Syracuse Orange vs California Golden Bears Betting Pick & Prediction 11/16/24
California Memorial Stadium in Berkeley will be the site for this week 12 matchup between the Syracuse Orange and California Golden Bears. Kick-off is set for 3:00 ET, and the game can be seen on CW. The over/under line is sitting at 55.5 points, and the Golden Bears are -8 point favorites at home. Syracuse comes in with a 6-3 record, while California is 5-4 on the season.
SYRACUSE ORANGE VS CALIFORNIA GOLDEN BEARS BETTING PICK
The Pick: Syracuse Orange +8
This game will be played at California Memorial Stadium at 3:00 ET on Saturday, November 16th.
WHY BET THE SYRACUSE ORANGE:
- We have the California Golden Bears winning this one by a score of 33 to 28
- Even though we like the California Golden Bears to win, our ATS pick is to take the Syracuse Orange at +8
- Look for this game to go over the line of 55.5 points
Will The Syracuse Orange Pull Off An Upset As Road Underdogs
Syracuse enters Week 12 with a 6-3 record, but they have no chance of winning the Atlantic Coast. However, they are guaranteed to be bowl-eligible. The Orange are 2-1 at home and 1-2 on the road this season, and they rank 64th in our CFB power rankings.
So far, Syracuse is 2-4 against the spread, with a +3.1 average scoring margin. They are 1-2 ATS on the road and 1-2 at home, going 1-2 as the favorite this season.
Syracuse’s over/under record is 2-4, with their games averaging 60.2 points. Their average over/under line is 54.4 points, and this week’s line is set at 55.5 points.
Heading into week 12, Syracuse’s offense is ranked 34th in our college football offensive power rankings, and they are also 34th in points per game, scoring 31.7. Their passing game has been the focal point, as they lead the nation in both passing attempts and completions, averaging 48.1 and 30.8 per game, respectively. They are 5th in passing yards, with 353.8 yards per game, and 10th in third-down conversion rate, converting 48.9% of their attempts.
Kyle McCord leads the Orange with 3,153 passing yards and a 64.1% completion rate. He has thrown 23 touchdowns but also has 12 interceptions, resulting in a passer rating of 92. Syracuse’s run game has struggled, averaging just 89.7 rushing yards per game. LeQuint Allen has 652 rushing yards and nine touchdowns this season. Jackson Meeks is the leading receiver with 653 yards and four touchdowns on 55 catches.
Syracuse’s defense struggled in their latest game, allowing 37 points in a 37-31 loss to Boston College. They gave up 386 total yards, including 321 rushing yards on 48 attempts, while allowing just 65 passing yards on 13 attempts. Syracuse’s defense also recorded an interception in the game.
On the season, Syracuse is giving up 28.6 points per game. Opponents are averaging 155.8 rushing yards per game and 198.9 passing yards. Quarterbacks have completed 66.3% of their passes against Syracuse, posting a passer rating of 95.7.
Are The California Golden Bears Going To Defend Home Field Advantage?
California enters Week 12 with a 5-4 record, and our projections give them a 97.9% chance of becoming bowl-eligible. They are 2-2 at home and 2-2 on the road this season. In four of their nine games, the Golden Bears have been favored, and they’ve gone 3-1 in those matchups.
Against the spread, California is 6-2, with a +9.3 average scoring margin. They are 3-1 ATS at home and 3-1 on the road. As the favorite, they’ve covered the spread in three out of four games.
This week’s over/under line is set at 55.5 points. California’s games have averaged an over/under line of 51 points, and their over/under record is 3-4-1, with their games averaging 48 points per contest.
California’s offense has been driven by their passing game, ranking 24th in passing yards per game, with 279.2 yards. They are 17th in completions, averaging 24.7 per game, and 27th in attempts. Their completion percentage is 68.3%, 11th in the nation. Overall, they are 48th in scoring, with 28.7 points per game, and we have them 75th in our offensive power rankings heading into week 12.
Quarterback Fernando Mendoza has thrown for 2,480 yards and has a 69% completion rate. He has 12 touchdowns and 4 interceptions, with a passer rating of 99. Leading rusher Jaivian Thomas has 503 yards, averaging 6 yards per carry, and has scored six touchdowns. Top receiver Nyziah Hunter has 390 yards and five touchdowns on 29 catches.
California’s defense has been a strong point this season, ranking 18th nationally by allowing just 19.3 points per game. They’ve been particularly effective against the run, giving up only 103.7 rushing yards per game, which ranks 16th in the country. Opponents have averaged 227.4 passing yards per game against Cal, completing 55.2% of their throws and posting a passer rating of 63.7, the 9th-lowest in the nation.
In their recent game against Wake Forest, Cal’s defense allowed 36 points but also forced three interceptions. They gave up 386 total yards, including 112 rushing yards on 39 attempts and 274 passing yards.