Cnotes 2018 College Football Thru The Bowl Games News- Trends-Stats-Best Bets !

[StarDust Bum]

Saturday's Early Bowl Tips
December 21, 2018
By Brian Edwards

**Memphis vs. Wake Forest**

-- These teams will collide at Legion Field at noon Eastern on Saturday for the Birmingham Bowl. ESPN will provide the telecast.

-- As of early Friday, most books had Memphis (8-5 straight up, 8-5 against the spread) installed as a 3.5-point favorite with a total of 73. Some books had moved the number to three with a -120 price tag attached to it. The Demon Deacons were +140 on the money line (risk $100 to win $140).

-- Memphis won’t have star RB Darrell Henderson, who has elected to turn pro and sit out in order to stay healthy for the NFL Draft. Henderson is second in the nation in rushing yards (1,909). He averaged 8.9 yards per carry and rushed for 22 touchdowns. Henderson also had 19 receptions for 295 yards and three TDs.

-- Henderson’s absence will mean more touches for Patrick Taylor Jr., who had a helluva season himself. Taylor rushed for 1,012 yards and 15 TDs with a 5.7 YPC average. He also caught 16 balls for 196 yards and one TD.

-- Mike Norvell went with Arizona St. grad transfer Brady White as his starting QB this year. White completed 63.3 percent of his passes for 3,125 yards with a 25/8 touchdown-to-interception ratio. His favorite target is Damonte Coxie, who has 66 receptions for 1,104 yards and seven TDs. White has another elite weapon in versatile WR/RB Tony Pollard, who has produced 4,542 all-purpose yards in three seasons with the Tigers. Pollard had 1,359 all-purpose yards this season, rushing for 443 yards and five TDs with a 7.3 YPC average. He has 39 catches for 458 yards and three TDs.

-- Memphis won the AAC’s West Division by closing the regular season with four straight wins both SU and ATS. Then in the AAC Championship Game at undefeated UCF, the Tigers raced out to a 38-21 halftime lead. However, their offense went stagnant in the second half – much like when UCF rallied to win 31-30 at Memphis during the regular season – and the Knights won a 56-41 decision as one-point home favorites. Henderson rushed 16 times for 210 yards and three TDs in the losing effort, scoring on runs of 62 and 82 yards in the first half. Henderson also had a four-yard TD pass on a trick play. Taylor had 118 rushing yards and one TD on 15 attempts, while Pollard ran for 45 yards on six carries. White completed 17-of-29 throws for 178 yards with zero TDs and one interception. The Tigers gave up 698 yards to UCF’s electric offense.

-- Memphis went 2-1 both SU and ATS in three games as single-digit favorites this year.

-- Memphis is bowling for a fifth consecutive season, but the Tigers have lost three postseason games in a row. Since Norvell took over for Justin Fuente, his team has lost 51-31 to Western Ky. in the 2016 Boca Raton Bowl and dropped a 21-20 decision to Iowa St. at the 2017 Liberty Bowl.

-- Memphis is ranked fourth in the nation in total offense, third in rushing yards and seventh in scoring with its 43.6 points-per-game average. The Tigers have struggled on the other side of the ball, though. They’re ranked 84th in the country in total defense, 98th at defending the pass, 73rd in run defense and 92nd in scoring ‘D’ (31.5 PPG).

-- Wake Forest (6-6 SU, 4-8 ATS) won each of its last three road games as underdogs to get bowl eligible. Dave Clawson’s squad won 56-35 at Louisville as a 2.5-point ‘dog, then captured a 27-23 win at N.C. St. (in a Thursday night game on a short week) as a 19.5-point puppy and closed the regular season with a 59-7 victory at Duke as a 9.5-point ‘dog. Junior RB Cade Carney blasted through the Blue Devils’ defense for 223 rushing yards and two TDs on 31 carries. Sophomore QB Jamie Newman connected on 18-of-23 passes for 177 yards and four TDs without an interception. Newman also had 50 rushing yards on 13 attempts. Sophomore WR Greg Dortch, who was a third-team All-ACC selection in 2017, had 10 receptions for 124 yards and one TD.

-- Wake Forest is in the postseason for the third straight season. From 2009-2015, the Demon Deacons had seven straight losing seasons and went bowling just once. Clawson went 3-9 in each of his first two seasons, but he led Wake to 7-6 and 8-5 records in 2016 and ’17, respectively. The Deacs have won both bowl games on Clawson’s watch, beating Temple 34-26 as 12-point underdogs at the 2016 Military Bowl. Then in last year’s wild Belk Bowl affair, they won a 55-52 decision over Texas A&M as three-point ‘chalk.’

-- Wake Forest posted a 3-6 record both SU and ATS in nine games as an underdog.

-- Newman started the last three games after starting QB Sam Hartman went down with a season-ending injury. Hartman had thrown for 1,984 yards with a 16/8 TD-INT ratio. Newman has completed 62-of-101 throws for 755 yards with an 8/3 TD-INT ratio. He has 156 rushing yards, one TD and a 3.8 YPC average. Newman is hoping to have his best WR Dortch, who is ‘questionable’ due to an injured finger. Dortch has 89 receptions for 1,078 yards and eight TDs. Sage Surratt has 39 catches for 568 yards and three TDs, while Alex Bachman has 30 grabs for 370 yards and six TDs.

-- Carney has rushed for a team-best 954 yards and eight TDs while averaging 5.4 YPC. Matt Colburn has 739 rushing yards, five TDs and a 5.1 YPC average.

-- Wake Forest junior cornerback Amari Henderson is listed as ‘questionable’ with an undisclosed issue. Henderson started nine games, recording 42 tackles, eight passes broken up and 0.5 tackles for loss.

-- The ‘over’ has hit in five of the Tigers’ past six games to improve to 8-5 overall. Their games have averaged combined scores of 75.2 PPG.

-- The ‘over’ is 7-5 overall for the Deacs, but they’ve seen the ‘under’ go 3-1 in their past four outings. Their games have averaged combined scores of 65.8 PPG.

**Houston vs. Army**

-- These teams are set to square off in the Armed Forces Bowl at Amon G. Carter Stadium in Ft. Worth, TX. As of Friday, most spots had Army listed as a five-point favorite with a total of 60. The Cougars had +180 odds to win outright (risk $100 to win $180).

-- Army (10-2 SU, 6-4-2 ATS) brings an eight-game winning streak to Texas. Jeff Monken has his team bowling for a third straight season and with its second straight 10-win campaign. The Black Knights have won both bowls on Monken’s watch, including a 42-35 triumph over San Diego St. as 6.5-point underdogs at last year’s Armed Forces Bowl. In 2016, they beat North Texas 38-31 in overtime but failed to cover as 11-point ‘chalk.’

-- Army lost its opener 34-14 at Duke as a 14-point underdog and took its only other ‘L’ in overtime at Oklahoma. The Sooners slipped past the Black Knights 28-21 as 30-point home favorites.

-- Monken’s club was a single-digit favorite six times this year, going 6-0 SU and 2-2-2 ATS.

-- Army is off a 17-10 win over Navy as a seven-point favorite. QB Kelvin Hopkins threw for 61 yards and ran for 64 and two TDs on 18 carries. The defense limited the Midshipmen to 208 yards of total offense and forced four turnovers.

-- Hopkins has completed 48-of-90 passes (53.3%) for 956 yards with a 6/3 TD-INT ratio. He also has 852 rushing yards, 12 TDs and a 4.3 YPC average. Darnell Woolfolk has a team-high 885 rushing yards and 14 TDs with a 4.2 YPC average. Jordan Asberry has nine receptions for 197 yards and three TDs.

-- Army beat three bowl-bound opponents, including a 28-21 home win over Hawaii, a 42-13 win at Buffalo and a 37-22 win at Eastern Michigan.

-- Houston (8-4 SU, 6-6 ATS) started the season 7-1 with its only loss coming in a 63-49 setback at Texas Tech in non-conference play. However, the Cougars lost three of their last four games both SU and ATS, including a 52-31 loss at Memphis that decided the AAC West on Nov. 23.

-- Houston lost star QB D’Eriq King to a season-ending knee injury in its 48-17 win over Tulane as a 7.5-point home favorite on Nov. 15. King had enjoyed a spectacular year, completing 63.5 percent of his passes for 2,982 yards with a 36/6 TD-INT ratio. He also ran for 674 yards and 14 TDs with a 6.1 YPC average.

-- UH head coach Major Applewhite went with true freshman QB Clayton Tune in place of King at Memphis. Tune completed 18-of-43 passes against the Tigers for 256 yards and three TDs with one interception. In four games, Tune has connected on just 38-of-85 throws for 565 yards with a 7/2 TD-INT ratio. He will make his second career start vs. Army.

