Dino Babers and the Syracuse Orange welcome Dabo Swinney and the Clemson Tigers to the Carrier Dome on Friday evening. Syracuse opened the season with a 3-1 mark in non-conference play. However, the Orange are 0-2 against ACC opponents, losing to Florida State and Wake Forest. After a season-opening loss to Georgia, Clemson has won three of the last four games, including a 19-13 win over Boston College in the team's last outing.
Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. ET. Caesars Sportsbook lists the Tigers as 13.5-point road favorites, while the over-under, or total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, is 43.5 in the latest Clemson vs. Syracuse odds. Before making any Syracuse vs. Clemson picks, be sure to see the college football predictions and betting advice from the proven SportsLine Projection Model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every FBS college football game 10,000 times. Over the past five-plus years, the proprietary computer model has generated a stunning profit of almost $3,800 for $100 players on its top-rated college football picks against the spread. It also enters Week 7 of the 2021 season on a 19-7 run on all top-rated college football side picks. Anyone who has followed it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Clemson vs. Syracuse and just released its picks and predictions. You can head to SportsLine to see the model's CFB picks. Now, here are several college football odds and betting lines for Syracuse vs. Clemson:
- Clemson vs. Syracuse spread: Clemson -13.5
- Clemson vs. Syracuse over-under: 43.5 points
- Clemson vs. Syracuse money line: Clemson -600, Syracuse +425
- CLEM: The Tigers are 0-5 against the spread this season
- SYR: The Orange are 5-1 against the spread in 2021
Why Clemson can cover
Clemson's offense has surprisingly struggled this season, but there are signs of life and reasons for optimism in this matchup. Quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei is a former five-star prospect that is an immense talent, and he is capable of a breakout at any moment. Clemson has also allowed only 10 sacks in five games, an above-average mark, and Syracuse has given up 10 touchdown passes with only three interceptions this season. The Orange are also allowing opponents to complete 69.9 percent of passes, and Clemson has intriguing skill position talent.
The Tigers are averaging a rock-solid 4.5 yards per carry this season, and sophomore running back Kobe Pace is putting up 5.7 yards per carry. He is coming off an 18-carry, 125-yard performance against Boston College, and Pace can knife through Syracuse's run defense. On the outside, junior wide receiver Joseph Ngata leads Clemson with 333 receiving yards and 19.6 yards per catch, and he has a pair of 100-yard receiving games, including an 111-yard effort against Boston College in Clemson's last game.
Why Syracuse can cover
Syracuse is very good defensively, with an impressive statistical profile. The Orange could also benefit from the bizarre and surprising struggles of the Clemson offense. The Tigers are currently last in the ACC in both scoring offense (21.2 points per game) and total offense (324.0 yards per game), with conference-worst marks in completion rate (54.8 percent) and yards per pass attempt (5.7). Clemson does have talent, but Syracuse's defense profiles as a unit that can continue to hold the Tigers in check.
Syracuse is a top-four team in the ACC in total defense, passing defense and rushing defense, and the Orange lead the conference with 22 sacks. The Orange have talent all over the place defensively, and senior defensive lineman Cody Roscoe is a standout. Roscoe has 6.5 sacks in only six games, leading the Orange, and he also has a whopping 9.5 tackles for loss.
How to make Clemson vs. Syracuse picks
SportsLine's model is leaning under on the total, projecting the teams to combine for 42 points. The model also says one side of the spread hits in well over 50 percent of simulations. You can only get the model's Syracuse vs. Clemson picks at SportsLine.
So who wins Clemson vs. Syracuse? And which side of the spread hits in well over 50 percent of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to find out which side of the Clemson vs. Syracuse spread you need to jump on Friday, all from the model that has crushed its college football picks, and find out.
