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Welcome to Corporate Baby Name Day!
Syracusefan.com, take the trash out and do your homework now!
What are your thoughts on someone giving their baby the name Nike, Netflix, or Snapchat? Corporate Baby Name Day is a day in honor of the idea of selling the naming rights of babies to corporations. The day was referenced on the Humorlist, on August 6, 2005.
In 2001, American Baby conducted a poll asking if parents would sell the naming rights of their babies to a corporation for $500,000. Some of the corporation names listed as examples were Pepsi, Friskies, Kleenex, Budweiser, and Jeep. Twenty-one percent of respondents said they would, and twenty-eight percent said they would consider it. The results were released on August 6.
The poll was done in response to Jason Black and Frances Schroeder, a New York State couple, who tried to auction off the naming rights of their baby on Yahoo! and eBay. They started the bidding at $500,000, with the hopes that they could use the money to buy a home and start a college fund. Unfortunately for them, no one bid. They ended up naming their baby Zane, on August 6, 2001, the deadline for adding a name to his birth certificate.
SU News
Syracuse receivers Jackson Meeks (7) , Darrell Gill Jr. (82), Kyle Acker (35), Trebor Pena (2), and Zeed Haynes (8) sitting on the bench during the Orange’s spring game (cuse.com)
Syracuse Football Preview: Wide Receivers (waer.org; Bridges)
One of the more unknown commodities across all three phases of Syracuse's roster is the wide receivers. SU has lost 54% of its receiving production from last season. Let’s meet who could potentially fill that void.
Zeed Haynes
Whatever Fran Brown has said to Haynes over the years has certainly clicked. The redshirt freshman was originally committed to Penn State before Brown flipped him to Georgia for the 2023 season. Now, Haynes has followed his former defensive backs coach in Athens to the salt city.
The Pennsylvania native saw very limited time for the Bulldogs, appearing in four games and recording one catch last season.
Haynes took home offensive MVP of SU’s spring game back in April. The former four star recruit hauled in a 38-yard touchdown pass from Kyle McCord in his one night of action in the Dome. Zeed was operating on the outside for most of the game, so look for him to be one of the main deep threats for McCord this season.
Jackson Meeks
We’re not done with former bulldogs just yet. Meeks, like Haynes, only caught one ball for UGA last season. The senior was part of Georgia's national championship runs in 2021 and 2022, primarily as a special teams player.
After undergoing surgery on a hairline fracture in his foot this spring, Meeks says he’s back to “100%” according to Syracuse.com.
SU wide receivers coach Ross Douglas likes the Alabama native's approach.
"He's playing like a guy that has something to prove," said Douglas. "He’s been a leader in the weight room, and is showing the young guys how to do it.”
If Zeed Haynes is someone who can take the top off the defense, you could see more of Jackson Meeks working in the short to intermediate areas of the field.
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Trebor Pena
This name should be familiar to most Orange fans. However, it's one that wasn’t talked about a lot after an injury against Army ended his 2023 campaign.
Pena returned 36 kicks and 40 punts for Syracuse in his first three seasons, but now projects to be a full-time wide receiver.
Fran Brown called the redshirt junior “one of the most improved players on the team” after the spring game. In the exhibition game in the Dome, Pena caught all seven of his targets for 130 yards.
Most of Pena’s catches came on routes over the middle of the field, so expect to work in the short to intermediate passing game as well as quick passes behind the line of scrimmage. This fits the mold for Pena who stands at 6-0, 184 pounds.
Justus Ross-Simmons
You can certainly argue that Ross-Simmons has the most in-game experience of anyone at the collegiate level in the entire receiver room. The 2023 All-Mountain West selection pulled in 45 receptions for 724 yards and 3 touchdowns at Colorado State last season. Those numbers would have led Syracuse in catches and receiving yards while being tied for the lead in receiving touchdowns.
Ross-Simmons announced his transfer to the ‘Cuse four days after the spring game, so we haven’t seen any in-game action from the Rochester native in orange. In 2023, Ross-Simmons worked on comeback routes down the sidelines as well as drag routes before the first-down marker for the Rams. McCord could also test his 6-3 frame with jump balls in the redzone against smaller corners.
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Former Alabama defensive lineman ends Syracuse career with injury (al.com; Kelly)
Former Alabama football defensive lineman Braylen Ingraham has sustained an Achilles tear that sounds like it could be career-ending based on the way Syracuse coach Fran Brown talked about it with reporters Monday.
Ingraham transferred to Syracuse ahead of the 2023 season.
“He will not be playing at Syracuse anymore,” Brown said. “He will get surgery. He’ll work with us. We’ll get him involved with us. Wants to do project management work. So we’ve already started to work on finding him a job after this season.”
Brown mentioned he hopes he can pull Ingraham into coaching.
Ingraham played for the Crimson Tide in 2019 and 2020, with two games in each season. He saw time against Ole Miss and Western Carolina in 2019 before he appeared against Mississippi State and Kentucky in 2020.
Ingraham didn’t play the next two seasons. He medically retired at Alabama before he graduated and then decided to transfer to Syracuse.
He saw an increased role once he joined the Orange. Ingraham played in every game as a redshirt junior in 2023, tallying 16 tackles, three tackles for loss, 0.5 sacks and two pass breakups.
Ingraham played for St. Thomas Aquinas in high school and a four-star prospect coming out of high school.
"May the best man win"- Backup QB battle underway for SU football (cnycentral.com; video; Wenskoski)
Week two of fall camp is underway for Syracuse football.
Of course, all eyes are on starting quarterback Kyle McCord and the immense potential he brings to SU's offense. But the QB depth chart behind McCord is wide open less than a month away from kickoff.
"We've got three guys really competing for that two/three spot," said head coach Fran Brown after Monday's practice.
