Western Michigan at Syracuse NCAA Football Picks 9/21/2019

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Carrier Dome

Tommy DeVito and the Syracuse Orange host the Western Michigan Broncos at Carrier Dome on Saturday, September 21, 2019. Syracuse opens this matchup as 5.5-point favorites. The over/under is set at 64.5. The Broncos are 2-1-0 ATS and 1-2-0 when betting on the total. The Orange are 1-2-0 when wagering on the over/under and 1-2-0 against the spread.

Key Western Michigan Broncos Injuries

No key injuries to report

Key Syracuse Orange Injuries

09/15/19 WR Cooper Lutz Undisclosed is questionable Saturday vs Western Michigan
09/15/19 WR Ed Hendrix Leg is questionable Saturday vs Western Michigan
09/15/19 DL Kenneth Ruff Leg is questionable Saturday vs Western Michigan
09/15/19 DL McKinley Williams Undisclosed is questionable Saturday vs Western Michigan
09/15/19 WR Russell Thompson-Bishop Undisclosed is questionable Saturday vs Western Michigan
09/15/19 OL Sam Heckel Undisclosed is questionable Saturday vs Western Michigan
09/15/19 RB Garrison Johnson Undisclosed is questionable Saturday vs Western Michigan
09/15/19 QB David Summers Undisclosed is questionable Saturday vs Western Michigan
08/13/19 TE Jesse Conners Undisclosed is out indefinitely

In their last outing, the Western Michigan Broncos faced the Georgia State Panthers and won 57-10. Taking the lead at quarterback for the Broncos was Jon Wassink who went 15/20 with 246 yards through the air and completed 1 touchdown. He ended the game without an interception. LeVante Bellamy paced the team on the ground during the game. He broke a long run for 73 yards and he notched 3 TD's in the game. He rushed for a total of 192 yards on 15 carries which means he ran for an average of 12.8 yards per run. Skyy Moore was the leader in receiving yardage with a total of 97 yards on 6 catches. He averaged 16.2 yards per catch during the game. The Western Michigan Broncos ran the ball 44 times and racked up a total of 450 yards which gave them an average of 10.2 yards per carry. On the day, they ran 65 plays for 694 yards. On the day, the Broncos racked up a total of 25 1st downs and they had 11 penalties for 85 yards which shows us how undisciplined this team can be. In terms of defense, Western Michigan allowed 11 catches on 25 tries totaling 126 yards, and a completion percentage of 44.0%. In the game, they allowed 336 yards and earned 3 turnovers. On the ground, the Broncos allowed 210 yards on 41 runs which gave them an average of 5.1 yards per carry allowed.

The Broncos step onto the field holding a record of 2-1 this season. For total yardage, they currently sit at 1st in the conference and 15th in D-1 with 1,504 yards. They are one of top scoring teams in the nation averaging 40.7 points per contest, which has them at 25th in D-1. As a unit, they are averaging 202.3 rushing yards per game which is 2nd in the conference. The Broncos have one of the middle tier defenses in Division 1, giving up 24.7 points per contest putting them 3rd in the conference. When it comes to yards through the air, the Broncos have allowed 897 yards. Opponents are completing 61% of the throws they are attempting against them and averaging 6.5 yards per attempt. In regard to rushing yards, Western Michigan is allowing 196.3 yards per game ranking them 11th in the MAC and 112th in D-1. Opposing teams are running for an average of 5.2 yards per rush putting them 12th in the MAC and 116th in the nation overall. In total, they have allowed 589 rushing yards through 3 contests.

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In the last game they played, the Syracuse Orange played the Clemson Tigers and ended up taking the loss by a score of 41-6. Running the show from under center for the Orange was Tommy DeVito who went 15/27 with 172 yards through the air but wasn't able to get any balls in the endzone via the pass. He walked away with 1 pick in the game. Abdul Adams paced the team on the ground for that contest. His longest run of the day went for 6 yards but wasn't able to convert a rushing touchdown. He rushed for a total of 34 yards via 14 carries which meant he averaged 2.4 yards per run. Moe Neal was the leader in receiving yardage by earning 67 yards on 2 receptions. He had an average of 33.5 yards per reception for that contest. The Syracuse Orange rushed the ball a total of 42 times and added 15 yards earning them an average of 0.4 yards per attempt. On the day, they ran 71 plays which gave them a total of 187 yards. On the day, the Orange racked up a total of 11 first downs and they totaled 9 penalties for 85 yards telling us that this team had an undisciplined week of practice. When it comes to their defensive performance, Syracuse allowed 23 catches on 42 attempts totaling 391 yards, and a completion percentage of 54.8%. On the ground, the Orange allowed 221 yards on 29 runs allowing their opponent an average of 7.6 yards per run allowed. In the game, they conceded 612 yards and earned 2 takeaways.

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The Orange come into this game with a record of 1-2. In discussing the offensive production, the Orange leave a lot to be desired in terms of scoring in D-1. Syracuse is having a year to forget in the ground game by averaging 92.3 yards on the ground per game, which has them at 119th in the nation. As a team, they have a total of 277 yards rushing through 3 contests, so they are going to want to make some changes to the ground game if they want to make teams respect them. The Orange average 318.3 yards per contest overall putting them 113th in the nation and 13th in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Orange are allowing 34.7 points per contest ranking them 13th in the conference and 111th in the country. Their pass defense is one of the worst units in Division 1. They are conceding 308.3 passing yards per game. For yards through the air allowed per game, the Orange currently sit at 13th in the ACC. When it comes to points given up, they have allowed 104 points in total. When it comes to yards on the ground, they are allowing 190.3 yards per contest which puts them at 111th in the country and 12th in the Atlantic Coast Conference. For the 2019 season, they have allowed a total of 571 rushing yards and 8.1 rushing TDs.

Who will win tonight's Broncos/Orange college football game against the spread?

Josh's Pick: Take the Broncos +5.5

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