Every Thing You Need To Know About 2018-2019 Bowl Season !

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New Orleans Bowl
December 11, 2018
By Bookmaker

by Kyle Markus

New Orleans Bowl: Appalachian State Mountaineers vs. Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders

The Appalachian State Mountaineers have been one of the best small-college teams in NCAA football the last few years. They have been so good that Louisville just came in and grabbed their coach. Appalachian State has lost Scott Satterfield to the bigger conference team. It will be interesting to see how the Mountaineers handle the departure when they take on the Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders in the New Orleans Bowl.

Appalachian State is the better team and will be the favorite even though the coaching situation is a bit in flux. Defensive line coach Mark Ivey is the interim coach in this game and will aim to have his team ready to go in NCAA football wagering.

This NCAA football game between the Appalachian State Mountaineers and Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders will be held at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in New Orleans, Louisiana at 9 p.m ET on December 15th, 2018. The game will be nationally televised on ESPN.

We'll have NCAA football odds at BookMaker.eu available for every game of the 2018 NFL season.

Odds Analysis

Appalachian State is listed as the 6.5-point favorite in this matchup. The Mountaineers, who finished the regular season with a 10-2 mark, are the -245 favorite on the moneyline. Middle Tennessee State is 8-5 on the year and will be the +203 underdog. The scoring total is listed at 50.5 points as the oddsmakers have a feeling this one will be a defensive battle.

Player To Watch

Brent Stockstill -- Middle Tennessee State is a solid underdog, and its best chance of pulling off the upset seems to be riding the right arm of its senior quarterback. Stockstill has put together a nice season, throwing for 3,214 yards with 28 touchdowns and only eight interceptions.

He threw for 362 yards with a pair of touchdowns last time out against UAB but also had a pair of picks in a loss. He will aim to bounce back in this one with as much yardage but no turnovers. Appalachian State is only allowing 148.1 passing yards per game so the degree of difficulty is a high one for Stockstill in this showdown.

Key Stat

5. That’s the number of wins in a row the Mountaineers have pulled off heading into this one. They began the run with a win over Coastal Carolina, and they followed it up with victories over Texas State, Georgia State, Troy and Louisiana.

Even Appalachian State’s first loss of the season was extremely impressive. The Mountaineers took the Penn State Nittany Lions to the brink before falling in overtime. Appalachian State may be in a small conference but it has long been a dominant team and has continued that this year.

Free NCAA Football ATS Picks

While the coaching change isn’t ideal, this Mountaineers team is very talented and is the clear favorite. The oddsmakers may have shaved off too many points, as a 6.5-point spread is a very intriguing because a touchdown margin would result in the cover.

Appalachian State is going to win by even more than that. Middle Tennessee State does not have the overall talent to keep this game close. It will have trouble scoring in this matchup, and the “under” should be the choice in NCAA football odds.

NFL ATS Pick: Appalachian State Mountaineers 27, Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders 17

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Bowls to Watch - Saturday
December 11, 2018
By YouWager.eu

College Football Saturday Bowl Notebook

By the time Saturday rolls around, we will basically have gone two weeks without any significant college football action. That inactivity will come to an end in a big way, though, as bowl season is now upon us, with five games on the calendar for this coming Saturday, December 15.

There may be some teams here that you are not particularly familiar with, which is why we are going to go through all the games and deliver what we believe to be the best bet for each thanks to YouWager.eu.

AutoNation Cure Bowl – Tulane Green Wave (-3½ -105) vs. ULL Ragin’ Cajuns (+3½ -115)

As far as wins go, ULL went one better than Tulane this season, winning 7 games compared to the 6 posted by the Ragin’ Cajuns. Unlike other Bowl Games, we do have some previous head to head match-ups to look at here. These teams have met 7 times, with Tulane winning 5 of those games, although they are just 1-4 ATS in the last 5 meetings. Tulane are in as a 3 ½ point favorite here, but it is the point total I like here. Combined, these two have seen 9 of their last 12 games go UNDER, so let’s take the UNDER 59 in this one.

New Mexico Bowl – North Texas Mean Green (+8 -110) vs. Utah State Aggies (-8 -110)

The Utah State Aggies finished the season with an impressive 10 wins on the year, but their loss to the Boise State Broncos in the final week of the regular season must still sting. They come into this game as an 8-point favorite over the North Texas Mean Green, who ended the season with a 9-3 mark. If you were looking to play a team ATS on a regular basis, Utah State would have been an excellent choice, going 9-3 ATS this season. I like the Aggies to win and cover in the New Mexico Bowl.

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Las Vegas Bowl – Fresno State Bulldogs (+4 -110) vs. Arizona State Sun Devils (-4 -110)

A win here for the Fresno State Bulldogs would simply be the icing on the cake, as they are also the winners of the Mountain West Conference after taking down the Boise State Broncos. They are a 4-point favorite for this one, but they will have their hands full against a Sun Devils team that went a respectable 7-5 in their first season under new head coach Herm Edwards. It is the OVER 53 ½ that I am looking at for this one.

Camellia Bowl – Georgia Southern Eagles (-1 -110) vs. Eastern Michigan Eagles (+1 -110)

If you want to talk about a game that might be too close to call, look no further than the Camellia Bowl. Both teams bring a very different attack approach, with Georgia Southern using the triple option, while Eastern Michigan tend to mix things up. Playing the spread here, which is sitting in the favor of Georgia Southern by a single point, is a risky move, which is why I am looking at the point total. The 47 ½ points looks low to me, so let’s take the OVER.

New Orleans Bowl – Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders (+7 -115) vs. Appalachian State Mountaineers (-7 -105)

They may not get a lot of play on national TV, but most college football fans are aware of the Appalachian State Mountaineers, usually because they tend to make a habit of scaring teams from the Power 5 whenever they hook up. The Sun Belt champions come in as a 7-point favorite over Middle Tennessee, but I am skipping the spread and looking at the point total. This Mountaineers team was solid on offense all year, scoring just shy of 37 PPG, which should help get the total OVER 50 ½.

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Bowl Tech Trends - Week 1
December 11, 2018
By Bruce Marshall

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 15

Matchup Skinny Edge

NORTH TEXAS vs. UTAH STATE (New Mexico Bowl)...Mean Green closed season dropping last 5 and 7 of last 8 vs. number. Meanwhile Utags 8-3-1 vs. points this term, though failed to cover last two.
Utah State, based on team trends.

TULANE vs. UL-LAFAYETTE (Cure Orlando Bowl)...Wave failed to cover last three and 5 of last 7 this season. Also no covers last five as chalk. Ragin’ Cajuns roared down stretch with 8 covers in last 10 and covers 5 of last 6 as dog. ULL 4-1 SU and vs. line in bowls since 2011.
UL-Lafayette, based on team trends.

ARIZONA STATE vs. FRESNO STATE (Las Vegas Bowl)...ASU 3-3 vs. line away from Tempe this season, but 5-2 overall as dog. Also 1-3 vs. spread last four bowls. Fresno 9-4 vs. line TY, 19-6-2 vs. number since Jeff Tedford arrived LY. Also 11-2-2 vs. points away from home since LY.
Fresno State, based on team trends.

EASTERN MICHIGAN vs. GEORGIA SOUTHERN (Camellia Bowl)...With EMU a slight dog at latest check, will note Eagles 4-1 mark getting points this season and 18-3-1 as dog since 2016! Also 16-3 last 19 vs. spread away from Ypsilanti. GS, however, covered 9 of 12 this season.
Eastern Michigan, if dog, based on team trends.

MIDDLE TENNESSEE STATE vs. APPALACHIAN STATE (New Orleans Bowl)...Middle won its bowl LY in Camellia but only 1-4 vs. line last five bowls. Blue Raiders did cover 5 of last 6 this season and last four as dog. App only 2 covers last 7 this season (2-3-2), though has won SU last three bowls and covered 2 of those.
Slight to MTSU, based on team trends.

