Syracuse Football: North Carolina football gameday prediction

Neil Adler (contributor) 5-1

The Syracuse football squad gets back to business this Saturday afternoon, when the Orange hosts North Carolina in an Atlantic Coast Conference battle. SU (4-2, 1-2) is coming off a much-needed bye week, and hopefully that extra rest will provide a boost for the ‘Cuse, which had previously suffered two heart-breaking losses in a row.

The Tar Heels (1-4, 1-2), meanwhile, fought tough their last time out, falling at home this past weekend to Virginia Tech by three points. This is a pivotal encounter for Syracuse. If our beloved boys in Orange want to secure a post-season bowl berth, then defeating a fairly pedestrian UNC unit inside the Carrier Dome is an absolute necessity.

SU certainly has the advantage on both the offensive and defensive sides of this duel, as well as on special teams, where we totally excel, but we need to remain laser-focused and get the job done. Can’t have any complacency here. For what it’s worth, ESPN.com’s match-up predictor says that the ‘Cuse possesses about an 86 percent chance to prevail, while currently odds-makers out in Las Vegas view us as a 12-point favorite.

I sincerely hope that we don’t throw up a stinker, and my gut tells me that things will work out just fine. Up on the Hill, Syracuse is going to emerge victorious over the Tar Heels, by a final count of 37-21.