-- Houston is in the postseason for a program-record sixth straight time. The Cougars are 2-3 both SU and ATS in their past five bowl games, including a 33-27 loss to Fresno St. as two-point favorites at last year’s Hawaii Bowl.

-- Houston will be without all four of its starting defensive linemen when it faces the nation’s second-best ground attack. Ed Oliver is sitting out to stay healthy for the NFL Draft and is expected to be a Top-10 pick in the first round. Oliver played in eight games this year, producing 54 tackles, 11.5 TFL’s, three sacks, nine QB hurries, two PBU and one forced fumble. For his career, he had 193 tackles, 54 TFL’s and 13.5 sacks in 33 games. The Cougars will also be sans Jerard Carter, Payton Turner and Isaiah Chambers.

-- Tune might not have two of the team’s best wideouts, as Keith Corbin (undisclosed) and Courtney Lark (knee) are both listed as ‘questionable.’ Corbin has 39 catches for 669 yards and a team-best 10 TDs, while Lark has 32 grabs for 509 yards and five TDs. Also, WR Bryson Smith is ‘out’ for undisclosed reasons. Smith has 30 receptions for 285 yards and four TDs, in addition to rushing for 84 yards on 18 carries. Smith is also UH’s primary return guy on special teams. He has returned 12 punts for 93 yards and has 126 yards on six kickoff returns.

-- Houston RB Terrence Williams (228 rushing yards, 1 TD & 5.7 YPC) is ‘questionable’ for undisclosed reasons.

-- Houston’s leading rusher is Patrick Carr, who has 816 rushing yards and five TDs with a 5.7 YPC average. The Cougars’ top WR is Marquez Stevenson, who has 67 receptions for 947 yards and nine TDs.

-- UH was only an underdog once this season in the non-cover at Memphis. The only other ‘dog situation since Applewhite took over prior to the 2017 campaign came at USF last year where the Cougars beat the Bulls 28-25 as 10.5-point ‘dogs.

-- The ‘over’ hit in five of UH’s last six regular-season games to improve to 8-4 overall. The Cougars have seen their games average combined scores of 80.8 PPG.

-- Totals have been an overall wash (6-6) for the Black Knights, but they’ve seen the ‘under’ go 3-1 in their past four games. Their games have average combined scores of 47.7 PPG.

-- Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. Eastern on ESPN.

**B.E.’s Bonus Nuggets**

-- With Kyle Shurmur set to complete his eligibility in Vandy’s bowl game vs. Baylor, it looks like Derek Mason has found his next QB for the 2019 campaign. Ball St. QB Riley Neal will head to Nashville as a grad transfer and be able to play right away. Neal has 7,393 career passing yards and a 46/25 career TD-INT ratio. As I’ve stated repeatedly, Shurmur is vastly underrated and enjoyed fantastic junior and senior seasons for the Commodores.

-- Michigan RB Karan Higdon has joined teammates Rashan Gary and Devin Bush as Wolverines who will skip the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl vs. Florida on Dec. 29 in order to stay healthy for the NFL Draft.

-- According to multiple reports, Ohio St. is the frontrunner to land Georgia QB Justin Fields, who elected to transfer late last week. Fields was a five-star dual-threat QB when he signed with UGA last fall.

-- According to a report on Thursday, Urban Meyer will teach a class at Ohio St.’s business school this spring. The class is about….. (wait for it…..) “integrity and leadership.” OSCAR!!! What a joke! Only in America…

[StarDust Bum]

No. 22 Army going for 1st 11-win season in Armed Forces Bowl
December 21, 2018
By The Associated Press

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) During a 10-loss season three years ago, Army coach Jeff Monken saw something that made him believe the Black Knights were on the way to being a good team.

The freshmen from that team are now seniors going into their last game - Saturday against Houston (8-4) in the Armed Forces Bowl, when the No. 22 Black Knights will try to complete the program's first 11-win season.

''Didn't have a great start to their careers,'' Monken said. ''But for them to experience 10 losses, seven of them being by a touchdown or less, and they would just continue to come back each week and battle and fight to the end. I saw a fight in that team that encouraged me.''

Two weeks after beating Navy for the third year in a row , Army (10-2) is playing in a bowl for the third consecutive season. The cadets have their second 10-win season in a row, and an eight-game winning streak since an overtime loss at Oklahoma on Sept. 22.

Fullback Darnell Woolfolk described that as ''such a big disappointment'' and said it made them determined not to lose again.

''That definitely let us know that we could play with anyone,'' linebacker Cole Christiansen said.

Houston, without injured quarterback D'Eriq King and NFL draft-prepping defensive tackle Ed Oliver, has lost three of its four games since a 7-1 start.

''For us, it's just about finishing strong with one game,'' second-year Cougars coach Major Applewhite said.

NO ED OR D'ERIQ

King was responsible for 302 points (50 total touchdowns, a 2-point conversion) in 11 games before season-ending knee surgery. The quarterback has another season left with the Cougars. Oliver had made it known long ago that his junior season would be his last. He missed four games because of a bruised right knee and is skipping the bowl game to focus on preparing for the NFL draft.

LOT OF OFFENSE

Houston ranks fourth nationally with 46 points a game, and sixth with 529 total yards per game. The Cougars opened the season with eight consecutive 40-point games, a school record. Only Houston and Oklahoma rank in the top 25 for both passing offense and rushing offense. Ten different Houston players have had TD catches, and eight different players have run for scores.

EXTRA POINTS

Army leads the nation in time of possession, at nearly 39 minutes a game. Houston is last among the 129 FBS teams at 25:04. ... The last two Armed Forces have been decided in the final seconds. Last year, Army got the go-ahead touchdown to beat San Diego State with 18 seconds left, then returned a fumble for a score as time expired for a 42-35 win. Two years ago, Louisiana Tech kicked a field goal on the last play to beat Navy 48-45. ... Army or Houston will become the first three-time winner of the Armed Forces Bowl, now in its 16th year. Army has won both of its previous appearances. Houston is 2-2 in the game. California is the only two-time winner.

FINAL EXAMS

Army players got a week off after the Navy game to prepare for final exams. Monken said the final day of exams at West Point was Friday, but the players took all their tests last weekend. Christiansen said he had five exams within about 36 hours. ''Very intense,'' he said.

HOLDING ON

The Army offense has lost only eight fumbles in 1,710 plays over the past two seasons. The Black Knights have only four lost fumbles this year, and two of those came in the season opener at Duke. Houston's defense has forced turnovers in 16 consecutive games - only two teams have longer active streaks.

[StarDust Bum]

Memphis, Wake Forest meet in Birmingham Bowl minus stars
December 21, 2018
By The Associated Press

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) The Memphis Tigers' formidable ground game took a big hit when All-America running back Darrell Henderson opted to skip the bowl game. Their offensive coordinator has already left for another job, and the defensive boss isn't far behind.

The Tigers (8-5) are hoping to overcome those potential issues against Wake Forest (6-6) Saturday in the Birmingham Bowl at Legion Field. The Demon Deacons also will be without their biggest offensive star, wide receiver Greg Dortch, with a hand injury.

For Memphis, Patrick Taylor Jr. and Tony Pollard are expected to shoulder much of the running load.

''We're all excited for Darrell and his future opportunities,'' Tigers coach Mike Norvell said. ''I know he's going to be tuned in and watching and cheering. These two guys have prepared. There's nothing different going into any game. These guys have been key playmakers for us.''

Still, Henderson's departure dealt a blow to the nation's No. 2 rushing offense's apparent advantage over the Atlantic Coast Conference's 10th-best run defense.

He ranked second nationally with 1,909 yards rushing, while leading the nation with 25 total touchdowns and an 8.9-yard per carry average. Taylor has topped 1,000 rushing yards and Pollard is averaging 7.3 yards on 61 carries.

''It's not like they had one great back and nobody else,'' Wake Forest coach Dave Clawson said. ''That's been a three-headed monster all year for them. And if you still have two of your best three, there's plenty of stuff they can do.''

Dortch was injured in the regular-season finale against Duke, and Clawson said Friday the standout receiver/return man wouldn't play.

Wake Forest quarterback Jamie Newman enters the bowl game after starting the final three games following a season-ending leg injury to freshman Sam Hartman.

The Demon Deacons still won on the road over North Carolina State and Duke over the final three weeks to make a bowl game. Clawson called the finish ''really remarkable.''

''I think we have a really good culture and we have really good seniors,'' he said. ''Football is just too important to these guys to fold.''

