Syracuse's 2026 Football Schedule Unveiled
1/26/2026 5:58:00 PM | Football
The 2026 Syracuse football schedule features an exciting slate of home games, with every team visiting the JMA Wireless Dome this season having posted a winning record in 2025.
Get your season tickets today at Cuse.com/FootballTickets for a slate full of marquee matchups in the Loud House. Half of the six home opponents have played in the College Football Playoff within the last two seasons and all-six combined for a 65-percent winning percentage last season.
There will also be some new opponents for fans to see. None of the teams on this year's home schedule have come to Syracuse in the last two seasons, with Clemson (2023) being the most recent visitor. Notre Dame and Louisville were last here in 2022, while Cal (1967) and SMU (1932) haven't been to Syracuse since construction of the Dome. New Hampshire and Syracuse will meet for the first time in the season opener.
2026 SCHEDULE BREAKDOWN:
Saturday, Sept. 5 – vs. New Hampshire
'Cuse will open the season with a first-time opponent. The Wildcats have reached the FCS playoffs in each of the last-two seasons and finished 8-5 a year ago.
Saturday, Sept. 12 – vs. Cal
Cal visits Syracuse for the first time since 1967 and will be the second matchup between the two teams since the Golden Bears joined the ACC. Syracuse won the most recent meeting 33-25 in Berkley, during the 2024 campaign, and holds an all-time 2-1 series lead. Cal finished the 2025 regular season 7-5, before losing in the Hawaii Bowl.
Thursday, Sept. 17 – at Pitt
The first rivalry game of the season will be a weeknight contest at Pittsburgh. The Panthers are the Orange's longest rival, with this year's meeting will be the 82nd between the two schools. Pitt has won the last two contests heading into this year's game and are coming off an 8-5 season in 2025.
Week 4 – BYE
Saturday, Oct. 3 – at UConn
'Cuse makes their first trip to Connecticut since 2022 after hosting the Huskies in back-to-back seasons. Syracuse enters the 2026 meeting holding a six-game winning streak in the series. UConn went 9-4 in 2025.
Saturday, Oct. 10 – at Virginia
The Orange will visit Charlottesville for the first time in 11 years this season. The Cavaliers visited the Dome once in that span (2022), but the 'Hoos are Syracuse's least-frequently played conference opponent (aside from the 2024 additions) since joining the conference in 2013. Syracuse lost in triple overtime in their last trip to Virginia, but won the 2022 contest in the Dome. This seasons meeting will be the seventh between the two schools, who are currently an even 3-3. Virginia is coming off an ACC regular season title and trip to the Gator Bowl.
Saturday, Oct. 17 – vs. Louisville
The Cardinals and Orange will meet in the Dome for the first time since the 2022 season opener. The three-year hiatus of the series is the longest since prior to 2003, where the schools met nearly annually as members of the BIG EAST conference and ACC Atlantic Division.
The Orange won the most recent meeting in 2022, knocking off Louisville 31-7. Louisville finished 9-4 last season, including a bowl win.
Saturday, Oct. 24 – at North Carolina
A rematch of a Halloween night matchup in 2025, Syracuse's final road game in October will come in Chapel Hill. The Tar Heels own a 5-3 advantage in the all-time series, which dates back to 1995. UNC has won two-straight at home in the series.
Friday OR Saturday, Oct. 30/31 – vs. SMU
The Orange will host SMU for the first time in nearly 100 years to close out October. The Mustangs won the first meeting between the programs as conference foes last year in Dallas, en route to a 9-4 season. 1932 was SMU's last trip to Syracuse.
Friday OR Saturday, Nov. 6/7 – vs. Clemson
Syracuse and Clemson will meet in the Dome for the November opener. 'Cuse defeated the Tigers in Death Valley last season for their first road win at Clemson. Clemson is coming off a 7-5 season and trip to the Pinstripe Bowl. A frequent foe as former ACC Atlantic Division members, this year's matchup will be the latest the two schools have faced each other in a season since the 2015 campaign.
Note for Flex Games: There is a possibility that one of Syracuse's games vs. SMU or Clemson would be selected for a Friday night game. That determination will be made and announced by the ACC at a later date.
Saturday, Nov. 14 – at NC State
'Cuse heads to Raleigh for the first time since 2024, where the Orange won 24-17 for the first road conference win of Fran Brown's tenure. The Orange have won the last two in the series, with victories in 2022 and 2024. The Wolfpack finished last season 8-5, including a victory in the Gasparilla Bowl.
Saturday, Nov. 21 – at Boston College
Another frequent foe, Syracuse travels to Boston College to close out its road slate, in what'll be the 60th meeting between the programs. The teams have met nearly annually since 1971 – with the lone exceptions being 2005-09 and 2011-12 – while the two schools were in separate conferences. Syracuse leads the all-time series 34-25.
Saturday, Nov. 28 – vs. Notre Dame
The Orange and Irish will play in the regular season finale for the fifth time, having previously closed the regular season in 1914, 1963, 2003 and 2020, splitting those matchups with two wins apiece.
This will be just the fourth meeting between the two schools in Syracuse, with the Irish holding a 2-1 advantage in 'Cuse (1-1 in the JMA Wireless Dome). Notre Dame was 10-2 in 2025, finishing the season on a 10-game winning streak.
