Two Friday night home games highlight Syracuse’s Big East schedule for 2012, which was released by the Big East conference on Tuesday.

The Orange plays Pittsburgh on Friday, Oct. 5, and Connecticut on Friday, Oct. 19, in two nationally televised games. Syracuse plays a third Friday game at Temple in its season finale Nov. 23.

The Owls joined the Big East conference for football only this season and for all sports in 2013 on March 7.

The nonconference portion of Syracuse’s schedule had already been released, so the conference slate completes the Orange’s schedule. Syracuse opens its season at home against Northwestern on Sept. 1.

The Friday games are three of four games scheduled for national television. Syracuse plays Southern California in New York’s College Classic on Sept. 8 in MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. That game will be televised on ABC, ESPN or ESPN2.

Syracuse plays five games in the Carrier Dome, six on the road and one in MetLife Stadium. It is the fewest number of games in the Dome since 2004.

Syracuse’s home games are against Northwestern on Sept. 1, Stony Brook on Sept. 15, Pittsburgh on Oct. 5, Connecticut on Oct. 19 and Louisville on Nov. 10.

The Orange’s road games are at Minnesota on Sept. 22, Rutgers on Oct. 13, South Florida on Oct. 27, Cincinnati on Nov. 3, Missouri on Nov. 17 and Temple on Nov. 23.

mcooperj@syr.edu

Published on March 27, 2012 at 12:00 pm

Contact Mark: mcooperj@syr.edu | @mark_cooperjr