Here are some things to know about the Birmingham Bowl.

MISSING IN ACTION

In addition to Henderson, the Tigers will also be without offensive coordinator Kenny Dillingham, who has already left for the same post at Auburn. Norvell had already been the team's offensive play-caller. Associate head coach Will Hall has left for Tulane. Defensive coordinator Chris Ball has taken the head coaching job at Northern Arizona but stayed put for the game.

''He wanted to finish what he started,'' Norvell said.

BOWL STREAKS

Memphis is playing in its fifth consecutive bowl game, a program first. The Tigers have dropped the last three. This is only the second time Wake Forest has qualified for three consecutive bowls, joining the 2006-08 teams. The Demon Deacons have won two straight in the postseason.

TAYLOR'S TURN

Taylor is an accomplished runner in his own right. He has 1,012 yards and 15 touchdowns this season and ranks fifth in program history with 2,424 rushing yards despite only two career starts in his first three seasons.

''I just tried to go throughout the season with a chip on my shoulder, really,'' Taylor said. ''Providing me with this opportunity isn't something that I look at. It's a team thing and I want the best for my team. I'm going to give it all I've got so we can come out with the victory.''

MANY HAPPY RETURNS

The game was set to feature dangerous return men for both teams. Wake Forest's Dortch was a second-team AP All-American after leading the ACC with 1,750 all-purpose yards. He returned two punts for touchdowns against Towson on Sept. 8 and also returns kicks. For Memphis, John ''Pop'' Williams is second in the American Athletic Conference in punt return average (11.1 yards).

LAST TIME OUT

Memphis is trying to erase memories of its last game while the Demon Deacons would love a repeat performance. The Tigers blew a 17-point lead in the American Athletic Conference championship game and lost 58-41 to UCF. Wake Forest became bowl eligible with a 59-7 rout of Duke, the Demon Deacons' most lopsided win since 1945.

[StarDust Bum]

Saturday, December 22

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

WAKE FOREST (6 - 6) vs. MEMPHIS (8 - 5) - 12/22/2018, 12:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MEMPHIS is 19-35 ATS (-19.5 Units) as a favorite of 3.5 to 10 points since 1992.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

HOUSTON (8 - 4) vs. ARMY (9 - 2) - 12/22/2018, 3:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
ARMY is 9-2 ATS (+6.8 Units) in road games when playing on a Saturday over the last 2 seasons.
ARMY is 19-36 ATS (-20.6 Units) when playing with 2 weeks or more of rest since 1992.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

BUFFALO (10 - 3) vs. TROY (9 - 3) - 12/22/2018, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
TROY is 9-2 ATS (+6.8 Units) in road games when playing on a Saturday over the last 2 seasons.
TROY is 39-23 ATS (+13.7 Units) in road games in games played on turf since 1992.
TROY is 8-0 ATS (+8.0 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
BUFFALO is 17-8 ATS (+8.2 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
BUFFALO is 17-8 ATS (+8.2 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

LOUISIANA TECH (7 - 5) at HAWAII (8 - 5) - 12/22/2018, 10:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
LOUISIANA TECH is 22-9 ATS (+12.1 Units) in road games off a loss against a conference rival since 1992.
HAWAII is 7-16 ATS (-10.6 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
HAWAII is 7-16 ATS (-10.6 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
HAWAII is 2-10 ATS (-9.0 Units) as a favorite over the last 3 seasons.
HAWAII is 7-16 ATS (-10.6 Units) when playing on a Saturday over the last 2 seasons.
HAWAII is 6-16 ATS (-11.6 Units) after playing a conference game over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Saturday, December 22

Memphis Tigers
Memphis is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games
Memphis is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Memphis's last 6 games
Wake Forest Demon Deacons
Wake Forest is 4-10 ATS in its last 14 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Wake Forest's last 6 games

Houston Cougars
Houston is 6-3 SU in its last 9 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Houston's last 6 games
Houston is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Army
Houston is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing Army
Army Black Knights
Army is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games
Army is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
Army is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Houston
Army is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing Houston

Buffalo Bulls
Buffalo is 6-2 ATS in its last 8 games
Buffalo is 13-3 SU in its last 16 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Buffalo's last 5 games
Troy Trojans
Troy is 11-3-2 ATS in its last 16 games
Troy is 16-3 SU in its last 19 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Troy's last 6 games

LA Tech Bulldogs
Louisiana Tech is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games
Louisiana Tech is 10-5 SU in its last 15 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Louisiana Tech's last 5 games
Louisiana Tech is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
Louisiana Tech is 7-3 SU in its last 10 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Louisiana Tech's last 5 games on the road
Louisiana Tech is 3-7 ATS in its last 10 games when playing Hawaii
Louisiana Tech is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing Hawaii
Louisiana Tech is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Hawaii
Louisiana Tech is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Hawaii
Hawaii Warriors
Hawaii is 1-4-1 ATS in its last 6 games
Hawaii is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games
Hawaii is 2-10-1 ATS in its last 13 games at home
Hawaii is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Hawaii's last 5 games at home
Hawaii is 7-3 ATS in its last 10 games when playing Louisiana Tech
Hawaii is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing Louisiana Tech
Hawaii is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games when playing at home against Louisiana Tech
Hawaii is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Louisiana Tech

--------------------------------------------


Dec 22
Birmingham Bowl
Wake Forest is in its 3rd straight bowl, winning 34-26/55-52 in previous two; Memphis is in its 5th straight bowl, losing last three while allowing 34.3 ppg. Wake scored 50+ points in four of its six wins- they’re 1-4 scoring less than 27 points. Deacons are 11-4-1 vs spread in last 16 games as an underdog, 1-2 this year. Memphis won four of its last five games after a 4-4 start; they ran ball for 400+ yards in last two games, 200+ yards in last eight games. Wake held five of last six opponents under 200 rushing yards. Tigers are 11-5 in last 16 games as a favorite, 6-1 this year. Last four years, AAC teams are 17-11 vs spread when playing an ACC opponent. Three of last four Wake games stayed under total; five of last six Memphis games went over.

Armed Forces Bowl, Fort Worth
Army won its last eight games after losing in OT at Oklahoma Sept 28; they outgained Sooners 379-355, running ball for 339 yards. Cadets did get held under 300 TY in three of last four games; they’re 1-4 vs spread in last five games as a favorite. Houston lost three of last four games after a 7-1 start; they gave up 45 points in all four losses this year. Star DE Oliver left team to prep for NFL Draft, which leaves a void. Navy ran for 344 yards vs Cougars, which is a red flag. Houston is in its 6th straight bowl; they lost 34-10/33-27 in last two; they won this bowl in 2014. Army is in 3rd straight bowl, winning 38-31ot/42-35 in last two- they won this bowl LY. Three of last four Army games stayed under total; five of last six Houston games went over.

Dollar General Bowl, Mobile, AL
Sun Belt team beat the MAC team in this bowl four of last five years (underdogs 3-2 vs spread) with average total of 64. Troy won this game two years ago. Buffalo is in its third bowl, its first since 2013; Bulls lost 38-20/49-24 in first two bowls. Bulls’ coach Leipold won six national titles in D-III, this is his first D-I bowl. Troy is in its 3rd straight bowl, winning last two 28-23/50-30- their last two bowl losses were both in OT. Troy is 9-3, but scored 12-10 points in last two games; under Brown, Trojans are 9-3-1 as underdogs, 1-1-1 this year. Buffalo is 10-3, losing MAC title game 30-29; Bulls are 5-3 vs spread this year in games with single digit spread- they’re 1-3 this season when scoring less than 30 points. Four of last five Buffalo games went over total; three of last four Troy games stayed under.

Hawai’i Bowl
Louisiana Tech is in its fifth straight bowl, winning the last four while scoring 45.3 ppg; Hawai’i is in its second bowl since 2010; Rainbows (+7) beat MTSU 52-35 in this game two years ago. Underdogs are 4-3 vs spread in this bowl last seven years, winning last two SU. Average total in this bowl last three years is 65.3. Louisiana Tech lost three of its last four games after a 6-2 start; Tech is 4-3 SU on road this year, with two losses to SEC teams; they’re 14-4 in lat 18 games as road underdogs, 4-1 this year. Hawai’i is 4-2 at home vs I-A teams this year; Rainbows are 7-0 when they score 30+ points, 1-5 when they don’t. These teams last played in 2011; Hawai’i won last two meetings. Since ’12, Mountain West teams are 13-11 vs spread when playing C-USA teams. Tech’s last five games stayed under the total.


