Syracuse Orange football
Encyclopedia
The Syracuse Orange football program is a college football
team that represents Syracuse University
. The team is a member of the Big East Conference
, which is a National Collegiate Athletic Association
(NCAA) Division I conference that is part of the Football Bowl Subdivision. The University has just accepted an invitation to join the ACC [Atlantic Coast Conference;] however, the time frame for when they will begin playing with the ACC is not yet known. At most it would be 27 months. The program has one national championship, which was earned for play in the 1959 season. The Orange are currently coached by Doug Marrone
, who is in his third year coaching at Syracuse, and home games are played at the Carrier Dome, located in .
The Syracuse Orange football team plays their games at the Carrier Dome
. The Dome is used for several sports at the university and seats 49,250 for football. It is the largest domed stadium of any college campus and the largest domed stadium in the Northeastern United States
. The field was dedicated in 2009 to Ernie Davis
, the first African American
Heisman Trophy
winner. The field now reads "Ernie Davis Legends Field" between the 45 yard lines on the home side. Davis's number forty-four was also placed along that yard line. The dedication took place at the Syracuse vs. West Virginia game October 10, 2009. Davis won the award in 1961.
complex houses many of the offices of SU Athletics. It also contains academic rooms and two weight rooms strictly for Syracuse athletes only. Adjacent to the complex there are a variety of fields used for softball, soccer, field hockey, as well as a track for the track and field team. Manley was initially intended as an indoor training facility for the football team, but was soon utilized as a home court for men's basketball.
However, upon completion of the new Carmelo K. Anthony Basketball Center
, which houses practice courts, weight rooms, locker rooms and offices for both the men’s and women’s basketball teams, the original plans for Manley have come full circle. Syracuse was able to spend more than $2 million to renovate it and create a new state of the art indoor practice facility. Manley now features an indoor FieldTurf practice area, complete with three-lane running track.
game in 1889, and achieved its first success in the 1890s and 1900s. With the construction of "state-of-the-art" Archbold Stadium
in 1907, Syracuse rose to national prominence under Hall of Fame
coach Frank "Buck" O'Neill
. The 1915 squad garnered a Rose Bowl invitation that the school declined, having already played on the West Coast
that season.
The 1920s saw continued success with teams featuring star end Vic Hanson
, the only individual who is a member of both the Basketball Hall of Fame
and the College Football Hall of Fame
, and who later coached the team. Through this period, Colgate University
was the school's biggest rival.
took over as coach in 1949. Syracuse made its first bowl appearance in the 1953 Orange Bowl, followed by appearances in the 1957 Cotton Bowl Classic and the 1959 Orange Bowl. The 1957 Cotton Bowl Classic team featured Hall of Fame running back Jim Brown
. During this era, Penn State
emerged as Syracuse's principal rival, replacing Colgate University. In 1959, Syracuse earned its first National Championship following an undefeated season and Cotton Bowl Classic victory over Texas. The team featured sophomore running back Ernie Davis
, who went on to become the first African American
to win the Heisman Trophy
in 1961. Davis was slated to play for the Cleveland Browns
in the same backfield as Jim Brown
, but died of leukemia
before being able to play professionally. Syracuse remained competitive through the 1960s with a series of All American running backs, including Floyd Little
and Larry Csonka
.
in 1980 and the success of future NFL
stars Joe Morris and Art Monk
maintained the program's national relevance.
was hired as the head coach in 1981 and after several mediocre seasons, fans wanted MacPhearson fired, coining the phrase, "Sack Mac." However, the fans' opinion of Coach Macpherson changed when the program returned suddenly to national prominence in 1987
with an undefeated 11-0 regular season record. The team featured Maxwell Award
winning quarterback Don McPherson
and fullback Daryl Johnston
. The team missed an opportunity to play for the NCAA Division I-A national football championship, because both the University of Oklahoma
and the University of Miami
also finished undefeated that year and finished higher in the polls. Instead, the team faced Southeastern Conference
champion Auburn University
in the Sugar Bowl
. The game ended in a tie when Auburn kicked a late field goal rather than trying for a game winning touchdown.
Over the next 14 seasons (1988-2001), the program enjoyed tremendous success under coach MacPherson and his successor Paul Pasqualoni
, appearing in 11 bowl games (including 3 major bowls) and winning 9. The team also captured or shared 3 Big East football championships during this period. Prominent players of the period included Donovan McNabb
, Marvin Harrison
, Dwight Freeney
, Keith Bulluck
, Rob Moore, Donovin Darius
, Qadry Ismail
, Kevin Johnson, Rob Konrad
, Tebucky Jones
and Marvin Graves
. Rivalries shifted in the early 1990s as Penn State
ended its series with Syracuse and joined the Big Ten
. Syracuse, meanwhile, joined the newly formed Big East football conference with traditional rivals University of Pittsburgh
, West Virginia University
and national power Miami
. In 2004, Miami and Virginia Tech left the Big East to join the Atlantic Coast Conference
, followed by Boston College
in 2005, threatening the stature of the Big East. Syracuse was originally invited to leave the Big East and join the ACC, but Syracuse declined and the ACC decided to invite Virginia Tech to join the conference instead. Thus, Syracuse remained in the Big East.
Syracuse's streak of winning seasons ended in 2002 when they went 4-8. This was followed by consecutive 6-6 seasons. Although they won a share of the Big East title in 2004 and competed in the Champs Sports Bowl, the teams from 2002-2004 were considered mediocre to Syracuse standards. This prompted brand new athletic director Dr. Daryl Gross to fire Paul Pasqualoni after 14 years at the helm.
, former defensive coordinator for the Texas Longhorns
, as head coach . That season started on a high note as Syracuse nearly upset eventual Big East and Sugar Bowl Champion West Virginia, forcing 5 turnovers in the 15-7 loss. They followed it up with a 31-0 thrashing of Buffalo and another near upset win, this time to #25 Virginia where they lost 27-24 on a last second field goal. The squad lost its final 8 games of the season. In those last 8 games. Syracuse finished the year 1–10, the worst season in school history and won only ten games with Robinson running the program.
In 2008 the Orange continued to struggle and fired Robinson, following a 3-9 season where the high point was a 24-23 upset of Notre Dame; the game that signified best the period was the 55-13 loss to Penn State.
, a former Orange player and offensive coordinator for the NFL's New Orleans Saints
, had been hired to replace Robinson as head coach.
Improvement throughout the program was noticed immediately as the Orange, despite only a marginal improvement in their Win-Loss record, going 4-8 under Marrone for his first year, played many much more closely, including a 28-7 loss at #7 Penn State. In 2010 the Orange finished the regular season with a winning record for the first time since the 2001 season at 7-5, including road wins against #19 West Virginia and 2-time defending conference champions Cincinnati. The team earned its first bowl bid since 2004 and along with 2nd ranked Oregon and 10th ranked Boise State, the 5 road wins are the best in 2010 of all BCS teams. December 30th, 2010, Syracuse defeated Kansas State in the inaugural Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium
. The game was televised live on ESPN.
had a bearing on which collegiate program was the best in the East. In much of the 80's and 90's, Syracuse and West Virginia made for one of the Big East's best head-to-head match-ups on a yearly basis.
