Orangeyes Daily Articles for Friday - for Football | Syracusefan.com

Orangeyes Daily Articles for Friday for Football

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No recent Cali or Iggy awards; Mr Irrelevant
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Welcome to All Saints Day!

All Saints' Day is a Christian festival that honors saints, and also celebrates the victory of Christ over death. The definition of saints and those who are being honored on the day are often looked at differently in Catholic and various Protestant churches. In the Catholic Church, the day is seen as honoring saints that don't have their own day of celebration. Many Protestants use the day to honor all Christians, both past and present. The day takes place on November 1 in Western churches in Europe and the Americas, such as in Anglican, Roman Catholic, Methodist, Lutheran, and some other Protestant churches. It is part of the Roman Rite in the Catholic Church and is a Principal Feast in the Anglican Church. It takes place a day before All Souls' Day and a day after All Hallows' Eve, commonly known as Halloween. Many Eastern churches observe the day on the first Sunday after Pentecost.

SU News

Is the secret out on slowing down Syracuse’s offense? ‘You have to be able to win’ (PS; $; Carlson)


Pittsburgh deployed the perfect formula to shut down the Syracuse offense last week. The Orange insists it won’t be easy for others to replicate the recipe.

Syracuse’s offensive leaders said they believe the Orange’s worst offensive output of the season was more than just solid strategy from the Panthers but a product of their own mistakes and unlucky bounces.

“Each week has its own differences,” Syracuse coach Fran Brown said. “There was an interception where the ball just fell in one guy’s hands. I think it’s Murphy’s Law that what can go wrong, will go wrong. ... We want to play ball. We don’t want the same thing to happen. I think our quarterback is really good. It was an off-night. It was an off-night for our entire football program.”

That, they hope, is reason to think there won’t be a replay this week against Virginia Tech, and that the Panthers didn’t provide a blueprint to opponents over the back half of the season.

Still, the performance was disheartening enough that quarterback Kyle McCord said he went to Brown’s house over the weekend, seeking solace in quality time with his head coach.

“I spent Saturday night at his house,” McCord said. “It was good. We talked for a little bit about football and everything outside football. ... I did the film work that needed to be done with Coach (Jeff) Nixon and Coach Nunzio (Campanile), with the offense and by myself. With Coach Fran it was more just getting on the same page.”

When the Orange returns to the field against Virginia Tech on Saturday, Syracuse will face a defense that has some of the same capabilities as Pittsburgh.

Virginia Tech defensive end Antwaun Powell-Ryland leads the ACC in sacks this season with 11. Two other Virginia Tech defensive linemen have gotten more quarterback pressures than any Syracuse player has recorded this season.

As a group, Pro Football Focus grades Virginia Tech’s pass rush the best in the ACC and 11th in the country. Miami, who the Orange plays in its final game this year, ranks 12th. The Orange hasn’t played any team graded that highly so far this season.
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Virginia Tech vs Syracuse Predictions, Picks and Best Bets | College Football Picks Week 10 (youtube; podcast; Wager Talk)
If you are looking for a College Football Week 10 betting preview with picks and predictions for the Virginia Tech vs Syracuse matchup, we have you covered! Our college football handicapping experts discuss this matchup from a sports betting perspective, sharing their picks and predictions vs. the current odds.

(youtube; podcast; ACC Squad)
Can Syracuse Orange UPSET Virginia Tech?
Voice of the Orange Matt Park Previews Syracuse vs. Virginia Tech (youtube; radio; Cuse Sports Talk)
Matt Park, Voice of the Orange, joins Steve Infanti and Paulie Scibilia to discuss his thoughts on the Pittsburgh loss, and preview Syracuse vs. Virginia Tech
The Fran Brown Show 10-31-24 (youtube; podcast; Cuse Sports Talk)
Syracuse football head coach Fran Brown answers YOUR questions ahead of a crucial game against Virginia Tech on Saturday.
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.
Syracuse Football Head Coach Fran Brown on Handling Adversity Following Pittsburgh Loss (youtube; radio; Cuse Sports Talk)
Syracuse football head coach Fran Brown joins Steve Infanti and Paulie Scibilia to reflect on the Pittsburgh loss, and discuss the upcoming home game against Virginia Tech.

