sutomcat
No recent Cali or Iggy awards; Mr Irrelevant
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Welcome to International Raccoon Appreciation Day!
International Raccoon Appreciation Day celebrates all animals that are misunderstood and who are known as being pests or "nuisance animals," but who are actually an important part of their ecosystem. Examples of such animals may include raccoons and coyotes in the United States and elephants in Africa. The goal is for people to become more accepting of these animals while celebrating the day, which may help prevent habitat loss and may increase animal diversity. Raccoons are particularly celebrated today. What benefits do raccoons have to their ecosystem? They help keep it clean by eating carrion; they keep the numbers of some other animals in check by eating them, and they spread seeds around when they are foraging and eating berries and nuts.
SU News
Syracuse linebacker Marlowe Wax on the sideline during the fourth quarter of the Orange's win over Ohio. Wax is working back from a lower leg/foot injury suffered in that game. Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.comdennis nett | dnett@syracuse.com
Fran Brown says Syracuse star linebacker is set to take key step in injury recovery this week (PS; $; Leiker)
Syracuse football coach Fran Brown provided an update on Marlowe Wax’s injury recovery during his Monday press conference.
He joked first that Wax’s status was a “secret” and then doubled down on the six-week recovery timeline he gave Sept. 2.
“It’s not 6 weeks yet, but he’s working hard. He’s doing a good job,” Brown said. “He’s been running already in the water. He’ll be running on flat land soon. I think today or tomorrow or something like that. He’s working his butt off.”
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Come hang with us in Vegas: Fan meet up part of our coverage of SU football at UNLV (PS; Axe)
Viva Las Vegas!
The Syracuse University football team will be in Las Vegas to take on the UNLV Rebels on Friday night and syracuse.com reporters Brent Axe and Emily Leiker along with photojournalist Scott Trimble will be there for news coverage.
We’ll be on the ground to show you the sights and sounds of Vegas, see what Syracuse fans are up to doing their trip to the desert, break down the matchup with the Rebels and may even place a few wagers.
If you are making the trip to the Sin City, we’d love for you to join us for a meet up at 5 p.m. PT, Thursday at the RockHouse Bar & Oak Room, located in The Venetian at 3377 South Las Vegas Blvd.
Come hang and talk SU football with Brent and Emily ahead of a big game for the Orange against the 4-0 Rebels at Allegiant Stadium.
Brent and Emily will also record an episode of the “Syracuse Sports” podcast and bring you more special content from Las Vegas.
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GAME 5: Friday Marks First Meeting Of Ranked Rebels and Syracuse - University of Nevada Las Vegas Athletics (unlvrebels.com)
GAME 5: Non-Conference Finale
(#25/23) UNLV REBELS (4-0/1-0 Mountain West)
Vs.
Syracuse (3-1/1-1 ACC)
DATE: Friday, Oct. 4, 2024
KICKOFF: 6:05 pm PT
SITE: Allegiant Stadium (65,000/Artificial) Las Vegas
TV: FS1 (Trent Rush & Petros Papadakis)
RADIO: ESPN 1100 AM & 100.9 FM (Matt Neverett, Caleb Herring & Steve Cofield)
TICKETS: UNLVTickets.com or (702) 739-FANS
FRIDAY'S PREVIEW...
The only undefeated team remaining in the Mountain West, No. 25/23 UNLV (4-0/1-0) completes its non-conference slate by hosting a first-ever meeting with Syracuse (3-1/1-1) out of the ACC on Friday evening ... The game will be televised nationally on FS1 ... This cross-country matchup was announced in January when a long-scheduled series between UNLV and Army was canceled after the Black Knights joined a conference and both the Rebels and Orange needed a replacement game ... UNLV is one of 19 undefeated teams left in the FBS and was ranked in this week's AP poll for the first time since moving to Division I in 1978 ... The Rebels earned their first-ever national ranking in the Coaches Poll on Sept. 15 and have since moved up to No. 23 ... UNLV has won its first four games for only the fourth time in its 57-year history and for the first time since 1976 ... UNLV is coming off a 59-14 win over Fresno State while Syracuse downed Holy Cross at home, 42-14 ... With a win at Houston and a victory at Kansas, UNLV became the first non-conference team ever to have multiple road wins against Big 12 competition in the same season ... The 13 wins in 18 games under head coach Barry Odom represent the most victories over any two-season span since the Rebels went a combined 16-7-1 in 1984 and '85 ... Odom's win percentage of .722 ranks second in school history, trailing only Ron Meyer's .771 mark set while competing in Division II from 1973-75 ... With the August 31 victory at UH, Odom became the first UNLV coach to win his first two season-openers at the school since Tony Knap in 1976-77 ... The Rebels are 12-0 under Odom when leading after the third quarter ... UNLV is tied for third in the nation with a plus-eight turnover margin as the UNLV defense has forced at least one turnover in 17 of 18 games under DC Michael Scherer ... The Rebels have scored 37 total points off turnovers while allowing zero such points from opponents ... UNLV returned two All-Americans for the first time in its history -- WR Ricky White III and KR/PR Jacob De Jesus. Both were tabbed 2024 preseason All-America.
