Syracuse football schedule: Orange will play New Hampshire in 2026, per report

The Syracuse Orange football program has scheduled the New Hampshire Wildcats for 2026, per FBSchedules. According to the report, SU will host UNH on September 5 that season, and pay out $550,000 for the game.

It marks game No. 3 of four on Syracuse’s non-conference schedule that season, joining road games at Army on Sept. 26 and Notre Dame on a TBD date. Syracuse and New Hampshire have never faced one another on the football field to this point.

Having three games already scheduled for 2026 is great, though it’s also a bit odd given a) how relatively easy it is to get FCS games and b) how many FBS gaps remain on future schedules before that date. While ‘Cuse football is scheduled through 2021, there are two open dates for 2022, one in 2023, and two each in 2024 and 2025.

New Hampshire frequently plays FBS teams, having scheduled FIU in 2019, Colorado in 2018, Georgia Southern in 2017 and San Diego State in 2016. Kansas is already on the 2020 slate, while Pitt’s set for 2021. UNH was a fixture in the FCS Playoffs from 2004 through 2017, getting to the quarterfinals or semifinals nine times in that stretch.

We cool with this? Personally think it’s fine. Just curious why we’d schedule an FCS team so far out with other openings sitting there.