sutomcat
No recent Cali or Iggy awards; Mr Irrelevant
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Welcome to Halloween!
Halloween is a holiday that is rooted in, and was influenced by, both pagan and Christian traditions. On one hand there are the influences of Celtic harvest festivals, such as the Gaelic festival Samhain, and on the other hand Halloween stems from All Hallows' Eve, which is the night before the Christian holiday of All Hallows' Day—or All Saints Day. Halloween traditions were culled from these influences, and from varied traditions that different countries celebrated. The amalgamation of these influences helped to create what we now know as Halloween in the United States.
SU News
Marlowe Wax was presented 2 options for his recovery: ‘It was kind of a no brainer’ (PS; $; Leiker)
Underwater treadmills. Anti-gravity treadmills. Stationary plyometric work. New nutritional supplements. Electrical stimulation to increase blood flow.
Those are just some of the rehab methods Syracuse football‘s training staff used in linebacker Marlowe Wax’s “return to run” program, head athletic trainer Brandon Hall told syracuse.com Tuesday.
Wax made his game return against Pittsburgh last week and expects to play the remainder of the season after missing five games with a lower-leg injury suffered in the Orange’s season opener.
On Tuesday, Wax said the Pitt game had been the one he‘d targeted for his return all along, though he‘d said after the game he had tried to make it back for the N.C. State game on Oct. 12, SU coach Fran Brown had said early last week the program was targeting a return this week against Virginia Tech.
Regardless of when it was actually slated to happen, Wax returning this season had been a decision made by him and his family when Hall and the rest of SU’s medical staff diagnosed his injury Aug. 31 in the JMA Wireless Dome.
...
Beat writers split on whether Syracuse will defeat Virginia Tech (DO; Staff)
For the first time under Fran Brown, Syracuse was embarrassed on the gridiron. Following its second bye week, SU marched into Acrisure Stadium and was dominated by then-No. 19 Pitt.
Quarterback Kyle McCord posted a career-worst five interceptions — including three pick-sixes. The Orange had more than double the Panthers’ time of possession and notched one of its best defensive performances to date, but McCord’s mistakes put the game out of reach early, leading to a 41-13 loss.
Following three straight road games, Syracuse returns home to take on Virginia Tech. The Hokies enter on a three-game winning streak, taking down their last three Atlantic Coast Conference foes by a combined 60 points.
Here’s how our beat writers think Syracuse (5-2, 2-2 ACC) will fare against Virginia Tech (5-3, 3-1 ACC) on Saturday:
Aiden Stepansky (4-3)
Orange revival
Syracuse 27, Virginia Tech 24
Seven games in, it’s not ridiculous to say we are the worst trio of beat-writer predictors in The Daily Orange’s rich history. So, why not guarantee at least one of us is right this week and go against my fellow scribes?
Make no mistake, Syracuse has its hands full with the Hokies. And last week’s performance was nothing short of an embarrassment. But I see a way the Orange exit this game with a revival performance and clinch their third-consecutive bowl game.
While McCord’s hardships took the spotlight against Pitt, SU’s defense impressed me. Marlowe Wax returned from injury, though he clearly wasn’t at 100%, but I see him continuing to progress and returning to All-ACC form against the Hokies’ potent rushing attack. Additionally, VT was held to just 21 points against Georgia Tech last week, and Bhayshul Tuten had a walking boot postgame, possibly limiting him this Saturday.
It’s fairly simple for McCord and Co. If he doesn’t turn the ball over, SU will be in this game until the end. VT’s defensive line is no joke and will be McCord’s face throughout the afternoon, but I see an improvement from a week ago. Yasin Willis is likely a no-go for Syracuse and it will have to rely more on LeQuint Allen Jr. than normal.
The Orange were just 8-23 in November over the last eight seasons, but I see Brown flipping the script in his first opportunity. It won’t be easy, but SU can defeat the Hokies to get back on track before the final road trip of the regular season.
Cooper Andrews (4-3)
(More) November blues?
Syracuse 24, Virginia Tech 30
Aiden is right. We’re not very good at this. I wrote last week that Syracuse would beat a ranked Pitt on the road by two touchdowns. I doubled down by predicting McCord to utterly dominate the Panthers’ secondary. I’ve had some rough takes this year, but that takes the cake.
Not only did that loss damage my credibility, it severely damaged my confidence in Syracuse. I used to see the Orange as a talent-rich group, with arguably their best passing attack in program history and a formidable defense. Now, I see a one-dimensional offense and a defense that hasn’t shown an ability to close games.
I see those trends continuing against Virginia Tech. The Orange – particularly McCord – struggle against potent pass rushes. The Hokies boast the best pass rush in the ACC and the 11th-best in the country, per Pro Football Focus’ grading system. VT has totaled 26 sacks in eight games, led by star edge rusher Antwaun Powell-Ryland, whose whopping 11 sacks rank second in the nation.
