Syracuse Orange (0-0) vs. Ohio Bobcats (0-0)
September 4, 2021 7:00 pm EDT
The Line: Ohio Bobcats +1.5 / Syracuse Orange -1.5; Over/Under: 55.5
(Get latest betting odds)
The Ohio Bobcats meet the Syracuse Orange Saturday in week 1 college football action at Peden Stadium. The Syracuse Orange are coming off a 1-10 season and enter year six under coach Dino Babers. The Ohio Bobcats finished 2-1 last season and enter the 17th year under coach Frank Solich.
The Syracuse Orange averaged 17.8 points and 265.3 yards per game last season. Syracuse allowed an average of 32.7 points and 463.9 yards per game last season. Tommy DeVito returns at quarterback after 96 pass attempts last season. Sean Tucker is back after leading Syracuse with 600 rushing yards and four touchdowns while Taj Harris and Anthony Queeley is a receiving duo that combined for 1,100 yards and seven touchdowns. Defensively, Mikel Jones returns after leading Syracuse with 68 tackles, Geoff Cantin-Arku had four sacks and Garrett Williams had two interceptions. Syracuse was a young team last year, so the defense is going to be a lot more experienced and there’s playmakers on offense. Syracuse has a chance for a big bounce back season, but a lot depends on the play of its quarterback.
The Ohio Bobcats averaged 34.3 points and 362.7 yards per game last season. Ohio allowed an average of 16.7 points and 389 yards per game last season. Kurtis Rourke is back at quarterback after throwing for nearly 400 yards and three touchdowns. De’Montre Tuggle returns after leading Ohio with 400 yards and six touchdowns while Isiah Cox and Ryan Luehrman is a receiving duo that combined for 200 yards and three touchdowns. Defensively, Jamison Collier returns after leading Ohio with 19 tackles, Keye Thompson had one sack and Jett Elad had two interceptions. Ohio is pretty much the exact same team it was last season during a three-game schedule, which is intriguing with how it looked on both sides of the ball. One of the best scoring offenses in the country in a short sample size, Ohio has a chance to turn some heads in the MAC this season.
Syracuse was terrible last season, mainly on the defensive side and now it enters this season with question marks on defense. While a short season, Ohio had one of the best offenses in the country and returns majority of its key players. If we’re going off what we saw last season, this line would leave you confused. I’m not backing Syracuse in the favorite role on the road. This line is fishy. Give me the free points with Ohio, a game it should win outright.
