Well, there's no question which team is the favorite heading into Thursday's match up between the Kansas St. Wildcats and the Syracuse Orange in the New Era Pinstripe Bowl (3:20 p.m. on ESPN).
Despite both teams having 7-5 overall records, the Wildcats, which opened as an 2 1/2-point favorite, are the trendy pick by experts.
After looking at 16 different picks by experts like: ESPN's Pat Forde, Brian Bennett and David Ubben; The CBSsports.com college football crew, USA Today and The Sportings News. Only two picked the Orange to win.
Here's what these experts are saying about their picks:
"SN’s pick: Kansas State," predicts The Sports News. "Syracuse is decent against the run, but K-State RB Daniel Thomas isn’t like most Big East backs. And the Orange have scored a total of 26 points in their last three games."
ESPN's Big 12 Blogger David Ubben:
"PREDICTION: Kansas State 28, Syracuse 24. I'm going against my gut a bit here, but not much about Syracuse's offense excites me, and if it's a cold, windy day at the ballpark, I'll take the zone-read scheme with Klein and Thomas over anything Syracuse will bring."
ESPN's Big East Blogger Brian Bennett:
"PREDICTION: Syracuse should have a home-field feel in the Bronx, and I think the Orange defense can do a good job slowing down Thomas. Still, Kansas State has the ability to make big plays, while Syracuse has only lurched forward in small chunks and will be missing an underrated field-position weapon in punter Rob Long. The Orange keep it close, but fall 17-14."
USA Today:
"From their Manhattan campus to playing close to the more famous Manhattan, the Wildcats are an appropriate pick to playthe first bowl game in new Yankee Stadium. Kansas State 20, Syracuse 14."
SI.com's Stewart Mandel:
"PINSTRIPE: Syracuse, which went 5-1 on the road, will be playing in its home state but not its home stadium. The Orange won with a stifling defense (No. 5 nationally) that often compensated for an anemic offense (20 or fewer points in eight games). Wildcats tailback Daniel Thomas (124.6 yards per game) will be the best playmaker on the field by far, and Syracuse won't be able to exploit K-State's weak defense"
"Final Score: KSU 20, SU 17."
Here at SB Nation New York, we're going out on a limb and predict SU will use the loss of Long as mototivation and head coach Doug Marrone is going to find a way to win.
SB Nation NY Pick: Syracuse 13, Kansas State 10.