Washington State vs. Syracuse Prediction, Odds and Key Players for Holiday Bowl

Reed Wallach | 3 Hours Ago

Nov 30, 2024; Syracuse, New York, USA; Syracuse Orange quarterback Kyle McCord (6) warms up prior to the game against the Miami Hurricanes at the JMA Wireless Dome. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-Imagn Images / Rich Barnes-Imagn Images

Syracuse and Washington State meet in the 2024 Holiday Bowl in a battle of two high powered offenses, but also groups that can be impacted by the transfer portal.

The Orange had a resurgent season under first year head coach Fran Brown, unlocking former Ohio State quarterback Kyle McCord, who led the country in passing this season. The Orange have a talented group of pass catchers that are expected to play in the Holiday Bowl against Washington State, who stunned many with a strong start to the year around quarterback John Mateer.

However, with Wazzu offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle heading to Oklahoma for the same role, there are questions as to the availability of Mateer and others, impacting the point spread.

Where do we sit in terms of betting odds and valuable wagers to make on the Holiday Bowl? We have you covered below!

Syracuse vs. Washington State Odds, Spread and Total

Spread

Syracuse: -7.5 (-110)
Washington State: +7.5 (-110)

Moneyline

Syracuse: -275
Washington State: +220

Total: 61.5 (Over -110/Under -110)

Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook

Syracuse vs. Washington State How to Watch

Date: Friday, December 27th
Game Time: 8:00 PM EST
Venue: Snapdragon Stadium
How to Watch (TV): FOX
Syracuse Record: 9-3
Washington State Record: 8-4

Syracuse vs. Washington State Key Players to Watch

Syracuse

Kyle McCord: The nation’s leading passer, McCord dazzled in Western New York this season, leading Syracuse to upset wins over the likes of UNLV and Miami throughout the year. He passed for 4,326 yards this season but also did rank towards the bottom in interceptions with 12, bottom 10 in the country.

Washington State

John Mateer: As of this writing, Mateer hasn’t hit the transfer portal, but the expectation is that he is highly considering it. Head coach Jake Dickert said that Mateer has been practicing with the Cougars ahead of the bowl game, so make sure to stay updated on this situation as Mateer is a majority of the team’s offense. The sophomore passed for 3,139 yards while adding another 826 yards on the ground with 42 total touchdowns.

Syracuse vs. Washington State Prediction and Pick

There is a ton of uncertainty around this game.

For starters, head coach Fran Brown declared that the whole roster will play in the bowl game, and McCord confirmed that he would play in this one as well. Despite some questions across the roster, as of this writing Syracuse looks pretty set for a full roster.

Meanwhile, Washington State lost its play caller and a handful of starters, including running back Wayshawn Parker and wide receiver Kris Hutson in addition to a few other starters. The line movement has indicated that key players are out, but it’s also shaded towards the possibility that Mateer can opt out, which would seriously hamper the Cougars chances of competing in this one.

With a ton of questions in this one, it’s tough as of this writing to make a strong bet on this one. However, if Mateer goes, my preference is for the over.

The Syracuse offense will face little resistance against the Washington State defense that is 90th in EPA/Play despite an easy schedule and allows more than six yards per play. While the team feasted on turnovers, top 20 in the country with 22, that was its best way of stopping the opponent.

McCord may gift the Cougs a few turnovers, but the offense should be able to go toe-to-toe with Syracuse as long as Mateer plays.

The dual-threat quarterback was electric this season, the catalyst to a top 15 in offense in terms of EPA/Play, yards per play and points per game. Against a Syracuse defense that was outside the top 100 in EPA/Play, I’m expecting plenty of big plays from the Wazzu offense.

For now, the over is my best bet, but make sure to remain updated on the latest opt out news around this game.

PICK: OVER 61.5