The Ben Schwartzwalder Trophy
annually goes to the winner of the West Virginia and Syracuse football game. The trophy was introduced in 1993 and is named after former WVU football player and Syracuse head coach Ben Schwartzwalder
, who had died in March of that year. The trophy weighs 55 pounds and was sculpted by Syracuse player Jim Ridlon
.
West Virginia won the first trophy game 43-0 at Syracuse and has gone on to win 11. Syracuse has won the trophy seven times and leads the overall series between the two schools, 31-27.
, and Penn State by Rip Engle
and from 1967 Joe Paterno
. From 1950 to 1970, Syracuse won 11 to Penn State's 10 games.
As Syracuse football floundered in the 1970's, Paterno's Penn State teams would go on to win 16 straight in the series from 1971 to 1986. Penn State fans and players increasingly turned their attention to the Pitt-Penn State rivalry.
In 1987, Dick MacPherson coached Syracuse to a 48-21 victory over the Nittany Lions in the Dome. Syracuse won again the following year at Penn State but lost the final two games before the suspension of the series in 1991. After an almost twenty-year break in the series, the two programs played in Syracuse's Carrier Dome on September 13, 2008, with the Nittany Lions prevailing 55-13 over the Orange.
Penn State leads the all-time series 41-23-5.
However, the early 2000's saw these roles reversed. The Scarlet Knights won six of nine games from 2003 to 2011, including four in a row from 2005-2008. This rise of the Rutgers program has increased the tension between the schools. Syracuse and Rutgers generally fight for recruits from the same territory (Upstate NY, NYC, NJ, and CT). Both have a vested interest in the #1 media market in the nation, New York City
.
Syracuse leads the all-time series 30-11-1.
On November 12, 2005, Syracuse University retired one of the most storied numbers ever associated with a college football program — #44 — to honor the legacy of those who wore it as well as the number itself, which has become so associated with Syracuse that the university's ZIP code
, 13244, was requested by university officials to remember those who wore 44 for the Orange.
Since 1954, 11 players have worn the number and three earned All-America honors. The three most famous #44s — Jim Brown
, Ernie Davis
and Floyd Little
— certainly rank among the finest running backs to ever play the game. Brown, who played at SU from 1954-56 and led the team to a Cotton Bowl berth, went on to become the NFL’s all-time leading rusher and a member of the Pro and College Football Halls of Fame. He led the league in rushing eight times in his nine years. Many still point to him as the greatest running back of all time.
Davis played for the Orange from 1959-61. He won the 1961 Heisman Trophy, becoming the first African-American to do so, and was a starter on SU’s 1959 national championship team. Davis also signed to play with the Cleveland Browns
, but the devastating combination of Davis and Brown in the same backfield never came to pass. Davis died of leukemia
in 1963. He was later inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame
.
Little was a three-time All-America for the Orange. He played from 1964-66 and led SU to the Sugar Bowl
in 1964 and the Gator Bowl
in 1966 (teaming in the backfield with Larry Csonka
in the latter). Little was the greatest kick returner in Orange history. He led the nation in all-purpose yardage in 1965, averaging 199 yards per game. Little went on to have a tremendous career with the Denver Broncos, winning back-to-back rushing titles in 1970-71. He, too, was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.
(1960–62) on Sept 15, 2007. Mackey, who is considered one of the greatest tight ends to play football, was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
in 1992. He was named to the Pro Bowl five times as a member of the Baltimore Colts. He also played in two Super Bowls.
's number after his years at Syracuse. He was known as one of the most fierce pass rushers that Syracuse University had ever seen. Finishing second his junior year in the Heisman Trophy
voting, Winter declared for the NFL Draft
. He was selected by the Indianapolis Colts
and became an immediate star. He was traded to the Green Bay Packers
where he finished his astonishing career. Off the field Winters suffers from a cleft palet and is an active member in the Cleft Palet Charity and he even appeared in the Novel "My Cleft Affected Child" written by Carrie Gruman-Trinker. Winters lives in the Green Bay area today where he is an outstanding motivational speaker, high school assistant coach, and father of two stud athletes.
*Carrier Dome under construction, played "home" games in Ithaca, Buffalo and the Meadowlands
**First Season at Carrier Dome
***National Champions
Syracuse football athletes in the Pro Football Hall of Fame
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
team that represents Syracuse University
Syracuse University
Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
. The team is a member of the Big East Conference
Big East Conference
The Big East Conference is a collegiate athletics conference consisting of sixteen universities in the eastern half of the United States. The conference's 17 members participate in 24 NCAA sports...
, which is a National Collegiate Athletic Association
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
(NCAA) Division I conference that is part of the Football Bowl Subdivision. The University has just accepted an invitation to join the ACC [Atlantic Coast Conference;] however, the time frame for when they will begin playing with the ACC is not yet known. At most it would be 27 months. The program has one national championship, which was earned for play in the 1959 season. The Orange are currently coached by Doug Marrone
Doug Marrone
Douglas Charles Marrone is an American football coach. He currently serves as head coach of the Syracuse University Orange, replacing Greg Robinson...
, who is in his third year coaching at Syracuse, and home games are played at the Carrier Dome, located in .
Carrier Dome
Carrier Dome
The Carrier Dome is a 49,250-seat domed sports stadium located on the campus of Syracuse University in the University Hill neighborhood of Syracuse, New York, USA. It is home to the Syracuse Orange football, basketball, and lacrosse teams. High school football championships are also held in "The...
. The Dome is used for several sports at the university and seats 49,250 for football. It is the largest domed stadium of any college campus and the largest domed stadium in the Northeastern United States
Northeastern United States
The Northeastern United States is a region of the United States as defined by the United States Census Bureau.-Composition:The region comprises nine states: the New England states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont; and the Mid-Atlantic states of New...
. The field was dedicated in 2009 to Ernie Davis
Ernie Davis
Ernest "Ernie" Davis was an American football running back and the first African-American athlete to win the Heisman Trophy. Wearing number 44, Davis competed collegiately for Syracuse University before being drafted by the Washington Redskins, then almost immediately traded to the Cleveland...
, the first African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
winner. The field now reads "Ernie Davis Legends Field" between the 45 yard lines on the home side. Davis's number forty-four was also placed along that yard line. The dedication took place at the Syracuse vs. West Virginia game October 10, 2009. Davis won the award in 1961.
Manley Field House
Built in 1962, the Manley Field HouseManley Field House
Manley Field House is a multi-purpose arena in Syracuse, New York. The arena opened in 1962 and holds 9,500 people. It was home to the Syracuse Orange men's basketball team and indoor track team before they moved to Carrier Dome in 1980. Currently it hosts the women's volleyball team, as well as...
complex houses many of the offices of SU Athletics. It also contains academic rooms and two weight rooms strictly for Syracuse athletes only. Adjacent to the complex there are a variety of fields used for softball, soccer, field hockey, as well as a track for the track and field team. Manley was initially intended as an indoor training facility for the football team, but was soon utilized as a home court for men's basketball.
