A Thursday night road trip to Pitt in Week 3. Louisville and SMU both visiting the Dome in October. And Notre Dame closing out the home slate on the final Saturday of the regular season. The 2026 Syracuse football schedule saves its two biggest home dates — Clemson and Notre Dame — for the season’s final stretch.
2026 Syracuse Football Schedule
| Date | Opponent | Location | Time (ET) | TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sat, Sep 5 | New Hampshire Wildcats | JMA Wireless Dome, Syracuse, NY | 12:00 PM | ACCN |
| Sat, Sep 12 | California Golden Bears | JMA Wireless Dome, Syracuse, NY | 3:30 PM | ACCN |
| Thu, Sep 17 | at Pitt Panthers | Acrisure Stadium, Pittsburgh, PA | 7:30 PM | ESPN |
| Sat, Sep 26 | — | OFF | — | — |
| Sat, Oct 3 | at UConn Huskies | Rentschler Field, East Hartford, CT | 12:00 PM | CBSSN |
| Sat, Oct 10 | at Virginia Cavaliers | Scott Stadium, Charlottesville, VA | Time TBA | TV TBA |
| Sat, Oct 17 | Louisville Cardinals | JMA Wireless Dome, Syracuse, NY | Time TBA | TV TBA |
| Sat, Oct 24 | at North Carolina Tar Heels | Kenan Memorial Stadium, Chapel Hill, NC | Time TBA | TV TBA |
| Sat, Oct 31 | SMU Mustangs | JMA Wireless Dome, Syracuse, NY | Time TBA | TV TBA |
| Sat, Nov 7 | Clemson Tigers (Homecoming) | JMA Wireless Dome, Syracuse, NY | Time TBA | TV TBA |
| Sat, Nov 14 | at NC State Wolfpack | Carter-Finley Stadium, Raleigh, NC | Time TBA | TV TBA |
| Sat, Nov 21 | at Boston College Eagles | Alumni Stadium, Chestnut Hill, MA | Time TBA | TV TBA |
| Sat, Nov 28 | Notre Dame Fighting Irish | JMA Wireless Dome, Syracuse, NY | Time TBA | TV TBA |
| Sat, Dec 5 | ACC Championship | Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC | 12:00 PM | ABC |
A Manageable Start, Then a Thursday Night Road Test
Syracuse opens the 2026 Syracuse football schedule at home against New Hampshire and California before a Thursday night trip to Pitt on September 17 — an early short week that tests depth before conference play settles in. A bye week on September 26 gives the Orange time to recover.
A Road-Heavy Middle Stretch
October opens with back-to-back true road games — at UConn and at Virginia — before Louisville visits the Dome. Then the Syracuse ACC schedule 2026 sends the Orange to North Carolina before SMU comes home to close out the month.
Clemson for Homecoming, Then a Road Swing
Clemson visits the JMA Wireless Dome for Homecoming on November 7, one of the marquee dates of the season. From there, Syracuse hits the road for NC State and Boston College in consecutive weeks — a difficult stretch right before the year’s biggest home date.
Notre Dame Closes Out the Home Slate
Syracuse vs Notre Dame 2026 closes the regular season at home on November 28, giving the Orange a chance to end the year on a signature win in front of their own fans. If Syracuse is still playing December 5, it’s in Charlotte for the ACC Championship.
The Bottom Line
Between Louisville, Clemson, and Notre Dame, Syracuse’s toughest home tests are stacked into the season’s second half. The Syracuse football home games in 2026 build toward one of the better closing sequences in the conference — how the Orange handle the November road trip to NC State and Boston College first will determine whether that finish means anything.
FAQ
Q: When does Syracuse football play its first game in 2026?
A: Syracuse opens the 2026 Syracuse football schedule at home against New Hampshire on Saturday, September 5, at the JMA Wireless Dome.
Q: When is Syracuse vs Notre Dame 2026?
A: Syracuse vs Notre Dame 2026 is set for Saturday, November 28, at home at the JMA Wireless Dome, closing out the regular season.
Q: How many home games does Syracuse play in 2026?
A: Syracuse has seven Syracuse football home games in 2026 at the JMA Wireless Dome: New Hampshire, California, Louisville, SMU, Clemson, and Notre Dame.
Q: What is Syracuse’s toughest stretch on the 2026 schedule?
A: The run from Clemson (home) through NC State (road) and Boston College (road) — November 7 through November 21 — is the toughest stretch on the Syracuse ACC schedule 2026, right before the Notre Dame season finale.
