns kept him around.
Brown has never been a head coach, but he was a hot candidate in the rumor circuit with the energy—he’s just 41—to take the program up a notch.
Five winning seasons in 22 years isn’t okay. It’s okay for Syracuse to be good at football.
Brown took a few home run cuts in the transfer portal around a decent base of players, and with a not-that-bad schedule, there’s a chance to do something interesting right away.
No matter what, a new guy will get plenty of time to make this work.
Syracuse Football Preview 2024: Offense
- Fran Brown is going to two coaches to handle the offense. Mike Johnson worked with the Syracuse receivers, Jeff Nixon handled the New York Giant running backs, and between the two they need to make the ACC’s third-worst O go.
The Orange averaged just 343 yards and 23.5 points per game. A hit-or-miss attack, the team won when the offense worked, and lost when it didn’t - more on that in the Key to the Syracuse Football Season.
This year’s attack should be very interesting very quickly because …
- The passing game gets some parts. Syracuse has Ohio State’s quarterback. Kyle McCord had a strong season for the Buckeyes, but the offense wasn’t quite as explosive as the fan base would have liked.
The assumption was that the team could do better, even though the guy completed 66% of his passes with 24 touchdowns and just six interceptions. He was the key acquisition for Fran Brown, indicating that Syracuse would be good right away.
Carlos Del-Rio Wilson is a veteran backup who can move a little bit.
The quarterbacks - and the ACC’s worst passing game - have an upgraded receiving corps to throw to. Leading receiver Damien Alford left for Utah, but this group is strong. Oronde Gadsden is one of the nation’s best tight ends, and the Georgia combination of Jackson Meeks and Zeed Haynes should explode with their bigger roles.
- The offensive line was a big problem for years under Dino Babers, but it wasn’t bad last year. Georgia transfer Joshua Miller will help at guard, Enrique Cruz is a decent left tackle, and J’Onre Reed is a big, experienced center. It might take a bit, but this bunch should be okay.
LeQuint Allen and the ground game had their moments - he led the team with 1,064 yards and nine scores - but the depth is VERY young and very thin.
Syracuse Football Preview 2024: Defense
- Fran Brown is a defensive coach. He handled the Georgia secondary for the last few seasons, has experience at Rutgers, Temple, and Baylor, and now his staff an okay base to work with.The defensive front was okay at getting into the backfield and had its moments against the run, but it has to be replaced with the portal taking a few parts away.
Kevin Jobity is still around after coming up with 7.5 tackles for loss, and then it’s about the transfer portal with Fadil Diggs (Texas A&M) at one end and Dion Wilson (New Mexico State) on the nose. There’s decent depth considering the losses, and …
- The Orange have a star at linebacker to work everything around. Marlowe Wax has been a four-year force with 294 tackles with 16.5 sacks, 36 tackles for loss with eight forced fumbles.
Wax is great, veteran Derek McDonald was third on the team with 67 tackles, and … it’s going to take a bit to build up the depth. Anwar Sparrow made 30 tackles and two sacks in a rotation on the outside.
- The secondary has a nice mix returning - along with a head coach who knows how to coach up defensive backs. Justin Barron and Alijah Clark are strong-hitting safeties, Jayden Bellamy was thrown to the wolves in his freshman season at one corner, and coming in are Devin Grant (Buffalo) at corner - he’s going to be really good - and former Orange playmaker Duce Chestnut after taking a year at LSU.
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Syracuse football: Oronde Gadsden rated the #2 TE in EA College Football 25 (TNIAAM; Ostrowski)
OG is the #2 TE in the country but doesn't get #1 TE in the ACC...makes sense
The much-anticipated release of EA College Football 25 is less than a week away, and one member of the Syracuse Orange is among the best-rated players in the game.
Oronde Gadsden carries a 91 OVR rating, which puts him at #69 in the entire country.
He's the 2nd-highest rated tight end, trailing only Michigan's Coleston Loveland, who is a 92.
OG is also the 10th-highest rated player in the ACC - Clemson LB Barrett Carter is the top dog at #15, while North Carolina RB Omarion Hampton leads offensive players at #22.
