sutomcat
No recent Cali or Iggy awards; Mr Irrelevant
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Welcome to Boston Tea Party Day!
There were numerous factors that converged to create an environment that was ripe for an event like the Boston Tea Party to take place, which occurred on today's date in 1773. Some of these included the popularity of tea in the colonies, British debt, acts of Parliament that taxed colonists, the Boston Massacre, and the propping up of a British tea company. The Boston Tea Party can be seen as a tipping point that spurred the revolutionary movement forward, which ultimately allowed for the creation of the United States. It is because of its importance to the formation of the country that we mark Boston Tea Party Day.
SU News
https://orangefizz.net/2024/12/what-does-a-holiday-bowl-win-do-for-syracuse/(orangefizz.net; Papillo)
We’ve officially hit the halfway point of December, which means that the postseason for college football is right around the corner. There are still twelve more days until we see Syracuse football square off with Washington State in the DirecTV Holiday Bowl, but there’s a lot at stake for a game like this especially for Fran Brown. Let’s dive into the most important positives that could come with this bowl win for a budding program like SU.
National Exposure
When Fran Brown signed on to headman the Orange just about a year ago, his biggest goal was to bring the program back to its glory days. In a modern age, being nationally relevant doesn’t just mean winning championships on the field and doing things like upsetting a top-10 team in Miami, a lot off the field matters as well. One thing Fran Brown has done this season that many may not realize is bringing eyes to Syracuse. We saw this with the “Winners Get Washed” incident that continues to be referenced on social media. If Syracuse were to pick up the win in the Holiday Bowl, where the winning coach gets doused in eggnog, this year by professional eating icon Joey Chestnut, tell me that video would not go viral again. All press is good press, and this kind of press would show a national audience that Syracuse is a fun program to watch and even be a part of.
Transfer Portal
This is arguably the most important reason for Syracuse needing a bowl victory. If you’ve been living under a rock, Kyle McCord transferred to the Orange from Ohio State and was electric, finishing 10th in Heisman voting. Unfortunately for Fran Brown, he’ll need to replicate that kind of thing next season, as McCord plans to enter the NFL Draft and the backup options for a “win-now” program aren’t great. There have been some big-time names tied to SU so far, such as Texas A&M’s Connor Weigman and Liberty’s Kaidon Salter. A bowl victory out in San Diego and finishing with 10 wins this season could be the tipping point for one of these quarterbacks to want to come to the 315. This is projecting, of course, but winning the Holiday Bowl definitely wouldn’t hurt.
Draft Stock
I don’t know if it was a shock to everyone, but I was pleasantly surprised to see Kyle McCord say he will be playing in this game. Either way, the Holiday Bowl now stands as his last opportunity to raise his NFL draft stock after leading the country in passing yards. The same can be said for some other elite players on SU’s roster who have NFL aspirations, such as tight end Oronde Gadsden and linebacker Marlowe Wax. Either way, McCord having a strong performance is all Syracuse needs to win this game most likely, and having a strong postseason game on the resume might just turn an NFL team’s head come April.
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Alabama transfer plans to visit Syracuse, which looks to be competing with UNC, Bill Belichick (report) (PS; Carlson)
Alabama transfer offensive lineman Miles McVay will visit both Syracuse and North Carolina, according to a report by 247′s Chris Hummer.
McVay was a four-star prospect and ranked the No. 196 recruit in the country in the Class of 2023 when he signed with Alabama out of East St. Louis High School.
McVay redshirted his true freshman season. He played sparingly in all 12 of Alabama’s games last season.
According to Hummer, he will visit Syracuse on Dec. 21, two days after visiting Bill Belichick and North Carolina.
McVay did struggle in his appearances last year according to Pro Football Focus, which gave him a grade of 45.3 over the course of 94 offensive snaps at right and left tackles.
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Syracuse football 2025 class in top 40 nationally and has a strong geographic make-up (itlh; Adler)
Syracuse football, earlier this month, signed 34 commits in its 2025 cycle, the most pledges around the country in the high school senior class.
