Orangeyes Daily Articles for Thursday for Football

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Golf 101: Mulligans Explained

Check out our detailed guide for the same on, https://golfingisbest.com/what-is-a-mulligan-in-golf/Are you new to golf or just curious about the term "mullig...

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Welcome to Mulligan Day!

Mulligan Day is a day when people redo something that didn't turn out the first time. It is a day when people give themselves or others a second chance. Mulligan is a term used in golf when someone who shoots a bad shot is given a do-over. It is only used in informal games, and usually only one extra shot is given per 18 holes, although sometimes a mulligan is given every 9 holes. The term can be applied to other games such as darts as well. The word likely came from David Mulligan, a Canadian golfer prominent in the 1920's, who either hit a poor tee shot, was jumpy and shaky after a shot, or overslept and was late for a shot. Another theory is that John A. "Buddy" Mulligan, a locker room attendant from New Jersey, played golf with a sports writer who started using the term after Mulligan needed a redo after his first shot. The writer, Des Sullivan, used the term in his golf articles for the Newark Evening News. Regardless of which of these stories is true, the term has stuck, and this day is dedicated to it.

SU News

Data Dive: The numbers behind Syracuse’s 5-1 start (DO; Girshon)

Syracuse has had a near-flawless start in its first year under head coach Fran Brown. After defeating NC State last Saturday, the Orange are 2-1 in Atlantic Coast Conference play and are receiving votes in the AP Top 25 Poll.

Anchored by transfer quarterback Kyle McCord, SU has emerged as one of the best offenses in college football. Special teams blunders, though, have nearly cost the Orange in several games, while poor tackling has been their defense’s downfall.

Here are the key numbers defining Syracuse’s (5-1, 2-1 ACC) first half of 2024:

46.8 pass attempts per game​

After ranking 125th in the Football Bowl Subdivision with 23.2 pass attempts per game in 2023, Syracuse has more than doubled that figure in 2024 with 46.8 per game — the highest total among FBS teams. Last year, the Orange resorted to a run-heavy wildcat offense due to quarterback Garrett Shrader’s injury in November.

With McCord, SU’s biggest weakness has turned into its biggest strength. And Syracuse has consistently allowed McCord’s to sling it as much as possible. Since dropping back 39 times versus Ohio in Week 1, the Ohio State transfer has attempted 42 or more passes in each of the Orange’s last five games — including a career-high 63 against UNLV.

When asked about McCord’s volume, Brown and McCord have repeatedly said the quarterback’s attempts are inflated because of quick hitters and taking easy completions off run-pass options. This is seen in McCord’s average depth of target — aDOT — which indicates the amount of yards downfield a player was targeted on average. Among 197 FBS quarterbacks, McCord’s 9.0 aDOT ranks 151st.

Even while attempting numerous short passes, McCord has excelled in taking shots down the field. His 21 “big-time throws” — which Pro Football Focus defines as a high-value, high-difficulty pass — lead all FBS quarterbacks.

Michael Penix Jr., who led Washington to a national-title game appearance last season before becoming a first-round pick in the 2024 National Football League Draft, led FBS quarterbacks with 43 big-time throws across 15 games. This season, McCord is on pace for 45 big-time throws if he stays healthy for SU’s remaining six regular-season contests and its likely bowl game.

3 receivers over 70 yards per game​

In his lone campaign as the Buckeyes’ starter, McCord threw for 3,170 yards. Of those, Marvin Harrison Jr. had 1,211 receiving yards, accumulating 38.2% of McCord’s yards. Thus far at Syracuse, McCord has done a much better job spreading the ball to his weapons.

SU’s three leading receivers, Jackson Meeks, Trebor Peña and Oronde Gadsden II, are the only trio on the same FBS team averaging 70 or more receiving yards per game. Meeks paces the team with 459 receiving yards, while Peña follows with 458 and Gadsden has 433.

Because of how frequently McCord throws, it gives room for all three targets to thrive. In SU’s most recent game against NC State, each player notched six or more receptions, totaling 265 receiving yards. While Peña and Gadsden succeeded early on and stayed consistent, Meeks’ breakout began in the Orange’s win over Holy Cross on Sept. 28.
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Syracuse football’s first season under Fran Brown: Midseason grades, MVPs and NIL priorities (PS; Staff)
Syracuse football is 5-1 at midseason and headed into its biggest game against Pittsburgh since a meeting of nationally-ranked teams early in 1989.

The Panthers are nationally-ranked and unbeaten. The Orange would earn a national-ranking with a win and remain alive in the ACC championship chase.

