Syracuse coach Fran Brown wants to send a “bottle of champagne” to Ryan Day for Ohio State transfer Kyle McCord

Players switching schools and revitalizing their careers is a familiar story. The latest example is former Ohio State quarterback Kyle McCord, who now shines as the starting quarterback for Syracuse. His transfer decision paid off handsomely as he led the Orange to a 38-22 victory over the Ohio Bobcats in the season opener at JMA Wireless Dome on Saturday.

This win also marked a huge milestone for Syracuse coach Fran Brown, who secured his first win since taking over the role. During the postgame press conference, Brown expressed his gratitude toward Ohio State coach Ryan Day for McCord’s transfer decision.

“Kyle’s a good football player,” Brown said. “I should send Ryan Day a bottle of champagne for allowing us to get him. It’s pretty cool.”

Despite an 11-1 record as a starter at Ohio State, McCord sought a program where he could be the undisputed leader. Syracuse offered that opportunity, and the signal-caller wasted no time in proving his worth.

In his debut for the Orange, Kyle McCord threw for an impressive 354 passing yards, four touchdowns and one interception.

“That’s one of the perks of playing a lot of football,” McCord said postgame (via Daily Orange). “You’re not always gonna have a picture-perfect start. Obviously would’ve liked to start and drive down the field and score, but when that’s not the case, I think you just have to have trust in your preparation.”

Ohio State quickly filled the quarterback vacancy with Kansas State transfer Will Howard, who looked phenomenal in his own debut for the No. 2-ranked Buckeyes. He led the program to a massive 52-6 victory over Akron on Saturday and ensured that OSU didn’t miss a beat without Kyle McCord.

Kyle McCord shares his heartfelt message to Fran Brown

Fran Brown, in just under a year as Syracuse coach, has transformed the program with remarkable results. His inaugural recruiting classes for 2024 and 2025 are shaping up to be the best the school has seen in two decades.

Kyle McCord committed to Syracuse just two weeks after Brown's arrival and spoke highly of the coach's influence.

“I told him that I loved him and I appreciated him for what he’s done for me this past eight months, and that it was finally time,” McCord said postgame (via Daily Orange). “A lot of preparation was put into this game but at a certain point, you just have to put the ball down and go play.”

Despite his departure from Ohio State, McCord remains appreciative of his time there and is now focused on his new role.

“I think just the biggest thing I’ve been focusing on is the biggest thing is winning and the product that you put on the field," Kyle McCord told On3. "That’s kind of the message to the team."

Syracuse is preparing for its upcoming game against Georgia Tech, and the team is set to benefit from a favorable schedule with seven home matchups out of its 12-game regular season.