There's some history attached to this meeting...if you go back 56 years. That's the last time the 'Cuse and Cal rumbled, also a sunny afternoon in late October of '68 at Berkeley, when the students were more interested in war protests than football on campus. What ensued was one of the Bears' all-time high marks in a 43-0 romp featuring nine Cal takeaways. It also marked the beginning of the end of an era for the 10th-ranked Orangemen as a power for Ben Schwartzwalder, as the program went into a decade-plus eclipse thereafter. Not sure about revenge today, as Orange QB Kyle McCord has been prone to mistakes, and Cal gets bowl-eligible with efforts like the last two vs. Oregon State and Wake. Play Cal

Put an asterisk next to Cal's 1-4 league record. The Bears' losses have happened by an aggregate 13 points, resulting in a 6-2 ATS record overall. They catch a road-weary visitor saddled with its fifth away game in the last six outings. The 'Cuse runs into a defense with a yield of 19.3 ppg, best in the ACC. Savvy Bears backers were fortunate to grab them at -7 earlier this week, but the additional point is no reason to hesitate.

I'm expecting a big-time bounce back from Syracuse after a devastating loss to Boston College last week. The Orange out-gained the Eagles, got more first downs and carved up BC through the air but a trio of failed fourth downs and an early turnover left Syracuse six points short. This is too many points to lay against a Syracuse offense that can move the ball, score and should be sharper this week.