Another excellent week of college football action is set to get underway this week with two fantastic conference matchups this Thursday evening. In the first matchup showcase, 4-3 Syracuse travels to Blacksburg for an ACC rivalry game with Virginia Tech. The latter is coming off a win over Wake Forest, 30-13, at home, while the Orange are looking to rebound following a shellacking at the hands of Florida State, 41-3. Meanwhile, two Sun Belt and in-state rivals, Georgia State (6-1) and Georgia Southern (5-2), square off in Statesboro. Both squads are having strong campaigns in 2023 and the winner of this matchup will be in strong contention with James Madison for a Sun Belt title.
For this article, SBS will be going over what to look for from each team in this matchup along with a predicted winner and even more notes about NCAA football wagering.
| NCAA Football Week Nine Games | The Pick |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Syracuse at Virginia Tech | Virginia Tech ML | -140 | -140 | -140 |
| Georgia State at Georgia Southern | Georgia Southern ML | -120 | -120 | -120 |
Team Spotlight: Syracuse Orange
The Orange are coming into this game on a three-game losing streak and are looking to turn some things around against Virginia Tech on the road. In fact, this will be Syracuse’s third consecutive road game against an ACC foe. Quarterback Garrett Shrader has been consistent for the Orange this season outside of conference matchups, throwing for 1,371 yards and eight touchdowns. Moreover, running back LeQuint Allen is averaging nearly five yards per carry (511 rushing yards) and has scored seven rushing touchdowns. Indeed, this is a team that can put up points as evidenced by their 4-0 start.
Team Spotlight: Virginia Tech Hokies
In terms of common opponents, both squads played the Seminoles in Tallahassee earlier this year and the Hokies did fare marginally better, only losing by 22 as opposed to 38. Moreover, Virginia Tech has two conference wins to Syracuse’s goose egg, although they were against two ACC doormats this season in Wake Forest and Pittsburgh (combined ACC record of 2-6). Quarterback Kyron Drones has been strong at mitigating turnovers this year, with only one interception, and has a solid six-to-one touchdown-to-turnover ratio. This game, however, should be a shootout with both squads allowing a ton of yards – Syracuse at 380.7 yards allowed per game and Virginia Tech at 341.6.
Prediction: Syracuse continues their road blues this week as the beat-up Orange will have a hard time with a charged-up Hokies team at home.
Team Spotlight: Georgia State Panthers
In Georgia State’s last five games, the Panthers have accrued a strong record of 4-1, including a 3-0 mark on the road. A balanced offense, the Panthers do a pretty solid job in the rushing game, accruing 177 yards per contest. With that in mind, Georgia State running back Marcus Carroll has been a dynamic threat, running for 852 yards on the year along with 10 rushing scores. However, as much as the Panthers excel on offense, they also have been giving up a ton of yards on defense (394.3 total per game), including 275.4 passing yards each contest through the air. Nonetheless, this contest should be a shootout like our first highlighted matchup.
Team Spotlight: Georgia Southern Eagles
The two quarterbacks in this matchup have put up big numbers with Georgia State’s Darren Grainger having 10 touchdown passes on the season to just two picks. Meanwhile, Georgia Southern’s Davis Brin is among the leaders in college football with 2,122 passing yards. However, he needs to do a better job of taking care of the football as he has thrown 11 interceptions on the year. Nonetheless, the Eagles have soared this year at times with wins over Coastal Carolina and UAB. Georgia Southern receiver Khaleb Hood is a receptions machine with 57 catches this year along with 590 yards and three receiving scores.
Prediction: This game should be a close one and could be a marquee “Fun Belt” track meet, but take the Eagles to snatch a big win at home against the 6-1 Panthers.
Once you are all dialed in regarding the latest gaming news and notes from the world of college football, make sure to also tap into the wide variety of resources over at SBS. Of course, for even more information on the topic at hand, the college football betting sites guide has you covered with all the latest betting markets in the world of NCAA football. On another note, if you are uncertain about which payment options are the best fit for you, do not worry as our payment methods breakdown has you covered with a variety of options from crypto to traditional routes. Finally, for those on the go, the best betting apps rundown is a fantastic resource to always stay on top of the action with tips for mobile betting.
About the Author
Chris Boline is a Reno-based business development professional and freelance sports writer with over a decade of experience covering the NBA G League, Los Angeles Chargers, and national football and basketball. His expertise spans the NFL, NBA, UFC, boxing, golf, and motorsports, along with topical news, marketing, and promotional content. A proud University of Nevada graduate, Chris earned both his BS in Management & Economics (2015) and MBA (2023). He is active in the Reno community, serving on boards such as the Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, NCET, and the College of Business Alumni Association, where he was past president (2022–23). Notable honors include: - Two-time University of Nevada Alumni Chapter of the Year honoree (2017, 2021) - 2021 NCET Professional Services Organization of the Year (with TAC) - 2016–17 Reno Bighorns MVP, awarded by the Sacramento Kings - Nevada Press Association Award for Best Sports Column (2015) - Former Editor-in-Chief of The Nevada Sagebrush Chris blends his passion for sports with a strong background in sales, marketing, and community engagement.
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