Cuse Sports Talk on Instagram: ""We want to be a balanced football team, so we've gotta run the ball more. And guys just gotta get open." Fran Brown responds to a viewer's concern with Syracuse's recent run-pass splits. The Fran Brown Show is LIVE on CuseSportsTalk.com Thursdays from 8-8:30pm." (instagram.com; radio; Cuse Sports Talk)

Can Syracuse run the ball against VT? Is there someone who can get open long? Can the OL block long enough to throw long?
Syracuse football looks to RESET against Virginia Tech (youtube; podcast; Orange Zone)

Samantha Croston, Ashley Wenskoski, James Mungro, and Rachel Culver recap a disastrous 41-13 loss for Syracuse football at No. 19 Pitt. Can Syracuse reset and set the tone for the second half of the season against a Virginia Tech team that's on a roll?
00:00-2:18: Happy Halloween...James Mungro apologizes to the Pitt Panther
2:19-13:12: What went wrong in Pittsburgh (a lot)
13:13-17:25: Can this team avoid the SECOND HALF SLIDE that Orange fans have become accustomed to?
17:26-22:30: A look at Virginia Tech
22:31-26:26: PREDICTIONS for SU vs. Virginia Tech

Virginia Tech vs Syracuse Week 10 | College Football 25 (youtube; simulation; DailgCraig)

Amazingly realistic and accurate simulation...

Virginia Tech vs Syracuse Week 10 | College Football 25
Virginia Tech Football: Three Storylines For Saturday's Game vs Syracuse (SI; Schafer)

1. Can Kyle McCord bounce back from throwing five interceptions?
This has to be the biggest storyline heading into Saturday’s ACC matchup. Syracuse throws the ball at the second highest rate in the country, and through six games, McCord only threw six interceptions. Considering the identity of his offense, that’s not a bad clip to be throwing interceptions at. Last week changed that narrative though.

In undoubtedly the worst performance of his career at Syracuse, Kyle McCord threw for zero touchdown passes, five interceptions, and three pick-sixes in a 41-13 loss to Pitt.

Performances like this can be absolutely demoralizing to a quarterback, especially when that quarterback has to match up with one of the best pass defenses the week after.

If Virginia Tech can successfully get in Kyle McCord’s head, it could be a long day for the Orange.

2. Will Virginia Tech pass the ball against a below-average pass defense?
In the past six games, Kyron Drones has eclipsed 200 passing yards just once, after he threw for 201 yards against the Stanford defense.

This is not strictly a result of the Hokies’ run heavy offense, Virginia Tech just has not been able to pass the ball against any defense, and the only times that Virginia Tech has had success in the passing game are days where the Hokies jump out to a big early lead, see Stanford or Boston College.

Syracuse is a more than worthy opponent, and their pass defense is certainly the weaknesses of this Orange team. Virginia Tech needs to be able to get the ball downfield.

3. Will Virginia Tech continue their hot streak or fall short?

The Hokies are on their longest win streak since 2019, and can make that streak the longest since 2017 with a win against Syracuse.

Truly, win streaks don’t tell the full story, but this is the first season in a while where Virginia Tech is a conference championship contender late in the season, and to keep those dreams alive they have to keep their win streak intact against Syracuse.

Virginia Tech Football: Syracuse Head Coach Fran Brown Previews Matchup Against Virginia Tech (SI; Schafer)

Fran Brown talked extensively about Virginia Tech ahead of the matchup between Syracuse and Virginia Tech, a game in which the winner will become bowl eligible.

”A good opportunity this week to go against Virginia Tech, who is doing a really good job,” he continued, “Got some real good players, Coach Pry has done a great job in his third season already at five games. I know first year he had like three wins, then he moved up to seven, and now he’s already at five. He’s doing an amazing job, he’s been a really good football coach for some years at Penn State as a [defensive] coordinator. Just different places he’s been throughout his career, he did a really good job there so just as a player and as a coach he’s a well respected guy throughout the country. He has a real good quarterback in [Kyron] Drones, running back Bhayshul Tuten is doing an amazing job, one of the better backs in the conference. On defense, APR, how could you miss him, he’s possibly one of the bettter defensive ends in the country. They got that corner, [Mansoor] Delane, who does a really good job, and Woodson, who’s a nickel corner. They just do a really good job. Their other running back in my opinion, [Malachi] Thomas is really good. They’ve got a lot of players. Their recievers all compliment eachother, they do a real good job on the outside. #9 is huge, he can block, #83 does a good job, #12, the tight end does a real good job, they’ve just got a real good football team. I think their defense flies around and that’s who Coach Pry has been for a very long time.”
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Predicting the Final Score of Virginia Tech Football's Final Four Games (fightinggobbler.com; Roche)
As the calendar turns to November, we enter the final third of the 2024 season for the Virginia Tech football team. The Hokies kick off the remaining schedule on Saturday afternoon at the JMA Wireless Dome against a tough Syracuse team. At 5-3, Brent Pry’s team is one win away from reaching bowl eligibility for the second straight season and the Orange enter the game at 5-2, meaning the winner becomes bowl-eligible on the first Saturday of November.