[StarDust Bum]

Bowl Tech Trends - Week 2
December 11, 2018
By Bruce Marshall

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 18

Matchup Skinny Edge

NORTHERN ILLINOIS vs. UAB (Boca Raton Bowl)...NIU 0-5 SU and vs. line last five bowls since 2011 season. Blazers 9-4 vs. spread this season, 17-8-1 since resuming football in 2017 (though just 7-7 vs. number away from Legion Field).
UAB, based on team trends.


WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 19

Matchup Skinny Edge

OHIO vs. SAN DIEGO STATE (Frisco Bowl)...SDSU just 3–9 vs. line this season, but 3-0 as dog and 0-8 as chalk! Aztecs 6-0 as dog since 2016. Solich 4-2 vs. points last six bowls but just 1-2 as chalk away from home this season.
Slight to San Diego State, based on team trends.


THURSDAY, DECEMBER 20

Matchup Skinny Edge

MARSHALL at SOUTH FLORIDA (Gasparilla Bowl)...Herd has won and covered last six bowl games since 2009 (Doc Holliday 5-0). Marshall 8-5 vs. spread away since last season, though failed to cover last three away TY. Marshall also on 11-5 “over” run. Bulls only 6-12 last 18 vs. spread since mid 2019 and lost last five SU this season. Also 1-5 vs. line at Raymond James Stadium this season.
Marshall, based on team trends.


FRIDAY, DECEMBER 21

Matchup Skinny Edge

FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL vs. TOLEDO (Bahamas Bowl)...Butch Davis 9-3 vs. line this season, 14-6 last 20 on board. Golden Panthers 3-0 as dog this campaign and 9-4 getting points since last season. Toledo no wins or covers last two bowls, Rockets 3-7 last 10 vs. points against non-MAC foes.
FIU, based on team trends.

BYU vs. WESTERN MICHIGAN (Idaho Potato Bowl)...BYU no covers last four bowls since 2013. But Cougs did cover last four this season and were 4-0 as DD chalk in 2018. WMU 1-4 SU and vs. line in bowls since 2008 and Broncos 2-6 vs. spread last 8 in 2018. WMU 2-4 vs. spread last 6 as dog.
Slight to BYU, based on team trends.


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]

Wednesday’s 6-pack

— Penn 78, Villanova 75— Villanova’s 25-game Big Five win streak ends.

— Colorado 78, New Mexico 75— Buffs were down 17, improve to 8-1.

— New Mexico gets 6-10 Kansas transfer Carlton Bragg eligible Sunday

— Spurs 111, Suns 86— Popovich moves into 4th place on all-time win list.

— Orioles hired Cubs bench coach Brandon Hyde as their new manager.

— Texas Rangers hired former P Brandon McCarthy to help out in aspects of pitching development in the major and minor leagues.

Quote of the Day
“Sometimes it makes it worse when it’s right there. If you get blown out it doesn’t seem to hurt as bad as when you have a chance.’’
Ben Roethlisberger

Wednesday’s quiz
The Clippers were in San Diego before they played in LA; what was the team’s name before they moved to San Diego?
(Hint: They had 2 or 3 really good/well-known players)

Tuesday’s quiz
Wayne Fontes was Lions’ coach in 1991, last time Detroit won a playoff game.

Monday’s quiz
Matt Prater (then with the Broncos) holds the record for the longest FG in NFL history (64 yards); he kicked it against the Tennessee Titans.

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

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

13) Things you don’t see much; Dallas ran 93 plays Sunday, Philly only 48.

Cannot remember last time an NFL team ran 93 plays in a game. Cowboys had only done it once before EVER, running 94 plays in a 1978 win over Green Bay.

Does being on the field for 93 plays have a hangover effect this week, when the Eagles visit the Rams in Los Angeles?

12) Very few NFL games get butchered the way New England butchered their loss in Miami last week; Brady took a sack at the end of the first half when Patriots were out of timeouts and in the red zone, costing his team three points, a horrible mistake that was a lot like Russell Wilson’s INT at the end of the first half Monday night.

Then Miami scoring on a 69-yard desperation play to get the walk-off win; why is Gronkowski on the field for that play? Play started on the Miami 31; Tannehill ain’t throwing a Hail Mary pass 70+ yards. I’m guessing the Patriots’ flight home and defensive meetings Monday couldn’t have been very pleasant.

