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Syracuse, N.Y. — The Syracuse football team will face No. 18 Miami at 3:30 p.m., Saturday at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida (TV: ESPN). It’s time for our predictions. The panel includes Brent Axe, sports columnist; Chris Carlson, sports enterprise reporter; Javon Edmonds, SU football reporter and Nate Mink, managing producer for sports. Brent Axe Miami 41, Syracuse 10 Will Syracuse cover? No The only drama in South Florida on Saturday afternoon will be if the Hurricanes cover a mighty large point spread over the Orange, and based on my prediction … *counts fingers ... carry the one ...* the Hurricanes will. Chris Carlson Miami 45, Syracuse 3 Will Syracuse cover? No Miami leads the ACC in scoring defense, allowing just 15.6 points per game. You’ve watched the Syracuse offense the past five weeks. Or at least heard about it. How do you really think this is going to go? The Hurricanes have fewer electric playmakers than you traditionally expect from a Miami team, but it’s hard to envision a game in which the Orange defense doesn’t wear down and Miami doesn’t end up putting up a big number. Wide receiver Malachi Toney will have a big day. Syracuse will hope it’s not enough to impress one of his closest friends, five-star Syracuse commit Calvin Russell. Javon Edmonds Miami 42, Syracuse 10 Will Syracuse cover? No Syracuse has no answer for the Hurricanes. The Orange doesn’t have the offensive line to compete with Miami’s pass rush. That means a young, lackluster quarterback – whether it be Luke Carney, Joe Filardi or Rickie Collins – will be under duress all afternoon. The Orange defense, on the other hand, has struggled at various points to stop the run. Miami’s offensive line is probably the best in the ACC, and Mark Fletcher Jr. is one of the most physical running backs in the ACC. While Syracuse has its hands full stopping the run, the Orange has also been poor at defending passes in the middle of the field. Given Malachi Toney’s versatility at wide receiver, that could be where he shines Saturday. Ruining Miami’s season was the signature moment of Syracuse’s 2024 season, but Miami will get its revenge this time around. Nate Mink Miami 38, Syracuse 7 Will Syracuse cover? No One of the Hurricanes’ gifted pass-rushers Saturday will be Ahkeem Mesidor, a Canadian who was in the dome as a Syracuse recruit back in 2019 when Trill Williams clinched an epic overtime win in the final game of a 5-7 season. Mesidor is a sixth-year senior in his third season at Miami after transferring in from West Virginia. ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. listed Mesidor as the No. 3 defensive end in a recent draft listing. Kiper’s No. 1 defensive end: Miami pass-rusher Rueben Bain Jr. Point spread: Miami by 28.5 points This season’s records Chris Carlson: 7-2 straight up; 5-4 against the spread Javon Edmonds: 7-2 straight up; 5-4 against the spread Nate Mink: 7-2 straight up; 4-5 against the spread Brent Axe: 5-4 straight up; 5-4 against the spread
