NCAAF Trends and Indexes - Bowl Season (Saturday, December 20 - Sunday, January 4)

[Udog]

NCAAF
Armadillo's Write-Up

Bowl Season

Miami Beach Bowl 12/22
Memphis is in first bowl since 2008; Tigers were 12-48 last five years, are 9-3 this year; surprising coach Fuente has not been scooped up by bigger school. Tigers won last six games after 3-3 start that included loss at Ole Miss (24-3), UCLA (42-35)- they're 4-4 as favorites, 2-2 in games with single digit spread. BYU lost its QB for year, finished 8-4, winning last four games, mostly against stiffs. Cougars are 2-2 as underdogs, 3-2 in games with single digit spread. Favorites covered 10 of last 11 bowls involving C-USA teams. C-USA teams are 4-3 as non-conference faves. BYU won four of its last five bowl games, losing LY to Washington.




NCAAF

Monday, December 22

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Game of the Day: BYU vs. Memphis
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BYU Cougars vs. Memphis Tigers (-1.5, 56.5)

Game to be played at Marlins Park, Miami, FL

1. BYU’s explosive offense will get a stiff test from Memphis' defense, which ranks fifth nationally with an average of 17.1 points allowed. The Tigers did not surrender more than 20 points in any of their victories and ripped through the final six contests yielding 13.3 – all wins. The Cougars put up at least 42 points in each of their final three games.

2. Memphis and BYU had a trio of common opponents as the Cougars secured wins over Middle Tennessee, Connecticut and Houston. The Tigers were edged 28-24 by Houston on Oct. 11 but closed the regular season by ripping UConn 41-10 and eased past Middle Tennessee back in September. Memphis turned over the ball five times in the loss to Houston but suffered its only other two setbacks on the road against nationally ranked teams UCLA and Ole Miss.

3. Tigers quarterback Paxton Lynch set a school record with 28 touchdowns (18 passing, 10 rushing) and did not throw an interception during the six-game winning streak that closed the regular season. The Cougars endured a four-game slide and waved goodbye to their hopes of a New Year’s Six bowl when Christian Stewart took over under center for injured starter Taysom Hill and lost his first four starts. Stewart picked up his play in four wins closing the season, recording 14 TD passes and one interception in that span.

TV: 2 p.m. ET, ESPN.

LINE HISTORY: The majority of books opened this game as a Pick, but that has moved to Memphis -1.5. The total opened at 57.5 with that dropping to 56.5.

INJURY REPORT: Cougars - WR Colby Pearson (Out, collarbone), RB Jamaal Williams (Out, knee).

ABOUT BYU (8-4 SU, 5-7 ATS, 8-4 O/U): The Cougars are participating in their 10th straight bowl game and are coming in hot after Stewart’s 433-yard, five-TD performance in a win at California. BYU started the season with a dominant rushing attack led by Hill, whose dual-threat abilities resulted in 975 passing yards and 460 on the ground in his first four games, but had to rebuild around a more traditional pocket passer in Stewart. The Cougars also picked things up on the other side of the ball, limiting their last four opponents to an average of 16.3 points after surrendering 40.8 during the mid-season skid.

ABOUT MEMPHIS (9-3 SU, 7-4-1 ATS, 7-5 O/U): The Tigers’ hot finish left them on top of the AAC and sent the team to its first bowl since 2008. “It’s a big deal,” senior cornerback Bobby McCain told reporters. “It’s big for the city, it’s big for the team and the family of brothers that we have here. To have a 10-win season is something that’s never been done before. Now we just have to go 1-0 one more time and end it with a bang.” McCain is part of a secondary that recorded 14 interceptions during the regular season and held opposing passers to an average of 218 yards.

TRENDS:

* Cougars are 5-1 ATS in their last six neutral site games.
* Tigers are 3-13 ATS in their last 16 games on grass.
* Under is 6-2 in Cougars last eight bowl games.
* Under is 6-2 in Tigers last eight non-conference games.

CONSENSUS: According to Consensus, 51 percent of bettors are on BYU.


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NCAAF

Monday, December 22


Total on the move in Miami Beach Bowl

The BYU Cougars and Memphis Tigers go head-to-head in the Miami Beach Bowl Monday, and the total has been adjusted earlier Sunday.

Most online shops had a total of 55.5 on the board heading into Sunday, but that has moved up and now most books are offering 56, while a couple have 56.5.

The total opened at 57.5 and was bet down earlier in the week, hitting 54.5 or 55 depending on the book.

[StarDust Bum]

Bowl Breakdown - Part 2

December 21, 2014


1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 5 · 6 Below is a quick look at the seven bowl games of the postseason scheduled from Wednesday Dec. 23 through Friday Dec. 26.

Boca Raton Bowl - Marshall vs. Northern Illinois
Tuesday, Dec. 23, 6:00 p.m. ET
Boca Raton Bowl Betting Line: Marshall -10

The Thundering Herd were one win shy of playing in a New Year's Six bowl, and it will be interesting to see how motivated they are going to be to play in this game. This isn't nearly as good of a Northern Illinois team as we are used to seeing, but it is a team which won a much underrated MAC this year.

Poinsettia Bowl - Navy vs. San Diego State
Tuesday, Dec. 23, 9:30 p.m. ET
Poinsettia Bowl Betting Line: San Diego State -2

Donnel Pumphrey is the star of the show for the Aztecs, and it will be interesting to see whether he or Keenan Reynolds does more for his team on the ground. The Aztecs clearly have the better of the two defenses in this game, and they have home field advantage on their side as well.

Bahamas Bowl - Central Michigan vs. Western Kentucky
Wednesday, Dec. 24, 12:00 p.m. ET
Bahamas Bowl Betting Line: Western Kentucky -3

The Hilltoppers were awesome to watch this year, as they flew up and down the field and really had the ability to stop no one on the other side of the ball. Brandon Doughty is one of the better statistical quarterbacks in th nation, and he could shine in this one. Central Michigan's 7-5 record is a complete farce outside of its win on the road against Northern Illinois.

Hawaii Bowl - Fresno State vs. Rice
Wednesday, Dec. 24, 8:00 p.m. ET
Hawaii Bowl Betting Line: Rice -1.5

Fresno State has no defense whatsoever, and this could be a huge problem in this game against a Rice offense which really has the ability to light it up. The last time we saw the Owls, they had 76 points dropped on them by Louisiana Tech. Driphus Jackson will have to have the game of his life for Rice in this one.

Heart of Dallas Bowl - Illinois vs. Louisiana Tech
Friday, Dec. 26, 1:00 p.m. ET
Heart of Dallas Bowl Betting Line: Louisiana Tech -6

Illinois feels like a weird team in a bowl game this year. The Illini went 6-6, but they only just squeaked into a bowl game because of the weaknesses of the rest of the Big Ten. La Tech was just short of the MAC title, but this might be an even better game for it to try to prove itself against one of the power conference teams in the nation.

Quick Lane Bowl - Rutgers vs. North Carolina
Friday, Dec. 26, 4:30 p.m. ET
Quick Lane Bowl Betting Line: North Carolina -3

Expect to see a lot of offense in this one, as these two defenses both struggled quite a bit this year. Marquise Williams and Gary Nova don't look anything like one another, but they both hold the keys to their teams' success in this game at Ford Field.

St. Petersburg Bowl - NC State vs. UCF
Friday, Dec. 26, 8:00 p.m. ET
St. Petersburg Bowl Betting Line: UCF -2

The Knights are taking a big step backwards from last year's game against Baylor in the Fiesta Bowl, but this is still a big game for them after getting a share of the AAC crown this year. NC State ended up being a rather average team in the ACC, and it doesn't really have any signature wins which suggest to us that it can win this game.