11) Minnesota Vikings fired OC John DeFilippo Tuesday, after the Vikings got whacked 21-7 by the Seahawks Monday night. Mike Zimmer has gone thru lot of QB’s/OC’s in his tenure as the Vikings’ coach.

10) Royals signed free agent OF Billy Hamilton, who runs really fast but as my dad often said, “He can’t steal first base.” When your on-base% is under .300, that not good.

9) More baseball dealings:
— Phillies gave Andrew McCutchen $16.7M a year for three years.
— Blue Jays released oft-injured SS Troy Tulowitzki, who is still owed $38M.
— White Sox acquired P Ivan Nova from Pittsburgh.

8) Steph Curry is going to host a PGA Tour event at Lake Merced Golf Club in Daly City, CA, starting in the 2019-20 season. The tournament doesn’t have a sponsor yet; the golf course is going to get $3.6M in upgrades before then.

7) Memphis Grizzlies equipment assistant Brianè Miller was offered $100,000 for the sneakers LeBron James gave her over the weekend, but she says she has no interest in selling them.

6) ESPN released 11 Sunday night telecasts for 2019; what a surprise- five Red Sox games, four Bronx games, three Dodger games, zero Astros games. And they wonder why the sport isn’t as popular as it used to be? Houston is the 4th-biggest city in the country and they are one of the best teams— put their young stars on TV!!!!

This doesn’t even need to be stated, but A’s/Rays aren’t on the list. Both won 90+ games LY.

5) MLB Network is great this week, watching stuff from Winter Meetings every day, but then they put this guy Charlie Montoyo on Tuesday at 6pm, and I had no idea he was Toronto’s new manager. He worked for Kevin Cash in Tampa for four years, so thats a good thing these days, working with another successful manager.

4) So its 4am Monday night/Tuesday morning and I’m winding down getting ready for bed, then I hear trucks outside, and they start jackhammering the road across street from me, digging this big hole. Seven feet deep, 25-30 feet long. It is freakin’ 4am!!!!

So much for sleep……or water. Must’ve been a leak in the pipes.

Water came back on 11 hours later, the road looks like it is a war zone, kind of killed the day, though not having water to take a shower forced me to get some sleep. Feel bad for guys who are outside at 4am in 15-degree weather fixing plumbing.

3) City of Oakland is suing the Raiders, making it evident that this will be the Raiders’ last year playing home games in Oakland- they’re moving to Las Vegas in 2020.

2) Football coaches are nomads: Ole Miss hired former Colorado coach Mike MacIntyre as its new defensive coordinator, which will make their defense a lot better. Ole Miss will have two new coordinators next year; their OC Phil Longo is off to the same job at North Carolina.

Former Bowling Green coach Mike Jinks is the new running backs coach at USC; no offense to the fine folks at Bowling Green, but thats a promotion- RB coach at USC is a better job than HC at Bowling Green- what a storied history of RB’s the Trojans have had.

1) Former Tennessee football coach Butch Jones was hired this week by Maryland as an assistant to new head coach Mike Locksley; both guys were assistants at Alabama this season.

Colin Kaepernick should go be an assistant coach at Alabama; maybe he could get a job in the NFL then. Every other Saban assistant gets a new job fairly quickly.

[StarDust Bum]

NCAAF
Dunkel

Bowl Season


Saturday, December 15

Alcorn State @ NC A&T

Game 199-200
December 15, 2018 @ 12:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Alcorn State
51.516
NC A&T
67.693
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
NC A&T
by 16
44
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
NC A&T
by 7 1/2
47
Dunkel Pick:
NC A&T
(-7 1/2); Under

North Texas @ Utah State

Game 201-202
December 15, 2018 @ 2:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
North Texas
82.444
Utah State
88.470
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Utah State
by 6
72
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Utah State
by 10
64 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
North Texas
(+10); Over

Tulane @ LA-Lafayette

Game 203-204
December 15, 2018 @ 1:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Tulane
78.665
LA-Lafayette
77.602
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Tulane
by 1
55
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Tulane
by 3 1/2
59
Dunkel Pick:
LA-Lafayette
(+3 1/2); Under