Orange first-year head coach Fran Brown and his top-flight staff did a tremendous job at the prep level with their 2025 cycle when the early signing period transpired for high school seniors from December 4 to December 6.
Currently, the Orange's 2025 class is in the top 40 nationwide, per both the industry-generated 247Sports Composite and . Couple that with how Brown and his assistants fared with their 2024 cycle, and it's safe to say that recruiting on the Hill is far exceeding what it was in other recent seasons under former head coach Dino Babers.
I mean no disrespect to Coach Babers, because I think he's a wonderful human being. Brown, though, replaced Babers after most recently serving as the defensive backs coach at Southeastern Conference powerhouse Georgia, and the 'Cuse first-year head coach came to Central New York with a reputation as arguably the country's top recruiter.
Now, for some context, the current transfer portal window for college football players opened for business on December 9 and will run through December 28. So we'll have to see how Syracuse football and its peers nationally perform via the portal, as some recruiting Web sites factor in college transfers, too, when calculating their team rankings from cycle to cycle.
As an example, in the 2024 class, the Orange per the 247Sports Web site checked in at No. 24 in the transfer portal, No. 37 at the high school level and No. 36 overall. Given how large the 'Cuse 2025 cycle is among high school seniors, Syracuse football coaches may not end up landing as many pledges from college transfers as they did in 2024.
Either way, however, the Orange's 2025 class looks solid. The vast majority of the squad's 2025 commits, at this juncture, are three stars, although that could shift some, one way or another, as recruiting services provide further updates to their player rankings for this cycle in the future.
Syracuse football's 2025 team rankings and geographic mix.
Here is how the Orange's classes in 2025 and 2024 are rated by some of the main recruiting Web sites when I penned this column. To reiterate, 2025 rankings could ebb and flow:247Sports Composite
2025: No. 38
2024: No. 36
On3 Industry Ranking
2025: No. 45
2024: No. 37
https://syracuse./commitments/football/2025
2025: No. 36
2024: No. 36
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Syracuse Football: Multiple 4-star quarterbacks have been visiting the SU campus (itlh; Adler)
On Saturday, as Syracuse basketball hosted and unfortunately lost to non-conference foe Georgetown at the JMA Wireless Dome, there were reportedly a lot of Syracuse football players and recruits in the house, as well as some 'Cuse coaches.
Based on social media posts and other reports, high school prospects across several recruiting cycles were visiting the Orange program on Saturday, along with some college transfers. I had already noted a couple of these recruiting targets who were expected in Central New York this weekend, but additional posts on social media provided more insights into the extent of the Syracuse football visitor list on Saturday.
One visitor on Saturday, per his Instagram story, was Virginia sophomore quarterback Anthony Colandrea. The four-star transfer prospect, according to a recent report from On3, was eyeing a visit to Syracuse football "sometime next week," but Colandrea's Instagram page confirmed he was on the Hill this weekend.
Also in Central New York has been Liberty redshirt junior quarterback Kaidon Salter, a four-star transfer prospect, according to his Instagram story and X page. Salter is reportedly also going to make a trip early next week to Big 12 Conference school Colorado and its ace recruiter, head coach Deion Sanders.
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Syracuse Football Transfer Portal Defense Targets: AJ Pena & Chris Thomas | Syracuse Orange Podcast (youtube; podcast; Locked on Syracuse)
Syracuse Orange Football is targeting two defensive players in the transfer portal. Fran Brown and his staff is set to host Rhode Island FCS All-American edge rusher A.J. Pena. The Orange have also offered Marshall defensive tackle Chris Thomas Jr. to potentially help out their rush defense. Plus, Kaidon Salter visted Cuse, Penn running back Malachi Hosley will visit, and Georgia cornerback Julian Humphrey has not been offered by Syracuse.
Jackson Holzer discusses a couple of defensive players in the transfer portal that could fit Syracuse on this edition on the Locked On Syracuse Podcast.
