Syracuse Football Bowl Game Preview vs Washington State, Will Kyle McCord Opt-out for NFL Draft Preparation

Syracuse Football will participate in its third straight bowl game , this time against Washington State on December 27th in San Diego. 

The season was full of highs and lows for the Orange, but after upsetting 13th ranked Miami at the Dome Thanksgiving weekend, the Orange finished the season 9-3. The win propelled them into the College Playoff Top 25 Rankings for the first time this season, placing them at 21. 

It was long overdue for Syracuse to be ranked. Every week the Orange would receive some votes, but whenever the team got close enough to sneaking in, they blew it. The losses to Pittsburg and Stanford midway through the season set the team significantly back. Stanford finished the season with only three wins. Against Pittsburgh Kyle McCord threw five interceptions, three of them being pick-sixes. It is safe to say McCord took those losses personally.

He would go on to lead the NCAA in passing yards, with 4,326. No Syracuse quarterback has ever thrown for more than 4,000 yards. McCord’s Wide Receivers' Jackson Meeks, Trebor Pena, and Oronde Gadsden all finished top five in the ACC in receiving yards.

McCord says coming to Syracuse was the best decision he ever made, and Syracuse student and football recruiting intern Max Dorsey couldn’t agree more. 

“When you talk about Kyle, the play on the field is exceptional, he's the nation's leading passer. I think it starts at the top with Fran but obviously Kyle elevated the play of the team overall,” says Dorsey. 

The concern now for Syracuse fans heading into the Bowl game is whether McCord is going to play or not. Since the season began his NFL draft stock has only gone up. He went from being a projected undrafted free agent to a potential second or third round pick. 

In an interview on Dan Lebatard’s podcast,  McCord expressed his uncertainty about playing in the bowl game.

“ I haven’t quite made a decision,” McCord told Lebatard. “ I know a lot of guys are still on the fence. Gotta see where we play and all that. I think it’s a lifelong dream to get ready for the NFL draft, but it’s a grind so I’m just trying to enjoy my last month in college, my last few weeks with the guys then move on and get ready for that.”

Syracuse coach Fran Brown made his stance on the situation very clear, saying

“we don’t opt out around here.” 

Coach Brown has a lot on the line. If McCord doesn’t suit up against Washington State, and Syracuse loses, Brown won’t be able to shower until next season. If you didn’t know already, Brown doesn't shower after losses so it will be interesting to see if keeps his word.