Saturday, September 20, 2014

Carrier Dome in Syracuse

For Updated Odds on This Game Click Here

Maryland missed out on an opportune chance to run their season opening winning streak to 3 after falling at home to West Virginia 37-40. It would've been a great chance for coach Randy Edsall's team to get another quality win ahead of their inaugural Big Ten schedule that features matchups against Ohio State, Wisconsin, Michigan State and Michigan. Syracuse on the other hand must not fall into the look ahead trap and must defend a 2-0 record in their own right before a tilt with Notre Dame next weekend in primetime.

Maryland fought back from 22 down to the Mountaineers last weekend before ultimately succumbing to a 47-yard-field goal as time expired to drop to 2-1 on the season. All it takes is a quick glance at the stat sheet to see where things went wrong for the Terrapins because WVU QB Clint Trickett threw for 511 yards and 4 TD. It was the first blemish on a spotless 2014 start for Edsall that was made worse by the fact that Maryland won the game 37-0 the year before. Prior to that Maryland had strung together a couple impressive victories, a 52-7 whitewashing of James Madison followed by a tough 24-17 win in South Florida. Saturday's early tilt with Syracuse is considered a wash as oddsmakers have labeled the game a pick 'em.

Syracuse is led on the ground by QB Terrel Hunt, who returned from being ejected in the Orange's first game of the season to rush for 3 TD last week in a 40-3 win over Central Michigan. He's not the only gamebreaker in the Syracuse backfield though as Prince-Tyson Gulley ripped off a 65-yard run in the opener followed by a 53-yard Adonis Ameen-Moore scamper last weekend. The Orange have run up over 200 rushing yards a game to rank them 41st in the FBS. The Syracuse defense struggled in a season opening 27-26 double overtime win against UConn in allowing mobile Huskie QB John Robertson to rack up 115 yards on the ground but rebounded nicely giving up just 34 total to Central Michigan a week ago.

The two teams met a year ago with Syracuse capturing a 20-3 win in Maryland. The running game was on point for the Orange as they 242 yards on 45 attempts while limiting Maryland to only 81 yards on 36 carries. The Terrapins sealed their fate last November by turning the ball over 4 times and will need to protect the ball in the tough atmosphere of the early morning Carrier Dome to break out of their shell before conference play starts.

Maryland Terrapins Betting Trends

Maryland Terrapins are 1-2-0 Against the Spread

Maryland Terrapins are 2-1-0 against the Over/Under

Syracuse Orange Betting Trends

Syracuse Orange are 1-1-0 Against the Spread

Syracuse Orange are 1-1-0 against the Over/Under

Injuries to Watch

Maryland Terrapins

09/15/14 LB Avery Thompson Undisclosed injured last game, questionable Saturday vs. Syracuse
09/15/14 LB Jalen Brooks Undisclosed injured last game, questionable Saturday vs. Syracuse
09/15/14 LB L.A. Goree Back questionable Saturday vs. Syracuse
09/15/14 LB Yannick Cudjoe-Virgil Foot questionable Saturday vs. Syracuse
09/15/14 LB Matt Robinson Undisclosed injured last game, questionable Saturday vs. Syracuse
09/15/14 RB Wes Brown Undisclosed questionable Saturday vs. Syracuse
09/14/14 OL Evan Mulrooney Illness questionable Saturday vs. Syracuse
09/05/14 LB Abner Logan Suspension out indefinitely
09/01/14 WR Taivon Jacobs Knee out for season
08/30/14 DB A.J. Hendy Suspension out for season
08/29/14 LB Nnamdi Egbuaba Shoulder out for season
08/23/14 WR Levern Jacobs Suspension out for season
08/11/14 OL Sean Christie Knee out for season

Syracuse Orange

09/14/14 WR Adly Enoicy Knee questionable Saturday vs. Maryland
08/27/14 DL John Raymon Undisclosed out indefinitely
08/21/14 TE Josh Parris Lower Body out indefinitely
08/11/14 DB Naesean Howard Suspension out indefinitely

Guy's Pick: Take Syracuse

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