Syracuse Sun

Syracuse University's head football coach, Fran Brown, has been named the Paul “Bear” Bryant Award Newcomer Coach of the Year. Brown's leadership during his inaugural season resulted in a historic performance for the team.

Under Brown's guidance, Syracuse achieved its first 10-win season since 2018 and only its third double-digit win season since 2000. The team notably defeated three AP Top-25 teams, marking a significant achievement for the university since 1998. All nine victories came against teams that participated in bowl games this season, tying with Texas for the national lead in wins over bowl-eligible opponents. Additionally, Syracuse went undefeated against teams ranked in the final College Football Playoff rankings.

The team's success was further highlighted by having a record 12 players earn All-ACC honors in 2024. This achievement is notable as it occurred during a year when the conference expanded to include 17 teams. Quarterback Kyle McCord stood out by finishing in the top-10 of Heisman Trophy voting—the first Syracuse player to do so since Dwight Freeney in 2001—after setting new records for passing yards and other key statistics.

Tight end Oronde Gadsden II received AP All-America honors and was part of an impressive receiving group that included Trebor Pena, Jackson Meeks, and LeQuint Allen Jr., each achieving over 60 catches. Meeks surpassed 1,000 receiving yards for the season while Allen was one of two players nationally to exceed both 1,000 rushing yards and 500 receiving yards.

On defense, ten different players recorded interceptions throughout the season. Freshman Maraad Watson earned recognition as a Freshman All-American by 247Sports. Fadil Diggs, Justin Barron, and Marlowe Wax also received All-ACC honors.

Season tickets for Syracuse's upcoming 2025 season are currently available at Cuse.com/Tickets.