However, upon completion of the new Carmelo K. Anthony Basketball Center
Carmelo K. Anthony Basketball Center
The Carmelo K. Anthony Basketball Center is a college basketball practice facility located in Syracuse, New York. The facility opened September 24, 2009. Both the men's and women's basketball teams for Syracuse University use the center. The facility houses two practice courts, locker rooms and...
, which houses practice courts, weight rooms, locker rooms and offices for both the men’s and women’s basketball teams, the original plans for Manley have come full circle. Syracuse was able to spend more than $2 million to renovate it and create a new state of the art indoor practice facility. Manley now features an indoor FieldTurf practice area, complete with three-lane running track.
Early History
Syracuse played its first intercollegiate footballCollege football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
game in 1889, and achieved its first success in the 1890s and 1900s. With the construction of "state-of-the-art" Archbold Stadium
Archbold Stadium
Archbold Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium in Syracuse, New York. It opened in 1907 and was home to the Syracuse University Orangemen football team prior to the Carrier Dome opening in 1980. It was the third concrete football stadium built in the country....
in 1907, Syracuse rose to national prominence under Hall of Fame
College Football Hall of Fame
The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
coach Frank "Buck" O'Neill
Frank "Buck" O'Neill
Frank J. "Buck" O'Neill was an American football player and coach. He served as head football coach at Colgate University , Syracuse University , and Columbia University , compiling a career college football coaching record of 81–41–8...
. The 1915 squad garnered a Rose Bowl invitation that the school declined, having already played on the West Coast
West Coast of the United States
West Coast or Pacific Coast are terms for the westernmost coastal states of the United States. The term most often refers to the states of California, Oregon, and Washington. Although not part of the contiguous United States, Alaska and Hawaii do border the Pacific Ocean but can't be included in...
that season.
The 1920s saw continued success with teams featuring star end Vic Hanson
Vic Hanson
This article refers to the college athlete. For the historian, please see Victor Davis HansonVictor A. Hanson was a well-known multi-sport college athlete in the 1920s...
, the only individual who is a member of both the Basketball Hall of Fame
Basketball Hall of Fame
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, located in Springfield, Massachusetts, United States, honors exceptional basketball players, coaches, referees, executives, and other major contributors to the game of basketball worldwide...
and the College Football Hall of Fame
College Football Hall of Fame
The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
, and who later coached the team. Through this period, Colgate University
Colgate University
Colgate University is a private liberal arts college in Hamilton, New York, USA. The school was founded in 1819 as a Baptist seminary and later became non-denominational. It is named for the Colgate family who greatly contributed to the university's endowment in the 19th century.Colgate has 52...
was the school's biggest rival.
Ben Schwartzwalder Era
The late 1930s and 1940s saw a decline in fortunes that began to reverse when Ben SchwartzwalderBen Schwartzwalder
Floyd B. "Ben" Schwartzwalder was a Hall of Fame football coach at Syracuse University, where he trained such future National Football League stars as Jim Brown, as well as the first African American to win the Heisman Trophy, Ernie Davis.Schwartzwalder played center at West Virginia University,...
took over as coach in 1949. Syracuse made its first bowl appearance in the 1953 Orange Bowl, followed by appearances in the 1957 Cotton Bowl Classic and the 1959 Orange Bowl. The 1957 Cotton Bowl Classic team featured Hall of Fame running back Jim Brown
Jim Brown
James Nathaniel "Jim" Brown is an American former professional football player who has also made his mark as an actor. He is best known for his exceptional and record-setting nine-year career as a running back for the NFL Cleveland Browns from 1957 to 1965. In 2002, he was named by Sporting News...
. During this era, Penn State
Penn State Nittany Lions football
The Penn State Nittany Lions football team represents the Pennsylvania State University in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Big Ten Conference. It is one of the most tradition-rich and storied college football programs in the...
emerged as Syracuse's principal rival, replacing Colgate University. In 1959, Syracuse earned its first National Championship following an undefeated season and Cotton Bowl Classic victory over Texas. The team featured sophomore running back Ernie Davis
Ernie Davis
Ernest "Ernie" Davis was an American football running back and the first African-American athlete to win the Heisman Trophy. Wearing number 44, Davis competed collegiately for Syracuse University before being drafted by the Washington Redskins, then almost immediately traded to the Cleveland...
, who went on to become the first African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
to win the Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
in 1961. Davis was slated to play for the Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in the same backfield as Jim Brown
Jim Brown
James Nathaniel "Jim" Brown is an American former professional football player who has also made his mark as an actor. He is best known for his exceptional and record-setting nine-year career as a running back for the NFL Cleveland Browns from 1957 to 1965. In 2002, he was named by Sporting News...
, but died of leukemia
Leukemia
Leukemia or leukaemia is a type of cancer of the blood or bone marrow characterized by an abnormal increase of immature white blood cells called "blasts". Leukemia is a broad term covering a spectrum of diseases...
before being able to play professionally. Syracuse remained competitive through the 1960s with a series of All American running backs, including Floyd Little
Floyd Little
Floyd Douglas Little is a Pro Football Hall of Fame running back, and was a three-time American football All-American running back at Syracuse University. In 1967 he was the 6th selection of the first common AFL-NFL draft...
and Larry Csonka
Larry Csonka
Larry Richard Csonka is a former collegiate and professional American football fullback.-Childhood:One of six children, Csonka was born in Stow, Ohio where he was raised on a farm by his Hungarian family...
.
Frank Maloney Era and First "Dry" Period
When Ben Schwartzwalder retired from coaching in 1973 the program began to decline. Frank Maloney was hired to replace Schwartzwalder. The construction of the Carrier DomeCarrier Dome
The Carrier Dome is a 49,250-seat domed sports stadium located on the campus of Syracuse University in the University Hill neighborhood of Syracuse, New York, USA. It is home to the Syracuse Orange football, basketball, and lacrosse teams. High school football championships are also held in "The...
in 1980 and the success of future NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
stars Joe Morris and Art Monk
Art Monk
James Arthur "Art" Monk is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins, New York Jets, and the Philadelphia Eagles...
maintained the program's national relevance.
MacPherson/Pasqualoni Era and Return to Prominence
Dick MacPhersonDick MacPherson
Richard F. MacPherson is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at the University of Massachusetts Amherst from 1971 to 1977 and at Syracuse University from 1981 to 1990, compiling a career college football record of 111–73–5...
was hired as the head coach in 1981 and after several mediocre seasons, fans wanted MacPhearson fired, coining the phrase, "Sack Mac." However, the fans' opinion of Coach Macpherson changed when the program returned suddenly to national prominence in 1987
1987 Syracuse Orangemen football team
The 1987 Syracuse Orangemen football team represented Syracuse University in the 1987 NCAA Division I-A football season. The team finished 11–0–1 and tied Auburn in the 1988 Sugar Bowl.-Schedule:-1987 Team Players in the NFL:...
with an undefeated 11-0 regular season record. The team featured Maxwell Award
Maxwell Award
The Maxwell Award is presented annually to the collegiate American football player judged by a panel of sportscasters, sportswriters, and National Collegiate Athletic Association head coaches and the membership of the Maxwell Football Club to be the best football player in the United States. The...
winning quarterback Don McPherson
Don McPherson
Donald G. McPherson is a former National Football League and Canadian Football League quarterback who was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in 1988 after a college career at Syracuse University during which he won the Maxwell Award, the Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award and finished second...
and fullback Daryl Johnston
Daryl Johnston
Daryl Peter "Moose" Johnston is a former National Football League fullback who played his entire career with the Dallas Cowboys from 1989 to 1999.-High school career:...
