SMU vs. Syracuse Prediction, CFB Week 9 Odds & Best Bets (10/31)

Fact checked at 9:41 AM ET, Oct 31, 2026

Odds as of 8:16 AM ET, Oct 31, 2026

No. 19 SMU (6-1, 4-1 ACC) visits Syracuse (3-4, 1-4) at 12:00 PM ET at the JMA Wireless Dome on ESPN2. We expect SMU to move the ball through the air and still fail to pull away. Steve Angeli is back at quarterback, Syracuse hangs around, SMU has to keep throwing into the second half, and that's the game both picks need.

SMU is -9.5 and the total is 58.5. The line has mostly sat between 9.5 and 10.5 since books posted this game. Angeli is Probable on the latest ACC report after two reports at Questionable, with Amari Odom and Malachi Nelson both Out.

SMU vs. Syracuse Predictions

• Pick #1: Theo Melin Ohrstrom 20+ Receiving Yards (-159)
• Pick #2: Syracuse +9.5 (-105)

PICK #1: Theo Melin Ohrstrom 20+ Receiving Yards (-159)

SMU's tight end has reached 20 yards in all five games he has caught a pass this season: 25 against UC Davis, 43 at Louisville, 49 against Missouri State, 21 against Virginia and 27 against Cal. Five games is a small group, UC Davis is an FCS team, and he didn't catch a pass against Florida State or Boston College. He isn't on the ACC report. The price of -159 implies 61.4%.

His longer record doesn't clear that. At Texas A&M last season he had 19 catches in 13 games and reached 20 yards in only four of them. The job is different now. He and Randy Pittman share the tight end spot in an offense throwing for 313.1 yards a game, Kevin Jennings is completing 72.6 percent of his passes, and Melin Ohrstrom already has 14 catches for 165 yards and four touchdowns at SMU. Syracuse allows 202.3 passing yards a game and will be without defensive back Jai Eugene Jr.

Volume is the risk. He caught one pass against Cal and two against Virginia, clearing 20 by 7 yards and 1 yard, and ten different players caught a pass against Cal. A runaway would also hand the game to Kendrick Raphael, who had 22 carries for 104 yards in that win, which is why a competitive game suits this bet.

PICK #2: Syracuse +9.5 (-105)

SMU has one easy win over an FBS team, the 59-20 rout of Cal. The other five finished 27-24 at Florida State, a 41-31 loss at Louisville, 34-24 over Missouri State, 25-16 over Boston College and 23-13 over Virginia. That's three covers of 9.5 in six games, two of them by 10, and this is SMU's first road game since Louisville.

Syracuse has stayed within 9.5 in five of its six games against FBS teams, missing only in a 27-13 loss at Pittsburgh. The others were one-point overtime wins over North Carolina and UConn and losses of 34-26 to Louisville, 28-25 to Virginia and 21-18 to Cal. Those weren't all Angeli's games: Odom started at UConn and Nelson started against Virginia and Louisville. Angeli is 2 of 3 at this number. His last start was his cleanest, 20 of 34 for 256 yards and two touchdowns in the 31-30 win at North Carolina, where Syracuse gained 455 yards, 199 on the ground, and had no turnovers.

At -105 the implied probability is 51.2%. Computer ratings average SMU by about eight, though one model we checked has it 34-24. SMU has 66% of the spread bets and 67% of the money, and at least one major book is already at 8.5.

Cal is the game that worries us. The Bears beat Syracuse by three in the Dome, and SMU outscored them 42-0 in the second half. Angeli threw three interceptions against Cal and two at Pittsburgh, and he's completing 55.8 percent of his passes. Syracuse has three offensive linemen Out, and SMU has allowed conversions on 27 of 99 third downs, fourth best in the country. If Angeli doesn't start, this pick loses its case.

21+ (18+ where permitted). Odds subject to change. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER.