Syracuse football record-setting QB Kyle McCord will play in Holiday Bowl - heck yeah

Syracuse football fans will get to watch record-setting senior quarterback Kyle McCord in the Orange's upcoming bowl game.

On Wednesday, anchor and reporter Megan Coleman asked McCord during a local Salvation Army charitable event if he was going to suit up in the Holiday Bowl later this month, and the 'Cuse signal-caller responded several times with, "I’m playing."

Heck. Yeah.

Syracuse football first-year head coach Fran Brown, recently, seemed to indicate that he thought McCord and other key players on the Orange's 2024 roster would play in the Holiday Bowl, saying in part, "We don't opt out around here. We play football."

We'll have to see if other star players for the 'Cuse also compete in the post-season, although it's not unusual for some college football players to opt out of their respective bowl games, and the transfer portal also opened for business a few days ago.

Syracuse football senior quarterback Kyle McCord will play in the Orange's bowl game later this month.

Led by McCord, a four-star transfer from Ohio State and a former five-star prep recruit, the 'Cuse finished the 2024 regular season at 9-3 overall. In the latest College Football Playoff top-25 rankings, Syracuse football is No. 21.

The Orange, bowling for the third straight year, will battle Pac-12 Conference member Washington State (8-4 overall) at the Holiday Bowl on December 27 in San Diego, as the 'Cuse seeks its first 10-win season since 2018.

In the 2024 term, the Orange defeated three ranked teams, including then-No. 6 Miami by a final count of 42-38 in the largest-ever comeback for the 'Cuse during the regular-season finale on November 30 at the JMA Wireless Dome.

So far this season, the 6-foot-3, 220-pound McCord, a native of Mount Laurel, N.J., has completed 65.8 percent of his passes for 4,326 yards and 29 touchdowns against 12 interceptions. Earlier this month, McCord was named to the All-ACC second team.

As I noted in another recent column, he's set numerous single-season Orange program records, and McCord is also among the national and Atlantic Coast Conference leaders in a variety of passing categories.

It's proven a special 2024 stanza for Kyle, Coach Brown, and the entire Syracuse football family. I'm delighted that McCord will take the field against Washington State in late December, because it gives 'Cuse Nation another chance to watch this talented signal-caller lead our beloved program.