. The team missed an opportunity to play for the NCAA Division I-A national football championship, because both the University of Oklahoma
Oklahoma Sooners football
The Oklahoma Sooners football program is a college football team that represents the University of Oklahoma . The team is currently a member of the Big 12 Conference, which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
and the University of Miami
1987 Miami Hurricanes football team
The 1987 Miami Hurricanes were the national champions of the 1987 NCAA Division I-A football season. The national championship was the second of five won by the University of Miami in football.-Pre-Season:...
also finished undefeated that year and finished higher in the polls. Instead, the team faced Southeastern Conference
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
champion Auburn University
Auburn Tigers football
Only Mohamed Amin Abughadir set the record with 1,890 yards in 1 season. He was the QB for Auburn in 1998.The Auburn Tigers football team represents Auburn University in college football as a member of the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, competing in the Western Division of the...
in the Sugar Bowl
Sugar Bowl
The Sugar Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game played in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Sugar Bowl has been played annually since January 1, 1935, and celebrated its 75th anniversary on January 2, 2009...
. The game ended in a tie when Auburn kicked a late field goal rather than trying for a game winning touchdown.
Over the next 14 seasons (1988-2001), the program enjoyed tremendous success under coach MacPherson and his successor Paul Pasqualoni
Paul Pasqualoni
Paul Pasqualoni is the current head coach of the University of Connecticut football team. On January 13, 2011, Pasqualoni was named to lead the Huskies, two weeks after former coach Randy Edsall left for the University of Maryland....
, appearing in 11 bowl games (including 3 major bowls) and winning 9. The team also captured or shared 3 Big East football championships during this period. Prominent players of the period included Donovan McNabb
Donovan McNabb
Donovan Jamal McNabb is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He was the Philadelphia Eagles' quarterback from 1999 to 2009 and spent the 2010 season with the Washington Redskins and a portion of the 2011 season with the Minnesota Vikings. In college, McNabb played...
, Marvin Harrison
Marvin Harrison
Marvin Daniel Harrison is a former American football wide receiver for the Indianapolis Colts. He was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the first round of the 1996 NFL Draft. He played college football at Syracuse...
, Dwight Freeney
Dwight Freeney
Dwight Jason Freeney is an American football defensive end who currently plays for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. He was drafted in the 1st round of the 2002 NFL Draft. He played college football at Syracuse University.-Early years:Freeney attended Bloomfield High School...
, Keith Bulluck
Keith Bulluck
Keith J. Bulluck is an American Football linebacker who is currently a free agent. He was drafted 30th overall by the Tennessee Titans in the 2000 NFL Draft. He played college football at Syracuse....
, Rob Moore, Donovin Darius
Donovin Darius
Donovin Lee Darius is a former American football safety in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars 25th overall in the 1998 NFL Draft, and played for nine seasons with the team. He played for the Miami Dolphins in 2007...
, Qadry Ismail
Qadry Ismail
Qadry "The Missile" Ismail is a former National Football League wide receiver for the Minnesota Vikings, Green Bay Packers, Miami Dolphins, New Orleans Saints, Baltimore Ravens, and the Indianapolis Colts in a 10 year career that lasted from 1993 to 2002...
, Kevin Johnson, Rob Konrad
Rob Konrad
Robert Konrad is a former American football fullback of the National Football League. He was originally drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the second round of the 1999 NFL Draft. He played college football at Syracuse...
, Tebucky Jones
Tebucky Jones
Tebucky Shermain Jones is a former American football safety in the National Football League. His career began when he was drafted out of Syracuse University in the first round of the 1998 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots. He is best known for his role on the 2001 Patriots team that won...
and Marvin Graves
Marvin Graves
Marvin Graves is a former quarterback in the Canadian Football League as well as one of the top signal-callers in the history of Syracuse University.-High school:...
. Rivalries shifted in the early 1990s as Penn State
Penn State Nittany Lions football
The Penn State Nittany Lions football team represents the Pennsylvania State University in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Big Ten Conference. It is one of the most tradition-rich and storied college football programs in the...
ended its series with Syracuse and joined the Big Ten
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
. Syracuse, meanwhile, joined the newly formed Big East football conference with traditional rivals University of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh Panthers football
Pittsburgh Panthers football is the intercollegiate football team of the University of Pittsburgh, often referred to as "Pitt", located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Traditionally the most popular sport at the university, Pitt football has played at the highest level of American college football...
, West Virginia University
West Virginia Mountaineers football
The West Virginia Mountaineers football team represents West Virginia University in the NCAA FBS division of college football. Dana Holgorsen is the team's 33rd head coach. He has held the position since he was promoted in June 2011 after the resignation of Bill Stewart. The Mountaineers play their...
and national power Miami
Miami Hurricanes football
The Miami Hurricanes football program competes in the Atlantic Coast Conference of the NCAA's Division I Football Bowl Subdivision for the University of Miami. The program began in 1926 and has won five AP national championships...
. In 2004, Miami and Virginia Tech left the Big East to join the Atlantic Coast Conference
Atlantic Coast Conference
The Atlantic Coast Conference is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. Founded in 1953 in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC sanctions competition in twenty-five sports in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association for its twelve member universities...
, followed by Boston College
Boston College
Boston College is a private Jesuit research university located in the village of Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA. The main campus is bisected by the border between the cities of Boston and Newton. It has 9,200 full-time undergraduates and 4,000 graduate students. Its name reflects its early...
in 2005, threatening the stature of the Big East. Syracuse was originally invited to leave the Big East and join the ACC, but Syracuse declined and the ACC decided to invite Virginia Tech to join the conference instead. Thus, Syracuse remained in the Big East.
Syracuse's streak of winning seasons ended in 2002 when they went 4-8. This was followed by consecutive 6-6 seasons. Although they won a share of the Big East title in 2004 and competed in the Champs Sports Bowl, the teams from 2002-2004 were considered mediocre to Syracuse standards. This prompted brand new athletic director Dr. Daryl Gross to fire Paul Pasqualoni after 14 years at the helm.
Greg Robinson Era and 2nd "Dry" Period
In 2005 the University hired Greg RobinsonGreg Robinson
-External links:**-References:...
, former defensive coordinator for the Texas Longhorns
Texas Longhorns football
The Texas Longhorns football program is the intercollegiate football team representing The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas. The team currently competes in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Big 12 Conference which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National...
, as head coach . That season started on a high note as Syracuse nearly upset eventual Big East and Sugar Bowl Champion West Virginia, forcing 5 turnovers in the 15-7 loss. They followed it up with a 31-0 thrashing of Buffalo and another near upset win, this time to #25 Virginia where they lost 27-24 on a last second field goal. The squad lost its final 8 games of the season. In those last 8 games. Syracuse finished the year 1–10, the worst season in school history and won only ten games with Robinson running the program.