Arizona State @ Fresno State

Game 205-206
December 15, 2018 @ 3:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Arizona State
91.056
Fresno State
97.496
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Fresno State
by 6 1/2
56
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Fresno State
by 3 1/2
52
Dunkel Pick:
Fresno State
(-3 1/2); Over

Eastern Michigan @ Georgia Southern

Game 207-208
December 15, 2018 @ 5:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Eastern Michigan
76.047
Georgia Southern
85.488
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Georgia Southern
by 9 1/2
54
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Georgia Southern
by 1
47 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Georgia Southern
(-1); Over

Middle Tennessee St @ Appalachian St

Game 209-210
December 15, 2018 @ 9:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Middle Tennessee
85.750
Appalachian St
88.737
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Appalachian St
by 3
45
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Appalachian St
by 7
50 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Middle Tennessee
(+7); Under


Tuesday, December 18

Northern Illinois @ UAB

Game 211-212
December 18, 2018 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Northern Illinois
76.552
UAB
86.550
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
UAB
by 10
46
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
UAB
by 2
43 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
UAB
(-2); Over


Wednesday, December 19

Ohio @ San Diego St

Game 213-214
December 19, 2018 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Ohio
84.030
San Diego St
82.941
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Ohio
by 1
49
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Ohio
by 3
55
Dunkel Pick:
San Diego St
(+3); Under


Thursday, December 20

Marshall @ South Florida

Game 215-216
December 20, 2018 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Marshall
76.897
South Florida
77.170
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
South Florida
Even
49
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Marshall
by 2 1/2
55 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
South Florida
(+2 1/2); Under


Friday, December 21

FIU @ Toledo

Game 217-218
December 21, 2018 @ 12:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
FIU
77.142
Toledo
85.177
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Toledo
by 8
69
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Toledo
by 5 1/2
66 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Toledo
(-5 1/2); Over

Brigham Young @ Western Michigan

Game 219-220
December 21, 2018 @ 4:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Brigham Young
88.188
Western Michigan
72.718
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Brigham Young
by 15 1/2
42
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Brigham Young
by 12
48 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Brigham Young
(-12); Under


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


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


Thursday, December 27

Duke @ Temple

Game 235-236
December 27, 2018 @ 1:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Duke
84.254
Temple
93.613
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Temple
by 9 1/2
65
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Temple
by 3
55
Dunkel Pick:
Temple
(-3); Over

Miami-FL @ Wisconsin

Game 237-238
December 27, 2018 @ 5:15 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Miami-FL
97.811
Wisconsin
87.642
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Miami-FL
by 10
51
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Miami-FL
by 4
47
Dunkel Pick:
Miami-FL
(-4); Over

Vanderbilt @ Baylor

Game 239-240
December 27, 2018 @ 9:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Vanderbilt
97.273
Baylor
85.052
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Vanderbilt
by 12
56
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Vanderbilt
by 3 1/2
55
Dunkel Pick:
Vanderbilt
(-3 1/2); Over


Friday, December 28

Auburn @ Purdue

Game 241-242
December 28, 2018 @ 1:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Auburn
95.961
Purdue
94.309
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Auburn
by 1 1/2
56
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Auburn
by 4 1/2
54 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Purdue
(+4 1/2); Over

Syracuse @ West Virginia

Game 243-244
December 28, 2018 @ 5:15 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Syracuse
98.343
West Virginia
102.215
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
West Virginia
by 4
63
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
West Virginia
by 1 1/2
68 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
West Virginia
(-1 1/2); Under

Iowa State @ Washington St

Game 247-248
December 28, 2018 @ 9:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Iowa State
95.812
Washington St
96.849
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Washington St
by 1
58
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Washington St
by 5
54 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Iowa State
(+5); Over


Saturday, December 29

Arkansas St @ Nevada

Game 245-246
December 29, 2018 @ 1:15 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Arkansas St
85.067
Nevada
81.608
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Arkansas St
by 3 1/2
64
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Arkansas St
Pick
58 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Arkansas St
Over

