Syracuse head football coach Fran Brown (center) is the Paul “Bear” Bryant Award Newcomer Coach of the Year.
Syracuse head football coach Fran Brown is the Paul “Bear” Bryant Award Newcomer Coach of the Year after his historic first season at the helm of the program.
Brown led the Orange to its first 10-win campaign since 2018 and just third double-digit win season since 2000. In the process, Syracuse defeated three AP Top-25 teams at the time of their meeting, which was the most in a single season for the University since 1998.
All nine of ’Cuse’s victories came against teams that reached a bowl game this season, including eight in the regular season, which tied Texas for the national lead of most wins over bowl-eligible opponents. Brown’s squad also went 2-0 vs. teams ranked in the final College Football Playoff rankings.
The Orange saw a program-best 12 players earn All-ACC honors in 2024, despite the league now having 17 teams for the first time in conference history. Players shined under Brown’s tutelage, including Quarterback Kyle McCord, who became the first Syracuse player to finish in the top-10 of Heisman Trophy voting since Dwight Freeney in 2001 after his record-breaking campaign. McCord set a new ACC record for passing yards and school bests for completions, yards, touchdown passes and total offense.
Tight end Oronde Gadsden II earned AP All-America honors, while being part of a receiving corps that was the only school in the country to have four players with 60-plus catches. Trebor Pena, Jackson Meeks, Gadsden and LeQuint Allen Jr. all accomplished the feat. Meeks went over 1,000 yards on the season, while Allen was one of two players nationally to have over 1,000 rushing yards and 500 receiving yards. He led the nation in receptions by a running back.
Defensively, 10 different players came away with an interception on the season, freshman Maraad Watson was named a Freshman All-American by 247Sports, and Fadil Diggs, Justin Barron and Marlowe Wax earned All-ACC honors.
Season Tickets for the 2025 season are on sale now at Cuse.com/Tickets. Now is the time to renew your seats or become a new season ticket holder, as the Orange are coming off one of their best seasons in school history.