Doug Marrone Era
It was announced on December 12, 2008 that Doug MarroneDoug Marrone
Douglas Charles Marrone is an American football coach. He currently serves as head coach of the Syracuse University Orange, replacing Greg Robinson...
, a former Orange player and offensive coordinator for the NFL's New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
, had been hired to replace Robinson as head coach.
Improvement throughout the program was noticed immediately as the Orange, despite only a marginal improvement in their Win-Loss record, going 4-8 under Marrone for his first year, played many much more closely, including a 28-7 loss at #7 Penn State. In 2010 the Orange finished the regular season with a winning record for the first time since the 2001 season at 7-5, including road wins against #19 West Virginia and 2-time defending conference champions Cincinnati. The team earned its first bowl bid since 2004 and along with 2nd ranked Oregon and 10th ranked Boise State, the 5 road wins are the best in 2010 of all BCS teams. December 30th, 2010, Syracuse defeated Kansas State in the inaugural Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium
Yankee Stadium
Yankee Stadium was a stadium located in The Bronx in New York City, New York. It was the home ballpark of the New York Yankees from 1923 to 1973 and from 1976 to 2008. The stadium hosted 6,581 Yankees regular season home games during its 85-year history. It was also the former home of the New York...
. The game was televised live on ESPN.
West Virginia
Syracuse and West Virginia have played 57 times and every year since 1955. Often these games havehad a bearing on which collegiate program was the best in the East. In much of the 80's and 90's, Syracuse and West Virginia made for one of the Big East's best head-to-head match-ups on a yearly basis.
The Ben Schwartzwalder Trophy
Ben Schwartzwalder Trophy
The Ben Schwartzwalder Trophy is a college football trophy that annually goes to the winner of the West Virginia University and Syracuse University football game. The trophy was introduced in 1993 and is named after former WVU football player and Syracuse head coach Ben Schwartzwalder, who had died...
annually goes to the winner of the West Virginia and Syracuse football game. The trophy was introduced in 1993 and is named after former WVU football player and Syracuse head coach Ben Schwartzwalder
Ben Schwartzwalder
Floyd B. "Ben" Schwartzwalder was a Hall of Fame football coach at Syracuse University, where he trained such future National Football League stars as Jim Brown, as well as the first African American to win the Heisman Trophy, Ernie Davis.Schwartzwalder played center at West Virginia University,...
, who had died in March of that year. The trophy weighs 55 pounds and was sculpted by Syracuse player Jim Ridlon
Jim Ridlon
James Arthur Ridlon was an American football safety who played eight seasons in the National Football League....
.
West Virginia won the first trophy game 43-0 at Syracuse and has gone on to win 11. Syracuse has won the trophy seven times and leads the overall series between the two schools, 31-27.
Penn State
Syracuse and Penn State have played 69 times. However, conference realignment and scheduling disagreements have dampened the intensity of the rivalry between the teams. During the 1950s and 1960s the rivalry enjoyed a competitive and often controversial string of contests. Syracuse football was led by legendary coach Ben SchwartzwalderBen Schwartzwalder
Floyd B. "Ben" Schwartzwalder was a Hall of Fame football coach at Syracuse University, where he trained such future National Football League stars as Jim Brown, as well as the first African American to win the Heisman Trophy, Ernie Davis.Schwartzwalder played center at West Virginia University,...
, and Penn State by Rip Engle
Rip Engle
Charles A. "Rip" Engle was an American football player and coach of football and basketball. He served as the head football coach at Brown University from 1944 to 1949 and at Pennsylvania State University from 1950 to 1965, compiling a career college football record of 132–68–8...
and from 1967 Joe Paterno
Joe Paterno
Joseph Vincent "Joe" Paterno is a former college football coach who was the head coach of the Penn State Nittany Lions for 46 years from 1966 through 2011. Paterno, nicknamed "JoePa," holds the record for the most victories by an NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision football coach with...
. From 1950 to 1970, Syracuse won 11 to Penn State's 10 games.
As Syracuse football floundered in the 1970's, Paterno's Penn State teams would go on to win 16 straight in the series from 1971 to 1986. Penn State fans and players increasingly turned their attention to the Pitt-Penn State rivalry.
In 1987, Dick MacPherson coached Syracuse to a 48-21 victory over the Nittany Lions in the Dome. Syracuse won again the following year at Penn State but lost the final two games before the suspension of the series in 1991. After an almost twenty-year break in the series, the two programs played in Syracuse's Carrier Dome on September 13, 2008, with the Nittany Lions prevailing 55-13 over the Orange.
Penn State leads the all-time series 41-23-5.
Rutgers
Syracuse and Rutgers first played each other in 1914, resulting in a 14-14 tie. From that point until 2003, Syracuse more or less dominated the series, winning 28 out of 34 games. This included a stretch of 12-straight wins between 1987 and 1998.However, the early 2000's saw these roles reversed. The Scarlet Knights won six of nine games from 2003 to 2011, including four in a row from 2005-2008. This rise of the Rutgers program has increased the tension between the schools. Syracuse and Rutgers generally fight for recruits from the same territory (Upstate NY, NYC, NJ, and CT). Both have a vested interest in the #1 media market in the nation, New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
Syracuse leads the all-time series 30-11-1.
Pittsburgh
The football game between Syracuse and Pittsburgh has been played 65 times. The rivalry dates back to 1916 and has been played yearly since 1955. It is the second most played football rivalry for Syracuse and is tied for the third most played football rivalry for Pittsburgh. While the series has been relatively even, Pitt does hold an overall lead of 32-30-3.The Legend of 44
ZIP Code
ZIP codes are a system of postal codes used by the United States Postal Service since 1963. The term ZIP, an acronym for Zone Improvement Plan, is properly written in capital letters and was chosen to suggest that the mail travels more efficiently, and therefore more quickly, when senders use the...
, 13244, was requested by university officials to remember those who wore 44 for the Orange.
Since 1954, 11 players have worn the number and three earned All-America honors. The three most famous #44s — Jim Brown
Jim Brown
James Nathaniel "Jim" Brown is an American former professional football player who has also made his mark as an actor. He is best known for his exceptional and record-setting nine-year career as a running back for the NFL Cleveland Browns from 1957 to 1965. In 2002, he was named by Sporting News...
, Ernie Davis
Ernie Davis
Ernest "Ernie" Davis was an American football running back and the first African-American athlete to win the Heisman Trophy. Wearing number 44, Davis competed collegiately for Syracuse University before being drafted by the Washington Redskins, then almost immediately traded to the Cleveland...
and Floyd Little
Floyd Little
Floyd Douglas Little is a Pro Football Hall of Fame running back, and was a three-time American football All-American running back at Syracuse University. In 1967 he was the 6th selection of the first common AFL-NFL draft...
— certainly rank among the finest running backs to ever play the game. Brown, who played at SU from 1954-56 and led the team to a Cotton Bowl berth, went on to become the NFL’s all-time leading rusher and a member of the Pro and College Football Halls of Fame. He led the league in rushing eight times in his nine years. Many still point to him as the greatest running back of all time.
