EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – A traditional college football rivalry will resume in 2013 when the Syracuse University Orange and the Penn State Nittany Lions face each other at the New Meadowlands Stadium, home of the New York Jets and New York Giants.
Syracuse and Penn State to Continue Rivalry at New Meadowlands Stadium as Part of Three-Game Series
Syracuse Director of Athletics Dr. Daryl Gross, Penn State Director of Athletics Tim Curleyand New Meadowlands Stadium Company President and CEO Mark Lamping announced today that the New Meadowlands Stadium will host the Orange and the Nittany Lions on August 31, 2013 in the first of a three-game series. The two schools are working to finalize an agreement to play in 2020 and 2021 at Penn State and Syracuse, respectively.
“We look forward to continuing our long term series with Penn State,” Gross said. “Playing a neutral site game in the New Meadowlands Stadium versus Penn State was the impetus for a longer series. Had this opportunity not been available it would have been years before we were able to resume the series. We want to thank the New Meadowlands Stadium for presenting this opportunity to both universities. The opportunity allows Syracuse football to continue to play in its largest alumni area and carry the banner of New York's college team. We look forward to head coach Doug Marrone leading our team in our home away from home.”
The series against Penn State is the longest in Syracuse’s storied football history. The teams have met 70 times on the gridiron. Syracuse first visited the Meadowlands in 1979, playing two ‘home’ games, vs. Penn. State and vs. West Virginia, when the Carrier Dome was under construction. The Orange has a 5-3 record in the Meadowlands, including three victories against Rutgers and wins against Wisconsin and West Virginia.
Penn State has an 8-3 records in games played at the Meadowlands, with the last contest coming against USC in the 2000 Kickoff Classic. Starting with the 1979 game vs. the Orange, the Nittany Lions also have played Nebraska, Texas, Rutgers, Georgia Tech and Temple at the Meadowlands.
For the Orange, the game against Penn State will be the second of four currently scheduled at the New Meadowlands. Syracuse will play the University of Southern California on September 8, 2012 and will face Notre Dame twice, including September 27, 2014 and September 3, 2016.
The Syracuse University men’s lacrosse team participated in the first sporting event at the New Meadowlands in April, beating Princeton in the Big City Classic.
“We are thrilled about the opportunity to play Syracuse at the New Meadowlands Stadium to open the 2013 season,” Curley said. “I was very impressed when I visited the stadium earlier this year and it will quickly be recognized as one of the nation’s premier sports facilities. We have had a long relationship with Syracuse and the Meadowlands and are excited about playing the Orange and returning to the site of many memorable Penn State games. This game will provide a great opportunity for some of our players to play close to home and for our fans and the 40,000 Penn State alumni in metropolitan New York City to see the Nittany Lions play in person.”
“The Meadowlands has long sustained a rich history with college football, and we look forward to welcoming Syracuse and Penn State - two powerhouse programs –and their respective fans to the new Stadium in 2013,” Lamping said. “This longstanding match-up comes highly anticipated, and we expect a memorable game that will only add to our growing tradition.”
In October 2010, the Stadium is confirmed to host Army vs. Rutgers on October 16 and Notre Dame vs. Navy on October 23.
The New Meadowlands Stadium, home to the New York Giants and New York Jets, sets the standard for venue excellence, with state-of-the-art technology, comfort and amenities. With a full seating capacity of 82,500 the New Meadowlands Stadium is the third-largest stadium in the National Football League. Highlights include four massive 30' X 118' HD video display boards in each of the stadium corners; a 48" X 1810' ribbon board that circles the interior bowl; 2100 + HD Monitors throughout the stadium; and 20 HD video pylons ranging in size from 20' X 40' to 20' X 60'.
Outside the stadium, a 350,000-square-foot outdoor plaza will boast fan-centric activities and pregame entertainment zones. The new stadium will have numerous restaurants, wider concourses and more HD square footage than any other stadium in North America. A signature amenity of the stadium is the brand new rail line that drops off passengers directly in front of the stadium.
For Syracuse University:
Sue Cornelius Edson, Syracuse University
For Pennsylvania State University:
Jeff Nelson, Penn State University