Clemson vs. Syracuse Prediction and Pick, Week 10 2026
60% chance to win
- Clemson's run game has the edge on Syracuse's run defense. Clemson is middle of the pack (75th) in EPA per rush, and Syracuse is bottom-40 (107th) in EPA per rush allowed.
- Clemson's run defense has the edge on Syracuse's run game. Clemson is middle of the pack (73rd) in yards per carry allowed, and Syracuse is bottom-40 (108th) in yards per carry.
Clemson at Syracuse
Projected score: Clemson 25, Syracuse 20 (total 45).SP+: Clemson by 5.0, 64% chance to win.PRIME: Syracuse by 1.1, the other side.
- Kickoff
- Sat, Nov 7, 12:00 PM ET
- TV
- ESPN2
- Where
- JMA Wireless Dome
- Series
- Clemson leads 10–3
- Last meeting
- Syracuse 34–21 in 2025
- Syracuse injuries
- Amari Odom (QB), out for season; Malachi Nelson (QB), out
The ratings and the line
| Margin | Win chance | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| SP+ | Clemson by 5.0 | 64% | 45 |
| PRIME | Syracuse by 1.1 | 53% | |
| Elo | Clemson | 68% |
Margins include home field. SP+ is Bill Connelly's rating; Sources has PRIME and Elo. No line posted yet.
Projected vs. what happened
Projected score: SP+, from before kickoff. "Expected" in the game numbers is the average of the offense's numbers and the defense's numbers allowed, in their games before this week. An edge held when the game went the way it pointed.
The pregame preview
What we published before kickoff: the pick, the matchups and every stat as it stood going in.
How we picked it
Who wins, Clemson or Syracuse?
Three ratings look at a team in three different ways. The numbers' pick is the team at least two of them favor.
Where the game is won
Which matchups decide Clemson vs. Syracuse?
SP+ and Elo take Clemson, but PRIME has Syracuse by 1.1. Clemson's best matchup is its run game, 75th in EPA per rush, against Syracuse's run defense at 107th. Syracuse's way back in is its pass defense, 34th in EPA per pass allowed, against Clemson's passing game at 131st. We left out the edges built on Nelson, who's out.
Clemson with the ball
Syracuse with the ball
Each row puts one team's unit against the unit it faces, by national rank out of all FBS teams. An edge is a gap of 25 spots or more.
Injuries and availability
Who's out for Clemson and Syracuse?
Clemson
- Corian Gipson (#8), last game: out (ACC availability report, game day, Oct 31)
- Polo Anderson (#11), last game: out (ACC availability report, game day, Oct 31)
- Shavar Young Jr. (#12), last game: out (ACC availability report, game day, Oct 31)
- Gordon Sellars III (#19), last game: out (ACC availability report, game day, Oct 31)
- Cole Turner (#22), last game: out (ACC availability report, game day, Oct 31)
- David Eziomume (#24), last game: out (ACC availability report, game day, Oct 31)
- Mason Wade (#76), last game: out (ACC availability report, game day, Oct 31)
- Markus Strong (#99), last game: out (ACC availability report, game day, Oct 31)
Syracuse
- Amari Odom (QB), out for season (ACC availability report, game day, Oct 31). Shoulder surgery; Fran Brown ruled him out for the season (The Daily Orange). The ACC report lists him out; we keep "out for season" because of Brown's statement. (as of Oct 29, 2026)
- Nelson (QB), out (ACC availability report, game day, Oct 31). Tightrope surgery for a high-ankle sprain; Brown says several weeks (The Daily Orange). Steve Angeli is the main option. (as of Oct 29, 2026)
- Darien Williams (#7), last game: out (ACC availability report, game day, Oct 31)
- Jai Eugene Jr. (#9), last game: out (ACC availability report, game day, Oct 31)
- Jackson Iak (#62), last game: out (ACC availability report, game day, Oct 31)
- D'Joni Scatliffe (#67), last game: out (ACC availability report, game day, Oct 31)
- Matthew Hawn (#74), last game: out (ACC availability report, game day, Oct 31)
- Carter Bashir (#80), last game: out (ACC availability report, game day, Oct 31)
- Terrell Wilfong (#88), last game: out (ACC availability report, game day, Oct 31)
Statuses come from the conference availability reports and team news, as of the date shown. "Hasn't played" means a regular (the main passer, a quarter of the carries or 15% of the catches) with no pass, carry or catch in his team's last two games, from the play-by-play. That can be an injury, a benching or a suspension. Linemen and defenders don't show up in that check.
