2016 'Cuse Football Schedule Announced

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Six home games, including first-year head coach Dino Babers' Carrier Dome debut against Colgate and former BIG EAST nemesis Virginia Tech's first visit to Central New York in more than a decade, highlight the 2016 Syracuse University football schedule released Tuesday, Jan. 26 by the Atlantic Coast Conference.

New 2016 football season tickets are on sale now online and at the Carrier Dome Box Office (1-888-DOMETIX). Fans can place a $75 deposit for new season tickets and will be eligible to select their location(s) prior to season tickets going on sale to the general public. Current season ticket holders will receive their renewal information next week.

Babers begins his inaugural campaign at the helm of the Orange with three straight home games. Syracuse opens the year by renewing its local rivalry with Colgate either Thursday, Friday or Saturday of Labor Day weekend. ACC play begins the following week when SU hosts Louisville on Friday, Sept. 9 in a bout that will be nationally-televised on one of the ESPN networks. A non-league clash with USF on Sept. 17 caps the homestand, while a road date at Connecticut (Sept. 24) rounds out the team's September slate.

Syracuse begins the month of October by concluding the non-conference portion of its schedule against Notre Dame (Oct. 1) in the 2016 New York's College Classic at Metlife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. Following the Notre Dame matchup, SU returns to ACC action at Wake Forest (Oct. 8) and welcomes Coastal Division foe Virginia Tech to the Dome on Oct. 15. The home date with the Hokies marks the first game between Syracuse and Virginia Tech since 2003 when both were members of the BIG EAST Conference. It's also Virginia Tech's first trip to the Dome since the Orange toppled the eighth-ranked Hokies 50-42 in triple overtime in 2002.

After the renewal of the Orange-Virginia Tech series, Syracuse pays visits to Boston College (Oct. 22) and 2015 national runner-up Clemson (Nov. 5). The Orange returns home to face NC State on Nov. 12 and concludes its home schedule the following week against Florida State (Nov. 19).

The regular-season finale is scheduled for Sept. 26 at Pittsburgh, the 72nd meeting in a series that dates back to 1916.

Syracuse's 12 opponents combined for a 93-64 (.592) record in 2015. Nine of the Orange's 11 FBS foes played in a bowl game, while Colgate advanced to the FCS quarterfinals. Four opponents – Notre Dame (892), Virginia Tech (719), Pittsburgh (704) and Clemson (703) – all have more than 700 wins in their histories and rank among the top 20 FBS teams in all-time victories.

In addition to placing deposits for new 2016 season tickets, fans are also invited to purchase tickets for the 2016 New York's College Classic against Notre Dame. Tickets are on sale now at nycollegeclassic.com and the Carrier Dome Box Office (1-888-DOMETIX). Seats in the Syracuse sections start at $85.

Babers was named as the 30th head coach in program history on Dec. 5, 2015. He owns a 37-16 (.698) career record in four years as a head coach, including the last two at Bowling Green. His inaugural Orange squad returns 18 starters from last year – eight on offense, nine on defense and two specialists.

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Syracuse University Athletics

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