Following a bye week, Syracuse football puts its perfect 2-0 start to the 2024 season on the line when it hosts Stanford this Friday night in an Atlantic Coast Conference showdown that is also the first-ever meeting between the Orange and the Cardinal.
Stanford is a new ACC member beginning this season, along with fellow former Pac-12 Conference school California and SMU out of the American Athletic Conference. Friday evening's encounter on the Hill will also be the first ACC contest for the Cardinal.
Buoyed by the fantastic play so far of senior quarterback Kyle McCord, the four-star transfer from Ohio State, the 'Cuse offense is faring quite well through the team's pair of 2024 affairs. On September 7, when Syracuse football squeaked by then-No. 23 Georgia Tech, the Orange's defense looked better, although the special-teams unit struggled.
In the latest major top-25 polls, the 'Cuse is inching closer to possible inclusion, although first-year head coach Fran Brown is stressing that his program has to be consistent in all phases of the game. What's more, the Orange has started off strong in each of the past two seasons, only to falter down the stretch, in part due to injuries, depth issues and tougher competition.
Stanford at Syracuse football odds, spread and total
When I wrote this article, FanDuel had the Orange as a 9.5-point betting favorite at home against the Cardinal, with the over/under set at 57.5 points.
Stanford at Syracuse football how to watch
Date: Friday, Sept. 20
Game Time: 7:30 pm EST
Venue: JMA Wireless Dome in Syracuse, N.Y.
TV/Streaming: ESPN and fuboTV
Stanford's record: 1-1
Syracuse's record: 2-0
Syracuse’s full 2024 schedule: Click here
Stanford at Syracuse football prediction and pick
As I mentioned above, the Cardinal and the Orange have never played before. To date, the 'Cuse has defeated Ohio and Georgia Tech, both at home. Stanford also has suited up twice on its turf, losing by seven points to TCU and then handling Cal Poly.
Here's the week-four depth chart for Syracuse football, courtesy of 247Sports analyst Mike McAllister.
The Syracuse football defense will look to contain Stanford's talented dual-threat quarterback, junior Ashton Daniels. Per ESPN, through the air, he has thrown for 384 yards with three touchdowns and one interception. On the ground, Daniels leads the Cardinal with 118 total rushing yards.
Both the 'Cuse and Stanford had byes this past weekend, so I assume each program will be well rested. On paper, I adamantly believe Syracuse football is the more talented squad, and the Orange is playing at home.
That being said, I think the Cardinal could keep things closer than the betting odds suggest. I like Syracuse football to prevail over Stanford by a final count of 34-27.