Syracuse Football: Army vs. Syracuse prediction, odds, spread and over/under for college football week 4

Syracuse football is halfway toward reaching bowl eligibility for the second season in a row, and the Orange will battle another Empire State squad this Saturday on the Hill.

After blowing out Central New York neighbor Colgate and Western Michigan, both at home, the ‘Cuse hit the road this past Saturday night in a prime-time affair against Big Ten Conference member Purdue.

Playing before a frenetic crowd, Syracuse football looked impressive in many aspects as the Orange (3-0) came away with a 35-20 win over the Boilermakers.

Now the ‘Cuse is set to host Army, an FBS independent in football, as the Orange will wrap up its four-game non-conference slate before heading into Atlantic Coast Conference action.

Earlier this week, Syracuse football picked up several votes in both the Associated Press and Coaches top-25 polls. If the Orange can knock off the Black Knights (2-1) and then Clemson the following week, it wouldn’t surprise me if the ‘Cuse entered the top 25 of these polls.

Army vs. Syracuse odds, spread and total

When I wrote this article, FanDuel had the Orange as a 13.5-point betting favorite at home versus the Black Knights, with the over/under set at 50.5 points.

Army vs. Syracuse how to watch

Date: Saturday, Sept. 23
Game Time: 12 pm
Venue: JMA Wireless Dome in Syracuse, N.Y.
TV/Streaming: ACC Network and fuboTV
Army’s record: 2-1
Syracuse’s record: 3-0
Syracuse’s full 2023 schedule:

Army vs. Syracuse key players to watch

Here is the week-four depth chart for the Orange against the Black Knights, courtesy of SyracuseOnSI publisher Mike McAllister.

From an injury standpoint, sadly, star junior receiver Oronde Gadsden II and redshirt sophomore offensive lineman David Wohlabaugh Jr. are out for the remainder of the 2023 campaign due to injuries. We’re wishing them speedy recoveries.

Also, junior wide receiver/return specialist Trebor Pena continues to not be on the Orange’s depth chart. We’ll have to see if offensive linemen Kalan Ellis, a junior, and Joe More, a redshirt senior, are able to compete in the Army encounter.

Army

Junior quarterback Bryson Daily
The dual-threat QB, in the team’s most recent game, threw for 133 yards and one TD, and on the ground, he had 24 attempts for 100 yards and one rushing touchdown.

Sophomore running back Hayden Reed
Last weekend, Reed carried the ball 20 times for a career-high 107 yards and a score on the ground.

Syracuse

Senior quarterback Garrett Shrader
I’m a homer, but I believe Shrader was the best quarterback in college football a week ago, when the Orange won at Purdue. He ran 25 times for 195 yards and four touchdowns. Through the air,  Shrader passed for 184 yards, although he did have an interception.

Sophomore running back LeQuint Allen Jr.
Similar to Shrader, Allen also took home ACC player of the week honors following the ‘Cuse conquest of the Boilermakers. Allen rushed 17 times for 80 yards and one touchdown. He also hauled in six catches for 62 yards, with 58 of those yards coming after the catch.

Redshirt senior offensive lineman Christopher Bleich
Bleich also picked up ACC player of the week accolades following week three. He was a key lineman as the Syracuse football offense rushed for 271 yards and tallied 455 total yards. Per SU Athletics, Bleich collected “six knockdown blocks in his 79 snaps, allowed just one pressure and didn’t allow a sack.” Solid.

Army vs. Syracuse prediction and pick

In their all-time series together, per cuse.com, the Orange is 11-10 versus the Black Knights. The last occasion when these New York state groups got together came during my freshman year at SU, with Syracuse football crushing Army at home, 42-17, in November of 1996.

The Black Knights are coming off a 37-29 road win over the University of Texas at San Antonio. Earlier in the 2023 stanza, Army lost at the University of Louisiana Monroe, 17-13, before destroying Delaware State in West Point, N.Y., by a final count of 57-0.

By the way, let’s congratulate Army head coach Jeff Monken, who has signed a contract extension with the Black Knights through the 2027 season. This new deal, per ESPN’s Pete Thamel on X, “pays him an average of more than $2 million annually.”

Now in his 10th stanza at Army, Monken has amassed a 66-50 overall record with the Black Knights.

When the Orange hosts Army, this game will be a “White Out,” and the late Ben Schwartzwalder will enter SU Athletics’ ring of honor. This is beautiful.

Schwartzwalder, inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in the early 1980s, had more than 150 career wins on the Hill, and he coached the Orange’s national championship team in 1959.

With its dual-threat attack, Army isn’t going to be a cakewalk for Syracuse football. I do think the ‘Cuse is the “better” squad here, but with Gadsden out, other receivers will have to step up, because the Orange can’t solely rely on Shrader and Allen for offensive output.

That being said, the ‘Cuse notched a strong victory last weekend on the road, and I think that Syracuse football will take care of business in Central New York this coming Saturday afternoon. I’ll go with the Orange to defeat Army, 31-20.

After Syracuse football plays the Black Knights, the ‘Cuse will host Clemson to open ACC play. The Orange and the Tigers will go toe to toe beginning at noon on Saturday, Sept. 30, with television coverage on ABC.