sutomcat
No recent Cali or Iggy awards; Mr Irrelevant
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Welcome to College Football Early Signing Day!
The three-day signing window starts Wednesday, Dec. 4, and lasts until Friday, Dec. 6. High school athletes are free to sign with their university on any of those dates. The early signing period was moved up two weeks in 2024, to avoid the overlap with the opening of the transfer portal, which opens on Dec. 9
SU News
Early Signing Day: Syracuse football recruiting news, latest updates on 2025 class (PS; Staff)
Syracuse football is on track to sign the largest recruiting class in the country when the three-day early signing period opens Wednesday.
There are 33 high school players who intend to sign paperwork to play for the Orange in 2025.
This year’s signing period comes at a peculiar moment in college sports. Schools are figuring out how to pay their athletes in anticipation of a court settlement in the NCAA v. House case that hasn’t formally been approved, yet is expected to take effect next year and usher in a new revenue-sharing model.
For years, athletes on this day signed binding national letters of intent to attend a school. But amid the erosion of amateurism in college sports, schools eliminated those binding agreements earlier this fall.
Now, there’s little uniformity into what schools are doing around the country.
Athletes can sign agreements for so-called NIL pay with booster-backed collectives and with the schools under a promise of compensation.
Most players on Wednesday will likely sign standard financial aid agreements with the school.
As part of the settlement, roster sizes in college football are expected to swell from a maximum of 85 scholarship players to a hard cap of 105 players by the time the 2025 season kicks off. That could be the best explanation for why the Fran Brown is adding so many new players this cycle.
And, the Orange can still add more players to its roster starting next week, when the three-week transfer window opens Dec. 8.
Bolstered by its large recruiting class, Syracuse begins the day with this cycle’s recruiting haul ranked sixth in the ACC out of 17 schools and 35th nationally, according to 247Sports.
That’s about where Syracuse’s class ranked last year under Brown.
Syracuse.com will keep you up to date with all the latest news, rumors and recruiting updates with our live tracker.
Syracuse lands 2026 athlete Maurice Medley (orangefizz.net; Burstein)
Syracuse Football’s sidelines have lined with recruits before every game at the Dome this season. Now, with the regular season concluded and National Signing Day just around the corner, the commitments are starting to flood in for Fran Brown and company.
Monday, SU grabbed athlete Maurice Medley as its third member of the 2026 class. The composite three-star lists himself as an ILB/OLB on X.
This commitment represents another northeast victory for Brown and his recruiting staff. Medley is a Baltimore native out of St. Frances Academy and received offers from the usual suspects of Boston College and Maryland.
But some Big Ten blue bloods were also in play. Michigan, Michigan State and Penn State all put offers out for Medley before Syracuse was able to close the door. Based on his X account, Medley also visited Maryland this month.
So, how does the film look? In his 2024 high school highlights (his junior season), Medley’s speed and ability to find holes in the line stand out immediately. That level of IQ and fitness led to easy QB hits, something that is always helpful at the collegiate level.
Medley was one of the many recruits who was in attendance for this past weekend’s Miami game. It was the second visit this month for him after previously attending the SU-Virginia Tech matchup, another comeback win for the Orange.
It’s becoming clear that year one of recruiting with Fran Brown was not a fluke. There’s a reason he’s been ranked as one of the top recruiters in the country. And as the 2026 class starts to come together, Medley is a good tool to have.
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Syracuse coach Fran Brown: Kyle McCord can't be blamed for Ohio State's struggles anymore (dispatch.com; Meyer)
Hours after Ohio State football suffered the stunning indignity of a fourth-consecutive loss to archrival Michigan – with the most recent defeat coming against what had been a 6-5 Wolverines team that entered the game as a three-touchdown underdog – Kyle McCord threw for 380 yards and three touchdowns to lead Syracuse to a 42-38 victory over then-No. 7 Miami.
That pair of events on a single afternoon was too much for many to ignore, with the former Buckeyes quarterback thriving elsewhere as his former team was still snake-bitten by the hated "team up north."
Among those who couldn’t help but notice was McCord’s new coach.
In an appearance Tuesday on "The Jim Rome Show," Syracuse coach Fran Brown was praising his quarterback while adding that Ohio State was still suffering from some of the same issues that plagued the program when McCord was its starting quarterback during the 2023 season.
"It was kind of put out as if he was the reason (Ohio State had a disappointing 2023 season)," Brown said. "I guess after watching him win this weekend … you’re seeing the same results again, you can’t blame Kyle. I’m happy that Kyle was able to go and clear his name, come here and show that he’s a good quarterback."
McCord himself acknowledged it after the win against Miami, noting in his postgame news conference that "everything comes full circle" when asked if he got any satisfaction from Ohio State being held to 10 points the same day he outdueled Hurricanes quarterback Cam Ward, one of the Heisman Trophy front-runners.
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https://www.syracuse.com/orangefoot...t-ryan-day-after-kyle-mccords-big-season.html (PS; Mink)
It took one game for Fran Brown to brag about his transfer quarterback.
Kyle McCord’s four-touchdown debut vs. Ohio three months ago prompted Brown to quip he should send Ohio State coach Ryan Day a bottle of champagne for greasing the tracks that allowed the first-year coach to recruit McCord.
Now, after a record-setting season in which McCord led the nation in passing, Brown realized one bottle might not be enough.
“I should send him some more,” Brown said. “I should send him a — case, not even a bottle."
Brown’s comments came earlier this week during a 20-minute interview on “The Jim Rome Show,” a nationally syndicated sports talk radio show.
McCord was named the national player of the week by the Associated Press following Syracuse’s 42-38 victory against No. 6 Miami (Fla.), which went final hours after McCord’s old team was upset on its home turf by its most hated rival.
McCord was well aware of the result in Columbus by the time he addressed reporters after minting his senior season with an epic victory against the Hurricanes.
McCord was diplomatic when asked about the Buckeyes' loss to Michigan.