Gadsden had a monster 2022 campaign before missing most of last fall with a Lisfranc injury. His return is regarded as one of the most important across all of college football, and the development team sure seem to feel the same way.
What are your thoughts on these ratings?
Syracuse AD: Money not ultimate factor for QB Kyle McCord choosing home after Ohio State (dispatch.com; Gay)
At a Name, Image and Likeness event for Syracuse football Tuesday, athletic director John Wildhack allowed fans to peak behind the curtain in terms of how the Orange landed former Ohio State quarterback Kyle McCord.
“Kyle McCord’s not our quarterback this year without SU Football NIL,” Wildhack said, per Syracuse.com. “He is our quarterback, and he turned down twice the money from Nebraska.
“And I know that for a fact because I have a friend from Nebraska who’s on the coaching staff who called me the day Kyle committed to us,” Wildhack continued. “I won’t tell you what he said to me. He busted my chops pretty good, but my response was, ‘Kyle’s wearing blue and orange. He’s ours.’ ”
McCord's earnings at Syracuse have not been disclosed.
In a recent episode of the "No Destination" podcast, McCord said Syracuse coach Fran Brown flew out for a recruiting visit the day he entered the transfer portal from Ohio State and made an impact almost immediately.
On "The QB Room" podcast shortly after his transfer from Ohio State to Syracuse, McCord said the decision was strictly business.
"At the end of the day, the top level of college football and then especially onto the pros, it's a business," McCord said on "The QB Room" podcast. "At the end of the day, Ohio State had to make a business decision they felt like was best for them. And I had to do the same thing."
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Amazon.com : syracuse football (amazon.com)
Get to Know Your Orange Man: #17 DB, Jalil Martin (TNIAAM; Wall)
It’s time to start preparing for the 2024 Syracuse Orange football season. We’re going through the roster to take a look at each Syracuse player as we get to know a lot of new faces to kick off the Fran Brown Era.
Next up is...
Name: Jalil Martin
Position: Defensive Back
Year: Redshirt Sophomore
Height: 6’2”
Weight: 190 lbs.
Hometown: Chicago, Ill.
High school: Kenwood Academy
Previous school: Nebraska
2023 stats: Recorded five tackles in nine games last season with the Orange.
2024 projections: It’s going to be a competitive camp for the defensive backs this summer. Martin will be looking to show the new coaching staff that he’s ready to claim a spot on the two-deep. He’ll also be in consideration for the special teams units.
How’d he get here?: Out of high school Martin chose Nebraska over offers from Syracuse along with Michigan State, Ole Miss, Tennessee and Texas Tech.
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Orange Bowl: #20 Syracuse vs #3 Texas | NCAA Football 06 Syracuse Orange Dynasty | S2:E13 (youtube; game simulation; Playbook Gamer)
2006 season with ficticious players but the result is extremely accurate
Orange Bowl: #20 Syracuse vs #3 Texas | NCAA Football 06 Syracuse Orange Dynasty | S2:E13
Syracuse Football on Instagram: "our community "
cusefootball on July 11, 2024: "our community ".
www.instagram.com
ACC News
Clemson bid to nix ACC countersuit in N.C. denied (ESPN; Hale)
The stalemate between the ACC and the two schools challenging its grant of rights continued Wednesday when a North Carolina judge denied Clemson's motion to dismiss the ACC countersuit, meaning the two sides will proceed to trial in two separate jurisdictions.
Judge Louis Bledsoe, who is also overseeing the ACC's suit against Florida State, ruled that the ACC did have jurisdiction to file its suit in a Mecklenburg County court. Clemson had aimed to have the suit stayed or dismissed based on a sovereign immunity claim.
"The only court that has jurisdiction over FSU, Clemson, and the ACC -- and thus the only court that can assure a consistent, uniform interpretation of the Grant of Rights Agreements and the ACC's Constitution and Bylaws, the determinations at the core of the Pending Actions -- is a North Carolina court," Bledsoe wrote in his decision.
Florida State made the same claim as Clemson in March, and Bledsoe also denied the Seminoles' motion. The major difference in the two cases is that the ACC filed its suit against FSU before the Seminoles filed theirs in Florida, whereas Clemson was first to the courthouse in its attempt to nullify the league's grant of rights.