0:00- AJ Pena visiting Cuse
11:01- Chris Thomas Offered
18:16- Other Portal News
NEWS: Kyle McCord Finishes TOP-10 in HEISMAN TROPHY Voting | Syracuse Orange Podcast (youtube; podcast; Locked on Syracuse; Premieres at 11 AM EST)
Syracuse Orange Football Quarterback Kyle McCord finished top-10 in Heisman Trophy voting in 2024. McCord set Syracuse single season records in passing yards, touchdowns, and completions. McCord's top finish reestablishes that the Cuse is a solid destination for quarterbacks. Hopefully, Fran Brown can build off the success in the transfer portal and in recruiting.
Jackson Holzer talks about McCord's awesome season on this mini edition of the Locked On Syracuse Podcast.
More Syracuse Football Transfer Portal News | Syracuse Orange Podcast (youtube; podcast; Locked on Syracuse; Preieres at 10 AM EST)
Syracuse Orange Football is targeting two defensive players in the transfer portal. Fran Brown and his staff is set to host Rhode Island FCS All-American edge rusher A.J. Pena. The Orange have also offered Marshall defensive tackle Chris Thomas Jr. to potentially help out their rush defense. Plus, Kaidon Salter visted Cuse, Penn running back Malachi Hosley will visit, and Georgia cornerback Julian Humphrey has not been offered by Syracuse.
Jackson Holzer discusses a couple of defensive players in the transfer portal that could fit Syracuse on this edition on the Locked On Syracuse Podcast.
Former Syracuse QB Tommy DeVito knocked out of Giants’ game against Ravens (PS; AP)
New York Giants quarterback Tommy DeVito sustained a concussion in the first half against the Baltimore Ravens and did not return for the second half.
The Giants announced DeVito was being evaluated for a concussion as the teams left the field for halftime with the Ravens ahead 21-7. He ruled out at the start of the second half.
On the Giants next to last possession, DeVito led a 13-play, 80-yard drive that Devin Singletary capped with a 2-yard run. Late in the drive, Ravens defensive lineman Nnamdi Madubuike was called for a roughing the passer penalty, although it is not certain that was the play on which DeVito was hurt.
Recently signed Tim Boyle took the final snap of the first half — his first with the Giants — and started the second.
DeVito finished 10 of 13 for 68 yards. He was sacked twice.
Boyle, who started his NFL career with the Packers in 2019, is the fourth quarterback to take snaps for the Giants this season. Long-time starter Daniel Jones was released on Nov. 22 after being benched. DeVito started against Tampa Bay and hurt his forearm. Drew Lock started the next two games, but injured a heel last week against New Orleans. DeVito started Sunday before Boyle took over.
DeVito played three seasons at Syracuse University, taking over as Orange quarterback after Eric Dungey. DeVito was eventually replaced by Garrett Shrader and transferred to Illinois for his final college season.
Syracuse Football on Instagram: "Caught ‘em @zaire__ NFL Sunday Ticket #ProOrange "
cusefootball on December 15, 2024: "Caught ‘em @zaire__ NFL Sunday Ticket #ProOrange ".
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ACC News
ACC Football TV Viewership 2024: Who's Top Dog? Sigmas, Alphas, and Betas podcast; The College Football Mafia)
In the world of college football, TV viewership is a crucial indicator of a team's brand and overall impact. We analyzed the ACC conference's 2024 regular season games, categorizing them into three Nielsen-rated tiers: Sigmas (elite viewership), Alphas (average viewership), and Betas (weak viewership).Prepare to be surprised! Some schools you might expect to be in the top tier might not be there, while others have defied expectations. We'll reveal which teams overperformed and underperformed, shedding light on the factors that drive TV viewership beyond just wins and losses.Key Takeaways: TV viewership matters: It's not just about on-field success; exposure on national television builds brands and attracts recruits.
UNC football running back Omarion Hampton makes 2025 NFL Draft decision (fayobserver.com; Baxley)
UNC football’s Omarion Hampton plans to enter the 2025 NFL Draft and will not play in the Tar Heels’ bowl game.