The back half of Syracuse’s schedule is much more difficult than the first half and Orange fans need no reminder about the team’s performance (20-45) in the second halves of seasons since joining the ACC

Here’s how we grade the Orange at the midway point and here’s a reminder of what we predicted before the season began, which included a good understanding of Kyle McCord’s importance and a few terrible guesses at ACC championship game matchups.

Grade the offense​

Emily Leiker: A-

If we were breaking down every position group on offense not everyone would get an A (or even a B) but as a unit I’ll give them a near-perfect grade. Save for a handful of uncapitalized drives throughout this first half of the season, SU’s offense has a clear identity, has kept things pretty consistent and is winning games.

They’re top of the class on this team for sure.

Brent Axe: B+

SU’s offense is rated 15th overall in the country (averaging 469.5 yards per game) and 33rd in the country in scoring offense (33.8).

Quarterback Kyle McCord is lighting it up (more on him in a minute) and Syracuse is the only FBS school in the country with three players averaging over 70 receiving yards per game.

What keeps it from an A grade are untimely stalls in both the Stanford and N.C. State games (the Orange scored 24 points in each) and a rushing offense that rates 118th nationally (104 yards per game).

Chris Carlson: A-

The only slight demerit comes for a middling run game but Syracuse’s offense is the primary reason that it has won five of its first six. Perhaps the most remarkable skill the Orange has displayed so far is the ability to utilize short passes as a version of ball control offense, ranking fifth in the country in third down percentage (54.7 percent).

That combination takes a gifted quarterback, reliable wide receivers and a special play-caller.

Nate Mink: A-

Hard to find many faults with an offense that is so good on third down and plays to its strengths with such efficiency.

To be elite, Syracuse needs more explosives. Only Ole Miss and Miami (Fla.) have more completions covering 10 or more yards. But those two, led by prolific quarterbacks Jaxson Dart and Cam Ward, respectively, start to separate from McCord on completions covering 20 or more yards, with each having 10 more than the SU quarterback.

Ole Miss leads the nation with 12 completions covering 40 or more yards and Miami has seven, to McCord’s three.

Only 12 players nationally have more gains of 10 or more yards than LeQuint Allen. But the SU running back has just five plays of 20 or more yards and none of 30 or more. Trebor Peña leads the team with eight plays of 20 or more yards. Oronde Gadsden II is next with seven.

The Orange is tied for 99th in runs of 10 or more yards.

Grade the defense​

Emily Leiker: B

A week or two ago this might’ve been lower but coming off the defense’s best performance of the season, I think they’re a solid B student. There are still some things the defense really needs to clean up – chunk plays, tackling – but considering the injury losses they’ve endured so far this season, I’m not grading them too harshly.

Brent Axe: B-

Coming through in clutch moments (well, except that 4th-and-9 against Stanford) saves this bend-but-don’t break defense from a lower grade as it rates 67th in the country and 11th in the ACC in giving up 356.7 yards per game.

Two things I’d like to see in the second half are more KingJoseph Edwards in pass rush situations and fewer three-man rushes.

Chris Carlson: B-

There are plenty of concerns moving forward but ultimately this group has done the most important part of the job -- keeping opponents from scoring -- adequately, ranking 76th out of 133 FBS teams in scoring defense despite the absence of Marlowe Wax.

Syracuse’s defense doesn’t have a great performance to its credit this year, but it has only allowed one game to deteriorate into a shootout and it managed to win that one anyway.

Relying on turnovers, red zone success and a ball-control offense rather than sheer defensive dominance is a risky formula that is likely to get Syracuse burned at some point.

Nate Mink: B

The tackling sometimes looks awful. Too many moments where players aren’t finishing in the backfield and fail to wrap up.
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The keys to Kyle McCord and Syracuse’s 5-1 start#syracusefootball #cfb #syracuse #nfl #heisman (youtube; podcast; Da Bigggest Chop...)

The keys to Kyle McCord and Syracuse’s 5-1 start

Syracuse Football's 2024 Mid-Season Awards and why ACC media is going to be wrong about SU hoops (youtube; podcast; Syracuse Orange)

On the latest episode of Syracuse Sports, Brent Axe turns to Syracuse Sports Insiders to hand out the 2024 SU football mid-season awards. Insiders handed out SU's MVP, Comeback Player of the Year and some really creative awards you have to hear. Brent also talks about SU basketball's preseason rankings and why the ACC media who made these projections are going to be wrong about the Orange.

How Syracuse Football can get BETTER on Defense, Special Teams & Coaching | Syracuse Orange Podcast (youtube; podcast; Locked on Syracuse)

Syracuse Orange Football is in a good spot at 5-1 and 2-1 in the ACC at the midway point of the season. Fran Brown's squad can still improve. The secondary and tackling can get better, especially with Marlowe Wax and Marcellus Barnes coming back from injury. The special teams can improve and Elijah Robinson can do better with his defensive scheming.

