Understanding the pride and community that you will be representing when you commit to a university is a big part of any college decision. On any given day in Syracuse, there is a good chance there is a sporting event going on. Syracuse has 14 Division One teams representing it in the ACC (Atlantic Coast Conference) across men’s and women’s sports. More than half of them have won championships or have been ranked in the top 25 nationally within the past five years, so they play at a considerably high level. In the fall, some popular sports games to attend are men’s and women’s soccer during the week, and football games typically on Saturdays. If you’re attending a Syracuse Orange sporting event, it’ll be hard to miss their biggest fan: Otto the Orange! Otto is constantly found around campus spreading school spirit in his famous pinstripe overalls. Be sure to give him a high five if you see him!
Game Day
If you are anywhere on Syracuse campus on a Saturday afternoon during the football or basketball season, you’ll be treading through a sea of orange. The Syracuse Orange are known as New York’s favorite college sports team, so the support and school spirit goes beyond the student body. From dusk to dawn, fans come from all over upstate New York and set up their tailgates in parking lots all over campus, grilling hamburgers served on blue and orange plates. The students are just as excited to support the Orange, so you’ll be sure to find them congregated at tailgates around campus as well.
The Dome
The Syracuse Orange football, basketball, and lacrosse teams play their home games in the famous Carrier Dome located right on the edge of campus. One of the largest venues in college sports, the Dome seats nearly 50,000 fans for football. I was lucky enough to be in attendance when the Carrier Dome set the NCAA attendance record for men’s basketball in 2019 with 35,642 fans. The student section is always full for any football or basketball game, so the dome is always rocking. When attending a Syracuse game in the Dome, be sure to try the famous Dome Nachos or keep it simple with a hot dog or burger.
44
The most well-known number in the history of Syracuse Athletics is 44. Any true Syracuse fan understands and celebrates the importance of 44, and the athletes that have donned that number. Syracuse officially retired the number 44 in 2005 after 11 football players wore it; some of the most notable are Jim Brown, Ernie Davis and Floyd Little, who all went on to represent Syracuse at the professional level. When attending a sporting event on campus, it is almost guaranteed that you will see another fan wearing apparel with the number 44 on it.
Homecoming
The homecoming football game is an event that attracts people from all over, and that’s because it also lands on alumni weekend. On this particular weekend in October, not only will you find Syracuse students and residents, but you will find former students showing their pride on campus. This weekend is also a great time for potential students to visit as there are plenty of events on campus held by various organizations; you’ll get a great sense of what it’s like to be a member of the school community. Come and see Syracuse at its best—and good luck with parking!
