Louisville vs Syracuse Picks and Prediction for Saturday October 17, 2026
The Louisville Cardinals will head to Syracuse, New York, Saturday night for an ACC matchup against the Syracuse Orange at JMA Wireless Dome. The game is scheduled to begin at 7:30 PM, with coverage available on ACC Network. Louisville enters the weekend with a 3-3 overall record following an impressive 44-20 victory against Florida State. Syracuse comes into this matchup with a 2-3 overall record after suffering a narrow 28-25 loss against Virginia last weekend. The Cardinals are listed as a 14.5-point favorite, with the total set at 55.5 points. The Cardinals are a -650 on the moneyline while Syracuse comes in as a +470 home dog. Stay ahead of the action with our College Football Picks.
Louisville goes for 2 in a row
Lincoln Kienholz is leading the Louisville offense this season with 1534 yards and 9 scores on 107 completions, along with 198 yards and eight touchdowns on 61 carries. Isaac Browns is the top ball carrier on the Louisville roster with 557 yards and four scores on 74 carries. Keyjuan Brown is second on the roster with 367 yards and three touchdowns on 38 carries. Tre Richardson leads the team with 445 yards and two touchdowns on 29 receptions. Lawayne McCoy is second on the team with 420 yards and four touchdowns on 20 catches. Jaleel Skinner has added a fourth-best 259 yards and three touchdowns on 15 catches.
Defensively, Louisville was the better team a week ago, giving up just 20 points on 362 total yards and forcing one turnover. Offensively, Louisville exploded, scoring 44 points, including thirty in the second half on 537 total yards. Lincoln Kienholz led the Louisville offense last week, completing 11 passes for 140 yards and ran the ball 9 times for 40 yards and two touchdowns. Isaac Brown chipped in heavily with 235 yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries. Marquise Davis added 56 yards and one touchdown on 9 carries, and Braxton Jennings chipped in three carries for 49 yards and one score. Lawayne McCoy led the team with 78 yards on three receptions.
Syracuse looks for their first conference win
Steve Angeli is leading the Syracuse offense this season with 731 yards and four touchdowns on 57 completions. Amari Odom has compiled 398 yards and six touchdowns on 37 completions this season. Malachi Nelson has chipped in as well with 217 yards and one score on 31 completions. Tylik Hill leads Syracuse’s offense this season with 405 yards and one score on 69 carries. Shavane Anderson Jr. is second on the roster with 146 yards and three touchdowns on 30 carries, and Ahmad Miller has added 30 carries for 114 yards and two scores. Umari Hatcher led Syracuse with 560 yards and six touchdowns on 37 receptions. Daunte Bacheyie has added 217 yards and four scores on 11 grabs this season.
Defensively, Syracuse was outmatched a week ago, giving up 28 points, including 21 in the second half on 288 total yards. Offensively, Syracuse did move the ball well, scoring 25 points on 430 yards but converted just five third downs, resulting in the loss. Malachi Nelson led the way for the Syracuse offense, completing 16 passes for 217 yards and one score, and ran the ball 6 times for 19 yards. Tylik Hill led all ball carriers in the game with 118 yards on 23 carries. Umari Hatcher boasted a team high of 126 yards and one touchdown on 8 receptions. Daunte Bacheyie chipped in 97 yards on one score on 4 catches.
Louisville vs. Syracuse Picks and Prediction
Pick: Louisville Cardinals -14.5
Louisville has an opportunity to build some momentum Saturday night following an impressive victory against Florida State. The Cardinals showed what their offense is capable of last weekend and should have another opportunity to produce points against Syracuse. Louisville has enough offensive weapons to put consistent pressure on the Orange defense and should be able to establish control as the game progresses. Syracuse will look to use its home-field advantage to remain competitive, but the Orange have struggled to put together complete performances this season. The Cardinals should have the advantage in overall offensive production and will look to avoid costly mistakes. Take Louisville to pick up another ACC victory on the road.
Pick: Over 55.5
Louisville and Syracuse should have enough offensive production to push this matchup over the posted total Saturday night. The Cardinals are coming off a strong offensive performance against Florida State and should be able to create scoring opportunities against the Orange. Syracuse has shown the ability to move the football and will need to produce points to remain competitive against Louisville. Both defenses have experienced difficulties at times this season, creating opportunities for sustained drives and explosive plays. Louisville should be able to establish its offense early, while Syracuse will look to answer in front of its home crowd. Expect both teams to contribute enough points to send this ACC matchup over the total.