'Cuse Hosts Boston College on Senior Day

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Syracuse (4-7, 2-5 ACC) will honor its Class of 2017 when the Orange host Boston College (6-5, 3-4 ACC) on Saturday, Nov. 25 in the Carrier Dome for the final game of the regular season. Kickoff is set for 12:20 p.m. and the game will air on the ACC Network.

Fifteen players and three football managers will take the field at the Loud House for the last time. The goal is to send them out the right way, according to head coach Dino Babers.

"It's the last opportunity for those guys to step into the Dome," said Babers. "We want to send that crew out the right way and we want everyone that comes to that game on Thanksgiving weekend to have the right experience."

The senior class has been an integral part of the transition from former coach Scott Shafer to Babers, who took the Syracuse helm in 2016. Many of them, like senior wide receiver Steve Ishmael, have left legacies that the future success of the program can be built on. Ishmael ranks second in program history for career receiving yards (2,704) and he is just the fifth Orange pass-catcher to post a 1,000-yard receiving season, doing so with 1,160 yards in 2017. Ishmael has also tied the Syracuse single-season records for 100-yard receiving games (7) and receptions (94) this year.

"Last year (Ishmael's) season may not have been as good as he would have liked it to be, but he put in the work to change all that, and to come out and have a breakout season," said Babers." "He will leave a mark here at Syracuse with the records that he is going to set."

Two seniors, Zaire Franklin and Parris Bennett, have anchored the Syracuse defense for the past three years and have combined for 562 career tackles. Franklin has started 38 straight games for the Orange and is the first three-time captain in modern program history. With 303 career stops, he is the first Orange defender to eclipse the 300-tackle mark since Kelvin Smith (325, 2003-06). Bennett has carded 100+ tackles in two consecutive seasons and ranks fourth in the ACC this year in tackles per game (9.2).

"I think about Zaire and Parris and the people who are on this football team and what they have gone through," said Babers. "They've had some big wins, Virginia Tech and obviously the Clemson win, and they've had some disappointments. But overall I think it is going to be a fantastic situation where we get to celebrate those guys and hopefully we get to send them out the right way."

The Orange will square off with a Boston College team that has won four of its last five outings. In addition, Franklin, Bennett and Co. must contend with one of the top freshman running backs in the country in AJ Dillon. Dillon leads the Eagles with 1,279 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground.

Syracuse owns a 31-19 advantage in the all-time series and has won five of the last seven matchups. Last season, Eric Dungey passed for 434 yards and three touchdowns to lead Syracuse to a 28-20 victory at Alumni Stadium.

"This is the last time that they are ever going to play the game unless they get an opportunity to play professional, which is a very small percentage," said Babers. "Them putting on that gear and getting one more time to play with their brethren, the guys that are going to be their best friends for the rest of their lives and be the best men at their weddings, I think they have enough to play for."

For complete coverage of Syracuse football, follow us on Twitter (@CuseFootball), Instagram (@CuseFootball) and like us on Facebook (Syracuse Football).

Syracuse University Athletics

Related News

Players Mentioned

Parris Bennett

Eric Dungey

Zaire Franklin

Steve Ishmael

Related Videos