Virginia Tech has four ACC games remaining, two on the road and two at home with a second bye week sandwiched in between on Nov. 16. As the Hokies begin the final third of their schedule, we’ll take one last shot at predicting their final four games.

Saturday at Syracuse

Virginia Tech heads to New York banged up with running back Bhayshul Tuten expected to play, but just how effective he’ll be remains to be seen after suffering an injury late in the fourth quarter against Georgia Tech. on Tuesday, Pry said that Tuten and offensive lineman Xavier Chaplin were both probable for the game.

Syracuse has Ohio State transfer Kyle McCord at quarterback and he is coming off a three-pick 6s first half in last week’s loss at Pittsburgh. Under first-year coach Fran Brown, Syracuse brought in several transfers on both sides of the ball, which has led to them having a good first season of the Brown era. The Hokies are the favorite, but considering the troubles they’ve had on the road at the Dome until they go out and get a win, this won't be a fun weekend.

Prediction: Syracuse wins, 31-24
Virginia Tech Record: 5-4 (3-2 ACC)

Nov. 9 vs. Clemson

When the schedule came out, this game was circled by a lot of people, but things haven’t gone as planned. Virginia Tech would need to beat Syracuse this weekend to make this game have a lot on the line (and maybe a visit from College GameDay?). Since losing the season-opener against Georgia, the Tigers have rolled to six straight wins and host Louisville this weekend.

You have to give credit where credit is due as Dabo Swinney has done a nice job with Clemson in going from a 34-3 blowout loss to the Bulldogs to rolling their way to a potential berth in the ACC Championship Game next month in Charlotte. Cade Klubnik has emerged as one of the conference’s top quarterbacks and the Tigers offense has been putting some crooked numbers this season. Unless something unforeseen happens, it’s hard seeing the Hokies coming away with a win in this one, even at Lane Stadium.

Prediction: Clemson wins, 35-20
Virginia Tech Record: 5-5 (3-3 ACC)

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Syracuse football: what to watch for vs Virginia Tech (TNIAAM; Staff)

The Syracuse Orange (5-2, 2-2) welcome the Virginia Tech Hokies (5-3, 3-1)to the Dome on Saturday for a critical ACC match-up. Kickoff is Noon on The CW and here’s what we’re watching for:

Kevin: Protect Kyle

Virginia Tech defensive end Antwaun Powell-Ryland has nine sacks and seventeen hurries on the season and leads a strong Hokies pass rush. Syracuse needs to keep APR from disrupting their passing game so that Kyle McCord can attack a secondary rated the second-worst in coverage by PFF. Will the Orange use screens and draws to force APR to read and react instead of letting him just tee off and attack McCord? If Syracuse can negate APR’s impact they could score enough to win this one.

Mike: Make the Most of Allen

With Yasin Willis doubtful for Saturday’s game, this could be the first time since last season where LeQuint Allen is leaned on as a bell-cow back. How much that affects the offensive gameplan remains to be seen, but it might incite more designed plays as opposed to the RPO package SU has run very frequently. The o-line is struggling to block effectively on option plays lately so to make sure they can get Allen wide lanes to run through, a more traditional approach could work better this week.

Dom: Keeping momentum up for Syracuse’s 12th man
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Syracuse football: Orange offense needs to find the big plays (TNIAAM; Wall)
The Syracuse Orange offense was dismantled last Thursday by Pat Narduzzi’s Pitt Panthers defense. Five interceptions later and the “ground and pound” voices have grown louder. So what should Fran Brown and Jeff Nixon do against Virginia Tech?

If you think the Orange should focus on getting 30-35 carries from a diminished backfield just because the Panthers bottled the passing game, you might be right, but it’s not that simple. Moving the ball downfield hasn’t been the problem this season, but there could be an adjustment to make it easier on the offense.

The overall problem for an improved Syracuse attack has been in the number of explosive plays. Syracuse leads the ACC in time of possession at 34:55 per game, but they are only 12th in yards per play (5.57). There’s nothing wrong with controlling the ball, but as we saw last week, if you take 10+ plays to score it is difficult to come from behind, and it leaves more opportunities for bad things to happen.