Syracuse’s offense will take a while to get going versus a ferocious Hokies’ front. And it won’t adjust through the run game, either. Offensive coordinator Jeff Nixon hasn’t made the running game a consistent part of his scheme. That won’t change. On the flipside, VT’s rushing offense — which ranks 30th in the NCAA with 195.5 yards per game — led by Tuten and quarterback Kyron Drones will provide a tall task for SU’s defense.
Saturday looks like it’ll be another tough defeat for Syracuse. But, will it be the start of another rough November?
Justin Girshon (3-4)
Off the bandwagon
Syracuse 24, Virginia Tech 28
As Cooper and Aiden noted above, we’re not very good at these predictions — and I’m the worst. When I’m out on Syracuse, like I was in Week 2 against Georgia Tech, it draws me right back in. But, once I got drawn back in, the Orange embarrassed themselves versus Stanford, and their win over Holy Cross the ensuing week wasn’t too convincing.
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Syracuse football vs. Virginia Tech predictions: See our picks (PS; $; Staff)
The Syracuse football team will face Virginia Tech at 12 p.m., Saturday in the JMA Wireless Dome (TV: The CW).
It’s time for our predictions. The panel includes Brent Axe, sports columnist; Chris Carlson, sports enterprise reporter; Emily Leiker, SU football reporter and Nate Mink, managing producer for sports.
BRENT AXE
Syracuse 27, Virginia Tech 17
Will Syracuse cover? Yes
Something tells me the Syracuse defense takes center stage in this one, forces a few turnovers and has one of its best performances of the season to take some pressure off an Orange offensive attack looking to recover from a five-turnover mess against Pitt.
SU’s defense looks like it will catch a break with VT running back Bhayshul Tuten “probable” but hampered by a foot injury.
CHRIS CARLSON
Virginia Tech 30, Syracuse 21
Will Syracuse cover? No
Once Kyle McCord showed he was capable of performing well against blitzes the key to slowing the Syracuse offense became getting pressure without being forced to consistently send extra players.
The Hokies are also especially well-equipped to accomplish that.
Defensive end Antwaun Powell-Ryland leads the ACC with 10 sacks and Pro Football Focus ranks him fourth in the conference with 31 quarterback pressures. The Hokies have two other defensive linemen (Aeneas Peebles and Wilfried Pene) with more quarterback pressures than Syracuse’s leader Fadil Diggs (15).
EMILY LEIKER
Virginia Tech 27, Syracuse 24
Will Syracuse cover? Yes
I do think Syracuse’s offense will look markedly better than it did in its last outing but won’t quite be able to come away with the win in this one. I foresee there still being a couple hiccups here and there, especially with the defensive power Virginia Tech brings. Antwaun Powell-Ryland Jr. and Aeneas Peebles are a scary pair of D-linemen to go up against.
If the Orange gets the edge, I think it will be thanks to its own defense, which has looked better over the past couple games than it had at the start of the season and now has linebacker Marlowe Wax back.
Virginia Tech has fumbled the ball 11 times this season (though only lost four), and Kyron Drones has been picked off five times. Tap back into the turnover mojo it had against N.C. State, and Syracuse could make something happen.
NATE MINK
Virginia Tech 38, Syracuse 24
Will Syracuse cover? No
Virginia Tech’s lone ACC loss came on a controversial ruling at the end of a game against the fifth-ranked team in the country.
And, we know what Vanderbilt has done since its overtime victory against the Hokies on Labor Day weekend.
Point being: Brent Pry’s got his best team yet in Year 3, with all five wins coming by 15 or more points and three losses by a combined 10 points.
Pry’s gotten a two-year jump on Fran Brown in turning over a program and trying to build a conference contender. The stark difference between these two will show up at scrimmage, where VT brings an imposing front and offensive line, and hybrid safety Keonta Jenkins creates havoc.
Virginia Tech is just 2-7 in the dome, with its most recent win coming on Oct. 21, 2000, when Michael Vick led the Hokies to a 22-14 win.
Point spread: Virginia Tech by 4 points
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Entering November, Syracuse's pass rush has room to grow (DO; Andrews)
Syracuse’s defensive line has seen a litany of turnover both before the season and during it. Transfers like edge rusher Fadil Diggs and interior lineman Dion Wilson Jr. fortified the unit on paper. Yet Wilson Jr., along with fellow starters Kevin Jobity Jr. and Braylen Ingraham, suffered season-ending injuries, immensely weakening the group.
To pick up the pieces, first-year defensive coordinator Elijah Robinson has relied on his youth. Freshman Maraad Watson, along with sophomores Rashard Perry and David Omopariola, have received increased snaps since October.