------------------------------------------


Saturday, December 22

Wake Forest @ Memphis

Game 221-222
December 22, 2018 @ 12:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Wake Forest
92.864
Memphis
92.059
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Wake Forest
by 1
71
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Memphis
by 5
74
Dunkel Pick:
Wake Forest
(+5); Under

Houston @ Army

Game 223-224
December 22, 2018 @ 3:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Houston
86.788
Army
88.314
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Army
by 1 1/2
72
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Army
by 3
67
Dunkel Pick:
Houston
(+3); Over

Buffalo @ Troy

Game 225-226
December 22, 2018 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Buffalo
83.022
Troy
83.035
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Troy
Even
61
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Buffalo
by 3
53
Dunkel Pick:
Troy
(+3); Under

Louisiana Tech @ Hawaii

Game 227-228
December 22, 2018 @ 10:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Louisiana Tech
70.549
Hawaii
73.871
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Hawaii
by 3 1/2
64
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Hawaii
by 1
58 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Hawaii
(-1); Over


-----------------------------------------


SATURDAY, DEC. 22

Matchup Skinny Edge

WAKE FOREST vs. MEMPHIS (Birmingham Bowl)...Wake only 3-6 as dog this season but Clawson was 10-2-1 in role entering this season. Deacs 4-1 SU, 4-0-1 vs. line last five bowls including wins past two seasons. Memphis no wins or covers last three years in bowls, only 2-4 vs. points away from home this season.
Wake Forest, based on team trends.

HOUSTON vs. ARMY (Armed Forces Bowl)...Army back in this game for a second straight year. Black Knights have won SU last two bowls (1-1 vs. line), 10-5-2 last 17 on board since mid 2017. Also 6-1-1 last 8 away from Michie Stadium. Cougs 3-8 vs. points last 11 away from home, 0-2 SU and vs. line last two years in bowls.
Army, based on team trends.

BUFFALO vs. TROY (Dollar General Bowl)...Bulls 9-4 vs. line this season, 18-6-2 last 26 on board. Also 6-2-1 last nine on board vs. non-MAC. Troy 8-3-1 vs. number this season, 9-3-1 as dog since 2015. Trojans have won and covered past three bowls, including past two seasons.
Slight to Troy, based on team trends.

LA TECH at HAWAII (Hawaii Bowl)...Hawaii 3-4 vs. spread at home this season, 6-13-1 vs. points at home since Nick Rolovich took over in 2016. Bows 9-20-1 vs. points since late in 2016 season. La Tech closed slowly this season by dropping 3 of last 4 vs. line, but 9-4 against line last 13 away from home, and Skip Holtz 17-6 as dog since 2014. Holtz 4-0 SU, 3-1 vs. line in bowls with Bulldogs.
La Tech, based on team trends.


------------------------------------

[StarDust Bum]

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 22
GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

MEM at WAKE 12:00 PM
WAKE +3.0
U 72.0

HOU at ARMY 03:30 PM
ARMY -6.5
U 59.0

[StarDust Bum]

BUFF at TROY 07:00 PM
BUFF -2.0
O 50.5

HAW at LT 10:30 PM
HAW +1.5
O 60.5

[StarDust Bum]

Army routs Houston in Armed Forces Bowl
December 22, 2018
By The Associated Press

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) Army quarterback Kelvin Hopkins Jr. ran for 170 yards and an Armed Forces Bowl-record five touchdowns and the No. 22 Black Knights overwhelmed Houston 70-14 on Saturday to reach 11 wins for the first time in program history.

The Black Knights (11-2) won their ninth consecutive game since an overtime loss at playoff team Oklahoma exactly three months earlier.

Hopkins had a nifty 77-yard TD run on the last play of the first quarter for a 14-0 lead. The junior quarterback initially ran right before cutting back the other way and alluding one tackler. He sent two other defenders sliding to the ground when he switched directions again back toward the middle of the field.

Houston (8-5) lost for the fourth time in five games since starting 7-1 and getting into the AP Top 25 poll for a week in late October. The Cougars suffered their most-lopsided loss in their 27 bowl games, and their biggest loss overall since a 66-10 loss at UCLA in 1997.

Along with his 11 rushing attempts before coming out of the game midway through the third quarter when it was 49-7, Hopkins completed the first 1,000-yard passing season for Army since 2007. He was 3-of-3 passing for 70 yards, including a 54-yarder that set up one of his three 1-yard TD plunges. He also had a 2-yard TD run.

Army got 507 of its 592 total yards on the ground in its highest-scoring game this season - and the most points in the program's nine bowl appearances. The Black Knights won a bowl for the third consecutive year, including last year's Armed Force Bowl over San Diego State.

BIRMINGHAM BOWL

WAKE FOREST 37, MEMPHIS 34

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) - Jamie Newman scored on a 1-yard run with 34 seconds left to help give Wake Forest a 37-34 victory over Memphis in the Birmingham Bowl on Saturday.

The Demon Deacons (7-6) then had to wait to celebrate until Riley Patterson's 43-yard field goal attempt went wide right as time expired.

Both teams scored touchdowns over the final 1:15. Memphis (8-6) lost a big lead for the second straight game after jumping ahead by 18 points in the first half.

Game MVP Newman ran for three touchdowns and passed for a fourth to lead Wake Forest, throwing for 328 yards and rushing 23 times for 91 more.

He led the Demon Deacons on a 75-yard drive starting at the 1:15 mark, covering most of it with completions of 49 and 20 yards to Alex Bachman.

The second catch was reviewed and the spot was upheld at the 1-yard line after Bachman's right arm hit the pylon. Newman kept the ball for the go-ahead score.

Memphis' Tony Pollard scored on a 97-yard kickoff return to tie the NCAA career mark with seven.

DOLLAR GENERAL BOWL

TROY 42, BUFFALO 32

MOBILE, Ala. (AP) - Sawyer Smith threw for 320 yards and four touchdowns, B.J. Smith and Sidney Davis ran for touchdowns and Troy beat Buffalo in the Dollar General Bowl on Saturday night.

Troy (10-3) secured the hard-fought win on Davis' 20-yard touchdown run with 3:09 remaining, a play after Buffalo's Tyree Jackson fumbled to give the Trojans possession.

The entertaining game that had several big swings in momentum, especially during a strange third quarter that featured Buffalo scoring seven points despite not running an offensive play.

Troy took a 21-17 lead on Smith's 2-yard touchdown run with 9:47 left in the third and then immediately recovered an onside kick. The Trojans were driving for another score before B.J. Smith's fumble bounced into the hands of Buffalo's Tyrone Hill, who ran 93 yards for a touchdown to give the Bulls a 24-21 lead. Troy jumped ahead 35-24 after two quick touchdowns in the fourth quarter and held off Buffalo's final rally.

Jackson threw for 274 yards with a touchdown and an interception for Buffalo (10-4).

HAWAII BOWL

LOUISIANA TECH 31, HAWAII 14

HONOLULU (AP) - J'Mar Smith threw one touchdown pass and ran for another score in a big third quarter to lead Louisiana Tech over Hawaii in the Hawaii Bowl on Saturday night.

The Bulldogs (8-5) rallied from a 7-3 halftime deficit to secure their fifth bowl victory in as many seasons, a program first.

Smith threw for 285 yards on 19-of-31 passing with an interception. He tossed a 58-yard touchdown pass to Jaqwis Dancy and scored on a 4-yard run that was part of a 21-point third quarter.

Louisiana Tech took the lead for good on Israel Tucker's 5-yard TD run with 10:27 left in the third.

Bulldogs defensive end Jaylon Ferguson became the NCAA's career sacks leader when he dropped Hawaii quarterback Chevan Cordeiro for a 2-yard loss late in the third. Ferguson's 45 sacks broke the previous mark set by Arizona State's Terrell Suggs.

Hawaii played without wide receiver John Ursua, who leads the nation with 16 touchdown catches. Ursua was sidelined with an undisclosed injury.

The Bulldogs had a Hawaii Bowl-record nine sacks, four by Willie Baker. Amik Robertson had two of their three interceptions.

The Rainbow Warriors (8-6) were just 2 of 14 on third down and got penalized 12 times for 140 yards.

[StarDust Bum]

2018-2019 College Bowl Record - Opinions and Best Bets !