The Orange are currently last in the ACC in rushing and it’s not all from a lack of trying. They have run the ball 194 times and only 23 of those carries has gone for 10+ yards. Syracuse’s longest rush this year is 27 yards. This tells me that Syracuse isn’t scheming big runs against teams playing a pass defense, they aren’t blocking at the next level to spring the running backs, and the backs aren’t making enough tacklers miss.

But it’s not just the running game which has lacked the quick strike attack. The Orange lead the ACC in passing yards this season, but other than Umari Hatcher’s 67 yard score against Stanford, the Orange have no other pass play over 42 yards.


If you’re an opposing team preparing to face the Orange, are you worried about getting beat deep or watching a running back house on from anywhere on the field? Probably not, so you can do what Pitt and Stanford have done- crowd the box and dare Syracuse to beat you over the top.
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Twin brother of Syracuse DB commits to the Orange; SU continues to lead country in verbals (PS; $; Carlson)
Davion Kerr, the twin brother of Syracuse defensive back Davien Kerr, said on Thursday that he has verbally committed to the Orange in the Class of 2025.

Kerr announced his commitment on social media. He lists himself at 6-foot-1 and 180 pounds and as a wide receiver/defensive back. He is not currently rated by any of the major recruiting websites.


Both brothers played high school football for Bloomfield (Connecticut) High School, the alma mater of former Syracuse star Dwight Freeney.
...


Davion Kerr commits to Syracuse football (247sports.com; McAllister)

Class of 2025 Oakdale (CT) St. Thomas More athlete Davion Kerr has committed to Syracuse football, he announced on social media Thursday. Kerr's brother Davien is a freshman on the Orange this season.

"I am truly blessed to announce that I am 100% COMMITTED to Syracuse University," Kerr wrote in a post on X (formerly known as Twitter). "Thank you to my parents and coaches. Thank you to the man above."

The 6-1, 180 pound athlete further explained his decision to CuseNation.com.

"I feel like I really belong there," Kerr said. "I feel like my talents and my ability to understand football is going to be at a next level. The love and passion the coaches have behind the guys is awesome."

Both Kerr brothers were set to attend St. Thomas More this season to wrap up their final year of high school. However, Davien elected to reclassify to 2024 and signed with Syracuse. He is on the team this season and had a long punt return against Holy Cross. Davien is listed as a defensive back on the Orange's official roster. Davion is also expected to play DB.

Davion did not reclassify and remained in the 2025 class. Syracuse offered this past June following a strong camp performance and he committed a little over four months later. He is excited to team up with his brother once again.

"It's going to be a dangerous sight seeing the same person on the field," Kerr said. "I'm just like him. Y'all are going to be blown away when you see what's coming."
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Three-star New York prospect sets decision date, lists Syracuse among final four schools (PS; $; Carlson)
Three-star defensive end Blake Belin will announce his verbal commitment on Saturday and has Syracuse as one of his final four schools.

Belin, a member of the Class of 2025, declared his decision date and his finalists on social media on Thursday. His final four schools are Syracuse, Georgia Tech, Duke and Virginia.


Belin’s twin brother, Rich, is a quarterback prospect who has committed to the Orange in the Class of 2025. An older brother, Henry, plays for Duke.

Belin plays football for Cardinal Hayes in the Bronx and is ranked as the No. 9 prospect in New York by the 247 Sports Composite Rankings. He is ranked as high as the No. 5 prospect in New York by On3.com and outside the top 15 by Rivals

Belin is listed by 247 Sports as a 6-foot-2, 281-pound defensive lineman. He plays at Cardinal Hayes, one of the best programs in the state this season with a record of 6-2.

Syracuse does already have at least five verbal commitments from defensive linemen in its Class of 2025.
...

4-star WR Messiah Hampton, with Syracuse football in top 10, has huge rankings debut (itlh; Adler)
Messiah Hampton, a 2026 four-star wide receiver who has Syracuse football in his top 10, recently made a huge entrance into the national rankings for his class.

The 6-foot-1, 170-pound Hampton was re-offered a scholarship by the new Orange staff, led by first-year head coach Fran Brown, on January 22 of this year, per his X page. According to media reports, Hampton has visited the Hill in the past.

On August 30 of this year, according to social media posts, Hampton disclosed a top 10 of Syracuse football, Ohio State, West Virginia, Penn State, Rutgers, Michigan, Boston College, Wisconsin, Toledo and Pittsburgh.

Per recruiting services, in total, Hampton holds around 15 scholarship offers, including one that he picked up from Kansas on October 26. Hampton is a standout junior at James Monroe High School in Rochester, N.Y.