REBELS vs. ORANGE NOTES...
These programs have never met on the football field ... In fact, the Rebels have only faced one team who was a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference at the time of the game as UNLV -- then a member of the Big West Conference -- fell at No. 22/21 Clemson, 24-14, to open the 1993 season ... The Orange's previous head coach, Dino Babers (2016-23), served as UNLV's special teams coordinator and RB coach during the 1988 and '89 seasons.
Former Syracuse coach Dino Babers no longer calling plays at Arizona (PS; $; Carlson)
Former Syracuse head coach Dino Babers, who took a job as the offensive coordinator at the University of Arizona after being fired by SU last year, is no longer calling plays for the Wildcats.
Arizona first-year head coach Brent Brennan announced on Monday that Matt Adkins, the team’s tight ends coach and passing coordinator had taken over play-calling duties before the team’s last game. Babers is still listed as the team’s offensive coordinator.
Brennan said that Babers was “on board” with the decision and they’d had “lots of conversations about it.”
Arizona the most recent game in which Babers called offensive plays at No. 14 Kansas State, 31-7.
The Wildcats had an off week following that game and made the switch during that timeframe. It won the first game where Adkins called plays at No. 10 Utah, 23-10.
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Syracuse football to play back-to-back night games with kick time, TV info for N.C. State trip set (PS; $; Leiker)
Syracuse football will play back-to-back night games between Weeks 6 and 7 of the season.
The ACC announced game times for Week 7 on Monday. The Orange will square off against N.C. State at 8 p.m. Oct. 12 at Carter-Finley Stadium. The game will air on ACC Network.
SU also plays late this week on its trip to Las Vegas, where it will kick off at 9 p.m. ET (6 p.m. PT) against No. 25 UNLV.
The Orange has played one evening game already, losing to Stanford, 26-24, in a Friday night game Week 4.
After a bye in Week 8, Syracuse will also play under the lights on its trip to Pittsburgh, which is scheduled for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff on Thursday, Oct. 24 at Acrisure Stadium.
N.C. State will be closing out a three-game home stand when Syracuse comes to town. It beat Northern Illinois on Saturday, 24-17, and plays in-state rival Wake Forest at noon this weekend.
The Wolfpack is 3-2 currently with losses to two AP Top 25 programs in Tennessee and Clemson. The Tigers are the only ACC foe they’ve faced so far.
Syracuse (3-1, 1-1 ACC) is on the road for the entire month of October.
No. 25 UNLV begins tough stretch by hosting Syracuse (cbssports.com; FLM)
Every team faces challenges over the course of a long season, but No. 25 UNLV absorbed a major dose of adversity last week.
The Rebels passed their first test following the departure of starting quarterback Matthew Sluka and will look to ace another challenge Friday when Syracuse visits Las Vegas for an intriguing nonconference matchup.
UNLV (4-0) is ranked for the first time in program history, but it hasn't exactly been smooth sailing for the Rebels.
They won their first three games behind Sluka, who racked up six passing touchdowns while running for a team-high 253 yards. However, Sluka left the team last Tuesday after a disagreement over unfulfilled NIL promises.
The sudden departure left UNLV coach Barry Odom scrambling to get Hajj-Malik Williams ready to start against Fresno State, although that contest turned into a one-sided affair with the Rebels prevailing 59-14. Williams, a transfer from Campbell, threw three touchdowns and ran for a score. He finished 13-of-16 for 182 yards and added 12 carries for 119 yards.
