Pittsburgh vs Syracuse Odds, Picks, and Predictions: Yankee Stadium Slogfest

The Syracuse Orange will try to salvage a once-promising season as they face the Pittsburgh Panthers on Saturday afternoon at Yankee Stadium.

Syracuse (4-5) began the year with four straight wins but has yet to earn a victory in ACC play. Pittsburgh (2-7) has only won one of its last eight games, but that one victory was a stunning upset of the Louisville Cardinals in mid-October. The college football odds now have the Panthers as a slight favorite to beat the Orange on a neutral field this weekend.

Both teams have struggled to produce much of anything on offense, and there are reasons to believe that trend will continue this weekend. We’ll break down the matchup in our free college football picks and predictions for Pittsburgh vs. Syracuse on November 11. 

Pittsburgh vs Syracuse best odds

Pittsburgh vs Syracuse picks and predictions

Once upon a time in September, the Syracuse Orange looked like a solid FBS team that was a shoo-in to reach a bowl game. Five losses later, Dino Babers is on the hot seat as the Orange have struggled to get anything done regardless of the quality of their opposition.

The fault is undoubtedly with the Syracuse offense. That unit has produced only 44 points in total over its last five games, a total it surpassed in two different contests early in the season. 

There are a few reasons for this. Of course, the ACC schedule has made things harder on the Orange, who scheduled a very manageable non-conference slate. There’s also the loss of Orande Gadsden II, who provided a constant threat in the passing game that even elite opponents had to worry about.

Still, Syracuse expected things to finally pick up last week against the Boston College Eagles. Instead, the Orange limped to a 17-10 loss. This time, the excuse for the offensive ineptitude was an undisclosed issue to starting quarterback Garrett Shrader, which forced backup Carlos Del Rio-Wilson into action. The Sophomore went 7-for-17 passing for an astoundingly low 37 yards and four interceptions.

Suffice it to say that Syracuse would benefit from having Shrader back in the lineup on Saturday. However, it’s still unclear whether or not the dual-threat quarterback will be available. Even if he does, it’s worth noting that he threw for only one touchdown in his last three games, while running for a total of -24 yards in that period.

If we can’t expect anything from the Syracuse offense, what will we see out of the Pittsburgh Panthers? The Panthers have been similarly anemic as of late, averaging just 10.3 points per game over their last three outings. Outside of that one incredible performance against Louisville, the Panthers haven’t had much bite, averaging just 20.7 points per game for the season.

Even with some rough performances against the top of the ACC, the Syracuse defense remains solid. Those issues were largely because the offense couldn’t stay on the field, leading to a tired defensive unit that started giving up big plays to future NFL talent. 

Pittsburgh can’t exploit the Orange in that manner. The Panthers don’t have a running back with over 338 yards on the season, and starting quarterback Christian Veilleux has thrown just six touchdowns on the year. He’ll have trouble producing against a Syracuse defense that has consistently put pressure on quarterbacks this season.

Who will come out on top in this one? I’m torn about that, but I’m certain there won’t be much scoring. Every touchdown will be massive, and this game could see a lot of stalled drives and battles for field position. It’s hard to see either team getting more than 21 points in this one, and the losing side could easily be held to single digits. Even with a very low total, I’m taking the Under.

My best bet: Under 37.5 (-110 at Caesars)
Picks made at time of writing may not reflect live odds.

Pittsburgh vs Syracuse same-game parlay

Under 37.5

Syracuse +3

Syracuse team total Under 17.5 points

+550 at DraftKings

The odd nature of this game makes it ripe for a same-game parlay that combines some elements that wouldn’t normally correlate with each other. We’ll start by taking the Under at 37.5 points, as I have absolutely no confidence in either offense to produce much of anything.

I am also taking Syracuse to cover as a three-point underdog. If I knew that Shrader was playing, I’d pick the Orange to win outright, but even with uncertainty at the quarterback position, this game should be very close into the fourth quarter. Syracuse will have a pseudo-home game at Yankee Stadium, so I like taking the Orange with the points. 

Finally, even with that bet, I’m still predicting that Syracuse is held to under 17.5 points. It’s hard to see the Orange producing much – it’s just that I don’t see Pittsburgh doing so, either. Let’s look for a tight, low-scoring game and cash in on the slog.

Learn how to bet a same-game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.

Pittsburgh vs Syracuse spread and Over/Under analysis

Pittsburgh opened Saturday’s game as a two-point favorite. That line has moved to a full field goal at nearly all sites as of Thursday afternoon. I was able to find Pittsburgh at -108 or Syracuse at -110 for those who want to shop around and save a couple of cents on the dollar.

Neither team has been great on the spread this year. The Panthers have put up a 2-6-1 ATS mark, while the Orange aren’t much better at 3-5-1 against the number.

I’m staying off the spread on this game because of the uncertainty at quarterback for Syracuse. Shrader hasn’t played great in recent weeks, but he’s far better than any of the team’s alternatives, and that would be enough to likely take the Orange on the moneyline. I still have a slight lean to Syracuse on the spread, but it’s not my favorite bet.

The total on this game opened at 37.5 points. The Over/Under has largely held firm at that number, with equal -110 action available on both sides of the market.

The Syracuse defense has played well for the Under, which has gone 7-2 when the Orange play this year. Meanwhile, the Over holds a 6-3 edge in Pittsburgh’s contests on the season.

This game reads as one where neither team will find much success moving the ball, let alone scoring. If the total had some significant downward movement, I might reconsider my play here. As it is, I can’t imagine both offenses suddenly breaking out on Saturday, and even if one does, that probably means scoring 2 to 3 touchdowns while the defense shuts down the opposition. The Under is the play here.

Pittsburgh vs Syracuse betting trend to know

The Under is 7-1 in Syracuse’s last eight games overall. Find more college football betting trends for Pittsburgh vs Syracuse.

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