Syracuse, N.Y. -- Syracuse quarterback Kyle McCord set a new single-season ACC passing yards record on Friday, moving past Clemson’s Deshaun Watson for first place during the Orange’s Holiday Bowl matchup with Washington State.
McCord broke the previous mark on a 50-yard pass to Darrell Gill Jr. with 10 minutes remaining in the third quarter. It was his first completion of the second half. It passed Watson’s previous mark by a single yard, although McCord went on to increase the margin.
McCord entered the Orange’s bowl game in fifth place on the ACC’s all-time list with 4,326 passing yards this season, trailing three NFL quarterbacks and Virginia’s Brennan Armstrong.
He entered Friday’s game needing 268 yards to pass Watson for first place on the all-time list when the game began. Watson threw for 4,593 yards while playing 15 games and leading the Tigers to a national title in 2016. That ranks 43rd in NCAA FBS history.
Along his way to the ACC mark on Friday, McCord also passed Boston College’s Matt Ryan (4.507 yards), North Carolina State’s Phillip Rivers (4,491) and Armstrong (4,449).
McCord already owns the major Syracuse single-season passing marks, topping the list for passing yards, completions and touchdown passes.
The NCAA leader in single-season passing yards is Western Kentucky’s Bailey Zappe (5,967 yards). The most in a single-season by a Power-Four program is Texas Tech’s B.J. Symons, who ranks second and threw for 5,833 yards in 2003 while playing a Big XII schedule.
McCord threw for 218 yards in the first half and helped the Orange offense score 35 points before halftime. That left him needing 50 yards to break the record entering the second half. The Orange led 35-21 when McCord hit Gill to break the record.
Syracuse is currently appealing an NCAA decision as part of an effort that could allow McCord to play a fifth season of college football next year if he chooses. Even if the NCAA does rule in SU’s favor, McCord would still have to chose to return to SU rather than enter the NFL Draft.
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