Syracuse Football: Western Michigan gameday prediction

Neil Adler (contributor) 0-0

The Syracuse football squad kicks off its 2018 campaign on the road, when the Orange travels to Western Michigan on Friday night for the first-ever encounter between the two programs.

Coming off a disappointing 4-8 record a season ago, SU is hoping to pull out a few more victories this year, so that it may earn a bowl invite. While the ‘Cuse and the Broncos have never faced off before, there are a ton of ties between the two teams. For one, Western Michigan’s head coach is Tim Lester, a former Syracuse offensive coordinator. Several other former Orange assistants are also on the Broncos’ staff. This makes for an enticing affair, no doubt.

Kickoff of this match-up is slated for 6 p.m. this Friday from Western Michigan’s stadium in Kalamazoo, Mich., with the CBS Sports Network airing the game. SU is the favorite at this juncture, by about six points, according to odds-makers. The Broncos, at least in 2017, put up a ton of points per contest, so the ‘Cuse defense better get ready for a battle.

Furthermore, Syracuse hasn’t opened up a stanza away from the Carrier Dome in several terms, so this presents an additional challenge. Still, in the end, I feel that our beloved Orange is going to get the job done, despite some obstacles. SU starts things out on a positive note, picking up the triumph by a final count of 31-27.