"It's tough any time you're playing against someone like Hajj who can run and throw," Syracuse coach Fran Brown said. "It's a nightmare for the defensive coordinator and the head coach. You think about it all week."
Odom, meanwhile, does not want his team to be satisfied with sitting at the end of the rankings. After Friday's contest, the Rebels play three of their next four games on the road with the only home date being a matchup against No. 21 Boise State.
So UNLV has little margin for error with the tough stretch looming.
"I think it is exactly where UNLV football should be," Odom said, referring generally to the national rankings. "That's our goal -- one of our goals -- is to be in the top 25 and continue to climb and have a position where every single week, on the national stage, we have a place (in the rankings)."
Ricky White has been up and down through UNLV's first four contests. In Weeks 1 and 3 against Houston and Kansas, respectively, he totaled five catches for 15 yards without a score. In the other two games vs. Utah Tech and Fresno State, he racked up 15 catches for 238 yards and five touchdowns.
White certainly will be part of the focus as Syracuse (3-1) develops its game plan defensively. The Orange limited Holy Cross to 203 total yards and 2-of-14 third-down conversions in last week's 42-14 romp.
Still, Brown -- like his UNLV counterpart -- isn't close to satisfied.
"I don't think we're nowhere near where we can be," Brown said postgame. "We've just got to keep growing."
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https://www.localsyr.com/orange-nation/watch-fran-browns-weekly-syracuse-football-conference-2/ (localsyr.com; Normoyle)
Syracuse welcomed Holy Cross on Saturday for a sold-out noon game.
The Orange beat the Crusaders, 42-24.
You can click the video player above for Fran Brown’s full weekly press conference.
Syracuse football: Injury updates and more from Fran Brown’s weekly press conference (TNIAAM; De Guzman)
Syracuse Orange football head coach Fran Brown gave injury updates and previewed the upcoming road game against UNLV in his weekly press conference today. The major injury updates that Brown gave were for Marlowe Wax and Justus Ross-Simmons. Brown also gave an update on Zeed Haynes’ availability.
Injury news
Wax is still recovering from his lower body injury that he suffered in Syracuse’s first game of the season against Ohio. The linebacker was spotted during the Holy Cross game without the walking boot he had been wearing for the past couple of weeks. Brown confirmed that Wax had been running in water and will move to ground running within the next couple of days. While unconfirmed, Wax is seemingly on track to hit the projected six-week recovery timeline, which would have him return for Syracuse’s game at Pitt at the end of the month.Brown also confirmed that Ross-Simmons didn’t play against Holy Cross for health-related reasons, but that he’ll play at UNLV. Brown also confirmed that Haynes was still away from the team due to previously reported personal reasons.
“When Zeed’s gonna play, you’re gonna see No. 8 out there on the field running and doing everything the right way,” said Brown.
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Fran Brown talks UNLV, injury updates ahead of 1st road game (DO; Girshon)
Following a 3-1 stretch to begin its season at home, Syracuse travels to Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas to face No. 25 UNLV Friday. The game marks the Orange’s second game versus an a top-25 team having already beaten then-No. 23 Georgia Tech in Week 2.
SU was on the verge of becoming a top-25 team, but a stunning 26-24 loss versus Stanford following its bye week derailed that opportunity. After bouncing back with a 42-14 win over Holy Cross, Syracuse didn’t receive any votes in the AP Top 25 Poll for back-to-back weeks after receiving votes in the prior two weeks.
Now, the Orange enter one of their toughest stretches of the season, beginning with the Rebels. While it’s 4-0, it hasn’t been all smooth sailing for UNLV as former starting quarterback Matthew Sluka left the team over a Name, Image and Likeness dispute with the university and opted to use a redshirt year.
“We get the opportunity to go there and play on Friday night, the country gets that chance to see us both compete. I think it’ll be a real fun football game to watch,” Syracuse head coach Fran Brown said.
Here are some takeaways from Brown’s weekly press conference before his first road game as SU’s head coach:
NIL
It’s impossible to talk about UNLV’s football team without NIL. Ahead of the Rebels’ Week 5 matchup versus Fresno State, Sluka — a Holy Cross transfer — announced he would be sitting out the remainder of the season to preserve his redshirt. Sluka, who led UNLV to a 3-0 record, alleged he was promised $100,000 in NIL money to transfer, but he wasn’t getting paid.“Honestly, I didn’t read on anything,” Brown said of Sluka’s situation. “I just heard he wasn’t playing. I was like, ‘Oh, that’s a shame, for whatever it was, for both sides.’”
Brown added that players value NIL for different reasons. Some players need it to support their families, while others want to better secure their futures. He also added in the situation he grew up in, he would’ve jumped at the opportunity to make money playing college football. However, Brown’s not too interested in Sluka and UNLV’s situation, he just wants to focus on his quarterback room.
“I’m not against whatever (NIL) is, but I don’t know that (UNLV) situation, nor am I trying to dig into that situation,” Brown said. “I’m just really focused on Kyle (McCord), (Michael Johnson Jr.), all of our quarterbacks.”
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Jackson Meeks named ACC Receiver of the Week (DO; Stepansky)
Syracuse wide receiver Jackson Meeks has been named the Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Week, the conference announced Monday. The honor for Meeks comes following a career-high 10-catch, 161-yard performance versus Holy Cross.
Often lined up in the right outside receiver position, Meeks was targeted 12 times by SU quarterbacks Kyle McCord and Michael Johnson Jr. while playing a season-high 46 snaps. According to Pro Football Focus, Meeks earned a 90.5 overall grade for his performance.
The senior found the end zone on the first play of the second quarter, a 38-yard strike down the right sideline where he lost his defender. Meeks found his stride through big-play ability, recording five catches for 15 yards or more.
Meeks is the fourth SU player to earn a conference award this season and third on offense, following McCord and left tackle Da’Metrius Weatherspoon’s honor following a Week 2 win over then-No. 23 Georgia Tech.
Syracuse vs. UNLV Prediction, Odds and Key Players to Watch for College Football Week 6 (SI; Wallach)
UNLV was in the headlines leading to its Mountain West opener due to starting quarterback Matthew Sluka leaving the team due to NIL disputes, but the team had no drop off whatsoever in the blowout win against Fresno State, 59-14, with Hajj-Malik Williams under center.
The Rebels are firmly in the mix for a College Football Playoff berth, but welcome a well rested and elite offense in Syracuse to its home stadium in Las Vegas. Will the team keep its form, or can the Orange head out west to spoil one of the best stories in college football to start the season?
Here are the odds and our betting preview.
Syracuse vs. UNLV Odds, Spread and Total
Spread- Syracuse: +6 (-110)
- UNLV: -6 (-110)
- Syracuse: +184
- UNLV: -225
Odds courtesy of FanDuel
Syracuse vs. UNLV How to Watch
- Date: Friday, October 5th
- Game Time: 9:00 PM EST
- Venue: Allegiant Stadium
- How to Watch (TV): Fox Sports 1
- Syracuse Record: 3-1
- UNLV Record: 4-0
Syracuse vs. UNLV Key Players to Watch
Syracuse
Kyle McCord: McCord has been incredibly impressive at Syracuse, passing for 1,459 yards with 14 passing touchdowns in four games while throwing five interceptions. The big arm of McCord has opened up the Orange offense that has scored 24 or more in all four games, but he has tossed two picks in the last two games each....
Cuse Sports Talk on Instagram: "What grade would you give Syracuse football head coach Fran Brown through four games? Here's what @jacob.kaye, @josh_rajunov32, and @daniel.papillo had to say, and why their opinions differ. Watch Newhouse after Noon weekdays 2-3pm on CuseSportsTalk.com!" (instagram; radio; Newhouse after Noon)
Fran Brown's grade through 4 games
Mike McAllister discusses Syracuse beating Holy Cross on Orange Nation (youtube; radio; Orange Nation)
Mike McAllister joins #OrangeNation to discuss Syracuse football's win over Holy Cross. He talks the good, bad, and ugly before previewing Friday's Syracuse-UNLV matchup -
Why Syracuse Football should RUN MORE with LeQuint Allen | Syracuse Orange Podcast (youtube; podcast; Locked on Syracuse)
Syracuse Orange Football running back LeQuint Allen is averaging about 5.3 yards-per-carry through four games this season. That's a full yard higher than in 2023. Syracuse Offensive Coordinator Jeff Nixon should call more designed runs for Allen as well as Will Nixon and Yasin Willis. This could help contain the pass rush on Kyle McCord.