SU retains Carlos del Rio Wilson, who served in the backup role behind Garrett Shrader in 2022 and 2023 and similarly won the backup job this spring. In a limited role due to injury in 2023, del Rio Wilson went 26-51 and threw for 282 yards, three touchdowns, and six interceptions.
Syracuse currently has six quarterbacks on the roster: McCord, del Rio Wilson, preferred walk-on AJ Miller, FAU/Penn State transfer and son of SU's tight end coach Michael Johnson Jr., and true freshmen Patrick Grusser and Jakhari Williams. The Orange also have redshirt sophomore Braden Davis, who made one start last season but is now listed as a wide receiver on the roster. Brown said this spring that Davis would continue to train with both position groups through fall camp.
While Brown acknowledged that del Rio Wilson has "gotten a lot better" on Monday, he also alluded to the backup role being anyone's spot.
"I want to see them competing everyday," Brown said last week. "I want it to be extremely hard for the coaching staff to decide who's the next guy...I want them to come to me and say 'Coach, I should get some of the reps from Kyle.' I'm hoping that we can develop that, because we're developing a program and not just a football team. I want to make sure that guys can go in in the fourth quarter and do an amazing job for our team."
On Monday, Brown praised Williams and Johnson Jr.
"They're all taking steps...I think MJ is doing really good, though," said Brown. "MJ picked up on stuff fast."
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30 Minutes in Orange Nation 8-5-24 (ESPN; radio; Orange Nation)
Steve Infanti and Paulie Scibilia analyze ESPN’s ACC preseason betting breakdown before Jordan joins the guys to discuss a national gambling podcast’s predictions for the Orange and sprinter Noah Lyles winning the 100m for the U.S. in epic fashion.
Mike McAllister "Orange Nation" 8-5-24 (ESPN; radio; Orange Nation)
247Sports’ SU insider Mike McAllister joins Steve Infanti and Paulie Scibilia to discuss two Class of 2026 football players decommitting from Syracuse, the significance of Sadiq White’s transfer to IMG Academy, and more.
Fizz Five 8/5: Training Camp Begins! (orangefizz.net; podcast; Aitken & Papillo)
Tyler Aitken and Dan Papillo break down ACC Kickoff and the beginning of Syracuse football training camp.
- ACC Preseason Poll (0:59)
- ACC Preseason Team (6:30)
- Training Camp Takeaways (10:02)
- Sleepers (13:43)
- Disappointments (17:29)
Though not likely to be a starter this season, the transfer from Syracuse appears on track to play an active role this football season, likely seeing time at all three linebacker spots for the Huskers.
Jeremy Pernell | 30 Minutes Ago
Seventh in a series on Nebraska's additions via the transfer portal. Previous installments: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6This is the deepest Husker defense we've seen since Bo Pelini's heyday of 2009 and 2010.
Although I do think this could be a top 15 defense nationally, I'm not suggesting these Blackshirts are going to run roughshod over everyone they play like those Nebraska football teams did. Those squads — particularly 2009 — were truly special.
I'm just highlighting the quality depth throughout the unit.
Thanks to tremendous recruiting and development, these coaches have stacked nearly every position group.
All three starters on the defensive line — Ty Robinson, Nash Hutmacher, Jimari Butler — were honorable-mention All-Big Ten last season. There are probably 10 guys in that room who the coaches would feel confident playing key snaps; Robinson, Hutmacher and Butler, along with Cam Lenhardt, Elijah Jeudy, Riley Van Poppel, James Williams, Sua Lefotu, Vincent Jackson and Kai Wallin. Also, don't sleep on true freshman Keona Davis. I think he'll push for playing time this fall as well.
The secondary has more scholarship players in its room than any other position group on the team. They return honorable-mention All-Big Ten players Isaac Gifford and Tommi Hill, and like the D-line, probably have 10 guys the staff feels comfortable with; Gifford and Hill, along with Marques Buford, DeShon Singleton, Malcolm Hartzog, Blye Hill, Jeremiah Charles, Ceyair Wright, Dwight Bootle and Mario Buford. Caleb Benning is another true freshman who might be difficult to keep off the field this season.
The Jack position is in good hands with MJ Sherman and Princewill Umanmielen splitting most of these reps. Maverick Noonan is someone to keep an eye on in the future. The redshirt freshman was on a trajectory to play last year before a knee injury took away his season.
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Syracuse football alum makes WWE Monday Night Raw debut as 'Odyssey Jones' (video) (PS; $; Owens)
After going more than a year without appearing on WWE television, a new day has dawned for former Syracuse football player Omari Palmer.
Palmer, a professional wrestler with the ring name “Odyssey Jones,” made a surprise appearance on Monday Night Raw last night, coming to the aid of The New Day in their tag team match against the Authors of Pain.
Palmer, who was an offensive lineman for the Orange from 2013-2016, signed with World Wrestling Entertainment in 2019. He was assigned to NXT, the WWE’s developmental brand, and given the name Odyssey Jones.
In May last year, Jones was selected in the WWE’s annual “draft” to the Monday Night Raw brand, but did not make any appearances on the program. Instead, he was relegated to “dark” (non-televised) matches. He also made appearances at colleges representing the WWE at its Campus Rush events, part of the WWE’s efforts to recruit college athletes for its “Next In Line” NIL program. He shared highlights from his visits to Notre Dame and Alabama on his Instagram page.
In this year’s WWE Draft in April, he was once again picked by Raw — the WWE’s announcement of his selection on social media misspelled his name as “Oddysey” — but he continued to be absent from television.
That changed Monday night, though, when he came to the aid of Xavier Woods and Kofi Kingston of The New Day in their match against Akam and Rezar of the Authors of Pain. When Karrion Kross attempted to interfere in the match to help AOP, Jones came out of the back and attacked Kross. Then, when Akam and Rezar attacked Woods after The New Day won the match, Jones came to Woods’ aid, at one point lifting both Akam and Rezar up and slamming them to the mat at the same time.
