Source: Syracuse quarterback Kyle McCord fighting to be eligible to play in 2025

Syracuse, N.Y. — Syracuse quarterback Kyle McCord is fighting for an additional year of eligibility from the NCAA to play in the 2025 season.

McCord filed a waiver to the NCAA that would grant him an extra year but was denied. He is now challenging the NCAA’s decision through an appeals process, a source familiar with the case told syracuse.com.

McCord’s case centers around his time at Ohio State, the source said.

The source spoke on the condition of anonymity because it was not authorized to speak about the case publicly.

The appeal is playing out at a complicated time for the football program, one where it is still trying to recruit transfer quarterbacks to join the team next season.

Even if McCord’s appeal goes through, the 22-year-old quarterback could still choose to enter the NFL draft.

McCord, who smashed school records this season, has said little about the subject. He smirked and said he “could not confirm or deny” the possibility that he was seeking a waiver or looking to return to Syracuse for a fifth season during a recent livestream broadcast on CuseSportsTalk.com.

The school has shielded McCord from answering questions in recent days. He was not among the players the school selected to speak with reporters on Friday, a rarity this season for the team’s highest-profile player.

Syracuse head coach Fran Brown did not address McCord’s future during an NIL fundraiser earlier this week where he announced tight end Oronde Gadsden II would be leaving for the NFL and wide receiver Trebor Pena would be coming back as a team captain.

Earlier in the week, Brown offered what might be a telling response when asked whether McCord would play in the team’s bowl game.

“Until the NCAA says Kyle can’t play football anymore and then he’ll stop playing college football and go play at the next level,” Brown said. “Whenever there is a football game he’ll be there. If we call a game in two hours and say we’re about to have a game, Kyle will probably be the first one there.”

The NCAA referred questions on McCord to Syracuse.

Spokespeople for both the school’s football program and the university would not say whether the school had pursued a waiver that would allow the quarterback to play next season.

Ohio State did not respond to a request for comment about whether it had been approached to support a waiver for McCord.

Under the NCAA’s traditional rules, the record-setting quarterback would be out of eligibility following this season.

In football, athletes are permitted five years to play four full seasons of football. The NCAA considers a full season to be more than four regular-season games.

McCord played five games his first year at Ohio State and seven games in his second. He played a full season last year at Ohio State. He also played a full season at Syracuse this year.

The NCAA allows athletes to play more than five years of football in some circumstances, traditionally when an injury, family or mental health issue has cut short at least one season. It also gave athletes who competed during the coronavirus pandemic an extra year of eligibility.

McCord is not known to have suffered any injuries, family or mental health issues that would qualify him for a hardship waiver.

During his five-game freshman year, McCord played sparingly behind Ohio State star quarterback CJ Stroud. McCord started the Buckeyes' third game of the year against Akron and then came on in reserve of Stroud over the next three weeks to reach the NCAA’s four-game threshold that would allow him to redshirt.

McCord sat out the next three games, and Ohio State did not use a backup quarterback in any of them.

McCord then took the field late for Ohio State during a 56-7 win over Michigan State on Nov. 20. He threw eight passes and completed four.

McCord was one of three quarterbacks to throw passes that season for Ohio State. The third quarterback, Jack Miller III, was suspended on Nov. 5. He was reinstated to the team on Nov. 18, just two days before the Buckeyes took the field against the Spartans.

McCord played in 19 games over his sophomore and junior seasons at Ohio State.

He played sparingly behind Stroud before becoming the Buckeyes’ full-time starter last year, leading the team to an 11-1 record, the only blemish being a narrow loss to the school’s most-hated rival in the last game of the regular season.

McCord left Ohio State after the loss to Michigan and was committed to play at Syracuse before the Buckeyes ended their season with a loss to Missouri in the Cotton Bowl.

At Syracuse, McCord instantly became Brown’s prized recruit in a haul of new additions.

McCord led the country in passing yards and set Syracuse single-season records in yards (4,326), completions (367) and touchdown passes (29) heading into next week’s Holiday Bowl against Washington State.

He threw for 300 or more yards in 11 of 12 games, including 380 yards and three touchdowns in a thrilling, 42-38 victory against then-No. 6 Miami (Fla.) in the team’s final home game of the season on Nov. 30.

McCord’s potential return would be a game-changer for the Orange as it looks to build on Brown’s first season.

Brown and the Orange are seeking just the football program’s third 10-win season this century when it faces the Cougars on Dec. 27 in the Holiday Bowl.

Syracuse is scheduled to open the 2025 season against SEC power Tennessee in Atlanta.

That’s the beginning of a 12-game slate that also includes games against Notre Dame, Clemson, Miami (Fla.), Southern Methodist, Georgia Tech, North Carolina, Duke, Pittsburgh and Boston College, Connecticut and Colgate.