Davis played for the Orange from 1959-61. He won the 1961 Heisman Trophy, becoming the first African-American to do so, and was a starter on SU’s 1959 national championship team. Davis also signed to play with the Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, but the devastating combination of Davis and Brown in the same backfield never came to pass. Davis died of leukemia
Leukemia
Leukemia or leukaemia is a type of cancer of the blood or bone marrow characterized by an abnormal increase of immature white blood cells called "blasts". Leukemia is a broad term covering a spectrum of diseases...
in 1963. He was later inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame
College Football Hall of Fame
The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
.
Little was a three-time All-America for the Orange. He played from 1964-66 and led SU to the Sugar Bowl
Sugar Bowl
The Sugar Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game played in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Sugar Bowl has been played annually since January 1, 1935, and celebrated its 75th anniversary on January 2, 2009...
in 1964 and the Gator Bowl
Gator Bowl
The Gator Bowl is an annual college football bowl game played at EverBank Field in Jacksonville, Florida. Held continuously since 1946, it is the sixth oldest college bowl, as well as the first one ever televised nationally...
in 1966 (teaming in the backfield with Larry Csonka
Larry Csonka
Larry Richard Csonka is a former collegiate and professional American football fullback.-Childhood:One of six children, Csonka was born in Stow, Ohio where he was raised on a farm by his Hungarian family...
in the latter). Little was the greatest kick returner in Orange history. He led the nation in all-purpose yardage in 1965, averaging 199 yards per game. Little went on to have a tremendous career with the Denver Broncos, winning back-to-back rushing titles in 1970-71. He, too, was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.
#88 John Mackey
Syracuse also retired the uniform number 88 in honor of tight end John MackeyJohn Mackey (American football)
John Mackey was an American Football tight end who grew up in Roosevelt, Long Island and played for the Baltimore Colts and the San Diego Chargers . He played college football at Syracuse University...
(1960–62) on Sept 15, 2007. Mackey, who is considered one of the greatest tight ends to play football, was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
in 1992. He was named to the Pro Bowl five times as a member of the Baltimore Colts. He also played in two Super Bowls.
#68 Blaise Winter
Syracuse also retired Blaise WinterBlaise Winter
Blaise Winter was an American football player for the Indianapolis Colts, the Green Bay Packers, and the San Diego Chargers. Blaise is now an inspirational speaker , visiting many high school football programs in the Midwest. He has recently visited Mount Carmel High School in Southern Illinois....
's number after his years at Syracuse. He was known as one of the most fierce pass rushers that Syracuse University had ever seen. Finishing second his junior year in the Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
voting, Winter declared for the NFL Draft
NFL Draft
The National Football League Draft is an annual event in which the National Football League teams select eligible college football players and it is their most common source of player recruitment. The basic design of the draft is each team is given a position in the drafting order in reverse order...
. He was selected by the Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
and became an immediate star. He was traded to the Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
where he finished his astonishing career. Off the field Winters suffers from a cleft palet and is an active member in the Cleft Palet Charity and he even appeared in the Novel "My Cleft Affected Child" written by Carrie Gruman-Trinker. Winters lives in the Green Bay area today where he is an outstanding motivational speaker, high school assistant coach, and father of two stud athletes.
College Football Hall of Famers
| Inductee | Position(s) | Class | Year(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biggie Munn Biggie Munn Clarence Lester "Biggie" Munn was an American football player, coach, and college athletics administrator in the United States. He was the head football coach at Albright College , Syracuse University , and most notably Michigan State College , where his 1952 squad won a national championship... |
Head Coach Head coach A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches... |
1959 | 1946-1946 |
| Frank "Buck" O'Neill Frank "Buck" O'Neill Frank J. "Buck" O'Neill was an American football player and coach. He served as head football coach at Colgate University , Syracuse University , and Columbia University , compiling a career college football coaching record of 81–41–8... |
Head Coach Head coach A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches... |
1951 | 1906-1919 |
| Ben Schwartzwalder Ben Schwartzwalder Floyd B. "Ben" Schwartzwalder was a Hall of Fame football coach at Syracuse University, where he trained such future National Football League stars as Jim Brown, as well as the first African American to win the Heisman Trophy, Ernie Davis.Schwartzwalder played center at West Virginia University,... |
Head Coach Head coach A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches... |
1982 | 1949-1973 |
| Joe Alexander | Guard Guard (American football) In American and Canadian football, a guard is a player that lines up between the center and the tackles on the offensive line of a football team.... |
1997 | 1980-1983 |
| Larry Csonka Larry Csonka Larry Richard Csonka is a former collegiate and professional American football fullback.-Childhood:One of six children, Csonka was born in Stow, Ohio where he was raised on a farm by his Hungarian family... |
Fullback Fullback (American football) A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback... |
1989 | 1965-1967 |
| Ernie Davis Ernie Davis Ernest "Ernie" Davis was an American football running back and the first African-American athlete to win the Heisman Trophy. Wearing number 44, Davis competed collegiately for Syracuse University before being drafted by the Washington Redskins, then almost immediately traded to the Cleveland... |
Halfback Running back A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running... |
1979 | 1959-1961 |
