It's Game Night for the Orange in the Dome
8/31/2007 10:03:42 AM | Football
The Orange football team kicks off 2007 tonight in the Carrier Dome against Washington in the College Colors Day Classic. The festivities begin at 6:00 p.m. on the University Quad with the Orange Quad Walk. After the team has made its way to the Carrier Dome, fans can enjoy performances by the Syracuse University Marching Band, Mini-Kiss and Diver Down and register for '44 Giveaways'. Winners in the '44 Giveaways' contest will be drawn throughout the Syracuse-Washington game in the Dome. Prizes include a chance to kick a field goal for $10,000, as well as a 60" flat screen television, a billiard table, a Playstation 3, a PSP, an XBox 360, a 52" Portable basketball system, a Marble service bar, a family computer, and much more.
The game, which begins at 8 p.m., will be televised on ESPN and broadcasted by the flagship station for the Syracuse ISP Sports Network, TK-99.5 FM. Fans can also hear the broadcast on Orange All-Access and on Sirus Satellite Radio. Live stats will be available on suathletics.com.
On the field, two of the winningest programs in Division I college football history will face off. The Orange enters the contest 13th in all-time victories with 668 triumphs. The Huskies are tied with Georgia Tech for 18th on the list with 648 victories.
On the field, two of the winningest programs in Division I college football history will face off. The Orange enters the contest 13th in all-time victories with 668 triumphs. The Huskies are tied with Georgia Tech for 18th on the list with 648 victories.
Cheer on the Orange in the Quad
Pre-game activities begin Friday at 6 p.m. with the Orange Quad Walk, featuring the 2007 squad making its way from the team bus across the Quad to the Carrier Dome. The Syracuse University Marching Band Drum Line performs in front of Hendricks Chapel following the Quad Walk and the entire band performs in the Marching Band Pep Rally to gets fans geared up for kickoff. The "Almost Fest", presented by TK99, will include performances by tribute bands Mini-Kiss (6:20 pm to 6:50 pm) and Diver Down (7:15 pm to 7:45 pm). In addition to the musical entertainment, there will be children's games and food and non-alcoholic beverages available for purchase. Coolers and/or alcoholic beverages are not permitted on the Quad.
Honorary Captain Coach MacPherson
Former Syracuse coach Dick MacPherson will serve as the honorary captain and will address the team, participate in the Quad Walk and accompany the 2007 Orange captains, Jameel McClain and Taj Smith, for the pre-game coin toss. MacPherson led the Orange from 1981-90 and compiled 66-46-4 (.586) record. In 1987, he guided Syracuse to the last undefeated season in school history. The Orange went 11-0-1, earned a berth in the Sugar Bowl, and finished No. 4 in the final AP and UPI polls. Following the campaign, MacPherson was named the National Coach of the Year by several publications. He currently serves as an analyst for football on the SU Radio Network on pre- and post-game shows.
Ernie Davis Statue
A life-size statue of legendary running back Ernie Davis will be unveiled during an on-field presentation during half time. The statue stands 6’ 2” tall and will weigh about 500 pounds prior to its bronzing. It depicts Davis, known as “The Elmira Express”, standing in his Syracuse uniform holding a helmet under his left arm and a football in his right hand. Following its debut in the Dome, the bust will be moved to a permanent location on the University’s campus.
College Colors Day Classic
College Colors Day, which coincides with both “back to school” and the kick-off of intercollegiate athletics, including football, seeks to celebrate and promote the traditions and spirit that make the college traditions great by encouraging fans, alumni and students to wear apparel of their favorite college throughout the day of Friday, August 31, 2007.
College Colors Day strives to promote higher education in the United States through increased public awareness and celebrates the achievements of colleges and universities in the United States, acknowledging their critical and fundamental importance to the United States.
The annual College Colors Day celebration is organized by The Collegiate Licensing Company (CLC) and its Consortium of colleges and universities. For more information about CLC, please visit, www.clc.com
College Colors Day Classic
College Colors Day, which coincides with both “back to school” and the kick-off of intercollegiate athletics, including football, seeks to celebrate and promote the traditions and spirit that make the college traditions great by encouraging fans, alumni and students to wear apparel of their favorite college throughout the day of Friday, August 31, 2007.
College Colors Day strives to promote higher education in the United States through increased public awareness and celebrates the achievements of colleges and universities in the United States, acknowledging their critical and fundamental importance to the United States.
The annual College Colors Day celebration is organized by The Collegiate Licensing Company (CLC) and its Consortium of colleges and universities. For more information about CLC, please visit, www.clc.com
Syracuse in Season Openers
This will be the second time in the last seven years that the Orange will open a campaign in the friendly confines of the Carrier Dome. SU began the season on the road for four straight years from 2001-04 (2001 Kickoff Classic at the Meadowlands vs. Georgia Tech; 2002 at Brigham Young; 2003 at North Carolina; 2004 at Purdue) and also started 2006 on the road (at Wake Forest). The Orange’s only other home season starter in that span was in 2005 against West Virginia, Greg Robinson’s Orange coaching debut. Syracuse is 76-36-4 all-time in season openers, 65-15-4 at home in those openers and 11-21 on the road. From 1900-42, the Orange posted a record of 41-0-2 in season openers, all of which were home games. SU opened the season at home every year from 1900-55. During the 55 straight home openers the team went 48-5-2. No season opener was played in 1943 as the season was suspended due to the war.
Syracuse – Washington Series
This marks the third meeting between Syracuse and Washington and the first pairing to be contested in the Carrier Dome.
The Huskies won the first meeting between the two clubs in 1973 at Husky Stadium, 21-7. Washington led 21-0 before Robert Sutton scored for the Orange on a 1-yard run the fourth quarter to produce the final score.
In the 1977 meeting in Archbold Stadium, kicker Dave Jacobs booted three field goals, including the 31-yard game-winner with 23 seconds remaining. James Sessler put Syracuse on the scoreboard first with a 1-yard touchdown run. After Jacobs first field goal, a 36-yarder, Washington quarterback and Pro Football Hall of Famer Warren Moon threw touchdown passes of 25 and 51 yards to Spider Gaines. Moon had 257 passing yards in the game. The Orange scored nine points in the third quarter to take a 19-14 lead on Jacobs’ 27-yard field goal and Larry Newman’s touchdown on a recovered a blocked punt in the endzone.
A Winning Tradition in the Dome
The Carrier Dome is one of the most recognizable stadiums in college athletics and it celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2005. Since its opening in 1980 the building has been home to SU’s football and men’s basketball teams. The Orange men’s and women’s lacrosse teams and the women’s basketball team also play its home contests in the facility. Syracuse posted home wins against Miami (OH), Wyoming and Connecticut in 2006 to finish with a record of 3-3 in the Dome. It was the 25th time the Orange finished at least .500 at home since it the building opened.
• Syracuse’s football record in the Dome is 107-52-2 since it opened in 1980.
• The Orange has posted three undefeated seasons at the Carrier Dome (1987, 1988, 2001). SU went 6-0 at the Loud House in each of those years.
• SU won a school-record 16 straight Dome encounters from Oct. 4, 1986 when it beat Missouri, 41-9, to Oct. 7, 1989 when it lost to Florida State, 41-10. It’s the team’s longest winning streak.
• SU’s 100th Carrier Dome victory came against Cincinnati on Sept. 18, 2004.
• The largest crowd in Dome history showed up for the opening of the building on Sept. 20, 1980. A crowd of 50,564 watched SU defeat Miami (OH), 36-24.
• SU has posted a winning record in 25 of the building’s 27 seasons.
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