Jackson Holzer believes Syracuse needs to utilize its running backs more often on Locked On Syracuse.
Syracuse vs UNLV | College Football Week 6 Game Preview (youtube; podcast; Joe Broback)
Syracuse vs UNLV | College Football Week 6 Game Preview
Previewing the Week 5 matchup between the Syrcause Orange and the UNLV Rebels!We look at the biggest impact players, matchups to watch, important numbers, and break down this college football matchup!
Syracuse Football on Instagram: "little @garrett.williams3 w our ☕️ this am http://yt.be/nflsundayticketstudent"
cusefootball on September 30, 2024: "little @garrett.williams3 w our ☕️ this am http://yt.be/nflsundayticketstudent".
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Syracuse Football on Instagram: "@yeaimjack was in that mode "
cusefootball on September 30, 2024: "@yeaimjack was in that mode ".
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ACC News
Did SMU football's band troll Florida State Seminoles with 'sad' War Chant? (usatoday; Kassim)
When it comes to trolling fan bases and programs, college football is hard to beat — especially when the bands get involved.
During Saturday's ACC football debut for SMU against Florida State — a game that saw the Mustangs win 42-16 — the SMU Mustang Band appeared to troll Florida State with a "sad" version of the Seminoles' famed War Chant.
SMU's band took aim at FSU with the Mustangs leading 28-16 with 14:23 remaining in the game. The Seminoles had cut the lead to 12 late in the third quarter, though a potential score by running back Roderick Daniels Jr. threatened to extend the lead. The ruling on the field was he was short, but during the replay review, the band had its moment.
To add insult to injury, officials later ruled SMU scored on the play, giving the Mustangs a 35-16 lead following the point after attempt.
Florida State's band, the Marching Chiefs, did not make the trip because Hurricane Helene affected travel plans.
While FSU and SMU had zero football history before Saturday's contest, it should be noted that Florida State voted against SMU, Stanford, and Cal's admittance to the ACC last September.
"We appreciate the efforts of Commissioner Phillips and our conference partners," Florida State president Richard McCullough said in a statement. "There are many complicated factors that led us to vote no. That said, we welcome these truly outstanding institutions and look forward to working with them as our new partners in the Atlantic Coast Conference."
FSU and Clemson — which also voted no to the new additions — are in the middle of lawsuits against the ACC.
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https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/58...st-bets-week-6-utep-syracuse-san-diego-state/ (nytimes.com; $; Mock)
Last week I took a chance on North Carolina after rumors swirled that Mack Brown may be retiring after their blowout loss to James Madison. I took them on the moneyline — +3 faded from the market before I got involved — and North Carolina found itself up 20-0 in the third quarter. I thought I had a winner. I then left for the Penn State–Illinois game, and if you’ve ever been to a football game with 100,000 fans, you know there is little cell service.
I was not happy when I got back to service and received a text message informing me that UNC had blown the lead.
Oh well. That’s sports for you. A winning week is a winning week. And we don’t need to talk about how I got suckered into Florida State (they held it together for a half) but they’re on the “No Bet List.”
Last week’s record: 3-3-1, +0.25 units
Season record: 18-22-2, -4.34 units, -9.5% ROI
Three plays to kick off this week. At least two plays moved while writing this up, so we will have to wait and see if those come back into range. I’m sure there will be a few additions as we progress throughout the week, so stay tuned as always. We should also see a few totals get played over the next two days after avoiding most of the totals with the hurricane last weekend.
As always, please shop around for the best price and if you have any questions, feel free to reach out on X (@amock419). Best of luck!
