Syracuse (6-3, 3-3 Atlantic Coast Conference) will be facing off against California (5-4, 1-4) this Saturday at 3 p.m. EST, broadcasting on The CW. The betting line currently favors California by 7.5 points, and the two teams have an even series record of 1-1.
Both teams have significant stakes in this matchup. Syracuse aims to secure victories in its final two conference games to achieve a winning record in the ACC for only the second time since joining in 2013. Meanwhile, California is looking for its sixth win to become bowl eligible.
One of the key matchups to watch will be the Orange defense against Golden Bears quarterback Fernando Mendoza. Mendoza has recently reached new career milestones, throwing for 364 yards and two touchdowns in a victory against Oregon State and 385 yards with two touchdowns in last week’s win over Wake Forest. Syracuse’s defense managed to restrict Boston College to just 65 passing yards last week, but they rank poorly in terms of passing efficiency against, placing fourth worst in the ACC.
In terms of standout players, for Syracuse, quarterback Kyle McCord is worth noting as he threw for a remarkable 392 yards in the previous game, marking his eighth 300-yard performance of the season. His 3,153 passing yards currently hold the second highest total in Syracuse history, just behind Ryan Nassib’s 3,749 yards in 2012. McCord’s 23 touchdown passes trail Nassib’s record of 26 during the same season.
On the California side, defensive lineman Xavier Carlton had an impressive showing last week with two sacks, bringing his total for the season to nine, leading the team. Carlton is notable for being one of just nine players nationally to record multiple sacks in at least three games this season.
In terms of historical context, this match is a rare occurrence as it marks the first encounter between these two programs since 1968 when California triumphed over Syracuse 43-0 at home. The Orange had previously achieved a victory over California at home the year before. Syracuse running back LeQuint Allen Jr. has also been on a scoring streak, having tallied two touchdowns in his last game along with 107 yards from scrimmage. Additionally, Syracuse saw two players surpass the 100-yard receiving mark in the last game, with Jackson Meeks recording seven receptions for 105 yards and Oronde Gadsden II making eight catches for 102 yards and a touchdown.
California, which began its ACC journey with four narrow losses, finally secured a win against Wake Forest last week with a score of 46-36. Their kicker, Ryan Coe, celebrated a turnaround after successfully making two 54-yard field goals, improving from a rough start where he missed seven of his first 14 attempts this season. Furthermore, California boasts a commanding lead in the nation with 17 interceptions so far this season.