DATE W-L-T % UNITS

12/22/2018 4-4-0 50.00% -2.00
12/21/2018 2-2-0 50.00% -1.00
12/20/2018 1-1-0 50.00% -0.50
12/19/2018 0-2-0 0.00% -11.00
12/18/2018 0-2-0 0.00% -11.00
12/15/2018 4-6-0 40.00% -13.00

TOTAL............11-17-0.......39.29%.....-38.50


*********************************


DATE........................ATS................... UNITS..................O/U....................UNITS.................TOTAL

12/22/2018.............2 - 2..................-1.00....................2 - 2....................-1.00.................-2.00
12/21/2018.............1 - 1..................-0.50....................1 - 1....................-0.50.................-1.00
12/20/2018.............1 - 0.................+5.00....................0 - 1....................-5.50.................-0.50
12/19/2018.............0 - 1..................-5.50....................0 - 1....................-5.50.................-11.00
12/18/2018.............0 - 1..................-5.50....................0 - 1....................-5.50.................-11.00
12/15/2018.............0 - 4..................-22.00..................3 - 2....................+4.00................-18.00

TOTAL.....................4 - 9.................-29.50...................6 - 8....................-14.00.................-43.50

[StarDust Bum]

Tuesday’s 6-pack

Regular season records of last six Super Bowl champs:
2017: Philadelphia Eagles 13-3
2016: New England Patriots 14-2
2015: Denver Broncos 12-4
2014: New England Patriots 12-4
2013: Seattle Seahawks 13-3
2012: Baltimore Ravens 10-6

Quote of the Day
“I just wanted to be aggressive. I wanted to ensure that we had the opportunity to win the game. First of all, I liked the play … I thought where the game was and the time of which was left in the game, I thought that if we did not stop them, that we would have the opportunity you have the ball back. We did. Obviously, unsuccessful.”
Mike Tomlin’s feeble explanation about his unsuccessful fake punt Sunday night

Tuesday’s quiz
Which state is known as the Palmetto State?

Monday’s quiz
Before Army’s football team scored 70 points in their bowl game this weekend, West Virginia was the only college football team to score 70+ points in a bowl- they beat Clemson 70-33 in the 2012 Orange Bowl.

Sunday’s quiz
Brian Billick coached the Baltimore Ravens when they won their first Super Bowl title.

**********************

Tuesday’s List of 13: Merry Christmas, everyone!!!!

13) Maybe the biggest downside of fantasy football being so popular is when guys don’t do so well at this time of year, they sometimes take a decent amount of grief from people who have them on their fantasy teams.

I have a fantasy baseball team and must admit that I take it pretty seriously, but I know enough to take it in stride when things don’t go my way. Fantasy football can be pretty random, as far as who gets targeted in the red zone, etc, take defeats in stride, please?!?!?!

12) Former NFL player/GM Matt Millen had a heart transplant over the weekend; the surgery was said to go well. Pretty amazing stuff medical people can do. Hope Mr Millen is back feeling well soon.

11) Tennessee Titans signed QB Austin Davis as insurance, with Marcus Mariota banged up and Matt Cassel his backup. Titans play Indianapolis for a playoff spot Sunday night.

10) Milwaukee Bucks are playing on Christmas Day for first time since 1977.

College basketball stats for Christmas morning…….
9) Teams that force the most turnovers:
Auburn, Virginia Tech, Manhattan, NC State

8) Teams with the best defensive eFG%:
Texas Tech, VCU, Old Dominion, Houston

7) Teams with the best offensive eFG%:
Gonzaga, Creighton, Virginia Tech, Northern Illinois

6) Teams with best 3-point %age:
Indiana State, South Dakota State, Virginia Tech, Creighton

5) Teams with best FT %age:
Hofstra, Toledo, LaSalle, Davidson

4) Most experienced teams in country:
Nevada, Jacksonville State, San Diego, The Citadel

3) Teams who have played hardest schedule so far:
Middle Tennessee State, Cal State-Fullerton, Kansas, Creighton

2) Teams whose subs play the most minutes:
Manhattan, Denver, NC State, New Mexico

1) I still can’t believe the Steelers faked a punt Sunday night in their own territory with a 28-24 lead and 4:10 left. Just a totally unnecessary risk.

Someone on Twitter said “You can’t judge the call by the result” The hell you can’t; pro sports are a result-based industry. You win, you’re a hero, you lose, you get fired.

[StarDust Bum]

Wednesday, December 26

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

BOSTON COLLEGE (7 - 5) vs. BOISE ST (10 - 3) - 12/26/2018, 1:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BOISE ST is 147-107 ATS (+29.3 Units) in all games since 1992.
BOISE ST is 147-107 ATS (+29.3 Units) in all lined games since 1992.
BOISE ST is 92-63 ATS (+22.7 Units) after playing a conference game since 1992.
BOISE ST is 37-21 ATS (+13.9 Units) in games played on a grass field since 1992.
BOSTON COLLEGE is 82-58 ATS (+18.2 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record since 1992.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

MINNESOTA (6 - 6) vs. GEORGIA TECH (7 - 5) - 12/26/2018, 5:15 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

TCU (6 - 6) vs. CALIFORNIA (7 - 5) - 12/26/2018, 9:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
TCU is 12-26 ATS (-16.6 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
TCU is 12-25 ATS (-15.5 Units) in all lined games over the last 3 seasons.
TCU is 0-6 ATS (-6.6 Units) after a bye week over the last 3 seasons.
TCU is 3-11 ATS (-9.1 Units) in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
CALIFORNIA is 21-44 ATS (-27.4 Units) when the line is +3 to -3 since 1992.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Wednesday, December 26

Boston College Eagles
Boston College is 15-6-1 ATS in its last 22 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Boston College's last 5 games

Boise State Broncos
Boise State is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Boise State's last 5 game

Minnesota Golden Gophers
Minnesota is 3-6 SU in its last 9 games

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Georgia Tech is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Georgia Tech's last 5 games

TCU Horned Frogs
Texas Christian is 2-7 ATS in its last 9 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Texas Christian's last 6 games

California Golden Bears
California is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games
California is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of California's last 8 games


----------------------------------------

Dec 26

First Responder Bowl, Dallas
Favorites covered this bowl four of last five years, with average total of 59.8. Boise State won seven of last eight games overall, losing MW title game on its home field to Fresno. Broncos are 3-2 vs spread this season in games with a single-digit spread; they’re 15-8 vs spread in last 23 games as a favorite away from home. Boston College lost its last three games after a 7-2 start; Eagles are 11-2-1 vs spread in their last 14 games as an underdog away from home. Boise won seven of its last nine bowl games, covering three of last four as bowl favorites. BC lost six of its last seven bowls; they’re 6-4 vs spread in last ten games as bowl underdogs. Last five years, ACC teams are 6-2 vs spread when playing Mountain West teams. Last five Boise games, four of last five BC games stayed under the total.

Quick Lane Bowl, Detroit
Georgia Tech coach Johnson is stepping down after game; none of his assistants were retained by new coach. Underdogs won this bowl four of last six years, with average total of 53.8 in last five. Minnesota had to win at Wisconsin to get to 6-6 and be bowl eligible; they won this game three years ago. Gophers are 5-0 when they allow 15 or fewer points. 1-6 if they allow more- they’re 2-5 in games with single digit spread, and allowed 300+ rushing yards in three of its last nine games. Georgia Tech won four of last five games, after a 3-4 start; Jackets are 4-4 in games with single digit spread. Gophers won last two bowls, 21-14/17-12; they didn’t bowl LY. Tech won three of its last four bowls. Since 2014, Big 14 teams are 18-14-1 vs spread when playing an ACC opponent. Game is indoors, so no weather worries. Over is 7-2 in last nine Tech games, 0-3 in Minnesota’s last three games.

Cheez-It Bowl, Phoenix
Underdogs covered this bowl four of last six years, with average total of 55 in last five. This is only 2nd bowl in last seven years for Cal; they beat Air Force 55-36 in bowl three years ago. California was held to 15 or fewer points, under 300 TY in four of last five games; they’re 5-4 this year in games with single-digit spread. Golden Bears were +11 in turnovers in their seven wins, -13 in their five losses. TCU won three of last four games after a 3-5 start; they scored 17 or fewer points in six of 12 games- they’re 2-3 this year in games with single digit spread. Horned Frogs are 9-3 in bowls the last 13 years, with average total of 72.7 in last three. Seven of last eight Cal games stayed under total; four of last six TCU games went over. Since 2011, Big X teams are 16-11-1 vs spread when playing Pac-12 opponents.


---------------------------------------




Wednesday, December 26

Boston College @ Boise State

Game 229-230
December 26, 2018 @ 1:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Boston College
94.288
Boise State
90.858
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Boston College
by 3 1/2
58
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Boise State
by 3 1/2
55
Dunkel Pick:
Boston College
(+3 1/2); Over

Minnesota @ Georgia Tech

Game 231-232
December 26, 2018 @ 5:15 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Minnesota
90.423
Georgia Tech
91.832
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Georgia Tech
by 1 1/2
62
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Georgia Tech
by 4
60 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Minnesota
(+4); Over

TCU @ California

Game 233-234
December 26, 2018 @ 9:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
TCU
93.810
California
88.743
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
TCU
by 5
45
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
TCU
Pick
40 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
TCU
Over

----------------------------------


Bowl Tech Trends - Week 3
December 11, 2018
By Bruce Marshall

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 26

Matchup Skinny Edge

BOSTON COLLEGE vs. BOISE STATE (First Responder Dallas Bowl)...BC on 16-6 uptick vs. spread. Addazio 8-3 as dog since last season, Eagles 11-2-1 last 14 as dog away from Chestnut Hill. Boise 3-1 last four bowls but 3-3 last six. Broncos 13-6-1 last 19 vs. points away from home.
Slight to Boston College, based on team trends.

MINNESOTA vs. GEORGIA TECH (Quick Lane Bowl)...Gophers 2-6-1 vs. spread away from home (2-5-1 last eight as road dog) under P.J. Fleck. Paul Johnson 3-1 SU and vs. line in last four bowls.
Slight to Georgia Tech, based on team trends.

TCU vs. CALIFORNIA (Cheez-it Phoenix Bowl)...TCU endured a 7-game spread losing streak this season before recovering to win and cover last two. Frogs 2-7 vs. points last nine bowls. Cal was on a 5-game spread win streak before losing finale vs. Stanford, and is 6-1 vs. points last 7 away from Berkeley. Bears “under” 11-3 last 14 dating to late 2017.
Cal and “under,” based on team and “totals” trends.

[StarDust Bum]

Wednesday's Bowl Tips
Joe Williams

**Boston College vs. Boise State**

First Responder Bowl

-- The Boston College Eagles (7-5 straight up, 7-5 against the spread) of the Atlantic Coast Conference will battle the Boise State Broncos (10-3 straight up, 7-5-1 against the spread) from the Mountain West Conference in the First Responder Bowl, formerly the Heart of Dallas Bowl.

-- The Eagles haven't had a lot of success in bowl games lately. They won the 2016 Quick Lane Bowl over Maryland by a 36-30 count, but that was their only victory in the past seven postseason games dating back to 2008. This will be their first appearnce in the First Responder Bowl, and their first postseason appearance in the state of Texas since they won the 1985 Cotton Bowl over Houston by a 45-28 score.

-- The Broncos have had a much better measure of success in bowl games recently, posting victories in seven of their past nine appearances, including last season over Oregon in the Las Vegas Bowl, 38-28. Under head coach Bryan Harsin they're 3-1 in four bowl games in each of the past four seasons. This will be Boise State's first appearance in the First Responder Bowl, and their first bowl game in the Lone Star State since dropping TCU 34-31 in the Fort Worth Bowl back on Dec. 23, 2003.

-- B.C. had an exciting season and they outperformed expectations like they usually do. The fired out of the box with three wins against UMass, Holy Cross and at Wake Forest to start 3-0 SU/ATS with an 'over' in each outing. They were humbled at Purdue Sept. 22 by a 30-13 count, but they beat fellow bowl team Temple 45-35 on Sept. 29. A narrow loss and cover at N.C. State was a tough pill to swallow, but they rattled off three straight ACC wins against Louisville, Miami and at Virginia Tech to easily attain bowl eligibility. The Eagles finished on a three-game slide and non-cover streak with losses to Clemson, Florida State and Syracuse, all bowl teams.

-- The Eagles were rather marginal in all aspects, ranking 66th in the country in total yards (404.4 yards per game), 80th in passing yards (215.2 YPG) and 51st in rushing yards (189.2 YPG). Defensively they were just 71st overall in total yards allowed (403.2 YPG), and 96th against the pass (247.8 YPG). They were slightly better in rushing defense (155.3 YPG) and points allowed (25.7 PPG), ranking 53rd overall in both areas.

-- Boise opened with an emphatic 56-20 win at Troy on Sept. 1, and they squashed UConn 62-7 as 34-point favorites in Game 2. However, they were overmatched by Power 5 Conference member Oklahoma State, and they were tripped up at home on the Smurf Turf against San Diego State to sit 3-2 SU/ATS through five games. That's when their run started, posting seven straight wins to qualify for the MWC title game. They were tripped up by Fresno State in overtime by a 19-16 score in a snowstorm. The 'under' ended up 5-0 in their final five ames, and 7-2 in the final nine.

-- The Broncos ranked 23rd in total yards (459.5 YPG), while ranking 18th in the nation with 292.0 passing yards per outing. They also checked in 24th in the land with 35.4 points per game. Defensively, Boise State was 38th overall with 355.9 YPG allowed, and they were tough against the run at 23rd in the nation with 122.9 YPG. They also yielded just 22.1 PPG, 31st overall.

-- Top RB A.J. Dillon (ankle) is listed as questionable due to an ankle injury he has been hampered with in the second half of the season. He piled up a team-best 1,108 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground.

-- B.C. is 9-3-1 ATS in the past 13 against winning teams, 3-1-1 ATS in the past five neutral-site games and 15-6-1 ATS in the past 22 overall. They're just 2-7 ATS in the past nine bowl games, however, and 1-9 ATS in their past 10 appearances in the month of December.

-- Boise is 7-3 ATS across their past 10 bowl appearances, while going 9-4 ATS in the past 13 neutral-site battles. However, they're just 3-7 ATS in the past 10 games played in December.

-- The over has hit in each of B.C.'s past four bowl appearances while going 5-1 in their past six non-conference tilts. The under is 4-1 in their past five games overall, however.

-- The under has cashed in five straight for Boise State, and is also 5-0 in their past five against winning teams. However, the over is 5-2 in their past seven bowl contests.

-- These teams last met Dec. 28, 2005 in the MPC Computers Bowl in Boise, with Boston College coming away with a 27-21 win.

-- Kickoff is slated for 1:30 p.m. Eastern on ESPN.


**Minnesota vs. Georgia Tech**

Quick Lane Bowl

-- In the Quick Lane Bowl at Ford Field in Detroit we get the Minnesota Golden Gophers (6-6 straight up, 7-5 against the spread) from the Big Ten Conference squaring off against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (7-5 straight up, 5-7 against the spread) from the ACC.

-- Minnesota appeared in this game in 2015, winning 21-14 while covering (-6) against Central Michigan. Georgia Tech is making its first appearance in the game.

-- After an ugly seven-game bowl losing streak, that Quick Lane appearance in 2015 kicked off a two-game bowl win streak which also incluced a 17-12 win over Washington State in the 2016 Holiday Bowl.

-- The Yellow Jackets also had their own streak of misery in bowl games, dropping seven in a row from 2005-11. However, they're 3-1 in their past four postseason games, including a 33-18 slaying of Kentucky in the 2016 TaxSlayer Bowl. Neither of these teams appeared in a bowl game last season.

-- The Gophers started out 3-0 SU/ATS, including an impressive 21-14 win over Group of 5 contender Fresno State back on Sept. 8. They dropped four in a row from Sept. 22-Oct. 20, including lopsided losses to Maryland, Iowa, Ohio State and Nebraska, and things appeared to be going off the rails. They recorded a 38-31 win over Indiana to cover as 2 1/2-point 'dogs, but a 55-31 loss at Illinois put their bowl eligibility in doubt. However, they humbled Purdue 41-10 and beat the pants off of Wisconsin 37-15 in Madison to punch their ticket to the postseason in emphatic fashion.

-- The Yellow Jackets didn't get their first win against an FBS foe until Sept. 29, stomping Bowling Green 63-17. They pled up the points at Louisville the following week, winning 66-31 against a bad Cardinals side. Perhaps their most impressive win came Oct. 25, going to Blacksburg to push aside Virginia Tech 49-28. They gained bowl eligibility Nov. 10 with a 27-21 win over Miami, and topped Virginia 30-27 in overtime on Nov. 17 for good measure. They weren't up to the task against rival Georgia in Athens to close out the season, losing 45-21.

-- The Ramblin' Wreck ranked No. 1 in the country with 335.0 yards per game, and they were 21st in points scored with 35.6 PPG. They don't really pass the ball, as Paul Johnson's club uses the triple-option. Defensively they were adequate, ranking 45th in the country (367.8 YPG), while ranking 55th in passing yards allowed (217.9 YPG) and 50th in rush defense (149.8 YPG).

-- Ga. Tech QB TaQuon Marshall passed for just 824 yards while completing only 44.0 percent of his passes. That's not his thing. Running is his thing, and he led the team with 897 yards on the ground while piercing the end zone 11 times. TB Tobias Oliver had a team-high 12 rushing touchdowns with 807 yards on the ground (5.6 YPC). RBs Jordan Mason also had seven rushing scores and 6.2 yards per tote, and eight different Jackets had at least two rushing scores (45 total).

-- Minny had difficulty on offense, ranking 68th in the country in points scored (28.5 PPG). They also were just 89th in total yards (379.0 YPG). They'll have their hands full against the run, and they ranked just 74th in the nation in that category with 170.7 YPG. They also gave up 27.9 PPG to check in 75th in the nation.

-- For the Gophers, WR Tyler Johnson is the most dangerous player on offense, gathering 74 receptions for 1,112 yards and 10 touchdowns (15.0 average).

-- The Golden Gophers are 5-0 ATS over the past five non-conference games, but they're just 2-5-1 ATS in the past eight games following a straight-up victory. They're also 0-4 ATS in the past four following a cover.

-- The Jackets have an impressive 4-0-1 ATS mark over the past five neutral-site battles, but they're just 1-4 ATS in the past five outside the ACC. They are 5-1 ATS in the past six games played in the month of December, however.

-- The under has connected in six of the past eight non-Big 10 games for Minnesota, while going 4-0 in their past four against teams with a winning record.

-- For Ga. Tech, the over is 6-2-1 across their past nine games overall, but the under has hit in six of the past eight bowl appearances.

-- This is the first-ever meeting between Minnesota and Georgia Tech.

-- Kickoff is slated for 5:15 p.m. Eastern on ESPN.


**Texas Christian vs. California**

Cheez-It Bowl

-- In the Cheez-It Bowl (the bowl formerly known as the Cactus Bowl), takes place at Chase Field in Phoenix, Ariz. The game features the Texas Christian Horned Frogs (6-6 straight up, 4-8 against the spread) of the Big 12 Conference facing off against the California Golden Bears (7-5 straight up, 7-5 against the spread) of the Pac-12 Conference.

-- The Horned Frogs have appeared in bowl games in six consecutive seasons, and they have won nine of their past 12 postseason tilts. However, they were edged 17-16 in the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl by Michigan State on Dec. 29, 2012 in their most recent bowl appearance in the state of Arizona. Since 2000, Gary Patterson has led his team to 17 bowls, going 10-6 heading into this one. They're also 3-0 all-time in bowl games against current Pac-12 members.

-- The Golden Bears won their most recent bowl appearance on Dec. 29, 2015 aginst Air Force in the Armed Forces Bowl, 55-36. Cal is also 5-2 SU in the past seven bowl games, and 9-4 SU in the past 13. They won the Insight Bowl on Dec. 26, 2003 in this stadium, topping Virginia Tech 52-49 in a thriller. They also won the Copper Bowl on Dec. 31, 1990 in Tucson against Wyoming in their only other appearance in a bowl game in Arizona.

-- TCU opened 2-0, including a 42-12 drumming of SMU on the road. They lost a 40-28 game in Arlington, Tex. against Ohio State, and followed that up with a 31-16 loss at Texas to fall to 2-2 SU/ATS. The Horned Frogs picked up a 17-14 win on Sept. 29 against a good Iowa State side, but lost three in a row to Texas Tech, Oklahoma and Kansas to put their bowl eligibility in danger. The loss to the Jayhawks was the real head-scratcher. However, they won three of their final four, including a 31-24 decision against Oklahoma State on Nov. 24 to secure their postseason ticket.

-- TCU was 93rd in total yards (374.6 YPG), while ranking 95th in rushing offense (148.5 YPG) and 98th in points scored (24.7 PPG). On defense, they're 28th in yardage allowed (344.4 YPG), while ranking 40th against the pass (202.6 YPG), 42nd against the rush (141.8 YPG) and 45th in points allowed (24.4 PPG).

-- Cal fired out of the gate with a 3-0 SU/1-1-1 ATS mark, including a nice 21-18 victory at BYU. They fell in three in a row from Sept. 29-Oct. 13, including a bad loss to previously winless UCLA. However, they impressed with a 12-10 win against Washington on Oct. 27, lost a narrow (but covered!) game at Washington State on Nov. 3, and won at USC on Nov. 10 for the first time at L.A. Coliseum since 2000, and first time in the series since 2003 when QB Aaron Rodgers was under center in Berkeley. They lost a rescheduled game at home Dec. 1 against Stanford after entering 'The Big Game' on a 4-1 SU/5-0 ATS run.

-- The Golden Bears offense was rather atrocious in 2018, as they ranked just 111th in the country in total yards (350.2 YPG). If they do anything well, it's run the ball, ranking 75th with 162.5 YPG, but they managed just 22.8 YPG to finish 108th overall. Defensively the Golden Bears are strong, allowing just 319.4 YPG to finish 16th in the nation, they're 23rd overall with 21.2 PPG allowed and 23rd against the pass, too.

-- TCU has quarterback issues, as QBs Shawn Robinson (shoulder) and QB Justin Rogers (knee) were lost for the season, and QB Michael Collins (foot) is listed as doubtful. The signal-caller duties will fall on QB Grayson Muehlstein, who threw for 328 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions this season, including 180 yards and two TDs in the final against OK State.

-- Cal enters 5-1 ATS over the past six games, and they're 5-2-1 ATS in the past eight non-conference battles. However, they're 1-5 ATS in the past six neutral-site games and 1-5 ATS in the past six in the month of December.

-- TCU is just 2-7 ATS in their past nine overall and 3-10 ATS in the past 13 neutral-site games, including earlier this season against Ohio State. They're 2-8 ATS in the past 10 against teams with a winning record and 2-7 ATS in their past nine bowl games.

-- The under has cashed in seven of the past eight for California, while going 5-0 in their past five games on a grass surface. The over is 9-2 in their past 11 neutral-site games and 7-2 in the past nine bowl games.

-- The over is 4-1 in TCU's past five neutral-site games and 4-1 in their past five outside of the conference. The under is 8-3-1 in their past 12 bowl games, however, and 7-3 in the past nine played in December.

-- This is the first-ever meeting between Cal and TCU on the gridiron.

-- Kickoff is slated for 9:00 p.m. Eastern on ESPN.

[StarDust Bum]

*Clemson DT Lawrence faces ban*
Associated Press

*ARLINGTON, Texas (AP)* Clemson coach Dabo Swinney says star defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence and two other players failed NCAA tests for performance enhancing drugs and might not play in the Cotton Bowl against No. 3 Notre Dame.

Swinney said at a news conference Monday at AT&T Stadium that the NCAA informed Clemson trace amounts of ostarine were found in samples given by Lawrence, reserve offensive tackle Zach Giella and freshman tight end Braden Galloway. Ostarine, also known as enobosarm, is used to treat osteoporosis, but can also act like an anabolic steroid.

Swinney said the players told him they had not intentionally taken the substance. Clemson is awaiting results of a second sample from each player. The NCAA ban for failing a PED test is one calendar year.

***************

*Saban: 3 Alabama players suspended*
Associated Press

*MIAMI (AP)* Alabama has suspended starting left guard Deonte Brown and two other players from the Orange Bowl for violating unspecified team rules.

Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban said in a statement that Brown, tight end Kedrick James and offensive lineman Elliot Baker didn't make the trip to Miami on Monday.

Top-ranked Alabama faces Oklahoma Saturday night in the College Football Playoff semifinal game.

Saban didn't indicate the duration of the suspensions or whether they might extend to the national championship game if Alabama wins.

Brown replaced Lester Cotton as the starter in midseason. Brown has been dealing with a turf toe injury.

[StarDust Bum]

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 26
GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

BC at BSU 01:30 PM
BSU -2.5
U 55.5

MINN at GT 05:15 PM
GT -5.5
O 57.0

CAL at TCU 09:00 PM
CAL -1.0
U 38.5

[StarDust Bum]

Armadillo: Wednesday's six-pack

Last six years, an NFL team that started 0-2 made the playoffs:

2018- Seahawks 0-2, Texans 0-3

2017- Saints 0-2

2016- Dolphins 0-2

2015- Texans 0-2, Seahawks 0-2

2014- Colts 0-2

2013- Panthers 0-2


**********

Armadillo: Wednesday's List of 13: Mid-week musings…….

13) Spent a while in Harrah’s sportsbook Monday night; they’ve improved it some. While I’m there, ESPN is playing Scott Van Pelt’s “Bad Beats” segment on weird losses in gambling- the 10 or 12 people in the book loved the segment. Was fun to watch it there.

12) Walking on the Strip for a half hour or so on Christmas Eve was fun; cars totally covered in Christmas lights on the strip, people throwing candy out of the back of a pickup truck to kids on the sidewalk. Lot of people walking, most of whom did not speak English, almost all of whom were taking pictures with their phones. Interesting experience.

11) Case Keenum’s NFL career:
— 2012-14 Texans— Went 2-8 in ten starts, all in 2o13-14. Went to the Rams during 2014 season, traded for a 7th round draft pick.
— 2014-16 Rams— 7-7 in 16 games (14 starts): those weren’t good Ram clubs and Jeff Fisher was the coach— he didn’t hire the best offensive assistants. 7-7 in those games wasn’t too shabby.
— 2017— Vikings— 11-3 in 14 starts, then split two playoff games, including the GW pass to Diggs that might be the greatest moment in Vikings’ history.
— 2018— Broncos— 6-9 this year, and the ship is sinking. Looks like coach Joseph will be told to take a hike. Will Keenum follow him out of town? He could be playing for his 4th team in four years next season.

10) ESPN’s Monday night analysts, Jason Witten/Booger McFarland, have been more critical the last couple weeks- they were KILLING the Broncos Monday night, and were circling players for lack of effort late in that game.

I’m not criticizing them for doing this; think it would be nice if more analysts simply told the truth, but it is unusual to hear.

9) Notre Dame QB Brandon Wimbush is transferring; he started 12 games LY, four games this year— his W-L record as a college starter is 12-3. He has one year of eligibility left.

How come every former starter/backup QB in the country transfers, but not Jalen Hurts??? LOL

Some notes on NBA back-to-backs……
8) Road underdogs who are playing 2nd consecutive night on road: 22-23-1 vs spread.

Road favorites playing who are 2nd consecutive night on road: 7-7 vs spread.

7) Home favorites who played on road night before: 10-12-1 vs spread.

Home underdogs who played at home night before: 5-5 vs spread.

6) Road underdogs who played at home night before: 10-15-1 vs spread.

5) Over/under of road teams who played night before: over 46-34.

Elsewhere…….
4) Arizona Cardinals signed DJ Swearinger after the Redskins cut him because he wouldn’t stop criticizing Washington’s coaches/team.

Swearinger has played for four teams in his six-year NFL career; this is his second tour of duty with Arizona. If he wants to keep playing in the NFL, maybe he should try shutting his mouth for a while, whether he is right or wrong about what he says.

3) Understood that the NBA doesn’t give a rat’s ass what a 59-year old Caucasian thinks, but the uniforms Knicks-Bucks wore Christmas Day were ugly, really ugly.

2) Liev Schrieber’s character Ray Donovan almost got thru a whole hour of his Showtime series this week without getting beat up. Almost.

Ray Donovan is a really well-done show; they have Susan Sarandon/Jon Voight as supporting actors, and added Alan Alda this week a a psychiatrist. Quite a cast, but Ray has taken a severe physical beating this year. It isn’t always the most uplifting, optimistic show.

1) Here at the Vdara Hotel, a terrific place to stay, it turns out that if you decline maid service 2-3 days in a row, they send someone to your room, to make sure you’re not dead. Seriously.

Lady knocked on my door Tuesday morning, called it “a wellness check”; I’m just fine, ma’am, you have a nice Christmas, too.

[StarDust Bum]

Minnesota routs Georgia Tech 24-10 in Quick Lane Bowl
December 26, 2018
By The Associated Press

DETROIT (AP) Mohamed Ibrahim ran for career-high 224 yards and two touchdowns, leading Minnesota to a 34-10 victory over Georgia Tech on Wednesday night in the Quick Lane Bowl.

The Golden Gophers (7-6) won three of their last four games, and Ibrahim had a lot to do with that. The redshirt freshman running back had 121 yards rushing in a win at Wisconsin that made Minnesota bowl eligible and ran for 155 yards last month in a victory over Purdue.

The Yellow Jackets (7-6) did not have the speed or strength to slow down Ibrahim and their triple-option offense was stunted in coach Paul Johnson's finale. The Gophers limited Georgia Tech to 206 yards on the ground after it led the nation with 335 yards rushing per game.

Minnesota led 13-0 early in the second quarter after Tanner Morgan threw an 18-yard touchdown pass to Tyler Johnson in the first quarter and Emmit Carpenter made two field goals. Ibrahim's 3-yard touchdown run midway through the third quarter made it 20-3.

The Yellow Jackets responded with Nathan Cottrell's 20-yard touchdown run, but their defense allowed Ibrahim to score again on the ensuing drive. Morgan connected with Johnson on a 30-yard touchdown strike with 6:19 left, giving the Gophers a 24-point cushion.

CHEEZ-IT BOWL

TCU 10, CALIFORNIA 7, OT.

PHOENIX (AP) - Jonathan Song kicked a 27-yard field goal in overtime after being replaced for a potential winning kick at the end of regulation, lifting TCU to a wild victory over California in the Cheez-It Bowl.

TCU (7-6) had a chance to win it in regulation, sending out Song for a 44-yard field goal. After Cal (7-6) called a timeout, the Horned Frogs switched kickers and Cole Bunce hooked the kick wide left.

TCU's Juwuan Johnson intercepted Chase Forrest's pass to open overtime and nearly returned it for a touchdown. The Horned Frogs were called for sideline interference on the play and had to start their overtime possession at the 40.

TCU worked its way down the field and Song was sent out for the winner. Cal called another timeout, but this time Song stayed out and sent the kick straight through the uprights to end a crazy night in the desert.

The Bears and Horned Frogs combined for nine interceptions - most in the bowl's 30-year history by two - including three in five plays of the second quarter. Cal's Jaylinn Hawkins broke a Cheez-It Bowl record with three interceptions.

Sewo Olonilua ran for 194 yards and a touchdown for the Horned Frogs, who overcome an ugly night by quarterback Grayson Muehlstein. The fifth-year senior threw four interceptions and had 27 yards on 7-of-20 passing. Cal's Chase Garbers threw three first-half interceptions before being replaced by Forrest, who had a pass intercepted by TCU's Vernon Scott in the fourth quarter.

SERVPRO FIRST RESPONDER BOWL

NO. 23 BOISE STATE VS. BOSTON COLLEGE, CCD., WEATHER

DALLAS (AP) - No. 23 Boise State's first appearance at historic Cotton Bowl Stadium turned into what is believed to be the first bowl game called off because of weather.

The SERVPRO First Responder Bowl between the Broncos (10-3) and Boston College (7-5) was canceled because of the threat of severe weather after a delay of nearly 1 1/2 hours Wednesday.

The game was stopped with BC leading 7-0 with 5:08 remaining in the first quarter. The delay came not long after AJ Dillon's 18-yard touchdown run.

NCAA spokesman J.D. Hamilton said via email that it was believed to be the first bowl canceled by weather. Hawaii's planned second postseason game of 1941, against San Jose State, was canceled because of the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Before the announcement, fans had begun returning to their seats after severe storms rolled through the area near downtown Dallas. Lightning strikes near the stadium continued intermittently for three hours after the initial delay, and more storms were expected.


****************************


2018-2019 College Bowl Record - Opinions and Best Bets !

DATE W-L-T % UNITS

12/26/2018 1-3-0 25.00% -11.50
12/22/2018 4-4-0 50.00% -2.00
12/21/2018 2-2-0 50.00% -1.00
12/20/2018 1-1-0 50.00% -0.50
12/19/2018 0-2-0 0.00% -11.00
12/18/2018 0-2-0 0.00% -11.00
12/15/2018 4-6-0 40.00% -13.00

TOTAL............12-20-0.......37.50%.....-50.00


*********************************


DATE........................ATS................... UNITS..................O/U....................UNITS.................TOTAL

12/26/2018.............0 - 2..................-11.00..................1 - 2....................-6.00.................-17.00
12/22/2018.............2 - 2..................-1.00....................2 - 2....................-1.00.................-2.00
12/21/2018.............1 - 1..................-0.50....................1 - 1....................-0.50.................-1.00
12/20/2018.............1 - 0.................+5.00....................0 - 1....................-5.50.................-0.50
12/19/2018.............0 - 1..................-5.50....................0 - 1....................-5.50.................-11.00
12/18/2018.............0 - 1..................-5.50....................0 - 1....................-5.50.................-11.00
12/15/2018.............0 - 4..................-22.00..................3 - 2....................+4.00................-18.00

TOTAL.....................4 - 11.................-40.50.................7 - 10..................-20.00.................-60.50