California Golden Bears vs Syracuse Orange Picks and Predictions November 16th 2024

California Golden Bears vs Syracuse Orange November 16th 2024

California Memorial Stadium in Berkeley is the setting for this week 12 matchup between the Syracuse Orange and the California Golden Bears. Kick-off is set for 3:00 ET, and the game can be seen on CW. The over/under line is currently 55.5 points, with California favored at -8 points. The money line odds have the Golden Bears at -320 and the Orange at +251. Syracuse comes in with a 6-3 record, while California is 5-4 on the season.

At 6-3 this season, Syracuse is guaranteed bowl eligibility, but they have no shot at winning the Atlantic Coast. They’ve gone 2-1 on the road and 1-2 at home, with a +3.1 average scoring margin. Syracuse has been favored in three games, going 2-1 in those matchups.

Syracuse’s ATS record stands at 2-4, with a 1-2 mark at home and on the road. As the favorite, they are 1-2 against the spread.

Their over/under record is 2-4, with an average line of 54.4 points. Syracuse games have averaged 60.2 points, and this week’s line is set at 55.5 points.

Syracuse’s offense is centered around their passing game, as they lead the nation in both passing attempts and completions, averaging 48.1 and 30.8 per game, respectively. They are also 5th in passing yards, with 353.8 per game, and rank 10th in third down conversion rate, converting 48.9% of their attempts. Overall, they are 34th in our offensive power rankings and in points per game, scoring 31.7.

Kyle McCord has thrown for 3,153 yards this season, with a completion rate of 64.1%, and has 23 touchdown passes, but he has also thrown 12 interceptions, resulting in a passer rating of 92. On the ground, Syracuse is averaging just 89.7 rushing yards per game. LeQuint Allen leads the team with 652 rushing yards and 9 touchdowns.

Syracuse’s defense has allowed an average of 28.6 points per game this season, including 37 points in their recent loss to Boston College. They struggled against the run, giving up 321 rushing yards and three touchdowns, while allowing just 65 passing yards on seven completions.

Opponents have averaged 155.8 rushing yards per game against Syracuse, while quarterbacks have posted a 95.7 passer rating and completed 66.3% of their throws. Syracuse’s defense ranks 53rd nationally, allowing 198.9 passing yards per game.

California enters Week 12 with a 5-4 record, ranked 35th in our power rankings. While they have a 0% chance of winning the Atlantic Coast, they have a 97.9% chance of becoming bowl-eligible. The Golden Bears are 2-2 at home and 2-2 on the road this season.

Against the spread, California is 6-2, with a +9.3 average scoring margin. They’ve covered the spread in three of four home games and are 3-1 ATS as both the favorite and the underdog.

The over/under line for this week is 55.5 points. California’s average over/under line is 51 points, and their games have averaged 48 points. They have a 3-4-1 record against the over/under this season.

Heading into week 12, California’s offense is averaging 28.7 points per game, ranking 48th nationally. They are 75th in our offensive power rankings. The Golden Bears have focused on their passing game, ranking 24th in passing yards per game with 279.2 yards. They are 17th in completions, averaging 24.7 per game, and 27th in attempts.

Fernando Mendoza has thrown for 2,480 yards and has a passer rating of 99. California ranks 11th in completion percentage, completing 68.3% of their passes. Mendoza has 12 touchdowns and four interceptions. On the ground, they are 109th in rushing, averaging 119.4 yards per game. Jaivian Thomas leads the team with 503 rushing yards and six touchdowns, averaging 6 yards per carry.

Free Picks for NCAA Football Fans! Dive into today’s free NCAA football picks.

California’s defense has been a strong point this season, ranking 18th nationally by allowing just 19.3 points per game. They also rank 16th in the country in rushing yards allowed, giving up only 103.7 yards per game on the ground.

In their recent game against Wake Forest, Cal’s defense allowed 36 points but also forced three interceptions. They held Wake Forest to 112 rushing yards but gave up 274 yards through the air.

Our projections have California winning this matchup 33-28, but with Syracuse coming in as +8 point underdogs, we like their chances to cover the spread. The over/under line is at 55.5 points, and with our projection of 61 total points, taking the over looks to be the best play.