It’s been a challenge for Robinson’s pass rush, especially with Justin Barron’s improved performance at linebacker and Marlowe Wax’s return prompting a soft launch back to Rocky Long’s 3-3-5 defense.
“We’re putting everything together where everybody can have a piece of the pie and help us out,” Robinson said. “We mention things like EST, everybody shine together.”
But, examining the results, not everybody has shined together.
Outside of Diggs, Syracuse’s pass-rushing production is slim. Diggs’ four sacks lead the team. Defensive end KingJoseph Edwards ranks second with three sacks, but all came against lowly Holy Cross in the second half. Not counting Edwards, all SU’s remaining edge rushers have combined for just two sacks, Denis Jaquez Jr. having 1.5 and Jobity with 0.5.
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(youtube; podcast; TSL)
Virginia Tech has won three straight football games and now looks to break a dreaded curse, beat Syracuse in its dome. Sit down with the Tech Sideline crew as they discuss the upcoming matchup between the Hokies and the Orange.Timestamps:
0:00-2:05 - Tech Sideline Podcast Intro
2:06-4:46 - How Is Syracuse Different From Other Tech Opponents?
4:47-11:11 - Brent Pry press Conference Updates
11:12-18:26 - Game Information and Series History
18:27-28:58 - The Syracuse Offense
28:59-29:22 - Ad Read
29:23-36:31 - Stat Time With Scott Glesner
36:32-44:16 - The Syracuse Defense
44:17-48:48 - The Syracuse Special Teams
48:49-1:02:30 - Virginia Tech Vs Syracuse Game Analysis And Predictions
1:02:31-1:03:29 - What's Coming Up At TechSideline.com
1:03:30-1:04:13 - Tech Sideline Podcast Outro
Syracuse Football has a TOUGH Matchup vs. Virginia Tech Hokies | Syracuse Orange Podcast (youtube; podcast; Locked on Syracuse)
Syracuse Orange Football has a difficult challenge this week against the Virginia Tech Hokies. Fran Brown's squad has to contend with Virginia Tech's All-ACC running back Bhayshul Tuten and quarterback Kyron Drones. Kyle McCord and Syracuse's offense could be shutdown by the Hokies' star defensive lineman Antwaun Powell-Ryland Jr. and Aeneas Peebles. Plus, Virginia Tech has two NFL caliber corners: Dorian Strong and Mansoor Delaine.
Jackson Holzer previews Syracuse Football vs. Virginia Tech on this edition of the Locked On Syracuse Podcast.
0:00- VT Offense
11:52- VT Defense
18:48- Cuse-VT Prediction
Keeping Up With The 315 10-30-24 (ESPN; radio; The 315)
Brian Higgins discusses the importance of Syracuse vs. Virginia Tech, takes a caller to discuss thoughts on Syracuse football, and gives his no wrong answers for Syracuse vs. Slippery Rock.
David Hale "The 315" 10-30-24 (ESPN; radio; The 315)
David Hale, ESPN ACC writer, joins Brian Higgins to discuss his thoughts on the ACC in football, what he thinks about Fran Brown and Syracuse, and tiebreaker scenarios.
Bill Roth "The 315" 10-30-24 (ESPN; radio; The 315)
Bill Roth, Voice of Virginia Tech Football, joins Brian Higgins to discuss the history between Syracuse and Virginia Tech, and provide Orange fans with a preview of the Hokies.
Kyle McCord Will Test Hokies Secondary (fightinggobbler.com; Hatfield)
Virginia Tech has faced several quality quarterbacks this season. Diego Pavia led Vanderbilt to a historic win in the first game of the season. Cam Ward was clutch in Miami’s comeback against Virginia Tech in Hard Rock Stadium. This weekend Virginia Tech will face, in my estimation, the best pure passer of the year.
Kyle McCord had a miserable game versus Pittsburgh last weekend, but don’t let that one-off performance fool you. It was a disaster for McCord in every way possible. Three first-half pick-sixes doomed the Orange from the very beginning, but this was a very atypical performance from McCord, who has had an otherwise stellar season. He has already thrown for 2,481 yards on the season. Couple that with 19 touchdown passes with a 63.6% completion percentage and McCord ranks near the top of the ACC.
The good news is that Virginia Tech is ranked 2nd in pass defense allowing a paltry 196.3 yards per game. Brent Pry has spoken about the challenges of playing in the dome, and the Hokie secondary better be ready.
McCord’s path to Syracuse has been well documented, but many were surprised (myself included) by the complete change in the team's improvement. If you are not familiar the quick story is that McCord was the starter at Ohio State and everything was peachy.
The Buckeyes lost to eventual national champion Michigan, and that’s when the problems started. Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day was not comfortable telling McCord he would be the starter for the 2024 campaign, and McCord hastily entered the portal.
