After their win last Saturday at Pitt, Notre Dame is currently 8-2 on the year, looking to extend their winning streak through the Syracuse game. The Irish and Orange first met in 1914, but have only played 11 times since then. The Irish lead the series 8-3 with a win streak of five games dating back to 2014. While Syracuse averages 22.3 points per game this season, Notre Dame has a leg up, averaging almost 38.5.
The first meeting over a century ago saw the Orange lose 20-0 in their own stadium. They didn’t face one another again until 1961, when the Irish won 17-15 in a controversial way — at least according to many Syracuse fans. The Orange were one of the most dominant programs in the country at the time, coming into this game ranked tenth, led by Ernie Davis who was the first African-American Heisman Trophy recipient. Notre Dame was up by two touchdowns before Syracuse was able to come back to take a 15-14 advantage that held until the Irish had a final chance to secure the win. With 17 seconds left, Notre Dame decided to attempt a 56 yard field goal, and although kicker Joe Perkowski initially missed the kick, a controversial roughing the holder penalty allowed the Irish another chance, this time from 41 yards away. Perkowski made the kick, securing the 17-15 victory. In the following matchup in 1963, the Orange came back to avenge the loss two years prior, beating Notre Dame 14-7.
The first decade of the 2000s is when the two faced off again, trading victories. In 2003, Syracuse continued their win streak from 40 years prior with a 38-12 win. Running back Walter Reyes ran for five scores, gaining 189 yards on 19 carries, including a career-best 71-yard run. The 2003 game would also be the Orange’s highest margin of victory, coming by 26 points. The Irish earned revenge in 2005, when sixth-ranked Notre Dame used a 270-yard passing day from quarterback Brady Quinn and 123 rushing yards from running back Darius Walker to beat Syracuse 34-10. In 2008, the Irish came in as the 19.5 point favorite after the Orange fired head coach Greg Robinson, but they blew a fourth quarter 23-10 lead and Syracuse quarterback Cameron Dantley threw the winning touchdown pass with 42 seconds left in the game. This was the infamous game where the stands erupted with snowballs hurled towards the players as a result of the embarrassing 24-23 loss.
Since then, the Irish have held a five game win streak from 2014 to 2022, scoring between 31 and 50 points in each game. Their largest margin of victory to date came in 2018 with a 36-3 win against the No. 12 Orange in Yankee Stadium for the Shamrock Series. With Notre Dame forcing an early three-and-out on the first possession, followed by an interception of Syracuse quarterback Eric Dungey on the second, the defensive tone for the game was set. The Orange were held to 234 yards, while Irish quarterback Ian Book threw for 292 yards, looking like a future pro.
The Irish are looking to continue this win streak and secure a high ranking going into their last game, with their eyes set on a College Football Playoff berth.
