Week 5: Fighting Irish vs Orange Picks
Week 5 college betting action sees the No. 8 Notre Dame Fighting Irish taking on the Syracuse Orange in Syracuse, N.Y. Cappers Picks provides free college football handicapping tips all season long.
Entering this contest, Notre Dame should be the one with the most confidence, as it’s coming off a 30-14 victory over Purdue.
College Football Odds
#8 Notre Dame (3-0) vs. Syracuse (2-1)
Saturday, Sept. 27
8:00 PM ET
Metlife Stadium (Syracuse, N.Y.)
ABC
College Football Betting Lines: Notre Dame -9.5
College Football O/U: 48
***2014 CFB BONUSES***
[dfads params=’groups=63740&limit=1&return_javascript=0′]Click here to view… ATS Stats & Expert NCAA Betting Prediction Insight!
Syracuse is coming off a 14-point loss to Maryland, but any time a ranked opponent comes to town, you know the home crowd (and home team) will be a little extra amped.
Notre Dame
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish have yet to be challenged this season. As the No. 8 team in the country, they’re 3-0 on the year, and they’re doing it with defense.
[dfads params=’groups=63738&limit=1&return_javascript=0′]
Through three games, Notre Dame is third in the country in points allowed. It’s giving up just 10.3 points per contest, and it’s allowing its opponents to gain just 315.3 yards per game.
The team is 19th in rushing yards allowed (99 per game) and 49th in passing yards allowed (216.3).
Offensively, this team hasn’t been nearly as imposing, but that doesn’t mean it hasn’t been productive. On the year, it’s averaging 260 yards through the air (51st in the nation), 158 yards on the ground (76th) and 36.3 points per game (47th).
[dfads params=’groups=66501&limit=1&return_javascript=0′]
Look for run defense to be a theme in this one, as that’s where both teams excel on that side of the ball.
Syracuse
So far this season, the Syracuse Orange have allowed just 104.3 rushing yards per contest. That number is good enough for 26th in the country, and it’s a big reason the team is 28th in total yards allowed.
Through the air, the Orange aren’t as productive defensively. They give up 220.7 yards per game, which makes them a middle-of-the-pack kind of team in that category (56th).
Overall, the team is allowing 21.0 points per contest, which is good enough for 41st nationwide.
Offensively, Syracuse is about as one-dimensional as it comes. The team is a top-20 program in terms of running the football, as it gains 265 yards per game in that category. However, the passing game is on the other end of the spectrum, as its 192.7 yards per game are only good enough for 101st.
Overall, Syracuse is scoring 29 points per game, which is good enough for 79th in the country.
[dfads params=’groups=63739&limit=1&return_javascript=0′]
NCAA Football Handicapping Trends:
- Over is 7-2-1 in SYR last 10 games in September.
- Over is 9-4-2 in SYR last 15 non-conference games.
- Under is 15-3 in ND last 18 vs. ACC.
- Under is 35-16-1 in ND last 52 games overall.
- Under is 13-6 in ND last 19 games in September.
Week 5 NCAA Football
This game should come down to run defense. Neither team is elite at scoring the football, but both are elite at stopping it on the ground.
Don’t be surprised if this one sees a lot of long drives cut short with field-goals or punts. The Orange will try and run all game long, and Notre Dame has the edge of being a bit more balanced on the offensive side of the ball.
Free NCAA Betting Pick 4* Syracuse 9.5
Barring a miserable showing from Notre Dame, the Fighting Irish should walk away with a victory. However, if the elite ground game of Syracuse can at least challenge the elite defense of Notre Dame, we could be looking at a win ATS for the team with home-field advantage.
Check out our Updated College Football Week 5 Odds.
[dfads params=’groups=63706&limit=1&return_javascript=0′]
