Minnesota vs Syracuse 12/29/22 College Football Picks, Predictions, Odds

The Syracuse Orange and Minnesota Golden Gophers meet Thursday in the college football Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium. The Syracuse Orange have lost 5 of their last 6 games. The Minnesota Golden Gophers have won 4 of their last 5 games.

The Syracuse Orange have lost 3 of their last 4 non-home games. Garrett Shrader is completing 65 percent of his passes for 2,310 yards, 17 touchdowns and 6 interceptions. Oronde Gadsden II and Devaughn Cooper have combined for 1,267 receiving yards and 9 touchdowns, while Damien Alford has 17 receptions. The Syracuse Orange ground game is averaging 142.8 yards per contest, and Sean Tucker leads the way with 1,060 yards and 11 touchdowns. Defensively, Syracuse is allowing 22.7 points and 338.8 yards per game. Marlowe Wax leads the Syracuse Orange with 86 tackles, Caleb Okechukwu has 7 sacks and Ja’Had Carter has 3 interceptions.

The Minnesota Golden Gophers have won 3 of their last 5 non-home games. Tanner Morgan is completing 67.3 percent of his passes for 1,324 yards, 7 touchdowns and 5 interceptions. Daniel Jackson and Brevyn Spann-Ford have combined for 965 receiving yards and 5 touchdowns, while Michael Brown-Stephens has 22 receptions. The Minnesota Golden Gophers ground game is averaging 218.4 yards per contest, and Mohamed Ibrahim leads the way with 1,594 yards and 19 touchdowns. Defensively, Minnesota is allowing 13.3 points and 279.5 yards per game. Mariano Sori-Marin leads the Minnesota Golden Gophers with 78 tackles, Danny Striggow has 3.5 sacks and Tyler Nubin has 4 interceptions.

The Orange are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 bowl games and 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games overall. The Golden Gophers are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 bowl games and 8-1 ATS in their last 9 games on grass. The under is 6-1 in Orange last 7 neutral site games. The under is 4-1 in Golden Gophers last 5 games overall.

The Minnesota Golden Gophers are the more physical, more balanced team, and they should be favored. However, Syracuse has been respectable defensively in its own right and quarterback Garrett Shrader has extended time to get healthy and back in the swing of things. This is one of the better Syracuse teams we’ve seen over the years and this is also a home game with it taking place in the Bronx. I like the value of the points here. Give me the Orange.