College Football Week 4 continues on Saturday and we will see the Syracuse Orangemen travel to take on the Minnesota Golden Gophers. The game is scheduled for an 8:00 PM (Eastern) start time and it will be televised live on the Big 10 Network. Currently the odds for the game have Syracuse favored by 1 points, while the total sits at 54. Currently 66% of the Public is on Syracuse, while 63% is on the Over. Find out what side the Public is taking on all the games by clicking HERE.
Free Analysis: Syracuse finally got in the win column after suffering a tough home loss to Northwestern (42-41) and then fading down the stretch against USC (42-29) at MetLife Stadium. The level of competition certainly took a drop in week three with the Orange taking on Stony Brook of the FCS. The Orange looked sluggish to start the game but turned it on to win 28-17. After two games that had no shortage of offense, Syracuse kept up the pace against Stony Brook and despite scoring only 28 points, piled up 549 yards of total offense. On the season the Orange have been the most productive offense in the Big East, averaging 533.3 yards per game. Syracuse also leads the conference in first downs per game (29.0) and third down conversions (28). At the center of the offensive renaissance has been quarterback Ryan Nassib. The senior has taken another step forward after a strong junior season and has thrown for 1,139 yards, while completing 66.8 percent of his passes this season. He is currently ranked second in the nation in passing yards and yards per game (379.7). What could end up being Syracuse's undoing this season is its defense. The Orange are currently ranked last in the Big East in points allowed per game (33.7) and second to last in yards allowed (364.3 pg).
Minnesota is off to its first 3-0 start since 2008 after a 28-23 win over Western Michigan last weekend. The three wins match the squad's entire win total from last season. The matchup with the Orange will be the third straight home game for Minnesota where the Gophers were 3-4 during the 2011 campaign. A win against Syracuse would be big for Minnesota, giving the squad four wins for the first time since 2009 and the first time under Jerry Kill. Against Western Michigan, Minnesota tallied 397 total yards of offense, making the Gophers narrowly miss posting 400 yards for the third straight game. The team also had a streak of three straight games in which it had rushed for 200 or more yards end with an 180-yard performance on the ground. Even though they have been piling up yards this season Minnesota is still only fifth in the Big Ten in yards per game (429.0) and scoring (34.0 ppg). The team will have to keep up that offensive pace without senior quarterback Marqueis Gray who suffered an ankle injury against Western Michigan and will be out 2-to-4 weeks. In his place, Max Shortell played well, completing 10- of-17 passes for 188 yards and three TDs. A defense that is giving up 293.3 yards per game will have its hands full against Syracuse. The Golden Gophers may be up to the task though as against a similar pass-heavy attack against Western Michigan, Minnesota surrendered only 209 yards. However the Broncos pounded out 165 yards on the ground and ended with 374 total yards in the game which was a season-high allowed by Minnesota.
Free Pick: Going to go with the Orange in this one. Minnesota’s offense will surely miss Gray behind center and and that will put plenty of pressure on a defense that isn’t all that good to try and slow down a Syracuse offense that put up 40+ points in each of their first 2 games. The Orange comes in averaging 533 ypg thus far and they hung up 549 yards on a very tough USC defense, so I just don’t see this average Minnesota defense holding them down here. With a depleted offense I just don’t see Minnesota coming up with enough points to get the win here. Look for the Orange to win by at least a TD.
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