[StarDust Bum]

2014-15 Bowl Betting Results

December 22, 2014

BOWL CONFERENCE STANDINGS

Conference Straight Up (SU) Against the Spread (ATS)

ACC - -

American (AAC) 1-0 1-0

Big 10 - -

Big 12 - -

CUSA 0-1 0-1

Independent 0-1 0-1

Mid-American 1-1 1-1

Mountain West 2-2 2-2

Pac-12 1-0 1-0

SEC - -

Sun Belt 1-1 1-1


OVERALL GAME RESULTS

Wager SU Win SU Loss ATS Win ATS Loss

Favorite 3 3 3 3

Underdog 3 3 3 3

Over Under
3 3


2014-15 BOWL SCHEDULE - RESULTS

Date Bowl Matchup Line, Total Score ATS/Total

Saturday, Dec. 20 New Orleans Bowl Nevada vs Louisiana-Lafayette 1.5, 62.5 16-3 Underdog-Under

Saturday, Dec. 20 New Mexico Bowl Utah State vs Texas-El Paso 10, 45.5 21-6 Favorite-Under

Saturday, Dec. 20 Las Vegas Bowl Utah vs Colorado State 3, 57 45-10 Favorite-Under

Saturday, Dec. 20 Idaho Potato Bowl Western Michigan vs Air Force 2.5, 59 38-24 Underdog-Over

Saturday, Dec. 20 Camellia Bowl South Alabama vs Bowling Green 3.5, 55 33-28 Underdog-Over

Monday, Dec. 22 Miami Beach Bowl Brigham Young vs Memphis 1.5, 56 55-48 Favorite-Over

Tuesday, Dec. 23 Boca Raton Bowl Marshall vs Northern Illinois - - -

Tuesday, Dec. 23 Poinsettia Bowl Navy vs San Diego State - - -

Wednesday, Dec. 24 Bahamas Bowl Central Michigan vs Western Kentucky - - -

Wednesday, Dec. 24 Hawai'i Bowl Fresno State vs Rice - - -

Friday, Dec. 26 Heart of Dallas Bowl Illinois vs Louisiana Tech - - -

Friday, Dec. 26 Quick Lane Bowl Rutgers vs North Carolina - - -

Friday, Dec. 26 St. Petersburg Bowl North Carolina State vs UCF - - -

Saturday, Dec. 27 Military Bowl Cincinnati vs Virginia Tech - - -

Saturday, Dec. 27 Sun Bowl Duke vs Arizona State - - -

Saturday, Dec. 27 Independence Bowl Miami-Fla. vs South Carolina - - -

Saturday, Dec. 27 Pinstripe Bowl Boston College vs Penn State - - -

Saturday, Dec. 27 Holiday Bowl Nebraska vs Southern California - - -

Monday, Dec. 29 Liberty Bowl Texas A&M vs West Virginia - - -

Monday, Dec. 29 Russell Athletic Bowl Oklahoma vs Clemson - - -

Monday, Dec. 29 Texas Bowl Arkansas vs Texas - - -

Tuesday, Dec. 30 Music City Bowl Notre Dame vs Louisiana State - - -

Tuesday, Dec. 30 Belk Bowl Georgia vs Louisville - - -

Tuesday, Dec. 30 Foster Farms Bowl Maryland vs Stanford - - -

Wednesday, Dec. 31 Peach Bowl Mississippi vs Texas Christian - - -

Wednesday, Dec. 31 Fiesta Bowl Boise State vs Arizona - - -

Wednesday, Dec. 31 Orange Bowl Mississippi State vs Georgia Tech - - -

Thursday, Jan. 1 Outback Bowl Auburn vs Wisconsin - - -

Thursday, Jan. 1 Cotton Bowl Michigan State vs Baylor - - -

Thursday, Jan. 1 Citrus Bowl Missouri vs Minnesota - - -

Thursday, Jan. 1 Rose Bowl - National Semifinal Oregon vs Florida State - - -

Thursday, Jan. 1 Sugar Bowl - National Semifinal Alabama vs Ohio State - - -

Friday, Jan. 2 Armed Forces Bowl Houston vs Pittsburgh - - -

Friday, Jan. 2 Taxslayer Bowl Iowa vs Tennessee - - -

Friday, Jan. 2 Alamo Bowl Kansas State vs UCLA - - -

Friday, Jan. 2 Cactus Bowl Washington vs Oklahoma State - - -

Saturday, Jan. 3 Birmingham Bowl East Carolina vs Florida - - -

Sunday, Jan. 4 Godaddy Bowl Toledo vs Arkansas State - - -

Monday, Jan. 12 National Championship Game TBD vs TBD - - -
**Winner listed in Red

[Udog]

NCAAF
Dunkel

Navy vs. San Diego State
The Midshipmen head to the Poinsettia Bowl tonight to face a San Diego State team that is coming off a 38-7 win over San Jose State and is 8-2-1 ATS in its last 11 games after allowing less than 20 points in the previous game. San Diego State is the pick (-2 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the Aztecs favored by 4 1/2. Dunkel Pick: San Diego State (-2 1/2). Here are all of this week's NCAA Football picks.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 23

Game 213-214: Marshall vs. Northern Illinois (6:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Marshall 99.184; Northern Illinois 79.269
Dunkel Line: Marshall by 20; 63
Vegas Line: Marshall by 9 1/2; 66 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Marshall (-9 1/2); Under

Game 215-216: Navy vs. San Diego State (9:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Navy 83.026; San Diego State 87.560
Dunkel Line: San Diego State by 4 1/2; 59
Vegas Line: San Diego State by 2 1/2; 54
Dunkel Pick: San Diego State (-2 1/2); Over


WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 24

Game 217-218: Central Michigan vs. Western Kentucky (12:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Central Michigan 76.103; Western Kentucky 88.521
Dunkel Line: Western Kentucky by 12 1/2; 61
Vegas Line: Western Kentucky by 3; 66
Dunkel Pick: Western Kentucky (-3); Under

Game 219-220: Fresno State vs. Rice (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Fresno State 80.151; Rice 84.518
Dunkel Line: Rice by 4 1/2; 64
Vegas Line: Rice by 2 1/2; 59 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Rice (-2 1/2); Over


FRIDAY, DECEMBER 26

Game 221-222: Illinois vs. Louisiana Tech (1:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Illinois 78.305; Louisiana Tech 92.314
Dunkel Line: Louisiana Tech by 14; 62
Vegas Line: Louisiana Tech by 6; 58
Dunkel Pick: Louisiana Tech (-6); Over

Game 223-224: Rutgers vs. North Carolina (4:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Rutgers 85.508; North Carolina 82.929
Dunkel Line: Rutgers by 2 1/2; 62
Vegas Line: North Carolina by 3 1/2; 66 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Rutgers (+3 1/2); Under

Game 225-226: NC State vs. Central Florida (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: NC State 91.130; Central Florida 95.591
Dunkel Line: Central Florida by 4 1/2; 53
Vegas Line: Central Florida by 2; 49 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Central Florida (-2); Over


SATURDAY, DECEMBER 27

Game 227-228: Cincinnati vs. Virginia Tech (1:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Cincinnati 92.903; Virginia Tech 87.140
Dunkel Line: Cincinnati by 6; 42
Vegas Line: Cincinnati by 2 1/2; 51
Dunkel Pick: Cincinnati (-2 1/2); Under

Game 229-230: Arizona State vs. Duke (2:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Arizona State 97.532; Duke 93.311
Dunkel Line: Arizona State by 4; 61
Vegas Line: Arizona State by 7 1/2; 65 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Duke (+7 1/2); Under

Game 231-232: Miami (FL) vs. South Carolina (3:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Miami (FL) 86.599; South Carolina 89.376
Dunkel Line: South Carolina by 3; 66
Vegas Line: Miami (FL) by 3 1/2; 61 1/2
Dunkel Pick: South Carolina (+3 1/2); Over

Game 233-234: Boston College vs. Penn State (4:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Boston College 92.069; Penn State 86.999
Dunkel Line: Boston College by 5; 36
Vegas Line: Boston College by 2 1/2; 40
Dunkel Pick: Boston College (-2 1/2); Under

Game 235-236: Nebraska vs. USC (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Nebraska 95.891; USC 105.333
Dunkel Line: USC by 9 1/2; 65
Vegas Line: USC by 7; 61 1/2
Dunkel Pick: USC (-7); Over

[Udog]

NCAAF
Armadillo's Write-Up

Bowl Season

Boca Raton Bowl, 12/23
Marshall is 12-1 and scored 66 points in its only loss; its last two wins were by 5-3 points; Thundering Herd won last three bowls by 4-10-11 points and were underdog in two of three- they're 3-0 vs MAC teams this season, winning by 15-30-31 points. Northern Illinois won its last seven games, after losing as 9-point favorite to Central Michigan; they're 2-1 as underdogs this year, 4-5 in bowls, losing 31-10/31-14 in last two bowl games. C-USA bowl teams are 5-0 as favorites last 2+ years, with Monday's Memphis result pending. MAC underdogs are 14-18 this year in non-conference games. Marshall has a senior QB; NIU's is a soph.