Brown went a little further when Rome asked if McCord relished how the weekend played out.
“It was kind of put out as if he was the reason [for last year’s loss to the Wolverines], so I guess after watching him win this weekend ... you seeing the same results again, you can’t blame Kyle, correct?
“I’m happy Kyle was able to go and clear his name, come here and show that he was a good quarterback.”
Brown, named Tuesday as the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Week, has led the Orange to a 9-3 record in his first year, joining Paul Pasqualoni as the only coaches in school history to win nine or more games in their first season.
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Syracuse Earns Most All-ACC Performers Since Joining League - Syracuse University Athletics (cuse.com)
A dozen Syracuse football players were named to All-ACC teams – the most since joining the conference in 2013, despite the conference now being 17 teams deep.
Tight end Oronde Gadsden II led the way receiving First Team honors at tight end. The redshirt-junior led all tight ends in the conference with 69 catches for 860 yards, marks that rank fourth nationally among tight ends.
The nation's leading passer and school record holder for yards (4,326), completions (367) and touchdown passes (29), quarterback Kyle McCord earned Second Team honors. He was joined by two of his top targets – wide receivers Trebor Pena and Jackson Meeks – on the list. Pena (79) and Meeks (73) rank first and second in the league in receptions and are also both in the top-five in yards this season. Each has seven receiving touchdowns as well.
Cornerback Clarence Lewis was Syracuse's third-team representative. Lewis ranks second in the conference in pass breakups (11) and added an interception to finish tied for third in the conference in passes defended this season.
LeQuint Allen was named an honorable mention honoree at both running back and the all-purpose position. He ran for 901 yards in the regular season and led the ACC with 17 total touchdowns. He was the nation's leading pass catcher among running backs, hauling in 61 passes for 476 yards.
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Fadil Diggs, who notched 14.0 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks, also earned honorable mention accolades, as did linebackers Justin Barron (85 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss) and Marlowe Wax (40 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks in just seven games).
On the offensive line, tackle Savion Washington and guard Jakob Bradford earned honorable mention honors for paving the way for one of the nation's top offenses this season.
Punter Jack Stonehouse, who is on pace to break the program's single-season net punting record by over a full yard per attempt, was the final honorable mention honoree.
Syracuse finished the regular season with a 9-3 record and will find out its bowl selection on Sunday.
Syracuse Ranked 22nd in CFP Rankings - Syracuse University Athletics (cuse.com)
The Syracuse football team vaulted into the College Football Playoff rankings at No. 22 this week.
It's the first time the Orange have been ranked in the College Football Playoff Rankings since 2018, with head coach Fran Brown cracking the top-25 in his first season at the helm.
The Orange knocked off Miami, who was No. 6 in last week's rankings, 42-38 on Saturday after coming back from a 21-point deficit.
'Cuse is 2-0 against teams ranked in the top-25 currently and is 9-2 against teams .500 or better this season.
SYRACUSE Football UPSETS No. 6 MIAMI, BOWL PROJECTIONS (youtube; podcast; Orange Zone)
In this episode of The Orange Zone Podcast, Samantha Croston and Rachel Culver recap Syracuse Football's WILD win over Miami and discuss the experts' bowl projections. Which bowl will the Orange get an invite to?
Rivals' Rankings Director Adam Friedman Talks Syracuse Football 2025 Class and More (youtube; radio; Cuse Sports Talk)
Adam Friedman, rankings director at , joins Brian Higgins to dive into Syracuse football's 2025 recruiting class and beyond and talk about how the Miami win impacts the futureMiami vs. Syracuse Full Game Replay | 2024 ACC Football (youtube; ACC DN)
The Orange came back from down 21-0 to defeat the #6 Hurricanes, 41-38. The 21-point comeback is the largest in Syracuse history. Syracuse quarterback Kyle McCord threw for 380 yards and three touchdowns on 26-36 passing. Trebor Pena caught six passes for 128 yards and Jackson Meeks had seven catches for 110 yards and two touchdowns. Running back LeQuint Allen caught six passes for 61 yards and ran for 82 yards and two scores. For Miami, quarterback Cam Ward threw for 349 yards and two touchdowns on 25-36 passing. Wide Receiver Xavier Restrepo had 148 receiving yards and a touchdown on nine catches, while Jacolby George had six receptions for 121 yards.
Can Fran Brown & Syracuse Football Land TWO BIG RECRUITS? | Syracuse Orange Podcast (youtube; podcast; Locked on Syracuse)
Syracuse Orange Football gears up for what could be a huge 2024 college football early national signing day period. Syracuse Head Coach Fran Brown has his eye on some elite high schools recruits. Rival five-star edge Javion Hilson leads the pack, but will have stiff competition from Texas, Texas A&M, and Ole Miss. Hilson could be a Fadil Diggs replacement. Four-star Winston Watkins would also be a huge get. Watkins could be the 2026 Trebor Pena replacement. Dawayne Galloway is a four-star cornerback to keep an eye on, and four-star safety Demetres Samuel Jr. is locked in with Syracuse.
Jackson Holzer gives his early signing day thoughts on this edition of the Locked On Syracuse Podcast.
Syracuse football: the latest verdict from the Pop-Tarts Bowl O’Meter (TNIAMM; Tomaiuolo)
Take a bow, Fran Brown and No. 23 Syracuse Orange football.
In front of a national audience, SU picked up a program-changing 42-38 win in its regular season finale against then-No. 6 Miami last Saturday. Not only did the victory thrust the Orange into the national spotlight, it also put a major blow into the Hurricanes’ College Football Playoff chances by booting them out of the ACC Championship Game.
Here’s how the win over “The U” reflects on our weekly Pop-Tart Bowl O’Meter:
Syracuse was already locked into a bowl game, so that was never in question. However, now at 9-3, Fran Brown’s crew has almost certainly elevated itself above the Fenway and Pinstripe Bowl tier.