Hampton announced his decision in a social media post Sunday night.
“It has been my dream for as long as I can remember to play in the NFL, and I’m grateful for the opportunities that led me here,” Hampton wrote in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.
In two seasons as a starter for the Tar Heels, Hampton became one of the best running backs in program history. He’s fourth among UNC’s all-time rushing leaders, racking up 3,565 rushing yards in three years.
A two-time All-ACC selection, Hampton finished his junior year as the fourth ACC player in the last 20 years to reach 1,500 rushing yards in back-to-back seasons under former coach Mack Brown.
UNC (6-6) is set to end the 2024 season against UConn (8-4) in the Fenway Bowl on Dec. 28 (11 a.m., ESPN) in Boston before beginning a new era under recently-hired coach Bill Belichick.
Omarion Hampton stats
A Clayton native and star at Cleveland High School before arriving in Chapel Hill, Hampton had 36 rushing touchdowns in three seasons at UNC. He had 100 or more rushing yards in 10 games this season, including a pair of 200-yard performances. Hampton led the ACC with 1,660 rushing yards in 12 games and was second nationally behind Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty. Hampton set a single-season record at UNC with 2,033 all-purpose yards in his final season.
Omarion Hampton 2025 NFL Draft projections
Hampton is projected to be picked late in the first round or early in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft. If he sneaks into the first round, it would give UNC a first-round pick in back-to-back seasons. The 6-feet, 200-pound running back is a work-horse ball carrier with the perfect combination of speed and strength. He consistently displayed a knack for shedding would-be tacklers and showed off his speed with breakaway runs in open space.
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COMMITMENT: Virginia football lands Louisville All-ACC saftey Devin Neal (streakingthelawn.com; Kelleher)
The Virginia Cavaliers football team got better today. Minutes after Tony Elliott and company landed a commitment from former Nebraska quarterback Daniel Kaelin, On3’s Pete Nakos reported that they added a playmaker to their secondary with Devin Neal.
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Neal left the Louisville Cardinals program early in the 2024 season for undisclosed reasons after being the team's second-leading tackler in 2023.
The Lexington, Kentucky native started his college career with the Baylor Bears, where he played for three seasons. A three-star, recruit coming out of high school, Neal is a ballhawk, a sure tackler, and will be an excellent fit for John Rudzinski and his scheme. After losing an impact player like Jonas Sanker in the secondary, Virginia will welcome Neal with open arms to try and fill Sanker’s shoes.
His breakout season came in 2023, when he accounted for 74 total tackles, 47 solo tackles, six pass deflections, and four interceptions – including one against former Virginia quarterback Anthony Colandrea. That season, Neal was a third-team All-ACC selection at safety.
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ACC Program Lands Huge Portal Pickup (theclemsininsider.com; Oliver)
The Louisville football program has reportedly landed a huge transfer portal pickup.
Southern Cal transfer quarterback Miller Moss has committed to the Cardinals, per ESPN’s Pete Thamel.
Moss, who has one year of eligibility left, is the No. 3 QB and No. 10 overall player in ESPN’s transfer portal rankings.
During his four-year career at Southern Cal, Moss completed 65.9 percent of his passes for 3,469 yards and 27 touchdowns with 10 interceptions.
This season, Miller played in nine games and posted a 64.4 percent completion percentage with 2,555 passing yards, 18 touchdown passes and nine picks.
The 6-foot-2, 205-pound redshirt junior holds the record for most touchdown passes thrown in a Holiday Bowl (six), most touchdown passes thrown in a USC bowl game (six) and most touchdown passes thrown by a USC quarterback in his first Trojan start (six).
A former four-star prospect from California, Moss was ranked as high as the No. 39 overall prospect and No. 7 pocket passer QB in the 2021 class by ESPN.
Clemson is scheduled to play at Louisville next season.