Poinsettia Bowl, San Diego 12/23
Home game for San Diego State squad that won its last eight games with service academies; they play Air Force every year in league play. Aztecs covered four of last five games as a favorie but are 2-6 in bowl games, 1-1 in this game. Coach Long is 2-6 in bowls. Mountain West teams are 2-3 as bowl favorites last 3+ years; they split first four bowls this year, all as underdogs. Navy runs the ball a lot (8.5 passes a game last six games); they're 2-3 in last five bowls, 1-3 as an underdog- favorites covered four of their last five bowls. San Diego State beat Navy 45-14 here four years ago. Midshipmen won five of last six games, are 1-1 as an underdog.

[Udog]

NCAAF

Tuesday, December 23

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Boca Raton Bowl betting preview: Marshall vs. Northern Illinois
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Marshall Thundering Herd vs. Northern Illinois Huskies (+10, 67)

Game to be played at FAU Football Stadium, Boca Raton, Florida

The inaugural Boca Raton Bowl features two conference champions - Northern Illinois from the Mid-American Conference facing off against Marshall, which is representing Conference USA. “Outside of the New Year’s bowls, this is probably the best matchup in the country,” Huskies coach Rod Carey told reporters as his team prepares for the trip to Boca Raton, Fla. “I don’t think you have a ton of the champions (versus) champions, outside of the playoff four. Absolutely it adds juice.” Added Marshall athletic director Mike Hamrick: "You’re talking about two teams that won 23 football games this season. I’m not sure there are many bowls out there with two teams that have won 23 games.”

Northern Illinois won the MAC championship with a convincing 51-17 triumph against Bowling Green, scoring more than 50 points for the third time this season and holding its opponent to 24 or less for the sixth straight game. The Huskies enter this matchup having won seven straight contests since a 34-17 loss to Central Michigan on Oct. 11. The Thundering Herd, meanwhile, came as close as possible to an undefeated regular season, losing only to Western Kentucky 67-66 in overtime on Nov. 28.

The Boca Raton Bowl matches up two of the best running attacks in the nation, with each team ranking in the top 20 in rushing yards per game. The seventh-ranked Thundering Herd are led by Devon Johnson, a junior who has rushed for 1,636 yards and 16 TDs this season, although he has been limited to seven carries for 63 yards in the last two weeks due to a shoulder injury. The Huskies rank 14th nationally in rushing with a balanced attack led by Cameron Stingily (895 yards, 13 TDs) and quarterback Drew Hare (850 yards, eight TDs).

TV: 6 p.m. ET, ESPN.

LINE HISTORY: Marshall opened as 10.5-point favorites and have been bet down to -10. The total has been on the rise since opening at 65 and is now sitting at 67.

INJURY REPORT: Marshall - WR Davonte Allen (probable Tuesday, shoulder). Northern Illinois - RB Keith Harris Jr. (questionable Tuesday, undisclosed).

WEATHER REPORT: There will be a 10 mile per hour wind blowing towards the northwest end zone. Temperatures will be in the mid 70's with a 10 percent chance of rain.

ABOUT MARSHALL (12-1, 8-5 ATS, 7-6 O/U): Only four teams in the nation scored more points per game than the Thundering Herd (45.1) - who also have a solid defense, having given up 18 points or fewer in nine of their 13 games. Rakeem Cato has enjoyed a fine senior season, throwing for 3,622 yards - including 308 in a 26-23 victory over Louisiana Tech in the conference title game - as well as 37 touchdowns, with two coming in that triumph. Tommy Shuler has more than twice as many receptions (74) as any of his teammates (Eric Frohnapfel, 35) and has recorded his three highest yardage totals of 2014 in the last three games, during which he's averaging nine catches for 116 yards.

ABOUT NORTHERN ILLINOIS (11-2, 7-6 ATS, 4-9 O/U): Hare passed for two touchdowns and ran for another against Bowling Green, while Stingily had 116 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Hare has 17 TDs against only two interceptions, with Da'Ron Brown (64 catches, 1,002 yards, six TDs) being his primary target. Northern Illinois, the only team in the country with at least 11 victories in each of the last five seasons, will take the field against Marshall without punt returner Chad Beebe, who broke his arm in the MAC title game.

TRENDS:

* Marshall is 5-1 ATS in its last six non-conference games.
* Northern Illinois is 9-1-1 ATS in its last 11 games following a SU win of more than 20 points.
* Under is 4-0 in Marshall's last four Bowl games.
* Under is 6-1 in Northern Illinois last seven Bowl games.

CONSENSUS: Fifty-seven percent of wagers are backing the underdog Northern Illinois at +10.


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[Udog]

NCAAF

Tuesday, December 23

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Poinsettia Bowl betting preview: Navy vs. San Diego State
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Navy Midshipmen vs. San Diego State Aztecs (-2.5, 54)

Game to be played at Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, California

Navy should feel right at home when it faces San Diego State in the San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl. Navy is playing in the Poinsettia Bowl for the fourth time since the game was introduced in 2005. The Midshipmen have dropped their last two visits, including a 35-14 loss to San Diego State in 2010.

The Aztecs, who have won eight straight games over military academies, closed the regular season with back-to-back triumphs over Air Force and San Jose State. Donnel Pumphrey was named to the Mountain West All-Conference First Team after rushing for 1,755 yards and 19 touchdowns. San Diego State is making its fifth straight bowl appearance and second Poinsettia Bowl visit in the last three years.

Navy’s triple-option offense will be tested by an Aztecs team that ranks first in the Mountain West in scoring defense at 20.1 points per game. While most teams have nearly a month to prepare for a bowl game, Navy will have 10 days between its regular-season finale against Army and the Poinsettia Bowl. The Midshipmen will be dealing with final exams before flying to San Diego.

TV: 9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN.

LINE HISTORY: The line opened at San Diego State -3 and has bounced back-and-forth between that number and the current number of -2.5. The total has stayed put at 54.

WEATHER REPORT: It should be a great night for football with clear skies, minimal wind and temperatures in the mid 60's around kickoff.

INJURY REPORT: Navy - QB Keenan Reynolds (probable Tuesday, ankle), LB James Britton (questionable Tuesday, foot), SB Demond Brown (questionable Tuesday, ankle). San Diego State - DL Alex Barrett (out Tuesday, foot).

ABOUT NAVY (6-5, 5-7 ATS, 4-7 O/U): Dual-threat quarterback Keenan Reynolds heads into the regular-season finale with 1,082 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns along with 749 passing yards and five TDs. Noah Copeland and Chris Swain have scored a combined nine touchdowns for the Midshipmen, who average 34.5 points and 357.8 rushing yards. The defense is allowing 426.2 yards per game, but linebackers Daniel Gonzales and Jordan Drake have combined for 158 tackles while defensive end Will Anthony has eight tackles-for-loss.

ABOUT SAN DIEGO STATE (7-5, 6-5-1 ATS, 1-11 O/U): The Aztecs rank fourth in the Mountain West in rushing defense (145.6), and they’re just as tough against the pass, with cornerbacks J.J. Whittaker and Damontae Kazee both named to the All-Mountain West Second Team. Linebacker Calvin Munson has 78 tackles, 10.5 tackles-for-loss, four sacks, four interceptions and two forced fumbles for the Aztecs, who were 6-0 at Qualcomm Stadium this season. Quarterback Quinn Kaehler often takes a back seat to Pumphrey and the Aztecs’ talented offensive line, which is led by the 6-5, 310-pound Terry Poole.

TRENDS:

* Navy is 1-4 ATS in its last five games following an ATS loss.
* San Diego State is 4-0 ATS in its last four games following a SU win of more than 20 points.
* Under is 4-0 in Navy's last four neutral site games.
* Under is 11-1 in San Diego State's last 12 games overall.

