Syracuse Football: Delving into Orange’s bowl history through the decades

Syracuse football will head to the Sunshine State later this month to compete in its second bowl game in as many seasons.

The Orange (6-6, 2-6 in the ACC) will play in the 2023 Boca Raton Bowl against American Athletic Conference member South Florida (6-6).

This contest will take place beginning at 8 pm on Thursday, Dec. 21, from Florida Atlantic University Stadium in Boca Raton, Fla. ESPN will televise this year’s Boca Raton Bowl.

In the 2023 campaign, Syracuse football reached a bowl game for the second consecutive term, the first time that the Orange has done that since 2012 and 2013.

While many ‘Cuse fans, myself included, are excited about the start of the Fran Brown era as the team’s head coach, I’m hoping that the Orange can end its 2023 stanza on a high note by notching a victory against the Bulls.

Let’s look at how Syracuse football has fared through the years in bowl games.

As far as the Boca Raton Bowl is concerned, the ‘Cuse and South Florida have met on 10 occasions in their all-time series together. Syracuse football is just 2-8 versus the Bulls.

In the history of the Orange program, the ‘Cuse owns a record of 16-10-1 in bowl games. According to SU Athletics, the team’s .611 winning percentage ranks No. 8 among FBS teams that have suited up in at least 15 bowl games.

Here’s how Syracuse football has performed in bowl contests prior to this season’s Boca Raton Bowl (data courtesy of cuse.com):

Jan. 1, 1953
Orange Bowl in Miami, Fla.
Alabama 61, Syracuse 6

Jan. 1, 1957
Cotton Bowl in Dallas, Texas
TCU 28, Syracuse 27

Jan. 1, 1959
Orange Bowl in Miami, Fla.
Oklahoma 21, Syracuse 6

Jan. 1, 1960
Cotton Bowl in Dallas, Texas
Syracuse 23, Texas 14

Dec. 16, 1961
Liberty Bowl in Philadelphia, Pa.
Syracuse 15, Miami (Fla.) 14

Jan. 1, 1965
Sugar Bowl in New Orleans, La.
LSU 13, Syracuse 10

Dec. 31, 1966
Gator Bowl in Jacksonville, Fla.
Tennessee 18, Syracuse 12

Dec. 15, 1979
Independence Bowl in Shreveport, La.
Syracuse 31, McNeese State 7

Dec. 21, 1985
Cherry Bowl in Pontiac, Mich.
Maryland 35, Syracuse 18

Jan. 1, 1988
Sugar Bowl in New Orleans, La.
Syracuse 16, Auburn 16 (yuck)

Jan. 2, 1989
Hall of Fame Bowl in Tampa, Fla.
Syracuse 23, LSU 10

Dec. 30, 1989
Peach Bowl in Atlanta, Ga.
Syracuse 19, Georgia 18

Dec. 25, 1990
Aloha Bowl in Honolulu, Hawaii
Syracuse 28, Arizona 0

Jan. 1, 1992
Hall of Fame Bowl in Tampa, Fla.
Syracuse 24, Ohio State 17

Jan. 1, 1993
Fiesta Bowl in Tempe, Ariz.
Syracuse 26, Colorado 22

Jan. 1, 1996
Gator Bowl in Jacksonville, Fla.
Syracuse 41, Clemson 0

Dec. 27, 1996
Liberty Bowl in Memphis, Tenn.
Syracuse 30, Houston 17

Dec. 31, 1997
Fiesta Bowl in Tempe, Ariz.
Kansas State 35, Syracuse 18

Jan. 2, 1999
Orange Bowl in Miami, Fla.
Florida 31, Syracuse 10

Dec. 29, 1999
Music City Bowl in Nashville, Tenn.
Syracuse 20, Kentucky 13

Dec. 29, 2001
Insight.com Bowl in Phoenix, Ariz.
Syracuse 26, Kansas State 3

Dec. 21, 2004
Champs Sports Bowl in Orlando, Fla.
Georgia Tech 51, Syracuse 14

Dec. 30, 2010
Pinstripe Bowl in the Bronx, N.Y.
Syracuse 36, Kansas State 34

Dec. 29, 2012
Pinstripe Bowl in the Bronx, N.Y.
Syracuse 38, West Virginia 14

Dec. 27, 2013
Texas Bowl in Houston, Texas
Syracuse 21, Minnesota 17

Dec. 28, 2018
Camping World Bowl in Orlando, Fla.
Syracuse 34, West Virginia 18

Dec. 29, 2022
Pinstripe Bowl in the Bronx, N.Y.
Minnesota 28, Syracuse 20