Syracuse Football Finalizes 2017 Schedule
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — The ACC announced the dates for all conference football games earlier today, giving Syracuse its remaining eight opponents for the 2017 season. Of their 12 scheduled opponents for the upcoming season, eleven were invited to a bowl game following the 2016 season, with seven of those teams emerging victorious.
The season will start, however, with a home showdown against Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) opponent Central Connecticut State on Saturday, September 2. The Blue Devils finished with a 2-9 overall record in 2016. Middle Tennessee State will visit the Carrier Dome on Saturday, September 9. The Blue Raiders will be making their first trip ever to the Carrier Dome, along with newly-hired Defensive Coordinator and former SU Head Coach, Scott Shafer. Syracuse will conclude the season-opening home stretch with a date against Central Michigan on September 16.
Dino Babers and company will then fulfill the final part of their home and home deal with LSU, as the squad plays in Tiger Stadium on September 23. The Orange dropped the prior contest to their SEC opponents 34-24 back in 2015.
SU then begins its ACC slate with a trip to the Research Triangle, as the team plays North Carolina State on September 30. October 7, Pitt stops by the Salt City for the 72nd meeting between the two schools. Then comes a big test, as the defending National Champion Clemson Tigers are welcomed to the Carrier Dome, in what will likely be a primetime matchup on Friday, October 13.
Conference play continues with a pair of trips to Florida, with a week off in between. The Orange will fly south to take on the Miami Hurricanes on Saturday, October 22. Then after the bye week, the squad returns to the Sunshine State to take on the Seminoles in Tallahassee. That game will take place on Saturday, November 4.
Then it’s into the home stretch for Syracuse as they host Wake Forest on Veterans Day, before visiting the Louisville Cardinals on November 18. The final regular-season game of the year will see Boston College return to the Carrier Dome on November 25. The last time the Eagles took the turf in the Carrier Dome, they were beaten on a last-second field goal back in 2015.
The Orange produced a 4-8 overall record in Head Coach Dino Babers’ first year at the helm. And, with a small senior class in 2016, SU will return 19 of its 22 offensive and defensive starters from last season.