So what’s next for the Orange? The truth is, no one really knows. The ACC (including No. 4 Notre Dame) will get at least two teams in the CFP with the Fighting Irish and winner of No. 8 SMU/No. 18 Clemson this weekend. Miami went from a near lock with a win over Syracuse to now less than 50% chance of making it after its loss.
All things considered, SU should be among the top three in the pecking order of ACC teams who do not make the playoff. Here’s where the eligible bowl games likely rank among importance.
- Duke’s Mayo Bowl, Jan. 3 (presumed highest rank)
- TaxSlayer Gator Bowl, Jan. 2
- Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl, Dec. 31
- Pop-Tarts, Military, Fenway and Pinstripe Bowls, Dec. 28
ESPN - Mark Schlabach and Kyle Bonagura
TaxSlayer Gator Bowl vs Florida Gators - Schlabach
SU jumped up a few spots from the Pinstripe to Gator in this prediction after Saturday’s win. Any game vs. the SEC is a huge win for a rookie head coach and would put even more eyes on the Orange.
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Top 100 football prospect lists Syracuse among Top 5 heading into Signing Day: ‘I know where I’m going’ (PS; Carlson)
Javion Hilson, ranked as the No. 3 edge rusher and the No. 42 prospect in the country, said he knows what his college choice will be and listed Syracuse as one of his top five schools in a USA Today article published on Tuesday.
Among the four major recruiting services, Hilson is ranked as high as the No. 1 edge rush prospect in the country and the No. 16 overall player by Rivals. He is ranked as a five-star prospect by Rivals and a four-star by the other three major recruiting websites.
Hilson, who decommitted from Florida State earlier in his recruitment, is listed by 247 Sports as 6-foot-3 1/2 and 235 pounds. He played football at Cocoa (Florida) High School this season.
The article, written by Hilson, provided some thoughts on his final five schools: Alabama, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Texas and Texas A&M.
It said he plans to announce his decision on Wednesday, which is Early National Signing Day for football.
Hilson wrote: “Playing time was a major factor for me. Every time I visit a school, I like to look at the rosters and see how many edge rushers they have. How many of them are impact guys? I want to go somewhere where I love the defensive scheme. ... I want to go where I can play and make a big impact right away. I want to be a freshman All-American.”
Syracuse would certainly fit those qualifications. The Orange graduate their most impactful defensive end Fadil Diggs and never found a huge presence to pair with him on the other side of the line, providing plenty of opportunity for an impact freshman.
In his description of each school, Hilson said he liked the schemes at Syracuse, Texas and Texas A&M.
On Syracuse, Hilson wrote: “I love the culture there. I also love the coaching staff and scheme. I like Coach Nick Williams. He was actually at Texas A&M when they offered me.”
According to MaxPreps.com, Hilson had 15 sacks and 25 tackles for loss in 12 games with Cocoa, making 72 total tackles. His team is 9-3 and scheduled to play in Florida’s 2A state high school semifinals on Friday night against Cardinal Mooney.
Which Bowl Game will Syracuse play in? Experts reveal their projections (cnycentral.com; Daly & Croston)
Syracuse Football is going top-tier bowling after defeating 6-seed Miami on Saturday. With the victory, Syracuse finished its season 9-3, fourth in the ACC, and No. 23 in the AP Poll. Yet, even though their season didn’t give them a spot in the new 12-team college football playoffs this year, they’re still going to be playing for a trophy – but where and versus who?
The Orange have played in bowl games their last two seasons, unable to pull out a win in either. In 2022, SU played in the Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium. Last year, they played in the Boca Raton Bowl in Florida. However, with the successful season Syracuse had, the team could get a bowl game closer to New Year's Day.
What makes New Year’s so great?
Traditionally, playing college football bowl games closer to New Year’s is considered better and more prestigious, which is precisely why the famous Rose Bowl is every January 1st. Also, these games are filled with top teams, attract larger audiences, and have better weather conditions.
What other factors could influence Syracuse’s bowl game?
Another factor to consider is certain bowl games already have pre-existing agreements with specific conferences. This would alter what bowl games Syracuse plays in and who they will face. For example, the Rose Bowl is played by the number one teams in the Big Ten and Pac-12, the Sugar Bowl has the number one ranked teams from the SEC and Big 12 and The Pinstripe Bowl matches the Big Ten with the ACC.
**Even though the Pac-12 was disbanded, all 10 schools will still be eligible for the Pac-12’s affiliated bowls, and not play in their new conference’s bowls**
National college football experts have given their projections on where Syracuse will play:
CBS Sports Jerry Palm: Syracuse vs South Carolina in Gator Bowl
Where: EverBank Stadium, Jacksonville, FL
When: Jan 2 at 7:30 p.m.
College Football Network Oliver Hodgkinson’s: Syracuse vs Michigan in Duke’s Mayo Bowl
Where: Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina
When: Jan 3 at 7:30 p.m.
The Action Network: Syracuse vs Missouri in Gator Bowl
Where: EverBank Stadium, Jacksonville, FL
When: Jan 2 at 7:30 p.m.
ESPN’s Mark Schlabach: Syracuse vs Flordia in Gator Bowl
Where: EverBank Stadium, Jacksonville, FL
When: Jan 2 at 7:30 p.m.
ESPN’s Kyle Bonagura: Syracuse vs Washington State in Holiday Bowl
Where: Snapdragon Stadium, San Diego, California
When: December 27 at 8:00 p.m.
USA Today’s Erick Smith: Syracuse vs Washington in Sun Bowl
Where: Sun Bowl Stadium, El Paso, Texas
When: December 31 at 2:00 p.m.
247 Sport’s Brad Crawford: Syracuse vs Minnesota in Duke’s Mayo Bowl
Where: Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina
When: Jan 3 at 7:30 p.m.
Sports Illustrated’s Patrick Andres: Syracuse vs Tulane in Fenway Bowl
Where: Fenway Park, Boston Massachusetts
When: December 28th at 11:00 a.m.
The Sporting New’s Bill Bender: Syracuse vs Texas Tech in Pop-Tarts Bowl
Where: Camping World Stadium, Orlando, Florida
When: December 28 at 3:30 p.m.
New York Times’s Scott Dochterman and Stewart Mandel: Syracuse vs Washington State in Holiday Bowl
Where: Snapdragon Stadium, San Diego, California
When: December 27 at 8:00 p.m.
Bowl games are played from December 14th through February 1st.
Syracuse football scores pledge from 3-star All-American LB at Baltimore powerhouse (itlh; Adler)
As Syracuse football and its peers nationwide prepare for the early signing period to begin on Wednesday for 2025 prospects, first-year head coach Fran Brown and his top-flight staff continue to also haul in pledges from players in other recruiting classes, too.
One of the latest verbal commitments for the Orange has arrived from 2026 three-star athlete/linebacker Maurice Medley, who revealed his pledge to the 'Cuse via his X page.
The 6-foot-3, 215-pound Medley says on his X page that he plays both inside and outside linebacker. Media reports indicate he also has suited up at wide receiver for a Baltimore powerhouse program, the Saint Frances Academy.
Most importantly, a huge congrats and welcome from Orange Nation to Maurice! According to MaxPreps, Saint Frances finished its 2024 season at 8-3 overall, No. 8 nationally and No. 1 in Maryland.
Syracuse football continues to add to its 2026 class.
In his first campaign with Saint Frances, during the 2022 stanza, Medley was named to MaxPreps' freshman All-America second team on defense, with that media outlet and recruiting service noting, "For one of the country's top programs, Medley made an impact at both linebacker and receiver, showing his versatility."
While only a junior in high school, Medley has an impressive offer sheet that includes schools such as Boston College, Cincinnati, Maryland, Michigan, Michigan State, Penn State, Southern California and Virginia Tech, according to recruiting services.
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Syracuse football: what’s college football saying about the Orange after rivalry week (TNIAAM; Wall)
Each week, we’ll take a look at what other college football media sites are saying about the Syracuse Orange. Let’s see what they are saying after the Orange’s win over Miami.
Syracuse.Com
Brent Axe puts Syracuse in a tie for Miami in 3rd this week
ESPN
In this week’s SP+ rankings Syracuse is up three to the 50th spot with the offense 23rd while the defense ranks 82nd and special teams 96th. The Orange are ranked between NC State and Kansas.
The Football Power Index has Syracuse up seven to 53rd place between Rutgers and Duke.
ACC/ESPN Media
Andrea Adelson has the Orange 2nd this week
CBS Sports
In the CBS Sports power rankings Syracuse is up seven spots to 22nd between Illinois and Army.
The Athletic
The Orange jump up eight spots to 20th in The Athletic’s Top 134 Power Rankings placing them in between Iowa State and Missouri.
AP and Coaches Poll
Syracuse is ranked 23rd in the AP Poll and 25th in the Coaches Poll.
Awards
Jackson Meeks, Savion Washington and Devin Grant were named ACC Players of the Week
Trebor Pena was named to PFF’s ACC Team of the Week.
Fran Brown was picked as the ACC HC of the Week by CBS/247 Sports and Jeff Nixon was selected as CBS/247 Sports OC of the Week
ACC Week Fourteen Scores
Stanford 31 San Jose State 34
Georgia Tech 42 Georgia 44
Florida 31 Florida State 11
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A doff of the cap to Kyle McCord, Fran Brown for making Syracuse football relevant again (rbj.net; Pitoniak)
His answer Saturday evening in the bowels of the JMA Wireless Dome was short, sweet and to the point. And that was fine because words weren’t necessary on a day when Kyle McCord’s actions spoke so loudly. Moments after Ohio State – the school that jettisoned him last December – lost yet again to hated rival Michigan – and moments after McCord put an exclamation point on one of the most entertaining seasons in Syracuse University football history, the quarterback responded to questions about his remarkable year-long journey from Buckeyes’ cast-off to Orange hero.
“Everything comes full circle,’’ he said, grinning.
And he left it at that.
Karma can indeed be a (rhymes with witch). Just ask Ohio State coach Ryan Day, who wouldn’t commit to McCord continuing as his starter 12 months ago, despite the fact that the QB led the team to an 11-1 record and came within one series of knocking off eventual national champion Michigan. Many of the same Ohio State fans who welcomed Dye’s decision to dump McCord became incensed with their coach Saturday after their team lost for the fourth straight year to the Wolverines. That the Buckeyes were 20-point favorites and had spent more money than any team in college football bolstering their 2024 roster made the outcome even more difficult to stomach.
Karma can be wonderful, too. Just ask McCord, who found vindication in Syracuse after trusting a rookie head coach named Fran Brown. Hours after McCord entered the transfer portal last December, Brown was sitting in McCord’s living room, pitching a dream. Known for being genuine and honest, Brown told the quarterback, “I need you to help my career. You could come here and spark everything for Syracuse.”
And he has. A year after being spurned, McCord guided the Orange to a 9-3 record that was capped by Saturday’s 42-38 upset of No. 6-ranked Miami. Not only did he lead SU back from a 21-0 deficit, he out-dueled his quarterback counterpart, out-passing Heisman Trophy-finalist Cam Ward, 380 yards to 349.
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Syracuse coach Fran Brown takes shot at Ohio State and Ryan Day: 'You can't blame Kyle McCord correct?' (awfulannouncing.com; Shipley)
Ohio State head coach Ryan Day has again found himself at the center of a ton of criticism following his fourth straight loss to Michigan this past weekend. And on Monday, first-year Syracuse Orange head coach Fran Brown took an opportunity to pile onto the criticism of Day when it comes to the decision to let Kyle McCord enter the transfer portal this offseason.
