sutomcat
No recent Cali or Iggy awards; Mr Irrelevant
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Welcome to National Emergency Responders Day!
Trained to respond to a wide range of emergencies, emergency responders are some of the first to arrive at the scenes of natural disasters, accidents, and terrorist attacks. They include people such as paramedics, emergency medical technicians, police officers, and firefighters. Because of the trauma they encounter, they must be of strong physical and mental health. Today we honor and celebrate them for all they do to keep us safe.
National Emergency Responders Day takes place on September 11, the anniversary of the largest terrorist attack in American history. Emergency responders were many of the first to arrive at the locations of the attacks, and many lost their lives that day, and continue to feel the day's effects decades later, making it appropriate that we honor them on its anniversary. Of the 2,977 who were killed that day, 412 were emergency workers who responded to the World Trade Center, and of those, 343 were New York City firefighters and paramedics.
Rushing into the rubble, they breathed in dust that contained asbestos, glass fibers, lead, cement, dioxins, and other chemicals. Many have since experienced respiratory and neurological damage, as well as post-traumatic stress disorder. Perhaps most detrimental is the great number of emergency responders who have succumbed to cancer on account of the disaster. Some have developed lung cancer because of exposure to asbestos and skin cancer because of exposure to chemicals. Other cancers—such as breast, thyroid, and esophageal—have developed from exposure on the day. By the anniversary of the tragedy in 2018, there had been 150 emergency workers who had lost their lives over the years on account of September 11th.
SU News
Film Review: Diving into Syracuse’s suspect special teams vs. Georgia Tech (DO; Andrews)
Fran Brown says late comebacks are part of the “monotony” of football. Then-No. 23 Georgia Tech storming back from a 17-point deficit to pull within a field goal of Syracuse last Saturday is something the head coach said has happened 1,000 times before. But he knows it never should have been that close.
“We gotta work on that special teams,” Brown said before pinning the blame on himself. “If they’re going to touch the ball before it hits 10 yards, that’s bad coaching on Fran Brown. On nobody else.”
He was incensed by SU’s inability to recover a GT onside kick with just over five minutes remaining. It gave the Yellow Jackets another life facing a 10-point deficit and helped keep the Orange’s offense off the field for a six-minute span late in the fourth quarter as its lead dwindled from 31-14 to 31-28.
A scintillating 381-yard, four-touchdown performance from quarterback Kyle McCord and an improved defensive outing were nearly overshadowed. Prior to its late blunder, though, SU’s special teams weathered a difficult afternoon. Each quarter featured a different mistake from the unit, which could have tipped the scales in the Yellow Jackets’ favor.
Here’s a deep dive into Syracuse’s (2-0, 1-0 ACC) four special teams errors in its win over then-No. 23 Georgia Tech (2-1, 1-1 ACC) last Saturday:
1st quarter, 2:08 — Syracuse (reluctantly) joins the block party
SU’s field-goal blocking unit faltered on kicker Brady Denaburg’s first attempt of the day. Denaburg stared down a 43-yard field goal — a trustworthy distance for his leg — with the score knotted at 7-7.
As the snap hit holder Jack Stonehouse’s fingers, Georgia Tech’s right-side gunner Ahmari Harvey blazed past Dan Villari, blocking on Denaburg’s left. Villari merely took a step to his left and issued a single push into Harvey’s left shoulder. Harvey didn’t flinch, and zoomed ahead at a free lane to the ball.
He didn’t come up with the block, but Harvey got in front of Denaburg’s face to force a low kick. At the same time, Georgia Tech defensive lineman Zeek Biggers got leverage on Syracuse long snapper Tom Callahan. After snapping the ball, Callahan reacted late to Biggers’ ambush. Then, the 6-foot-6, 320-pound lineman leaped up far too high for the long snapper to contain.
Biggers extended his left arm straight in the air to deflect Denaburg’s attempt with his fingertips, sending it just a few yards forward and way off target. The long snapper is the last person you’d think would make an impact in any given game. Here, though, Callahan couldn’t do enough to protect Denaburg’s low kick, costing SU three points.
2nd quarter, 1:37 — Yellow Jackets bring the house on Stonehouse
Georgia Tech vs. Syracuse Condensed Game | 2024 ACC Football
The Orange secured a 31-28 upset win over No.23 Georgia Tech at home. Orange QB Kyle McCord passed for a whopping 381 yards and 4 scores. Each of his touchdo...
youtu.be
Syracuse escaped having to pay for its next special teams blocking mistake. A Stonehouse punt late in the first half was blocked by Georgia Tech defensive lineman Amontrae Bradford near midfield, giving GT a short field to potentially tie the game before halftime.
Even though Yellow Jackets kicker Aidan Birr missed a 45-yarder to end the drive, this snap was still among the lowlights for the Orange.
After Stonehouse received the snap from Callahan, five blockers stayed in place to battle Georgia Tech’s front. GT brought five rushers, but Bradford and linebacker Nacari Ashley instantly wreaked havoc in the backfield. They each bulldozed through the middle, shedding weak block attempts from Villari while maneuvering past Justin Barron.