Jackson Holzer believes Cuse can be even better if they can correct a few issues on this edition of the Locked On Syracuse Podcast.

Matt Chazanow recaps NC State football's close loss to Syracuse, road game vs Cal preview (youtube; podcast; 99.9 The Fan)

Paul Ihander, Graham Hill, and NC State football play-by-play commentator Matt Chazanow recap the Wolfpack's narrow 24-17 loss to Syracuse, breaking down the key moments that decided the game. Also, Paul, Graham, and Matt preview NC State's upcoming road matchup against Cal, a 3-3 team still searching for its first ACC win.

Newhouse after Noon 10-16-24 (youtube; radio; Newhouse after Noon)

The future broadcasters of tomorrow are LIVE today from Newhouse on the campus of Syracuse University and it all starts right NOW!

Cuse Sports Talk on Instagram: "Syracuse quarterback Kyle McCord (@kylemccord) is having a special season in an Orange uniform. @thejakelazarus and @james_wildhack18 discuss what they are seeing from him, and the impact that his play is having on th

24 likes, 4 comments - cusesportstalk on October 16, 2024: "Syracuse quarterback Kyle McCord (@kylemccord) is having a special season in an Orange uniform. @thejakelazarus and @james_wildhack18 discuss what they are seeing from him, and the impact that his play is having on the team. Watch...

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Syracuse football: Pop-Tarts Bowl O’Meter update (TNIAAM; Tomiaiuolo)

There weren’t as many offensive fireworks as two weeks ago, but the Syracuse Orange still came out with a gritty 24-17 win over NC State last Saturday.

Kyle McCord continued to carve up opposing defenses, tossing for over 300 yards and two touchdown passes for his sixth consecutive game. Umari Hatcher, LeQuint Allen and Jackson Meeks all found paydirt, and Meeks’ onside recovery late in the fourth quarter sealed the win for the Orange.

Check out how another road dub reflected on our weekly Pop-Tarts Bowl O’Meter:

Sitting pretty at 5-1 heading into its Bye Week, postseason play is quickly becoming a reality in Fran Brown’s inaugural season. A Pop-Tart Bowl appearance might take closer to nine wins, but we’ll cross that bridge when we get there.

Will another road win increase Syracuse’s Pop-Tart fortunes from the writers? Let’s check out where the college football world projects the Orange in the postseason this week:

ESPN - Mark Schlabach and Kyle Bonagura

Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl vs No. 22 Illinois Fighting Illini - Schlabach

While it’s still better than the “Wasabi Fenway Bowl,” keeping the exact prediction (same bowl game and opponent) for two weeks in a row is disappointing. Don’t worry, though; we’ll see the Orange jump up in the rankings very soon.

Go Bowling Military Bowl vs No. 22 Army Black Knights - Bonagura

I’m still all-in on the PopTarts Bowl, but this game would be another excellent opportunity for the Orange. Both Army and Navy are 5-0 for the first time since World War II, and the atmosphere in Annapolis would be electric.

Brett McMurphy - The Action Network

Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl vs Colorado Buffaloes

Another interesting matchup, McMurphy pivots from Arizona State to the Buffs in this week’s update. Fran Brown against Coach Prime would be a high-scoring shootout for the ages down in El Paso (assuming everyone opts in to play).

College Football News

Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl vs Utah Utes

Another considerable upgrade from Fenway, this is the first time we’ve seen Utah appear this season. After opening at No. 12 in the preseason poll, the Utes have dropped their last two in conference play. Quarterback Cameron Rising is again dealing with injuries, so the Orange might face a backup gunslinger in this one.

CBS Sports

Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl vs Arizona State Sun Devils

The “Cure Bowl” projections are a thing of the past for Jerry Palm, who is now firmly on the Orange bandwagon. ASU seems to make the most sense for the “Sun” Bowl, and its upset last week over Utah could make the stakes even higher in this potential matchup.

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Again, there are still no Pop-Tart believers, but SU can flip the script with a win over Pittsburgh after its Bye Week. Where do you predict the Orange will play after Week 7?

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ACC News

No. 6 Miami's trip to Louisville headlines the ACC slate, Clemson hosts surprising Virginia | FOX Sports (foxports.com; AP)
Things to watch this week in the Atlantic Coast Conference:

Game of the week​

No. 6 Miami at Louisville, Saturday, noon ET (ABC)

The Hurricanes (6-0, 2-0 ACC) have looked like the class of the ACC behind star quarterback Cam Ward, though they've also come off two wild finishes to edge Virginia Tech and rally past California. Miami is 3-0 on the road so far, including the cross-country trek to face the Bears before an open week.

