Stanford begins its first ACC clash on Friday night in upstate New York, facing off against the Syracuse Orange. The Cardinal enter the game with a 1-1 record, fresh off a dominant — but expected — victory over Cal Poly. Meanwhile, Syracuse stands at 2-0, having surprised the road-favorite Georgia Tech just two weeks prior.
With the ACC up for grabs, this weekend is pivotal for both teams looking to make a statement in the conference. Stanford aims to establish itself as a contender, while Syracuse has its sights set on a conference title run.
Stanford vs. Syracuse Betting Preview
All Stanford vs. Syracuse odds are from DraftKings Sportsbook and are correct as of Friday, Sept. 20.
- Spread
Syracuse -8.5 - Moneyline
Stanford +260, Syracuse -325 - Over/Under
56.5 - Game time
7:30 p.m. ET - Location
JMA Wireless Dome| Syracuse, NY - How to Watch
ESPN
There has been decent movement, if not earth-shattering, in this one. The Orange opened as 10.5-point favorites, and that number crossed a key number at 9.5 early, before settling at 8.5 in favor of the Orange.
The total jumped a bit as the Stanford offense continued to surprise people in 2024. It initially opened at 55.5 and climbed to 57.5. But fair market betting saw this one return to the mean and settle similarly without much shattering movement.
Both teams enter this contest 1-1 against the spread and have gone 1-1 on the total.
Prediction for Stanford vs. Syracuse
Kyle McCord has already made a big impact for Syracuse in 2024.
After transferring from Ohio State, McCord has quickly become the driving force behind the Orange offense. In just two games, he’s racked up 735 passing yards and eight touchdowns with only one interception.
It’s safe to expect him to continue his strong play, as he was nearly flawless in Syracuse’s ACC victory over Georgia Tech, going 32-for-46 with 381 yards and four touchdowns.
McCord’s top targets, Oronde Gadsen and Trebor Pena, have also emerged as key playmakers. Gadsen — a known commodity at this point — has already tallied 13 receptions for 201 yards and three touchdowns, while Pena — the relative newcomer — has added 12 catches for 166 yards and four scores.
For Stanford, Ashton Daniels will need to have a huge game if Stanford hopes to compete. The versatile QB leads the team in both rushing with 118 yards and passing with 384 yards.
Stanford surprised some folks in its opening game of the 2024 season. It battled a solid TCU squad, eventually falling 34-27 at home. The Cardinal offense then came out and hung 41 on a sluggish Cal Poly team, a game in which Stanford failed to cover the 35-point spread.
Daniels has been excellent, but I’m not sure he has enough help in this one. Syracuse held Georgia Tech star running back Jamal Haynes to just 35 yards on 11 carries in its upset win over the Yellow Jackets.
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After Daniels, the Cardinal don’t feature a player with more than 55 yards rushing on the season. That’s a lot to ask from Daniels. I don’t believe Stanford can throw the ball all over the field on Friday night.
So, if the Cardinal can’t establish a run game, it will be tough to control the ball and time of possession. Stanford may abandon the run game if McCord and the Syracuse offense strike early. And as Syracuse’s secondary continues to improve, that doesn’t bode well for the Cardinal.
I’m buying McCord and this Orange offense. They will overwhelm Stanford and dictate the pace all night on Friday.
The Prediction: Syracuse 38, Stanford 17
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