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Syracuse University Football Collection

An inventory of the collection at the Syracuse University Archives


Finding aid created by: Nicole Morello
Date: 2019

Historical Note

Syracuse University's football team is part of the Atlantic Coast Conference in the Football Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association. Football at Syracuse University officially began on November 23, 1889 with an intercollegiate game against the University of Rochester. Though they lost their first game, football teams at Syracuse University would go on to produce a strong organization. Syracuse University has had over 60 All-American players throughout its history including Jim Brown, Heisman Trophy winner Ernie Davis, Floyd Little, Vic Hanson, Tim Green, Larry Csonka, Don McPherson, and Donovan McNabb. Notable coaches with winning seasons include Ben Schwartzwalder, Frank Maloney, Dick MacPherson, Paul Pasqualoni, Doug Marrone, and Dino Babers. Syracuse University has had two undefeated seasons, the first in 1959 under Coach Ben Schwartzwalder that included a championship victory against the University of Texas at Austin in the Cotton Bowl, and the second in 1987 under Coach Dick MacPherson. Syracuse University has played in more than 25 bowl games.

Scope and Content Note

The Syracuse University Football Collection includes game programs, tickets, promotional materials, game records, schedules, publications, office files, and other materials about football at Syracuse University from 1889 to 2016. The collection is divided into seven series.

The Administrative series comprises internal documents used and created by Syracuse University football coaches and staff. These records include information about fundraising efforts and documentation about player recruitment. Only a small sample of recruitment files have been retained in the collection, and the names and personal information of the students that these records concern have been redacted to protect their privacy.

The Events series primarily includes programs for various dinners and banquets hosted by or for the football program, such as the Hall of Fame dinner.

The Game and team records series provides information about games, practices, and plays. These records include playbooks, game rosters, and game tickets. Also present are season summaries for the 1889-1945 seasons, records of games from 1908-1988, and team yearbooks for 1965-2013.

The Histories series consists of published histories/works about the Syracuse University Football program. Also included is a manuscript of "Year on the Road," a project to document the football program's year of away games to allow for the demolition of Archbold Stadium and the construction of the Dome.

The Memorabilia series comprises awards won by players and coaches as well as calendars containing depictions of vintage football programs.

The Reference materials series, labeled as REF boxes, are comprised of programs, prospectuses, and schedules that are readily available to researchers. They provide mostly published information about Syracuse University football.

The Subject files series includes four clipping books about the football team, a scrapbook of clippings from the 1950 season, several newsletters and magazines, and photographs of the team, both posed and during games.

Restrictions

Access Restrictions:

Please note that portions of the collection are housed off-site, and advance notice is required to allow time to have the materials brought to the Reading Room on campus.

Use Restrictions:

Written permission must be obtained from the Syracuse University Archives and all relevant rights holders before publishing quotations, excerpts or images from any materials in this collection.

Related Material

Among the Reference materials, posters were moved to the Syracuse University Poster Collection, and some clippings were moved to the Syracuse University Clipping Files.

Materials related to Syracuse University football can be found in the Syracuse University Poster Collection, the Syracuse University Photograph Collection, and the Syracuse University Clipping Files. The University Archives also holds collections for specific football players, coaches, and seasons, such as the Ernie Davis Collection, the Ben Schwartzwalder Papers, and the 1959 Championship Football Team Collection. Additionally, the University Archives holds clipping and portrait files on some individual football players and coaches.

Selected Search Terms

Names

Davis, Ernie 1939-1963.
Little, Floyd, 1942-
Schwartzwalder, Ben, 1909-1993.
National Collegiate Athletic Association.
National Football Foundation.
Syracuse Orange (Football team)
Syracuse University -- History.
Syracuse University.

Subjects

College athletes.
Football players.
Football.
Football coaches.
Higher education.

Types of Material

Awards.
Brochures.
Calendars (Documents)
Clippings (Information artifacts)
Photographs.
Souvenir programs.
Tickets.
Yearbooks.

Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

Syracuse University Football Collection,
University Archives,
Special Collections Research Center
Syracuse University Libraries

Acquisition Information

Transfers from the Syracuse University Athletics Office and gifts of outside donors.

Processing Information

Reference materials were reorganized and placed in new folders and boxes as needed.

All other materials were processed in 2026 by Calvin Silver. Materials were placed in acid-free folders and boxes. Oversize items were placed in oversize boxes. A small sample of recruitment files were selected for the collection, and the names and personal information of the students that these records concern were reacted to protect their privacy. Playbooks were removed from their binders and placed in acid-free folders. The binders that originally held these playbooks were placed in the Memorabilia series and housed in an acid-free box. The clipping books were disbound and placed in acid-free folders in an acid-free oversize box.

Arrangement

Folders are arranged alphabetically and chronologically, where applicable.

Table of Contents

Administrative

Events

Game and team records

Histories

Memorabilia

Reference materials

Subject files

Inventory