Syracuse will open the 2018 season at Western Michigan on Sept. 1, SU Athletics announced Monday afternoon. It will be SU’s first season-opener on the road since 2013. The Orange will host the Broncos the following year, 2019, on Sept. 21.

The home-and-home series, which rounds out SU’s nonconference slate for 2019, bumps Syracuse’s originally scheduled date at Maryland (Sept. 21) to Sept. 7. It also will likely bring back to the Carrier Dome WMU head coach Tim Lester, who will enter his first year this fall after coaching quarterbacks in 2016 at Purdue. Lester coached at Syracuse from 2013-15, serving as quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator. Also at WMU is former Syracuse assistant head coach, defensive line coach and special teams coordinator Tim Daoust.

The Broncos finished the 2016 campaign 13-1, first in the Mid-American Conference (8-0) and ranked as high as No. 14 in the Associated Press Top 25 poll.

“Western Michigan has a long history of success,” said Syracuse director of athletics John Wildhack in a release. “We look forward to a competitive series.”

Daily Orange File Photo

In May, Syracuse announced series with Liberty and Notre Dame. Below is how the 2018 and 2019 seasons look for Syracuse football, which is coming off back-to-back four-win seasons.

2018

Sept. 1 at Western Michigan

Sept. 29 vs. Connecticut

Nov. 17 at Notre Dame

ACC home games: Florida State, Louisville, North Carolina, North Carolina State

ACC away games: Boston College, Clemson, Pittsburgh, Wake Forest

2019

Aug. 31 at Liberty

Sept. 7 at Maryland

Sept. 21 vs. Western Michigan

TBD vs. Holy Cross

ACC home games: Boston College, Clemson, Pittsburgh, Wake Forest

ACC away games: Duke, Florida State, Louisville, NC State

Published on June 5, 2017 at 12:34 pm

Contact Matthew: mguti100@syr.edu | @MatthewGut21