"We are pleased with today's ruling as it confirms that only a North Carolina court can render a decision that would apply to both Clemson and Florida State. The opinion also reinforces what the ACC has clearly articulated from day one -- the North Carolina courts are the proper place to enforce and interpret the ACC's agreements," the ACC said in a statement.
"As the court found, Clemson does not challenge whether the ACC Grant of Rights is valid or enforceable. This recognizes the ACC's consistent position that the 2013 and 2016 Grant of Rights are valid and enforceable agreements that each of our members entered into voluntarily, with full knowledge of their terms."
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Clemson v. ACC Gets Its Day in Court (lastwordonsports.com; Siracusa)
In the revolving door that is the lawsuits between the ACC and member schools, we now head to South Carolina. The matter of Clemson v. ACC gets its day in court in Pickens County, SC starting Friday (7/13) morning.
The hearing will be on the ACC’s motion to dismiss the lawsuit filed by Clemson. Like the matter between these two in North Carolina, and the ACC/Florida State legal battles, this first step surrounds jurisdiction.
The Background
The ACC, having already submitted its briefs and motions, will argue in oral presentations that with the FSU and Clemson matters both being over the same contracts, one court should hear everything. Of course, the conference would choose for that to occur in the Mecklenburg County court in North Carolina.
The conference has fared well in front of Judge Louis Bledsoe III. He denied Florida State’s motion to dismiss last month. That decision is being appealed at the state supreme court level sometime early next year. And then on Wednesday of this week, he denied Clemson’s similar motion. Clemson has yet to officially indicate whether it also intends to appeal.
The ACC previously lost its motion in Leon County, Florida to have Florida State’s lawsuit dismissed. That one motion took three separate hearings in front of Judge John C. Cooper. The conference plans to appeal.
The ACC’s Arguments
So now we head to Pickens County and Judge Perry Gravely. He has been the resident judge for the 13th Judicial Circuit Court of South Carolina since February 2015.The ACC will argue that for the sake of uniformity in judicial rulings, the cases should be heard in North Carolina. The conference’s attorneys will argue that the ACC is not formed in South Carolina and technically does no business in South Carolina. They will claim that with Clemson as a member of the ACC, and with the ACC headquartered in Charlotte, the business between the two entities is in North Carolina.
There will also be a reminder that the ACC is governed by the Uniform Unincorporated Nonprofit Association Act, which it claims limits the role another state can have in its processes.
Clemson’s Arguments
Clemson will claim in court Friday that because ACC schools travel to the state of South Carolina for games, and because the ACC makes its money off the broadcast contracts for those games, the conference is a business contractor in the state.There will also be discussions of sovereign immunity for a public university within the state, and personal jurisdiction. Counsel for Clemson will argue that such matters brought by a public university must be heard within the state.
What’s The Ulitmate Goal and What’s Next
The cases in North Carolina whittle down to a breach of contract claim by the ACC against Clemson and against Florida State.The cases with the schools as the plaintiffs are specific to trying to get out of the Grant of Rights, and ultimately the conference. The period that the Grant of Rights covers was extended for all ACC schools in 2016. It was extended from its original end date in 2027 to 2036. ESPN, the conference’s broadcast partner, has multiple opt-out opportunities during the length of the contract. The schools do not.
At such time as there is a trial, way down the road, the specific elements of the contracts, including the school’s membership agreement with the ACC will be argued. But first “we” must decide who gets to hear the case.
REPORT: Big Ten Uninterested in Adding Two ACC Powerhouse Programs (si.com; Trezevant)
Coach Jonathan Smith recently joined Michigan State after spending years as the head coach of his alma mater, Oregon State. Coach Smith was not the only one to leave the Pac-12, though. Many other schools in the conference also departed, leaving only two football programs remaining in the Pac-12.
The Big Ten has accepted numerous schools from the Pac-12, including USC, UCLA, Oregon, and Washington. Adding multiple other schools, especially notable ones, has filled the Big Ten to near capacity, and there is no need to add additional schools.
