Who is ready for some Syracuse football? I am, I am.
Okay, well, we've still got quite a few months before the Orange will attempt to rebound from a lackluster 2025 campaign. However, before you know it, spring practices will arrive, followed by summer workouts and fall camp.
Ahhh, summer. As I am currently freezing my butt off in the DMV, like many of you around the country, the summer sure sounds nice. Alas, I digress.
The 2026 Syracuse Football schedule has arrived 🎟️🍊https://t.co/xp8mcz0uHQ pic.twitter.com/pL70UP1TPY
— Syracuse Football (@CuseFootball) January 26, 2026
On Monday night, SU Athletics released Syracuse football's 2026 schedule. The Orange will have six home and six road games, and the 'Cuse will play three non-conference affairs while upping its Atlantic Coast Conference count from eight to nine encounters. Let's have a look.
Here is Syracuse football's 2026 docket.
Saturday, Sept. 5: Home against New Hampshire (2025 record: 8-5)
Saturday, Sept. 12: Home against California (2025 record: 7-6)
Thursday, Sept. 17: At Pittsburgh (2025 record: 8-5)
Bye
Saturday, Oct. 3: At UConn (2025 record: 9-4)
Saturday, Oct. 10: At Virginia (2025 record: 11-3)
Saturday, Oct. 17: Home against Louisville (2025 record: 9-4)
Saturday, Oct. 24: At North Carolina (2025 record: 4-8)
Friday, Oct. 30, or Saturday, Oct. 31: Home against SMU (2025 record: 9-4)
Friday, Nov. 6, or Saturday, Nov. 7: Home against Clemson (2025 record: 7-6)
Saturday, Nov. 14: At N.C. State (2025 record: 8-5)
Saturday, Nov. 21: At Boston College (2025 record: 2-10)
Saturday, Nov. 28: Home against Notre Dame (2025 record: 10-2)
Syracuse football 2026 foes in super early top-25 rankings:
CBS
Notre Dame, No. 5
Louisville, No. 16
SMU, No. 23
ESPN
Notre Dame, No. 3
Louisville, No. 14
SMU, No. 17
On3 (composite of experts)
Notre Dame, No. 6
Louisville, tied for No. 18
SMU, No. 21
Clemson, receiving votes
Other thoughts on Orange's 2026 slate:
•The combined record of Syracuse football's 12 foes in 2026 this past season was 92-62; 10 of the 12 opponents finished with a winning record.
•SU's 2026 term starts a week later, as the 'Cuse opened against Tennessee in Atlanta in late August last year; this coming campaign, Syracuse football will host New Hampshire in the first-ever meeting between the squads.
•The Orange jumps into its ACC calendar early on, in its second game against Cal at home. The Golden Bears haven't played in Syracuse since 1967.
•The 'Cuse has lost two straight to long-time foe Pitt, and Syracuse football will travel to Pittsburgh for a Thursday night showdown.
•Between September 17 and October 24, the Orange will be road warriors, with four of its five contests away from the Hill, and a bye also sandwiched in there. Syracuse football will travel to Pitt, UConn, Virginia (the ACC's best team in 2025) and UNC. Louisville will come to the JMA Wireless Dome during that stretch.
•The Orange will then get home battles against SMU and Clemson. The Tigers were down in 2025, but Clemson is still an ACC heavyweight (I think), while the Mustangs will vie for an ACC crown in 2026.
•Syracuse football then hits the road for consecutive affairs versus N.C. State and long-time rival Boston College.
•The 'Cuse will face Notre Dame in a regular-season finale for the fifth time. The Fighting Irish pasted Syracuse football in 2025, and Notre Dame will likely be a significant contender to reach next season's College Football Playoff.
•On paper, the 2026 schedule doesn't seem quite as brutal as 2025, but it's also no cakewalk. Orange fans: What do you project the team's record to be in the 2026 regular season?