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Pittsburgh and Syracuse have met 17 times since 2002 with the Panthers winning an impressive 14 of those matchups including six of their last nine of the road. The two ACC rivals will meet again on Friday night in upstate New York. The game will kick-off at 7 p.m. at the Carrier Dome and air on ESPN.
Pittsburgh (4-2, 1-1 ACC) has gone 4-1 SU and 4-1 ATS in their last five games The Panthers last played two weeks ago at Duke and almost coughed up a 23-point lead in a 33-30 win over Duke. Pittsburgh covered a 3.5-point underdog against the Blue Devils and the game went well over the total of 48 points.
The Panthers caught the national eye in September with an upset victory over UCF as a 10-point home underdog. Pitt is 7-2-1 ATS in their last 10 games coming off a bye week and are 7-2-1 in their last 10 games against the Orange.
Syracuse (3-3, 0-2 ACC) is coming off a tough 16-10 loss at North Carolina State last Thursday night. The Orange failed to cover as a 4-point underdog and the game stayed well under the total of 56 points. Syracuse is 0-3 SU and 0-3 ATS in their last three games as an underdog, average just 12 points in those games.
Syracuse’s high-scoring offense from 2018 has been inconsistent so far this season. The Orange are averaging just 25.5 points and 378 yards per game in 2019, down 14.7 points and 88.6 yards from 2018. Syracuse QB Tommy DeVito has been a bright spot as the signal-caller of Dino Baber’s up-tempo offense, however DeVito has already been sacked 26 times playing behind a makeshift offensive line.
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Pittsburgh vs. Syracuse Spread & Total
The Panthers enter as a 3.5-point road favorite against a Syracuse team that is 1-4 ATS in their last five games. The total is set at 52 points. The under is 5-2 in the last seven meetings between these two teams.
Early in the week, the action has trended on the road favorite with about 59% of the action coming in on Pittsburgh. The total has trended towards the over, with the number moving from 50.5 to 52.
Pittsburgh has been a cover machine of late and have won twice as outright dogs this season (vs. UCF, at Duke). Syracuse last covered the spread three weeks ago in a 52-33 win over Western Michigan, easily eclipsing the 3.5-point number.
*All odds are courtesy of Covers
Pittsburgh vs. Syracuse Analysis & Prediction
Syracuse head coach Dino Babers is showing faith in QB Tommy DeVito. The sophomore has looked impressive at times, completing over 65% of his passes and throwing 12 touchdowns to just five interceptions. However DeVito was sacked eight times last week behind an offensive line with three first-year starters, a position group which continues to haunt the Orange.
Meanwhile Pittsburgh has had a lot of success on the road in this series, winning six of the last nine games at the Carrier Done. Panthers DE Patrick Jones II had two sacks in the win over Duke two weeks ago, forcing two fumbles, including the game-clinching turnover on Duke’s final possession. Pittsburgh’s defense will be the difference in this one as the Panthers win a tight game in upstate New York.
Prediction: Pittsburgh 24, Syracuse 21.
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Pittsburgh vs. Syracuse Prediction: Betting Line, Odds & Pick