Syracuse football target Messiah Hampton has made a big splash in the 2026 national rankings.

Per MaxPreps, so far in the 2024 season as a junior for James Monroe, Hampton has hauled in 44 catches for 708 yards and seven touchdowns. On the ground, he's carried the ball seven times for 59 yards and one score.
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SU Football Game Watch Party | Meier's Creek Brewing Company (meierscreekbrewing.com)
Get ready to cheer on the Orange! Join us at Meier’s Creek Inner Harbor on November 2nd for the Syracuse Football Watch Party as they take on their next rival! The game kicks off at 12 PM, but we recommend coming early to snag the best seat, grab a drink, and get settled in with your fellow fans!
Details:

  • Date: Saturday, November 2nd
  • Time: Game starts at 12 PM (arrive early to settle in)
  • Location: Meier’s Creek Brewing Co. – Inner Harbor
  • Drinks & Food: Full bar and menu available, including our DART Pilsner, crafted for true fans!
Bring your friends, rock your Orange gear, and let’s make this game day unforgettable. See you there!
Add to calendar

Details

Date:November 2Time:
11:30 am - 3:00 pm
Event Category:Local Events

Venue

Inner Harbor Taproom720 Van Rensselaer St.
Syracuse, NY United States + Google Map

Related Events


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New York Giants head coach Tom Coughlin holds up the Vince Lombardi Trophy during a news conference after NFL football's Super Bowl XLVI in Indianapolis, Feb. 6, 2012.(AP Photo/Mark Humphrey, File)AP

Syracuse alumnus is a semifinalist for Pro Football Hall of Fame (PS; AP)


Two-time Super Bowl-winning coaches Tom Coughlin, Mike Shanahan and George Seifert are among the nine semifinalists in the coaching category for the 2025 Pro Football Hall of Fame class.

One other Super Bowl winner, Mike Holmgren, also made the cut Thursday after voting by the Hall’s nine-member Blue Ribbon committee. The committee will meet Nov. 19 to pick one finalist to go before the Hall’s full selection committee for consideration early next year.

The one coaching candidate will be grouped with one contributor and three seniors candidates. Between one and three of those five finalists will make it to the Hall based on getting at least 80% of the votes from the full committee.

Coughlin, Shanahan and Seifert are among the 14 coaches who have won multiple Super Bowls. Nine of those coaches are already in the Hall and Bill Belichick and Andy Reid are not yet eligible.

Coughlin, who was born in Waterloo and played football for Syracuse University, coached 20 years for Jacksonville and the New York Giants, plus was an assistant coach at SU and a head coach at RIT. He led the Jaguars to the AFC title game in their second season as a franchise and back again in the 1999 season.

But his greatest success came after taking over the Giants in 2004. Coughlin led the franchise to a Super Bowl title in the 2007 season when New York upset the undefeated Patriots and then knocked off Belichick, Tom Brady and New England again four years later. Coughlin finished with a 170-150 regular-season record.

Seifert helped San Francisco win two titles as a defensive coordinator under Bill Walsh and then two more as head coach after taking over for Walsh in 1989.

He won at least 10 games in all eight seasons in charge of the 49ers with his 98-30 record (.766) the best for any coach on a single team with at least 100 games. But he was unable to duplicate that success in three seasons with Carolina, going 16-32.

Shanahan was the offensive coordinator under Seifert on San Francisco’s 1994 championship team and then won back-to-back titles as head coach in Denver in 1997-98. Shanahan finished with a 170-138 record for the Raiders, Broncos and Washington and his impact on the game is still strong today through his disciples, including his son, Kyle, who coaches San Francisco.

Four other current NFL head coaches worked under Shanahan in Washington — Sean McVay, Mike McDaniel, Matt LaFleur and Raheem Morris — and the offensive system he brought into the league that tied the outside zone run with the passing game is still the most prevalent in the league today.

Holmgren preceded Shanahan as offensive coordinator in San Francisco and also had a big impact on future coaches with Reid and Jon Gruden going on to win Super Bowls after working under Holmgren in Green Bay. Holmgren had a 161-111 record for the Packers and Seahawks, winning the title in 1996. He also got to the Super Bowl the following season in Green Bay and then again in the 2005 season in Seattle.
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ACC News

ACC champion will play in the Peach Bowl to begin College Football Playoffs (rubbingtherock.com; Farmer)


College football is changing every day. It's not even the same sport most of us grew up with. Whether you think it's a good thing is neither here nor there, and it's important to evolve and adapt with the times while trying to stay true to the spirit of the game.

