Liberty University Flames vs Syracuse Orange Point Spread Picks

Syracuse is on a "revenge tour" this season with 19 returning starters, who were mostly freshmen last year, and Liberty is one of the teams that the Orange is looking to avenge after losing 38-21 to the Flames in 2020. The Orange are 2-1 with victories over Ohio and Albany while losing to Rutgers. Garrett Shrader has been a good addition, transferring from Mississippi State, and he completed 11 of 15 for 190 yards against Albany as Sean Tucker ran for 132 yards on 13 attempts. Syracuse is #4 in the country in yards allowed, and the defense will have to continue its good work against the Flames, who are averaging 39.3 points, though that is against mediocre competition in Campbell, Troy, and Old Dominion. Syracuse has covered four of its past five games dating to last season, and there is value in the home underdog in this matchup. Grab the points with Syracuse.

Syracuse enjoyed its best season since 2001, finishing 10-3 straight-up and 8-4 ATS and it returns 13 starters in Dino Babers' fourth year at the helm. Babers has done a remarkable job rebuilding this program and the Orange covered the spread in five of its last six games. Also, the Orange is 9-3 ATS its last 12 road games and defeated West Virginia 34-18 in the Camping World Bowl. Syracuse returns three on the defensive line and it has two of the conference's top safeties in Andre Cisco and Evan Foster. They'll have to replace QB Eric Dungey and it will be sophomore Tommy DeVito, who led the Orange to victories over Florida State and North Carolina. Moe Neal returns at running back after rushing for 869 yards on 5.6 yards per carry. Liberty felt right at home in its first FBS season finishing 6-6 although it played a relatively soft schedule and was blanked 53-0 by Auburn. Hugh Freeze is the new coach following Turner Gill's retirement and QB Stephen Calvert returns after throwing for 21 touchdowns last season. Syracuse has gone UNDER in seven of its last 10 road games and the Orange is 21-10-1 UNDER its last 32 games overall. Syracuse covered five of its last six games and it is 5-1-1 ATS its last seven non-conference games.  Play Syracuse and UNDER.