It’s been an ugly offseason for Syracuse. Every publication is picking them to lose a ton of games. Opposing coaches are shredding the program. Bets are being taken about whether Dino Babers can keep his job. But winning money is a good thing, and you can capitalize on CBS Sports’ low expectations.
In the site’s ACC win total predictions, writer Chip Patterson used the Vegas line of 3 wins as his over/under marker.
“I can buy the offseason storylines from Syracuse, where the combination of young players forced into action early have combined with Super Seniors and other veterans who were injured during last season to make a motivated group ready to bounce back, but still fall short of picking a major jump in win total. I’d bet on Syracuse to win an ACC game as a single prop but in this exercise where I have to name the specific game I keep coming back to 3-9.¬†Pick: Push 3” – CBS Sports
Full disclosure, Patterson is one of the best writers in college football and often joins me as a guest on the show. But the over is the play here. He pegs the only three wins as Ohio, Rutgers and Albany. Beating OU and UAlbany are no-brainers. No matter how awful SU is compared to the rest of the ACC, there’s no way the Orange is losing those two games. Rutgers is plucky, and the Knights are getting better. But it’s at the Dome. That’s a win as well. SU should have the three win total wrapped up by October.
All you need to win that bet is one more victory from this list: Liberty, at Florida State, Wake Forest, Clemson, at Virginia Tech, Boston College, at Louisville, at NC State, Pitt.
The Flames are a better team, but you get them at home. Home games against Wake, Boston College and Pitt should deliver at least one more win. On the road at Louisville, NC State and Virginia Tech are tough matchups. But of all those games, SU can’t win just one of them? That’s hard for me to believe.
Last year was a nightmare, but are the rash of injuries going to hit as hard again? Dino’s teams may be mediocre, but mediocre is better than putrid. Mediocre gets you 4-5 wins every year. Give me the over on this, I’m confident the Orange can find a fourth win somewhere on that schedule.
