2023 Boca Raton Bowl odds, spread: South Florida vs. Syracuse picks, prediction, bets by expert on 78-32 run

All eyes in the college football world will be on FAU Stadium on Thursday night when the Syracuse Orange (6-6) take on the South Florida Bulls (6-6) in the 2023 Boca Raton Bowl. Both programs needed wins in their final regular season games to become bowl eligible. Syracuse knocked off Wake Forest 35-31, while USF beat Charlotte 48-14. Syracuse will be playing its final game under interim head coach Nunzio Campanile, after Dino Babers was fired prior to the team's win over Wake Forest. Syracuse starting quarterback Garrett Shrader (shoulder) will not play.

Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. ET at FAU Stadium in Boca Raton, Fla. The Orange are 3.5-point favorites in the latest USF vs. Syracuse odds via SportsLine consensus, while the over/under is 56.5. Before making any South Florida vs. Syracuse picks, you need to see the college football predictions and betting advice from the SportsLine's Jimmie Kaylor. 

Kaylor is a NFL, college football and DFS expert for SportsLine, who has covered the NFL and college football for close to a decade as a member of the Pro Football Writers of America. His background as a former college football All-American and NFL player gives him a unique perspective when building his fantasy lineups and locking in his betting picks. He has his finger on the pulse of the college football landscape and has been cashing in big for the last two years. 

Kaylor has been red-hot all season, going 78-32-2 overall on his college football best bets for SportsLine this season so far. He is up over 46.65 units, returning a profit of $4,665 for $100 bettors. Anyone who has followed his picks this season is way up.

Now Kaylor has dialed in on Syracuse vs. USF and just revealed his coveted picks and predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see his picks. Here are the college football odds for the 2023 Boca Raton Bowl:

• South Florida vs. Syracuse spread: Syracuse -3
• South Florida vs. Syracuse over/under: 56.5 points 
• South Florida vs. Syracuse money line: Syracuse -157, USF +132
• South Florida vs. Syracuse picks: See picks here
  
• South Florida vs. Syracuse live stream: fubo (try for free)

Why South Florida can cover

USF enters this matchup in a much more stable position than Syracuse. First year head coach Alex Golesh led the Bulls to a very impressive turnaround in 2023, and he was able to keep the bulk of his roster in tact for this game. USF only lost one player who started for them during the regular season to the transfer portal, but could be without starting guards Andrew Kilfoyl and Zane Herring, who were injured late in the regular season.

The Bulls had some defensive struggles in 2023, but their offense has been explosive. Led by redshirt freshman quarterback Byrum Brown, South Florida averaged 30.8 points and 455.3 total yards of offense per game during the regular season. Brown enters the Boca Raton Bowl with 3,078 passing yards, 23 touchdowns and 11 interceptions along with 745 rushing yards and 11 TDs on the ground. See which team to pick here.

Why Syracuse can cover

The Orange are in a state of flux, but they have arguably the best overall player in this game in running back LeQuint Allen. The 195-pound sophomore is explosive and a threat to score every time he touches the ball. He enters this matchup with 1,062 yards and nine touchdowns on 225 carries. He's also caught 36 passes for 197 yards and a TD. 

Syracuse's current group of coaches and players will also be playing their final game together before new head coach Fran Brown takes over. They rallied nicely to beat Wake Forest after former coach Dino Babers was fired to become bowl eligible, so there is a proven track record that this group plays hard for each other. See picks at SportsLine.

How to make USF vs. Syracuse picks

Kaylor has analyzed this matchup from every angle and he's leaning Under on the point total. He has also discovered a critical X-factor that has him jumping all over one side of the spread. He's only sharing what it is, and which side to back, at SportsLine.

So who wins Syracuse vs. South Florida in the 2023 Boca Raton Bowl, and what critical x-factor makes one side of the spread a must back? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread to jump on, all from the expert on a 78-32 roll on college football best bets, and find out.