12:03 pm
September 17

Purdue @ Syracuse

Who will WIN this matchup?

Purdue Boilermakers (1-1)

@ Syracuse Orange (2-0)

 

Current odds:

Purdue Boilermakers: (+100)

Syracuse Orange: (-122)

 

• The spread for this game is Syracuse by 1.5 points.

• After opening the season with back-to-back blowout victories, Syracuse is off to its best start in four years. The Orange (2-0) hope their momentum continues Saturday afternoon when Purdue (1-1) pays a visit to the newly named JMA Dome.

• Syracuse is beginning to resemble the 2018 squad that won its first four games and went on to post a 10-3 record — the only winning record so far in Dino Babers’ six seasons as Orange coach. The Orange notched a 31-7 victory over Louisville in their season opener and then pounded UConn 48-14.

• Garrett Shrader has completed 79.2 percent of his passes with five touchdowns and no interceptions. Eleven different Syracuse players have caught a pass, led by dynamic running back Sean Tucker with 10 catches for 101 yards.

• While Shrader has spread the ball around, Boilermakers quarterback Aidan O’Connell has continued to show outstanding chemistry with Charlie Jones, who has a national-best 21 catches covering 286 yards and four TDs. O’Connell and Jones played youth football together and were reunited when Jones transferred in from Iowa. In the 56-0 rout of Indiana State last week, they hooked up nine times for 133 yards and three scores.

• That said, Brohm wants the Boilermakers’ offense to become more diverse: When 72 percent of a quarterback’s passes are targeted to one receiver, Big Ten defenses will draw up ways to make things increasingly difficult.

• The teams have only met once previously — in 2004. Purdue won that matchup over visiting Syracuse, 51-0.

4/10
Confidence
StreakSmarter Pick
Syracuse Orange
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