Minnesota puts bowl win streak up vs. Syracuse in Pinstripe

Pinstripe Bowl: Minnesota (8-4) vs. Syracuse (7-5), Dec. 29, 2 p.m. EST (ESPN)

FanDuel Sportsbook School Line: Minnesota by 9½.

Collection report: Minnesota leads 3-2.

WHAT’S AT STAKE

Minnesota is 3-0 in bowl video games underneath coach P.J. Fleck and has gained 5 straight postseason contests. The Gophers, who went 5-4 within the Large Ten, can attain at the least 9 wins for a 3rd time in 4 years. Mohamed Ibrahim wants 58 speeding yards to go Darrell Thompson (4,654 from 1986-89) for the all-time Minnesota lead. With 33 yards, Ibrahim would break the single-season Gophers speeding report held by David Cobb (1,626 in 2014).

Syracuse, which completed 4-4 within the ACC, will play in a bowl sport for the primary time in 4 years and the second time in seven seasons underneath coach Dino Babers. The Orange have undergone a employees shuffle since accepting their bid. They promoted quarterbacks coach Jason Beck to offensive coordinator after Robert Anae left for N.C. State and promoted defensive backs coach Nick Monroe to interim defensive coordinator following Tony White’s departure for Nebraska. Rocky Lengthy, the previous San Diego State coach, was employed to switch White.

KEY MATCHUP

Syracuse operating sport vs. Minnesota protection. Orange RB Sean Tucker, who was third within the ACC with 1,060 speeding yards, opted out of the sport to organize for the NFL draft. LT Matthew Bergeron did the identical. Freshman LeQuint Allen is subsequent in line to fill Tucker’s spot within the backfield. He had 26 carries this season. The Gophers rank fifth within the FBS in whole yards allowed per sport and have allowed solely eight speeding touchdowns, tied for the sixth-fewest within the nation.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Syracuse: QB Garrett Shrader. In his second season with the Orange after transferring from Mississippi State, Shrader was second within the ACC in completion share and handed for 17 touchdowns with solely six interceptions. He additionally rushed for 406 yards with seven touchdowns.

Minnesota: C John Michael Schmitz. The sixth-year senior is the workforce’s prime NFL draft prospect, a primary workforce AP All-American and considered one of three finalists for the Rimington Trophy given to the highest middle in school soccer.

FACTS & FIGURES

Minnesota is the eighth completely different Large Ten workforce within the final eight editions of the sport. Rutgers would make 9 in a row with its 2013 look, however the Scarlet Knights had been nonetheless within the American Athletic Convention then. Ohio State, Michigan, Nebraska, Purdue and Illinois are the Large Ten groups that haven’t been to the Bronx. … Syracuse beat Minnesota 21-17 within the Texas Bowl in Houston in 2013. The Gophers gained the latest regular-season matchup,17-10 in 2012. … The Orange are making their third look within the Pinstripe Bowl, the one three-time participant in 12 editions of the sport.

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