The Cardinals (4-2, 2-1), who reached last year's ACC title game, suffered its lone league loss at home to SMU on Oct. 5 before regrouping to beat Virginia on the road last week.

The matchup pairs Miami's top-ranked attack in the Bowl Subdivision in scoring (47.7) and total offense (583.8) against a defense ranked fifth 32nd nationally by allowing 19.7 points.

The undercard​

Virginia at No. 10 Clemson, Saturday, noon ET (ACC Network)

The Tigers (5-1, 4-0) have been rolling since a season-opening blowout loss to Georgia, dropping 66 points on Appalachian State, 59 on N.C. State and 49 on Wake Forest along the way. That has restored some buzz for quarterback Cade Klubnik and the Tigers, both in positioning for a trip to the ACC title game and a possible bid to the expanded College Football Playoff.

Virginia (4-2, 2-1) has already surpassed its win total for the previous two seasons under Tony Elliott to put the Cavaliers in the top third of the league standings.

Impact players​

QB CJ Bailey, N.C. State. Things haven't gone as planned for the Wolfpack offense with graduate transfer Grayson McCall in and out of the lineup at quarterback with concussion issues. Bailey, a true freshman who enrolled at midyear, is showing signs of growth entering Saturday's trip to California. He threw for 272 yards and two touchdowns in a loss to Wake Forest, then had a new season high with 329 yards and two more scores in last week's loss to Syracuse.

RB Brashard Smith, SMU. He is the league's No. 5 rusher (93.5 yards per game) while finding the end zone seven times entering the 21st-ranked Mustangs' trip to Stanford on Saturday.

Inside the numbers​

The ACC has five of the nation's top 25 scoring offenses, with Clemson (12th, 41 points per game), Pittsburgh and SMU (tied for 13th, 40.8) and Louisville (23rd, 36.2) joining the Hurricanes. ... The league also has the nation's top two quarterbacks in passing offense with Ward (369.8, 20 TDs) and Syracuse's Kyle McCord (360.0, 19). ... Wake Forest's defense is struggling entering a trip to UConn, ranking 119th in FBS in scoring defense (34.0) and 127th in total defense (477.8). ... Pittsburgh's Desmond Reid is No. 2 nationally in all-purpose yardage (182.6) entering an open week.

Chasing a first​

Duke is off to a 5-1 start under Manny Diaz as it comes out of an open week. Now the Blue Devils have a chance to accomplish a program first by beating Florida State on Friday night.

The Seminoles (1-5, 1-4) are 22-0 all-time against the Blue Devils, with a 17-10 win in 2017 being the only one decided by a single-digit margin. That was also the last time the teams met in Durham.

The Blue Devils are a 3-point favorite according to BetMGM College Football Odds.
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Links, News and Rumors 2024 Oct 16 (RX; HM)

Links, News and Rumors 2024 Oct 16

From CFBNumbers.Substack:

CFB Week 7 Advanced Stats Recap + Week 8 Look Ahead​

Week 7 Review: we don't need a lot of analysis to tell us that Cal at Pitt was an exciting game. The computer says there were other, more exciting games. whatever.
Week 8 Preview: Syracuse QB Kyle McCord is arguably playing like the best quarterback in college football - period. As for exciting QB match-ups this week, the author suggests Miami @ Louisville, and Notre Dame @ Georgia Tech.
If you want a LOT more analysis, click the title link above.
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Power Rankings 2024 Week 8 (RX; HM)

Power Rankings 2024 Week 8

The preseason bias is finally wearing off...

Sonny's computer ranked 4 ACC teams - plus Notre Dame - in the Top 25 this week. In fact, it says that the way Clemson is playing lately, they are one of the top 4 teams (albeit they lost to one of the top 3 teams to start the season). It says Clemson & Miami are the two best teams, and both are deserving of a playoff bid. Louisville & SMU are very, very good - but just outside the top 12.