McCord, who of course played for Day at Ohio State from 2021-2023, also wasn’t able to get it done against Michigan last season as the starter. As a result, McCord was essentially scapegoated by Day and millions of Buckeyes fans. Day then all but pushed McCord out the door to the transfer portal in favor of Will Howard.
Fran Brown then jumped at the opportunity to bring in McCord to lead the new-look Syracuse Orange offense, a decision that has completely turned around the rather mediocre Syracuse program in recent years.
This season, McCord has been one of the best quarterbacks in the entire country, leading the FBS in passing yards on the season. The team success has also been there, highlighted by a program-defining win against the Miami Hurricanes on Saturday.
While Syracuse will likely come up just short of a CFP spot, it will nonetheless be the best season that the Syracuse football program has had since 2018. With a win in their bowl game, it would be just the third double-digit win season for Syracuse since 2000.
It may not be the National Championship season that Brown was hoping for in his first year as head coach of the program. But nonetheless, it is undoubtedly an excellent start to his tenure at Syracuse.
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Syracuse Football: QB Kyle McCord's 2024 regular season historic in countless ways (itlh; Adler)
The 2024 regular season under first-year head coach Fran Brown and his top-flight staff ended on a supremely high note for Syracuse football.
The Orange, this past Saturday in week 14, mounted its largest comeback in program history to knock off then-No. 6 Miami, 42-38, before a frenetic JMA Wireless Dome crowd. A lot of Syracuse football players, on both offense and defense, were instrumental in this massive triumph for the 'Cuse, and at the top of the list was the team's record-setting senior quarterback, Kyle McCord.
Following the Orange's stunner over the Hurricanes, Syracuse football wrapped up the regular season at 9-3 overall and 5-3 in Atlantic Coast Conference play. After being projected to finish at No. 12 in the league standings, per the ACC preseason media poll, the 'Cuse ended up in a tie for fourth place.
The Orange, which on Sunday entered both of the major top-25 polls, will go bowling for the third straight year. It remains to be seen which bowl game the 'Cuse will reside in, and whether McCord and other Syracuse football players will participate. Either way, let's have a look at McCord's absolutely, positively remarkable 2024 regular season.
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Dabo Swinney says Syracuse coach will ride with him in parade if Clemson wins CFB title (tigernet.com; Crumpton)
Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney and his Tigers got a second chance for a possible invite to the college football playoff after Syracuse's upset win over Miami on Saturday.
After the victory, Syracuse head coach Fran Brown gave a special shout-out to Swinney during a postgame interview, saying, “Hey Dabo Swinney, congrats. I got you in, baby!”
If the Tigers can win against SMU in the ACC Championship game, they will receive an automatic bid to the playoff as conference champions.
Swinney would love a chance to get into the playoffs to see if his team can get rolling and he won't forget about Coach Brown.
"Man, if we win the National Championship, he is gonna ride in the car with me through downtown Clemson," Swinney said during his Tuesday press conference. "Go ahead and print that and write it down. And why not? It's just football. We have a bunch of good football players. All you have to do is win the game you are playing. Why not? Somebody is gonna win it."
Swinney and Brown seem well on their way to becoming best buds—after all, they’re already wearing orange most of the time.
Dino Babers won’t return to Arizona for second season as assistant coach (report) (PS; Mink)
Former Syracuse head coach Dino Babers won’t return for a second season as an assistant at Arizona, according to a report by 247Sports.
Babers had been hired as the team’s offensive coordinator under first-year coach Brent Brennan.
The news does not come as a huge surprise given Babers relinquished his role as the team’s play-caller earlier this season.
Babers' job at Arizona had largely been portrayed as more of a bridge to help Brennan and a new staff jumpstart their tenure in Tucson than as a potential permanent hire.
Brennan had been a graduate assistant at Arizona when Babers was the offensive coordinator in 2000.
Babers, 63, was the only Arizona assistant coach working on a one-year contract this season. The rest of staff signed two-year deals, according to The Arizona Daily Star.
After Brennan revealed Babers was no longer calling plays, Babers said the move had been planned when he was hired by the Wildcats.
Babers called plays for the first three games before handing those duties to tight ends coach/passing-game coordinator Matt Adkins during the team’s off week in September.
Arizona, a preseason top-25 team that was expected to contend in the Big 12, finished a disappointing 4-8 season with a 49-7 loss to in-state rival Arizona State on Saturday.
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Credit: X/Ashley Wenskoski
Meet Ashley Wenskoski, reporter who 'was hit on by mascot' during college game (the-sun.com; Upal)
ASHLEY Wenskoski is a sports reporter who is used to asking tough questions.
But the 24-year-old claimed she had to answer one of her own while on assignment Saturday.
Ashley Wenskoski claimed she was hit on by a mascotCredit: X/Ashley Wenskoski
She works as a reporter covering Syracuse University sportsCredit: X/Ashley Wenskoski
Wenskoski covers college football for CNY Central - a New York state based media company.
Syracuse University's football team is one of the outlet's biggest assignments.
The Syracuse Orange stunned the No. 6 seeded Miami Hurricanes 42-38 on Saturday.
The university came from 21-0 down to win a thriller in front of their home fans at JMA Wireless Dome in Syracuse, New York.
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Syracuse Football on Instagram: "that’s 12 for those counting at home ‼️ #allacc"
cusefootball on December 3, 2024: "that’s 12 for those counting at home ‼️ #allacc".
www.instagram.com
Barstool Syracuse on Instagram: "Fran Brown had nothing short of a great year in his first season as @CuseFootball’s head coach "
8,307 likes, 26 comments - barstoolcuse on December 3, 2024: "Fran Brown had nothing short of a great year in his first season as @CuseFootball’s head coach ".
www.instagram.com
syracuse.com
Is Syracuse football headed to a top-tier bowl game? (Good Morning CNY)
www.facebook.com
ACC News
2024 All-ACC Football Teams Announced (theacc.com)
Ahead of the 2024 Atlantic Coast Conference Football Championship Game on Saturday, December 7, the conference announced its All-ACC Football Teams on Tuesday, December 3. Clemson leads all schools with 10 All-ACC selections on the first, second, and third teams, while Miami had the most first-team honorees with four.
