The Virginia Cavaliers will travel to the Carrier Dome for a matchup against the Syracuse Orange. The latter has looked outstanding throughout the season, while the former has struggled at times.
Virginia somewhat bounced back last week after a terrible loss to Illinois. They beat Old Dominion, although the game was closer than expected. Syracuse is coming off of a thrilling win against Purdue. They also have easy wins over Connecticut and Louisville this season.
In this article, I’ll break down the odds for this game and you’ll find my favorite Virginia vs. Syracuse predictions.
Virginia vs. Syracuse Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia | +10.5 (-110) | +330 | O 53 (-110) |
| @ Syracuse | -10.5 (-110) | -410 | U 53 (-110) |
Odds via Betfred Sportsbook as of 4 p.m. ET on Sep. 20.
Game Info
- Date: Friday, Sep. 23
- Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
- Location: Carrier Dome – Syracuse, NY
- TV: ESPN
Virginia vs. Syracuse Trends
Let’s take a look at some relevant betting trends for the Virginia vs. Syracuse game:
- Virginia enters this game with an 0-3 ATS record
- Syracuse owns a 3-0 ATS record this season
- As of Tuesday afternoon, 84% of the bets and 75% of the handle were on Syracuse -10.5 spread
- DraftKings also reports that 47% of the bets and 65% of the handle is on over 53 points
- Virginia’s hit the under in all 3 of their games this season
- Syracuse has posted a 2-1 over/under record in 2022
Syracuse Rushing Offense
Sean Tucker is one of the best running backs in the NCAA. Through three games, he’s posted 254 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. He’s also added a pair of receptions for 12 yards and one touchdown through the air.
Tucker’s versatility adds an extra dimension to the Syracuse offense. It’s similar to the way Garrett Shrader’s rushing potential helps open lanes for Tucker. The duo’s versatility puts opposing defenses in a difficult situation. The starting quarterback has posted 201 yards and three touchdowns on the ground this season.
Sean Tucker 🔥🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/T752j5BwrQ
— Ray G 🏁 (@RayGQue) September 4, 2022
Virginia wasn’t expected to be one of the better run defenses in the NCAA this season. Phil Steele projected them to average 185.8 rushing yards per game this season. That’s the third-highest total in the ACC.
The Cavaliers performed well against Old Dominion’s running backs last week, but that hasn’t been the case earlier in the season. Richmond’s running backs combined for 164 yards and 1 touchdown on 30 carries in Week 1. Unsurprisingly, Chase Brown dominated them the week after that. He totaled 146 yards on 20 carries.
I don’t expect Virginia’s success from last week to continue over to this game. Tucker and Shrader should find elite success on the ground. Luckily, Syracuse proved last week that they have the ability to score plenty of points, even when Tucker isn’t finding success. It’s always great to have a backup plan.
Brennan Armstrong’s Potential
If you’re new to college football, you probably think Armstrong is a terrible quarterback. It’s hard to think he’s been anything but a disappointment this season. The Virginia quarterback has posted 720 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions on 102 pass attempts in 2022. He’s added 150 yards and one touchdown on the ground as well.
This isn’t the true Armstrong, though. He was an elite quarterback last season. Over 11 games, he threw for 4,449 yards with 31 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He completed slightly over 65% of his pass attempts last season. Armstrong also ran for 251 yards and nine touchdowns last year.
Has been somewhat of a frustrating start of the season for Brennan Armstrong and this Cavalier offense, but he comes up clutch with this throw to set up the game winning field goal@STL_UVA@thesabre@Wahoos247 pic.twitter.com/D0mMNHoXNV
— Mike Glennon (@Mike_Glennon) September 19, 2022
The key here is that Armstrong found plenty of success in 2020 as well. There’s no reason to believe he fell off of a cliff, and he should bounce back sooner than later.
Syracuse doesn’t have a dominant passing defense, and that isn’t going to change this week. Aidan O’Connell threw for 424 yards with 3 touchdowns and 1 interception last week. Zion Turner was also an efficient option for UConn against Syracuse.
Virginia vs. Syracuse Predictions
The total dropped from when it opened, and I’m at a point where I feel comfortable taking it. Syracuse and Virginia will both look to push the pace in this game. They both feature better offenses than defenses as well.
Syracuse should find plenty of success on the ground, but they also boast the ability to score with big plays through the air. Virginia doesn’t feature the defense to slow down Syracuse, and they should take to the air similar to Purdue last week. Armstrong is primed for a breakout game, and I’m expecting it this week. We should see offensive fireworks in this game.
Pick: Over 53 total points | -110 at BetFred Sportsbook