Sonny Moore Power Ratings Top 100
Rank	Team	W - L	SOS	PR
1	Texas	6 - 0	63.6	95.22
2	Tennessee	5 - 1	70.77	92.63
3	Georgia	5 - 1	78.12	92.57
4	Clemson	5 - 1	72.46	92.54
5	Ohio St.	5 - 1	63.77	92.48
6	Mississippi	5 - 2	65.24	91.84
7	Notre Dame	5 - 1	65.65	90.18
8	Miami Fl.	6 - 0	65.52	90.02
9	Alabama	5 - 1	70.84	89.55
10	Texas A&M	5 - 1	75.76	88.63
11	Oregon	6 - 0	65.88	85.81
12	Iowa St.	6 - 0	67.01	85.36
13	LSU	5 - 1	70.94	84.93
14	Louisville	4 - 2	69.44	84.67
15	Penn.St.	6 - 0	64.81	84.38
16	USC	3 - 3	74.74	84.04
17	SMU	5 - 1	65.52	82.6
18	Tulane	4 - 2	66.66	82.4
19	Wisconsin	4 - 2	68.19	82.33
20	Arkansas	4 - 2	74.19	82.23
21	Boise State	5 - 1	63.19	81.21
22	Kansas St.	5 - 1	70.81	81.16
23	Florida	3 - 3	77.33	80.79
24	West Virginia	3 - 3	77.56	80.62
25	Iowa	4 - 2	69.04	80.58
Rank	Team	W - L	SOS	PR
26	South Carolina	3 - 3	73.22	80.23
27	Missouri	5 - 1	61.12	80.23
28	BYU	6 - 0	67.97	79.85
29	Minnesota	4 - 3	71.62	78.58
30	Michigan	4 - 2	71.07	78.52
31	Nebraska	5 - 1	61.37	78.04
32	Auburn	2 - 4	69.86	77.86
33	Kentucky	3 - 3	72.5	77.34
34	Oklahoma	4 - 2	71.45	77.12
35	Georgia Tech	5 - 2	66.06	77.05
36	Vanderbilt	4 - 2	76.33	76.25
37	Army	6 - 0	53.22	76.08
38	Utah	4 - 2	67.54	76.07
39	Memphis	5 - 1	60.53	75.95
40	California	3 - 3	70.52	75.71
41	Colorado	4 - 2	68.87	75.61
42	Indiana	6 - 0	56.67	75.52
43	Virginia Tech	3 - 3	64.88	75.46
44	Pittsburgh	6 - 0	60.21	75.23
45	Texas St.	4 - 2	58.2	75.04
46	Oklahoma St.	3 - 3	69.24	74.87
47	James Madison	5 - 1	56.04	74.62
48	Washington	4 - 3	66.32	73.48
49	UNLV	5 - 1	60.25	73.27
50	Illinois	5 - 1	68.87	73.26
Rank	Team	W - L	SOS	PR
51	Arizona St.	5 - 1	66.53	73.12
52	Virginia	4 - 2	65.76	72.91
53	Florida St.	1 - 5	71.87	72.86
54	Liberty	5 - 0	53.97	72.03
55	Rutgers	4 - 2	67.09	72.01
56	Syracuse	5 - 1	61.03	71.82
57	Texas Tech	5 - 1	61.87	71.39
58	Boston College	4 - 2	71.53	71.22

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Around the Conference Table: ACC College Football Week 7 (writeforcalifornia.com; Saucy Asian)

Stanford at 11 Notre Dame (Notre Dame wins 49-7)


Justin Buechler - Lightning strikes in South Bend.

TD_24 - Troy Taylor needs help, he simply just can't do it with this roster.

Piotr T Le - lol, lmao even.

Christopher H - The good news for Stanford: QB Ashton Daniels returned. The bad news for Stanford: their quarterbacks still rush more than they throw, with Daniels posting a whopping 74 passing yards. The crazy thing is that I actually believe Daniels can be a good passer.

Rob Hwang - Touchdown Jesus really celebrating this weekend.

Georgia Tech at North Carolina (Georgia tech wins 41-34)​

Justin Buechler - Mack should’ve quit when he had the chance.

TD_24 - oh Mack Brown this is so hilarious to watch unfold in real time.

Christopher H - GT grinds out another opponent on the ground. UNC is one-dimensional in a bad way, relying too heavily on star RB Omarion Hampton. GT is one-dimensional in a good way, in that both their QB and RB can put up big yards on the ground, and it's hard to stop.

Rob Hwang - once again… is Mack Brown trying to avoid coming to Berkeley at all costs?

Louisville at Virginia (Louisville wins 24-20)​

Justin Buechler - If you’re a Louisville fan… a win is a win.

TD_24 - Louisville escapes but my big thing here is that Virginia isn't as bad as advertised? They've beens scrappy, beat BC pretty good and hung tough with these guys. I've got my eye on the Cavs the rest of the year.

Christopher H - Louisville bounces back after two straight losses to tough opponents.

Rob Hwang - So happy we don’t play either of these teams this year.

10 Clemson at Wake Forest (Clemson wins 49-14)​

Justin Buechler - The lord has answered Dabo’s prayers.

TD_24 - Dabo had a lot of trick plays in this game and honestly it seems prime for Clemson to get back into the ACC title game.