CONSENSUS: Sixty percent of wagers are backing the favored Aztecs at -2.5.


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[Udog]

NCAAF

Tuesday, December 23


Sides, Totals have split in bowl betting

The first six bowl games are in the books and underdogs have posted a 3-3 record against the spread, while scores finished 3-3 Over/Under in those opening games.

The easiest cover was Utah which closed as a 3-point fave and blew out Colorado State by a score of 45-10 to cover the spread by a whopping 32 points, making it an easy day for Utes backers.

Here's a betting break down of the bowl season results:

Faves: 3-3 ATS
Over/Under: 3-3 O/U
Mountain West: 2-2 ATS, 1-3 O/U
Sun Belt: 1-1 ATS, 1-1 O/U
Conference USA: 0-1 ATS, 0-1 O/U
Pac-12: 1-0 ATS, 0-1 O/U
MAC: 1-1 ATS, 2-0 O/U
AAC: 1-0 ATS, 1-0 O/U

[Udog]

NCAAF
Armadillo's Write-Up

Bowl Season

Hawai'i Bowl, 12/24
Rice started season 0-3 with a loss to Old Dominion, lost its last game to La Tech 76-31; in between they won seven of eight games- they're 7-2 vs spread in last nine. Why is 6-7 Fresno State in a bowl? Bulldogs lost last five bowls, giving up average of 40.6 ppg, with last three losses by 23+ points- couple years ago, they lost this game 43-10 to SMU, but that was June Jones' homecoming. Rice is 6-5 in bowl games, splitting last four- Owls' last five bowls were all decided by 19+ points. Fresno is 4-1 this year in games with single digit spread; Rice is 6-2. Underdog covered this game four of last five years, with four of five staying under total.

Bahamas Bowl, 12/24
Western Kentucky's only bowl appearance was a 24-21 loss to Central Michigan in 2012 Motor City Bowl, as 6-point faves. Hilltoppers were 3-5 after a 59-10 loss at La Tech; they've won four in row since, handing Marshall its only loss 67-66- they scored 34+ points in four of their five losses- this figures to be high scoring. Chippewas are 3-2 as underdogs this year; they won five of last seven games, are 3-4 in bowls, with last four all decided by exactly 3 points; they won last two, 44-41ot/24-21. WKU is 3-6 vs spread this year in games with single digit spread; Chips are 3-3 in such games. This is first-ever Bahamas Bowl.

[Udog]

NCAAF

Wednesday, December 24

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Bahamas Bowl betting preview: Central Michigan vs. Western Kentucky
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Central Michigan Chippewas vs. Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (-3.5, 68)

Game to be played at Thomas A. Robinson Stadium, Nassau, Bahamas

The inaugural Bahamas Bowl in Nassau pitting Central Michigan against Western Kentucky is the first FBS bowl game outside of either the United States or Canada since the 1937 Bacardi Bowl in Havana, Cuba. Ironically, each team’s last trip to a bowl game came when they faced each other in the 2012 Little Caesars Pizza Bowl, where the Chippewas held off the Hilltoppers 24-21. The coincidences do not end there, as both schools were bowl-eligible last year but did not play in the postseason.

After serving one season under current Louisville coach Bobby Petrino at Western Kentucky, Jeff Brohm has turned the Hilltoppers into an offensive juggernaut in his first season at the helm. Western Kentucky ranks sixth in the country in scoring and total offense, helping the school notch its first-ever win over a ranked opponent in its last game – a 67-66 overtime triumph over then-undefeated No. 20 Marshall. The Hilltoppers closed the season with four straight victories, averaging 49.8 points and 530.8 yards during the winning streak.

The Chippewas counter with the top total defense, rush defense and pass defense in the Mid-American Conference, although that unit has been somewhat inconsistent. In handing eventual conference champion Northern Illinois its first home loss in 29 games and only setback inside the MAC on Oct. 11, Central Michigan held the league’s top rushing offense 142 yards below its season average. Two weeks earlier, Toledo’s 19th-ranked offense gutted the Chippewas for 543 yards and 42 points – both season highs against Central Michigan.

TV: Noon ET, ESPN.

LINE HISTORY: Western Kentucky opened as 3-point favorites, have been bet as high as -4 and now sit at -3.5. The total has risen two points, going from 66 to 68.

INJURY REPORT: Central Michigan - WR Eric Cooper (questionable Wednesday, suspension). Western Kentucky - LB Joel Iyiegbuniwe (questionable Wednesday, knee).

WEATHER REPORT: There will be a strong wind gusting towards the northern end zone at 18 miles per hour. It will also be overcast with a 10 percent chance of rain and temperatures in the low 80's for the game.

ABOUT CENTRAL MICHIGAN (7-5, 5-7 ATS, 5-7 O/U): The Chippewas own the 16th-ranked total defense in FBS and were particularly good during their 5-2 finish to the regular season, giving up no more than 129 rushing yards in any game and surrendering more than 233 passing once over that stretch. "No doubt it's been the best defense, it's been the best defense we have had by far," fourth-year coach Dan Enos told the school’s website. Central Michigan does not lack for offensive playmakers, however, as leading receiver Titus Davis is the only player in FBS history with eight or more touchdown receptions in four seasons.

ABOUT WESTERN KENTUCKY (7-5, 6-6 ATS, 8-3-1 O/U): The Hilltoppers shattered 42 team and individual offensive records, many of which fell thanks to quarterback Brandon Doughty, who leads all FBS quarterbacks with 4,344 passing yards and 44 touchdowns. Doughty picked apart Marshall for 491 yards and a conference-record eight TDs, which allowed him to move into a four-way tie for 16th place in FBS history for the most passing scores in a single season. Western Kentucky also boasts a solid ground game led by Leon Allen, who ran for 650 of his 1,490 yards over the last three games – including a school-record 345-yard effort in a Nov. 15 win versus Army.

TRENDS:

* Central Michigan is 1-5 ATS in its last six games on grass.
* Western Kentucky is 1-4 ATS versus a team with a winning record.
* Under is 4-1 in Central Michigan's last five games following a SU loss.
* Over is 5-1-1 in Western Kentucky's last seven games following a SU win.

CONSENSUS: Sixty-seven percent of wagers are backing the favored Hilltoppers at -3.5.


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[Udog]

NCAAF

Wednesday, December 24

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Hawai'i Bowl betting preview: Fresno State vs. Rice
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Fresno State Bulldogs vs. Rice Owls (-2.5, 59.5)

Game to be played at Aloha Stadium, Honolulu, Hawai'i

With a sub-.500 record and a bitter taste in its mouth from two years ago, Fresno State returns to the Hawaii Bowl when it faces Rice in Honolulu. The Bulldogs hope to enjoy their Christmas Eve a bit more than they did when they were demolished by SMU 43-10 in their first Hawaii Bowl appearance. "We are thrilled to be playing in the Hawaii Bowl against Rice," coach Tim DeRuyter said in a statement after the bowl matchups were announced. "Having been to the Hawaii Bowl just two years ago, our staff and players know that we are in for a fantastic week."

Both teams are coming off a disappointing performance their last time out, particularly the Owls. Rice enjoyed its best defensive effort of the season in a 31-13 triumph over UTEP before getting obliterated by Louisiana Tech 76-31 in its regular-season finale. The Owls surrendered 677 yards - 408 through the air - and were outgained 269-34 on the ground while allowing five TDs of at least 30 yards.

Fresno State fell behind 28-0 against Boise State in the Mountain West championship game before two late TDs made the final score a bit more respectable. The Bulldogs dominated the Broncos from a statistical standpoint but were doomed by three interceptions by Brian Burrell and a blocked field goal while the game still was close. "This is a gutty team with tremendous resolve," DeRuyter said after the 28-14 defeat. "We were down big in this game, but our kids didn't quit. I think we represent the Valley well and we plan on going out and winning a bowl game."

TV: 8 p.m. ET, ESPN.

LINE HISTORY: Rice opened as 1.5-point underdogs, but have been bet all the way to 2.5-point favorites. The total opened at 59 and has been bet up slightly to 59.5.