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Syracuse Football Recruiting is SLIDING, But It's NOT Time to Panic | Syracuse Orange Podcast (youtube; podcast; Locked on Syracuse)
Former Syracuse Football 2026 four-star recruit Izayia Williams decommited from Fran Brown's squad last night, and he's now considering the Florida Gators, Miami Hurricanes, and Florida State Seminoles. Williams joins Demetres Samuel Jr. as the second four-star to decommit from the Cuse in recent days. While it's disappointing, the Orange still have a 2026 verbal commitment from running back D'Antae Sheffey, and are in the mix for five-star Calvin Russell.Jackson Holzer goes over the latest with Cuse Football recruiting on this edition of the Locked On Syracuse Podcast.
Recent History of Players Flipping For/Against Syracuse Football | Syracuse Orange Podcast (youtube; podcast; Locked on Syracuse. premerees at 10 AM EST)
Syracuse Football has been no stranger to players flipping to and from the program. Fran Brown was successfully able to flip 2024 recruits Emanuel Ross, Yasin Willis, and Jaylan Hornsby. The Orange are also attempting to flip 2025 four-star CJ May from Louisville. However, the Cuse have also lost elite recruits like Izayia Williams and Demetres Samuel. Jackson Holzer provides a recent history of players flipping to and from the program.
College Football 25: Syracuse vs #11 Notre Dame - Week 0 | CPU vs CPU Dynasty, RFL CS7! (youtube; simulation; Relocation Football)
College Football 25: Syracuse vs #11 Notre Dame - Week 0 | CPU vs CPU Dynasty, RFL CS7!
Get to Know Your Orange Man: #54, LB Jayden Brown (TNIAAM; Chiappone)
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: Jayden Brown
Position: Linebacker
Year: Freshman
Height: 6’2”
Weight: 208 lbs
Hometown: Middletown (NY)
High School/Previous College: Don Bosco Prep High School (Ramsey, NJ)
2023 stats: Recorded 54 total tackles, 24 solo tackles, 4 sacks, 4 interceptions and 1 forced fumble this past season for Don Bosco, according to Max Preps.
2024 projections: Syracuse’s current starting linebacker core is a strong one with Marlowe Wax and Derek McDonald, but Brown fits the mold as an athletic playmaker who can cause chaos for opposing offenses. He’ll likely need a year to get a bit stronger for the linebacker spot, but he certainly is an intriguing option and could maybe see some spare playing time in 2024.
How’d he get here?: Brown committed to the Orange in June 2023. He also had offers from West Virginia, Virginia Tech, Duke, Boston College, Maryland, Purdue, Temple, UConn, Akron and Monmouth.
What’d recruiting sites say?: Three-star on 247Sports, Rivals, ESPN and On3. Rated as a top-20 prospect in New Jersey by On3.
Social Media Info:
Twitter: @jay_brownnn
Let’s get a look at ya: Highlights via Hudle from Brown’s senior high school season:
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ACC News
Seven ACC Players Earn Spot on Walter Camp 2024 Player of the Year Preseason Watch List (theacc.com)
Seven Atlantic Coast Conference football players were named among the 50 “players to watch” for the Walter Camp 2024 Player of the Year Award, the nation’s fourth-oldest individual college football accolade, and presented by David McDermott Lexus of New Haven, the Walter Camp Foundation announced on Monday, August 5.
The Walter Camp Player of the Year Award is given annually to the collegiate American football player of the year, as decided by a group of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I FBS head coaches and sports information directors under the auspices of the Walter Camp Football Foundation. The award is named for Walter Camp, an important and influential figure in the development of the sport.
Four of the seven ACC contingents on the prestigious watch list were quarterbacks: D.J. Uiagalelei of Florida State, Cam Ward of Miami, Grayson McCall of NC State and Kyle McCord of Syracuse. The quarterback quartet was joined by running backs Jamal Haynes of Georgia Tech and Omarion Hampton of North Carolina, as well as wide receiver Elic Ayomanor of Stanford.
The full 2024 watch list includes 41 offensive players (20 quarterbacks, 11 running backs, five receivers/tight ends and two offensive linemen) along with nine players from the defensive side of the ball.
Earlier this summer, the Walter Camp Foundation announced its 2024 preseason All-American teams. The Walter Camp is the nation’s oldest and most prestigious All-America team.
The 2024 Player of Year watch list will be narrowed to 10 semifinalists in early November. The three finalists will be announced on November 26. The 2024 Walter Camp Player of the Year recipient will be announced on ESPN’s Home Depot College Football Awards Show on December 12.
ACC Representatives on the 2024 Walter Camp Player of the Year Preseason Watch List:
Name, School, Class, Position
D.J. Uiagalelei, Florida State, Redshirt Senior, QB
Jamal Haynes, Georgia Tech, Redshirt Junior, RB
Cam Ward, Miami, Senior, QB
Omarion Hampton, North Carolina, Junior, RB
Grayson McCall, NC State, Graduate Student, QB
Elic Ayomanor, Stanford, Redshirt Sophomore, WR
Kyle McCord, Syracuse, Senior, QB
ACC Football Notes
- The ACC is the Conference of Quarterbacks, with the return of full-time starters Thomas Castellanos at Boston College, Cade Klubnik at Clemson, Grayson Loftis at Duke, Haynes King at Georgia Tech, Preston Stone at SMU, and Kyron Drones at Virginia Tech, and transfers DJ Uiagalelei at Florida State, Tyler Shough at Louisville, Cam Ward at Miami, Grayson McCall at NC State, and Kyle McCord at Syracuse among others.
- ACC had 10 quarterbacks named to the Maxwell Award preseason watch list, no other conference had more.
- ACC has the top-ranked group of quarterback transfers in 2024 by CBS Sports.
- 13 QBs in the league enter the 2024 season with over 20 career touchdown passes and 3,500 career passing yards.
- Eight quarterbacks from ACC schools are projected to start Week 1 in the 2024 NFL season — 25 percent of NFL teams.