Bradford and Ashley muscled their way into a two-on-one with Syracuse offensive lineman Mark Petry. He stood flat-footed, and couldn’t adjust his way to merely defend one of the two rushers. Ashley swooped around from Petry’s right side as Stonehouse attempted his punt, yet the kick flew right into Bradford’s body who was barely touched as he neared the ball. Tight end Max Mang was SU’s lone blocker who won his assignment, leading to Bradford’s deflection.
3rd quarter, 15:00 — Denaburg boots one out of bounds
Georgia Tech vs. Syracuse Full Game Replay | 2024 ACC Football
The Orange secured a 31-28 upset win over No.23 Georgia Tech at home. Orange QB Kyle McCord passed for a whopping 381 yards and 4 scores. Each of his touchdo...
youtu.be
Denaburg squared his right foot up with the ball as SU’s kickoff team ran in line with him. But his kick came out like a knuckleball, twisting through the air on a low trajectory. It was unclear if Denaburg was attempting a squib kick, or if he just wanted to ensure a return. Regardless, the boot was inaccurate.
The ball darted far left, took a bounce at the 20-yard line, and barreled out of bounds just before reaching the five. Denaburg was flagged for an illegal kick out of bounds, setting Georgia Tech up at the 35-yard line.
A cleaner strike from Denaburg could’ve warranted much better results for a possible touchback to have GT start at the 25 or give SU’s kickoff team a chance to make a play. But Denaburg’s small mistake provided Georgia Tech with favorable field position — crucial for such a tight game.
4th quarter, 5:08 — Onside kick slips past the Orange
Georgia Tech vs. Syracuse Condensed Game | 2024 ACC Football
The Orange secured a 31-28 upset win over No.23 Georgia Tech at home. Orange QB Kyle McCord passed for a whopping 381 yards and 4 scores. Each of his touchdo...
youtu.be
Fran Brown’s son’s text to him before Georgia Tech win: ‘Go out there and do what you do best’ (PS; $; Leiker)
Prior to Syracuse football’s win against Georgia Tech on Saturday, Fran Brown received a text from his oldest son, Fran (Frannie) Brown Jr.
Frannie wanted to make sure his dad was ready for his first ranked opponent as a head coach.
“I love you regardless,” Frannie told syracuse.com he wrote. “Just go out there and do what you do best.”
It ended up being a big day for both Browns: Fran coached Syracuse to a ranked win, and Frannie led St. Francis University in tackles in its upset win at Kent State.
Brown grew emotional talking about the texts from his eldest during his postgame press conference.
“He just told me how proud he was of me,” Brown said. “He sent me a lot of stuff that literally makes me wanna cry just thinking about what he said to me. It was real... It was heartfelt.”
Frannie wanted to FaceTime his dad from the visitor’s locker room as he and his teammates celebrated their victory, but his phone was dead.
Later, once he’d charged it, he called. The whole family was on the other side of the screen.
Though the family texts and calls often, Frannie hasn’t seen them in person since he left for fall camp this summer.
“Dad was so happy that we won, it was like he almost forgot that they won,” Frannie said.
With Syracuse off this weekend, the Browns are headed to Loretto, Pennsylvania, to watch Frannie and St. Francis play Central Connecticut.
Frannie said he’ll make the trip up to Syracuse during either of his bye weeks, barring having Saturday practice. The Orange plays Holy Cross at home during one and at Boston College during the other.
...
Syracuse football: first down offense vs Georgia Tech (TNIAAM; Wall)
The Syracuse Orange offense was really clicking for the first half of last weekend’s game. It really showed in the first down numbers against Georgia Tech.
In the first half, Syracuse averaged 9 yards per first-down play and if you do that, you’re going to be pretty successful. Those numbers are more impressive when you dig in a bit and see that the Orange had 5 of their 20 first down plays go for 0 yards.
Offensive coordinator Jeff Nixon kept the Yellow Jackets off-balance and when his calls clicked, they hit for some big chunk plays. Included in those were the two touchdown throws to Trebor Pena.
First Down Offense vs Georgia Tech
| Run (Allen) | 6 | Pass (Hatcher) | 15 |
| Pass (Hatcher) | 10 | Pass (Allen) | 0 |
| Pass (Incomplete) | 0 | Run (Allen) | 3 |
| Pass (Pena) | 11 TD | Pass (Incomplete) | 0 |
| Run (Nixon) | 2 | Pass (Incomplete) | 0 |
| Pass (Allen) | 15 | Pass (Haynes) | 4 |
| Pass (Gadsden) | 6 | Pass (Villari) | 7 |
| Run (Nixon) | 8 | Run (Allen) | 3 |
| Run (Allen) | 0 | Run (Nixon) | 1 |
| Pass (Pena) | 21 | Pass (Incomplete) | 0 |
| Pass (Incomplete) | 0 | Run (Pena) | -3 |
| Pass (Gadsden) | 5 | Pass (Allen) | 0 |
| Pass (Pena) | 11 TD | Run (Allen) | 4 |
| Pass (Gadsden) | 32 | Kneel | |
| Run (Nixon) | 5 | ||
| Pass (Meeks) | 9 | ||
| Run (Allen) | 3 | ||
| Pass (Hatcher) | 30 | ||
| Pass (Hatcher) | 8 | ||
| Pass (Incomplete) | 0 | ||
| 1st Half | Plays | Yards | Avg yards per play |
| Run | 6 | 22 | 3.66 |
| Pass | 14 | 158 | 11.28 |
| Total | 20 | 180 | 9 |
| 2nd Half | Plays | Yards | Avg yards per play |
| Run | 5 | 8 | 1.6 |
| Pass | 8 | 26 | 3.25 |
| Total | 13 | 34 | 2.61 |
| Game Total | Plays | Yards | Avg yards per play |
| Run | 11 | 30 | 2.72 |
| Pass | 22 | 184 | 8.36 |
| Total | 33 | 214 | 6.48 |
When Could Syracuse Football Get Ranked? (orangefizz.net; Aitken)
Syracuse football is 2-0 and is coming off a win over Georgia Tech, a team that was No. 23 in the nation at the time of the game. While the Yellow Jackets fell out of the AP Top 25, the Orange haven’t moved into it yet. SU did, however, receive 63 votes this week, which is the fourth-most by any team that isn’t ranked. This all begs the question: when could Syracuse football get ranked?