As more schools from other conferences look for new homes, it appears the Big Ten will not be their landing spots. Recently, college football insider Greg Swaim reported that the Big Ten and SEC are not interested in adding Florida State or Clemson as future programs to the respective leagues.
Swaim recently posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, that “according to multiple sources tonight who cover conference realignment, back-channel conversations have all but ceased between the SEC and B1G conferences with FSU and Clemson for now.”
This is significant news, as adding Florida State and Clemson would have made the Big Ten much more formidable of a conference. This is undoubtedly positive news for Michigan State on one level or another. It would have directly or indirectly impacted Smith and Michigan State’s rebuilding efforts in more ways than one.
Although the two notable football programs joining the Big Ten and the SEC have seemingly ended, Swaim reported that “talks with [Florida State, Clemson, and] the Big12 have intensified.” While Smith and Michigan State have had their fair share of obstacles this offseason, not having to go head-to-head on the recruiting trail with the likes of Florida State and Clemson is good news for Michigan State, as the Big Ten already has multiple schools that regularly recruit at a high level.
Until now, Florida State and Clemson had been considered two of the favorites to join the Big Ten or SEC during the next round realignment. However, that will not be the case, as the teams will stay put from now and wait to hear from the Big 12.
ACC Program’s Uniform Reveal Ruined By EA Sports College Football 25 (starlocal media.com; Bricker)
EA Sports College Football 25 has fans of college football anxious with anticipation for its release. More and more has come out about the game close to the release date.
The Virginia Tech Hokies will be in the game when it releases. However, the team might have issues with the game going forward.
The Hokies planned on releasing their home and away uniforms for the 2024 season on Friday. Unfortunately, a leak in the game showed the uniforms on Thursday instead.
The Virginia Tech football account on X was a good sport about it, at least.
"Welp, since content got released today that showed our uniforms & ruined our reveal, here are the photos a day early." The account said.
x.com
twitter.com
Last season, the Hokies reached a bowl game for the first time in the Brent Pry era. Virginia Tech beat the Tulane Green Wave 41-20 in the Military Bowl.
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Clemson & Florida State vs ACC: Courtroom Update and Developments (youtube; podcast; The Voice of College Football)
Clemson & Florida State vs ACC: Courtroom Update and Developments
Looks like we're looking to flee the ACC deal (ndnation.com; UpperEastSideIrish)
When he spoke to the NY ND lawyers, Swarbrick alluded to NBC wanting to see less of the lower tier ACC games and more FSU, Miami and Clemson on the schedule.
I hope football stays independent and we can limit or commitment to 4 games.
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ACC Win Total Predictions! (2024) - Part 2 #acc #predictions #collegefootball (youtube; podcast; Saturday Scholars)
Over or Under? Hosts Xan & Shoob of the Saturday Scholars are back with their picks for the ACC team win totals: Duke, Georgia Tech, Miami, North Carolina, Virginia, Virginia TechLines are from Caesar's as of recording date: Jun 28, 2024Let us know your thoughts on each team and which win totals you are playing in the comments!0:00 Intro & Methodology1:10 Duke15:20 Georgia Tech27:58 Miami41:52 North Carolina55:21 Virginia1:06:03 Virginia Tech1:19:28 Final Predictions & ACC Title Contenders
The Don's 2024 ACC Football Predictions - Student Union Sports (studentunionsports.com; The Don)
The 2024 season is coming soon, and we are kicking off with some predictions for the 2024 college football season. Today, we’re starting with predictions for the 2024 ACC Football season. I have three win total bets to take, predictions on how the new teams in the ACC will fare in 2024, and my ACC Conference Champion picks for the upcoming season. With that being said, let’s dive into the 2024 ACC predictions.