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ACC football picks and predictions for the college football bowl schedule (usatoday.com; Haley)
When everything gets added up after the college football regular season, it’s hard not to feel like the ACC had a successful year as a whole.
The conference managed to send two teams to the expanded College Football Playoff, including first-year member SMU after an undefeated run through ACC play. That was, until the Clemson Tigers made a last-second field goal to snatch the conference crown (and automatic playoff berth) from the Mustangs at the buzzer. Oh, and Miami quarterback Cam Ward went to New York as a finalist for the Heisman Trophy.
Five different ACC teams ended up with a 9-3 record or better, including the Duke Blue Devils thanks to four different fourth-quarter comebacks, and 13 of the 17 teams in the conference qualified for a bowl game with six wins. Here are our picks and predictions for every one of those programs that reached the college football postseason.
Art of Sport LA Bowl: California Golden Bears vs UNLV Rebels
The Golden Bears came within four or five field goals of winning 10 games, but the Rebels only lost three times in 2024 and two of those came against Boise State. UNLV quarterback Hajj-Malik Williams has 1,845 passing yards, 736 rushing yards, and 26 total touchdowns in his 10 games at the helm, and the Rebels keep rolling here.UNLV 34, California 27
GameAbove Sports Bowl: Pittsburgh Panthers vs Toledo Rockets
The Panthers have lost their last five games after a 7-0 start, but they’re heavily favored against the 7-5 Rockets. Redshirt freshman quarterback Eli Holstein will have plenty of recovery time before this battle, and if he plays, Pittsburgh’s losing streak should come to an end.Pittsburgh 31, Toledo 17
Birmingham Bowl: Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets vs Vanderbilt Commodores
The Yellow Jackets came within a 2-point conversion of beating Miami, the Florida State Seminoles, and Georgia Bulldogs in a single season, and quarterback Haynes King’s injury luck potentially held them back from contending for the conference. Yes, the Commodores also beat the Alabama Crimson Tide, but Georgia Tech plays such a reliable and steady brand of football.Georgia Tech 31, Vanderbilt 28
DirecTV Holiday Bowl: Syracuse Orange vs Washington State Cougars
Rich Barnes-Imagn Images
The Orange and the Blue Devils mirrored each other quite a bit in 2024, another program that won nine games under a first-year head coach. Kyle McCord finished 10th in the Heisman Trophy voting after throwing for 4,326 yards and 29 touchdowns, and the season-ending upset of Miami will carry momentum through the postseason.
Syracuse 38, Washington State 30
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Natural OOC Rivals (RX; HM)
Natural OOC Rivals
Light reading for a Saturday...Just a random post about out of conference rivalries today...
For many ACC schools, their primary rival is a conference mate. If that's true for your favorite team, great! However, most teams also have a natural non-conference rival, even if they don't play them every year.
For example, the Miami Hurricanes have a strong rivalry with Florida State, but they also have a natural rivalry with the Florida Gators. The Noles play the Gators annually, but the Canes don't. That doesn't mean they wouldn't like to play them more often.
Here's my "best guess" list of the #1 non-conference rival for each ACC school:
| ACC school | #1 OOC Rival |
| Boston College | Notre Dame |
| Cal | UCLA |
| Clemson | S Carolina |
| Duke | Maryland |
| Florida State | Florida |
| Georgia Tech | Georgia |
| Louisville | Kentucky |
| Miami | Florida |
| N. Carolina | S Carolina |
| NC State | S Carolina |
| Notre Dame | USC |
| Pitt | Penn State |
| SMU | TCU |
| Stanford | USC |
| Syracuse | Penn State |
| Virginia | Maryland |
| Virginia Tech | W Virginia |
| Wake Forest | Vanderbilt |
Note that I include Notre Dame as both an ACC school and a football non-conference rival. They have a complicated relationship!
Geography plays a big part in these rivalries, but it isn't the only factor, or even the biggest one. Sometimes your #1 rival is the school most similar to your own in terms of things like public vs private, secular vs religious, etc. Former conference affiliations also play a part for teams like South Carolina and Maryland. USC, UCLA, and TCU all fall into that category as well.