September 15th
It’s really hard to move up when you don’t play. The Orange would need lots of losses by teams towards the bottom of the rankings, plus other teams receiving votes. That means SU would need losses from a significant potion of No. 18 Notre Dame (at Purdue), No. 20 Arizona (at No. 14 Kansas State), No. 23 Nebraska (vs. Northern Iowa), No. 24 Boston College (at No. 6 Missouri), Illinois (vs. Central Michigan), and Texas A&M (at Florida).
If you weren’t doing the math, there are a decent amount of teams ahead of Syracuse football that aren’t in action. No. 19 Louisville, No. 21 Iowa State, No. 22 Clemson, No. 25 Northern Illinois, and Boise State are all on a bye this week.
Overall, while there are some ranked teams that have a good chance of losing this week, it isn’t very likely that SU will move into the AP Top 25. The Orange not playing doesn’t help, especially when many teams ranked above them are also idle this week.
There’s even a chance that SU might get even fewer votes next week, given that UNLV, who’s just behind Syracuse in terms of votes, has a big road game against Kansas this Friday.
September 22nd
The chances for Syracuse football to earn a ranking gets a lot better once it’s back in action. While SU only plays Stanford, one of the weaker teams in the ACC, getting to 3-0 and two conference wins will helps the Orange leapfrog at least a few teams ahead of them. The more time that passes, the fewer teams will remain undefeated.
...
Syracuse football gains more national attention but still 'underrated,' analyst says (itlh; Adler)
Currently, pundits view Miami as the favorite right now to win the ACC title and secure a berth in the 12-team College Football Playoff. At the same time, the ACC does seem a bit wide open, with a lot of games left to be played in the 2024 regular season.
First-year head coach Fran Brown and his team have some challenging games lurking in the near future, but the Orange is off to a strong beginning to the current term. The 'Cuse offense, led by star senior quarterback Kyle McCord, is firing on all cylinders, while the defense fared better in week two, and the special teams unit has work to do.
In any event, the Orange has solid momentum heading into its bye week, and a top analyst believes that Syracuse football is an underrated program in the national landscape.
Syracuse football is commanding more national attention after a 2-0 start.
This week, national analyst Brad Crawford of 247Sports and CBS Sports published a piece where he looked at college squads that are the most overrated and underrated heading into week three.
He described the Orange as underrated, noting McCord's fabulous performance last Saturday as the 'Cuse picked off the Yellow Jackets. Per Crawford, Syracuse football could potentially make an appearance soon in the top-25 polls "if this team continues to push forward."
...
Georgia Tech vs. Syracuse Full Game Replay | 2024 ACC Football (youtube; video; ACC DN)
Georgia Tech vs. Syracuse Full Game Replay | 2024 ACC Football
The Orange secured a 31-28 upset win over No.23 Georgia Tech at home. Orange QB Kyle McCord passed for a whopping 381 yards and 4 scores. Each of his touchdown tosses went to Trebor Pena (6 Rec, 88 Yds, 2 TD) and Oronde Gadsden II (6 Rec, 93 Yds, 2 TD). LeQuint Allen rushed for 83 yards on 15 carries for Syracuse. Haynes King finished his afternoon with 326 total yards and 3 TDR on 28 of 38 passing for Georgia Tech. Jamal Haynes also rushed for a score for GT.
Syracuse Football Coaching Takeaways against Georgia Tech | Syracuse Orange Podcast (youtube; podcast; Locked on Syracuse)
Syracuse Orange Football Head Coach Fran Brown is off to a 2-0 start after Syracuse beat Georgia Tech. Brown's squad was more disciplined, despite Clarence Lewis being called for a late hit out of bounds penalty. Elijah Robinson made a great move with Fadil Diggs going to linebacker. However, the special teams left a lot to be desired against the Yellow Jackets.
Jackson Holzer gives his coaching takeaways against Georgia Tech.
Syracuse football: what the college football world is saying about the Orange after week 2 (TNIAAM; Wall)
Each week, we’ll take a look at what other college football media sites are saying about the Syracuse Orange. Let’s see what they are saying after the win over Ohio
Player Honors
Kyle McCord was ACC Co-QB of the Week while Da’Metrius Weatherspoon was named Offensive Lineman of the Week.
x.com
twitter.com
McCord was also tabbed as the #1 impact transfer player of the week from On3.