| Vic Hanson Vic Hanson This article refers to the college athlete. For the historian, please see Victor Davis HansonVictor A. Hanson was a well-known multi-sport college athlete in the 1920s... |
End End End or Ending may refer to:*End *In mathematics:**End **End *End *End, a division of play in the sports of curling and target archery*End key on a modern computer keyboard... |
1973 | 1924-1926 |
| Floyd Little Floyd Little Floyd Douglas Little is a Pro Football Hall of Fame running back, and was a three-time American football All-American running back at Syracuse University. In 1967 he was the 6th selection of the first common AFL-NFL draft... |
Halfback Running back A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running... |
1983 | 1964-1966 |
| Jim Brown Jim Brown James Nathaniel "Jim" Brown is an American former professional football player who has also made his mark as an actor. He is best known for his exceptional and record-setting nine-year career as a running back for the NFL Cleveland Browns from 1957 to 1965. In 2002, he was named by Sporting News... |
Halfback Running back A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running... |
1995 | 1956-1958 |
| Tim Green Tim Green Timothy John Green is a former American football player as well as a radio and television personality. He was a linebacker and defensive end with the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League, a commentator for National Public Radio, the former host of the 2005 revival of A Current Affair... |
Defensive tackle | 2002 | 1982-1985 |
| Don McPherson Don McPherson Donald G. McPherson is a former National Football League and Canadian Football League quarterback who was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in 1988 after a college career at Syracuse University during which he won the Maxwell Award, the Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award and finished second... |
Quarterback Quarterback Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line... |
2008 | 1984-1987 |
| Tad Jones T. A. Dwight Jones -External links:... |
Head Coach Head coach A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches... |
1958 | 1909-1910 |
| Howard Jones Howard Jones (football coach) Howard Harding Jones was an American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at Syracuse University , Yale University , Ohio State University , the University of Iowa , Duke University , and the University of Southern California , compiling a career record of... |
Head Coach Head coach A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches... |
1951 | 1908-1908 |
| Dick MacPherson Dick MacPherson Richard F. MacPherson is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at the University of Massachusetts Amherst from 1971 to 1977 and at Syracuse University from 1981 to 1990, compiling a career college football record of 111–73–5... |
Head Coach Head coach A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches... |
2009 | 1980-1990 |
Year-by-Year Results
| Year | Wins | Losses | Ties | Bowl Game | Final Ranking | Avg Attendance | Coach |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1889 | 0 | 1 | - | - | - | - | No Coach |
| 1890 | 7 | 4 | - | - | - | - | Bobby Winston |
| 1891 | 4 | 6 | - | - | - | - | William Glabraith |
| 1892 | 0 | 8 | - | - | - | - | Jordan Wells |
| 1893 | 4 | 9 | - | - | - | - | No Coach |
| 1894 | 6 | 5 | - | - | - | - | George Bond |
| 1895 | 6 | 2 | - | - | - | - | George Redington |
| 1896 | 5 | 3 | - | - | - | - | George Redington |
| 1897 | 5 | 3 | - | - | - | - | Frank Wade |
| 1898 | 8 | 2 | - | - | - | - | Frank Wade |
| 1899 | 4 | 4 | - | - | - | - | Frank Wade |
| 1900 | 7 | 2 | - | - | - | - | Edwin Sweetland |
| 1901 | 7 | 1 | - | - | - | - | Edwin Sweetland |
| 1902 | 6 | 2 | - | - | - | - | Edwin Sweetland |
| 1903 | 5 | 4 | - | - | - | - | Jason Parish |
| 1904 | 6 | 3 | - | - | - | - | Dr. Charles Hutchins |
| 1905 | 8 | 3 | - | - | - | - | Dr. Charles Hutchins |
| 1906 | 6 | 3 | - | - | - | - | Frank O'Neill |
| 1907 | 5 | 3 | - | - | - | - | Frank O'Neill |
| 1908 | 6 | 3 | - | - | - | - | Howard Jones |
| 1909 | 4 | 5 | - | - | - | - | T.A.D. Jones |
| 1910 | 5 | 4 | - | - | - | - | T.A.D. Jones |
| 1911 | 5 | 3 | - | - | - | - | DeForest Cummings |
| 1912 | 4 | 5 | - | - | - | - | DeForest Cummings |
| 1913 | 6 | 4 | - | - | - | - | Frank O'Neill |
| 1914 | 5 | 3 | - | - | - | - | Frank O'Neill |
| 1915 | 9 | 1 | - | - | - | - | Frank O'Neill |
| 1916 | 5 | 4 | - | - | - | - | William Hollenback |
| 1917 | 8 | 1 | - | - | - | - | Frank O'Neill |
| 1918 | 5 | 1 | - | - | - | - | Frank O'Neill |
| 1919 | 6 | 3 | - | - | - | - | Frank O'Neill |
| 1920 | 6 | 2 | 1 | - | - | - | John Meehan |
| 1921 | 7 | 2 | - | - | - | - | John Meehan |
| 1922 | 6 | 1 | 2 | - | - | - | John Meehan |
| 1923 | 8 | 1 | - | - | - | - | John Meehan |
| 1924 | 8 | 2 | 1 | - | - | - | John Meehan |
| 1925 | 8 | 1 | - | - | - | - | C.W.P. Reynolds |
| 1926 | 7 | 2 | - | - | - | - | C.W.P. Reynolds |
| 1927 | 5 | 3 | - | - | - | - | Lewis Andreas |
| 1928 | 4 | 4 | - | - | - | - | Lewis Andreas |
| 1929 | 6 | 3 | - | - | - | - | Lewis Andreas |
| 1930 | 5 | 2 | 2 | - | - | - | Victor Hanson |
| 1931 | 7 | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | Victor Hanson |
| 1932 | 4 | 4 | 1 | - | - | - | Victor Hanson |
| 1933 | 4 | 4 | - | - | - | - | Victor Hanson |
| 1934 | 6 | 2 | - | - | - | - | Victor Hanson |
| 1935 | 6 | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | Victor Hanson |
| 1936 | 1 | 7 | - | - | - | - | Victor Hanson |
| 1937 | 5 | 2 | 1 | - | - | - | Ossie Solem |
| 1938 | 5 | 3 | - | - | - | - | Ossie Solem |
| 1939 | 3 | 3 | 2 | - | - | - | Ossie Solem |
| 1940 | 3 | 4 | 1 | - | - | - | Ossie Solem |
| 1941 | 5 | 2 | 1 | - | - | - | Ossie Solem |
| 1942 | 6 | 3 | - | - | - | - | Ossie Solem |
| 1943 | No | Season | World | War | 2 | ||
| 1944 | 2 | 4 | 1 | - | - | - | Ossie Solem |
| 1945 | 1 | 6 | - | - | - | - | Ossie Solem |
| 1946 | 4 | 5 | - | - | - | - | Clarence Munn |
| 1947 | 3 | 6 | - | - | - | - | Reaves Baysinger |
| 1948 | 1 | 8 | - | - | - | - | Reaves Baysinger |
| 1949 | 4 | 5 | - | - | - | - | Ben Schwartzwalder |
| 1950 | 5 | 5 | - | - | - | - | Ben Schwartzwalder |
| 1951 | 5 | 4 | - | - | - | - | Ben Schwartzwalder |
| 1952 | 7 | 3 | - | Orange Bowl (L 61-6 vs Alabama) | 14 | - | Ben Schwartzwalder |
| 1953 | 5 | 3 | 1 | - | - | - | Ben Schwartzwalder |
| 1954 | 4 | 4 | - | - | - | - | Ben Schwartzwalder |
| 1955 | 5 | 3 | - | - | - | - | Ben Schwartzwalder |