- Since 2018, the ACC has had at least one quarterback drafted in the first round in five different drafts — the only conference to do that.
- The ACC’s non-conference schedule continues to be the most challenging in the country.
- 27 games against Power 4 opponents, including Notre Dame, the most of any conference.
- Nine non-conference games against teams ranked in the final 2023 Associated Press Top 25 Poll, the most of any conference.
- 10 non-conference games against teams in ESPN’s 2024 Way-Too-Early Top 25, the most of any conference.
- ACC Features Elite Coaching Leadership
- Six ACC head coaches were named to the 2024 Dodd Trophy Preseason Watch List, as announced by the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation and the Peach Bowl, no other conference had more.
- Two of the three active coaches to win a national title reside in the ACC - Dabo Swinney led Clemson to national titles in 2016 and 2018. North Carolina’s Mack Brown won a national title at Texas in 2005.
- The 2024 ACC Football Championship Game will kick off in primetime at 8 p.m. ET on ABC on Saturday, Dec. 7, at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina.
The Walter Camp Football Foundation is an all-volunteer organization founded in 1967. The Foundation operates year-round working towards the following purposes:
- Oversee the selection of the current year’s entries into the oldest college All-America Football Team as voted on by the FBS Head Coaches and Sports Information Directors.
- Select and honor other individuals who have distinguished themselves
- Donation of financial support to worthy charities and youth-oriented organizations.
ACC preview: Can a new contender emerge to challenge Clemson and Florida State? (ESPN; video; Adelson & Hale)
The ACC opens the 2024 season with a new look, as three new teams join a conference that already feels up for grabs. New this year are Cal, Stanford and SMU, eager to prove they belong. And yes, Florida State and Clemson are back despite their ongoing legal cases with the ACC.
How will the conference move affect those three new teams? Are Florida State and Clemson the clear front-runners, or will Miami, Virginia Tech, NC State, Louisville or another team find itself in the mix to win an ACC championship?
ESPN reporters Andrea Adelson and David Hale look at the league's top newcomers, CFP outlook, biggest games, coaches on the hot seat, power rankings and more.
CFP outlook
Mike Norvell and Florida State look to defend their ACC crown, but there's no clear-cut favorite in the league race. Doug Murray/Icon SportswireThe good news for the ACC is it won't be left out of the playoff for a fourth straight year in 2024 thanks to the guaranteed bid that comes with the CFP's expansion to 12 teams. The bad news is the league ought to be shooting for multiple bids but the odds of that happening might not be great. Make no mistake, the league is deep at the top, with as many as seven teams with realistic hopes of a playoff berth. But unless two or three really pull away from the pack, that many contenders is usually a recipe for some internal chaos.
Should be in
There is no clear-cut favorite in the ACC, so although its champion is guaranteed a berth, it's anyone's guess who that'll be. If history is any guide, however, Clemson or Florida State would be the obvious choice. The Tigers and Seminoles have won the league every year but one since 2011. Both have potentially elite defenses and some intriguing skill talent on offense, but both have big question marks at QB, with Cade Klubnik looking for growth after a shaky sophomore season at Clemson and DJ Uiagalelei hoping to replace all the production lost by Jordan Travis' departure at FSU.
In the running
Aside from the two co-favorites, the biggest name in the mix is Miami. The Hurricanes pushed all their chips to the middle of the table this offseason, landing a host of talent via the transfer portal, including QB Cam Ward and running back Damien Martinez. There's a strong case to be made that the Canes are the most talented team in the league -- it's just that talent hasn't always translated to wins in Coral Gables.
Don't forget about NC State, however. The Wolfpack also cleaned up in the portal, adding QB Grayson McCall, tailback Jordan Waters, receiver Noah Rogers and tight end Justin Joly, giving Dave Doeren perhaps his most potent offense since he arrived in 2014. An accommodating schedule also sets up nicely for the Pack. The problem, of course, is this is a program that has won 10 games just once in its history.
Long shots
Perhaps no ACC team is getting more offseason buzz than Virginia Tech, which closed out 2023 by winning five of seven, including a 41-20 victory over Tulane in a bowl game. The Hokies bring back virtually every key player from last year's team, including QB Kyron Drones and tailback Bhayshul Tuten, giving Brent Pry a real shot at returning the once great program to the national spotlight. Still, moving from 7-6 to a playoff berth requires some significant improvement from last season.
Louisville played for an ACC title last year, and the Cardinals' defense looks plenty capable of leading the charge back to Charlotte in 2024. The biggest question looming for Jeff Brohm's team is at quarterback, where Tyler Shough arrives via the portal for a sixth season of college ball and is still hoping to play his first injury-free season.
If there's a true dark horse in the mix, it might be North Carolina. The Heels would seem to be taking a step back after saying goodbye to QB Drake Maye, but the makeup of this team figures to lean more heavily on the supporting cast. A potentially elite ground game, a much bigger offensive line and a defense looking for a fresh start under new coordinator Geoff Collins have Heels fans thinking there's a new blueprint for success in Chapel Hill.
Top transfers
A lot of quarterbacks: With Miami's Ward, FSU's Uiagalelei and NC State's McCall among the most intriguing. Add in Shough, UNC's Max Johnson and Syracuse's Kyle McCord and half a dozen ACC teams with big aspirations are starting a QB who arrived via the portal. Which team takes the biggest step in 2024 might depend on which transfer QB has the biggest impact.Florida State DE Marvin Jones Jr.: Jones is an FSU legacy -- son of Noles great Marvin Jones Sr. -- but he opted for Georgia out of high school. After two seasons with limited action, however, Jones Jr. hit the portal and went home to Florida State this offseason, and from the reports from coach Mike Norvell, it's been a match made in heaven. Jones has bulked up and wreaked havoc in practices, and given Norvell's success with transfer pass rushers -- see first-round picks Jermaine Johnson and Jared Verse -- it's entirely possible Jones will blossom into one of the most feared defenders in the conference in 2024.
