PINSTRIPE BOWL -- The Spartans might be the biggest underachiever among Power Five programs. They needed to beat Rutgers and Maryland just to become bowl-eligible, and spent most of the year looking lifeless under coach Mark Dantonio. Wake Forest stumbled down the stretch a bit, with losses in three of its last four. But if the Deacons play osmewhere near their best, they should win this one.

PINSTRIPE BOWL -- The Under is 7-5 in Michigan State's games this season and is 6-5 in games involving the Demon Deacons. What's more, the Spartans have failed to score 20 points in five of their last seven games. Will trends suddenly change in chilly Yankee Stadium? Absolutely not.

PINSTRIPE BOWL -- Michigan State hasn't had the suffocating defense we're used to seeing, and it has been a struggle all season for the Spartans to score consistently. Wake Forest is solid all the way around and has the better quarterback with Jamie Newman. The Demon Deacons challenge a defense’s discipline against the run, and that opens up big plays in the passing game.