Get your tickets today at Cuse.com/FootballTickets to be part of one of the best home schedules in recent memory.
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Get your season tickets today at Cuse.com/FootballTickets for a slate full of marquee matchups in the Loud House. Half of the six home opponents have played in the College Football Playoff within the last two seasons and all-six combined for a 65-percent winning percentage last season.
There will also be some new opponents for fans to see. None of the teams on this year's home schedule have come to Syracuse in the last two seasons, with Clemson (2023) being the most recent visitor. Notre Dame and Louisville were last here in 2022, while Cal (1967) and SMU (1932) haven't been to Syracuse since construction of the Dome. New Hampshire and Syracuse will meet for the first time in the season opener.
2026 SCHEDULE BREAKDOWN:
Saturday, Sept. 5 – vs. New Hampshire
'Cuse will open the season with a first-time opponent. The Wildcats have reached the FCS playoffs in each of the last-two seasons and finished 8-5 a year ago.
Saturday, Sept. 12 – vs. Cal
Cal visits Syracuse for the first time since 1967 and will be the second matchup between the two teams since the Golden Bears joined the ACC. Syracuse won the most recent meeting 33-25 in Berkley, during the 2024 campaign, and holds an all-time 2-1 series lead. Cal finished the 2025 regular season 7-5, before losing in the Hawaii Bowl.
Thursday, Sept. 17 – at Pitt
The first rivalry game of the season will be a weeknight contest at Pittsburgh. The Panthers are the Orange's longest rival, with this year's meeting will be the 82nd between the two schools. Pitt has won the last two contests heading into this year's game and are coming off an 8-5 season in 2025.
Week 4 – BYE
Saturday, Oct. 3 – at UConn
'Cuse makes their first trip to Connecticut since 2022 after hosting the Huskies in back-to-back seasons. Syracuse enters the 2026 meeting holding a six-game winning streak in the series. UConn went 9-4 in 2025.
Saturday, Oct. 10 – at Virginia
The Orange will visit Charlottesville for the first time in 11 years this season. The Cavaliers visited the Dome once in that span (2022), but the 'Hoos are Syracuse's least-frequently played conference opponent (aside from the 2024 additions) since joining the conference in 2013. Syracuse lost in triple overtime in their last trip to Virginia, but won the 2022 contest in the Dome. This seasons meeting will be the seventh between the two schools, who are currently an even 3-3. Virginia is coming off an ACC regular season title and trip to the Gator Bowl.
Saturday, Oct. 17 – vs. Louisville
The Cardinals and Orange will meet in the Dome for the first time since the 2022 season opener. The three-year hiatus of the series is the longest since prior to 2003, where the schools met nearly annually as members of the BIG EAST conference and ACC Atlantic Division.
The Orange won the most recent meeting in 2022, knocking off Louisville 31-7. Louisville finished 9-4 last season, including a bowl win.
Saturday, Oct. 24 – at North Carolina
A rematch of a Halloween night matchup in 2025, Syracuse's final road game in October will come in Chapel Hill. The Tar Heels own a 5-3 advantage in the all-time series, which dates back to 1995. UNC has won two-straight at home in the series.
Friday OR Saturday, Oct. 30/31 – vs. SMU
The Orange will host SMU for the first time in nearly 100 years to close out October. The Mustangs won the first meeting between the programs as conference foes last year in Dallas, en route to a 9-4 season. 1932 was SMU's last trip to Syracuse.
Friday OR Saturday, Nov. 6/7 – vs. Clemson
Syracuse and Clemson will meet in the Dome for the November opener. 'Cuse defeated the Tigers in Death Valley last season for their first road win at Clemson. Clemson is coming off a 7-5 season and trip to the Pinstripe Bowl. A frequent foe as former ACC Atlantic Division members, this year's matchup will be the latest the two schools have faced each other in a season since the 2015 campaign.
Note for Flex Games: There is a possibility that one of Syracuse's games vs. SMU or Clemson would be selected for a Friday night game. That determination will be made and announced by the ACC at a later date.
Saturday, Nov. 14 – at NC State
'Cuse heads to Raleigh for the first time since 2024, where the Orange won 24-17 for the first road conference win of Fran Brown's tenure. The Orange have won the last two in the series, with victories in 2022 and 2024. The Wolfpack finished last season 8-5, including a victory in the Gasparilla Bowl.
Saturday, Nov. 21 – at Boston College
Another frequent foe, Syracuse travels to Boston College to close out its road slate, in what'll be the 60th meeting between the programs. The teams have met nearly annually since 1971 – with the lone exceptions being 2005-09 and 2011-12 – while the two schools were in separate conferences. Syracuse leads the all-time series 34-25.
Saturday, Nov. 28 – vs. Notre Dame
The Orange and Irish will play in the regular season finale for the fifth time, having previously closed the regular season in 1914, 1963, 2003 and 2020, splitting those matchups with two wins apiece.
This will be just the fourth meeting between the two schools in Syracuse, with the Irish holding a 2-1 advantage in 'Cuse (1-1 in the JMA Wireless Dome). Notre Dame was 10-2 in 2025, finishing the season on a 10-game winning streak.
Get your tickets today at Cuse.com/FootballTickets to be part of one of the best home schedules in recent memory.
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