In 2023, as Ohio State's starting quarterback, McCord had 3,170 passing yards, 24 touchdowns and 6 interceptions. He led the Buckeyes to an 11-1 record, falling to Michigan 30-24 in the final game of the regular season.

Kyle McCord passed for 381 yards and four touchdowns, two each to Trebor Pena and Oronde Gadsden II, and Syracuse held on to knock off newly ranked No. 23 Georgia Tech.

It helped that Syracuse returned one of the best hybrid tight end/receivers in the country in Oronde Gadsden II, who came back to the Orange in large part because of McCord. Trebor Pena also returned from a hamstring injury that limited him to one game last season, and Syracuse signed Zeed Haynes and Jackson Meeks from the transfer portal.