NC State C Zeke Correll: The Wolfpack completely rebuilt its offense in the portal this season, and while McCall, Rogers, Waters and others got ample headlines, the buzz in the locker room is loudest for Correll. A sixth-year senior, Correll started 31 games at Notre Dame before arriving in Raleigh this offseason. He was recovering from injury in the spring, but he still made his leadership felt, and he figures to be the anchor for an O-line that may well be the linchpin for NC State's success in 2024.
Impact freshmen
Bryant Wesco Jr., WR, Clemson: The Tigers have been missing a game breaker at receiver over the past several seasons, but there is optimism that will change this year, thanks in part to incoming freshman Wesco. The 6-foot-2, 170-pound freshman, an ESPN 300 prospect, enrolled early in spring as one of the top receivers in the country. So far, he has not disappointed. When asked during ACC Kickoff for a player who will be a difference-maker this year, quarterback Cade Klubnik did not hesitate to say Wesco. When asked to elaborate, he said, "You'll see."Elija Lofton, TE, Miami: The Hurricanes signed another top recruiting class, but the player who has drawn early raves as someone who can make an impact early is Lofton, an ESPN 300 prospect who enrolled early and was there for spring practice. Miami, which has a long and storied tight end tradition, could use him in a variety of ways thanks to his versatility. He played running back in the spring game, for example, to help provide some depth. Coach Mario Cristobal has not shied away from praising Lofton, either.
Sincere Edwards, DL, Pittsburgh: Defensive line is a position that will have a completely revamped look for Pitt this season, with turnover across the board leading to opportunities for players to step up. Coach Pat Narduzzi said Edwards will be in the rotation along the defensive front this season, and those who have paid attention to Pitt in recent years know the Panthers like to play aggressively -- and have a knack for developing NFL talent. -- Tom Luginbill
Our favorite players
Omarion Hampton, RB, North Carolina: Hampton will make North Carolina must-see TV this season as he follows up on an absolutely dominant season, in which he ran for 1,504 yards and 15 touchdowns. North Carolina got even bigger on its offensive line, which can only bode well for Hampton and the Tar Heels' running game.Ashton Gillotte, DL, Louisville: Gillotte plays with a reckless enthusiasm that makes it hard to watch anybody else on the field. Last season, he had 14.5 tackles for a loss and 11 sacks, and he decided to return for one more season to prove he can do much more.
Jaydn Ott, RB, Cal: There is a reason preseason hype has followed Ott into the ACC even though he has yet to take a snap in his new conference. He was that dominant last season in the Pac-12, with 1,305 yards and 12 touchdowns. Oh, he can return kicks, too. His 119.58 all-purpose yards per game ranks fourth among all returning players in the country.
Rueben Bain Jr., DE, Miami: Will quarterback Cam Ward make some plays on offense this season? Absolutely. But Bain will be the player to watch on defense after a terrific freshman debut last season. Bain had 12.5 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks, in addition to 44 tackles, and is poised for more in 2024.
Kyron Drones, QB, Virginia Tech: The Hokies have high hopes to get back to an ACC championship game this season in large part because of the development of Drones in the second half of last season. Drones can turn routine plays into highlights, and his running ability makes it hard to predict what exactly will happen every time he takes a snap.
Phil Mafah, RB, Clemson: Go rewatch last year's Gator Bowl against Kentucky to find out why Mafah is one of our favorite players. Mafah set a Gator Bowl record with four touchdown runs, and, well, he's been known to bowl over a linebacker or two. Tough and physical with speed, Mafah now takes center stage with Will Shipley gone to the NFL.
Patrick Payton, DE, Florida State: His quickness and speed off the edge have allowed him to excel, with 14.5 tackles for loss, 7 sacks, 10 pass breakups, 7 hurries and 2 forced fumbles last season. But with Jared Verse on the other side, there were times he was overshadowed. Not any longer.
Marlowe Wax, LB, Syracuse: One of the best, most consistent players in the ACC, Wax has played in 49 career games since his freshman year in 2020. His longevity alone makes him stand out from a crowd, but he also happens to be one of the best linebackers in the conference. Wax led the team in tackles (110), tackles for loss (11.5) and forced fumbles (4) in 2023.
Must-see games
Clemson vs. Georgia, Aug. 31: The last time these two teams opened the season, in 2021, DJ Uiagalelei started at quarterback, Clemson lost 10-3 and the Tigers have not quite hit the same results as they did during their six-year playoff run. What better way to see where Clemson stacks up than this opener?Miami vs. Florida, Aug. 31: There is no denying the stakes on the line for both teams. Florida coach Billy Napier and Miami coach Mario Cristobal each enter Year 3 facing rabid fan bases eager to win and win now. Headed into the season, the Canes appear to be far better positioned to make a statement in 2024 -- making this an even bigger high-stakes game.
NC State vs. Tennessee, Sept. 7: For the ACC to try to get multiple teams into the expanded College Football Playoff, its teams are going to have to perform well in nonconference play. This is a huge game to that end, but also for an NC State team that has embraced high expectations for 2024.
Clemson at Florida State, Oct. 5: Clemson and Florida State have combined to play in 13 of the past 14 ACC championship games, and it stands to reason that both will be in the mix to make it back to Charlotte this year. This game is always huge, but without divisions, the result not only gives the winner a leg up but could also have implications on possible tiebreakers down the line.
Florida State at Miami, Oct. 26: Miami has designs on playing for a championship this year, and to do that, the Canes will have to get past the Noles. Florida State has won three straight on its rival, including a 45-3 victory the last time they played in Miami, in Year 1 under Cristobal. That game has not been forgotten.
Clemson at Virginia Tech, Nov. 9: Given what both teams look like on paper headed into the season, we are projecting this game to have major ACC championship game implications. Virginia Tech has not beaten Clemson since 2007. Four of Clemson's past six wins over the Hokies were in the ACC title game.
Numbers to know
2,684: Miles between Boston College's Alumni Stadium and Stanford Stadium3: Active FBS coaches with a national title -- 2 are in the ACC (Dabo Swinney and Mack Brown; Kirby Smart is the other)
51%: Percentage of total starts from transfers players for Florida State over the past two seasons, third highest among Power 4 schools
0%: Percentage of total starts from transfers players for Clemson over the past two seasons, lowest among Power 4 schools -- ESPN Stats & Information
On the hot seat
The ACC heads into the season with relative stability among its head coaches. The two coaches who were on the hot seat headed into 2023 are no longer in the league (Jeff Hafley and Dino Babers), and there are five coaches headed into Years 1 or 2. Those looking at win-loss records only would point to Virginia coach Tony Elliott, who is 6-16 in two seasons. But there are extenuating circumstances at Virginia, given the tragedy the program endured in his first season as head coach, when three players were killed and the rest of the regular season was canceled as a result. Elliott said this feels like Year 1 for him, given everything that has happened since his arrival, and Virginia has been a place known to give its coaches time and patience.Teams on the rise
Adelson: NC StateThe Wolfpack have been a program on the rise over the past several years, but they now believe it's time to take that next step from eight- or nine-win team to contender. "We expect the expectations now," NC State coach Dave Doeren said.
Hale: Virginia Tech
Coach Brent Pry said during ACC Kickoff that he would be disappointed if the Hokies do not compete for a conference championship this year. This is a team that has made steady improvement since Pry arrived, but with its key players returning on offense and defense, the Hokies clearly want more.
Power rankings
1. Florida State: The defending ACC champion begins where it left off last season, although a revamped offense will give the Noles a new look headed into 2024.2. Clemson: Although there are questions about the offense, the defense should be stout once again with Peter Woods, T.J. Parker and Barrett Carter leading the way.
3. Miami: Yes, there is a question every year about Miami and whether this will be the year it returns to the national stage. But the pieces are in place for the Canes to make a run this year.
4. NC State: With Grayson McCall and a host of other transfers on offense, the Wolfpack have one of the most talented teams in the ACC headed into the season.
5. Virginia Tech: The Hokies closed last season with wins in three of their final four games, scoring more than 40 points in all the victories. With just about everyone back, expectations are high.
6. Louisville: Not many people are talking about Jeff Brohm's team after an ACC championship game appearance in 2023, but don't sleep on the Cards. If Tyler Shough can stay healthy at quarterback, Louisville will be in contention once again.
7. North Carolina: Keep an eye on the Tar Heels as a sleeper team in the ACC, even without Drake Maye. Running back Omarion Hampton leads the way, and the defense should be far improved.
8. SMU: The Mustangs are set up for success right out of the gate in Year 1 in the ACC, with a high-powered offense returning. But how they'll hold up on the offensive and defensive lines is the biggest mystery.
9. Syracuse: There is renewed energy and excitement surrounding the Syracuse program with first-year coach Fran Brown and a large number of high-profile transfers leading the way, starting with quarterback Kyle McCord.
10. Cal: The Bears have a preseason All-American candidate in running back Jaydn Ott and are on a quest this season to show they can elevate their play.
11. Georgia Tech: The Jackets return their biggest playmakers on offense, starting with quarterback Haynes King, but once again are saddled with one of the toughest schedules in the ACC.
12. Pitt: Coach Pat Narduzzi believes the Panthers have found a quarterback in Nate Yarnell, who takes over as the starter running the lightning-fast offense Cade Bell brings with him from Western Carolina.
...
James J. Phillips Discusses Future of Florida State, Clemson in ACC & ACC's Future After 2024 (youtube; podcast; Fanaticsview.com)
James J. Phillips Discusses Future of Florida State, Clemson in ACC & ACC's Future After 2024
Miami Football Will Win The ACC In 2024 | 2024 ACC Football Preview (youtube; podcast; Ruffino & Joe)
Joe DeLeone and Blake Ruffino share their 2024 ACC Football preview, sharing expectations for Miami Football, Florida State Football, Clemson Football, Virginia Tech football, and more
2024 ACC FOOTBALL PREVIEW (youtube; podcast; KarterKast)
2024 ACC FOOTBALL PREVIEW
Best from ACC+XII, 2024 version (RX; HM)
Best from ACC+XII, 2024 version
I doubt anything like this ever happens, but...
This is actually not the first time we did one of these, but last time Texas and Oklahoma were still in the Big XII, so obviously that's a big change. Also, the ACC and Big XII have both absorbed some Pac-12 teams and some American Athletic Conference teams since then... so I reckon it's time for an update!
