After an 8-4 regular season, the Washington State Cougars will look to square off against a ranked Syracuse team...Cougar fans would be happy if that were the o

No. 21 Syracuse opened as a 4 1/2-point favorite over Washington State when the teams’ DirecTV Holiday Bowl matchup was announced four weeks ago. The spread has grown substantially, with the Orange now favored by 17 points.

No. 21 Syracuse and Washington State will finish their 2024 seasons in beautiful San Diego, California, home of the Holiday Bowl. It's a solid matchup of two teams who exceeded expectations this season.

Washington State will wrap up its 2024 season on Friday when it takes on #21 Syracuse in the Holiday Bowl. The Orange will come into the game as multi-touchdown

SportsLine's model reveals its college football picks for Washington State vs. Syracuse in the Holiday Bowl 2024 on Friday

All the while, the athletic department spent more money than it had, a practice that began under Floyd and continues to be a concern – and consistent with the rest of the university, which has been dealing with a cash crunch since pandemic days, fueled by rising costs and falling enrollment.

With Kyle McCord coming off an incredible campaign under center for Syracuse, the Orange offense should dominate a Cougars program that has suffered significant personnel and player losses over the holidays.