Humanitarian Bowl Opening Odds: Bowling Green PK Total 68.5
Sometimes it is the lesser known bowl games that provide the most value and the Humanitarian Bowl is one of these games. Outside the home states not many people will get excited for this game because both college football teams are not household names.
A battle of two 7-5 teams is not something to get too excited about but these teams can play some football. Idaho has a fantastic offense and they get the luck of playing pretty much a home game as they just play down the road.
Bowling Green head coach Dave Clawson has worked miracles in his first year at the helm. This team started off 1-4 on the season and then rallied down 12 points against Kent St and since then has looked great in going 7-5 and getting a bowl bid. This team had every reason to collapse but instead did the opposite and prospered. They play clean football and do very well at avoiding penalties and controlling the time of possession.
Idaho has had flashes of brilliance but they struggle on defense and average giving up 35 points a game. On the road that number jumps to 39 points a game and in the last 3 games that ballooned to 48 points per game.
They also have trends to match up with that weak performance. The Vandals are 6-21 ATS in their last 27 games following a straight up loss and 5-14 ATS in their last 19 games after allowing more than 40 points in their previous game. The Falcons are 21-6 ATS in their last 27 games after accumulating less than 170 yards passing in their previous game and 6-2 ATS in their last 8 games on turf. During bowl season I have learned to go with the hot hand and the better defense.
Humanitarian Bowl Pick: Bowling Green -1.5
Holiday Bowl Opening Odds: Arizona PK Total 41
The holiday bowl should be a joy to watch as the upstart Arizona Wildcats will take the field against the Nebraska cornhuskers.
For Arizona Stoops has lead them to a very good year and if not for a close loss to the Ducks they would have been BCS bowl bound as winners of the Pac-10. They rebounded quite nicely after that loss and managed to upset USC on the road and get an invite to the holiday bowl.
Nebraska enters this game off a narrow defeat in the Big 12 Championship. They played toe to toe with the #2 ranked team in the country and have the best defense player in the country. The problem is the offense has problems getting started and often will cost this teams victories like they did in the Big 12 Championship.
Both teams have stellar defenses and will have a fan base that will travel to see this bowl game. This game will be a close one with both defenses playing great all season and Suh patrolling the front line for the Huskers. The offense of the cats will be the difference.
The Cornhuskers are 8-21 ATS in their last 29 games after allowing less than 275 total yards in their previous game. The Wildcats are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games on grass and they are 4-1 ATS vs. a team with a winning record. The cats win this on a late score and cover the little number.
Bang the Book 12/30
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