The Goal
Create a merged conference from the ACC and Big XII which would maximize TV + CFP revenue. I'm assuming a conference network which pays by the subscriber with in/out of state rates, and the current relative strengths of these schools in football is fairly typical of what we can expect in the future.Methodology
The first thing I realized I would need is a method for picking teams. I started with the 2024 Preseason FPI ranking from ESPN, removing every school in the Big Ten, SEC, G5, or independent. Basically, that just leaves ACC, Big XII, and the Pac-2.| 2024 Preseason FPI Ranking (ACC, Big XII, and Pac-2) | |||
| Rank | Team | State | CONF |
| 1 | Florida State Seminoles | FL | ACC |
| 2 | Clemson Tigers | SC | ACC |
| 3 | Kansas Jayhawks | KS | Big 12 |
| 4 | Louisville Cardinals | KY | ACC |
| 5 | Kansas State Wildcats | KS | Big 12 |
| 6 | Miami Hurricanes | FL | ACC |
| 7 | Arizona Wildcats | AZ | Big 12 |
| 8 | SMU Mustangs | TX | ACC |
| 9 | Oklahoma State Cowboys | OK | Big 12 |
| 10 | Utah Utes | UT | Big 12 |
| 11 | NC State Wolfpack | NC | ACC |
| 12 | Texas Tech Red Raiders | TX | Big 12 |
| 13 | TCU Horned Frogs | TX | Big 12 |
| 14 | UCF Knights | FL | Big 12 |
| 15 | West Virginia Mountaineers | WV | Big 12 |
| 16 | Colorado Buffaloes | CO | Big 12 |
| 17 | Oregon State Beavers | OR | Pac-12 |
| 18 | North Carolina Tar Heels | NC | ACC |
| 19 | California Golden Bears | CA | ACC |
| 20 | Iowa State Cyclones | IA | Big 12 |
| 21 | Virginia Tech Hokies | VA | ACC |
| 22 | Duke Blue Devils | NC | ACC |
| 23 | Pittsburgh Panthers | PA | ACC |
| 24 | Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets | GA | ACC |
| 25 | Baylor Bears | TX | Big 12 |
| 26 | Boston College Eagles | MA | ACC |
| 27 | Stanford Cardinal | CA | ACC |
| 28 | Arizona State Sun Devils | AZ | Big 12 |
| 29 | Washington State Cougars | WA | Pac-12 |
| 30 | Cincinnati Bearcats | OH | Big 12 |
| 31 | Syracuse Orange | NY | ACC |
| 32 | Wake Forest Demon Deacons | NC | ACC |
| 33 | Virginia Cavaliers | VA | ACC |
| 34 | BYU Cougars | UT | Big 12 |
| 35 | Houston Cougars | TX | Big 12 |
First, the top football schools
Now, the first thing I thought of is what many of you would also do - I looked at the top 24 teams from this table, without any other considerations. The pro is that theoretically you'd be getting the 24 best football teams. Well, best in 2024... in the preseason... according to ESPN. The con? Like the Big XII, the conference footprint would have an awful lot of unnecessary duplication of markets. For instance, there would be 3 schools each in Florida, Texas, and North Carolina. There would be 2 schools in lil 'ol Kansas! Not very efficient...Next, the top fb schools one per state*
So, let's add a rule to ensure we give consideration to both football prowess and market size: the only states where we'll accept duplication are CA, TX, and FL, and even then, only 2 schools*. What does that do for us? It gives us a top 24 that now looks like this:| Rank | Team | State | CONF |
| 1 | Florida State Seminoles | FL | ACC |
| 2 | Clemson Tigers | SC | ACC |
| 3 | Kansas Jayhawks | KS | Big 12 |
| 4 | Louisville Cardinals | KY | ACC |
| 5 | Miami Hurricanes | FL | ACC |
| 6 | Arizona Wildcats | AZ | Big 12 |
| 7 | SMU Mustangs | TX | ACC |
| 8 | Oklahoma State Cowboys | OK | Big 12 |
| 9 | Utah Utes | UT | Big 12 |
| 10 | NC State Wolfpack | NC | ACC |
| 11 | Texas Tech Red Raiders | TX | Big 12 |
| 12 | West Virginia Mountaineers | WV | Big 12 |
| 13 | Colorado Buffaloes | CO | Big 12 |
| 14 | Oregon State Beavers | OR | Pac-12 |
| 15 | California Golden Bears | CA | ACC |
| 16 | Iowa State Cyclones | IA | Big 12 |
| 17 | Virginia Tech Hokies | VA | ACC |
| 18 | Pittsburgh Panthers | PA | ACC |
| 19 | Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets | GA | ACC |
| 20 | Boston College Eagles | MA | ACC |
| 21 | Stanford Cardinal | CA | ACC |
| 22 | Washington State Cougars | WA | Pac-12 |
| 23 | Cincinnati Bearcats | OH | Big 12 |
| 24 | Syracuse Orange | NY | ACC |
2024 Preseason Coaches Poll (RX; HM)
2024 Preseason Coaches Poll
The coaches' preseason poll is out, and surprise, surprise: the top is filled with SEC and Big Ten teams!
| 2024 Preseason Coaches Poll | |
| Rank | Team |
| 1 | Georgia |
| 2 | Ohio State |
| 3 | Oregon |
| 4 | Texas |
| 5 | Alabama |
| 6 | Ole Miss |
| 7 | Notre Dame |
| 8 | Michigan |
| 9 | Penn State |
| 10 | Florida State |
| 11 | Missouri |
| 12 | LSU |
| 13 | Utah |
| 14 | Clemson |
| 15 | Tennessee |
| 16 | Oklahoma |
| 17 | Kansas State |
| 18 | Oklahoma State |
| 19 | Miami |
| 20 | Texas A&M |
| 21 | Arizona |
| 22 | NC State |
| 23 | USC |
| 24 | Kansas |
| 25 | Iowa |
| Others receiving votes: | |
| 26 | Washington |
| 27 | Louisville |
| 28 | Virginia Tech |
| 29 | SMU |
| 30 | Memphis |
| 31 | Boise State |
| 32 | Auburn |
| 33 | West Virginia |
| 34 | Wisconsin |
| 35 | Liberty |
| 35 | Iowa State |
| 37 | Kentucky |
| 38 | Florida |
| 39 | South Carolina |
| 40 | North Carolina |
| 41 | UNLV |
| 41 | Maryland |
| 43 | UCF |
| 43 | Texas Tech |
| 45 | UTSA |
| 46 | Tulane |
| 46 | Texas State |
| 46 | Nebraska |
| 46 | Colorado |
| 46 | Appalachian St |
| 51 | Troy |
| 51 | Syracuse |
| 51 | Miami (OH) |
| 51 | James Madison |
| 51 | Air Force 1 |
Comments:
- Notre Dame is #7, higher than any other ACC school.
- There are four ACC teams in the Top 25, one of which is Top 12 (FSU).
- However, there are three more - for a total of seven - in the Top 30.
