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SAN DIEGO — As Kyle McCord discussed his future, Fran Brown looked to the sky and prayed. It is now well documented that McCord is no longer eligible to play. An initial waiver to purchase a fifth year was rejected. He is now appealing against the verdict.

As McCord pondered his future, Brown put his hands together, closed his eyes and looked up, mouthing “Please God” several times.

Brown knows an extra year means more success for McCord. Now he just has to wait. But if this was McCord’s final college game, it was a brilliant exit.

McCord’s 453 passing yards and five touchdowns led Syracuse (10-3, 5-3 Atlantic Coast) past Washington State (8-5, 0-1 Pac-12) 52-35 in the Holiday Bowl. Entering the game, McCord was already setting program passing records.

His performance against the Cougars gave the gunslinger the ACC record for passing yards (4,779) and completions (391), surpassing Deshaun Watson’s 2016 numbers in two fewer games. The victory and McCord’s play capped a historic season.

“To sit here now and have this record, it’s crazy to see it come full circle,” McCord said after the game.

The signal-caller’s time in Syracuse was short. It started with a conversation with Brown in his home at Ohio State. The quarterback was made a scapegoat and essentially forced out after a mediocre year that ended with a point loss to the eventual national champions.

There, in his living room in Columbus, McCord found a home in Syracuse. Brown told McCord exactly how the season would go. With all the trust placed in him, the signal-caller became the clear leader of a new era.

The big flashes were seen throughout the 2024 season. Barring one major hiccup, every victory has been on McCord’s golden arm. The success continued on Friday at Snapdragon Stadium.

SU’s quarterback started 0-for-3 with the pressure wearing him out. On the next ride he quickly found his pace. And finding Trebor Peña — his leading receiver all season — was his comfort zone.

A 29-yard catch by Darrell Gill Jr. – who finished with a team-leading 145 receiving yards – got the Orange rolling. Then McCord dropped back and delivered a beautiful back-shoulder ball to Peña to the left pylon for six points.

Such connections don’t happen overnight. Thirteen games into the season, McCord’s bond with his receivers proved deadly.

“At that point, there had been so many repetitions of it that I knew exactly what Peña was thinking. Whenever you get a press man (coverage), I want (Peña) to take that matchup and give them a chance to go up there and get it,” McCord said.

Syracuse quarterback Kyle McCord totaled 453 passing yards and five touchdowns in the Holiday Bowl. The passing yardage mark is the most ever by an SU quarterback in a bowl game. Leonardo Eriman | Asst. Video editor

After his first touchdown pass, McCord brought Jackson Meeks and LeQuint Allen Jr. into the game. Then it was Oronde Gadsden II. The tight end burst through the goal line and gained a lead to tie the game at 21-21.

Gadsden was one of the longest-tenured players at SU. He made the plan clear to Brown when deciding whether to stay with the Orange.

“If you get a quarterback, I’m here. If you don’t do it, I’m out,” Brown said Gadsden told him.

Brown got him a quarterback and the rest is history. But taking over a team for a season is no easy task. Still, Brown said McCord found his feet quickly.

On the first day in the weight room, McCord was one of the last competitors in a last man standing push-up battle. Everyone stopped, but McCord kept going.

“From that moment on I knew, ‘Oh, this guy is tough,'” Brown said. “Everyone else knew it was tough, and I knew it was up to me to just push and make sure everyone knew who Kyle was and what he stood for.”

The same relentless attitude was evident against the Cougars. McCord completed nine passes in a row on two drives. The first was capped off with a touchdown to the left corner for Gadsden.

Regardless of the goal, McCord picked apart the WSU secondary. Things continued as Syracuse pulled away. A screen pass to Peña, aided by an exceptional block from Meeks, went 45 yards and extended SU’s lead to 42-28.

Minutes before the end of the game, McCord still had a touchdown to go. He trusted Allen and beat the running back on a screen as a free rusher approached him. Allen caught the ball at Washington State’s 45-yard line and galloped untouched into the end zone. Count them on one hand. That’s five for McCord, the most in his career.

McCord’s 2024 season ended on a high note. He is revered by alumni, admired by teammates and recruits, and loved by fans. Most notable, however, is the love of his head coach.

“That’s my guy,” Brown said, looking at McCord. “I love this guy. I really love him, I care about him and he’s really a genuine guy.”

“No matter who goes in and plays, we always say as long as we have (McCord) in the house, he’s going to get the ball to the guys,” Brown added.

What began in a living room in Columbus may have ended in San Diego. The Orange prepared for an exit by bringing in LSU transfer Rickie Collins Jr.

But now everyone is playing the waiting game. A voluntary return to Syracuse? Or a move to the next level after the NCAA’s decision? McCord’s future was delayed as he prepared for the Holiday Bowl and the NCAA entered a holiday break. Now, after another magical night for the quarterback, his fate will soon be decided.

“I really haven’t thought much about it,” McCord said of his future. “I kind of focused on the ball game. Now that we have some time off and I get the extra year, we’ll see. It would definitely be a difficult decision to make either way.”

Published December 28, 2024 at 3:11 am

Contact Aiden at: (email protected) | @AidenStepansky