You'll notice that certain teams pop up as the #1 rival of more than one ACC school. We already mentioned Florida has two ACC rivals. Lots of ACC programs would love to play South Carolina regularly. Penn State has its rivals in the Northeast, while the USC Trojans draw the ire of both Notre Dame and Stanford fans.
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Random Thoughts for 2024 Dec 15 (RX; HM)
Random Thoughts for 2024 Dec 15
For those who think predictive stats should be used to determine which teams are in the College Football Playoffs, I give yet another example of why you're wrong: Army 13, Navy 31(Army was a 6.5-point favorite). Add that to NIU/Notre Dame, Kentucky/Ole Miss, Alabama/Vanderbilt, Arkansas/Tennessee, Georgia Tech/Miami, Alabama/Oklahoma, and Ohio State/Michigan. Then tell me how we shouldn't give playoff slots to teams outside the "P2" because "they'll get crushed" - really?
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From AP: Two-way star Travis Hunter of Colorado has won the Heisman Trophy.
Jack of all trades, master of none (Hunter didn't lead in any statistic I'm aware of except minutes played). Is that what counts as outstanding these days?
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Marshall withdraws from Independence Bowl matchup against Army
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Head Coach Carousel as of 2024 Dec 15 (RX; HM)
Head Coach Carousel as of 2024 Dec 15
From CBS Sports' College football coaching carousel tracker, here are the ACC-related
| College football coaching carousel | |||
| Team | In | Out | Grade |
| UNC | Bill Belichick | Mack Brown | A |
| The biggest hire of the cycle. Not since Deion Sanders landed at Colorado two years ago has a hire transcended sports, but Bill Belichick might just be bigger because of his incredible career. You know the resume (six Super Bowl rings), but the question will be whether his plan can translate to college football. The sport is evolving into a semi-pro model, and with front offices now the norm, Belichick has an opportunity to land elite talent immediately with his drawing power, a $20 million NIL war chest and a staff of NFL personnel. Will it work? He certainly has the support. | |||
| Purdue | Barry Odom (UNLV coach) | Ryan Walters | A |
| WVU | Rich Rodriguez | Neal Brown | A- |
| UCF | Scott Frost | Gus Malzahn (resigned) | C- |
| App State | Dowell Loggains (S Carolina oc) | B- | |
| FIU | Willie Simmons (Duke RBs coach) | B | |
| ECU | Blake Harrell (ECU DC) | B | |
| Fresno | Matt Entz (USC LBs coach) | A | |
| S. Miss | Charles Huff (Marshall coach) | A | |
| Utah St | Bronco Mendenhall (New Mexico coach) | Blake Anderson (cause) | A |
| Tulane | Tre Lamb (ETSU) | Kevin Wilson | B+ |
| Charlotte | Tim Albin (Ohio coach) | Biff Poggi | A |
| Rice | Scott Abell (Davidson coach) | Mike Bloomgren | B+ |
| Temple | K.C. Keeler (Sam Houston St) | Stan Drayton | A |
| C.Mich | (tbd) | Jim McElwain (retired) | |
| Sam Houston | (tbd) | K.C. Keeler | |
| UMass | Joe Harasymiak (Rutgers DC) | Don Brown | B+ |
| Ball St | Mike Uremovich (Butler coach) | Mike Neu | B+ |
| Kennesaw St | Jerry Mack (Jacksonville Jaguars rbs coach) | Brian Bohannon | B- |
| FAU | Zach Kittley (Texas Tech OC) | Tom Herman | A |
| UNLV | Dan Mullen (ESPN) | Barry Odom (Purdue) | B- |
| Marshall | Tony Gibson (NC State DC) | Charles Huff (Southern Miss) | B |
| Ohio U | (tbd) | Tim Albin (Charlotte) | |
| Notable retentions, extensions | |||
| Team | Coach | Status | |
| Oklahoma St | Mike Gundy | Retained | |
| BYU | Kalani Sitake | Extended | |
| Arkansas | Sam Pittman | Retained | |
| Florida | Billy Napier | Retained | |
| Baylor | Dave Aranda | Retained | |
| SMU | Rhett Lashlee | Extended |
1 reason to watch all 11 non-Playoff ACC bowl games (saturdaydownsouth.com; Friedlander)
The great thing about college football’s expanded 12-team Playoff is that it will finally give us a true national championship. The only downside is that it has made the rest of the bowl lineup even more irrelevant than it was under the old 4-team format.
