Syracuse football bowl watch: So we want to play on hard mode?

You ever play a video game on easy or normal difficulty and go, “I enjoy a challenge or two, let’s go to hard mode,” and immediately regret that decision?

Right now, the Syracuse Orange have discovered that they’ve been playing their Quest for Tony on hard mode. The Orange lost to the N.C. State Wolfpack, dropping to 3-3. If you don’t math or chart so well, here’s the deal: there are exactly three games Syracuse will be “favored” in by computers. One of them is this Friday. There’s about a 36% chance the Orange miss a bowl, and a 32% chance they finish with exactly 3 more wins (6 total). And because the ACC is a bunch of dice rolls right now, there’s also about a 30% chance the Orange win more than 6 games.

It’s a mess. Let’s see how the “experts” try to sort this one out.

Gasparilla Bowl, December 23, Tampa Bay, Fla.

ESPN’s Kyle Bonagura: vs. UCF Knights

Independence Bowl, December 26, Shreveport, La.

ESPN’s Mark Schlabach: vs. Southern Miss Golden Eagles

Belk Bowl, December 31, Charlotte, N.C.

CBS: vs. Mississippi St. Bulldogs

Birmingham Bowl, January 2, Birmingham, Ala.

Stadium: vs. SMU Mustangs

Dropped the Orange out of Bowl Projections: College Football News, Banner Society, Sporting News,

This is to be expected. What has Syracuse shown anyone that it will follow through with the numbers and defeat Pittsburgh, Boston College, and Wake Forest? Those that do seem to think that the Orange will only defeat those teams, and end up at the bottom of the Bowl selection pile, which is fine. Any bowl is a worthy bowl at this point.

Bless you Kyle Bonagura. May we finally get what we deserve.