Upcoming Syracuse Orange Football dates
Dates and live ticket listings appear here as soon as they are on sale. The guide below covers what to know before you buy.
Syracuse football in brief: No. 44 and the 1959 title
The Syracuse Orange play home football games at the JMA Wireless Dome, an indoor stadium on the Syracuse University campus known since its first night in 1980 as "the Loud House." Home games fall on Saturdays from late August or early September through late November, and Syracuse has played in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) since 2013. It is the only school in New York playing football in a Power Four conference.
The program played its first game on November 23, 1889. Its high point came under Ben Schwartzwalder, who coached from 1949 to 1973: the 1959 team went 11–0, beat No. 4 Texas in the Cotton Bowl and was the consensus national champion. Sophomore running back Ernie Davis, "the Elmira Express," starred on that team and in 1961 became the first Black player to win the Heisman Trophy, still the only Syracuse winner.
Davis wore No. 44, as did Jim Brown before him and Floyd Little after him, and the number became the program's emblem. Syracuse retired No. 44 in 2005, and the university's ZIP code, 13244, was requested in its honor. Later eras added Dick MacPherson's unbeaten 1987 regular season, Paul Pasqualoni's Big East titles and NFL Hall of Famers such as Marvin Harrison and Dwight Freeney.
Where to sit in the JMA Wireless Dome
The Dome opened on September 20, 1980, on the site of Archbold Stadium, and it is the largest domed stadium on any college campus. A renovation completed in stages through 2024 replaced the original air-supported roof with a fixed roof, about two-thirds of it translucent, added air conditioning, a center-hung video board and new lighting and sound, and replaced the old bleacher benches with individual seats. The listed football capacity is now 42,784, down from 49,262 in the bench era, so older capacity figures you may see online overstate today's crowd.
Why indoor seating changes the advice
At most stadiums, sun and shade drive the sideline choice. Here, weather is not a factor: there is no sun side, no rain and no November wind chill, which makes late-season Syracuse games more comfortable than outdoor games in the region. The trade-off is noise. The building traps sound, and seats near the student crowd and the band are loud for four quarters.
Sideline vs. end zone
The home sideline is easy to find: the field, dedicated in 2009, reads "Ernie Davis Legends Field" between the 45-yard lines on the home side. Sideline seats between the 30-yard lines are the best views on either side. The Dome has two decks, and the upper deck along the sidelines gives a full view of formations and play development at a lower cost than the lower bowl. End zone seats are the value option, best for watching red-zone plays at your end.
For the current section map and any changes after the seat replacement, check Syracuse Athletics before you buy.
Rivalries and the Syracuse games that draw
Pittsburgh is the most important current rival. The teams first met in 1916, have played every season since 1955, and remain annual opponents under an ACC scheduling agreement. Boston College is another familiar Eastern opponent from the Big East and ACC years.
Two older rivalries carry nostalgia. Penn State and Syracuse met almost every year from 1922 to 1990, and the series is scheduled to resume with games in State College in 2027 and in Syracuse in 2028; that home date is likely to be one of the hottest tickets the Dome sees. West Virginia played Syracuse 60 times for the Ben Schwartzwalder Trophy, though no future games are scheduled. Colgate, the program's earliest rival, returns in 2028.
- Highest demand: visits from ranked ACC powers, Pittsburgh and the scheduled 2028 Penn State game.
- Moderate demand: Homecoming and other ACC home games.
- Easiest tickets: early-season non-conference games.
Not every big game is in Syracuse: the most recent Penn State meeting was a neutral-site game at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
'Cuse on the Quad and Syracuse gameday traditions
The main pregame gathering is 'Cuse on the Quad, which starts about three hours before home games on the Quad at the center of campus, with tents, food and beverage areas, a children's play area, live music and college football on screens. About two hours before kickoff, players and coaches make the Quad Walk through the crowd on their way to the Dome, and the Syracuse University Marching Band, the "Pride of the Orange," performs on the steps of Hendricks Chapel.
Inside, the band plays "Down the Field," the 1914 fight song, after every Syracuse touchdown. After every game, win or lose, the team gathers in the end zone with the cheerleaders and Otto for the alma mater, while fans put their arms around each other and sway. After wins, the band carries the celebration to Varsity, a pizza shop just off campus since 1926, where the opponent's banner is flipped upside down.
Plaza 44, with statues of Brown, Davis and Little, is worth a stop before the game. The Dome is served by CENTRO buses, shuttle buses run from remote parking lots, and rideshare apps have designated drop-off and pickup points on game days.
How Syracuse football tickets work
Syracuse Athletics sells season and single-game football tickets through its ticket office and a MyCuse account, with individual games listed through Ticketmaster. As at most college programs, donor giving generally drives priority for the best season seats, and students have their own allotment. Check Syracuse Athletics tickets for the current plans.
With capacity now under 43,000, the general-public supply for a marquee game is tighter than it was in the bench era. For a ranked ACC visitor, Pittsburgh or a future Penn State game, resale is how many fans get in, and prices for those games tend to rise late in the week if both teams are winning. Non-conference September games usually have more supply. Every GoodSeats order is backed by a 100% guarantee.
JMA Wireless Dome bag policy and entry
Syracuse Athletics requires clear bags at the Dome, while its other athletics venues do not require them unless announced. Many stadiums use a limit of about 12 by 6 by 12 inches, but confirm the Dome's current dimensions, prohibited items and mobile ticketing rules on the Syracuse Athletics venue policies page before you go, since policies change from season to season.
Frequently asked questions
Where do the Syracuse Orange play home football games?
Syracuse plays at the JMA Wireless Dome on its campus in Syracuse, New York. The stadium opened in 1980 as the Carrier Dome and was renamed in 2022.
How many people does the JMA Wireless Dome hold for football?
The listed football capacity is 42,784 after the renovation that replaced the benches with individual seats. It was listed at 49,262 from 2003 to 2020.
Is the JMA Wireless Dome indoors?
Yes. The Dome has a fixed roof, about two-thirds of it translucent, that replaced the original air-supported roof, and air conditioning was added during the renovation.
Why is No. 44 important at Syracuse?
Jim Brown, Ernie Davis and Floyd Little all wore No. 44. Syracuse retired the number in 2005, and the university's ZIP code, 13244, honors it.
What is 'Cuse on the Quad?
It is the university's pregame gathering on the Quad, starting about three hours before home games, followed by the team's Quad Walk about two hours before kickoff.