Syracuse Orange vs West Virginia Mountaineers

CAMPING WORLD BOWL - West Virginia has gone OVER seven of its 11 games, including the last five topped off by a wild and crazy, 59-56, loss to Oklahoma that went OVER by 29 points. The Mountaineers are averaging 42.3 points per game compared to 40.8 for Syracuse, and West Virginia averaged a whopping 48.8 points its last five games. The posted total has gone down due to quarterback Will Grier's decision to sit out the game to prepare for the NFL draft.  Coach Dana Holgorsen will call the plays after offensive coordinator Jack Spavital left for Texas State, and Jack Allison is expected to start in Grier's place with freshman Trey Lowe the backup. Allison played in six games this season completing six of 10 passes for 75 yards and a touchdown. Syracuse is led by QB Eric Dungey, who threw for 2,565 yards with 17 touchdowns and seven interceptions, while also rushing for 732 yards and 15 touchdowns. The Orange defense is #88 in the country in yards allowed (426.8 yards per game) and gave up an average of 32.3 points its last seven games. Also, Syracuse has soared OVER five of its last seven games. West Virginia has gone OVER eight of its last 10 after a loss dating to last season. Syracuse defensive end Alton Robinson and defensive tackle McKinley Williams won't play due to personal reasons. Even without Grier, the Mountaineers offense still has plenty of firepower against a weak Syracuse defense, and Dungey will have a field day with his dual-threat abilities. Play the OVER.

The West Virginia Mountaineers opened the season at 5-0, and were averaging 52 points per game, and looked like their first season in the Big-12 was going to be a big one. That splash became more like a belly flop as they went on to lose their next five games, and their defense was exposed in a big way. It wasn't the offense that was being talked about anymore, it was their porous defense, which during the five-game losing streak was torched for just shy of 50 ppg. Unlike West Virginia, Syracuse opened the season at a sluggish 2-4, but their offense began to click over the second half of the season, leading them to a 5-1 mark down the stretch. The offense, under the guidance of QB Ryan Nassib, went from scoring 22.8 ppg in their first six games, to 35.8 ppg in their last six. The Mountaineers have had big problems defending, and winning against teams that can move the ball as well as they can, simply because their defense can't get the needed stops to keep pace. Play this one on Syracuse.

The Big East is very soft this year with West Virginia the only Big East team to have cracked the Top 25 rankings this season. The Mountaineers have risen above the rest at 5-1 to start the season, but Syracuse at 4-2 should be able to give them a game at home. West Virginia has lived off a lot of home cooking early with five home games, and almost stumbled in their only roadie at 2-4 Maryland, winning by 6 points as an interception return for a TD was the game changer. Maryland matched the Mountaineers yard-for-yard in that contest. The Cuse has a penchant for playing close games, with three games decided in OT already this season and another by a FG and yet another by a single TD. Syracuse went into West Virginia last year and won by 5 points, so they clearly can hang with the Mountaineers. West Virginia is not delivering as big chalk now at 4-10-1 ATS when posted as a -10.5 point favorite or greater. The Orange have had two weeks to prepare for this one and coming off a bye they are now a picture-perfect 5-0 ATS. Take Syracuse in this one.