Kansas State @ Syracuse preview

The Skinny: Kansas State and Syracuse both ended bowl droughts and will face off in the inaugural Pinstripe Bowl on Dec. 30 in Yankee Stadium.

The Wildcats (7-5) are bowl eligible for the first time since 2006 while the Orange (7-5) are playing in their first bowl since 2004.

Kansas State and Syracuse have played each other in bowl games twice before. The Wildcats won the 1997 Fiesta Bowl and the Orange triumphed in the 2001 Insight.com Bowl.

Syracuse lost its last two games and three of its last four in the regular season. Kansas State started the season 4-0 but came back to earth. The Wildcats dropped four of their last six games and snapped a two-game skid with a season-ending victory over North Texas.

Point Spread: Syracuse -1. Over/under -- 48.

Kansas State’s edge: The run game. Kansas State has an experienced offensive line that was able to open holes for senior Daniel Thomas to run through most of the season. Thomas was the nation’s ninth-leading rusher with a 124.6-yard average per game and must be licking his chops watching tape of Syracuse allowing Boston College’s second-string rusher to run for 206 yards.

Thomas finished second in the Big 12 with 1,495 rushing yards and tied for the conference lead with 16 touchdowns. He ran for a career-high 269 yards and two touchdowns on 36 carries at North Texas on Nov. 27.

Syracuse’s Edge: Pass defense. Syracuse owns the toughest pass defense in the Big East Conference, allowing 157.6 yards allowed per game. The Orange really buckled down against the pass in their final three games, allowing 106.3 in their final three games.

The Quarterbacks: Syracuse quarterback Ryan Nassib is coming off a rough performance in the Orange’s regular-season finale against Boston College. Syracuse managed just five first downs and 98 yards of total offense, while Nassib was 5-of-10 for 55 yards.

Nassib started the season well but never really built on it, finishing with 2,095 yards, 16 touchdowns and eight interceptions.

Carson Coffman threw for 1,832 yards with 12 touchdowns and seven interceptions this season. He completed 62 percent of his passes and was sacked 24 times. Coffman was sacked four or more times in four games this season.

NFL Prospects: Kansas State: RB Daniel Thomas. Syracuse: RB Delone Carter.

Bowl History: The Orange is 12-9-1 in bowl games and is 3-2 in bowl games against Big 12 opponents, including a 26-3 victory against Kansas State in the 2001 Insight.com Bowl.

Kansas State has a bowl record of 6-7 and is making just its second appearance in seven years; it once went to bowls in 11 consecutive seasons under coach Bill Snyder. That 11-year run was snapped following a 2003 loss to Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl.

Etc: There hasn’t been an NCAA bowl game in the Bronx since the Gotham Bowl on Dec. 15, 1962, when Nebraska edged Miami 36-34. Kansas State has only played in the state of New York twice, and not since 1966.