| 1956 | 7 | 2 | - | Cotton Bowl Classic (L 28-27 vs TCU) | 8 | - | Ben Schwartzwalder |
| 1957 | 5 | 3 | 1 | - | - | - | Ben Schwartzwalder |
| 1958 | 8 | 2 | - | Orange Bowl (L 21-6 vs Oklahoma) | 9 | - | Ben Schwartzwalder |
| 1959*** | 11 | 0 | - | Cotton Bowl Classic (W 23-14 vs Texas) | 1 | - | Ben Schwartzwalder |
| 1960 | 7 | 2 | - | - | 19 | - | Ben Schwartzwalder |
| 1961 | 8 | 3 | - | Liberty Bowl (W 15-14 vs Miami) | 16 | - | Ben Schwartzwalder |
| 1962 | 5 | 5 | - | - | - | - | Ben Schwartzwalder |
| 1963 | 8 | 2 | - | - | 12 | - | Ben Schwartzwalder |
| 1964 | 7 | 4 | - | Sugar Bowl (L 13-10 vs Louisiana St) | 12 | 29,510 | Ben Schwartzwalder |
| 1965 | 7 | 3 | - | - | 19 | 27,800 | Ben Schwartzwalder |
| 1966 | 8 | 3 | - | Gator Bowl (L 18-12 vs Tennessee) | 16 | 32,976 | Ben Schwartzwalder |
| 1967 | 8 | 2 | - | - | 12 | 33,242 | Ben Schwartzwalder |
| 1968 | 6 | 4 | - | - | - | 30,658 | Ben Schwartzwalder |
| 1969 | 5 | 5 | - | - | - | 26,831 | Ben Schwartzwalder |
| 1970 | 6 | 4 | - | - | - | 24,515 | Ben Schwartzwalder |
| 1971 | 5 | 5 | 1 | - | - | 26,224 | Ben Schwartzwalder |
| 1972 | 5 | 6 | - | - | - | 19,707 | Ben Schwartzwalder |
| 1973 | 2 | 9 | - | - | - | 18,525 | Ben Schwartzwalder |
| 1974 | 2 | 9 | - | - | - | 21,117 | Frank Malony |
| 1975 | 6 | 5 | - | - | - | 21,635 | Frank Malony |
| 1976 | 3 | 8 | - | - | - | 19,378 | Frank Malony |
| 1977 | 6 | 5 | - | - | - | 18,992 | Frank Malony |
| 1978 | 3 | 8 | - | - | - | 22,382 | Frank Malony |
| 1979* | 7 | 5 | - | Independence Bowl (W 31-7 vs McNeese St) | - | 20,482 | Frank Malony |
| 1980** | 5 | 6 | - | - | - | 43,635 | Frank Malony |
| 1981 | 4 | 6 | 1 | - | - | 38,310 | Dick MacPherson |
| 1982 | 2 | 9 | - | - | - | 35,278 | Dick MacPherson |
| 1983 | 6 | 5 | - | - | - | 34,130 | Dick MacPherson |
| 1984 | 6 | 5 | - | - | - | 44,221 | Dick MacPherson |
| 1985 | 7 | 5 | - | Cherry Bowl (L 35-18 vs Maryland) | - | 38,563 | Dick MacPherson |
| 1986 | 5 | 6 | - | - | - | 34,534 | Dick MacPherson |
| 1987 | 11 | 0 | 1 | Sugar Bowl (T 16-16 vs Auburn) | 4 | 44,490 | Dick MacPherson |
| 1988 | 10 | 2 | - | Hall of Fame Bowl (W 23-10 vs Louisiana St) | 12 | 46,081 | Dick MacPherson |
| 1989 | 8 | 4 | - | Peach Bowl (W 19-18 vs Georgia) | - | 48,885 | Dick MacPherson |
| 1990 | 7 | 4 | 2 | Aloha Bowl (W 28-0 vs Arizona) | 21 | 47,022 | Dick MacPherson |
| 1991 | 10 | 2 | - | Hall of Fame Bowl (W 24-17 vs Ohio St) | 11 | 43,444 | Paul Pasqualoni |
| 1992 | 10 | 2 | - | Fiesta Bowl (W 26-22 vs Colorado) | 6 | 49,318 | Paul Pasqualoni |
| 1993 | 6 | 4 | 1 | - | - | 48,092 | Paul Pasqualoni |
| 1994 | 7 | 4 | - | - | - | 47,746 | Paul Pasqualoni |
| 1995 | 9 | 3 | - | Gator Bowl (W 41-0 vs Clemson) | 16 | 43,276 | Paul Pasqualoni |
| 1996 | 9 | 3 | - | Liberty Bowl (W 30-17 vs Houston) | 19 | 48,177 | Paul Pasqualoni |
| 1997 | 9 | 4 | - | Fiesta Bowl (L 35-18 vs Kansas St) | 20 | 45,685 | Paul Pasqualoni |
| 1998 | 8 | 4 | - | Orange Bowl (L 31-10 vs Florida) | 24 | 47,898 | Paul Pasqualoni |
| 1999 | 7 | 5 | - | Music City Bowl (W 20-13 vs Kentucky) | - | 46,741 | Paul Pasqualoni |
| 2000 | 6 | 5 | - | - | - | 43,062 | Paul Pasqualoni |
| 2001 | 10 | 3 | - | Insight Bowl (W 26-3 vs. Kansas St) | 14 | 41,103 | Paul Pasqualoni |
| 2002 | 4 | 8 | - | - | - | 42,259 | Paul Pasqualoni |
| 2003 | 6 | 6 | - | - | - | 41,167 | Paul Pasqualoni |
| 2004 | 6 | 6 | - | Champs Sports Bowl (L 51-14 vs. Georgia Tech) | - | 43,647 | Paul Pasqualoni |
| 2005 | 1 | 10 | - | - | - | 40,252 | Greg Robinson |
| 2006 | 4 | 8 | - | - | - | 41,073 | Greg Robinson |
| 2007 | 2 | 10 | - | - | - | 35,009 | Greg Robinson |
| 2008 | 3 | 9 | - | - | - | 33,474 | Greg Robinson |
| 2009 | 4 | 8 | - | - | - | 39,043 | Doug Marrone |
| 2010 | 8 | 5 | - | Pinstripe Bowl (W 36-34 vs. Kansas St) | - | 40,092 | Doug Marrone |
*Carrier Dome under construction, played "home" games in Ithaca, Buffalo and the Meadowlands
**First Season at Carrier Dome
***National Champions
Syracuse football athletes in the Pro Football Hall of FamePro Football Hall of FameThe Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
- Jim BrownJim BrownJames Nathaniel "Jim" Brown is an American former professional football player who has also made his mark as an actor. He is best known for his exceptional and record-setting nine-year career as a running back for the NFL Cleveland Browns from 1957 to 1965. In 2002, he was named by Sporting News...
- Pro Football Hall of FamePro Football Hall of FameThe Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
Class of 1971 - Jim RingoJim RingoJames Stephen "Jim" Ringo was a professional American football player, a Hall of Fame center and coach. He was a ten time Pro Bowler during his career....
- Pro Football Hall of FamePro Football Hall of FameThe Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
Class of 1981 - Larry CsonkaLarry CsonkaLarry Richard Csonka is a former collegiate and professional American football fullback.-Childhood:One of six children, Csonka was born in Stow, Ohio where he was raised on a farm by his Hungarian family...
- Pro Football Hall of FamePro Football Hall of FameThe Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
Class of 1987 - John MackeyJohn Mackey (American football)John Mackey was an American Football tight end who grew up in Roosevelt, Long Island and played for the Baltimore Colts and the San Diego Chargers . He played college football at Syracuse University...
- Pro Football Hall of FamePro Football Hall of FameThe Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
Class of 1992 - Al DavisAl DavisAllen "Al" Davis was an American football executive. He was the principal owner of the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League from 1970 to 2011...
- Enshrined as a coach and not a player. Pro Football Hall of FamePro Football Hall of FameThe Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
Class of 1992 - Art MonkArt MonkJames Arthur "Art" Monk is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins, New York Jets, and the Philadelphia Eagles...
- Pro Football Hall of FamePro Football Hall of FameThe Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
Class of 2008 - Floyd LittleFloyd LittleFloyd Douglas Little is a Pro Football Hall of Fame running back, and was a three-time American football All-American running back at Syracuse University. In 1967 he was the 6th selection of the first common AFL-NFL draft...
- Pro Football Hall of FamePro Football Hall of FameThe Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
Class of 2010