INJURY REPORT: Fresno State - RB Kurt Scoby (questionable Wednesday, concussion), RB Dontel James (questionable Wednesday, leg), DL Maurice Poyadue (out indefinitely, suspension), LB Michael Lazarus (out indefinitely, suspension), WR Myles Carr (out indefinitely, suspension), LB Xavier Ulutu (out indefinitely, suspension). Rice - WR Derek Brown (questionable Wednesday, undisclosed), DL Stuart Mouchantaf (questionable Wednesday, knee).

WEATHER REPORT: There are thunderstorms expected in the forecast and a 75 percent chance of rain. There will also be a 12 mile per hour wind gusting across the field from east to west. Temperatures will be in the mid 70's.

ABOUT FRESNO STATE (6-7, 7-6 ATS, 7-6 O/U): The Bulldogs, the only team to earn a bowl berth with a sub-.500 record this season, are playing in the postseason for the 14th time in 16 years, although they have dropped five straight bowl games dating to the 2007 Humanitarian Bowl. Fresno State won the Mountain West's Western Division thanks in large part to its two best offensive players. Marteze Waller has rushed for 1,292 yards and 11 touchdowns, although he was held to 23 yards by Boise State, while Josh Harper led the Bulldogs with 86 catches for 1,072 yards.

ABOUT RICE (7-5, 8-4 ATS, 7-5 O/U): The Owls are heading to a bowl game for a third straight season for the first time in program history, although last year's 44-7 loss to Mississippi State in the Liberty Bowl was a one-sided affair. "I know they are very proud to be the first team to earn a third straight bowl berth and they have the longest active bowl streak in Conference USA, but they are not going to be satisfied with a bid," said coach David Bailiff, whose team is 7-0 when holding its opponent to 23 points or fewer. Junior quarterback Driphus Jackson set career highs against Louisiana Tech for completions (25), attempts (40), yards (337), touchdowns (four) and interceptions (three).

TRENDS:

* Fresno State is 0-5 ATS in its last five Bowl games.
* Rice is 10-1 ATS in its last 11 games versus a team with a losing record.
* Over is 5-0-1 in Fresno State's last six non-conference games.
* Under is 5-1 in Rice's last six neutral site games.

CONSENSUS: Bettors are fairly split, with 54 percent of wagers backing Rice at -2.5.


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[Udog]

NCAAF
Armadillo's Write-Up

Bowl Season

St Petersburg Bowl, 12/26
Central Florida started year in Ireland, ends it 90 miles from home; they should have crowd edge here. O'Leary won/covered his last three bowls, beating Baylor in Fiesta Bowl LY; they're 1-1 in this bowl. Knights won last four games by average score of 33-11; they're 4-2 vs spread in games with single digit spread. NC State won three of last four games after 0-4 skid in middle of year; they're 3-2 in games with single digit spread. Pack is 3-2 in last five bowls, Doeren is 1-0 as bowl coach, back in '11. Faves won/covered this bowl four of last five years; last three stayed under the total. NC State was 3-9 LY, so they're happy to be in a bowl, any bowl.

Quick Lane Bowl, Detroit 12/26
North Carolina lost four straight games early in year, allowing average of 51 ppg; they rallied to win four of last six games, but still allowed 34+ in eight of last ten games- they're 4-3 in tilts with a single digit pointspread. Rutgers covered seven of last ten games; they're 6-0 in games if spread is single digits- they lost 13-10/29-16 in last two bowls, lost 17-13/24-22 in last two meetings with Tar Heels. North Carolina is 3-2 in its last five bowls, with average total in last three, 59.3. Underdogs won/covered this bowl four of last five years, with three of last four going over total- game is in a dome, so no weather worries. We have a selection on this below.

Heart of Dallas Bowl, 12/26
7-5 Louisiana Tech lost three games by 3 points, losing to a I-AA team, but they're 6-0 vs spread in games with single digit spread. C-USA teams are surprising 14-7 in last 21 bowls, 8-3 vs spread when favored. Illinois is 4-2 in games with single digit spread. Both teams are in their first bowl since '11: Tech got hosed out of going to bowl in '12- they figure to have crowd edge, playing Big 14 foe. Tech is 1-3-1 in last five bowls; Holtz is 2-3 as bowl coach. Illini won 38-14/20-14 in last two bowls; Beckman is 0-1 as bowl coach, losing 34-32 to FIU in Detroit in '10. Favorites are 4-0 in this bowl, 3-1 vs spread; three of four went over total.




NCAAF

Friday, December 26

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Heart of Dallas Bowl Betting Preview: Illinois vs. Louisiana Tech
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Illinois Fightin Illini vs. Louisiana Tech Bulldogs (-6, 58)

Game to be played at Cotton Bowl, Dallas, Texas

1. One of the many setbacks during Illinois coach Tim Beckman’s first year on the job was a blowout loss to Louisiana Tech. With an eye on their first winning season under his watch, the Illini look to avenge that defeat versus the Bulldogs in the Zaxby’s Heart of Dallas Bowl. Little went right for Beckman’s 2-10 squad in 2012, but perhaps no game encapsulated the season more than when Illinois committed six turnovers in a 52-24 home loss to the Bulldogs, which began a season-ending nine-game skid.

2. Few players in the country can match the production of Louisiana Tech running back Kenneth Dixon, who has scored in a FBS-high 12 consecutive games and posted a Conference USA-best 26 total touchdowns this season. The junior running back is the only player in the country with an 80-plus yard TD run and catch in 2014 and has 59 career scores from scrimmage (tied for 19th-best in FBS history). Dixon, who has run for 3,347 yards in his career, is also six yards shy of becoming the program’s all-time leading rusher.

3. The Illini’s Mike Dudek, who leads all FBS freshman in receiving yards (80.4), was the Big Ten’s top receiver in conference play, posting 50 catches for 716 yards. The second-team all-conference selection set Illinois’ freshman records for receptions (69) and receiving yards (965) while tying the touchdown mark (six) set by College Football Hall of Famer David Williams. Dudek is trying to become the eighth player in school history with 1,000 receiving yards in a season.

TV: 1 p.m. ET, ESPN.

LINE HISTORY: After opening at LT-5, action quickly had book adjusting the line a full point to -6. The total has been falling since it opened at 63 and currently sits at 58.

INJURY REPORT: Illinois - LB Mike Svetina (Ques-Foot) Louisiana Tech - DL Malcom Pichon (Ques-Suspension), DL Aaron Brown (Ques-Suspension), OL Mitchell Bell (Ques-Suspension), LB Terrell Pinson (Ques-Suspension)

WEATHER REPORT: Weather is expected to be overcast with a low 16 percent chance of rain. Wins will be gusting upwards of 12 mph towards the south.

ABOUT ILLINOIS (6-6 SU, 5-7 ATS, 6-6 O/U): While the Illini ranked 112th in scoring defense (33.9 points per game) and 105th in total defense among the 125 FBS teams, they proved to be opportunistic in their three league wins, recording 10 of their 18 takeaways and two of their four defensive scores. “If you look at the three wins, we played very good defense. Honestly, those three games were won because of our defense,” Beckman told The Daily Illini. Junior cornerback V'Angelo Bentley, who sealed a 28-24 victory over Minnesota with a fumble return for a touchdown, is the only player in school history to return a kickoff, punt, interception and fumble for a score in his career.

ABOUT LOUISIANA TECH (8-5 SU, 10-3 ATS, 8-4-1 O/U): Although the Bulldogs committed the second-most giveaways in their conference (25), they made up for it by forcing the most takeaways in the country (40), which led to a FBS-high 164 points off turnovers. Louisiana Tech recorded at least three takeaways in each of its final five regular-seasons contests and has collected multiple turnovers in all but one of its last 15 games dating back to last season. Some of the chaos the Bulldogs created on defense can be attributed to former Illini defensive end Houston Bates, who led the team with 12 quarterback hurries and earned a second-team all-conference nod.

TRENDS:

*Fighting Illini are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 neutral site games.
*Bulldogs are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games overall.
*Under is 5-1 in Fighting Illini last 6 vs. CUSA.
*Over is 4-1-1 in Bulldogs last 6 games on fieldturf.

