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It didn't take Syracuse first-year coach Fran Brown long to figure out the key matchup for Saturday afternoon's Atlantic Coast Conference game visiting Miami. "Syracuse has a really good quarterback," Brown said of Kyle McCord, "and Miami has a really good quarterback (Cam Ward)." With a win on Saturday, the No. 6 Hurricanes (10-1, 6-1 ACC) can clinch a berth in the league championship game against SMU. Miami is a 10 1/2-point favorite for Saturday's game. Syracuse (8-3, 4-3) has reached eight wins for just the fourth time since 2002, going 8-5 in 2010 and 2012 and 10-3 in 2018. However, the Orange haven't defeated a Top-10 team since knocking off Clemson in 2017. Miami leads the nation in scoring (44.7), and the Hurricanes will count on perfect passing conditions in Syracuse's dome. That could be huge for Ward, who leads the nation with 34 touchdown passes, ranking second in passing yards (3,774) and fourth in passing efficiency. Ward's top target is wide receiver Xavier Restrepo, who needs just 21 yards to reach 1,000 for the second straight season. Restrepo also ranks tied for seventh in the nation with 10 TD receptions. Ward has some other top targets, including 6-foot-4, 245-pound tight end Elijah Arroyo, who is a walking mismatch because of his size and speed. He leads Miami with 18.5 yards per reception. Hurricanes wide receivers Isaiah Horton and Jacolby George have combined for 12 TD passes, and Sam Brown has added two more. Each of them has more than 500 receiving yards this season. Miami's running game features battering ram Damien Martinez (739 yards, 5.5 average, eight TDs); versatile Mark Fletcher Jr. (499 yards, 5.7 average, six TDs); and game-breaking freshman Jordan Lyle (361 yards, 8.6 average, four TDs). Defensively, Miami's big-play man is safety Mishael Powell, who ranks second in the ACC with five interceptions. "He's all about winning," Miami coach Mario Cristobal said of Powell. "He's a smart, self-starting team player." On special teams, Miami kicker Andres Borregales ranks second in the ACC with 97 points. He is 52-for-52 on extra points and 15-for-16 on field goals. Meanwhile, McCord ranks No. 1 in the nation in passing yards (3,946) and tied for seventh in TD passes (26). McCord, a transfer from Ohio State, has also set Syracuse's single-season record for passing yards. In last week's 31-24 win over Connecticut, McCord passed for a career-high 470 yards. However, McCord is just 46th in the nation in passing efficiency, due in part to his high total of interceptions (12). Syracuse also has three of the top six pass-catchers in the ACC in terms of yards: tight end Oronde Gadsden II (810) and wide receivers Jackson Meeks (801) and Trebor Pena (743). Gadsden, who is from the greater Miami area, has had three straight 100-yard games. He is the son of former Miami Dolphins wide receiver Oronde Gadsden. Syracuse's run game is led by LeQuint Allen, who has rushed for 819 yards, a 4.3 average and 12 TDs. The issue for Syracuse could be its defense, which ranks 13th in the ACC in points allowed (27.8). Miami's defense is fourth (22.3). Even so, Syracuse coach Brown said he's excited about this matchup. "I heard Miami is going to come deep," Brown said of Miami fans. "It's going to be intense in the stands. It's going to be intense on the field. I think this is a game everyone wants to see." --Field Level Media
NoneIt's the holiday shopping season, which likely means more use of your credit card. And with each swipe, a transaction fee follows. The fee is often paid by the retailer and may be passed onto the customer. A group of lawmakers are taking aim at lowering the rate of those transaction fees. Retailers currently pay around 2-3% on every transaction, totaling $224 billion in 2023, according to industry analysts CMSPI . Visa and Mastercard, two payment networks that dominate the market, argue the fees pay for a valued service for quick and secure transactions. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Dick Durbin, a Democrat from Illinois, says it's a problem that permeates every business accepting cards. "Visa and Mastercard don't bargain their charge on every single bill. They dictate how much they're going to charge," Durbin said. Durbin, who is pushing the Credit Card Competition Act, is advocating for more competition in the credit card market to help businesses play a hand in negotiating fees. "When you reduce the cost for retailers, whether they're restaurants or shops, they end up passing it along, and reduce prices for customers," Durbin said. But payment groups argue that there are already many payment options available that drive competition. "There's cash, check, Venmo, Zelle, credit card, debit card, the list goes on and on," Richard Hunt of the Electronic Payment Coalition said. "Millions of Americans use their credit card many times throughout the day. It is safe and it is secure and is very valuable to make ends meet." Hunt says the costs pay for services, protecting businesses and customers alike from fraud and stolen information. He says taking away the service could jeopardize not only private information but also take away benefits that customers rely on, like reward points or cash back. "[Customers] use that money to pay for groceries and gasoline prices and to buy gifts during the holidays. This move by Congress would jeopardize those reward points," Hunt said. But Sen. Durbin believes that increased competition will not harm rewards programs, which he says are a key factor in attracting customers to apply for credit cards in the first place. Earlier this year, Visa and Mastercard settled a lawsuit over the fees, resulting in lower costs over the next few years and allowing smaller merchants to collectively bargain for better rates. During a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing last week, both Republicans and Democrats questioned Visa and Mastercard's profit margins, which hover around 50 percent and are fueled in part by fees. Lawmakers argued that such high profit margins should not exist amid record-high credit card debt. Representatives for Visa and Mastercard defended the fees, stating they provide security from fraud, drive innovative payment technologies, and offer lifelines for customers, especially those who are low-income, relying on points and benefits. Sen. Durbin admits the bill is unlikely to pass in the current lame-duck session of Congress but notes there has been bipartisan interest in the proposal.The Cavaliers gained a season-low 173 yards while averaging a paltry 2.6 yards per play. They have one more chance to secure a bowl berth when they visit rival Virginia Tech next Saturday. 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