Syracuse Football: In latest ACC quarterback rankings, Kyle McCord outside top five

Last Friday night in Central New York, Syracuse football senior quarterback Kyle McCord didn't have his best game, as the Orange lost in heart-breaking fashion to fellow Atlantic Coast Conference school Stanford on a last-second field goal.

Still, the 6-foot-3, 220-pound McCord, a four-star transfer from Ohio State, has tallied a solid first three contests of his 'Cuse career, with Syracuse football residing at 2-1 so far in the 2024 season.

As the Orange prepares to host Holy Cross this Saturday afternoon at the JMA Wireless Dome, the native of Mount Laurel, N.J., is No. 2 within the ACC in passing yards per affair, at 358.0. In that same category, McCord is also No. 3 around the country heading into week five.

For the entire 2024 campaign to date, McCord is completing 67.7 percent of his passes for 1,074 yards and 10 touchdowns, against just three interceptions. He also has one rushing score.

Where Syracuse football senior Kyle McCord sits in ACC quarterback rankings.

Ahead of week five, 247Sports national writer Grant Hughes has published his quarterback rankings for the ACC. McCord currently checks in at No. 7 (the ACC has 17 members in college football).

Here's what Hughes wrote regarding the Syracuse football signal-caller: "McCord has thrown for at least 300 yards in each of his first three games in a Syracuse jersey. He is one of four quarterbacks with at least 1,000 passing yards and 10+ passing touchdowns and one of two to accomplish that feat in three games. The Ohio State transfer threw eight touchdowns against one interception in Syracuse's first two games but regressed and tossed two scores against two picks in the Orange's loss to Stanford in Week 4."

Cam Ward of Miami, one of the leading contenders for the Heisman Trophy at this juncture in the 2024 season, is No. 1 in Hughes' ACC quarterback rankings. No surprise there. Others ahead of McCord, in order, are Eli Holstein of Pittsburgh, Cade Klubnik of Clemson, Thomas Castellanos of Boston College, Haynes King of Georgia Tech, and Tyler Shough of Louisville.

Based on some media reports this week, McCord took the loss to Stanford pretty hard. He's holding himself accountable, which I totally respect, although if I'm being honest, McCord wasn't the only reason that Syracuse football fell to the Cardinal.

Yes, McCord had two interceptions, including a pick-six, but the Orange's rushing attack versus Stanford wasn't good at all, the Cardinal produced 173 yards on the ground, and the 'Cuse has to clean things up in the penalty department.

We're all bummed about Syracuse football falling at home to Stanford, but there are plenty of games left on the Orange's 2024 calendar. And McCord, to date, looks like the real deal, even if his performance against the Cardinal didn't have the same amount of sizzle as his first two games this season.