In his Syracuse debut, quarterback Kyle McCord came just a holding penalty short of achieving one of the top 10 passing performances in the program’s history.
McCord, who transferred from Ohio State, made an immediate impact by completing 27 of 39 passes for 354 yards and four touchdowns.
His only interception was essentially a strategic deep pass on a 3rd-and-long that pinned Ohio deep in their own territory.
Despite leading Ohio State to 11 wins as their starting quarterback last season, McCord found himself out of favor with head coach Ryan Day after the Buckeyes fell short against their rival, Michigan.
Reflecting on McCord’s arrival in Syracuse, Orange head coach Fran Brown expressed his gratitude, saying, “Kyle’s a good football player. I should send Ryan Day a bottle of champagne for allowing us to get him. It’s pretty cool.”
McCord’s debut would have been one for the Syracuse record books if not for a holding penalty that negated a 44-yard completion to Oronde Gadsden in the fourth quarter.
Had it stood, McCord would have broken into the top 10 for single-game passing yards in Syracuse history, where Ryan Nassib currently holds the record with 482 yards against Northwestern in 2012.
McCord spread the ball effectively, connecting with eight different receivers and showcasing the depth of Syracuse’s offensive weapons.
Two of his primary targets were veterans Oronde Gadsden, who caught seven passes for 108 yards, and Trebor Pena, who snagged six passes for 78 yards.
Both players are returning from injury and proved to be reliable options for McCord, particularly in critical moments like two-minute drills and third-down plays.
The game started with some early struggles for McCord, as Syracuse went three-and-out on its first possession, and two of his first three passes looked like they could have been intercepted.
Coach Brown, however, was unfazed by the slow start.
“I just messed with him,” Brown said. “Like, haha, you went 3-and-out. Just messed around with him because you know what he can do. We have that type of relationship. You’ll be all right. Get them next time. You never worry.”
McCord quickly settled in, displaying poise and command of Syracuse’s new offense under coordinator Jeff Nixon.
His standout moment came just before halftime when he orchestrated a lightning-fast drive, covering the length of the field in just 44 seconds.
McCord completed six of seven passes during the drive, with the lone miss being a well-placed ball to Gadsden that narrowly missed the mark.
He then found Gadsden on the following play, connected with Jackson Meeks, and capped the drive with a 20-yard touchdown pass to Pena.
“That’s one of the perks of playing a lot of football,” McCord said after the game. “You’re not going to always have a picture-perfect start. You have to have trust in your preparation and know it’s a long game … I think we started to get things rolling in the first half.”
McCord and Brown both noted that the successful two-minute drill was something they had practiced extensively in the lead-up to the season.
“That situation is something we’ve practiced a lot, especially in fall camp,” McCord said. “It was take a shot and if we don’t get it, we’re probably kicking a field goal.
“They started out in a two-high shell. I’m reading the corner. I’m not sure who the outside receiver was but he ran a good route, bought the corner. It’s a tight catch-and-throw but it’s something we’ve gotten a lot of reps at.”
McCord’s decision to enter the transfer portal following last season surprised many initially.
While there were reports of friction between Day and McCord, his body of work was more than solid, and it looked – at least to the outside world – that the Buckeyes had their quarterback set in place.
While McCord looked ultra-sharp on Saturday, Day and the Buckeyes seem pleased with how everything turned out.
With veteran quarterback Will Howard now at the helm in Columbus, many view Ohio State as the favorites to win the national title. (Although Georgia may have something to say about that.)
It may be irrelevant now, but in the big picture, do you think the Buckeyes would have been better off with McCord under center? … Or is Howard a clear and obvious improvement???