I always thought he was a quality player and I was curious where he would end up. When it was announced he was heading to Syracuse, I was a bit surprised, and started looking a little closer. Fran Brown is the main reason McCord wears orange now instead of red. Brown has known about McCord since Little League and capitalized on that connection. Brown is one of the best young coaches in the A.C.C., and it should be no surprise McCord has performed this well. Virginia Tech’s secondary better be ready, or it might be another nightmare at the dome.
Virginia Tech Football: 3 Keys to Beating Syracuse on the Road (fightinggobbler.com; Roche)
Riding a three-game winning streak, the Virginia Tech football team will head to Syracuse to play at the JMA Wireless Dome on Saturday. No matter what the name of the Dome is, it’s been nothing but troubling for the Hokies when they play up there. This season, they hope that this team will be able to break the struggles in New York.
If they are going to do it, they are going to have to do it against a 5-2 Syracuse team that looks nothing like the team that Virginia Tech routed, 38-10, last October in Blacksburg. If the Hokies are going to have better luck this trip, here are three keys that would go a long way toward helping them become bowl-eligible.
Establish the running game
Syracuse has one of the better offenses in the ACC and they can control the ball with the best of teams. Keeping their offense off the field and giving Virginia Tech’s defense a break throughout the game, running the ball is a must. The big question is, will Bhayshul Tuten play after suffering an ankle injury late in the game against Georgia Tech?Tuesday, head coach Brent Pry said that Tuten is probable for the game along with Xavier Chaplin, but it will likely go right up until game time before a decision is made. Regardless of whether or not Tuten plays, expect to see Malachi Thomas and Jeremiah Coney carry the ball.
Get pressure early and often on Kyle McCord
Pittsburgh supplied a lot of pressure early and often on McCord and it paid off with three pick 6s in the first half alone that led to a 31-0 deficit for the Orange. The Ohio State transfer is much better than he showed last Thursday night at Pitt ads expect him to have a big bounce-back game at home. He has too many good receivers that can make plays.However, if you’re on the Virginia Tech defense, you can’t help but think if you pressure him early that it could rattle him. This could be a game where Antwaun Powell-Ryland and Aneans Peebles have an afternoon.
Win the turnover battle
This has to be a key with every road team in college football, but it’s a necessity for the Hokies considering all the troubles they’ve had at the Dome. Don’t expect McCord to three pick 6s or even three picks at home.Taking care of the ball on offense is necessary and Virginia Tech can’t afford to have Drones make some bad decisions as he did in the second half against Boston College or turn the ball over special teams. It feels like turnover will have a big part in the game’s outcome.
Syracuse Football: Latest bowl projections and power index rankings for the Orange (itlh; Adler)
Syracuse football looks to get back into the victory column when the Orange hosts Virginia Tech this Saturday afternoon.
In the month of October, the 'Cuse didn't play any home games. Now Syracuse football (5-2, 2-2 in the ACC) has five regular-season games left in the 2024 campaign, with three of those affairs coming on the Hill.
It all starts this Saturday versus the Hokies (5-3, 3-1 in the ACC), as the Orange attempts to put its rough loss at top-20 Pittsburgh last Thursday night in the rear-view mirror.
The 'Cuse is just one triumph away from qualifying for a post-season bowl game for the third consecutive year. Numerous national writers and analysts, this week, included the Orange in their latest bowl projections for the end of the 2024 season.
The most recent bowl projections, and other rankings, for Syracuse football.
Jerry Palm of CBS Sports has the Orange in a rematch with Big Ten Conference member Minnesota (5-3) at the Pinstripe Bowl on December 28 in the Bronx, N.Y. In late December of 2022, the 'Cuse suited up in the Pinstripe Bowl against Minnesota, with the Golden Gophers prevailing, 28-20.Erick Smith of USA Today forecasts Syracuse football to battle Big Ten Conference squad Nebraska (5-3), also at the Pinstripe Bowl on December 28 in the Bronx, N.Y.
Brad Crawford, an analyst with 247Sports, projects that the Orange will play Southeastern Conference member and No. 16 LSU (6-2) at the Gator Bowl on January 2 in Jacksonville, Fla.
Steven Lassan of Athlon Sports has Syracuse football against Big Ten Conference team Southern California (4-4) at the Sun Bowl on December 31 in El Paso, Texas.
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MSN (TNIAAM; Chiappone)
Welp, here we are again, Syracuse Orange football fans.
Time and time again, the SU faithful get let down in the biggest games of the year. The Pop-Tarts Bowl committee and I really thought this season would be different. There are still five games left, but to this point, I apologize for the false hype.
The Orange laid an egg on national television in a 41-13 loss to No. 18 Pittsburgh last Thursday. Kyle McCord tossed five interceptions, three of which were returned for touchdowns. I’ll spare you from all the other details.
Anyways, here’s where last week’s loss reflected on our weekly Pop-Tarts Bowl O’Meter:
While the meter stays at five for the second straight week, the Orange are still only one win away from postseason play. They’ll probably have to run the table for any shot at a Pop-Tart appearance, but making “Bowl Season” is still quite the accomplishment for first-year head coach Fran Brown.
Let’s see where the “experts” project Syracuse to play in the postseason after its tough loss.
ESPN - Mark Schlabach and Kyle Bonagura
Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl vs Wisconsin Badgers - Schlabach
Rotating from Iowa to Wisco in this week’s update. Like the Orange, the Badgers have handled business against lesser opponents but have laid eggs against their tough ones.
Go Bowling Military Bowl vs No. 23 Army Black Knights - Bonagura
The Pitt loss had no effect on this writer, who is keeping the exact same bowl game and matchup prediction as last week. Maybe the loss wasn’t that bad after all...
Brett McMurphy - The Action Network
Wasabi Fenway Bowl vs Memphis Tigers
Back to the always popular ACC/AAC matchup. Defense will also be optional in this one, as the Tigers average 34 points per game to Syracuse’s almost 31.
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Games with Names on Instagram: "@scotthanson1 was definitely an ALL-TIME locker room guy"
7,456 likes, 43 comments - gameswithnames on October 30, 2024: "@scotthanson1 was definitely an ALL-TIME locker room guy".
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Syracuse Football on Instagram: "4️⃣ of the Orange make the first round of invites to the @shrinebowl"
cusefootball on October 30, 2024: "4️⃣ of the Orange make the first round of invites to the @shrinebowl".
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Cuse Sports Talk on Instagram: "Do you have Syracuse football bouncing back this Saturday against Virginia Tech? @eliegelman and @james_wildhack18 are confident in the Orange. Watch Newhouse after Noon weekdays 2-3pm ET. Link in bio."
11 likes, 0 comments - cusesportstalk on October 30, 2024: "Do you have Syracuse football bouncing back this Saturday against Virginia Tech? @eliegelman and @james_wildhack18 are confident in the Orange. Watch Newhouse after Noon weekdays 2-3pm ET. Link in bio.".
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5K views | Syracuse Football | Facebook
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Syracuse University Dance Team on Instagram: "See you in the dome at 7pm!"
171 likes, 4 comments - cusedance on October 30, 2024: "See you in the dome at 7pm!".
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ACC News
How many ACC teams will make the College Football Playoff? (youtube; podcast; Locked on ACC)
Could the ACC get underrepresented at the College Football Playoff? With the Miami Hurricanes and Clemson Tigers in the spotlight, the debate heats up over how many ACC teams might secure a spot in the 12-team playoff. Despite skepticism, strong performances from these teams keep fans hopeful.
This episode tackles the ESPN FPI rankings controversy, questioning the bias favoring SEC teams over ACC contenders. Key matchups like Duke at Miami and North Carolina at Florida State are previewed, highlighting their potential impact on playoff chances. Clemson's unique success without relying on the transfer portal is also explored, alongside Florida State's struggles this season.
https://www.thestate.com/sports/college/acc/clemson-university/article294736244.html (thestate; Fowler)
Clemson football coach Dabo Swinney has been talking a lot about his team controlling its own destiny in the ACC championship game race.
Nine weeks into the season, though, a crazy tiebreaker situation still exists in which Swinney and the Tigers would have no direct control over whether or not they appear in the conference title game in Charlotte.
Instead, the Tigers could win out … and still be at the mercy of an unforeseen metric: Their ACC opponents’ combined conference winning percentage.
And that number could determine whether or not they’re able to play for what’s functionally an automatic bid to the expanded 12-team College Football Playoff.
Yes, really.
As of Wednesday, four of the ACC’s 17 member schools for football remain undefeated in conference play. No. 11 Clemson has sole possession of first place at 5-0 in conference play, No. 5 Miami and No. 20 SMU are both 4-0 and No. 18 Pitt is 3-0.
It’s the first time in 57 years, dating back to 1967, that four ACC teams have entered the month of November undefeated in conference play.
And since Clemson, Miami and SMU do not play each other during the 2024 regular season, the possibility of a three-way tie for first place in the ACC — with all three schools finishing 8-0 — still exists at the halfway point of the conference schedule.
In that hypothetical situation, an ACC spokesman confirmed to The State on Wednesday, the two participants for the Dec. 7 league championship game could be determined by the combined winning percentage of their ACC opponents.
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ACC Football: Predictions For Every Week Ten Game (SI; Caudell)
The final month of the college football season is set to begin this weekend and there are going to be some massive clashes in the ACC to start things off. It has been a bit of a slow build through the first few weeks, but there are going to be huge games this weekend that have ACC title game implications.