Piotr T Le - Clemson did what Clemson should. Wake showcasing why they have the weakest defense in the ACC.

Christopher H - Most of Clemson's opponents have scored in garbage time, after Clemson has put in the 2nd and 3rd stringers. Credit to Wake Forest for sustaining two offensive touchdown drives early this game, which is two more than I would have predicted.

Rob Hwang - Looking like Clemson—Miami in the ACC Championship game barring some craziness.

Syracuse at NC State (Syracuse wins 24-17)​

Justin Buechler - Imagine if Ohio State had a guy like McCord

TD_24 - Syracuse is 5-1 somehow but its so hilarious that they lost to Stanford in all this

Piotr T Le - Both team look gettable each having flaws on offense we can exploit as well as things that the offense can lean on. However, will Cal be able to give the run game space and passing game time to execute?

Christopher H - 3 NC State turnovers turned into 3 touchdowns for Syracuse, which was critical in this game. NC State has a great record when they will the turnover battle, and an awful one when they lose it. NC State chased points all game, but don't have the secondary required to stop the one-dimensional Syracuse offense.

Rob Hwang - Pitt and Cuse are pretty much on the same path as us. Just with coinflip close games going their way a few more times than us.

Any other thoughts?​

Justin Buechler- I miss mateen bhaghani

TD_24 - Preparing for chaos ball and the Rhett Lashlee bowl between Miami and SMU in the ACC title game

Christopher H - I've watched a lot of ACC games now and I am starting to believe that the ACC refs are absolutely calling games in favor of the ACC teams. When I watched Northern Illinois vs NC State (the week after NIU upset Notre Dame), there was a clear double standard on judgment call penalties. Very weak, minimal contact by NIU corner gets flagged for PI. The next drive, NIU WR leaps for a catch and you can see the most obvious jersey tug from behind from a mile away (his entire shoulder pads came out from under his jersey), no flag. The other game that immediately comes to mind was Wake Forest vs Louisiana, where 4 defensive starters for Louisiana were ejected for targeting (and then WF came back from behind to win). It was the very same ref crew that suddenly turned blind to targeting the following week in Cal vs Miami. So I think a big problem for Cal is that ACC refs are still treating Cal like an OOC opponent. Someone please tell them we need love too.

ACC football picks and predictions for Week 8 (usatoday.com; Haley)


The Clemson Tigers refuse to go away.

After head coach Dabo Swinney and his team won seven of the past eight ACC titles, Clemson failed to win 10 games for the first time in more than a decade last season. With the 2023 season fresh on everyone’s minds after a 34-3 defeat at the hands of the Georgia Bulldogs in Week 1, it felt like Swinney’s time as one of the preeminent figures in the sport was drawing to a close.

So, naturally, Clemson’s won its past five games by an average of 29.4 points to put themselves back in line for a College Football Playoff berth.

While the undefeated Miami Hurricanes try to hold them off atop the conference standings, both powerhouse programs play a conference foe this week with postseason odds on the line.
From a Thursday night showdown between two electric quarterbacks to Duke’s battle with the Florida State Seminoles, here are our picks for Week 8 of the ACC schedule.

Boston College Eagles at Virginia Tech Hokies​

In this battle between the ACC’s offseason darling and Week 1 darling, this game will be critical as both teams battle for a potential spot in the bowl calendar. However, Virginia Tech’s three losses include a near-upset of Miami and an overtime loss to Vanderbilt with quarterback Kyron Drones off the field on the final plays. The Hokies are better than their record indicates, and running back Bhayshul Tuten stacks another great season.

Virginia Tech 31, Boston College 20​

Florida State Seminoles at Duke Blue Devils​

Check out our staff predictions for more in-depth analysis, but Florida State’s struggling offense won’t be able to generate many points against the Duke defense. Even with the Blue Devils working through some first-half issues on offense, they can score enough points on Friday.

Duke 27, Florida State 20

Wake Forest Demon Deacons at Connecticut Huskies​

The Demon Deacons dropped to 2-4 after their 49-14 loss to Clemson, and that’s how everyone has looked against the Tigers so far in conference play. I actually intended to pick Wake Forest despite their atrocious defense (477.8 yards per game, the second-worst in the Power Four), but the 4-2 Huskies feature a surprisingly energetic offense. Three different Connecticut running backs have more than 300 rushing yards already this season as the team averages more than five yards per carry. They’ve beaten Florida Atlantic by 34, Buffalo by 44, and Temple by nine since leaving Durham. I’ll still take Wake Forest, but I don’t feel confident about it at all.
Wake Forest 35, Connecticut 30

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How Mike Norvell's salary compares to the rest of the ACC (usatoday.com; McCarthy)

USA TODAY Sports updated its college football head coach salaries database on Wednesday, giving us an updated look at every public school across the country.

