Syracuse, Wisconsin cancel football series for 2020 & 2021

The Syracuse Orange and Wisconsin Badgers will not meet on the football field in 2020 and 2021. After an inquiry from TNIAAM, the schools confirmed on Friday evening that the series would be cancelled.

Along with the confirmation that Syracuse will not play Wisconsin anymore, SU athletic director John Wildhack had this to say:

“We have great respect for the Wisconsin program, Coach (Barry) Alvarez and Coach (Paul) Chryst. After conversations with Coach Alvarez, and between our administrative staffs, we made the collective decision to cancel the series.

Our focus remains on scheduling quality non-conference opponents, coupled with the very strong ACC schedule we play every season. We wish the Wisconsin football program continued success.”

Wildhack has had his finger on the pulse of what the Orange need from a scheduling standpoint since he arrived, and this is just the latest example. No matter who initiated this move, Syracuse is better off for moving toward a more competitive opponent for both 2020 and 2021.

We’ll chat potential replacements on Monday. For now, feel free to direct your focus back to hoops.

Original post appears below

One of the final relics of the old Syracuse Orange football scheduling mantra may be going by the wayside -- at least if things hold as they are right now.

As you may remember, SU was scheduled to visit the (currently unbeaten) Wisconsin Badgers in 2020, and then play host in 2021. At the time, we wondered aloud why the Orange would do this. It seems that Wisconsin may have felt the same way.

But the Badgers’ own maneuvering this year seem to have tossed that date right off the schedule. After Wisconsin and Notre Dame locked up a game date for October 3 at Lambeau Stadium, they also set up home dates against both Appalachian State and Southern Illinois. Since the Big Ten plays nine conference games per season, that’s a full schedule already, with Syracuse potentially on the outside looking in.

We’ve reached out to both schools for some hard confirmation on whether the game (and the return date at Syracuse) are being postponed or just cancelled altogether.

The Badgers have Power Five opponents scheduled through 2025, and then in 2029 and 2030 as well. Per the ACC’s rule, the Orange would need to go out and schedule a new P5 opponent for both 2020 and 2021, should the games not happen those years.

While it’s not great to see us have to fill two P5 openings on shorter notice now, it’s also a relief to get two very tough dates off the schedule. Hopefully we can fill those quickly with a lesser school in another power conference.

We’ll update as soon as we hear from Wisconsin or Syracuse to confirm.

(H/T FBSchedules for the tip)