Two schools that prefer to run the football, Head Coach Dino Babers and the Syracuse Orange (-5) are taking the field against the Pittsburgh Panthers at Heinz Field. This conference game kicks off at 12:20 p.m. ET and CHSS is in line to broadcast the action. These programs met a year ago with the final outcome being a 27-24 win for Syracuse.
Syracuse Orange at Pittsburgh Panthers Betting Preview
Pittsburgh is entering this ACC matchup as the underdog and is currently getting 5 points. The Orange are also receiving -220 moneyline odds while the Panthers are +180. Should one side gets out in front early it’ll generate a nice betting opportunity in-game. Oddsmakers have placed the over/under (O/U) at 59 points.
Early action has swayed in favor of the Panthers. The line opened at 6, while the game’s total has yet to change after it was set initially at 59.
The surprising Orange have gained 2.5 units so far and are 4-1 against the spread (ATS). The team has posted an Over-Under record of 2-3. The Panthers have lost 2.0 units for moneyline bettors this season. They’re 1-4 ATS and have an even O/U record of 2-2.
The Orange are 4-1 straight up (SU), including 1-1 SU against conference opponents. The Panthers are 2-3 SU overall and are also 1-1 SU in conference play.
The Orange are trying to get back on track after a 27-23 loss to Clemson last weekTheir defense allowed the Tigers to run for 293 yards on 53 rush attempts, including three rush TDs. Travis Etienne was unmatched for the Tigers in that one with 203 rushing yards and all three touchdowns on 27 attempts. Offensively, Eric Dungey completed 26-of-41 passes for 250 yards and one interception. Jamal Custis (five receptions, 73 yards) and Devin C. Butler (five catches, 45 yards) handled the receiving duties in the defeat.
One week ago, UCF took care of this Pittsburgh team by a score of 45-14. The Panthers defense allowed the Knights to pass for 328 yards and four touchdowns while rushing for 240 yards and two scores. Adrian Killins Jr. was a force to be reckoned with, putting up 40 rushing yards on 12 attempts, along with 140 yards on three catches for UCF. For Pittsburgh, Kenny Pickett completed 16-of-26 passes for 163 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Qadree Ollison (49 yards on 11 rush attempts) mounted the running attack as Maurice Ffrench (three receptions, 78 yards, one TD) and Will Gragg (three catches, 21 yards) led the pass-catching attack in the loss.
Syracuse has run the ball on 58.4 percent of its offensive plays this year, including 53.5 percent across possessions in conference play. Pittsburgh has an overall run percentage of 60.6 percent, and has rushed the ball 54.5 percent of the time when facing ACC opponents. The Orange have run for 235 yards/game (including 142 per game versus Atlantic Coast opponents) and have 14 touchdowns on the ground this year. The Panthers are averaging 192 rushing yards per game (183 in conference) and have nine total rush TDs.
If 2018 numbers can translate to this game, then it seems like the Orange might be the more disruptive team in the trenches, as their offensive line has yielded just 32 sacks while the D-line logged 17 sacks. The Panthers, on the other hand, have allowed 31 sacks and their defense has sacked opposing QBs just 23 times.
The Orange offensive scheme has tallied 246 yards per contest through the air overall (235 per game against conference opposition) and has 10 passing TDs so far. The Panthers have put up 152 pass yards per contest (185.5 in the ACC) and have five total pass scores.
Defensively, Syracuse has allowed 163 rush yards and 239 pass yards per game. The Pittsburgh D has given up 229.8 yards per game to opposing passers and 200.8 yards per game to opposing runners. The Orange are giving up an adjusted net yards per pass attempt (ANY/A) of just 4.66 to opposing QBs, while the Panthers have allowed a 7.72 ANY/A.
Passing-wise, Dungey has amassed 727 yards this season, and has completed 60 percent of his 105 attempts with seven passing scores and only two interceptions. He has a 6.96 adjusted net yards per pass attempt, including 7.37 over the last two outings.
In the other huddle, Kenny Pickett has connected on 57-of-89 passes for 569 yards, three TDs and four INTs. Pickett’s ANY/A stands at a less-than-ideal 4.20 for the year and 4.63 across his last two outings.
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Notes
Betting Notes
Pittsburgh has lost four fumbles this season while Syracuse has lost two.
The Syracuse defense has 17 sacks on the year while Pittsburgh has just nine.
As a team, Syracuse has produced 4.83720930232558 yards per carry over its last three games and 5.6 over its last two.
Pittsburgh has averaged 4.8 yards per carry over its last three contests and 4.9 over its last two.
Over its last three matches, Pittsburgh is 1-2 ATS and the under cashed in two of those three.
Syracuse was favored by 25 points in its last game and the O/U was set at 65. The under cashed and Syracuse did not cover in the 27-23 loss to Clemson.
Over its last three matchups, Syracuse is 2-1 ATS and the under cashed in each of those three.
Pittsburgh was favored by 14 points in its previous outing and the O/U was set at 65.5. The under cashed and Pittsburgh failed to cover in the 45-14 defeat to UCF.
Pittsburgh has dropped four of its last five games SU, with a five-point victory over Georgia Tech on September 15th accounting for the one win over that stretch.
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