SMU, Miami and Duke all finished second among conference teams with eight selections while Pitt and Virginia Tech added six honorees.
Leading the voting this season was both Cam Ward of Miami and Omarion Hampton of North Carolina, as each received a total of 207 points to earn first-team recognition. Ward leads the NCAA in passing touchdowns (36) and Total QBR (88.0), while also ranking second nationally in passing yards (4,123), passing yards per game (343.6), total offensive yards per game (359.9) and points responsible for (204). Hampton leads the ACC and ranks second nationally in both rushing yards (1,660) and rushing yards per game (138.3) this season, while also leading the ACC in rushing touchdowns (15) and total touchdowns (17).
On the defensive side of the ball, the leading vote-getters were Donovan Ezeiruaku of Boston College and Antwaun Powell-Ryland of Virginia Tech with 188 and 169 points, respectively.
The All-ACC teams were chosen by a voting panel of 54 media members and each of the league’s 17 head coaches for a total of 71 voters. Three points were awarded for each first-team vote, two points for each second-team vote, and one point for each third-team selection.
The individual awards – Player of the Year, Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year, Rookie of the Year and Offensive and Defensive Rookies of the Year – will be announced on Wednesday, December 4. The Coach of the Year will be announced on Thursday, December 5.
2024 All-ACC Football Teams
First-Team All-ACC
Offense
QB – Cam Ward – Miami (207)
RB – Omarion Hampton – North Carolina (207)
RB – Brashard Smith – SMU (163)
WR – Xavier Restrepo – Miami (205)
WR – Ja’Corey Brooks – Louisville (196)
WR – Antonio Williams – Clemson (117)
TE – Oronde Gadsden II – Syracuse (178)
AP – Desmond Reid – Pitt (122)
OT – Blake Miller – Clemson (98)
OT – Ozzy Trapilo – Boston College (96)
OG – Willie Lampkin – North Carolina (133)
OG – Keylan Rutledge – Georgia Tech (84)
C – Drew Kendall – Boston College (85)
Defense
DE – Donovan Ezeiruaku – Boston College (188)
DE – Antwaun Powell-Ryland – Virginia Tech (169)
DT – Aeneas Peebles – Virginia Tech (108)
DT – Simeon Barrow, Jr. – Miami (91) (tie)
DT – Jared Harrison-Hunte – SMU (91) tie
LB – Kyle Louis – Pitt (150)
LB – Barrett Carter – Clemson (132)
LB – Teddye Buchanan – California (128)
CB – Nohl Williams – California (187)
CB – Chandler Rivers – Duke (139)
S – Jonas Sanker – Virginia (102)
S- Isaiah Nwokobia – SMU (97)
Specialists
PK – Andy Borregales – Miami (123)
P – Alex Mastromanno – Florida State (186)
SP – Desmond Reid – Pitt (120)
Second-Team All-ACC
Offense
QB – Kyle McCord – Syracuse (92)
RB – Bhayshul Tuten – Virginia Tech (134)
RB – Isaac Brown – Louisville (88)
WR – Trebor Pena – Syracuse (115)
WR – Jackson Meeks – Syracuse (110)
WR – Elic Ayomanor – Stanford (101)
TE – Elijah Arroyo – Miami (64)
AP – Omarion Hampton – North Carolina (81)
OT – Brian Parker II – Duke (95)
OT – Francis Mauigoa – Miami (90)
OG – Caleb Krings – Duke (68)
OG – Marcus Tate – Clemson (65)
C – Jakai Clark – SMU (64)
Defense
DE – T.J. Parker – Clemson (102)
DE – Ashton Gillotte – Louisville (54)
DT – Jordan van den Berg – Georgia Tech (53)
DT – Kendy Charles – Duke (46)
LB – Kobe Wilson – SMU (88)
LB – Francisco Mauigoa – Miami (76)
LB – Branson Combs – Wake Forest (65)
CB – Avieon Terrell – Clemson (101)
CB – Quincy Riley – Louisville (79)
S – Terry Moore – Duke (86)
S – Mishael Powell – Miami (82) tie
S – Donovan McMillon – Pitt (82) tie
Specialists
PK – Ryan Fitzgerald – Florida State (96)
P – Lachlan Wilson – California (67)
SP – Alex Mastromanno – Florida State (81)
Third-Team All-ACC
Offense
QB – Kevin Jennings – SMU (53)
RB – Phil Mafah – Clemson (74)
RB- Demond Claiborne – Wake Forest (48)
WR – Malachi Fields – Virginia (78)
WR – Jordan Moore – Duke (68)
WR – Eli Pancol – Duke (60)
TE – Jake Briningstool – Clemson (47)
AP – Demond Claiborne – Wake Forest (60)
OT – PJ Williams – SMU (83)
OT – Jordan Williams – Georgia Tech (61)
OG – Logan Parr – SMU (63)
OG – Walker Parks – Clemson (56)
C – Zeke Correll – NC State (50)
Defense
DE – Xavier Carlton – California (53)
DE – Davin Vann – NC State (38)
DT – Payton Page – Clemson (41)
DT – Cam Horsley – Boston College (40) tie
DT – Jahvaree Ritzie – North Carolina (40) tie
LB – Rasheem Biles – Pitt (63)
LB – Ozzie Nicholas – Duke (52)
LB – Kyle Efford – Georgia Tech (47)
CB – Clarence Lewis – Syracuse (56)
CB – Mansoor Delane – Virginia Tech (50)
S – Nick Andersen – Wake Forest (64)
S – Craig Woodson – California (54)
Specialists
PK – Ben Sauls – Pitt (91)
P – Peter Moore – Virginia Tech (55)
SP – Jaylin Lane – Virginia Tech (64)
Honorable -Mention All-ACC