CONSENSUS: 58.67 percent of users are backing LT -6, with 52.64 percent on the over.


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NCAAF

Friday, December 26

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St. Petersburg Bowl Betting Preview: North Carolina State vs. UCF
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North Carolina State Wolfpack vs. UCF Knights (-2, 49.5)

Game to be played at Tropicana Field, St. Petersberg, Florida

1. When we last saw UCF, the Knights were storming the field following a Hail Mary catch by Breshad Perriman to defeat East Carolina and claim a share of the American Athletic Conference title. The dramatic win helped UCF earn a berth in the Bitcoin St. Petersburg Bowl against North Carolina State, which won three of its last four games. The teams have split their two previous meetings, with North Carolina State recording a 28-21 victory in 2010.

2. While UCF is seeking its fourth consecutive bowl victory, North Carolina State is returning to the postseason after going 3-9 in 2013. The Knights boast one of the nation’s top defenses, led by linebacker Terrance Plummer and cornerback Jacoby Glenn, who is tied for third in the country with seven interceptions. Plummer has a team-high 92 tackles for UCF, which allows 17.9 points per game - ninth in the nation.

3. UCF’s stout defense should be tested by a North Carolina State offense that outscored its final two opponents – Wake Forest and North Carolina – by a combined 77-20. The Knights boast the nation’s fifth-best rushing defense, but the Wolfpack rushed for 388 yards in a 35-7 victory over North Carolina to end the regular season. Shadrach Thornton led the way with 28 carries for 161 yards.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, ESPN.

LINE HISTORY: The spread has seen a slight move from opening, where UCF was favored by 1.5-points compared to the current -2. The total has dropped 0.5 points since opening from 50 to 49.5.

INJURY REPORT: North Carolina - N/A UCF - RB Dontravious Wilson (Ques-Shoulder)

ABOUT NORTH CAROLINA STATE (7-5 SU, 7-5 ATS, 5-6-1 O/U): After jumping to a 24-7 first-quarter lead over Florida State on Sept. 27, the Wolfpack ended up falling 56-41 and losing their next three games. Quarterback Jacoby Brissett owns a 22-to-5 touchdown-to-interception ratio and has run for 498 yards and three scores. Mike Rose has 14 tackles-for-loss to lead the defense, which allowed an average of 15.9 points in its seven victories.

ABOUT UCF (9-3 SU, 8-4 ATS, 6-6 O/U): The Knights opened with losses to Penn State and Missouri before winning five in a row, including a 31-24 overtime victory over BYU. While the defense has been a strength all season, the offense struggled early before averaging 33 points during a four-game winning streak to close the regular season. Quarterback Justin Holman has thrown 20 touchdowns and 13 interceptions while Perriman has caught a TD pass in seven straight games.

TRENDS:

*Wolfpack are 4-1-1 ATS in their last 6 bowl games.
*Knights are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 non-conference games.
*Under is 4-1 in Wolfpack last 5 games following a SU win of more than 20 points.
*Over is 4-1 in Knights last 5 games following a S.U. win.

CONSENSUS: 62.23 percent of users are backing UCF -2, with the total slightly leaning towards the under (50.6).



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NCAAF

Friday, December 26


Action Report: L.A. Tech the hot bet vs. Illinois

Illinois and Louisiana Tech's Dec. 26 matchup is seeing an outpour of support on the favorited Bulldogs at Sportsbook.ag.

"We opened L.A. Tech at -6 and saw some decent two-way action at that number," said oddsmaker Peter Childs. "But in the past few days we've seen some decent support for the fave in this game."

"The Bulldogs have received over 70 percent of bets this week, which has moved our number from -6 to -6.5," said Childs. "At -6.5 we're starting to see more balanced action, and unless a sharp group places a wager on this one, we'll be closing it at -6.5."




NCAAF

Bowl Season


Action Report: Public jumping all over Sooners

The Russell Athletic Bowl between Oklahoma and Clemson is kicking off on Dec. 29, and at one book, the action is completely one sided.

"We opened Oklahoma at -3 and have seen nothing, and I mean nothing but Sooners money," said Peter Childs of Sportsbook.ag. "We moved to -3 -120 quickly, but didn't stay there long as the floodgates opened up once again on the favorite."

"We moved the number to -3.5 but had to up that to -4 as more support came in on Oklahoma," said the oddsmaker. "Over 90 percent of wagers are on Oklahoma, which is a major concern because the wiseguys haven't taken any of the +4. That means we might have to push this line to -4.5 - a long ways away from our opening number of -3."


Action Report: Bettors on Baylor in Cotton Bowl

At Sportsbook.ag, it's quite clear which side the majority of the betting public is behind in the Cotton Bowl.

"The public is getting on board of the Baylor bandwagon," said Peter Childs, an oddsmaker for the book. "We've seen nothing but Baylor money come in the past week, pushing us from Baylor -3 +100 to -3 flat."

But Childs isn't convinced that bettors flocking to the chalk is the right call.

"I definitely question the mindset of this Baylor team," the oddsmaker said. "They more or less campaigned for the playoffs and got snubbed, so this has to be a major disappointment for them."


Action Report: Money showing up on Seminoles

With the Rose Bowl inching closer, action at one book is starting to pour in on the the Seminoles.

"We're starting to see more money come in on Florida State," said Peter Childs, an oddsmaker for Sportsbook.ag. "Just this morning we went from Florida +9 -120/Oregon -9 +100 to a flat 8."

"We've further dropped the moneyline price to Oregon -300/Florida State +250 for the contest," said Childs.

[StarDust Bum]

Friday's Bowl Tip Sheet

December 24, 2014


**Illinois vs. Louisiana Tech**

-- Louisiana Tech (8-5 straight up, 10-3 against the spread) and Illinois will square off in the Heart of Dallas Bowl at Cotton Bowl Stadium. As of Christmas Eve, the Bulldogs were listed as a six-point favorites with a total of 57.5. Gamblers can take the Illini on the money line for a +190 return (risk $100 to win $190).

-- Illinois (6-6 SU, 5-7 ATS) became bowl eligible by winning back-to-back games to close the regular season. First, the Illini won a 16-14 decision over Penn St. as a five-point home underdog. Then in the regular-season finale, Tim Beckman's team won 47-33 at Northwestern as a 7.5-point road underdog. These wins garnered the program its first trip to the postseason under Beckman, who will now be retained after his status was very much in limbo going into the game against PSU.

-- Illinois senior quarterback Riley O'Toole was the catalyst against the Wildcats. He completed 17-of-28 passes for 147 yards and three touchdowns. O'Toole also rushed for 147 yards on 21 carries. Josh Ferguson rushed for 95 yards and a pair of TDs on 15 carries.

-- O'Toole will get his third straight start vs. La. Tech. For the season, he completed 58.7 percent of his throws for 1,049 yards with a 9/7 touchdown-to-interception ratio. O'Toole also rushed for 261 yards and one score. Wes Lunt, a transfer from Oklahoma St., was the starter in September before going down with a leg injury. Lunt is healthy now and could see playing time, but Beckman is going to stay with O'Toole as the starter. Lunt connected on 63.7 percent of his passes for 1,729 yards with a 14/3 TD-INT ratio.

-- Illinois freshman WR Mike Dudek had an extraordinary season, hauling in 69 receptions for 965 yards and six TDs. The second-team All Big 10 selection can become just the eighth player in school history to record 1,000 receiving yards.

-- Illinois RB Josh Ferguson rushed for a team-high 685 yards and eight TDs, averaging 4.9 yards per carry.

-- La. Tech was a perfect 7-0 ATS in games played against teams that are in the postseason.

-- La. Tech won Conference USA's West Division thanks to a 7-1 record in league play. However, the Bulldogs lost 26-23 at Marshall in the C-USA Championship Game. They did hook up their supporters as eight-point road underdogs.

-- Skip Holtz suspended six La. Tech players due to academic issues prior to the loss at Marshall. Five of those six players were starters and they remain 'out' for the bowl game.

-- La. Tech is going bowling for the first time since 2011. It went 4-8 last year in Holtz's first year at the helm. In 2012, Sonny Dykes' last season with the program, the Bulldogs went 9-3 but declined an invite to the Independence Bowl and then were inexplicably left out of the postseason mix altogether.