Look no further than the matchup between SMU and Pittsburgh this weekend. There has been a sentiment around the country it seems that Miami and Clemson are going to meet in the ACC title game, but the winner of this game can say otherwise.
Speaking of Clemson, they are going to host Louisville on Saturday night and this is arguably the biggest test for the Tigers since they opened the season with Georgia. The Cardinals have faced some tough tests this year and have come up short in each of them. Can they shake up the ACC race this weekend?
So who will be the winners this weekend in the ACC? Let's pick the game.
Saturday, Nov. 2nd
1. Duke at Miami (-20), 12:00 p.m. ET, ABCFormer Miami head coach Manny Diaz is back in South Florida to face his former school and the coach who replaced him. The Hurricanes are 8-0 heading into the month of November and are now ranked No. 5 in the AP Poll. Duke took SMU to overtime last week after forcing six turnovers, but the Blue Devils fell short. Miami handled rival Florida State and should win this game handily, but Duke's defense could cause some chaos. Their offense however is not going to be able to do enough against Miami and Cam Ward will have a big day.
Final Score: Miami 41, Duke 17
2. Stanford at NC State (-10), 12:00 p.m. ET, ACC Network
Stanford is going to go all the way across the country to face an NC State team who is coming off of a bye week and looking to play well down the stretch to reach a bowl game. The Cardinal have not been playing well in conference since upsetting Syracuse and I think the rest advantage plus cross country trip is going to have this in favor of the Wolfpack.
Final Score: NC State 31, Stanford 21
3. Virginia Tech (-4) at Syracuse, 12:00 p.m. ET, CW Network
Virginia Tech has won three in a row since their controversial loss to Miami, but this game could be tricky. With a huge game against Clemson at home next week, Virginia Tech must not overlook a Syracuse team that is coming off of a blowout loss to Pitt. Virginia Tech's run game and defense will give them a victory on Saturday.
Final Score: Virginia Tech 27, Syracuse 17
4. North Carolina (-2.5) at Florida State, 3:30 p.m. ET, ACC Network
Florida State continues to spiral this season and after getting blown out by rival Miami, will the be up for a home game against North Carolina? Mack Brown has struggled with Florida State in his career and the Tar Heels have not been consistent themselves, but they looked confident last week in a blowout win over Virginia. It is hard to trust either team, but North Carolina will have the best player on the field with running back Omarion Hampton. Tar Heels win a close one.
Final Score: North Carolina 24, Florida State 14
5. Louisville at Clemson (-10.5), 7:30, p.m, ET, ESPN
Clemson has not been tested since being beaten by Georgia in week one of the season, but the Cardinals could pose some challeges. Their offense is the best that Clemson has seen since Georgia and I think they can score some points in this game. The question might be if the Cardinal's defense can get any stops against the Tigers offense, which is playing well heading into this game. I think Clemson wins, but don't be surprised if its close.
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https://athlonsports.com/college-fo...als-injury-news-starting-quarterback-cfb-news (athlonsports.com; Shelton)
One of the biggest college football matchups of Week 10 will take place on Saturday night as the No. 20 SMU Mustangs welcome the No. 18 Pittsburgh Panthers to Dallas, Texas, for an ACC showdown.
Both programs are off to historic starts in 2024. Pitt and ninth-year head coach Pat Narduzzi are 7-0 for the first time since 1982, while fourth-year head coach Rhett Lashlee has the Mustangs sitting 7-1 and also undefeated in conference play. SMU hasn't been 7-1 to start a season since 2021.
Both programs were vastly underrated entering the season, with Pitt and SMU picked to finish 13th and seventh in the ACC, respectively.
The winner of this week's game will hold third place in conference standings behind Clemson and Miami. A slip-up by those two would give the Panthers or Mustangs a potential opportunity in both the ACC title game and College Football Playoff.
One of the biggest questions entering the game for Pitt has been the status of starting quarterback Eli Holstein, who exited last week's 41-13 win over Syracuse. The Alabama transfer left in the fourth quarter after a defender landed on him out of bounds.
