Kyle McCord shining for Syracuse early in 2024 season
Syracuse football's new quarterback, Kyle McCord, is on pace for a record breaking season with the Orange.
Syracuse quarterback Kyle McCord delivered a career-best performance on Saturday, leading the Orange to a thrilling 31-28 victory over #23 ranked Georgia Tech. McCord's arm was the driving force behind the upset, as he threw for a career-high 381 yards, surpassing his previous record of 354 yards set in Syracuse's season opener against Ohio. He also tied his personal best with four touchdown passes, continuing his impressive start to the season. This week, McCord's four touchdowns rank second most in the ACC, just behind Clemson's Cade Klubnik, and his 381 passing yards are also second in the conference, trailing only Wake Forest's Hank Bachmeier.
McCord currently ranks third in the nation in passing yards (735) and first in the nation in passing touchdowns (8). He is on pace to throw for over 4,400 yards this season, which would shatter the single season school record (Ryan Nassib, 2012, 3,749).
McCord showed impressive accuracy, completing 32 of 46 passes (70%) while connecting with multiple receivers throughout the game. His connection with playmakers like Trebor Pena and Oronde Gadsden II was on full display, as he threw three first-half touchdowns—including two to Pena—and added a fourth in the fourth quarter to Gadsden to cement Syracuse's lead. The Orange were up by 17 midway through the fourth quarter, but Georgia Tech mounted a late comeback that ultimately fell short.
Beyond his passing stats, McCord showed signs of improvement in an area many have been eager to see: his mobility. While not yet known for his dual-threat capabilities, McCord showed flashes of growth with his legs. In the third quarter, with 10:30 remaining, he scrambled for a critical first down, a notable improvement from a similar attempt in last week's game against Ohio that came up short. Though he finished the game with just 10 rushing yards on three attempts, McCord's comfort in moving outside the pocket and extending plays was evident, adding a new dimension to his game.
Head coach Fran Brown expressed pride in McCord's development, especially his growing willingness to use his legs when the moment calls for it.
"The 16-yard scramble on third and three meant a lot to our program," Brown said during the postgame press conference. "Like I'm always telling Kyle in practice when he'll run inside, I'm cussing at him and chasing him, saying, 'You should be running, you're afraid to run.' I want to see the Little League kid, not this college guy you think I want. I want the Little League football player. So when he did that [ran for the first down], it did something to the program. I don't know if you noticed, but everybody went crazy because we know he can do that. But you can't spike the ball! We got lucky; that should have been a flag. But it meant a lot for him to do that."
Syracuse's offense looked dominant for most of the game, thanks in large part to McCord's leadership and poise in the pocket. His ability to spread the ball and keep Georgia Tech's defense on its heels was critical in the team's success. While McCord's mobility is still a work in progress, his ability to make smart decisions in high-pressure moments showcased his growth as a quarterback this season already.
As the Orange celebrate this marquee win, they have a week to rest before taking on Stanford in their first night game of the season on September 20th in the Dome. Stanford, coming off a commanding 41-7 win over Cal Poly, will also have the benefit of a bye week, making for what promises to be an electric matchup in front of the home crowd.
For McCord, the focus will remain on continued improvement, both through the air and on the ground, as he looks to build on his impressive numbers and continue what's shaping up to be a standout season for Syracuse. While he's on pace for Heisman-level stats, even a slight slowdown would still set McCord up for an exceptional year.
