Syracuse football finalizes schedule for 2026 season
SU football finalized its schedule for 2026, the program announced Monday. The slate includes home matchups against Clemson and Notre Dame. Joe Zhao | Senior Staff Photographer
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Syracuse football has finalized its schedule for the 2026 season, the program announced on social media Monday. The Orange’s 12-game slate includes marquee home matchups against Clemson, SMU and Notre Dame.
After a disappointing three-win season in Fran Brown’s second campaign, SU will look to get back on track and repeat its 10-win success from 2024. Syracuse begins its schedule with a layup game against New Hampshire on Sept. 5. Then comes back-to-back Atlantic Coast Conference matchups with California (Sept. 12) and Pittsburgh (Sept. 19).
SU’s game against Pitt is the first of three-straight road contests, which is the longest stretch away from the JMA Wireless Dome all season. On Oct. 3, Syracuse will play its final non-Power Four opponent, UConn. The Huskies hired Jason Candle this offseason and former SU quarterbacks/tight ends coach Nunzio Campanile is their offensive coordinator.
The next weekend, SU travels south to take on Virginia, the reigning regular-season ACC champions. Two more conference games against Louisville (Oct. 17) and North Carolina (Oct. 24) will be key before Syracuse heads into its toughest stretch of the schedule.
On Oct. 30 or 31, SMU will come to central New York for the first time. The Mustangs have been a strong presence during their first two seasons in the ACC. They made the College Football Playoff in 2024 and nearly made the ACC Championship last year, but a late-season loss to Cal got in the way.
On Nov. 6 or 7, Clemson returns to the JMA Wireless Dome for the first time since 2023. Despite a down season from the Tigers — which included a loss to Syracuse — they’ll always have talent with Dabo Swinney at the helm.
Syracuse will close out its ACC slate with two road games in a row. The first is in Raleigh against NC State (Nov. 14) and the next is in Chestnut Hill against Boston College (Nov. 21).
The Orange’s final contest comes on Nov. 28 against Notre Dame, which blew them out 70-7 last season. This time likely won’t be as lopsided as long as former Fighting Irish quarterback Steve Angeli is healthy. Notre Dame is one of the perennial powers in college football and narrowly missed out on the CFP after it was the national runner-up the previous season.