QB – Cade Klubnik – Clemson (44)
QB – Tyler Shough – Louisville (16)
RB – LeQuint Allen – Syracuse (44)
RB – Desmond Reid – Pitt (33)
RB – Jamal Haynes – Georgia Tech (28)
RB – Damien Martinez – Miami (17)
WR – Konata Mumpfield – Pitt (36)
WR – Jacolby George – Miami (31)
WR – Taylor Morin – Wake Forest (29)
WR – Malik Rutherford – Georgia Tech (22)
WR – Eric Singleton, Jr. – Georgia Tech (20)
WR – Keyshawn Smith, SMU (19)
WR – Lewis Bond, Boston College (18)
TE – Jack Endries – California (29)
TE – Gavin Bartholomew – Pitt (27)
TE – RJ Maryland – SMU (17)
AP – LeQuint Allen – Syracuse (47)
AP – Isaac Brown – Louisville (33)
AP – Nohl Williams – California (26)
AP – Roderick Daniels Jr. – SMU (24)
OT – Corey Robinson II – Georgia Tech (55)
OT – Monroe Mills – Louisville (50)
OT – Tristan Leigh – Clemson (42)
OT – Jalen Rivers – Miami (41)
OT – Xavier Chaplin – Virginia Tech (32)
OT – Savion Washington – Syracuse (28)
OT – Howard Sampson – North Carolina (21)
OG – Justin Osborne – SMU (55)
OG – Anez Cooper – Miami (48)
OG – Michael Gonzalez – Louisville (46)
OG – Kaden Moore – Virginia Tech (35)
OG – Matt Gulbin – Wake Forest (35)
OG – Jack Conley – Boston College (32)
OG – Jakob Bradford – Syracuse (27)
OG – Logan Taylor – Boston College (25)
OG – Timothy McKay – NC State (25)
C – Zach Carpenter – Miami (36)
C – Weston Franklin – Georgia Tech (36)
C – Pete Nygra – Louisville (34)
C – Ryan Linthicum – Clemson (30)
C – Brian Stevens – Virginia (27)
C – Luke Petitbon – Wake Forest (21)
DE – Fadil Diggs – Syracuse (32)
DE – Wes Williams – Duke (31)
DE – Peter Woods – Clemson (27)
DE – Tyler Baron – Miami (24)
DE – Elijah Roberts – SMU (23)
DE – Rueben Bain, Jr. – Miami (18)
DT – Zeek Biggers – Georgia Tech (32)
DT – Kevin Pointer – Wake Forest (31)
DT – Joshua Farmer – Florida State (30)
DT – Ramon Puryear – Louisville (29)
DT – DeMonte Capehart – Clemson (27)
DT – Aaron Hall – Duke (25)
DT – Akheem Mesidor – Miami (25)
DT – Kori Roberson Jr. – SMU (24)
DT – Darrell Jackson Jr. – Florida State (24)
DT – Nick James – Pitt (23)
LB – Ahmad Walker – SMU (46)
LB – Wade Woodaz – Clemson (45)
LB – Xavier Carlton – California (43)
LB – Justin Barron – Syracuse (40)
LB – Power Echols – North Carolina (35)
LB – Stanquan Clark – Louisville (29)
LB – Marlowe Wax – Syracuse (27)
LB – Cade Uluave – California (26)
LB – Sean Brown – NC State (23)
LB – Alex Howard – Duke (23)
LB – Tre Freeman – Duke (18)
LB – Kam Robinson – Virginia (18)
CB – Dorian Strong – Virginia Tech (46)
CB – OJ Frederique – Miami (26)
CB – Alijah Huzzie – North Carolina (25)
CB – Corey Thornton – Louisville (25)
CB – Brandon Crossley – SMU (23)
CB – Azareye’h Thomas – Florida State (20)
S – R.J. Mickens – Clemson (52)
S – Ahmaad Moses – SMU (36)
S – Jaylen Stinson – Duke (33)
S – Jonathan McGill – SMU (31)
S – Bishop Fitzgerald – NC State (27)
S – Khalil Barnes – Clemson (22)
PK – Collin Rogers – SMU (54)
PK – John Love – Virginia Tech (23)
PK – Brock Travelstead – Louisville (19)
P – Jack Stonehouse – Syracuse (53)
P – Kade Reynoldson – Duke (35)
P – Daniel Sparks – Virginia (17)
SP – Antonio Williams – Clemson (45)
SP – Alijah Huzzie – North Carolina (41)
SP – Collin Rogers – SMU (35)
SP – Que’Sean Brown – Duke (28)
LIVE REACTION: All-ACC Football Teams for 2024 announced (youtube; podcast; 99.9 The Fan)
Tim Donnelly & Dennis Cox react in real time to the 2024 All-ACC Football teams being announced, including which players from NC State football, UNC football, Duke football, and Wake Forest football.Find us anywhere!
Miami AD, ACC commissioner blast College Football Playoff Committee for ranking Alabama ahead of Hurricanes (cbssports.com; Talty)
ACC commissioner Jim Phillips and Miami athletic director Dan Radakovich blasted the College Football Playoff Committee Tuesday night for leaving Miami out of the current playoff field.
The newest CFP top 25 has Alabama at No. 11, a spot ahead of Miami at No. 12, despite having one more loss than the Hurricanes. Should those rankings hold, the Crimson Tide would be the last squad into the 12-team College Football Playoff field, while the Hurricanes would be the first team out.
Committee chair Warde Manuel essentially said there was nothing Miami could do to jump Alabama at this point because the Hurricanes do not have any additional games on the schedule and thus no ability to add an extra "data point."
Alabama sits at 9-3 with losses to Vanderbilt, Tennessee and Oklahoma (in blowout fashion). Miami is 10-2 with defeats at the hands of Georgia Tech and Syracuse. Manuel cited Alabama's record against top 25 opponents (3-1) compared to Miami's (0-1) as part of the rationale in ranking the Crimson Tide ahead of the Hurricanes.
