Luck of the draw. Former Ohio State quarterback Kyle McCord, who transferred to Syracuse ahead of this past season, has witnessed his original squad make it all the way through the College Football Playoff bracket and into the National Championship for a Martin Luther King Jr. Day matchup with Notre Dame in Atlanta.
Now, if you talked to McCord, he wouldn’t be bothered by this at all. Syracuse had a historic season, and McCord individually had the opportunity to take the reins under first-year head coach Fran Brown, leading the program to new heights.
That effort paid off because SU notched just its third 10-win season since 1992.
Who knows if McCord had a national championship appearance in mind for the Buckeyes this season, but that’s exactly where the Scarlet and Grey have ended up.
This all comes after a pivotal moment in Ohio State’s season when head coach Ryan Day and company were embarrassed by Michigan in Columbus, 13-10. Many thought that loss would derail the Buckeyes’ championship hopes. However, Ohio State defied the odds and proved the nation wrong, winning out with College Football Playoff victories over Tennessee, Oregon, and Texas.
So, without McCord in Columbus, who stepped into his role this season? Senior QB Will Howard has answered the call for Coach Day and offensive coordinator Chip Kelly. He’s thrown for over 285 yards in each of the last three games during Ohio State’s brilliant offensive resurgence.
Despite Ohio State’s recent success, Syracuse has plenty to be proud of with its remarkable season and a bright future ahead, regardless of who plays quarterback for the Orange next year.
College football fans can catch the National Championship next Monday, January 20 when Ohio State takes on Notre Dame in Atlanta.
