Orange Ready for Season Opener Saturday

A new season is just days away, as the 133rd season of Syracuse football is set to begin this weekend. The Orange host Louisville on Saturday, Sept. 3 at 8 p.m. in the JMA Wireless Dome.

Tickets for the Orange's much-anticipated home schedule are now on sale! Season tickets – which start at just $99 – are the best value for Syracuse fans. Visit Cuse.com/Tickets or call 888-DOME-TIX to be part of the action. Group tickets and partial plans are also on sale, visit Cuse.com/Groups or Cuse.com/Tickets for more information.

The Orange open the season at home for the first time since 2017 and will host an ACC opponent in its season opener for the first time since joining the conference. Including the program's BIG EAST tenure, this is Syracuse's first season-opening home game vs. a conference foe in nearly two decades.

"We're excited to start at home, opening up in the JMA (Dome)," Babers said. "This will be a rare opportunity for us starting with a conference game. It's unusual and we're excited about that. We're also excited to be back at home after last year opening up on the road and getting an opportunity to open up here with the fans and the student body. I think the team is excited based on a couple of practices we had. We still have a week to finish up the process of getting ready for Louisville."

Babers had the opportunity to address the newest members of the student body last weekend as he spoke to the incoming freshmen during orientation activities at the JMA Dome.

"That freshman class is large and they've got crazy in their eyes," Babers said. "I can't wait to see them become a part of Otto's Army and we're going to need every last one of them in this football game that's going to be here Saturday. You get this year's freshman class with last year's Otto's Army, that I thought was the best we've ever had – they are going to be crazy out there. I'm excited about that."

Orange fans in the JMA Dome and those watching on ACC Network will get their first look at sophomore running back Sean Tucker this season, who set the school single-season rushing record with 1,496 yards in 2021. The Heisman Trophy hopeful enters this season ranked 20th on Syracuse's career rushing record list with 2,122 yards.

While Tucker has garnered much of the attention during the preseason, no one should overlook the Orange defense, which ranked 19th in the nation a year ago, allowing 330.3 yards per game. Syracuse returns eight starters on the defensive side of the ball, including All-ACC performer Mikel Jones. Jones has led Syracuse in total tackles in each of the past two seasons. He will try to become just the fourth player in program history to accomplish that feat three times in his career.

Syracuse looks to continue a trend in season openers as it has won seven of its last eight. The Orange have also won seven of its last-nine home openers, including a 4-2 mark under Babers.

Syracuse University Athletics

Players Mentioned

Mikel Jones

Sean Tucker

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