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SN Ranks all 134 FBS Teams 2024 Week 10 (RX; HM)
SN Ranks all 134 FBS Teams 2024 Week 10
From Sporting News: College football rankings from 1 to 134 for Week 10
Here's their ranking for Week 10 (minus the previous rank and week 9 results columns, and with ACC teams highlighted in school colors):
| RANK | SCHOOL | W-L |
| 1 | Oregon | 8-0 |
| 2 | Georgia | 6-1 |
| 3 | Penn State | 7-0 |
| 4 | Ohio State | 6-1 |
| 5 | Texas | 6-2 |
| 6 | Miami, FL | 8-0 |
| 7 | Clemson | 6-1 |
| 8 | Tennessee | 6-1 |
| 9 | Texas A&M | 7-1 |
| 10 | Iowa State | 7-0 |
| 11 | BYU | 8-0 |
| 12 | Notre Dame | 7-1 |
| 13 | Indiana | 8-0 |
| 14 | Pitt | 7-0 |
| 15 | Alabama | 6-2 |
| 16 | LSU | 6-2 |
| 17 | Kansas St | 7-1 |
| 18 | Boise St | 6-1 |
| 19 | SMU | 7-1 |
| 20 | Illinois | 6-2 |
| RANK | SCHOOL | W-L |
| 21 | Ole Miss | 6-2 |
| 22 | Army | 7-0 |
| 23 | Colorado | 6-2 |
| 24 | Wash. State | 7-1 |
| 25 | Missouri | 6-2 |
| 26 | Duke | 6-2 |
| 27 | Vanderbilt | 5-3 |
| 28 | Wisconsin | 5-3 |
| 29 | Navy | 6-1 |
| 30 | Memphis | 7-1 |
| 31 | S. Carolina | 4-3 |
| 32 | Florida | 4-3 |
| 33 | Louisville | 5-3 |
| 34 | Arizona St | 5-2 |
| 35 | Michigan | 5-3 |
| 36 | Syracuse | 5-2 |
| 37 | Louisiana | 6-1 |
| 38 | Arkansas | 5-3 |
| 39 | Virginia Tech | 5-3 |
| 40 | Cincinnati | 5-3 |
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Upon Further Review: Overcoming Turnovers (RX; HM)
Upon Further Review: Overcoming Turnovers
[updated 10/31: corrected end of 4Q, end of game plays - HM]
Because everybody likes a good late night snack...
I'm sure you've heard what happened last weekend: SMU committed 6 turnovers against Duke - 3 fumbles lost, 2 interceptions thrown - yet the Mustangs won anyway, 28-27. Is that some kind of record? Not even close!
I did some digging and I found this post called "Most Turnovers by Winning Team" posted by Jackson Michael on a website called The Game Before The Money.
That #1 spot that year went to Notre Dame, who finished with a 9-1 record. As you can see, the AP poll didn't make sense back then, either! By the way, that season the Irish played four Big Ten teams and two current ACC teams - at Pitt and vs Georgia Tech. That's pretty much the opposite of a modern Notre Dame schedule.
So, what is the record for Most Turnovers in Single NCAA Game?
According to the above article, that "honor" goes to the Georgia Bulldogs, and it was set against Georgia Tech during the 1951 "Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate" rivalry game.
The Yellow Jackets won that game 48-6.
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Factoids, 2024 Week 10 (RX; HM)
Factoids, 2024 Week 10
I haven't done one of these in a while, so here goes.
Did you know...
Stanford has never played NC State in football - Saturday will be their first game ever.
Virginia Tech hasn't beaten the Orange in Syracuse since 2000 - 24 years ago.
I believe Syracuse is still the only power conference football team that plays its home games indoors, in a dome.
Speaking of "Orange", it's not the only color that has no rhyming word in English. "Purple" has no perfect rhyme, either. That means that both of the primary colors for the Clemson Tigers are without rhyme - for what that's worth.
The Louisville Cardinals have never beaten Clemson in football - anywhere.
Pitt has beaten SMU, but not since WWII ended. The last time the Panthers beat the Mustangs was 1942. Of course, they've only played each other 3 times since then.
Pitt is also riding a seven-game winning streak, currently tied for the sixth-longest streak in FBS.
In 2023, Pitt lost to Cincinnati, West Virginia, North Carolina, and Syracuse. This year has been the "Revenge Tour", as the Panthers have just completed a sweep of those four opponents.
SMU, which has won five straight games overall and four consecutive ACC league games, leads the nation with the longest winning streak on the road having won nine straight contests. The Mustangs are tied with Texas.
There are two ACC football games this weekend where a team from North Carolina is visiting a team in Florida: Duke at Miami and UNC at Florida State.
Here's something strange: Week 9 saw not one, not two, but three ACC quarterbacks catch a touchdown pass! All of them came in home victories on Saturday, October 26. Virginia Tech’s Kyron Drones started the trend, catching a 6-yard touchdown pass from Jaylin Lane in the second quarter in the Hokies’ 21-6 win over Georgia Tech. Cal’s Fernando Mendoza was credited with a 15-yard touchdown pass and catch in the Golden Bears’ 44-7 blowout win over Oregon State, as the quarterback caught a lateral from running back Jaivian Thomas after a dumppass to the back and ran the ball in for a touchdown. Finally, for the first game all season, Miami quarterback Cam Ward did not throw a touchdown pass but rather caught a 7-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter of Miami’s 36-14 win over Florida State.