So, when the College Football Playoffs (CFP) were expanded, many wondered about the future of bowl games. They're a tradition that's lasted over a century, starting with the first Rose Bowl in 1902. Doing away with them completely was not an option, but the CFP also needs to find some way to preserve the importance of the games. So, instead, the second round of the CFP will involve the Sugar Bowl, Rose Bowl, Peach Bowl, and Fiesta Bowl.

The four highest conference champions will be assigned a bowl game, according to Brett McMurphy of Action Network. The SEC champion will play in the Sugar Bowl, the Big Ten will play in the Rose Bowl, the ACC will play in the Peach Bowl, and finally, the Big 12 will play in the Fiesta Bowl.

McMurphy didn't spell out what would happen if another conference champ were ranked higher. However, McMurphy wrote that the ACC and Big 12 are assigned their bowls based on proximity, so it's not a huge stretch to use the same logic for a surprise conference champion.
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ACC tiebreaker scenarios 2024: How Clemson or Miami could be left out of title game despite unbeaten record (cbssports.com; Patterson)
We already knew that the 2024 college football season would be unlike any other for the Atlantic Coast Conference. With a footprint that now touches Texas and California, the ACC and its new 17-team league were making conference history with 2024 no matter what happened in the title race.

But now 2024 will also be notable because Year 1 of this division-less, 17-team structure has produced a fascinating conference title race. The potential outcomes require a solid grasp on the ACC's tiebreaker procedures, which could get complicated in the most chaotic of scenarios.

Theoretically, Miami, Clemson and SMU could all finish with 8-0 conference records at the end of the regular season. This never could have happened with division play, and so fans are starting to grasp the idea that a team with an undefeated conference record could get left out of the conference championship game.

So, who gets the bid in that scenario? That answer is totally out of the hands of the contenders.

As it stands right now, if Miami, Clemson and SMU all finish with 8-0 records, the deciding tiebreaker would likely be the winning percentage of each team's conference opponents in conference games. Essentially, it works as a strength of schedule comparison, calculating the conference wins and losses of every team you've played as a way to judge a team's worthiness to play for the conference championship.

We have only reached this place because the unique combination of Miami, Clemson and SMU and their schedules have us blowing through tiebreaker scenarios Nos. 1-4 pretty quickly. There's no head-to-head among the tied teams since they don't play each other, and in this scenario they would all have the same winning percentage against their common opponents, which are Florida State and Louisville.
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https://www.greenvilleonline.com/st...reakers-college-football-playoff/75811578007/ (greenville.com; Carter)
There's a chance for a three-way undefeated tie for first place in the ACC football standings.

No. 8 Clemson (6-1, 5-0), No. 5 Miami (8-0, 4-0) and No. 20 SMU (7-1, 4-0) all can go 8-0 in conference play as neither faces one another in the regular season. In this scenario, one team would be left out of the ACC championship despite having an undefeated record in conference games

An ACC football spokesperson confirmed to The Greenville News that if this scenario plays out, the conference's B. No. 5 tiebreaker — combined win percentage of conference opponents — would determine the teams that will play in Charlotte on Dec. 7 at Bank of America Stadium.






Winning the conference is especially important this season with the new 12-team format for the CFP as whichever team wins the ACC will receive an automatic bid and a first-round bye.

If this chaotic scenario happens, here how the ACC will determine the two conference representatives:

How will the ACC determine who goes to conference championship?

The first four ACC tiebreakers for a three or more team tie wouldn't apply because the three teams don't play one another and went perfect in ACC play. As a result, the conference will look at the combined win percentages of conference opponents in conference games only, and whichever two teams have the highest will advance to the ACC championship.

Entering Week 10, this is how Clemson, Miami and SMU stack up, based on the combined ACC winning percentage of each team's eight conference opponents in 2024:

  • Clemson's ACC opponents: 16-21, 0.432
  • Miami's ACC opponents: 16-22, 0.421
  • SMU's ACC opponents, 13-24, 0.351
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Pitt's Sharks Have The Panthers Lurking (youtube; video; ACC DN)

While the University of Pittsburgh's mascot is the Panthers, Pitt football fans can't get enough of the sharks. Linebackers Kyle Lewis, Rasheem Biles, Braylan Lovelace, and Brandon George have been the engines of a Panthers defense that is allowing an ACC-best 17.3 points per game in conference play, and have been given the nickname 'The Sharks' by Pitt Linebackers Coach Ryan Manalac. He gave them that name for their relentlessness and hunger. The group has three of the ACC top 12 tacklers and is coming off a game where the Pitt Linebackers combined for four interceptions, including three returned for touchdowns, against Syracuse. Check out this group of linebackers that has Pitt undefeated and with eyes on the ACC Championship game.

