Boca Raton Bowl So. Florida vs. Syracuse Free Pick

It’s the Boca Raton Bowl Thursday evening, with two middling teams in the South Florida Bulls (6-6, 4-4 American Athletic) and the Syracuse Orange (6-6. 2-6  Atlantic Coast). 

USF was the epitome of hard to figure, late-season debacles include surrendering 59 points to Memphis and 49 to Texas San Antonio while scoring 48 against Charlotte in the final game. This is the Bulls’ first bowl appearance in five seasons.

Syracuse failed to make an impact in the ACC, having to go 2-1 in the last three just to find a way into a bowl. It fired coach Dino Babers with a game left in the season, appearing to be a program lacking direction. 

Syracuse is a 2½-point favorite (total at 56½), according to college football odds.

Momeyline is Orange -140, Bulls at +120. 

USF is leading the all-time series, 8-2 (least meeting in 2016). 

Those Hit-and-Miss Bulls

As was mentioned, the South Florida Bulls can both score (31.1 per game) and surrender (35.9 per game) points in a hurry. 

There’s an explosive quarterback in Byrum Brown (3,078 passing yards, 23 touchdowns, 11 interceptions, 11 rushing touchdowns), coming off a four-touchdown performance against Charlotte in the season’s final game. Brown also riddled Memphis to the tune of five touchdown passes last month. 

Wide receiver Sean Adkins (86 receptions, 962 yards, five touchdowns) is a favorite target of Brown, as is Najem Simmons (five touchdowns). 

The ugly defensive stat is surrendering 460.9 yards/game, 129th of 133 teams in the country. 

Orange Lost Way

There was a 4-0 Syracuse Orange start to the season, feasting on patsies. Five losses (all ACC) in a row were next, an inability to compete with the cream of the conference crop (including Clemson, North Carolina and Florida St.). 

Wins over Pitt and Wake Forest pushed the Orange to mediocre. It finished in the bottom quadrant in conference scoring (25½ points/game( this season, middle of t9e pack in team defense (23.8 points/game).

Syracuse did average 176.3 rushing yards (LeQuint Allen 1062 yards, nine touchdowns), so how it operates is no mystery.

Quarterback Garrett Shrader (1,686 passing yards, 13 touchdowns, eight interceptions) is out after shoulder surgery, and the Orange quarterback in this game is anyone’s guess.

Syracuse needs to slow down the game if it’s to have a shot.

See a list of opt-outs and transfers for this game here

Go with ‘Cuse

There are any number of props available, as per Syracuse vs. South Florida odds.

Despite issues on offense, Syracuse is playing a weak defense, one which running LeQuint Allen should be able to exploit.

UCF is tough to gauge, but its strength of schedule wasn’t as strong as that of Syracuse.

A pair of .500 teams doesn’t inspire much in the way of confidence, but we have to land on one of them. 

Expect the Syracuse Orange -2½ to win the Boca Raton Bowl. Go under, too.