What’s the food of choice for football players? Prime rib.

The entirety of the Syracuse Orange football team patronized Smokey Joe’s on August 30 for a pre-game day late lunch.

“At first I thought it was a prank,” Joe Godin, restaurant owner said.

The site of three busloads of suited football players with a state police escort proved otherwise. In between bites of caesar salad and chips, players put down their forks and picked up a sharpie to sign the ball now displayed by the register.

Everyone on the Smokey Joe’s staff was excited and “wanted to be in on this.” Locals driving and walking down Cedar Lane were also excited. “That’s my school,” one woman shouted out from her car after she slowed down to watch the players walk in.

On Aug. 31, the team played Penn State in the Meadowlands for the Kickoff Classic and lost 23-17. Cornerback Rishard Anderson, who is majoring in hospitality and food management, thought his food was “excellent.”

He, along with all the other players, were very proud of each other and constantly pointed out “legends” after sharing what those players could do on the field.

“We give people the energy to go out and do what they need to do,” Godin said about feeding the team. “I was honored to be asked to feed them. I think it speaks highly of the quality of food we make and that is it not only a restaurant for kosher guests.”

On the kosher front, one player asked for a glass of milk with dessert and one requested ice cream, neither of which were options, but overall everyone was extremely satisfied with their meal.

By Aliza Chasan