Syracuse.Com
The local writers have Syracuse up to 4th this week between Clemson and Boston College.
ESPN
In this week’s SP+ rankings Syracuse moves up four to the 67th spot with the offense 58th while the defense ranks 71st. The Orange are ranked between Georgia Tech and Cincinnati.
The Football Power Index has Syracuse in 59th place between BYU and UCLA. FPI predicts the Orange for 7.2 wins and gives them a 83.8 % chance of making a bowl game.
ACC Network
x.com
twitter.com
CBS Sports
In the CBS Sports power rankings Syracuse is 33rd between Georgia Tech and California...if only CBS had a way to decide who was better between the Orange and Yellow Jackets.
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Syracuse football: Pop-Tarts Bowl O’Meter update (TNIAAM; Tomaiuolo)
Another week down, another win for Syracuse Orange football.
It wasn’t easy (again), but the Orange survived a fourth-quarter comeback from Georgia Tech, improving to 2-0 on the season. Kyle McCord has gotten off to a near-perfect start as SU’s new gunslinger, tossing a combined 735 yards with eight touchdowns and an interception through two games.
With Stanford and Holy Cross next up on the schedule, Syracuse will be hungry for a 4-0 start to the Fran Brown era. Speaking of hungry, a Pop-Tarts Bowl appearance would be the icing on top of this perfect beginning to the season.
Our Pop-Tarts Bowl O’Meter reflects this success in its Week 2 update:
Four wins away from a potential dancing Pop-Tart. What more could you ask for? Here’s where the experts project the Orange in the good ‘ole Bowl Season:
ESPN - Mark Schlabach and Kyle Bonagura
Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl vs Wisconsin Badgers
A pivot from last week’s prediction of the “Wasabi Fenway Bowl,” we’ve got an Orange and a Badger squaring off in the Bronx. Wisconsin has a gauntlet of a schedule in No. 4 Alabama and No. 11 USC in back-to-back weeks, so we’ll check back on them in October.
Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl vs Indiana Hoosiers
These ESPN experts are either copycats or really confident in a Bad Boy Mowers appearance. Either way, this matchup would be the first between the two schools in 42 years, which is kind of surprising. The Hoosiers still haven’t proved much, and will play their first conference opponent in UCLA, yes, UCLA, this weekend.
Brett McMurphy - The Action Network
Gasparilla Bowl vs BYU Cougars
This is an interesting pivot from last week’s “First Responder Bowl” prediction. While heading down to Tampa and The Sunshine State is never a bad thing, playing a bowl game in mid-December usually means your team just squeaked into Bowl Season. Let’s hope for a better one than this.
College Football News
Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl vs Wisconsin Badgers
Another “Bad Boy,” CFN agrees with ESPN in a matchup with the Badgers. I guess two is better than one, just like a package of Pop-Tarts.
CBS Sports
Cure Bowl vs FAU Owls
After leaving SU out last week, Jerry Palm heard your complaints and tossed the Orange into one of the earliest bowl games... against an Owls team that is currently 0-2. Is this really better than nothing?
...
Ryan Day happy for former Ohio State football QB Kyle McCord's strong start at Syracuse (dispatch.com; Kaufman)
Kyle McCord is enjoying a second act at Syracuse.
A senior quarterback who transferred to the school from Ohio State last winter, he has led the Orange to wins in the first two weeks and put up some of the best passing numbers in the Football Bowl Subdivision.
The strong start from McCord, who started behind center for the Buckeyes last fall, has drawn praise from a host of observers, including his former coach on Tuesday.
“I’m happy to see Kyle do well,” Ryan Day said. “He won some great games here and poured a lot of effort into the program.”
McCord has completed 59 of 85 passes (69.4%) for 735 yards and eight touchdowns with just one interception in his two starts. LSU's Garrett Nussmeier is the only other FBS quarterback who has thrown for as many touchdowns.
“I’ve only seen a few highlights,” Day said, “and it looks like he’s doing a great job. It looks like in the first couple of games he’s gotten in a good rhythm, got a great win this past weekend.”
The Orange’s 31-28 win over Georgia Tech last Saturday was also their first over a ranked opponent since 2022. The Yellow Jackets had been ranked No. 23 in the Associated Press poll. In their season opener, they defeated Ohio, 38-22.
Relaxed transfer rules in college football have resulted in an increase in movement among players, particularly at quarterback as passers seek more opportunities to secure starting jobs.
Quinn Ewers, who spent a semester at Ohio State in 2021 before transferring to Texas, is also among the top passers in the FBS.
Following a win at Michigan on Saturday, Ewers also became the betting favorite for the Heisman Trophy as the most outstanding player in the sport. Five years ago, Joe Burrow, a former Buckeyes quarterback who ended up at LSU for his final two seasons in college, won the stiff-arm trophy.
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Success From the Ground Up (syracuse.edu)
To listen is to lead, explains Fran Brown, Syracuse University’s charismatic new head football coach. “I have a great staff, and I’ve learned a lot from listening to them.”
The former Georgia defensive backs coach has turned listening into an art form since arriving on campus last December. It’s enabled him to build trust with his players while endearing himself to a new generation of Orange fans.
Brown, who earned his coaching chops at Rutgers, Temple and Baylor, understands the changing landscape of DI football. “He has deep ties to geographies from where we need to draw,” says Director of Athletics John Wildhack ’80, regarding the football factories of the Northeast, Deep South and Southwest. “Our future is bright.”
