In the aftermath of Ohio State’s inexplicable 13-10 loss to archrival Michigan, former quarterback Kyle McCord didn’t hold back when asked about his former team’s struggles.
“Everything comes full circle,” McCord remarked during a press conference, eliciting laughter from teammates and the assembled media.
McCord’s comments came on the heels of a stellar performance for Syracuse, where he transferred after Ohio State decided to move in a different direction following the 2023 season.
In Syracuse’s upset win over Miami, McCord shined, completing 26 of 36 passes for 380 yards and three touchdowns.
His remarkable season totals – 4,326 passing yards, 29 touchdowns, and a 65.8% completion rate – underscore his impact in leading the Orange to a 9-3 record.
The Buckeyes, meanwhile, brought in Will Howard from Kansas State as McCord’s replacement.
Despite Howard’s overall solid season, his critical mistakes against Michigan were ultra-costly.
The highly anticipated showdown ended with Ohio State falling short for the fourth consecutive year against their bitter rivals.
In Columbus, where every season is judged by “The Game,” this loss stung deeply.
As a matter of fact, you could make the strong argument that what happened on Saturday was the single most shocking result in the history of the entire series.
Howard’s performance sparked some of the trepidation that accompanied his arrival in Columbus.
Despite steady play throughout the year, the stakes of “The Game” proved daunting, raising questions about his ability to lead the Buckeyes in the postseason.
Ohio State fans now look to the College Football Playoff for a shot at redemption.
The program can still accomplish their ultimate goal, but there’s no rectifying what happened on Saturday against Michigan.
The McCord-Howard saga underscores the shifting dynamics in college football’s transfer portal era.
McCord, who faced criticism during his short time in Columbus, has silenced doubters with his success at Syracuse, while Howard, despite showing promise, has a whole lot of work to do as the postseason nears.
While McCord undoubtedly took joy in his “double-win” on Saturday, the other big winner from Syracuse’s upset victory over Miami was the Clemson Tigers.
Thanks to the Orange defeating the Hurricanes, Clemson clinched a spot in the ACC Championship Game – meaning they now have a chance to punch their ticket to the playoffs with a win against SMU.
“Hey Dabo Swinney, congrats, I got you in, baby,” Syracuse head coach Fran Brown said after the victory.
Despite their rivalry loss to South Carolina, Swinney’s Tigers were awarded a second life thanks to McCord, Brown and the Orange.
“That (the call) was wild. Put that in my memoir one day. That was a first. He was hilarious on the FaceTime call,” Swinney said of the phone call he had with Brown.
Getting back to Ohio State, what are your thoughts on McCord taking a shot at Ryan Day and the Buckeyes?
Do you think Day wished he still had McCord instead of Howard???
