Syracuse University fired football coach Dino Babers on Sunday after eight seasons leading the Orange. Coach Nunzio Campanile will coach against Wake Forest next week.

Syracuse University Director of Athletics John Wildhack has announced Babers will conclude his tenure as head coach of the football program effective immediately. A national search to identify Babers’ successor is now underway. 

"I appreciate everything Dino, his wife Susan, and their family have done over the last eight years for Syracuse Athletics, Syracuse University and most importantly, our student-athletes," Wildhack said in a statement. "Thanks to Dino’s leadership, our student-athletes have performed at the highest levels in the classroom, have dedicated countless hours to supporting our communities and have gone on to achieve great success, both professionally and personally. As we embark on a change in leadership at the helm of Syracuse Football, on behalf of Syracuse University I thank Coach Babers for his leadership, character and dedication, and wish him well in his future endeavors."

Syracuse dropped Saturday’s game to Georgia Tech, the last for Babers, despite a furious comeback from 21 points down.

The Orange, 5-6, face Wake Forest at home next weekend in the season finale.

A win could still get the Orange into a bowl game.

For Babers, though, what started with a promising 4-0 record ended with disappointing ACC play for the second consecutive season. SU is just 1-6 in conference, including blowout losses to North Carolina and Florida State in back-to-back weeks.

It was a similar tune to 2022, when the Orange busted out of the gates to start 6-0, but faltered down the stretch, going 1-5 in the regular season before losing to Minnesota in the Pinstripe Bowl.

Babers said in the offseason that he had multiple years left on his contract. As a private university, Syracuse doesn’t have to disclose its coaches’ contracts.

Hired after the 2015 season, Babers came in as a fiery motivator known for making passionate locker room speeches. He also came in as an offensive-minded coach with the goal of playing fast.

This year, the Orange haven’t broken the 30-point plateau since Week 3 against Purdue.

Babers earned a contract extension in 2018 following the Orange’s best season in nearly 20 years that saw them win the Camping World Bowl and finish 10-3.

Over eight seasons, Babers went 41-55 overall and 20-45 in conference play.