"It came down to a difference in their body of work as we evaluated Alabama and Miami, not just wins, not just losses but the totality of the season and how those teams performed," Manuel said Tuesday night in a teleconference call with reporters.
The decision to rank Miami over Alabama understandably didn't sit well with Radakovich, who knows the process better than most after serving on the CFP selection committee from 2014-17.
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Phillips echoed Radakovich's sentiments on the two teams' resumes, saying the conference was "shocked and disappointed" the Hurricanes dropped six spots, and implored the committee to change its mind before Sunday's final rankings.
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Mario Cristobal Argues Miami Deserves CFP Spot Despite Loss to Syracuse (SI; Philips)
Mario Cristobal is still lobbying for his team.
A few weeks ago, the Miami Hurricanes were ranked fourth in the College Football Playoff rankings and looked like a sure bet to make it. Since then they fell 28–23 to Georgia Tech on November 9, and were upset 42–38 by Syracuse on Saturday. Miami has since tumbled to No. 14 in the AP and coaches polls.
Cristobal is not daunted by his team's two losses in three games. Miami's head coach went on ESPN on Tuesday night and argued that his team should be included in the CFP bracket.
"Miami certainly has done enough to be in the playoff due to the fact that Miami has won 10 games, as opposed to some other candidates that have won nine games," Cristobal said. "Miami winning 10 is stronger than teams winning nine games."
Miami has no wins over teams that were ranked at the time they played. Cristobal responded to that by saying, "Miami has played a really good schedule this year and our conference has a winning record against the Big Ten, has a winning record against the Big XII. In our matchup against the SEC [against Florida] we won convincingly in Gainesville, Florida."
Miami's strength of schedule currently ranks 55th in the nation. The three-loss SEC candidates are South Carolina, Alabama and Ole Miss, all of whom are 9–3 with a significantly higher strength of schedule than the Hurricanes.
By losing to Syracuse, Miami lost the chance to play in the ACC championship game and further make its case for inclusion. Instead, SMU will face Clemson.
Why Alabama's CFP Hopes May Hinge on SMU Beating Clemson in ACC Championship (SI; Lyons)
I believe this is our Dan Lyons. Nice!
Alabama football won't be in action in the SEC championship this weekend, but the Crimson Tide will be keenly watching another conference championship on Saturday night: the ACC title game between No. 8 SMU and No. 17 Clemson.
In Tuesday night's penultimate 2024 College Football Playoff rankings, Alabama came in at No. 11, earning the de facto last spot in the field. Miami rounded out the rankings at No. 12, but would be bumped by the Big 12 champion (either No. 15 Arizona State or No. 16 Iowa State).
SMU enters conference championship weekend as the third-highest ranked projected conference champion, ahead of No. 10 Boise State, and would earn the third first-round bye. While there is no guarantee that the Mustangs would still make the field with a loss to Clemson, a number of college football prognosticators are treating the 11–1 club as safe. That opens the possibility of the No. 17 Tigers stealing a bid by winning the conference championship. In that scenario, Clemson would bump Alabama out of the field as long as SMU remains ranked higher than the Crimson Tide.
Of course, it is impossible to know exactly how the selection committee would handle a Clemson win, and a blowout could help keep Alabama in the mix. Even so, an Alabama team with a 9–3 record and a recent bad blowout loss to Oklahoma would have a tough argument against an SMU team that would be 11–2 with an ACC title loss.
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The first significant snow of the season blanketed Fayetteville, NY Monday, December 2, 2024. (N. Scott Trimble | strimble@syracuse.com)N. Scott Trimble | strimble@syra
Storm could bring up to 9 inches of snow, gusty winds to Central NY (PS; Moss)
A winter storm could bring up to nine inches of snow and gusty winds to Central New York beginning Wednesday, weather forecasters say.
Four to nine inches of snow is possible in Onondaga, Madison, southern Oneida and Cortland counties, according to a winter storm watch released Tuesday afternoon by the National Weather Service. Winds could gust as high as 45 mph.
More than seven inches of snow is possible in Oswego, Jefferson and Lewis counties, the weather service said.
The storm is expected to reach the region Wednesday afternoon and last through late Thursday night.
The Syracuse area got its first bout of snow this week after a powerful lake-effect storm struck Western New York and the North Country over the weekend. About three inches fell at Syracuse Hancock International Airport.
With controversy behind it, Stewart’s to open in Marcellus (PS; Doran)
Just five months after getting its site plans approved by the village, Stewart’s Shops is set to open in Marcellus.
The new convenience store/gas station is on the site of the former Nojaim’s Brothers at 27 E. Main St. (Route 175) in the village.
The shop is set to open Wednesday morning, Stewart’s officials said.
“We want to continue the sense of community that Nojaim’s brought to the village,‘’ said Robin Cooper, speaking for Stewart’s.
At first, the proposal to replace Nojaim’s with Stewart’s faced opposition. When Nojaim announced he was closing the community staple after 40 years in May, local officials were upset.
At first, they blocked the sale (and Nojaim’s retirement plans) by placing a six-month moratorium on land-use approvals in the village. That would have delayed any plans Nojaim had to sell to Stewart’s.
But residents pushed back, and that prompted the village to elect a new mayor, who ran as a write-in candidate.
The 4,300-square-foot shop will sell an expanded variety of groceries and three gas islands with a total of six pumps.
The model is one used in areas where small independent grocery stores have closed, such as Frankfort in Herkimer County, Indian Lake in Hamilton County and Port Henry in Essex County, Stewart’s said.
Stewart’s officials had told the village after demolishing the former Nojaim’s, it would take about 10 weeks to construct the store and gas pumps. The plan has been to open the store by winter, and that goal was reached, Cooper said.
The Saratoga Springs-based Stewart’s operates 357 shops across New York and Vermont.