The ACC features some of the highest-paid coaches in the country in FSU head coach Mike Norvell ($10 million) and Clemson’s Dabo Swinney ($11,008,575), who both rank among the top 10. While those two are at the top of the ranking, the same is not true for every ACC head coach as Rhett Lashlee is the worst-paid Power 4 head coach in 2024, making $2,360,640 million.

With SMU, Cal, and Stanford joining the ACC, here is a ranking of every ACC head coach ranked by their salary, including their buyout and potential bonuses. As private schools, the Duke Blue Devils (Manny Diaz), Boston College Eagles (Bill O’Brien), Syracuse Orange (Fran Brown), and Stanford Cardinal (Troy Taylor) do not have to release the information and are not included.

13 SMU head coach Rhett Lashlee​

Total Pay: $2,360,640
Maximum Bonus: –
Buyout: –
2024 Record: 5-1

12 Georgia Tech head coach Brent Key​

Total Pay: $2,900,000
Maximum Bonus: $1,175,000
Buyout: $5,119,167
2024 Record: 5-2

11 Virginia head coach Tony Elliot​

Total Pay: $4,251,000
Maximum Bonus: $475,000
Buyout: $15,225,000
2024 Record: 4-2

10 Cal head coach Justin Wilcox​

Total Pay: $4,600,000
Maximum Bonus: $900,000
Buyout: $15,912,500
2024 Record: 3-3

9 Virginia Tech head coach Brent Pry​

Total Pay: $4,775,000
Maximum Bonus: $475,000
Buyout: –
2024 Record: 3-3

8 Wake Forest head coach Dave Clawson​

Total Pay: $4,781,410
Maximum Bonus: –
Buyout: –
2024 Record: 2-4

...
5 storylines worth watching in back half of FSU football season (tomahawknation.com; Silversmith)
Being a part of a losing season sucks — and for Florida State, that feeling has become all-too-familiar over the last five years.

Some fans tried to use the bye week to try and detox from having any investment in this season — but let’s be honest. When February rolls around and you’re stuck missing football, everyone will wish to watch Florida State execute another egregious turnover.

So with the hopes of a follow-up to last year’s run having been dashed since September, what could you possibly be invested in at this point to keep up the week-to-week grind?

Glad you asked.

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FSU football: 5 storylines worth watching in back half of season​

Brock Glenn’s progression​

Brock Glenn’s start last week made this article much easier to write, but after leaving it all on the field against Clemson, Glenn could be the catalyst that sparks Florida State down the stretch. The players are willing to fight for him more than DJ Uiagalelei, according to their post-game answers on Saturday, and Glenn getting crushed to gain a first down with time expiring in a two-score game displayed as much heart in one play as anyone all year. If he continues to take strides as a passer and eliminates back-breaking mistakes/turnovers, he could be a reason for optimism heading into 2025 and why recruits or transfers want to come to Tallahassee. Norvell continues to float around the idea of breaking Luke Kromenhoek in, but if Glenn continues to grow each week, hopefully, the head coach will not outthink the room.

Watching freshman/young guys flourish​

Besides Glenn, the back half of the season will be an audition for many underclassmen to see where they stack up for the 2025 season. On the offensive side of the ball, if Andre’ Otto and Jaylen Early continue receiving playing time, Norvell can feel confident in 2/5s of his offensive line heading into the off-season with Maurice Smith, Darius Washington, and Jeremiah Byers exhausting their eligibility. The same goes for the pass-catchers. If Hykeem Williams can distinguish himself as a #1 alongside Landen Thomas and Amaree Williams at tight end, the Seminoles could have a revamped passing attack heading into 2025.
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Stanford Football on Instagram: "Get ready. ACC Network is coming to The Farm Don’t miss your chance to catch ACC Huddle live from Stanford this weekend! #GoStanford"

320 likes, 3 comments - stanfordfball on October 16, 2024: "Get ready. ACC Network is coming to The Farm Don’t miss your chance to catch ACC Huddle live from Stanford this weekend! #GoStanford".

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A mushroom pizza from Angelo's in Auburn, the 41st stop on our CNY Pizza Tour. (Charlie Miller | cmiller@syracuse.com)(Charlie Miller | cmiller@syracuse.com)

CNY Pizza Tour, stop #41: Auburn’s first pizzeria still churns out near-perfect pizza in the same 64-year-old ovens (PS; $; Miller)

The mixer that blended today’s dough at Angelo’s Pizza in Auburn is the same Hobart gear-driven machine Angelo D’Angelo himself used to whip up the first-ever batch on the day he opened back in 1960.

