BOWL TECH PLAYS

NORTH CAROLINA
Over the past decade, one of the nation’s most successful bowl coaches has been North Carolina’s Butch Davis, who leads his Tar Heels against Pittsburgh in the Meineke Car Care Bowl at Charlotte December 26. Davis has covered all five of his bowl pointspread decisions at Miami & Chapel Hill, and please note his Tar Heels have covered 7 of their last 8 chances as an underdog. North Carolina is also a featured recommendation in both the Power Underdog and College Coach as Underdog (with Davis) systems vs. the Panthers.

BOSTON COLLEGE
One of the truths of the 2009 college season was never to trust Southern Cal, which posted one of the nation’s worst spread marks as it failed to live up to expectations. The Trojans, who dropped 9 of their last 11 vs. the number this season, will be hard-pressed to turn things around when facing rugged Boston College in the Emerald Bowl at San Francisco’s AT&T Park December 26. Note, too, that SC coach Pete Carroll is also just 2-8 vs. the line his last 10 chances as chalk away from the Coliseum, and historically the Trojans have fared poorly in these “pre-New Year’s” bowls (although they haven’t played in one of them since 2001), failing to cover in their last six. Meanwhile, the Eagles had won eight straight bowl games prior to last year’s 16-14 loss to Vanderbilt in the Music City Bowl, and BC is 15-6 its last 21 as a dog. The Eagles are also a preferred “7+” bowl dog (dogs getting 7 points or more are 61-32 vs. the number this decade), as well as a preferred Power Underdog vs. SC.