Syracuse Football: Pittsburgh vs. Syracuse prediction, odds, spread and over/under for college football week 11

Two long-time rivals, each of which is currently struggling on the field, will meet up this Saturday afternoon in the Big Apple, as Syracuse football and Pittsburgh collide in an Atlantic Coast Conference showdown.

Last Friday night in Central New York, the Orange (4-5, 0-5 in the ACC) suffered its fifth loss in a row, as the ‘Cuse fell to Boston College, 17-10. At present, the ‘Cuse is the only ACC team that has yet to pick up a conference conquest in the 2023 season.

The Panthers (2-7, 1-4 in the ACC), meanwhile, aren’t faring much better. Pitt has dropped three consecutive games, most recently losing to No. 4 Florida State at home, 24-7, this past Saturday.

Something will have to give this coming Saturday in New York City, although neither Syracuse football nor Pittsburgh is playing high-quality ball these days.

Pittsburgh vs. Syracuse odds, spread and total

When I wrote this article, FanDuel had the Orange as a 3.0-point betting underdog versus the Panthers in New York City, with the over/under set at 37.5 points.

Pittsburgh vs. Syracuse how to watch

Date: Saturday, Nov. 11
Game Time: 3:30 pm
Venue: Yankee Stadium in New York, N.Y.
TV/Streaming: ACC Network and fuboTV
Pittsburgh’s record: 2-7, 1-4 in the ACC
Syracuse’s record: 4-5, 0-5 in the ACC
Syracuse’s full 2023 schedule: Click here

Pittsburgh vs. Syracuse key players to watch

Here is the week-11 depth chart for the Orange against the Panthers, courtesy of SyracuseOnSI publisher Mike McAllister.

From an injury standpoint, among those ‘Cuse players who are out for the rest of the 2023 stanza are junior receiver Oronde Gadsden II, redshirt sophomore offensive lineman David Wohlabaugh Jr., sophomore defensive lineman Denis Jaquez Jr., junior tight end Steven Mahar Jr. and junior offensive lineman Kalan Ellis.

I also did not see junior wide receiver/return specialist Trebor Pena on the week-11 depth chart. Additionally, senior quarterback Garrett Shrader didn’t play versus Boston College due to an injury, and it also appears that redshirt sophomore quarterback Carlos Del Rio-Wilson is a bit banged up as well, according to media reports. Naturally, the QB situation for Syracuse football is something to monitor.

Pittsburgh

Junior running back Rodney Hammond Jr.
To date in the 2023 term, Hammond has carried the ball 79 times for 338 yards and three scores on the ground. He’s also caught six passes for 41 yards.

Syracuse

Sophomore running back LeQuint Allen Jr.
In the setback to Boston College, Allen was a bright spot, rushing 18 times for 142 yards. At this juncture in 2023, he’s carried the ball 138 times for 695 yards and seven touchdowns. He is presently No. 4 within the ACC in rushing yards per contest. Allen has also caught 26 passes for 174 yards and one receiving touchdown.

Pittsburgh vs. Syracuse prediction and pick

The Panthers are one of the Orange’s oldest rivals, with their first encounter coming way back in 1916. Pitt has won five in a row versus the ‘Cuse, and Pittsburgh leads its all-time series with Syracuse football, 43-32-3, per SU Athletics.

Pitt’s 2023 resume so far is as follows. The Panthers have defeated Wofford and top-15 Louisville, and Pittsburgh has lost to Cincinnati, West Virginia, North Carolina, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest, Notre Dame and FSU.

The Orange needs to win two out of its final three regular-season affairs to qualify for a bowl game for the second year in a row. The ‘Cuse fan base, understandably, is frustrated, and chatter on social media about head coach Dino Babers’ job security is perhaps at an all-time high.

Respectfully, the Panthers are not having a good 2023 season. But neither is the Orange. Since this is a neutral-site contest, I wouldn’t give much of an edge to either squad. The quarterback situation for the ‘Cuse is concerning.

I love my boys in Orange, but I simply don’t trust Syracuse football to win games these days. I envision a low-scoring, defensive-minded slugfest on Saturday afternoon in the Big Apple, and I’ll take Pittsburgh to knock off Syracuse football, 20-13.

Following its bout with Pitt, the ‘Cuse will travel to Atlanta to play Georgia Tech (5-4, 4-2 in the ACC). The Yellow Jackets, and Louisville, are arguably the two most surprising ACC groups thus far in the 2023 season.

Syracuse football and Georgia Tech will square off from Bobby Dodd Stadium beginning at 8 pm on Saturday, Nov. 18, with television coverage on the ACC Network.