Zoo Atlanta's prognosticating pachyderm makes Peach Bowl pick

African elephant Msholo brushed aside oddsmakers' opinions (and probably a few flies) with his first-ever College Football Playoff prediction.

Msholo, pronounced mi-SHOW-low, is the lone male elephant currently residing at Zoo Atlanta and a newcomer to the world of prognosticating pachyderms.

Officials with theChick-fil-A Peach Bowlenlisted the African elephant at the host city's zoo Friday to pick the winner of next week's quarterfinal matchup between Arizona State (11-2) and Texas (12-2).

The elephant care team placed boxes filled with food and decorated with the Sun Devils' and Longhorns' respective logos in the zoo's African Savanna, then waited to see which team's offering Msholo preferred.

The 34-year-old African elephant paused for a moment to inspect the two food boxes, then purposefully walked to the gold box featuring ASU's pitchfork logo and inserted his trunk.

The elephant in the room, of course, is Msholo is in the minority when it comes to picking the Sun Devils. Despite earning a bye into the quarterfinals as the Big 12 Conference champions, Arizona State enters the game as a13.5-point underdog.

That said, it's possible Msholo feels a connection with Arizona State, whichwon the Big 12as first-year members of the conference and despite being picked to finish dead last.

According toZoo Atlanta, the elephant's name means "the one who appears from nowhere."

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