“We’re putting Syracuse football back on the map,” says Head Coach Fran Brown, formerly Georgia’s defensive backs coach.
In a matter of months, Brown has reenergized a program seeking its first conference championship in 20 years. He’s also created a culture that re-envisions success on the field, in the classroom and throughout the community.
“We’re putting Syracuse football back on the map,” declares the 42-year-old native of Camden, New Jersey.
A nationally renowned recruiter, Brown fields a deep bench of talent that includes high-profile transfer students, like senior Ohio State quarterback Kyle McCord, and a quartet of four-star prospects, more than the past five seasons combined.
Of course, building—and sustaining—a football powerhouse takes time. And player buy-in. And a keen ability to “manage chaos” on both sides of the ball, Brown continues. “I know we can do it.”
DART-Like Motion
Brown subscribes to an acronymic philosophy called DART. “It means being detailed, accountable, relentless and tough,” says the former cornerback for Western Carolina and the Cincinnati Bengals. “DART is who Syracuse is as a team. It’s our identity.”...
Syracuse Football on Instagram: "accountability for all "
cusefootball on September 10, 2024: "accountability for all ".
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ACC News
ACC quarterbanks ranked by QBR after Week 2 (usatoday.com; Haley)
The 2024 college football season hasn’t gotten off to an ideal start for the ACC after some stunning early losses for the Florida State Seminoles and the Clemson Tigers, but the conference’s quarterbacks have been pretty productive through two weeks.
Miami quarterback Cam Ward put together another hyper-efficient game to keep himself in the Heisman race. Syracuse quarterback Kyle McCord, in his first season away from Ohio State, leads the FBS with eight passing touchdowns as the Orange have won their first two games under head coach Fran Brown. All in all, 16 FBS quarterbacks have already surpassed 600 passing yards so far in 2024, and six of them hail from the ACC.
That productivity has translated to the top of ESPN’s QBR rankings, and the two highest-ranked Power Four quarterbacks both hail from the country’s craziest conference. Here are the 17 starting ACC quarterbacks ranked by QBR through the first two weeks of the season.
1 Cam Ward, Miami Hurricanes – 94.9
2024 Stats: 46/61 (75.4%), 689 yards, 11.3 YPA, 6 TD, INT, 46 rush yards, 1 rush TDThe Hurricanes followed up a massive Week 1 win over the Florida Gators with another highly efficient game in Week 2, a 56-9 win over Florida A&M. Ward completed 20 of his 26 passes for 304 yards, again throwing three touchdowns and this time adding a fourth on the ground for his second game with a QBR above 90.0.
2 Thomas Castellanos, Boston College Eagles – 93.9
2024 Stats: 19/26 (73.1%), 340 yards, 13.1 YPA, 6 TD, 81 rush yards, 1 rush TDAfter the Eagles broke out with a Week 1 win over Florida State, Boston College backed that up with a 56-0 blowout over Duquesne. Castellanos threw four passing touchdowns on just 10 attempts, completing nine of them for 234 yards.
3 Cade Klubnik, Clemson Tigers – 86.7
2024 Stats: 42/55 (76.4%), 520 yards, 9.5 YPA, 5 TD, INT, -12 rush yards, 2 rush TDsAfter getting physically and emotionally battered by the Georgia Bulldogs in Week 1, Clemson bounced back with a 66-20 get-right victory over Appalachian State. Klubnik completed 24 of 26 passes for 378 yards, throwing five touchdowns and rushing for two more to create one of the biggest swings on the list.
4 Tyler Shough, Louisville Cardinals – 85.2
2024 Stats: 39/57 (68.4%), 581 yards, 10.2 YPA, 6 TD, -4 rushing yardsShough seems to have found a foothold with his third collegiate football program. The Cardinals beat Jacksonville State 49-14 in Week 2 on the back of his 349-yard, two-touchdown game, and Louisville has won its first two contests by an average of 48.5 points.
5 Haynes King, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets - 85.0
2024 Stats (3 Games): 64/84 (76.2%), 687 yards, 8.2 YPA, 3 TD, INT, 158 rushing yards, 3 rush TDThe Yellow Jackets hype train crashed back down to earth with a disappointing loss to Syracuse, but two late touchdowns made King’s stat line look much more salvageable. He finished with a season-high 333 yards of offense and his second straight three-touchdown game.
6 Kyle McCord, Syracuse Orange - 83.1
2024 Stats: 59/85 (69.4%), 735 yards, 8.6 YPA, 8 TD, INT, 9 rush yardsNo FBS quarterback has found the end zone more than McCord, who threw four touchdowns in his second straight game to beat Haynes King and the Yellow Jackets. He’s surpassed 350 yards in both of his first two games with the Orange, including 381 yards against Georgia Tech.
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ACC Power Rankings entering Week 3 (usatoday.com; Lenix)
It will be a few weeks before every team in the ACC begins regular conference play. However, after several games, teams are starting to establish what they could be by season’s end.
Some teams in the conference had high expectations entering the season, and their start to the season has not been ideal. Others weren’t picked to have much success, but they’re showing why games are played on the field and not decided before the season.
