Syracuse comes into matchup against FSU as a 3-score underdog

Syracuse, coming off two straight lopsided losses to Clemson and North Carolina, has not done much to impress the oddsmakers as they head into their seventh game against No. 4 Florida State.

The Orange is currently a 17.5 underdog in a road matchup against the Seminoles according to FanDuel College football odds, which is the largest point deficit SU has faced all season.

“We’ve beaten a team in the top five before, but it’s very, very difficult to do, and it’s extremely difficult to do when you’re at their place,” Syracuse head coach Dino Babers said on Monday.

Florida State is coming off a 39-17 win over Virginia Tech on Saturday. FSU jumped out to a 22-0 lead in the first quarter, and running back Trey Benson led the Seminoles with 200 yards and two touchdowns.

“There’s a lot of NFL guys, a lot of guys that passed up the NFL so they could come back and win a national championship,” Babers said of the Seminoles.

Meanwhile, the Orange dropped its second straight game, this time on the road to the No. 14 Tar Heels. Drake Maye accounted for four touchdowns (3 through the air, 1 on the ground), as he powered UNC to a 40-7 win.

The Tar Heels dominated in all three phases of the game, and totalled 644 yards in the win. Meanwhile, Syracuse was shut out in the first half after totalling just 70 yards, and quarterback Garrett Shrader threw for just 124 yards and an interception.

Running back LeQuint Allen accounted for Syracuse's only score on the afternoon, capping a 75-yard drive out of halftime with a 1-yard TD run.

“We just have to play a much cleaner slate on the offensive side of the ball,” Babers said. “There’s enough mistakes for everybody to claim.”

The last time the two teams squared off, Florida State routed the Orange, 38-3, in November. Benson enjoyed another stellar performance that day, rushing for 163 yards, while Shrader completed just 6 of his 16 passes for 65 yards.

Professional football betters should know that Syracuse has been 3-3 against the spread this season, but in games when they have been underdogs (the last two weeks), the Orange hasn't covered.