- Two more teams received votes (#40 UNC and #51 Syracuse).
Looking Back at the 1990 Coaches Poll (RX; HM)
Looking Back at the 1990 Coaches Poll
The ACC is full of football programs with big time potential, as this shows...
Just to show you how good the current ACC football schools used to be, here's the final Coaches Poll for the 1990 season:
| Final 1990 UPI/Coaches Poll |
| Georgia Tech |
| Colorado |
| Miami (FL) |
| Florida State |
| Washington |
| Notre Dame |
| Tennessee |
| Michigan |
| Clemson |
| Penn State |
| Texas |
| Louisville |
| Texas A&M |
| Michigan State |
| Virginia |
| Iowa |
| Brigham Young |
| Nebraska |
| Auburn |
| San Jose State |
| Syracuse |
| USC |
| Mississippi |
| Illinois |
| Virginia Tech |
Eight of the Top 25 teams are currently in the ACC - not including Notre Dame! In fact, 3 of the top 4 teams now reside in the ACC. On the flip side, there were only 5 SEC teams (including Texas and Texas A&M), and 8 teams currently in the Big Ten (including USC and Washington). Only 2 teams in the current version of the Big XII finished ranked that year.
...
GUEST ARTICLE: Why the ACC has the Upper Hand over the Big XII (RX; HM)
GUEST ARTICLE: Why the ACC has the Upper Hand over the Big XII
Today we are pleased to have another guest article written by a fellow Hokie who goes by the handle "Random Asian Guy". The title of his article is...
ACC Phillips Address and Why the ACC Has the Upper Hand Over the Big 12
Jim Phillips made an unexpectedly fiery and defiant speech at the ACC Kickoff on July 22, 2024. Analyzing his remarks provides some insight into where the league stands and where it might be headed.
But, before we dive into his speech, let’s review what has happened since my article, "Why ESPN Will Move B12 Schools to the ACC", (GUEST ARTICLE: Why ESPN will move B12 schools to the ACC) was posted on May 23. In that article, I outlined the only scenario in which the ACC would lose schools to the Big 12, namely if...
I also predicted that UNC would not take any action and speculated that FSU’s and Clemson’s Plan B, if things didn’t go as planned, would be to extract more money from the ACC. Furthermore, while some who wished to see the ACC implode claimed ESPN would exit the ACC contract, I said actual reporters such as David Hale and Dennis Dodd predicted that ESPN would renew it. There was no way the FSU and Clemson issue would be resolved before February 2025. Additionally, the third-tier media content sublicensed to Raycom Sports (now CW) would revert to the ACC in 2027.
Now, let’s see what has transpired since May 23...
FSU/Clemson?
First, some unsettling news for FSU and Clemson. The first hint came in early July when FSU BOT Chair Peter Collins was asked about the ultimate goal of the ACC lawsuit (7:54 mark). Mr. Collins replied that the ultimate goal is to be paid what FSU is worth.Video Link
...
Other
Syracuse is receiving a $1.55 million Restore New York grant to leverage new mixed-use development downtown, including the rehabilitation of The Jefferson Building pictured here, a vacant commercial building at 401-407 S. Warren St. (Rick Moriarty | rmoriarty@syracuse.com)Rick Moriarty | rmoriarty@syracuse.com
State giving Syracuse $1.5 million grant for downtown developments (PS; $; Moriarty)
New York is giving Syracuse a grant of more than $1 million to assist potential developments, including new housing, along South Warren Street.
The Syracuse grant will assist the city in removing or rehabilitating up to two blighted properties on Warren Street, one of which is a condemned parking garage that is structurally compromised, state officials said.
Gov. Kathy Hochul announced the $1.55 million grant Tuesday, one of 43 projects receiving a total $64.1 million in funding through the state’s Restore New York Communities Initiative. The program supports municipal efforts to reduce blight and generate new residential and economic opportunities.
The developments involve three downtown properties:
- The former City Hall Commons building at East Genesee and South Warren streets, which the city has agreed to sell to a developer who would turn it into a mix of commercial space, and market-rate and affordable housing.
- A privately owned, 425-space parking garage at 325-345 S. Warren St. that would be demolished to make way for the future redevelopment of the site. City inspectors declared the garage “unfit for human occupancy” last year and ordered all but its ground floor closed.
- The Jefferson Building at 401-407 S. Warren St., a vacant residential and commercial property that would be rehabilitated.
In total, they would create up to 67 new residential units, 11 of which are planned to be affordable, state officials said.
The grant is less than the $3.2 million the city requested. Eric Ennis, deputy commissioner of business development, said the city is working with the property owners and project teams involved with each of the three properties to determine the impact a lower award amount will have on the ability for each project to proceed.
...
Russell Mason completed "The Valley in Bloom” mural at 4702 S. Salina St. The mural spans approximately 2,200 square feet.This is CNY
Syracuse artist finishes huge Valley neighborhood mural for City as Canvas series (PS; Tulloch)
A new mural has been completed in Syracuse’s Valley neighborhood, as part of the City as Canvas project, a series of eight city murals designed to invoke a sense of civic pride in city neighborhoods.
Syracuse artist Russell Mason designed and painted “The Valley in Bloom” mural on the North-facing wall of 4702 S. Salina St. He finished it on Friday, Aug. 2 after 20 days of work.
Mason said his design aims to capture the natural beauty of The Valley, inviting viewers to “cherish the harmony between nature and urban life that defines Syracuse.”
The mural shows the neighborhood on a clear day, with flowers in full bloom. It includes Webster Pond, the historic John Gridley house, the Onondaga Arsenal wall, and the JMA Wireless Dome in the distance.
The mural spans approximately 2,200 square feet.
“That’s a lot of paint,” said Mason. “The Valley community was amazingly supportive. I had a couple people offer to help me which has never happened before. This one kid was actually sincere so I ended up giving him a brush and he helped me paint some of Webster Pond.”
...