Best bets for college football Week 6
UTEP +10.5 vs. Sam Houston State
For those of you who follow my Football Parlay Friday, we hit Sam Houston State outright against Texas State, and I think we were pretty fortunate there. That was more of Texas State blowing it than Sam Houston winning it. I think the market is giving a little too much respect to Sam Houston going on the road after a big upset like that. My number is closer to a touchdown in this one.- Worst price to bet: UTEP +10 (-110)
Syracuse +6.5 (-110) at UNLV
Syracuse was a team that had a lot of hype coming into the season before a Week 3 loss to Stanford derailed the train. I’m willing to hop back on here, though. Kyle McCord is playing pretty well, and I’m not sure UNLV is as good as the polls are giving them credit for. I would love for this to get to +7 (and I’ll be buying in more if it does), but I don’t think that’s likely. I think UNLV should be favored, but this price is a bit steep.- Worst price to bet: Syracuse +6 (-110)
Top 5 Offensive Plays Of The Week | 2024 ACC Football (youtube; video; ACC DN)
Some big plays by the Miami Hurricanes take center stage in this week's edition of the ACC Digital Network's Top 5 Offensive Plays of the Week! From Cam Ward's "Peyton Manning-like" play fake to his clutch Houdini act and chest pass to Xavier Restrepo's 4th down conversion from his backside, the 'Canes certainly entertained the masses on Friday night. Add in a picture-perfect flea-flicker from Kevin Jennings and the Mustangs and a big-time bomb from Cade Klubnik while getting clobbered, and you've got an amazing collection of plays. Check out our top 5 offensive plays of the week here, and see which one earns the No. 1 spot.
Top 5 Defensive Plays Of The Week | 2024 ACC Football (youtube; video; ACC DN)
Plenty of points being put up by defenses in this week's edition of the ACC Digital Network's Top 5 Defensive Plays of the Week! From DK Kaufman doing it all for the Wolfpack to Kobe Wilson putting the Seminoles on ice, defenders finding the end zone was a bit of a theme over the weekend on football fields across the conference. Donovan Ezeiruaku's 4th sack was pivotal and Jayden Bellamy's pick 6 closed the doors on Holy Cross. Check out our top 5 defensive plays of the week here, and see which one earns the No. 1 spot.
c/o CNYCentral
Links, News and Rumors 2024 Sep 30th (HM; RX)
Links, News and Rumors 2024 Sep 30th
From the On3 NIL and Sports Business Newsletter of Monday, Sept. 30th, 2024:
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What if SEC/B1G box out? (RX; HM)
ABL Mark. ABL... (Anyone But Louisville)
What if SEC/B1G box out?
...does that necessarily mean the ACC and Big XII won't have any good games anymore? Not at all! There are plenty of good intra-conference matchups within the ACC and the Big XII, and with a little scheduling agreement, there could be plenty of quality non-conference matchups, too! Consider:
ACC-vs-ACC (29 big games)
- BC vs Miami, Pitt, and Syracuse
- Cal vs Stanford
- Clemson vs FSU, GT, Miami, NC State and VT
- Duke vs NC State, UNC, UVa and Wake Forest
- FSU vs GT, Miami, and VT
- GT vs Miami and VT
- Louisville vs Pitt, SMU, and Syracuse
- Miami vs Pitt and VT
- NC State vs UNC and Wake Forest
- UNC vs UVA and Wake Forest
- Pitt vs Syracuse
- UVA vs VT
Looking Ahead to 2024 Week 7 (RX; HM)
Looking Ahead to 2024 Week 7
Week 7 ACC Game Times and TV Networks Announced
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (theACC.com) – The Atlantic Coast Conference and its television partners announced the following football game times and networks for Week 7, October 12.
Saturday, October 12
- Clemson at Wake Forest – Noon ET on ESPN
- Georgia Tech at North Carolina – Noon ET on The CW
- Stanford at Notre Dame – 3:30 p.m. ET on NBC/Peacock – previously announced
- Syracuse at NC State – 8 p.m. ET on ACC Network
The following two games (for Saturday, October 12) will have the network designated after the Week 6 games this Saturday, October 5:
- Louisville at Virginia – 3:30 p.m. ET on ESPN or ACC Network
- California at Pitt – 3:30 p.m. ET on ESPN or ACC Network
Other
Pizza-maker Sam Mousa with a gyro pizza at Tazza on Westcott Street, the 39th stop on our CNY Pizza Tour. (Charlie Miller | cmiller@syracuse.com)(Charlie Miller | cmiller@syracuse.com)
CNY Pizza Tour, stop #39: A new pizzeria opens on Westcott Street to an enthusiastic audience (PS; $; Miller)
The tiny takeout restaurant hidden inside a convenience store on Westcott Street started serving pizza a year ago. It made sense because before it became Syracuse Halal Gyro in 2019, it had been a pizzeria that served Syracuse University students for two decades.
