After nearly 25 years Syracuse football back in a 'Kickoff' game

It is a different incarnation then the games the 'Cuse played in over a quarter century ago at the N.J. Meadowlands. One commonalty, however, to this year's Aflac Kickoff meeting Saturday with Tennessee in Atlanta, a chance for the Orange to make a statement by beating a name opponent on a (somewhat) neutral field on national TV.

July 23, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Syracuse coach Fran Brown addresses the media at the ACC Football Kickoff event. Mandatory Credit: Brad Bierman-The Juice Online/On SI. | Brad Bierman-The Juice Online/On SI

In the summer of 2021, Peach Bowl executives in Atlanta were looking to solidify the pairing of their annual start-of-the-season games for the '25 season, which would be returning to a doubleheader format of pairings between ACC and SEC teams.

Peach Bowl CEO Gary Stokan and SU athletic director John Wildhack have a long business relationship dating back to the latter's ESPN days, and the Orange had an opening on their slate, so the deal was done to meet the Vols.

It marks the first time since 2001 when SU faced fellow current ACC member Georgia Tech in the old Kickoff Classic game at Giants Stadium, that Syracuse has appeared in this type of opening weekend event.

A look back at Syracuse's history in the Kickoff Classic

Wisconsin - August 24,1997

At his introductory press conference in December, 2023, Fran Brown told the story of the origin of his connection to the legacy of Syracuse football.

Taking a bus from his Camden, N.J. high school as a ninth grader in August 1997, to watch his first collegiate football game in person, Brown was certainly excited about the Syracuse-Wisconsin matchup up the Turnpike at Giants Stadium. A beautiful day, big stadium, large crowd, Donovan McNabb and the Badgers Ron Dayne, a lot of fun to look forward to.

The group of young football players from Camden were also eager to connect with Orange safety and hometown star Donovin Darius, and coach Paul Pasqualoni during their game day. agenda.

Well, Brown got some instant excitement, along with the crowd of 51,185 on hand, as SU's Kevin Johnson sped 89 yards into the end zone with the opening kickoff, and that tilted the game in an Orangemen direction the rest of the afternoon in a 34-0 final, SU's first opening game shutout in 30 seasons and the start of a 9-4 overall finish.

Brown and company also got their wish to meet Darius, McNabb and Coach P to help fulfill a memorable, and eventually, life-changing day for the current SU head coach.

Georgia Tech - August 26, 2001

The 2001 Syracuse team has set the benchmark for the program in the first quarter century of the 2000s, finishing with a 10-3 record and No. 14 in the final AP/Coaches Poll rankings.

Last season's 10-3 finish and No. 20/23 rankings, along with the 2018 team that also went 10-3 and finished with a No. 15 ranking are the next most notable seasons so far, with optimism the rest of this decade under Brown's guidance.

Ironically, the '01 season also featured a game against Tennessee (a 33-9 drubbing in Knoxville), but the week before SU opened up against Tech in a Big East-ACC challenge of sorts the Jackets preseason ranked No. 10.

The first game of what would turn out to be a stellar SU season, was certainly not stellar. Neither offense could get going, until Ga. Tech could not be stopped by a valiant, but tired Orange defense over the final three and a half minutes, running out the clock in a 13-7 final score.

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