Here’s where the ACC Power Rankings stand going into Week 3 after a wild and entertaining Week 2 of the college football season that saw several impressive upsets involving ACC teams.
17 Florida State (0-2)
Week 2 result: Bye WeekAnalysis: The start of the season for Florida State has been a disaster. From a 0-2 start to losing multiple 2025 recruits to being without running back Jaylin Lucas for the season due to injury. It’s all bad in Tallahassee right now.
16 Wake Forest (1-1, 0-1 ACC)
Week 2 result: 31-30 loss to VirginiaAnalysis: The Demon Deacons dominated the season opener against North Carolina A&T. However, they blew a double-digit lead in the fourth quarter in their ACC opener versus Virginia at home.
They hope to get back on track this weekend against Louisiana before back-to-back conference games against NC State and Clemson.
15 NC State (1-1)
Week 2 result: 51-10 loss to TennesseeAnalysis: The Wolfpack came back down to earth last week after their season-opening win against Western Carolina by getting manhandled by Tennessee. Next up is Louisiana Tech, a game they should win before heading to Death Valley to face Clemson.
14 Stanford (1-1)
Week 2 result: 41-7 win over Cal PolyAnalysis: The Cardinal regrouped after a tough loss to TCU to begin the season. Now, they have three consecutive conference games, which include two on the road at Syracuse and Clemson before hitting the road to play Notre Dame. So, it’s about to get really tough.
13 Virginia Tech (1-1)
Week 2 result: 31-14 win over MarshallAnalysis: After a tough season opening loss to Vanderbilt, Virginia Tech cruised versus Marshall last week. They should handle Old Dominion before facing Rutgers and then beginning conference play at Miami, which will be a tough test.
12 Clemson (1-1)
Week 2 result: 66-20 win over Appalachian State.Analysis: Clemson did what they needed to do last after getting steamrolled by Georgia. This week, they begin eight straight ACC games against NC State. So, we will find out a lot more about them shortly.
11 SMU (2-1)
Week 2 result: 29-24 win over NevadaAnalysis: It’s been a good start for the Mustangs, but two of their opponents have been lackluster. Over the next weeks, they’ll play TCU and Florida State. So, the picture will get a little clearer on how their season will go.
10 Pittsburgh (2-0)
Week 2 result: 28-27 win over CincinnatiAnalysis: The Panthers overcame a 21-point deficit last week to remain undefeated. They host West Virginia and Youngstown over the next few weeks before their bye week. Then, ACC play begins for them at North Carolina.
9 North Carolina (2-0)
Week 2 result: 38-20 win over CharlotteAnalysis: The Tar Heels shouldn’t be tested over the next two games versus North Carolina Central and James Madison. Arch rival Duke will he waiting afterward, and it’s on the road, so it will he a hostile environment.
8 Duke (2-0)
Week 2 result: 26-20 win over NorthwesternAnalysis: The Blue Devils have a great shot to have a 4-0 start with UConn and Middle Tennessee State coming up. If so, they could be looking at a battle of undefeated teams when they play North Carolina at the end of the month due to their favorable schedule.
7 Louisville (2-0)
Week 2 result: 49-14 win over Jacksonville StateAnalysis: The Cardinals have racked up 111 points in their first two games, but their opponents have been mediocre. They have a bye week coming up and then back to back tough matchups with Georgia Tech and Notre Dame.
6 California (2-0)
Week 2 result: 21-14 win at AuburnAnalysis: Quarterback Fernando Mendoza threw for 233 yards and two touchdowns as the Golden Bears shocked Auburn at home. They get a favorable matchup against San Diego State before traveling to Tallahassee to play FSU.
5 Virginia (2-0, 1-0 ACC)
Week 2 result: 31-30 win over Wake ForestAnalysis: The Cavaliers are feeling great fresh off a 13-point comeback win. Maryland could give them a push this Saturday, but if they survive and beat Coastal Carolina, they’ll be undefeated when a dangerous Boston College team comes to town at the beginning of October.
4 Georgia Tech (2-1, 1-1 ACC)
Week 2 result: 31-28 loss to SyracuseAnalysis: Despite losing a nail-biter to the Orange Men, the Yellow Jackets looked primed to make a run at a possible ACC Championship appearance. After what should be an east win against the VMI Cadets on Saturday, Georgia Tech will be tested on the road at Louisville.
3 Boston College (2-0, 1-0 ACC)
Week 2 result: 56-0 win over DuquesneAnalysis: Boston College had only allowed 13 points this season on defense, and they’ve run for nearly 600 yards on offense. Needless to say, it’s all clicking for the Eagles at the moment, but they have a huge challenge this Saturday on the road at No. Missouri.
2 Miami (2-0)
Week 2 result: 56-9 win over Florida A&MAnalysis: The Hurricanes are rolling behind transfer quarterback Cam Ward with over 800 yards of offense in two games. With a favorable schedule, Miami might not see it’s first test until they host Virginia Tech in a few weeks.
1 Syracuse (2-0, 1-0 ACC)
Mark Konezny-Imagn Images
Week 2 result: 31-28 win over Georgia Tech
Analysis: Nobody was rolling like Georgia Tech in the ACC until Syracuse beat them last week, which gives them the top spot in the conference at the moment. They have a bye week before hosting Stanford, and then two very winnable games before hitting the road against NC State.