Florida @ Michigan

Game 249-250
December 29, 2018 @ 12:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Florida
99.961
Michigan
103.058
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Michigan
by 3
47
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Michigan
by 7 1/2
51
Dunkel Pick:
Florida
(+7 1/2); Under

South Carolina @ Virginia

Game 251-252
December 29, 2018 @ 12:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
South Carolina
88.720
Virginia
93.720
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Virginia
by 5
58
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
South Carolina
by 6
54 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Virginia
(+6); Over

Oklahoma @ Alabama

Game 253-254
December 29, 2018 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Oklahoma
108.210
Alabama
119.746
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Alabama
by 11 1/2
76
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Alabama
by 14
81
Dunkel Pick:
Oklahoma
(+14); Under

Notre Dame @ Clemson

Game 255-256
December 29, 2018 @ 4:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Notre Dame
106.074
Clemson
120.731
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Clemson
by 14 1/2
60
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Clemson
by 11
55 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Clemson
(-11); Over


Monday, December 31

Virginia Tech @ Cincinnati

Game 257-258
December 31, 2018 @ 12:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Virginia Tech
87.606
Cincinnati
91.151
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Cincinnati
by 3 1/2
54
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Cincinnati
by 5 1/2
53 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Virginia Tech
(+5 1/2); Under

Pittsburgh @ Stanford

Game 259-260
December 31, 2018 @ 2:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Pittsburgh
89.637
Stanford
100.985
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Stanford
by 11 1/2
57
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Stanford
by 6 1/2
52
Dunkel Pick:
Stanford
(-6 1/2); Over

Michigan State @ Oregon

Game 261-262
December 31, 2018 @ 3:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Michigan State
91.319
Oregon
95.669
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Oregon
by 4 1/2
44
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Oregon
by 1 1/2
48
Dunkel Pick:
Oregon
(-1 1/2); Under

Oklahoma State @ Missouri

Game 253-264
December 31, 2018 @ 3:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Oklahoma State
94.214
Missouri
105.211
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Missouri
by 11
48
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Missouri
by 7 1/2
74 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Missouri
(-7 1/2); Under

Northwestern @ Utah

Game 265-266
December 31, 2018 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Northwestern
92.748
Utah
97.974
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Utah
by 5
49
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Utah
by 7
45
Dunkel Pick:
Northwestern
(+7); Over

NC State @ Texas A&M

Game 267-268
December 31, 2018 @ 7:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
NC State
92.620
Texas A&M
102.737
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Texas A&M
by 10
54
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Texas A&M
by 4 1/2
58 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Texas A&M
(-4 1/2); Under


Tuesday, January 1

Iowa @ Mississippi St

Game 269-270
January 1, 2019 @ 12:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Iowa
99.769
Mississippi St
108.633
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Mississippi St
by 9
43
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Mississippi St
by 6
44 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Mississippi St
(-6); Under

Kentucky @ Penn State

Game 271-272
January 1, 2019 @ 1:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Kentucky
94.093
Penn State
103.819
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Penn State
by 10
41
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Penn State
by 5 1/2
48
Dunkel Pick:
Penn State
(-5 1/2); Under

LSU @ Central Florida

Game 273-274
January 1, 2019 @ 1:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
LSU
98.042
Central Florida
102.635
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Central Florida
by 4 1/2
50
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
LSU
by 8
55 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Central Florida
(+8); Under

Washington @ Ohio State

Game 275-276
January 1, 2019 @ 5:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Washington
100.844
Ohio State
110.335
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Ohio State
by 9 1/2
76
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Ohio State
by 5
58
Dunkel Pick:
Ohio State
(-5); Over

Texas @ Georgia

Game 277-278
January 1, 2019 @ 8:45 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Texas
97.527
Georgia
116.019
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Georgia
by 18 1/2
63
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Georgia
by 10 1/2
58
Dunkel Pick:
Georgia
(-10 1/2); Over

[StarDust Bum]

*Saturday's Late Bowl Tips*
Brian Edwards

***Eastern Michigan vs. Georgia Southern***

-- The Raycom Media Camelia Bowl will take place Saturday in Montgomery, Alabama, at the Crampton Bowl. Kickoff for Georgia Southern vs. Eastern Michigan is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Eastern on ESPN.

