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Syracuse Football: Week 4 Western Michigan crystal ball predictions

By Paul A. Esden Jr.

KALAMAZOO, MI - AUGUST 31: Jon Wassink #16 of the Western Michigan Broncos looks to pass against the Syracuse Orange in the first quarter of a game at Waldo Stadium on August 31, 2018 in Kalamazoo, Michigan. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
KALAMAZOO, MI - AUGUST 31: Jon Wassink #16 of the Western Michigan Broncos looks to pass against the Syracuse Orange in the first quarter of a game at Waldo Stadium on August 31, 2018 in Kalamazoo, Michigan. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /
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Neil Adler, Contributor (3-0)

The Syracuse football squad, reeling a bit after getting thumped by top-ranked Clemson over the weekend, looks to reverse course this coming Saturday afternoon when the Orange hosts Western Michigan.

The ‘Cuse (1-2), unfortunately, didn’t have much of a shot in last Saturday’s 41-6 demolition at the hands of the No. 1 Tigers inside the Carrier Dome. The Syracuse offense proved non-existent versus Clemson, while the Orange’s defense couldn’t contain the Tigers’ phenomenal quarterback, Trevor Lawrence, virtually at all.

Now the Broncos (2-1) are set to do battle with the ‘Cuse beginning at 12 p.m. on Sept. 21, with the ACC Network televising this affair. In its most recent contest, Western Michigan accumulated a program-record seven rushing touchdowns in crushing Georgia State, 57-10, this past Saturday night in Kalamazoo, Mich.

So far in the young 2019 campaign, the Broncos are averaging a whopping 40.7 points per game, along with 501.3 yards of total offense. Yikes. Syracuse, meanwhile, is giving up 34.7 points, scoring just 16.7 points, and allowing 498.7 yards of combined offense.

That, my friends, are some massive disparities, and the Orange better regroup fast if it wants to conquer Western Michigan in Central New York. A season ago, former ‘Cuse quarterback Eric Dungey compiled 384 yards of total offense, and Syracuse beat the Broncos, 55-42, on the road, a fairly impressive success for the Orange.

Odds-makers in Las Vegas currently project the ‘Cuse as a six-point favorite in this encounter, although ESPN’s Football Power Index says that Syracuse possesses only a 44.2 percent chance to prevail.

If the Orange seeks to defeat Western Michigan, clearly it will have to get its offense going, and the ‘Cuse defense must absolutely clamp down on the Broncos’ stellar rushing attack. No easy task, I might add. Ultimately, I believe that Syracuse will turn things around, resulting in a 31-24 victory for our beloved boys in Orange.

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