Top 5 Defensive Plays Of The Week | 2024 ACC Football (youtube; video'; ACC DN)
Defenses in the ACC made huge plays in nearly every single game in Week 2. From improbable tipped-pass interceptions by big man Kevin Pointer to Khari Johnson fighting his way for the pick-6, defenses all around the league were thrilling their fans. Combine those plays with an unbelievable interception by Wesley Bissainthe and a game-sealing strip by Malcolm Greene and you've got quite the collection of plays. Find out which defensive play earned the top spot here.
Full ACC Slate of Non-Conference Contests Set for Week 3 (theacc.com)
Week 3 - ACC Football Schedule
Saturday, Sept. 14, Noon ET
Louisiana Tech at NC State
Series: NC State leads series, 2-0
Last meeting: NC State, 34-27 (2021)
ACCN: Jorge Sedano (play-by-play), Orlando Franklin (analyst), Morgan Uber (sideline)
SiriusXM Radio: SiriusXM 162 / SiriusXM 194
SiriusXM App: SiriusXM 956 / SiriusXM 983
Saturday, Sept. 14, Noon ET
[RV] Memphis at Florida State
Series: Florida State leads series, 10-7-1
Last meeting: Florida State, 35-3 (1990)
ESPN: Bob Wischusen (play-by-play), Louis Riddick (analyst), Kris Budden (sideline)
SiriusXM Radio: SiriusXM 119 / SiriusXM 193 / SiriusXM 381
SiriusXM App: SiriusXM 955 / SiriusXM 971
Saturday, Sept. 14, 12:45 p.m. ET
#24 Boston College at #6 Missouri
Series: Boston College leads series, 1-0
Last meeting: Boston College, 41-34 (2021)
SECN: Taylor Zarzour (play-by-play), Matt Stinchcomb (analyst), Alyssa Lang (sideline)
SiriusXM Radio: SiriusXM 161 / SiriusXM 190 / SiriusXM 371
SiriusXM App: SiriusXM 371 / SiriusXM 960
Saturday, Sept. 14, 3:30 p.m. ET
West Virginia at [RV] Pitt
Series: Pitt leads series, 62-41-3
Last meeting: West Virginia, 17-6 (2023)
ESPN2: Mike Monaco (play-by-play), Kirk Morrison (analyst), Dawn Davenport (sideline)
SiriusXM Radio: SiriusXM 119 / SiriusXM 139 / SiriusXM 193 / SiriusXM 198
SiriusXM App: SiriusXM 952 / SiriusXM 955
Saturday, Sept. 14, 3:30 p.m. ET
Ball State at #10 Miami
Series: First Meeting
Last meeting: N/A
ACCN: Chris Cotter (play-by-play), Mark Herzlich (analyst), Coley Harvey (sideline)
SiriusXM Radio: SiriusXM 162 / SiriusXM 194
SiriusXM App: SiriusXM 956 / SiriusXM 989
Saturday, Sept. 14, 3:30 p.m. ET
VMI at Georgia Tech
Series: Georgia Tech leads series, 14-1
Last meeting: Georgia Tech, 34-7 (1988)
ACCNX: Shawn Kenney (play-by-play), Forrest Conoly (analyst)
SiriusXM Radio: SiriusXM 113 / SiriusXM 202
SiriusXM App: SiriusXM 964
Saturday, Sept. 14, 6 p.m. ET
NC Central at [RV] North Carolina
Series: First Meeting
Last meeting: N/A
ACCNX: Kevin Fitzgerald (play-by-play), Charlie Strong (analyst), Ashley Stroehlein (sideline)
SiriusXM Radio: SiriusXM 103 / SiriusXM 206
SiriusXM App: SiriusXM 968
Saturday, Sept. 14, 6 p.m. ET
UConn at Duke
Series: UConn leads series, 2-1
Last meeting: Duke, 41-7 (2023)
ACCNX: Clay Matvick (play-by-play), Steve Addazio (analyst), Marilyn Payne (sideline)
SiriusXM Radio: SiriusXM 94 / SiriusXM 205 / SiriusXM 390
SiriusXM App: SiriusXM 967 / SiriusXM 980
Saturday, Sept. 14, 6 p.m. ET
Virginia Tech at Old Dominion
Series: Virginia Tech leads series, 3-2
Last meeting: Virginia Tech, 36-17 (2023)
ESPN+: Chip Tarkenton (play-by-play), Andy Mashaw (analyst)
SiriusXM Radio: SiriusXM 146 / SiriusXM 204
SiriusXM App: SiriusXM 966
Saturday, Sept. 14, 6:30 p.m. ET
#5 Ole Miss at Wake Forest
Series: Wake Forest leads series, 2-0
Last meeting: Wake Forest, 30-28 (2008)
The CW: Thom Brennaman (play-by-play), Max Browne (analyst), Treavor Scales (sideline)
SiriusXM Radio: SiriusXM 132 / SiriusXM 192 / SiriusXM 371
SiriusXM App: SiriusXM 371 / SiriusXM 962
Saturday, Sept. 14, 8 p.m. ET
Maryland at Virginia
Series: Maryland leads series, 45-32-2
Last meeting: Maryland, 42-14 (2023)
ACCN: Wes Durham (play-by-play), Tom Luginbill (analyst), Dana Boyle (sideline)
SiriusXM Radio: SiriusXM 119 / SiriusXM 138 / SiriusXM 193 / SiriusXM 196
SiriusXM App: SiriusXM 955 / SiriusXM 958
Saturday, Sept. 14, 10:30 p.m. ET
San Diego State at [RV] California
Series: Series is tied, 4-4
Last meeting: San Diego State, 45-40 (2016)
ESPN: Dave Flemming (play-by-play), Brock Osweiler (analyst), Stormy Buonantony (sideline)
SiriusXM Radio: SiriusXM 371 / SiriusXM 390
SiriusXM App: SiriusXM 371 / SiriusXM 980
?ACC NOTES
1 of 2 Top-25 Matchups Again, This Time in Week 3
- For the second consecutive week, the ACC will be part of one of the only two top-25 matchups, when No. 24 Boston College travels to No. 6 Missouri on Saturday, September 14, at 12:45 p.m. ET.
