Syracuse Now Two Point Underdog at Maryland After Opening as 2.5 Point Favorite
- Maryland dismantled Howard 79-0 in Week 1
- The Terrapins had 628 yards of total offense
- Syracuse beat Liberty 24-0 in Lynchburg in Week 1
Both Maryland and #21 Syracuse had strong Week 1 performances, however Maryland’s beat down on Howard has apparently had more of an impact on bettors as they are now favored by two points as they host Syracuse this Saturday.
Even though the ranked Orange shut out Liberty, their offense struggled at times. New starting quarterback Tommy DeVito threw two interceptions, so the Orange had to rely on their run game scoring three times on the ground.
On a more positive note for Syracuse, their defense was solid forcing four turnovers, which will be a deciding factor in their matchup against Maryland on the road.
#21 Syracuse vs Maryland Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Syracuse | +2 (-115) | +105 | O 56.5 (-120) |
| Maryland | -2 (-105) | -125 | U 56.5 (+100) |
*Odds collected 09/04/19
Don’t be Fooled by the Orange
Syracuse covered the -19.5 spread against Liberty last week, but it was not pretty. Although Syracuse had 368 yards of offense, they only had three touchdowns and turned the ball over three times as well.
It wasn’t the expected debut for Tommy DeVito, who was projected to hit the ground running as the Orange’s new full time starter with Eric Dungey lost to graduation.
This is not the same Syracuse offense as last year, when they scored over 50 points in five games last season.
In 2018, Dungey threw for 2868 yards and 18 touchdowns, while also rushing for 754 yards and 15 touchdowns. Those are big shoes to fill for DeVito, the sophomore from Cedar Grove, New Jersey.
With a lot of uncertainty surrounding DeVito’s production, it is hard to trust Syracuse on the road this early in the year.
Terps Keep Rolling
Maryland’s dominant victory over Howard propelled them to become a favorite against ranked Syracuse.
The home dog could be howling, as unranked home favorites usually fair well against ranked, underdog opponents.
With Maryland currently favored over Syracuse. Since 2015, there have been 23 times in the reg season where a team ranked 20th or lower entered a game vs a NR team as a dog. Ranked teams are just 4-19 SU in that span. Last year there were 6 instances, with ranked teams going 1-5.
— Chris Fallica (@chrisfallica) September 3, 2019
Quarterback Josh Jackson had a near-perfect game last week, throwing for 254 yards, four touchdowns, and zero interceptions. Jackson transferred from Virginia Tech after two seasons and had a strong first outing in his new threads. Maryland’s defense was also stellar, forcing one turnover and allowing just 68 yards passing.
Maryland will be able to compete with the perennial contenders in the Big 10 this season, and it starts with this win against an ACC foe at home. Maryland has started well in previous seasons, going 10-3 ATS in the first two games of the season for the past six years. Maryland has also gone 6-2 ATS at home since 2018.
The Best Bet for Saturday
Even though it might seem that there is more value to playing Syracuse since they are an underdog now, it does not mean it’s necessarily the right play. DeVito’s shaky play is worrisome, and Syracuse’s defense will have to be as good as they were against Liberty, if not better, to hold this Mike Locksley’ led Maryland offense in check.
The Terps passing game looked strong albeit against an FCS opponent, while Jake Funk and Tayon Fleet-Davis and Anthony McFarland were efficient in the run game. Jackson has played in big games at Virginia Tech, so his experience will be very valuable in a statement game in College Park.
That being said, Syracuse has a chance to host College Gameday for the first time in school history if they are able to win as they host Clemson in their home opener next week. Their defence will provide Maryland with their first real test of the season, and DeVito does enough to get the Orange the win on the road.
With 5+ years of sports journalism under his belt, Ryan Sura may be young, but he's already making his mark. Ryan is the lead NHL editor at SBD, along with managing content for MMA, Boxing, and Racing. He is also the commercial manager, highlighting the best promos at online sportsbooks across US.
