Syracuse enters Saturday’s home matchup against Clemson with high confidence following back-to-back wins, most recently a dramatic last-second upset of then-No. 19 SMU, while the Tigers are trying to stack consistency after earning a much-needed road victory over Florida State.

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney’s team sits at 5-3 overall and 3-2 in ACC play. Meanwhile, head coach Fran Brown’s Syracuse squad is 4-4 overall and 2-4 in the ACC.

On the Gramlich & Mac Lain podcast, Clemson alums Kelly Gramlich and Eric Mac Lain previewed the Clemson-Syracuse matchup and made their picks for the noon (ESPN2) contest at the Orange’s JMA Wireless Dome.

Mac Lain went with his alma mater to pull out the road win, but he sees it being a “close” and “uncomfortable” game. Clemson comes into it as a 2.5-point favorite.

“They are playing well,” Mac Lain said of Syracuse. “Again, we mentioned the two games in a row [wins at North Carolina and vs. SMU], how it’s looked and [Syracuse QB Steve] Angeli being back, getting the offense going. That’s going to be fascinating. With that said, I mean, give me Clemson. I think these guys figured something out. Talent-wise, guy for guy, they’re way more talented. It just is what it is. But that doesn’t always equate to wins, and that doesn’t always mean you’re going to come out of there with that.

“But I think Clemson has figured something out. I hope they continue to build on it, but it is going to be a tough game. I like the number. I mean, 2.5 is a number there. I feel confident that this is going to be like a three-to-six-point game. It’s going to be close. It’s going to be uncomfortable.”

Syracuse defeated Clemson 34-21 win in their meeting last season at Clemson’s Memorial Stadium, so the Tigers are looking to avenge that defeat.

Clemson holds a 10-3 edge in its all-time series with Syracuse, including a 5-1 mark on the road. The Tigers have won three straight road games against the Orange.

Gramlich picked the Tigers to extend that road winning streak to four, though she noted that the Clemson-Syracuse series has often been wacky and wild, featuring some memorable past games.

“Cuse has played a lot of teams close. I’ll take Clemson as well, but I don’t feel great about it. I really don’t, Mac,” Gramlich said to Mac Lain. “I mean, I think Syracuse is playing great football, and the Carrier Dome — you had success there as a player. So you don’t, I don’t feel like you feel it’s as spooky. But you think, I mean, the 2017 loss of course…’18 was in Death Valley. The Chase Brice game. All Syracuse fans remember all of these things. The series has been fun. Like one that we never would have anticipated that would become a fun ACC series, but Clemson and Syracuse has.”

Here is the full preview episode of the Gramlich & Mac Lain podcast discussing the Clemson at Syracuse matchup: