Pinnacle -110 BET365 +100 SportsInteraction -105 BetOnline -101 Bookmaker -105

Posted at 10:45 AM EST. 

OHIO +100 over Syracuse

Peden Stadium – Athens, OH

Streaming Subscribers: CBS Sports Network

7:00 PM EST. Depending on where one shopped around, the Mid-American Conference (MAC) Ohio Bobcats were at one instance, a one-point favorite playing host to Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) constituent Syracuse before the “efficient market” made their presence felt. To reiterate a point that we have raised previously, the market assessment of these two sides will always lean to the Power Five participant in contrast to its Group of Five opponent. In essence, a team like Syracuse, as maligned as they may be (going 1-10 in 2020), will generally get more respect because they are from the ACC, even if Ohio is a formidable side from the MAC. The reaction speaks volumes into the betting market’s overall philosophy.

You will also hear that Ohio has not defeated an ACC foe in 16 years and that ‘Cuse is 2-0 all-time against the ‘Cats, two more useless trends among the hundreds that have zero impact on the outcome of this game. For reference, Syracuse played Ohio in 1921 and again in 2005. What does matter are the two teams taking the field on September 4th, 2021 and those behind the line have made it abundantly clear as to what their expectations are for this match-up regardless of whatever Power Five biases the market may hold.

You see, Ohio’s season, unlike Syracuse’s, was initially cancelled in 2020 and then that was redacted, as the MAC was forced to pivot on its COVID postponement after many mid-major conferences decided to do a 180 turn on their respective season cancellations. Be that as it may, the ‘Cats were only scheduled for six games, three of which were cancelled due to the pandemic and subsequently left them on the outside looking in for the MAC title with a 2-1 record. With a new sheriff in town in newly hired Tim Albin (the OC here since Frank Solich arrived in ‘05), the Bobcats are not going through a major transitional change. Syracuse, on the other hand, will be rolling with the same quarterback and same coaching staff that found their program on the rocks just last year, so one must ask if this line is a gift to back Cuse? No, it’s a show of respect for their competition and a signal that the Group of Five have all the capacity to get one over on their Power Five big brother. We’ll play it as such.

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