-- La. Tech is led by RB Kenneth Dixon, who rushed for 1,236 yards and 21 TDs. Dixon, who averages 5.2 YPC, also had five TD catches. His 26 TDs were the most in C-USA.

-- La. Tech QB Cody Sokol threw for 3,189 and had a 29/13 TD-INT ratio during the regular season. Sokol, a transfer from Iowa, has Trent Taylor as his favorite target. The sophomore WR has 62 catches for 814 yards and nine TDs.

-- These schools had one common opponent: Western Ky. La. Tech took the Hilltoppers behind the woodshed in a 59-10 thrashing as a 7.5-point home favorite. Illinois rallied past Western Ky. for a 42-34 win as a 3.5-point home favorite.

-- Illinois has been an underdog eight times, posting a 4-4 spread record with three outright victories.

-- La. Tech owns a 4-0 spread record when listed as a single-digit 'chalk.'

-- La. Tech's defense led the nation in takeaways with 40.

-- The 'over' is 8-4-1 overall for LT, but the 'under' is 3-2-1 in its last six games. The Bulldogs' games have averaged a combined score of 62.8 points per game.

-- Totals have been an overall wash for Illinois (6-6) with its games averaging 60.5 PPG.

-- Kickoff is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. Eastern on ESPN.

**Rutgers vs. North Carolina**

-- North Carolina and Rutgers are poised to collide at the Quick Lane Bowl on Friday afternoon at Ford Field in Detroit. ESPN will have the broadcast at 4:30 p.m. Eastern.

-- As of Christmas Eve, most books had UNC installed as a three-point favorite with a total of 67. The Scarlet Knights are available for a +140 payout if they win outright.

-- North Carolina (6-6 SU, 5-7 ATS) needs a win over Rutgers to avoid its first losing season since 2007. The Tar Heels, who are 5-2 ATS in their last seven games, won four of its last six games to get bowl eligible. -- UNC won four of its 10 games against bowl-bound schools. The victories included scalps of San Diego St., Ga. Tech, Pitt and Duke. Larry Fedora's team went into Durham on a Thursday night (Nov. 20) and blasted the Blue Devils by a 45-20 count as a five-point underdog. The offense rolled up 591 yards of total offense thanks to the sensational play of QB Marquise Williams, who threw for 276 yards and two TDs without an interception. Williams also ran for 98 yards and a pair of scores on 21 carries. T.J. Logan rushed for a team-high 116 yards and one TD.

-- After crushing Duke, UNC hosted North Carolina St. in its regular-season finale. The Tar Heels got trounced 35-7 as 6.5-point favorites. Fedora's team had scored at least 17 points in its 11 previous games this year. The Wolfpack held UNC to a season-low 208 yards of total offense and knocked Williams out of the game with an injury in the third quarter.

-- Williams, who is completely healthy now, completed 62.7 percent of his passes for 2,875 yards with a 20/9 TD-INT ratio. He also rushed for a team-high 732 yards and 12 TDs. WR Ryan Switzer caught a team-best 55 balls for 708 yards and four TDs.

-- Rutgers (7-5 SU, ATS) closed the regular season by capturing a 41-38 win at Maryland as a 7.5-point underdog. Kyle Flood's squad trailed 35-10 late in the second quarter, but the game turned when QB Gary Nova found Andre Patton for a one-yard TD pass with nine seconds left until halftime. RU received in the second half and promptly scored on a one-yard TD plunge from Robert Martin just 73 seconds into the third quarter. On the first play of the final stanza, Nova threw a 10-yard TD pass to Patton to pull even at 38-38. Midway through the fourth quarter, Kyle Federico buried a 25-yard field goal for the winning points, as the RU defense made the lead hold up.

-- Nova threw for 347 yards and four TDs without an interception in the win over the Terrapins. For the season, Nova has connected on 58.0 percent of his passes for 2,667 yards with a 20/12 TD-INT ratio.

-- Rutgers is making its fourth consecutive bowl appearance. The Scarlet Knights have come up short in their last two bowl games, losing 29-16 to Notre Dame at last year's Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx. We should note, however, that RU took the cash as a 14-point underdog to the Irish. Two season ago at the Russell Athletic Bowl, RU dropped a 13-10 decision to Va. Tech as a two-point 'dog in overtime. In 2011, RU captured its most recent bowl triumph by besting Iowa St. 27-13 as a one-point puppy.

-- RU owns a 6-1-1 spread record in its last eight postseason appearances.

-- As a single-digit favorite this year, UNC posted a 2-2 spread record.

-- Rutgers has compiled a 5-3 spread record with three outright wins in eight games as an underdog. The Scarlet Knights lost five of seven games against bowl-bound foes.

-- The 'over' is 7-5 overall for RU, cashing in five of its last seven regular-season games. RU's game have averaged a combined score of 56.5 PPG.

-- The 'under' is 6-5 overall for UNC after cashing in four of its last five games. The Tar Heels have seen their games average a combined score of 73.2 PPG.

**North Carolina State vs. Central Florida**

-- The ACC and the AAC will face each other when UCF and North Carolina St. face each other at the St. Petersburg Bowl at the Trop. As of Christmas Eve, most books had Central Florida (9-3 SU, 8-4 ATS) installed as a 2.5-point 'chalk' with a total of 49.

-- After limping to a 3-9 record in Dave Doeren's debut season in Raleigh, North Carolina St. (7-5 SU, 7-5 ATS) won its first four games and then had a 17-point lead over top-ranked Florida St. in the third quarter of their ACC showdown. However, the Seminoles rallied and eventually collected a 56-41 win. That first defeat started a four-game losing streak, but the Wolfpack won three games (at Syracuse, vs. Wake Forest and at North Carolina) in November to ensure a winning campaign.

-- North Carolina St. coasted to a 35-7 win at North Carolina as a 6.5-point underdog in the regular-season finale for both schools. QB Jacoby Brissett rushed for 167 yards and one TD, in addition to throwing three TD passes without an interception. Shadrach Thornton ran for 161 yards and one TD.

-- Brissett, a fourth-year junior who sat out the 2013 campaign after transferring from Florida, has been the catalyst for N.C. St. all year long. Brissett threw for 2,344 yards with a 22/5 TD-INT ratio. He also rushed for 498 yards and three TDs.

-- Thornton rushed for a team-high 811 yards and nine TDs while averaging 5.5 YPC.

-- N.C. St. went 4-2 with a pair of outright wins in six games as an underdog.

-- UCF lost its first two games to Penn St. (26-24) and Missouri (38-10), only to respond by winning nine of its last 10 games. George O'Leary's team brings a four-game winning streak both SU and ATS to the Sunshine State. The Knights closed the regular season with a 32-30 win at East Carolina as a 6.5-point underdog. On the final play of the game, Justin Holman found Breshad Perriman for a 51-yard TD pass on a Hail Mary play.

-- UFC had led ECU by a 26-9 score early in the fourth quarter, but the Pirates rallied and took a 30-26 lead with 2:17 left in the fourth quarter. But Holman's TD pass, his first of the night, helped the Knight avoid what would've been a painful defeat. Holman threw for 274 yards and wasn't intercepted by ECU. William Stanback rushed for 101 yards and a pair of TDs.

-- For the season, Holman completed 59.0 percent of his passes for 2,661 yards with a 20/13 TD-INT ratio. Stanback rushed for a team-high 660 yards and 10 TDs, but his YPC average (3.7) was pedestrian. Perriman finished the regular season with 41 receptions for 906 yards and nine TDs.

-- UCF went 2-2 ATS in four games as a single-digit favorite.

-- UCF has won three consecutive bowl games, including last year's 52-42 win over Baylor as a 16.5-point underdog at the Fiesta Bowl.

-- The 'under' is 6-5-1 overall for N.C. St., going 4-2-1 in its last seven regular-season games.

-- Totals have been an overall wash (6-6) for UCF, but we'll note a 4-2 run for the 'over' in its last six games.

-- Kickoff is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. Eastern on Friday night in Motown. ESPN will have the telecast.

[StarDust Bum]

2014-15 Bowl Betting Results

December 24, 2014


BOWL CONFERENCE STANDINGS

Conference Straight Up (SU) Against the Spread (ATS)

ACC - -

American (AAC) 1-0 1-0

Big 10 - -

Big 12 - -

CUSA 3-1 2-2

Independent 1-1 1-1

Mid-American 1-3 2-2

Mountain West 2-4 2-4

Pac-12 1-0 1-0

SEC - -

Sun Belt 1-1 1-1


OVERALL GAME RESULTS

Wager SU Win SU Loss ATS Win ATS Loss

Favorite 6 4 5 5

Underdog 4 6 5 5

Over Under
5 5


2014-15 BOWL SCHEDULE - RESULTS

Date Bowl Matchup Line, Total Score ATS/Total

Saturday, Dec. 20 New Orleans Bowl Nevada vs Louisiana-Lafayette 1.5, 62.5 16-3 Underdog-Under

Saturday, Dec. 20 New Mexico Bowl Utah State vs Texas-El Paso 10, 45.5 21-6 Favorite-Under

Saturday, Dec. 20 Las Vegas Bowl Utah vs Colorado State 3, 57 45-10 Favorite-Under

Saturday, Dec. 20 Idaho Potato Bowl Western Michigan vs Air Force 2.5, 59 38-24 Underdog-Over

Saturday, Dec. 20 Camellia Bowl South Alabama vs Bowling Green 3.5, 55 33-28 Underdog-Over

Monday, Dec. 22 Miami Beach Bowl Brigham Young vs Memphis 1.5, 56 55-48 Favorite-Over

Tuesday, Dec. 23 Boca Raton Bowl Marshall vs Northern Illinois 8.5, 68 52-23 Favorite-Over

Tuesday, Dec. 23 Poinsettia Bowl Navy vs San Diego State 3, 52 17-16 Underdog-Under

Wednesday, Dec. 24 Bahamas Bowl Central Michigan vs Western Kentucky 3.5, 68 49-48 Underdog-Over

Wednesday, Dec. 24 Hawai'i Bowl Fresno State vs Rice 1, 59 30-6 Favorite-Under

Friday, Dec. 26 Heart of Dallas Bowl Illinois vs Louisiana Tech - - -

Friday, Dec. 26 Quick Lane Bowl Rutgers vs North Carolina - - -

Friday, Dec. 26 St. Petersburg Bowl North Carolina State vs UCF - - -

Saturday, Dec. 27 Military Bowl Cincinnati vs Virginia Tech - - -

Saturday, Dec. 27 Sun Bowl Duke vs Arizona State - - -

Saturday, Dec. 27 Independence Bowl Miami-Fla. vs South Carolina - - -

Saturday, Dec. 27 Pinstripe Bowl Boston College vs Penn State - - -

Saturday, Dec. 27 Holiday Bowl Nebraska vs Southern California - - -

Monday, Dec. 29 Liberty Bowl Texas A&M vs West Virginia - - -

Monday, Dec. 29 Russell Athletic Bowl Oklahoma vs Clemson - - -

Monday, Dec. 29 Texas Bowl Arkansas vs Texas - - -

Tuesday, Dec. 30 Music City Bowl Notre Dame vs Louisiana State - - -

Tuesday, Dec. 30 Belk Bowl Georgia vs Louisville - - -

Tuesday, Dec. 30 Foster Farms Bowl Maryland vs Stanford - - -

Wednesday, Dec. 31 Peach Bowl Mississippi vs Texas Christian - - -

Wednesday, Dec. 31 Fiesta Bowl Boise State vs Arizona - - -

Wednesday, Dec. 31 Orange Bowl Mississippi State vs Georgia Tech - - -

Thursday, Jan. 1 Outback Bowl Auburn vs Wisconsin - - -

Thursday, Jan. 1 Cotton Bowl Michigan State vs Baylor - - -

Thursday, Jan. 1 Citrus Bowl Missouri vs Minnesota - - -

Thursday, Jan. 1 Rose Bowl - National Semifinal Oregon vs Florida State - - -

Thursday, Jan. 1 Sugar Bowl - National Semifinal Alabama vs Ohio State - - -

Friday, Jan. 2 Armed Forces Bowl Houston vs Pittsburgh - - -

Friday, Jan. 2 Taxslayer Bowl Iowa vs Tennessee - - -

Friday, Jan. 2 Alamo Bowl Kansas State vs UCLA - - -

Friday, Jan. 2 Cactus Bowl Washington vs Oklahoma State - - -

Saturday, Jan. 3 Birmingham Bowl East Carolina vs Florida - - -

Sunday, Jan. 4 Godaddy Bowl Toledo vs Arkansas State - - -

Monday, Jan. 12 National Championship Game TBD vs TBD - - -

**Winner listed in Red

[Udog]

NCAAF
Armadillo's Write-Up

Bowl Season

Holiday Bowl, San Diego 12/27
Over last three years, Big 14 teams are 7-15 in bowls, 5-10-1 vs spread when getting points. Nebraska upgraded by firing Pelini and hiring Riley from Oregon State; Riley isn't coaching this game, but his Beavers lost 35-10 to USC in late September- he probably helped some in game prep. Cornhuskers are 1-3 in last four bowls; since beginning of '12 season, they're -25 in turnovers, -2 this year. USC will have crowd edge being 120 miles away; this is first visit to this bowl for Trojans, who are 4-1 n last ive bowls. Sarkisian was 1-2 as bowl coach at Washington. Dogs won/covered last three Holiday Bowls; last five stayed under total.

Pinstripe Bowl, Bronx 12/27
At one point, BC had won eight straight bowls, but they're 0-4 in bowls since then, scoring 14.8 ppg. Eagles are 4-1 on road this year, losing by a FG at Florida State; they're 4-4 in games with a single digit spread. Penn State lost six of their last eight games after 4-0 start; they're down to 41 scholarship players due to probation/injuries. PSU is 1-5 in games with single digit spread; they're in first bowl since '11, and lost three of last four bowls before that. Franklin was 2-1 in bowls at Vandy. Underdogs covered this bowl last three years, with all three staying under the total. Game is sold out with large alumni bases close by.

Independence Bowl, Shreveport, 12/27
Miami lost its last four bowls, scoring 14.3 ppg; their last bowl win was eight years ago in Boise. South Carolina won last three bowls, scoring an average of 32.3 ppg; Spurrier is 10-10 overall in bowls. Miami lost last three games, allowing 31.7 ppg; they're 0-4 as underdogs this year, 2-5 in games with single digit spread. Gamecocks are 1-7 as a favorite this year, 2-4 in games with single digit spread. Over last three years, SEC teams are 18-8 in bowls, 13-9-1 vs spread as favorites; ACC teams are 10-13 in bowls, 6-9-1 as underdogs. Favorites won/covered this bowl four of last five years; over is 2-0-1 in this game last three years.

Sun Bowl, El Paso 12/27
Duke lost its last four bowls, allowing 45.8 ppg; their last bowl win was in 1960. Blue Devils are 19-7 SU last two years, covering seven of last nine as an underdog. Arizona State lost four of last five bowls, allowing 42.8 ppg; Graham is 4-2 in bowls. This is third year in row ASU is 8+ point bowl favorite; they lost LY to Texas Tech in Holiday Bowl. Sun Devils are 3-4 in games with single digit spreads, Duke is 4-3. ASU gave up 31+ points in last four games. Dogs won this game three of last four years, covered four of last five, with four of five going over total. ACC teams are 1-3 in this game last four years.

Military Bowl, Annapolis, 12/27
Virginia Tech coach Beamer had throat surgery after regular season, will coach this game from press box; Hokies lost three of last four bowls, two of last three going to OT- they lost 27-24 to Cincinnati in regular season game two years ago. Bearscats are 2-3 in last five bowls, but Tuberville is 7-4 as bowl coach. Cincy won last seven games, all by 7+ points; they allowed 41+ points in all three losses this year. Tech needs win to avoid first losing season since '92; they're 3-5 vs spread in games with single digit spread; Cincy is 4-1-1. Hokies figure to have crowd edge with game in their region. Favorite won this game last five years, covering four, with four of five going over total.