The Orange put up a historic performance Saturday in the Dome against New Hampshire.
The Syracuse University football team kicked off its 2026 season with a dominant 66-3 win over FCS New Hampshire on Saturday afternoon at the JMA Wireless Dome. You can read our four biggest takeaways from the contest here.
While Syracuse entered the game as close to a five-touchdown favorite, the Orange blew the projections out of the water. The massive margin of victory helped the Orange rewrite the program record books as they moved to 1-0.
Let's take a look at the biggest margins of victory in program history, at least when it comes to home openers.
No. 5: 1999 Syracuse vs Toledo (40 points)
In 1998, Syracuse defeated Rutgers 70-14, but that was in game two of the season, not game one, as the Orange lost to Tennessee earlier in that campaign.
One year later, Syracuse destroyed Toledo 47-7. The 1999 Orange would go on to beat Kentucky in that season's Music City Bowl.
No. 4: 2013 Syracuse vs Wagner (54 points)
Another FCS opening opponent, another massive win. Led by quarterback Terrel Hunt, the Orange rolled Wagner in early September. The 2013 Orange would finish 6-6 and play in the Texas Bowl later that season.
No. 3: 2000 Syracuse vs Buffalo (56 points)
At the start of the century, Syracuse was able to easily handle its fellow Empire State foe. Inside the Carrier Dome, Syracuse defeated Buffalo 63-7. Until Saturday, the win was the largest margin of victory of any home opener inside the Carrier/JMA Wireless Dome.
No. 2: 2026 Syracuse vs New Hampshire (63 points)
Syracuse's win on Saturday was dominant at every level. The Orange got a three-touchdown performance from quarterback Steve Angeli, more than 200 yards in rushing offense, and they scored a defensive touchdown as part of a five-sack day against Wildcats.
No. 1: 1929 Syracuse vs Hobart (77 points)
The Orange defeated the Hobart Statesmen in 1929 by a lopsided margin of 77-0. The 66 points scored against New Hampshire were the most ever by Syracuse in an opener since the Hobart game was played nearly a century ago.
Hobart is currently a Division III opponent.
What's next for Syracuse football?
The Orange begin preparation for a Week 2 matchup against the California Golden Bears. The game will mark the first Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) game for Syracuse. Kickoff is set for Saturday 3:30 p.m. ET inside the JMA Wireless Dome.
We'll have live coverage on site.