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ACC Non-QBs are Good, Too! 2024 Oct 30 (RX; HM)
ACC Non-QBs are Good, Too! 2024 Oct 30
The ACC’s Preeminent Players ranked among FBS leaders:
Offensive Leaders
The ACC has three of the top 25 ranked players in rushing yards per game this season in all of FBS, including two in the top 10 nationally:
- Omarion Hampton (North Carolina) – 125.8
- Bhayshul Tuten (Virginia Tech) – 118.9
- Phil Mafah (Clemson) – 97.4.
- Omarion Hampton (North Carolina) ranks fourth in the nation with 1,006 rushing yards.
- Bhayshul Tuten (Virginia Tech) ranks fifth in the nation with 951 rushing yards.
- Bhayshul Tuten (Virginia Tech) – 12
- Omarion Hampton (North Carolina) – 9
- Brashard Smith (SMU) – 9
- Demond Claiborne (Wake Forest) – 8
- Jamal Haynes (Georgia Tech)
- Damien Martinez (Miami) – 8
- Ja’Corey Brooks (Louisville) – 8
- Eli Pancol (Duke) – 6
- Xavier Restrepo (Miami) – 6
- Ja’Corey Brooks (Louisville) – 799
- Xavier Restrepo (Miami) – 710
- Malachi Fields (Virginia) – 654
- Ja’Corey Brooks (Louisville) – 99.9
- Xavier Restrepo (Miami) – 88.8
- Malachi Fields (Virginia) – 81.8
Other
This 2023 file photo shows Halloween trick-or-treaters in Lewiston, Maine. (AP Photo/Robert . Bukaty)AP
What time does trick-or-treating start on Halloween? See safety tips, more (PS; $; Herbert)
What time does trick-or-treating start on Halloween? How early should kids start asking for candy, and when does it end?
Most communities do not have official start and end times for trick-or-treating on Halloween, but as a general rule the most popular hours are from 5-8 p.m. Parents with younger kids tend to start around 5 p.m. when there’s still daylight, while most trick-or-treaters begin around sunset between 5:30 and 6 p.m. (In Syracuse, sunset is expected to be 5:57 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024.)
People typically hand out candy until they run out of the sugary and chocolatey treats, but polls reportedly show most younger kids stop by 8 p.m. (or earlier) and older kids sometimes stay out until 9 — especially if the weather is nice, like it’s expected to be this year.
Since Halloween 2024 falls on a school night (Thursday), trick-or-treating likely will still end close to 8 p.m. for most neighborhoods.
Some places, however, like the city of Syracuse, strongly suggest specific times for starting and stopping trick-or-treating. The Neighborhood Watch Groups of Syracuse and the Syracuse Police Department recommend residents hand out candy on Halloween between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m.
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Trump said the law bringing Micron to Central NY is ‘so bad.’ Would he undermine the project? (PS; $; Coin)
Would returning Donald Trump to the White House undermine Micron Technology’s plans to build a $100 billion chipmaking factory complex in Central New York?
Many experts, including some Republicans, say no. But it’s a hard thing to predict with an unpredictable politician like Trump.
Trump last week criticized the Biden administration’s CHIPS and Science Act, which Micron is relying on to build a plant in the town of Clay.
Trump’s comments on “The Joe Rogan Experience” podcast raised anew worries that, re-elected Tuesday, he would alter regulations and stall funding for the Micron project and other chip plants in the U.S.
As president, Trump could push Congress to roll back some of the benefits promised under the current law, industry experts told syracuse.com | The Post-Standard. Namely, he could also push lawmakers to amend federal tax code, where the most lucrative of the benefits current lives.
But would he?
On the one hand, Micron‘s plan to create up to 9,000 jobs in the town of Clay dovetails with Trump’s push to bring good-paying manufacturing jobs back to America.
On the other hand, the law Micron is relying on, the CHIPS and Science Act, is a signature achievement of the Joe Biden administration that could hand out $50 billion to semiconductor companies. And Micron’s Clay project is the only one of the big chip factories funded by the CHIPS Act that lies in a Democrat-controlled state.
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Syracuse breaks a high temperature record, and we might do it again on Halloween (PS; Coin)
Syracuse just broke a 78-year-old record for the highest temperature on Oct. 30.
At 3 p.m., the thermometer at Hancock International Airport, the official measuring station for Syracuse, reached 80 degrees.
That beats the record of 79 for the date, set in 1946.
Expect more of the same tomorrow, when the high is expected to be 80 degrees. The record for Halloween is 75 degrees, set in 2003.
The normal high for today is 54.
It‘s very rare for Syracuse to hit 80 degrees on Oct. 30 or beyond. It’s only happened three times in 122 years of record-keeping, and all of those in the first week of November.
Thursday night, there’s a chance for some sprinkles during the after-dinner trick-or-treat period. Any rain looks to be very scattered and very light as a cold front moves in Thursday afternoon and evening, however.
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