Boston College–Syracuse rivalry
Boston College–Syracuse football rivalry |
Teams |
First meeting |
Latest meeting |
All-time series |
The Boston College–Syracuse football rivalry is an American college football rivalry between the Boston College Eagles football team of Boston College and Syracuse Orange football team of Syracuse University.
The two schools first met on October 18, 1924. The Eagles and Orange began playing annually in 1971. To date, Boston College and Syracuse have played each other 46 times. Aside from Holy Cross, no team has played Boston College more than Syracuse. Syracuse holds the lead in the all-time series 28–18.
Boston College and Syracuse were founding members of the Big East Conference, first as a basketball conference in 1979, then a football conference in 1991.
To start the 2005 season, Boston College left the Big East to become the 12th member of the ACC. The future of the rivalry was in doubt. The Eagles and Orange signed a deal to play an out-of-conference game through 2021. The Eagles won the 2010 meeting 16–7. In September 2011, the ACC announced that they had accepted bids from Syracuse and Pitt to become the 13th and 14th members of the ACC. It was later determined that Syracuse and Pitt would join the ACC in July 2013.
Rivalry results
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Memorable games
2004
In 2004, Boston College was in first place in the Big East and needed a win against then 5–6 Syracuse in the regular season finale to clinch their first BCS bowl berth.
With Syracuse's two RB's out with injuries, DB Diamond Ferri filled in as RB. Ferri rushed for 141 yards and 2 TDs. Ferri also had a 44-yard interception return for a TD. Syracuse went on to pull off the shocking blowout upset, winning 43–17. This game was also the first career start by Boston College QB Matt Ryan; he was filling in for the injured Paul Peterson.
This was BC's final game as a member of the Big East; they began playing in the ACC in 2005.