Syracuse to face South Florida in the Boca Raton Bowl on Dec. 21

The Orange, which finished 6-6 during the 2023 season, will make its second straight bowl appearance and play in back-to-back bowl games for the first time since 2012 and 2013, per the announcement on cuse.com, the website of Syracuse University (SU) Athletics

South Florida, which now plays in the American Athletic Conference, also finished with a record of 6-6. The two teams were once opponents in the Big East Conference.

Syracuse and South Florida have played 10 times, including eight meetings when both schools were members of the Big East Conference.

The bowl trip marks the Orange’s 28th bowl game, where the program holds a 16-10-1 record, SU said in announcing the bowl bid. Syracuse’s .611 winning percentage ranks eighth among FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision) teams with 15-or-more bowl games played, SU said.

In 2022, Syracuse ended with a 7-5 regular season record before losing to the Minnesota Golden Gophers in the Pinstripe Bowl to finish at 7-6.

The Orange’s 2023 included a 4-0 start with wins over Colgate, Western Michigan, Purdue, and Army. From there, Syracuse lost five consecutive games against Clemson, North Carolina, Florida State, Virginia Tech, and Boston College. As November progressed, Syracuse topped Pittsburgh in a game played at Yankee Stadium; lost at Georgia Tech in what was the final game under head coach Dino Babers; and held on to beat Wake Forest in the home finale on Nov. 25.

Earlier in the day, it was announced the Michigan would face Alabama in the Rose Bowl and Texas will battle Washington in the Sugar Bowl in this season’s College Football Playoff games on New Year’s Day. The winners will meet on Jan. 8 to decide the college football national champion.