The Syracuse Orange take on the Clemson Tigers. Check out our college football odds series for our Syracuse Clemson prediction and pick.
The Clemson Tigers are back in the saddle. They have already passed their three biggest tests of the season, winning against North Carolina State, Wake Forest, and Florida State, with two of those games being on the road. Clemson has stepped through landmines and handled stressful, tense situations with the poise and composure one normally expects from the Tigers. Dabo Swinney has done a brilliant job of handling this season after losing each of his two longtime coordinators in the offseason. Dabo lost Brent Venables, his defensive coordinator, to Oklahoma, and he lost offensive coordinator Tony Elliott to Virginia. Everyone wondered how Dabo was going to fare, and what made his situation more complicated is that quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei had struggled in 2021. No one knew how he was going to respond to a very difficult season. The verdict is in: Clemson has the goods. The Tigers have had the resources and responses they needed for each and every situation. This is what a restored Clemson program looks like. Everything is on course for an unbeaten season and a return trip to the College Football Playoff, where Clemson had been in each of the six seasons from 2015 through 2020.
Standing in the way of Clemson's unbeaten season is Syracuse, which has shocked everyone in the ACC and the larger college football world by entering Week 8 without a loss. Coach Dino Babers was on the hot seat entering this year. Out of nowhere, he has lifted Syracuse to the top of the ACC Atlantic Division alongside Clemson. The Orange have defeated North Carolina State and Purdue, so it's not as though they have fattened up on cupcakes or lower-end ACC teams. They do have some cupcake wins, but they also have some solid results on their resume. Syracuse won 10 games under Babers in 2018. Four years later, the Orange are on pace to win 10 games once again. They simply have to avoid cratering in November, and they should be able to do that. Syracuse plays tough and physical defense. The offense isn't spectacular, but it has not needed to be especially strong. The Orange don't beat themselves and they force opponents to make huge plays. It will be fascinating to see if they can force Clemson to make mistakes.
Courtesy of FanDuel, here are the Syracuse-Clemson College Football odds.
College Football Odds: Syracuse-Clemson Odds
Syracuse Orange: +13.5 (-110)
Clemson Tigers: -13.5 (-110)
Over: 49.5 (-110)
Under: 49.5 (-110)
Why Syracuse Could Cover the Spread
The simple act of avoiding mistakes and getting a strong defensive performance could enable Syracuse to stay close in a game where it is nearly a two-touchdown underdog. Few think that Syracuse will win the game, but the Orange could realistically be competitive with Clemson. They have given Clemson a battle on numerous occasions in recent years. No one should assume a non-competitive game.
Why Clemson Could Cover the Spread
Clemson built a 20-point lead over Florida State and then clearly seemed to relax. The Tigers beat Florida State by six points. The Tigers looked like a team which was downshifting and going on cruise control, mentally gathering itself for this Syracuse game. Expect Clemson to be ready for this game. The Tigers have been ready for each of the big games they have played this year.
Final Syracuse-Clemson Prediction & Pick
Keep in mind that Syracuse's win over North Carolina State was the product of N.C. State quarterback Devin Leary being injured. Against a healthy Clemson team, the Syracuse magic carpet ride will come to an abrupt and decisive end.
Final Syracuse-Clemson Prediction & Pick: Clemson -13.5
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