It feels like only a matter of time before most if not all non-Playoff postseason go the way of the leather helmet and dropkick, and are relegated to the history books.
That would be a shame.
Because even with all the opt-outs and nothing really at stake, there’s still something special about spending the week between Christmas and New Year’s parked in front of the television watching wall-to-wall football.
With that in mind, here’s 1 good reason to tune in and care about each of those “other” 11 bowl games involving ACC teams:
LA Bowl: Cal vs. UNLV – Why are the Bears favored?
When: 9 pm, Wednesday, Dec. 18Cal finished the regular season 6-6, tied for 14th in the ACC. UNLV went 10-3, is ranked 24th and came within a win against Boise State in the Mountain West Championship Game from being in the College Football Playoff. The Rebels are averaging 10 points a game more than the Bears and Cal’s quarterback Fernando Mendoza has entered the transfer portal. So why is Cal a 1.5-point favorite, according to ESPNBet ? Maybe it’s because UNLV will be without coach Barry Odom, who has moved on to Purdue. Maybe it’s because the Bears are among the nation’s leaders with 22 takeaways. Or because the Rebels lost to the only ACC team they faced this season, Syracuse. The only certainty is that with Rob Gronkowski hosting the game, at least the show promises to be entertaining. Whether the game itself is or not.
GameAbove Sports Bowl: Pitt vs. Toledo – Someone is going to have a happy ending
When: 2 pm, Thursday, Dec. 26Both teams started strong. The Panthers were 7-0 and ranked 18th in the first Playoff rankings. The Rockets put a 41-17 beatdown on Mississippi State in Starkvegas and were on the verge of a MAC Championship Game berth. Both teams, however, stumbled to the finish line. Pitt comes into the postseason on a 5-game losing streak. Toledo cost itself a title shot by losing its last 2. So something’s got to give. The Panthers’ chances of leaving on a high note will likely depend on the availability of quarterback Eli Holstein and running back Desmond Reid, both of whom were injured in the regular season finale against Boston College.
Birmingham Bowl: Georgia Tech vs. Vanderbilt – The Haynes King-Diego Pavia Show
When: 3:30 pm, Friday, Dec. 27
Georgia Tech and Vanderbilt might not move the needle of national attention. But because of their dynamic dual-threat quarterbacks, their battle in Birmingham promises to be one of the better, more entertaining non-Playoff matchups of the bowl season. Even with an injured throwing arm, King engineered an upset of Miami and pushed Georgia to the brink in an epic 8-overtime struggle. Pavia is a human highlight reel whose running and passing almost singlehandedly took down Alabama in a victory that went a long way to keeping the Crimson Tide out of the Playoff.
Holiday Bowl: No. 21 Syracuse vs. Washington State – A fully-loaded Orange
When: 8 p,. Friday, Dec. 27Opt-outs might be the norm in college football this time of year. Not at Syracuse, though. Asked about the availability of his top players for the Holiday Bowl, coach Fran Brown answered defiantly that “We don’t opt out around here. We play football.” That means the team that averaged 34 points per game, won 9 times and knocked Miami out of the Playoff will be virtually intact for its game against Washington State. Including Kyle McCord, the ACC’s leading passer, who has already acknowledged his intention to play
Fenway Bowl: North Carolina vs. UConn – Maybe they’ll play basketball
When: 11 am, Saturday, Dec. 28Forget those Saturday morning cartoons. It will be worth waking up early to check out a postseason college football game played in a storied baseball stadium involving 2 teams better known for basketball. One of which just hired the most successful coach in NFL history, who by coincidence, earned his 6 Super Bowl rings with a team from New England.