The three owners — Meru Patel, Mohamed Soliman and Rami Amer — stuck to the basic cheese or pepperoni pizzas because most of their business came from what they call Middle-Eastern fusion. Their take on gyros, falafel plates and even chicken wings made them an instant hit among East Side residents. It was one of few restaurants in the area that served a halal menu (foods allowed under Islamic dietary laws).
When Dorian’s Gourmet Pizza down the street started slowing down before finally closing, those same customers went there for pizza. Their gyro pizza started to match sales of the Greek sandwich.
“We were overwhelmed, so we knew we had to branch out,” Meru said. “When this place became available, we jumped on it.”
The place he’s talking about is 466 Westcott St., located directly across the street from Syracuse Halal Gyro. It had been Lobster Babe until it closed at the end of April. Before that, the building had been home to Cure Delicatessen and previously Picasso’s Pastries and Cafe.
After five months of redecorating and redesigning the kitchen, Tazza Pizzeria Grill eased into the business by serving slices during last weekend’s Westcott Street Cultural Fair.
“We learned a lot by serving a limited menu while getting the word out,” Meru said. “Now we’re ready to go.”
At 12:15 p.m. Sunday, Tazza Pizzeria Grill opened its doors. In the first two hours, pizza-maker Sam Mousa made 72 pizzas. Like the food counter across the street, Tazza serves food made in-house from locally-sourced ingredients.
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One of CNY’s Bull & Bear restaurants closes after recent sale of property (update) (PS; Cazentre)
One of the three Bull & Bear Roadhouse locations in Central New York has closed after a recent sale to new owners.
The sale of the Bull & Bear at 8201 Oswego Road (Route 57) in Clay was announced Saturday in a Facebook message posted by operators Mark Bullis and Nathan Fullmer.
The message did not disclose the name of the buyer, a sale price or provide any other details. The sale has not yet been recorded at the Onondaga County Clerk’s office.
The new owners intend to operate the space as a restaurant, Bullis told syracuse.com today. He said he can’t identify them until the sale is finalized.
In the Facebook message, Bullis cited the proposed Micron chip fab project under development off Route 31 in Clay as a motive for the sale.
“With the anticipated arrival of Micron we decided to sell our building and restaurant,” the Facebook message said. “We are excited to be passing the torch to the new owners.”
Bullis told syracuse.com today that real estate values in the area “have gone through the roof” since the Micron announcement. That, combined with plans he and Fullmer have for new restaurants in other areas, made the decision to sell “a no-brainer.”
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Onondaga Nation gets 1,000 acres as part of historic lake cleanup settlement (PS; AP)
The Onondaga Nation has regained 1,000 acres of its ancestral land, a tiny portion of the land members say was unjustly taken by the state beginning in the 18th century.
The land, covered in woods and wetlands, is in Tully, near the Onondaga’s federally recognized territory in Nedrow.
When the tentative deal was announced two years ago, officials said it was one of the largest land transfers made to an Indian nation in the United States and the first time land has been returned directly to a New York tribe.
Honeywell International, the company responsible for polluting and cleaning up Onondaga Lake, turned over the land to the Onondaga as part of the company’s settlement with the state.
The land, which includes headwaters of Onondaga Creek, was transferred by Honeywell on Friday under a federal Superfund settlement related to the contamination of the environment, according to the Onondaga Nation.
Nation members said then they wanted to restore the land. Their highest priority, they said, was to clean up the section of Onondaga Creek that runs through the property and establish a native brook trout habitat there.
The land is part of an expanse of 2.5 million acres in Central New York the Onondagas say was taken over decades by New York beginning in 1788 through deceitful maneuvers that violated treaties and federal law.
Sid Hill, the Tadodaho, or chief, of the Onondaga Nation, said Monday they were grateful to federal and state officials for working with them to return “the first 1,000 acres of the 2.5 million acres of treaty-guaranteed land taken from us over the centuries.”
“This is a small but important step for us, and for the Indigenous land back movement across the United States,” Hill said in a prepared statement.
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