Kyle McCord spills the beans on how Syracuse lured the star QB to switch from Big Ten powerhouse to ACC: "We’re a QB away"

Star quarterback Kyle McCord was focused on finding a program where he could thrive during his transfer process. In the third week of December, he announced his commitment to the Syracuse Orange in an interview with ESPN.

Recently, McCord revealed how Syracuse enticed him to make the move from Big Ten juggernaut Ohio State to the Atlantic Coast Conference.

The Orange assured McCord, a third-team All-Big Ten selection this season, that he would have a relatively unchallenging upcoming schedule. The crux of their pitch was that Syracuse was just one step away from being a formidable contender in the ACC.

Ohio State finished 11-2 after losing its final two games (30-24 to now-No. 1 Michigan in the regular season finale and 14-3, without McCord, to No. 9 Missouri in the Cotton Bowl). Syracuse went 6-7, losing 45-0 to South Florida in the Boca Raton Bowl. The Orange have had just two winning seasons since 2013.

"They said that with the guys they’re going to bring in and some of the guys they’re bringing back, we’re going to be able to make a serious run at it,” McCord said on "The QB Room" podcast.

After reviewing the schedule, McCord concurred with their evaluation and sees a significant opportunity for the next season with the Orange.

“Their recruiting pitch was, ‘Listen, we’re a quarterback away from being a serious contender in the ACC this year,’" McCord said. "I looked at the schedule, and I saw it and I think it’s true. There’s definitely an opportunity for us to go out and win some games.”

Syracuse Orange’s 2024 football schedule is packed with exciting games

Kyle McCord believes the Orange could be a 2024 ACC contender.

• Syracuse will play the Ohio Bobcats on Aug. 31, the Army Black Knights on Sept. 21 and the Holy Cross Crusaders on Sept. 28.
• The Orange are also scheduled to face the UConn Huskies, but the location is yet to be determined.
• The schedule features games against the Miami Hurricanes, Stanford Cardinal and Virginia Tech Hokies. However, the dates for these games are yet to be announced.
• Syracuse will also take on the Boston College Eagles, California Golden Bears, N.C. State Wolfpack and the Pittsburgh Panthers on the road.

Kyle McCord's words, leaving Ohio State was a “business decision"

Kyle McCord

Last month, McCord’s decision to enter the portal after starting all 12 games for the Ohio State Buckeyes in the 2023 regular season came as a surprise to many.

McCord described his decision to leave Ohio State as a “business decision.” On “The QB Room,” he discussed his decision to transfer to Syracuse.

“You guys know it just as well as I do, at the end of the day, the top level of college football and then especially onto the pros, it’s a business,” he said. “At the end of the day, Ohio State had to make a business decision that they felt was best for them, and I had to do the same thing.

“And unfortunately, it just wasn’t meant to be for next year. But at the end of the day, I felt like I put together some solid games, had some good tape, so I was confident when I went in the portal, I would find a good home.”

Throughout the 2023 regular season with the Buckeyes, McCord demonstrated his prowess as a quarterback by throwing for 24 touchdowns and accumulating 3,170 yards with a 65.8% pass completion rate. However, he also had six interceptions.

Last month, The Columbus Dispatch reported that Ohio State wanted McCord to return for his senior season, but did not guarantee him the starting quarterback position in 2024.