Northwestern at Syracuse Line

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Northwestern and Syracuse are set to face off for the second time in four seasons when they meet Saturday in the Carrier Dome. They last met in 2009 when the Orange earned a 37-34 victory. Syracuse leads the all-time series 5-4.

Odds makers are expecting another nailbiter. They have listed the Wildcats as a 1.5-point favorite with the total set at 53.5.

Syracuse:

The momentum gained from winning eight games and a bowl in 2010 was lost when the Orange dropped their final five contests in 2011 and finished 5-7. The key to making a turnaround is improved play from a defense that ranked eighth in the Big East in both total (386.4 yards per game) and scoring (28.5 points per game) defense last season.

The Orange did not fare well against dual-threat quarterbacks last season. We’ll find out just how much they have improved Saturday when they try to slow down the dynamic Kain Colter.

Syracuse will put a more experienced defense on the field this year. A starting linebacker unit (Dyshawn Davis, Marquis Spruill, Dan Vaughan) that returns intact is perhaps the best in the Big East.

The offense is led by senior quarterback Ryan Nassib, who passed for 2,685 yards with 22 touchdowns and nine interceptions last season. He and senior wideout Alec Lemon, who caught 68 passes for 834 yards and six scores in 2011, built some nice chemistry last year. It will be interesting to see how he looks after missing the spring with a shoulder injury.

Northwestern:

Poor defense also held the Wildcats back last season as they finished 6-7 and gave up 33 points to Texas A&M in their bowl loss. They gave up over 30 points on seven different occasions and ended up finishing 10th in the Big Ten with 27.7 points allowed per game.

Coach Pat Fitzgerald believes his defense will be better in 2012. He has said he likes the depth and the talent and that his boys just need to execute.

The Wildcats weren’t able to muster much of a pass rush last year, which was a big part of why they finished last in the Big Ten in passing defense (230.4 yards per game).

Safety Ibraheim Campbell is a stud, and he’ll make even more plays if the boys up front can bring a little more heat.

The offense will go as Colter goes. He is the team’s top returning passer, rusher and receiver. If only the Wildcats have three of him.

In order to get the most of Colter’s play-making ability, the line must play better than it did in 2011 when it allowed 42 sacks.

Betting Trends:

The Orange finished last season on a 0-5 against the spread skid. The Wildcats also face some daunting trends as they are 2-7 against the number in their last nine games as a road favorite and 0-5 against the spread in their last five games as a favorite of three points or less.

Northwestern has played to the under in each of its last five games. It is also 4-0 over in its last four games as a road favorite of three points or fewer. However, Syracuse is 4-1 over in its last five games as a home underdog of three points or less.

About the Author: Jimmy Boyd is known for his consistency. He's a proven winner in college and pro football, college and pro basketball and pro baseball. He finished as the No. 1 ranked MLB handicapper in 2007 by earning $1,000/game bettors $50,050. He also finished as the No. 1 ranked basketball handicapper in the 2008-09 season, profiting $1,000/game bettors 38,530. His basketball plays have banked $1,000/game bettors nearly $80,000 the last five years. Check out Jimmy's premium picks for tonight!
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