- Of the six top-25 matchups thus far this season including Week 3, the ACC has had a team in three of them.
- In addition to the top-25 matchup, Wake Forest will host No. 5 Ole Miss on Saturday, September 14, at 6:30 p.m. ET in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
Preview for Saturday, Sept. 14th, 2024 (RX; HM)
Preview for Saturday, Sept. 14th, 2024
What's coming up this weekend? More exciting ACC football!
Here's the ACC schedule in table format:
| 2024 ACC Football Schedule - Week 3 | ||
| Saturday, September 14 | ||
| Matchup | Time(ET) | TV |
| Memphis at Florida State | 12:00 PM | ESPN |
| Louisiana Tech at NC State | 12:00 PM | ACCN |
| #24 Boston College at #6 Missouri | 12:45 PM | SECN |
| Ball State at #10 Miami (FL) | 3:30 PM | ACCN |
| West Virginia at Pitt | 3:30 PM | ESPN2 |
| VMI at Georgia Tech | 3:30 PM | ACCNX |
| UConn at Duke | 6:00 PM | ACCNX |
| Virginia Tech at Old Dominion | 6:00 PM | ESPN+ |
| NC Central at North Carolina | 6:00 PM | ACCNX |
| #5 Ole Miss at Wake Forest | 6:30 PM | The CW |
| Maryland at Virginia | 8:00 PM | ACCN |
| San Diego St at California | 10:30 PM | ESPN |
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Links - Special Notre Dame Edition 2024 Sep 10 (RX; HM)
Links - Special Notre Dame Edition 2024 Sep 10
From Matt Brown's Extra Points:
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A substack you may want to read... (RX; HM)
A substack you may want to read...
From CFBNumbers
CFB Week 2 Advanced Stats & The Week 3 Preview
Here are a few ACC-related snippets (but I definitely recommend reading the entire article!)
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Other
A cheese pizza from Utica Pizza Co., the 36th stop of our CNY Pizza Tour. (Charlie Miller | cmiller@syracuse.com)(Charlie Miller | cmiller@syracuse.com)
CNY Pizza Tour, stop #36: This North Syracuse restaurant proves itself with a plain cheese pizza (PS; $; Miller)
Never dare refuse food from an Italian restaurant owner — it’s not just business; it’s personal, served with a side of pasta and maybe a cannoli.
Joe Sweet, a reader who works in the restaurant business, suggested I visit the Utica Pizza Company in North Syracuse as part of my CNY Pizza Tour. He warned, though, I might waddle out the door after having been overfed.
“I hope you don’t have someplace to be,” he said before our lunch here on Monday. “You’re going to be here for awhile. And I hope you didn’t have dinner plans because you’ll be bringing it home.”
Yep, Joe called it. The plain cheese pizza I ordered at the manager’s suggestion ended up being just the first course. It arrived with a warm loaf of Italian garlic bread. Then came a punchbowl-sized helping of spiced-up Utica greens. And just in case the first one wasn’t enough, our server brought out a supreme pizza (pepperoni with onions, peppers, mushrooms and olives) just so we could get some vegetables with our meal.
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Sorry, New England: 2024′s best fall foliage will be in NY, forecast predicts (PS; House)
Move over, New England: A new fall foliage king is set to be crowned this year in the Northeast.
New York — particularly Upstate New York — is expected to host some of the Northeast’s “best displays” of stunning fall leaves during the 2024 season, AccuWeather reported in its yearly fall foliage forecast. Upstate is part of the relatively small swath of the continental United States slated to have “vibrant” fall foliage this year.
New England is historically a fall foliage hot spot. But thanks to an early autumn that is forecasted to feel more like a second summer, the region is expected to have a less impressive, “typical” season, AccuWeather said.
“New York state, I think it’s going to be a beautiful fall foliage site — reds and oranges, really bright, as we dry out here in September,” lead long-range meteorologist Paul Paselok said.
What’s the recipe for bright red and orange fall foliage?
The weather during summer and early fall has a big impact on the vibrancy of changing autumnal leaves, AccuWeather said. Drought creates dull color palates and stressed-out trees that drop leaves early, while a deluge of rain can lead to moldy leaves and insect invasions.
By the end of July, Central New York had logged the hottest summer on record. The mid-summer month was also marked by strong storms that battered Upstate with 16 tornadoes in just seven days — the most since official records began in 1950.
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