Syracuse football vs. Virginia Cavaliers best bets for week 4

Syracuse football will entertain fellow Atlantic Coast Conference squad Virginia on Friday night from the JMA Wireless Dome, as the Orange looks to move to 4-0 to date in the 2022 season.

The Cavaliers (2-1), meanwhile, are preparing to face off against two former assistant coaches, as ‘Cuse offensive coordinator Robert Anae and quarterbacks coach Jason Beck were on the UVA staff a stanza ago.

Respectfully, Virginia hasn’t looked all that good so far this term. The Cavaliers beat Richmond at home, were blown out at Illinois, and then barely got by Old Dominion this past Saturday in Charlottesville, Va.

With wins against Louisville and Purdue on the Hill, and on the road versus UConn, Syracuse football certainly has proven more impressive in 2022 thus far, although the Orange needed some last-second heroics to conquer the Boilermakers last Saturday afternoon.

Best Syracuse football bets week 4

Here’s what I like – or don’t like – as we explore the ‘Cuse home battle with the Cavaliers this Friday evening.

Take the Orange to cover the spread
When I penned this column, Syracuse football was a nine-point betting favorite over UVA, according to the Action Network Web site.

Per sportsbookwire.usatoday.com, the ‘Cuse is 3-0 against the spread in the 2022 campaign.

However, it’s worth noting that dating back to the 2011 season, Syracuse football is just 8-8-1 against the spread as a home favorite of a touchdown or more, according to Reed Wallach of BetSided, which is a sister publication to Inside The Loud House.

After such a thrilling, and draining, victory last weekend versus Purdue, could the Orange be in store for a bit of a letdown against Virginia? Perhaps.

Conversely, you know that Syracuse football players will want to handle UVA with ease, given the Anae-Beck storyline. Simply put, I believe that the ‘Cuse is going to crush the Cavaliers by at least two touchdowns.

Go with the under
While I think that Syracuse football will put a beat down on Virginia, I feel like this ACC encounter could be relatively low scoring. As Wallach wrote earlier this week, during the 2022 season, both the Orange and the Cavaliers “have played very methodically.”

According to ESPN statistics, Virginia scores 17.7 points per game and allows 18.3 points per contest. Syracuse football puts up 37.0 points a game and gives up just 16.7 points per affair.

Per the Action Network Web site, when I wrote this piece, the over/under was set at 54.0 points. In its toughest game to date, UVA lost on the road to Illinois, 24-3.

Most recently, Virginia only scored 16 points in a two-point home win versus Old Dominion.

The Cavaliers’ defense isn’t awful, but the team’s offense is fairly anemic, at least so far in 2022. I like the under here.

Not loving the moneyline
According to the Action Network Web site, when I wrote this article, the moneyline was -350 for Syracuse football and +270 for Virginia.

This is a straight-up bet, with no spread involved, so it really boils down as to whether you think the Orange is going to prevail, or UVA is going to stun the ‘Cuse in Central New York.

I am confident that Syracuse football will triumph here. However, at -350, that means you’re wagering $350 to win $100, or some variation of that alignment.

For Virginia, at +270, this is a $100 straight-up bet to win $270.

If you’re supremely confident of the Orange emerging victorious, perhaps going with the moneyline is within your comfort level. But betting $350 to win $100 is something for which I would pass.