The Syracuse Orange host the No. 11-ranked Louisville Cardinals Saturday in a Big East Conference football game at the Carrier Dome. The unbeaten Cardinals (9-0, 4-0) enter the contest as 2-point favorites over the the Orange (4-5, 3-2) according to oddsmakers at Bovada.com. The over/under is set at 58 points.
Louisville owns a three-game winning streak over the Orange, who last beat the Cardinals in 2008 at the Carrier Dome. Last season, Louisville defeated Syracuse, 27-10, at home.
The Cardinals are one of six teams in the Football Bowl Subdivision Level that are still unbeaten and are 9-0 for the first time in school history.
Meanwhile, turnovers will be a big key in the game for the Orange, who're 4-0 when they have had fewer, or the same number of turnovers as their opponent and are 0-5 when they have finished with more turnovers than their opponent. Louisville is second in the league in turnover margin (1.00).
Injury report
Syracuse: Short-yardage running back Adonis Ameen-Moore will make his return to the field Saturday. Ameen-Moore, who has three touchdowns on the season, missed the last few games with a lower-body injury.
Also, its expected, defensive tackle Jay Bromley has returned to full health. Last week, Bromley had five tackles and a 1/2 sack.
Overall, the Orange should be 100-percent when taking the field Saturday.
Louisville: No major injuries were reported for the Cardinals.
Prediction
Most of the time when Syracuse faces a duel-threat quarterback, like Louisville's Teddy Bridgewater, they fail to produce on defense. Look across the board and the Orange are 2-1 against teams with signal caller that can run and pass -- and the lone victory can in a remarkable second-half comeback against the South Florida Bulls.
Bridgewater is probably the best passer out of the group and that aspect should be a huge asset for the Cardinals, who face a Orange defense that can give up big yards through the air.
Unless the Orange defense can force some turnovers, and the offense takes care of the ball, Syracuse will have a shot. But even if they do that it still going to be an uphill battle.
Final score: Louisville 30, Syracuse 28.