5 Things to Know: Syracuse vs. Louisville
8/31/2022 7:45:00 AM | Football
The wait is almost over for Syracuse football fans. The Orange will kickoff the 2022 season in the JMA Wireless Dome on Saturday night in a prime-time, 8 p.m. matchup set for ACCN vs. Louisville.
Here are five storylines about the matchup:
1. Familiar Foe, Finally at Home
Syracuse and Louisville have played annually since 2005 as conference foes, with the lone exception being the 2013 season when the Orange joined the ACC one year prior to the Cards (2014).
Traditionally, these two teams have alternated home venues in the series. However, due to the restructured 2020 10-game conference slate sending SU to the Bluegrass State in between preexisting scheduled trips to Louisville, Saturday's game will mark the first time that 'Cuse has hosted its divisional rival since 2018.
While Louisville controls the all-time series by a 13-7 margin, four of Syracuse's seven wins have come in the Dome, compared to just two at Cardinal Stadium (Syracuse defeated Louisville in the lone neutral site meeting of the series – the 1989 Coca-Cola Bowl in Tokyo).
2. Exciting Opener
For the first time since 2017, Syracuse will run out of the tunnel in its season opener at home, ending a five-year stretch where the season opener took place on the road – the longest such stretch in program history.
Aside from the 2020 season, when ACC squads played 10 conference games and Syracuse opened up the year with a game at North Carolina in an empty Keenan Stadium, this is also the first time 'Cuse will open the year with a conference opponent in nearly 20 years (2005 vs. West Virginia), adding extra importance to the first game of the year.
Fans won't want to miss this one. 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. Individual game tickets, group tickets and partial plans are also on sale, visit Cuse.com/Groups or Cuse.com/Tickets for more information.
3. Dual Threats
Louisville enters the JMA Dome on Saturday night featuring one of the most dynamic quarterbacks in college football. Malik Cunningham will line up under center after accounting for 3,872 yards and 39 touchdowns in 2021.
The Orange boast a dual-threat, playmaking quarterback of their own. Cunningham and 'Cuse signal caller Garrett Shrader were the two highest-scoring quarterbacks on the ground last season in FBS football. Cunningham led all QBs and finished fourth nationally among all players with 20 rushing touchdowns last season. Shrader was second amongst QBs (19th total) with 14.
4. Dome Sweet Dome
Syracuse has historically been successful in defending their home turf, especially in season openers. 'Cuse is 92-34-4 in home openers all-time, including winning seven of the last nine home starters.
5. #PL34SED to See Year 3 of Sean Tucker
Sean Tucker, one of the nation's best football players will suit up for his third season at Syracuse on Saturday, looking to improve upon his record-shattering season from a year ago.
Tucker enters the 2022 season having been named to the Maxwell Award, Doak Walker Award and Walter Camp Player of the Year Award Watch Lists, is a preseason All-American by nearly every major college football publication that produces preseason All-America lists, and was tabbed as one of the best-15 players in college football by ESPN this offseason.
Through two seasons, Tucker has already rushed for 2,122 yards and is 20th all-time at Syracuse after leading the ACC and finishing fourth in the nation in yards per game last season.
Visit Cuse.com/Tickets or call 888-DOME-TIX to help pack the Dome and make an exciting environment on Saturday night. Season, individual game and group tickets as well as partial plans are now on sale.
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Here are five storylines about the matchup:
1. Familiar Foe, Finally at Home
Syracuse and Louisville have played annually since 2005 as conference foes, with the lone exception being the 2013 season when the Orange joined the ACC one year prior to the Cards (2014).
Traditionally, these two teams have alternated home venues in the series. However, due to the restructured 2020 10-game conference slate sending SU to the Bluegrass State in between preexisting scheduled trips to Louisville, Saturday's game will mark the first time that 'Cuse has hosted its divisional rival since 2018.
While Louisville controls the all-time series by a 13-7 margin, four of Syracuse's seven wins have come in the Dome, compared to just two at Cardinal Stadium (Syracuse defeated Louisville in the lone neutral site meeting of the series – the 1989 Coca-Cola Bowl in Tokyo).
2. Exciting Opener
For the first time since 2017, Syracuse will run out of the tunnel in its season opener at home, ending a five-year stretch where the season opener took place on the road – the longest such stretch in program history.
Aside from the 2020 season, when ACC squads played 10 conference games and Syracuse opened up the year with a game at North Carolina in an empty Keenan Stadium, this is also the first time 'Cuse will open the year with a conference opponent in nearly 20 years (2005 vs. West Virginia), adding extra importance to the first game of the year.
Fans won't want to miss this one. 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. Individual game tickets, group tickets and partial plans are also on sale, visit Cuse.com/Groups or Cuse.com/Tickets for more information.
3. Dual Threats
Louisville enters the JMA Dome on Saturday night featuring one of the most dynamic quarterbacks in college football. Malik Cunningham will line up under center after accounting for 3,872 yards and 39 touchdowns in 2021.
The Orange boast a dual-threat, playmaking quarterback of their own. Cunningham and 'Cuse signal caller Garrett Shrader were the two highest-scoring quarterbacks on the ground last season in FBS football. Cunningham led all QBs and finished fourth nationally among all players with 20 rushing touchdowns last season. Shrader was second amongst QBs (19th total) with 14.
4. Dome Sweet Dome
Syracuse has historically been successful in defending their home turf, especially in season openers. 'Cuse is 92-34-4 in home openers all-time, including winning seven of the last nine home starters.
5. #PL34SED to See Year 3 of Sean Tucker
Sean Tucker, one of the nation's best football players will suit up for his third season at Syracuse on Saturday, looking to improve upon his record-shattering season from a year ago.
Tucker enters the 2022 season having been named to the Maxwell Award, Doak Walker Award and Walter Camp Player of the Year Award Watch Lists, is a preseason All-American by nearly every major college football publication that produces preseason All-America lists, and was tabbed as one of the best-15 players in college football by ESPN this offseason.
Through two seasons, Tucker has already rushed for 2,122 yards and is 20th all-time at Syracuse after leading the ACC and finishing fourth in the nation in yards per game last season.
Visit Cuse.com/Tickets or call 888-DOME-TIX to help pack the Dome and make an exciting environment on Saturday night. Season, individual game and group tickets as well as partial plans are now on sale.
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