This article is part of our College Football Picks series.
College Football Picks: Syracuse vs. Virginia Tech Best Bets
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There's a big conference game Thursday night between a couple of teams that have impressed this year, and in addition to Georgia Southern vs. Georgia State, Syracuse is visiting Virginia Tech. Okay, so maybe the Hokies and the Orange aren't vying for their conference title, but this game has real implications. Both squads have bowl hopes, and whoever wins this game will notch an important win in that quest, because this is a winnable game for both teams. What about your chances of winning? Let's dig into the bets.
Syracuse vs. Virginia Tech Betting Odds for Week 9
Spread: Virginia Tech -2.5 (DraftKings Sportsbook), Syracuse +3 (Caesars)
Total: 46.5 (BetMGM Sportsbook), FanDuel 47.5 (FanDuel Sportsbook)
Moneyline: Syracuse +120 (DraftKings Sportsbook), Virginia Tech -142 (FanDuel Sportsbook)
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Variety is the spice of life this week. I have two totals here because that point can mean a lot when it comes to taking the over or the under. The books also provide both those backing the Hokies and those looking to bet on the Orange because getting that extra half a point on the spread will be nice if you decide to take Dino Babers' squad. So, is that what I will be doing?
Syracuse vs. Virginia Tech Betting Picks for Week 9
Syracuse is 4-3, while Virginia Tech is 3-4, but things have been going quite differently for both teams recently. The Hokies have won two of their last three, while the Orange have lost three in a row, their first three conference games. Now, Syracuse has not had it easy. It played Clemson, North Carolina, and Florida State. I know the Tigers aren't at their title-winning peak, and the Tar Heels just blew it against Virginia, but those are all three good squads, decidedly better than Virginia Tech. On the other hand, both North Carolina and Florida State blew the doors off Syracuse. That's a concern. For what it's worth, both teams visited the Seminoles. Virginia Tech lost 39-17, while Syracuse lost 41-3.
SP+ sees Syracuse as clearly better. The Orange rank 48th, while the Hokies rank 66th. Defensively, they are neck-and-neck, literally 40th and 39th, respectively, but Syracuse ranks 67th offensive to Virginia Tech's 86th. Notably, the Hokies have been without projected starting quarterback Grant Wells (ankle) and top receiver Ali Jennings (foot) for weeks, including missing out on their last two wins. Baylor transfer Kyron Drones has been quite good stepping in for Wells, having thrown six touchdowns against one pick while rushing for 344 yards and four scores. Although, he has fumbled once in every single one of his starts.
Owing to the general rule of thumb that being at home earns you three points on the spread, clearly the books see this one as a tossup, even with Syracuse being on a three-game losing streak. The projections I've seen also are in agreement with the books. ESPN's Bill Connelly, the purveyor of SP+, has a projection for this one of a final score of…24-24. I also find it hard to strongly support either team, so in a tossup, I'll take the team getting points, especially thanks to that extra half a point I get from Caesars.
Syracuse vs. Virginia Tech Best Bet: Syracuse +3 (Caesars Sportsbook)
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Syracuse vs. Virginia Tech Predictions for Week 9
I spent a lot of time parsing this one out in the previous section, so let's cut to the chase here. Wells is questionable to start for this one, but honestly, Drones has done enough that who starts under center doesn't mean a ton to me. Both teams have come off a bye, while Syracuse probably really needed it. It will be close. Neither team hits 30 points. The Orange could eke out a win or maybe lose by a point or two. Syracuse has won all its winnable games thus far, and this one is winnable, so there you go.