Top 25 Most-watched CFB Games, 1st Half of 2024 (RX; HM)

Top 25 Most-watched CFB Games, 1st Half of 2024

According to FootballScoop, these are the 25 most-watched games of the first half of the 2024 college football season (all data via Sports Media Watch) - with ACC games highlighted:

#Game matchupViewersTVComment
1Georgia-Alabama11.99 MABC
2Ohio State-Oregon9.6 MNBC
3Texas-Michigan9.19 MFox
4USC-LSU8.62 MABC
5Notre Dame-Texas A&M7.92 MABCND/SEC
6Texas-Oklahoma7.63 MABC
7Clemson-Georgia7.58 MABCACC/SEC
8Georgia-Kentucky6.6 MABC
9Miami-Florida6.35 MABCACC/SEC
10USC-Michigan6.32 MCBS
11Tennessee-Oklahoma6.27 MABC
12S Carolina-Alabama6 MABC
13Colorado-Nebraska5.67 MNBC
14Tennessee-Arkansas5.29 MABC
15Oklahoma-Auburn5.04 MABC
16Alabama-Wisconsin5.03 MFox
17Florida St-Georgia Tech4.99 MESPNACC/ACC
18LSU-South Carolina4.94 MABC
19Auburn-Georgia4.93 MABC
20Texas A&M-Florida4.8 MABC
21N Dakota St-Colorado4.76 MESPN
22Iowa-Ohio State4.46 MCBS
23Boston College-Florida St4.44 MESPNACC/ACC
24Penn State-USC4.28 MCBS
25Ole Miss-LSU4.24 MABC

The ACC has a number of games just below the 4.24 million viewer threshold. For instance, Miami at Louisville pulled in 4.07 M viewers on ABC, and Virginia Tech at Miami drew 3.26 M on ESPN (Friday night).
...


2024 OOC vs ACC for 3 contenders (RX; HM)

2024 OOC vs ACC for 3 contenders

Going into Week 10, there are four teams - Clemson, Miami, Pitt and SMU - which are still undefeated in ACC conference play. That will definitely come to an end this weekend when Pitt visits SMU. It's quite impressive that two of these teams are undefeated and the other two have one loss each.

But, of course, there are detractors. As expected, I'm hearing it from SEC fans that the three ACC teams listed below - Miami, Pitt, and SMU - have played an easy schedule and aren't worthy of being selected to play in the College Football Playoffs (no doubt they're hoping to get another SEC also-ran into the CFP field). I left out Clemson because the Tigers have only played two non-conference games so far (the other two are set for the final two weeks of the regular season).

All OOC vs ACC Games

Here's a look at the OOC and ACC games played by each of the other three teams:
ACC TeamOOC GamesPF - PAACC GamesPF - PA
Miami@ Florida41 - 17Va Tech38 - 34
Fla A&M56 - 9@ California39 - 38
Ball State62 - 0@Louisville52 - 45
at USF50 - 15Florida St36 - 14
Avg margin42 ppg209 - 418.5 ppg165 - 131
PittsburghKent State55 - 24@UNC34 - 24
@ Cincinnati28 - 27California17 - 15
W Virginia38 - 34Syracuse41 - 13
Youngstown73 - 17
Avg margin23 ppg194 - 10213.3 ppg92 - 52
SMU@ Nevada29 - 24Florida St42 - 16
HCU59 - 7@ Louisville34 - 27
BYU (L)15 - 18@ Stanford40 - 10
TCU66 - 42@ Duke28 - 27
Avg margin19.5 ppg169 - 9116 ppg144 - 80
In other words, Miami's margin of victory was 42 ppg in non-conference play, but has dropped to just 8.5 ppg in ACC play. Pitt's m.o.v. went from 23 ppg to just 13.3 ppg, and SMU's fell from 19.5 ppg to just 16 ppg now.

P4 Games Only

But wait, you ask, isn't that just due to blowing out non-conference "cupcakes" in September? That's an excellent question! Let's look at it without the cupcakes - just P4 games only:
...


Around the ACC 2024 Oct 31 (RX; HM)

Around the ACC 2024 Oct 31
From the ACC Weekly Football Release for Week 10, more factoids...