New Teams On The Block
The ACC is welcoming three new teams for the 2024 season: the California Golden Bears, the SMU Mustangs, and the Stanford Cardinal. Here are my predictions for these new teams in 2024.California Golden Bears (5-7)
The California Golden Bears put together a good campaign in 2023. In 2024, they got their leading rusher and best offensive weapon, Jaydn Ott, back. California’s offense wasn’t the issue last season; their defense struggled to stop the pass. A defense that allowed 32.8 PPG against a bunch of future NFL quarterbacks isn’t impressive. They have a tough schedule, but I think the Golden Bears can win five games in 2024 for their first season in the ACC.SMU Mustangs (9-3)
SMU has the highest expectations among the three new teams in the ACC. Preston Stone returns to lead an offense that had a great season last year in the AAC. SMU retooled the offensive line after losing three starters, adding talent through the portal. They also have a great talent at tight end in RJ Maryland, who will be a big factor for this offense.SMU’s defense looks to build on last season’s success. A key player to watch is edge rusher Elijah Roberts, who should be in talks for all-conference honors. They finished top 15 in yards allowed last year. If the Mustangs want to make noise in the ACC, their defense will need to step up big. SMU has the potential to win double-digit games, but I see them finishing 9-3 in the regular season.
Stanford Cardinal (3-9)
...2024 Dodd CoY Watch List (RX; HM)
2024 Dodd CoY Watch List
From the official ACC release of Wednesday, July 10, 2024...
ACC Football Coaches Headline 2024 Dodd Trophy Preseason Watch List
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (theACC.com) – The Atlantic Coast Conference head football coaches headline the 2024 Dodd Trophy Preseason Watch List, as announced by the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation and the Peach Bowl. The ACC was represented on the watch list by six league coaches – the most of any conference.
This year’s watch list includes 21 of the nation's top college football coaches and no conference has more than the ACC’s six head coaches. The six head coaches hailing from the ACC include Jeff Brohm of Louisville, Mario Cristobal of Miami, Dave Doeren of NC State, Mike Norvell of Florida State, Brent Pry of Virginia Tech and Dabo Swinney of Clemson.
Of the 21 coaches on the 2024 watch list, five are previous winners of The Dodd Trophy, including two from the ACC in Coach Swinney (2011) and Coach Norvell (2023).
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Time for the Counter Offensive! (RX; HM)
Time for the Counter Offensive!
Brett Yormark and the fans of the Big XII have been waging a campaign of misinformation and anti-ACC propaganda most of the off-season. Now they've gone so far as to state that Clemson and Florida State are about to join their conference (they claim it will be announced Friday, July 12th). This flies in the face of logic, of course - why leave a conference with mostly East Coast games, a conference TV network, and slightly higher revenue for the Big XII? Personally, I'm tired of the propaganda...
ACC fans: it's time to fight back!
It's from the Americans. They want to organize a counteroffensive.How can you fight back in the war of words? Here are four ideas...
Big XII Schools that might jump to the ACC.
Mention Big XII teams that the ACC might want to pull, such as West Virginia, Cincinnati, UCF, TCU, Oklahoma State, Kansas, Iowa State, Colorado, Arizona, Arizona State, Utah, or any of the others. It doesn't matter if you think they will actually get invited or not - just pick your favorite Big XII target and explain why you think they would make a good ACC school and (very important) why that school would benefit from jumping to the ACC, such as more national exposure and (possibly) better pay from ABC/ESPN and the ACCN. Don't just say "any Big XII school would jump" - be specific. The goal here is pit them against each other.The ACC might eat the Big XII's Pie.
Emphasize how much the ACC media rights fees would increase if the ACC absorbed all of the best teams from the Big XII - to the point that ESPN and Fox no longer cared to bid on their rights. Don't forget to include the Big XII's share of the CFP money, NCAA Tournament money, etc. Don't be shy to assume that the ACC could absorb all of the Big XII media rights money while taking just half of its teams - thus creating FOMO among the rest!The ACC might cut off the Big XII's Talent.
The ACC footprint now extends into all of the top 4 NFL-producing states: Texas, Florida, California, and Georgia. It's a huge drop-off from #4 to #5 (Ohio). The ACC has schools in all four of those states - its teams will find it much easier now to recruit Texas and California, and it's been recruiting Florida and Georgia for a long time now. The Big XII, on the other hand, is in only two of those states, and in the case of Florida, its one team there is no better than 4th on the in-state pecking order. More than that, Big XII schools in Texas, which are already feeling the pinch of increased SEC recruiting there, will now have to compete against every ACC school for players as well. Oh, and don't forget SMU's NIL money!...
https://accfootballrx.blogspot.com/2024/07/most-played-opponents-acc-newbies.html (RX; HM)
Most-Played Opponents, ACC Newbies
A while back we took at look at the Top 5 Most-played Opponents for each ACC school... but now we have 3 new schools. What are their most-played opponents, both overall and in the rest of the ACC?
