RALEIGH, N.C. — Syracuse (3-8, 1-6 Atlantic Coast) was officially eliminated from bowl contention after a 42-29 loss to North Carolina State (7-4, 3-4) on Saturday. It was the Orange’s eighth consecutive loss and fifth road game of five allowing 40 or more points.

Here’s whose stock is rising and whose is falling with one regular season game remaining on Syracuse’s slate.

Stock up

George McDonald, N.C. State wide receivers coach

 The former Syracuse offensive coordinator was demoted to wide receivers coach five games into last season. He now coaches the wideouts at N.C. State and got the last laugh after yesterday’s game.

First, his wide receivers posted 235 yards and two touchdowns on Syracuse. Nine different players caught passes. Then, McDonald issued this tweet after the game, his first in three months.

pic.twitter.com/K5OnEBf1r0

— George McDonald (@CoachGMcDonald) November 21, 2015

The reference, stemming from the 1995 movie “Friday” with Ice Cube, essentially means McDonald believes Syracuse is irrelevant.

Jordan Fredericks, freshman running back

If there’s a lone bright spot in Syracuse’s eight-game slide, it might be the freshman running back. His 75-yard touchdown run to start the second half brought the Orange within five and gave him four rushing touchdowns on the year.

Last season, SU’s running backs combined for a total of two scores on the ground.

Fredericks exited last weekend’s game against Clemson with an upper-body injury and Scott Shafer said he had a sling on his arm. In his place, junior George Morris had a career day. But a week later, it was the freshman handling the bulk of the carries again and logging 86 yards on the ground as a result.

Stock down

Scott Shafer, Syracuse head coach

For a coach who’s won six out of his last 23 games, he hasn’t done himself any favors in the last two weeks.

An unsportsmanlike conduct penalty down seven against Clemson was the first slip-up. Late in the fourth quarter against the Wolfpack was the second, as Shafer was flagged for the same penalty after losing his cool when Steve Ishmael was ejected.

He’s taken the blame for both, but they’re certainly not good looks for a coach who constantly preaches to control the controllables.

Brisly Estime, junior wide receiver

Syracuse’s starting wide receiver and most dynamic special teams threat will miss the first half of next weekend’s game against Boston College for his “fighting” ejection on Saturday.

N.C. State’s Juston Burris seemed to instigate the scuffle, but Estime’s retaliation got him tossed in the fourth quarter.

The junior didn’t touch the ball on offense Saturday, but returned three kickoffs for an average of just under 25 yards.

Published on November 22, 2015 at 1:27 pm

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