SYRACUSE, N.Y. — A season opener at North Carolina and a home opener with Georgia Tech are part of the revised 2020 schedule for the Syracuse University football team amid the coronavirus pandemic, which has impacted all organized sports.
The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) released the schedule on Thursday morning. The original schedule had the Orange opening at Boston College and hosting Colgate in the home opener under the new roof of the Carrier Dome.
Under the revised schedule, the Cuse is now set to host Boston College on Nov. 7. The schedule also includes one non-conference game against Liberty on Oct. 17.
The Orange are slated to play six home games and five road contests in 2020. Syracuse kicks off its 131st gridiron campaign visiting the Tar Heels on Sept. 12 and hosting Georgia Tech in the home opener on Sept 26. The Orange will close the regular season with a visit to Notre Dame on Dec. 5.
Thursday’s announcement follows last week’s release of the ACC’s modified 11-game scheduling model that features 10 conference games and one non-conference game, which must be played at the member institution’s home stadium or in its home state. The format was adopted as part of the ACC board of governors’ plan for conducting fall sports amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Syracuse said in a Thursday news release.
The ACC has moved to a 15-team, one-division format for the upcoming season. The model includes Notre Dame, which will play a 10-game conference schedule as well and be eligible to compete in the 2020 ACC Football Championship Game. The two teams with the highest conference-game winning percentage will advance to the conference title game on either Dec. 12 or 19 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Syracuse University said information regarding tickets for the Orange’s six home games will be communicated “soon” in the event local and state public health guidance allows for fans to attend Syracuse Athletics events. Right now, fans are not allowed to attend sporting events in New York state.
Kickoff times and television assignments will be announced at a later date. Syracuse — now entering its fifth season under head coach Dino Babers — is scheduled to open preseason camp on Thursday.
2020 Syracuse football schedule (2019 record)
September
12 – at North Carolina (7-6)
19 – at Pittsburgh (8-5)
26 – Georgia Tech (3-9)
October
3 – OPEN
10 – Duke (5-7)
17 – Liberty (8-5)
24 – at Clemson (14-1)
31 – Wake Forest (8-5)
November
7 – Boston College (6-7)
14 – OPEN
20 (Fri.) – at Louisville (8-5)
28 – NC State (4-8)
December
5 – at Notre Dame (11-2)