The two Blodgett ovens that’ll bake 100-plus pizzas today are the same brick-lined cookers Angelo filled when starting out.

“We were the original pizza place of Auburn,” Angelo said in his broken Italian accent on Monday afternoon. “We made the best. It’s still the best.”

Angelo turns 93 in next month, and he still often stops into the restaurant he founded for a slice. “It hasn’t changed,” he said.

He immigrated from Sicily in 1949 and ran a pizza shop in Brooklyn. He moved to Auburn in the late ‘50s, where he met his wife and opened the city’s first pizzeria at the corner of North and Genesee streets. In 1974, Angelo’s moved a couple blocks east to its current location on the edge of downtown.

Angelo was looking to retire in 2002, but he wanted the business to continue. At a family gathering, he got to chatting with Matt Bartolotta. Matt’s brother is married to Angelo’s daughter. Matt had just moved back from Albany and was doing contract work around Auburn. Angelo asked if he wanted to take over his pizzeria.



“I put my heart and soul into this place ... into each pizza,” Matt said. “I worked 80 hours a week for the first two years, just to make sure I kept the same quality, customer service and cleanliness.”

He immersed himself into the business. He studied Angelo’s recipes and befriended other Central New York pizza makers. He travels to the annual International Pizza Expo in Las Vegas, often times with Joe Crabbe of Original Italian Pizza (OIP) and John Vigliotti of Peppino’s. It gives them a chance to learn the latest trends, and they reconnect with the farmers and meatpackers who provide them with their ingredients.

Matt, though, hasn’t changed much since taking over Angelo’s. He still twirls his dough in front of the window overlooking Genesee Street while standing on the same red and white vinyl floor tiles.
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Deal permanently blocks from development a huge swath of land near Skaneateles Lake (PS; $; Doran)

A decade ago, local residents beat back a proposed medical and athletic complex that promised to draw hundreds of visitors near the shores of Skaneateles Lake.

The dream included seating for 500 and 13 outdoor fields for games, including some played at night. The location at the north end of the lake was near a key village intersection with Route 20. It was also close to some of the lake’s wealthy homes.

At the time, residents argued against the noise and bright lights. They also said the area should be preserved because of its important role in Syracuse’s drinking water system.



Now it will be.

The owner and developer behind the proposed athletic complex sold the 101-acre area on Sept. 24 to a land trust for $1.6 million. State taxpayers will pay for the bulk of the purchase through a water protection program in the Department of Environmental Conversation.



The land in the Shotwell Brook Conservation Area will be protected from future development, according to Andrew Zepp, president of the Finger Lakes Land Trust. The trust bought the property, which is about the size of a small, 18-hole golf course.

The trust plans to replant native species and add walking trails, which will be open to the public, Zepp said.
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Fall foliage and snow appears on Oct. 14, 2024 on Whiteface Mountain in the Adirondacks. Tommy Horn | @adk_trail_trekker on InstagramTommy Horn | @adk_trail_trekker on Instagram

Snowy peaks and stunning foliage: Here are Upstate NY’s best fall color spots this week (PS; Hernandez)

While the Adirondack High Peaks region and parts of Northern New York are experiencing snow this week, fall is still coming in full force in other regions across Upstate New York.

I LOVE NY, the state’s tourism website, published their sixth fall foliage rfor where to find autumns best colors during the week of Oct. 16-22, 2024.

I LOVE NY’s fall foliage forecast for the week of Oct. 16-22, 2024. Provided photo | ILOVENYProvided photo | ILOVENY

Peak fall foliage, and in some cases past-peak, can be seen in all nine regions of Upstate NY and your best bets will be to head to the places like Thacher State Park or Saratoga Springs in the Capital Region or Allegany State Park and Chautauqua Lake in Western NY. You can also see some peak foliage conditions at popular spots like Letchworth State Park, Hudson and Alexandria Bay.

Here are the color change predictions around Upstate New York for the week of Oct. 16-22, 2024:

Adirondacks​

• Plattsburgh, 100%
• Crown Point, 85%
• Ticonderoga, 90%
• Malone, 80%
• Lake George, 50%
• All other spots are past-peak

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[upperdeck]

we have the best 10 yd offense it seems.. Not a bad thing to have and one reason we do well on 3rd down since we have kept ourselves in that range most of the year.

 

[TexanMark]

we have the best 10 yd offense it seems.. Not a bad thing to have and one reason we do well on 3rd down since we have kept ourselves in that range most of the year.

We have no issues grinding off 1st downs...until about 15 yards out for NCST. Hopefully we can finish off these drives for Pitt.

 

[Ozone!]