Boston College: The Eagles’ Donovan Ezeiruaku has proven himself to be one of the premiere pass rushers and defensive linemen in the nation. Added to the Bednarik Award watch list, Ezeiruaku ranks fifth nationally with an average of 1.13 sacks per game and sixth in tackles-for-loss per game at 1.5 TFLs per game.
...
...
Syracuse: Quarterback Kyle McCord’s most consistent weapon this year has been out of the backfield in running back LeQuint Allen Jr. Allen has caught at least one pass in 19 straight games, which is the longest current streak for the Orange and ranks 10th on Syracuse’s record list. Allen also has three receiving touchdowns this season, making him one of 10 running backs in all of FBS to have three or more touchdown catches in 2024.
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Other

4QVFRJH5WBDTJIBRI34JTMK63U.jpg

Scallops with truffle corn puree, sauteed exotic mushrooms and bacon lardons.

Fireside by the River in Baldwinsville gets a fine dining transformation (Dining Out Review) (PS; $; Pucci)

The frosted glass windows by the front door still say The Fireside Inn, a last homage to Fireside by the River’s past life.

But inside, Fireside by the River bears little resemblance to its predecessor, a private event space that had been a fixture in the Baldwinsville area since opening many decades ago. Gone are the plain white walls, carpeted floors, and fabric-wrapped banquet chairs in the main first-floor bar and dining room. In their place is a modern slate gray color scheme accented by cross-section log walls, wooden floors, Edison bulb chandeliers, plush seating and intimate circular booths that are a stark departure from the vibe of a crowded banquet hall.

It’s all part of a $1.2 million renovation that preceded the new-look restaurant opening to the public in March. The menu, too, was part of that renovation. Though the old Fireside Inn, which reopened in 2017 after a five-year hiatus, did serve dinner on Thursdays and Fridays, the old menu, built around fried appetizers, pasta, fried and broiled seafood and a few steaks, was predictable and far less interesting than the elevated, seasonal menu Fireside by the River now serves.
...

Why a prominent Skaneateles family is buying a piece of Ryan Reynolds’ Wrexham soccer team (PS; $; Moriarty)
The Allyn family spent a century making medical equipment and the past few years trying to transform a struggling section of downtown Syracuse.

Now, the Skaneateles family is branching out into sports and beer.

It‘s bought a stake in Wrexham AFC, the Welch soccer team that’s become a streaming and sports phenomenon thanks to its famous actor-owners, Ryan Reynolds (“Deadpool & Wolverine“) and Rob McElhenney (”It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia").

The family connected with the actors through an investment adviser at JP Morgan, said Eric Allyn, manager and chief investment officer of the Allyn Family Office, which oversees the family’s for-profit investments.

The Wrexham owners were looking for investors like the Allyns — not some hedge fund, but a family group who knew how to run a company, he told syracuse.com | The Post-Standard.

The actors were also looking for a partner to invest in the city of Wrexham itself. The Allyns, who are behind Syracuse’s Salt City Market and the ongoing renovation of the Chimes Building, saw a lot of Syracuse in Wrexham. Both are industrial cities that have struggled to replace factories that left after World War II.

“Wrexham was a mining town, a steel town, working-class oriented with lots of breweries,” Allyn said. “Then the steel and mining collapsed and the breweries collapsed, and the city really collapsed in on itself.”

That‘s part of what led the Central New York family to invest and become friends with McElhenney and with Reynolds, whose “Deadpool & Wolverine” has hauled in more than $1 billion in global box office revenues.

The team announced Wednesday that it has sold a minority ownership in the club to the Allyns, who operated Welch Allyn Inc. in Skaneateles for more than 100 years until selling it in 2015 for $2 billion. The amount of the Allyns' investment in the soccer team was not disclosed.

The next day, the family and the two actors announced their new venture has also acquired 80% of Wrexham Lager, a brewery in the same blue-color North Wales city where the soccer team plays.

Founded in 1882, Wrexham Lager is the oldest lager brewery still operating in the U.K. (It was the only lager served on the Titanic during its infamous voyage in 1912.)

In a joint statement, Reynolds and McElhenney said the Allyns were “exactly the type of partners” they need for Wrexham.

“Wrexham has earned the world’s attention and we are focused on bringing on board world-class partners to help with the next phase of our growth,” they said. “We have been fortunate to get to know the Allyn family and we are blown away by their intelligence, kindness and commitment.”

The investment was made through Red Dragon Ventures LLC, a joint venture formed between the Allyn family and the two actors. The amount of the investment in the team was not disclosed.
...
 

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