Syracuse football opens as big underdog vs. NC State

The Syracuse Orange are still one win from bowl eligibility but it won’t be an easy task to earn that win in the final two games. After last weekend’s blowout loss to Louisville, the Orange will be heading to Raleigh to take on the N.C. State Wolfpack on Saturday at 4 p.m. ET.

Syracuse opened as 11.5 point underdogs to the Wolfpack on DraftKings (odds/lines subject to change. T&Cs apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for details). We’ll see how that might switch during the week but it’s clear that getting thumped by Louisville lost the Orange some believers.

Last week’s loss dropped Syracuse to 8-2 against the spread this season. The Wolfpack are 6-4 against the spread and failed to cover last season when they were 17-point favorites, but beat the Orange 36-29 in the Dome (you may recall how that one went...). NC State has won four of the last five games between the two schools but has failed to cover twice when favored by double-digits. Will this trend continue?

The over/under for Saturday’s game is also currently at 50.5 which would seem a little high based on what each team has done this season. NC State is averaging 32.2 points per game this season with Syracuse down to 26.8 points per game after the last two games produced a combined 24 points for the Orange.

Can Syracuse bounce back on both sides of the ball against a better opponent? If you really believe in the Orange they are currently +340 on the money line. Not sure we’d recommend that unless you really believe that this squad will bounce back in a big way on Saturday.

This could be the second time that Syracuse head into a game as a double-digit underdog. In the previous game the Orange were able to cover during the three-point loss to Clemson. Can they repeat the feat this week or do you believe Syracuse will rally and pull off a surprising win? Well if you’ve lost all faith then note that NC State is -455 on the money line and don’t say we didn’t give you all your options.