Most-played opponents, all-time:
| California | |||
| Opponent | First | Last | Games |
| Southern California | 1922 | 2023 | 103 |
| Stanford | 1918 | 2023 | 103 |
| Washington | 1916 | 2023 | 99 |
| UCLA | 1933 | 2023 | 94 |
| Washington State | 1919 | 2023 | 84 |
| Stanford | |||
| Opponent | First | Last | Games |
| California | 1918 | 2023 | 103 |
| Southern California | 1922 | 2023 | 99 |
| UCLA | 1928 | 2023 | 94 |
| Washington | 1920 | 2023 | 93 |
| Oregon State | 1919 | 2023 | 90 |
| Southern Methodist (SMU) | |||
| Opponent | First | Last | Games |
| TCU | 1916 | 2023 | 100 |
| Rice | 1916 | 2023 | 91 |
| Baylor | 1916 | 2016 | 82 |
Other
https://www.syracuse.com/food/2024/...scover-its-local-charm-dining-out-review.html (PS; $; Pucci)
Hotel restaurants are more often associated with availability and predictability than with pushing culinary boundaries. After all, their quasi-captive audience of hungry hotel guests seeking convenience is often enough to keep the restaurant busy.
The real test, however, is whether a restaurant in a hotel can draw in local diners. A good restaurant is a good restaurant, even if it’s located off a hotel lobby.
Eleven Waters is located on the ground floor of the Marriott Syracuse Downtown, the city’s most prominent hotel better known to locals as the Hotel Syracuse. Like many hotel restaurants, it’s open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, plus a full bar with a late afternoon happy hour, for good measure.
Compared to the hotel’s other restaurant, Shaughnessy’s Irish Pub, a casual Irish-themed pub that counts the basketball court used by the Syracuse Nationals when they won the 1955 NBA championship among its treasure trove of sports memorabilia on display, Eleven Waters is more upscale, with minimalist black and white finishes and floor-to-ceiling windows filling the space with natural light.
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Fairgoers attend the final day of the 2023 New York State Fair on Labor Day, September 4. Total attendance for the 2023 fair topped 900,000. N. Scott Trimble | strimble@syracuse.com
https://www.syracuse.com/statefair/...he-2024-ny-state-fair-go-on-sale-july-16.html (PS; Cazentre)
Tickets for the 2024 New York State Fair, including a “Frequent Fairgoer” option, Midway tickets and parking vouchers, will go on sale starting July 16.
Single-day passes cost $8 this year, up from $6 a year ago. That is still less than the pre-pandemic price of $10 for a daily pass. Admission is free those 65 and older and 12 or younger. The fair also will continue its tradition of free admission days for groups that include law enforcement and firefighters.
The Frequent Fairgoer pass is $25, and provides entry for all 13 days of the fair. Its available for purchase online only.
Parking increases this year from $10 to $12 per vehicle. EZPass Plus is no longer an option for fair parking. The fair also offers park-and-ride shuttle service through Centro.
All admission and parking sales are by card only, not cash. Tickets and credit card fees are added (see below).
This year’s fair runs from Wednesday, Aug. 21 to Labor Day, Monday Sept. 2.
Here’s how to get tickets and passes:
· Online: The link to purchase admission tickets and parking will go live at 9 a.m. July 16 at The New York State Fair’s website.
· By phone: Tickets and parking may be purchased by calling Etix toll-free at 1-800-514-3849 starting July 16. Hours are from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday.
· At the gate: Kiosks will be set up at all gates for electronic ticket purchases starting on opening day of the fair, Aug. 21. Signs featuring QR codes will also be available at all entrances and in parking lots for fairgoers to scan using their smartphone to purchase tickets.
With fees, the total cost for fairgoers will be:
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