The teams in charts
How Clemson and Syracuse compare, in charts
Each chart puts all 138 FBS teams on two stats; Clemson and Syracuse are lit. Dashed lines are the FBS averages, and up and right is better. Ranks in parentheses. Games through Oct 31, 2026.
The players in charts
How Clemson's and Syracuse's players compare
The scatter charts show the top 40 FBS players at the position by both stats combined, plus the players lit here. Dashed lines are the averages; up and right is better. Ranks are among every FBS player at the position with enough snaps. Takeaways are interceptions plus fumble recoveries. Games through Oct 31, 2026.
RatingsClemson 8–2
How do SP+, PRIME and Elo rate Clemson and Syracuse?
On a neutral field, SP+ has Clemson 7.5 points better (55th to 87th). PRIME also has Clemson ahead, by 1.4. Elo, which only sees results, also has Clemson ahead (61st to 100th).
Opponent-adjusted power ratings. These drive the projection.
Opponent-adjustedEven 8–8
Who's better once you adjust for the schedule?
Clemson's offense ranks 126th in adjusted EPA per play, and the Syracuse defense it faces ranks 71st in EPA per play allowed. Syracuse's offense ranks 106th against Clemson's 37th-ranked defense. Both defenses have the edge on the offenses they face. The biggest edge on the board is Clemson's big plays: 29th in adjusted explosiveness, against Syracuse's 126th-ranked defense. That's a mismatch.
The same efficiency numbers, adjusted for the offenses and defenses each team has faced (CollegeFootballData.com). A good number against a soft schedule shrinks; one against a hard schedule grows.
EPASyracuse 5–3
Who's more efficient, Clemson or Syracuse?
Clemson is better running (74th in EPA per rush) than throwing (132nd). Syracuse's run defense ranks 109th, so that's an edge. Syracuse is better running (64th in EPA per rush) than throwing (101st). Clemson's run defense ranks 95th, so that's an edge.
Expected points added per play, from CollegeFootballData.com. EPA measures how much each play changes the points a team can expect from the drive. Zero is break-even; +0.20 is very good. Not adjusted for opponents.
ScoringEven 1–1
Who scores more, Clemson or Syracuse?
Clemson outscores FBS opponents by 1.6 a game, and Syracuse by 5.0. Clemson's offense ranks 100th in scoring, and the Syracuse defense it faces ranks 90th in points allowed. Syracuse's offense ranks 52nd against Clemson's 49th-ranked defense. Neither side of the ball has a clear edge.
Per game, FBS opponents only.
OffenseSyracuse 10–2
Which offense has the edge?
Clemson has no clear edge here. Its best is yards per carry, 87th, against a defense ranked 101st in yards per carry allowed. Syracuse's best matchup is early downs: its offense ranks 55th in SUPLEX, and Clemson's defense ranks 123rd in SUPLEX allowed. That's a mismatch.
Per game and per play, from play-by-play.
DefenseClemson 8–3
Which defense has the edge?
Clemson's defense is best placed to get home: it ranks 10th in sack rate, and Syracuse's offense is middle of the pack at avoiding sacks (72nd). That's a mismatch. Syracuse's defense is best placed to get off the field on third down: it ranks 53rd in 3rd down conversions allowed, and Clemson's offense is bottom-20 in 3rd down conversion rate (128th). That's a mismatch.
What opponents managed against them.
Up frontSyracuse 8–4
Who wins up front?
Syracuse has the better number in 8 of 12. The biggest gap is line yards allowed per carry, where Syracuse ranks 13th and Clemson 122nd.
The lines. Big Uglies is our rating for each offensive line and each defensive front: adjusted line yards (30%), stuff rate (20%), power success (15%), sack rate (20%) and front-seven havoc (15%), against every FBS team. 50 is average, and every 10 points is a standard deviation. Line stats from CollegeFootballData.com, garbage time out.
TurnoversSyracuse 5–1
Who wins the turnover battle?
Neither team has a real turnover edge: Clemson is −0.6 a game and Syracuse −0.3.
Per game, from play-by-play.
TalentClemson 9–2
Which team has more talent?
Clemson has the more talented roster (16th in the 247Sports talent composite; Syracuse is 35th). Clemson also plays further above its talent: −7.9 points of SP+ beyond what its roster predicts, to Syracuse's −8.0.
247Sports team talent composite and 2026 transfer portal class. Star counts cover only the players 247Sports rates, not walk-ons, so they add up to less than the full roster. Ranks are out of all 138 FBS teams.