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Other
At the 2004 Winterfest in downtown Syracuse, Anthony Sharpe (left) helps Brittany Wood after a carriage ride on South Salina Street. David Lassman
Aaron Lewis, Mark Zane and Downtown Winter Market: 15 things to do this week in CNY (PS; $; Sneha KC)
Central New York is buzzing with winter activities this week.
On Monday, grab some art supplies to donate and head to The Secret Santa Show! The week starts off a bit slow so occupy yourself at the Everson Museum’s A Paper Trail discussion on Wednesday or Mojo’s Cocktail Hour on Thursday.
Friday kicks off the weekend with multiple musical performances including Mark Zane and David Nail. Saturday has a more diverse agenda with The Warped Tour Band Tribute, Ms. Pat’s comedy performance, and multiple winter markets.
And there’s no need to keep yourself from a party, even on Sundays. Head to the 443 Social Club for their Nachos and Blancos Holiday Party to end off the week.
MONDAY
Stay Fresh Artist Series: The Secret Santa Show
The Stay Fresh Artist Series continues its Secret Santa Show on Monday, in partnership with TAPS The Arts Project Syracuse. Thirty local artists secretly created portraits of each other in their chosen artistic style or medium. The portraits include paintings, sketches, video, tufted art and even a chocolate sculpture.Where: 108 Wyoming St., Syracuse.
When: Monday, Dec. 16 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
How much: Free. Guests must donate art or music supplies to attend.
WEDNESDAY
A Paper Trail: The Evolution of Syracuse’s Newspapers
Explore the history of Syracuse’s newspapers at Everson Museum’s A Paper Trail discussion, tracing the city’s journalistic legacy from 1816 to present. Local artist and former journalist Tim Atseff and curator Robert Searing will host the event and highlight key figures like Vivus Smith and S.I. Newhouse. The conversation will dive into these local pioneers shaped journalism and Syracuse’s role in the media landscape.Where: 401 Harrison St., Syracuse.
When: Wednesday, Dec. 18 at 6 p.m.
How much: Free with museum admission.
THURSDAY
Mojo’s Cocktail Hour
Get into the holiday spirit with Mojo’s Cocktail Hour at Salt City Market, a festive cooking class hosted by Chef Joe of Mojo’s. Over an hour and 45 minutes, participants will make four different vegan holiday snacks and treats while sipping on mocktails. Chef Joe will guide you through the entire process. Guests are encouraged to rock a holiday sweater but regardless, you’re sure to leave with new cooking skills and great snacks.Where: 484 S. Salina St., Syracuse.
When: Thursday, Dec. 19 at 6 p.m.
How much: $45 at the door.
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Building at old Lafayette Hills country club burns down in fire (PS; Stuckey)
An outbuilding at the old LaFayette Hills Golf & Country Club burned to the ground in the town of Onondaga Thursday.
At 3:52 p.m., the Southwood Fire Department responded to the fire at 4480 LaFayette Road, according to dispatches from the Onondaga County 911 Center.
Before arriving, firefighters said they could see flames coming from the building. By the time they arrived at the scene, the building had already partially collapsed, Southwood Deputy Fire Chief Thomas Bouvia said.
The roof was gone within minutes, and firefighters knew the building couldn’t be saved, Bouvia said. Initially, they sent firefighters to the basement, but the conditions became too dangerous.
Firefighters continued fighting the fire from outside and pushed the remainder of the building in because it was collapsing, Bouvia said.
Firefighters remained at the scene for a couple of hours to extinguish the fire because they had trouble getting enough water. They had to use tankers to bring water to the top of a hill.
Bouvia said county workers came to salt the hill for firefighters because it was covered in ice and hard to get the equipment to the outbuilding. It was 27 degrees, with a 13-degree wind chill at the time the call came in.
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