MoneySyracuse 2–1
Which roster costs more?
Clemson's roster is valued at $25.6M, Syracuse's at $17.9M. Dollar for dollar, Syracuse plays better: −5.6 points of SP+ above what its payroll predicts, to −5.8 for Clemson.
NIL roster value from The NIL Standard (power-conference teams plus Boise State and Oregon State). Ranks are out of 70 teams with a valuation.
RECEIPTSClemson 3–1
Where did each team's wins come from?
Clemson is +1.0 wins against a .500 team; the biggest piece is roster (+1.3). Syracuse is 0.0 wins against a .500 team; the biggest piece is coaching (−1.2). Syracuse's record is running 1.0 wins ahead of its play on luck alone, so it's not as good as the record says.
Where the wins came from. Every team starts as a .500 team. Then each win (or loss) goes to the schedule, the roster, the coaching or luck, and the four add up to the real record. Wins above or below a .500 team.
FAQ
Clemson at Syracuse: questions people ask
Clemson vs. Syracuse prediction: who will win?
The numbers pick Clemson, 60% chance to win. SP+ and Elo agree; PRIME has Syracuse. Clemson's best matchup is its run game, 75th in EPA per rush, against Syracuse's run defense at 107th.
Where can I watch Clemson vs. Syracuse, and what time is it?
Sat, Nov 7, 12:00 PM ET at JMA Wireless Dome. It's on ESPN2.
What's the projected score of Clemson vs. Syracuse?
SP+ projects Clemson 25–20. That's from this season's SP+ offense, defense and special teams ratings, with home field worth 2.5 points.
What's the Clemson vs. Syracuse series history?
Clemson leads 10–3. Last meeting: Syracuse won 34–21 in 2025.
Who are the players to watch in Clemson vs. Syracuse?
Clemson: Tait Reynolds (1,132 passing yards), Gideon Davidson (478 rushing yards) and Bryant Wesco Jr. (394 receiving yards). Syracuse: Steven Angeli (1,204 passing yards), Tylik Hill (517 rushing yards) and Umari Hatcher (952 receiving yards). Season totals through Oct 31, 2026.
Who are the quarterbacks in Clemson at Syracuse?
Clemson's is Tait Reynolds (1,132 passing yards this season); Syracuse's is Steven Angeli (1,204 passing yards this season).
Who's out for Clemson at Syracuse?
Syracuse: Amari Odom (QB), out for season; Nelson (QB), out.
Keep going
- Clemson: every stat, rank and the schedule
- Syracuse: every stat, rank and the schedule
- Virginia Tech at SMU: the numbers' pick
- Florida State at Boston College: the numbers' pick
- North Carolina at UConn: the numbers' pick
- Duke at NC State: the numbers' pick
- Every Week 10 pick
- Compare any two teams in the Head-to-Head Matchup Builder
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at
Kentucky at 24% chance to win
Delaware at Kennesaw StateNumbers through the games of Oct 31, 2026. SP+ as of Oct 27, 2026. Updated every week.
Ratings: SP+ via CFB Update; PRIME via primecfb.com. Box and play stats computed from CollegeFootballData.com play data (via the public cfbfastR files), FBS games only for scoring. Rushing yards here exclude sacks, so they run higher than official totals. Ranks are out of 138 FBS teams.
Projected vs. what happened
Projected score: SP+, from before kickoff. "Expected" in the game numbers is the average of the offense's numbers and the defense's numbers allowed, in their games before this week. An edge held when the game went the way it pointed.
The pregame preview
What we published before kickoff: the pick, the matchups and every stat as it stood going in.
How we picked it
How we picked it
Three ratings look at a team in three different ways. The numbers' pick is the team at least two of them favor.
Where the game is won
Where the game is won
Each row puts one team's unit against the unit it faces, by national rank out of all FBS teams. An edge is a gap of 25 spots or more.
Injuries and availability
Statuses come from the conference availability reports and team news, as of the date shown. "Hasn't played" means a regular (the main passer, a quarter of the carries or 15% of the catches) with no pass, carry or catch in his team's last two games, from the play-by-play. That can be an injury, a benching or a suspension. Linemen and defenders don't show up in that check.
The teams in charts
The players in charts
FAQ
Keep going
Ratings: SP+ via CFB Update; PRIME via primecfb.com. Box and play stats computed from CollegeFootballData.com play data (via the public cfbfastR files), FBS games only for scoring. Rushing yards here exclude sacks, so they run higher than official totals. Ranks are out of 138 FBS teams.