-- As of Tuesday afternoon, most betting shops had Georgia Southern (9-3 straight up, 9-3 against the spread) installed as a one-point favorite with a total of 47.5 or 48. However, by Friday afternoon, most spots had GSU favored by three points with the total at 45. The Eagles were +140 on the money line (risk $100 to win $140).

-- Eastern Michigan (7-5 SU, 7-5 ATS) is bowling for only the third time in school history and hasn’t won a bowl game since 1987. Chris Creighton’s squad won each of its last three regular-season contests and five of its past six. The Eagles could’ve easily folded their tents after starting 2-0 before losing four consecutive one-possession games, including a pair of overtime losses at San Diego State (23-20) and vs. No. Illinois (26-23). Remember, EMU lost three OT games in 2017 during a six-game losing streak in which the Eagles went 4-1-1 ATS and lost by only 23 combined points.

-- EMU forced three turnovers and had three stops on fourth-down attempts in its 28-20 non-covering win at Kent State in the club’s regular-season finale. Senior RB Ian Eriksen led the way with 118 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 17 carries.

-- EMU has faced six foes who are going bowling, posting a 2-4 SU record and a 3-3 ATS mark. The Eagles won 20-19 at Purdue as 15-point underdogs when Chad Ryland buried a 24-yard field goal in walk-off fashion. Senior QB Tyler Wiegers, a grad transfer from Iowa, completed 20-of-28 passes for 312 yards and one TD with an interception against the Boilermakers. EMU also beat Toledo by a 28-26 count as a two-point home underdog. The Eagles led 28-3 at halftime and 28-6 with less than 12 minutes remaining. But the Rockets outscored them 20-0 in the final stanza and sliced the deficit to two with 20 ticks remaining. EMU got the stop on the two-point conversion, though, to preserve the victory.

-- Wiegers has connected on 64.8 percent of his passes for 1,887 yards with an 11/3 touchdown-to-interception ratio. Blake Banham is his favorite target, hauling in 54 receptions for 714 yards and five TDs. Arthur Jackson III has 43 catches for 506 yards and three TDs, while Mathew Sexton has 36 grabs for 506 yards and three TDs.

-- EMU’s leading rusher is Shaq Vann, who has 590 yards, five TDs and a 4.4 yards-per-carry average.

-- EMU has been an underdog six times this year, compiling a 4-2 spread record with a pair of outright victories at Purdue and vs. Toledo. The Eagles are 14-3 ATS in their last 17 non-conference games and 24-11 in their past 35 contests (regardless of the venue or ‘chalk’-‘dog role).

-- EMU is ranked fifth in the nation in pass defense, 35th in total defense and 32nd in scoring ‘D’ (22.0 points per game). This unit, which gave up only one TD in the last three games of the regular season, is led by junior DE Maxx Crosby, who has produced 62 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, seven QB hurries, four forced fumbles, three passes broken up and one pick-six. Crosby now has 20 career sacks to rank him in a tie for second-most in program history. There are numerous other defensive standouts for the Eagles, including junior DB Brody Hoying, junior safety Vince Calhoun, senior LB Kyle Rachwal and senior DE Jeremiah Harris.

-- We should point out that EMU has already faced a triple-option attack this season when it lost to Army. Couple that with its extra prep time for the postseason, and you have a stop unit that should be better prepared for GSU’s unique attack (at least when comparing to other regular-season foes who have such short prep time).

-- In his first full season as head coach, Georgia Southern’s Chad Lunsford has done a sensational job. He took over (a 0-6 team!) for Tyson Summers on an interim basis for last year’s final four regular-season games and went 3-2-1 ATS with a pair of outright victories. Now he has the storied program, one that made the jump to FBS into the Sun Belt conference in 2014 after winning a slew of national titles at the lower level over the last several decades, playing in its second bowl game. The Eagles went 9-3 in 2014 but weren’t eligible for the postseason during their first year at the FBS level. They smashed Bowling Green 58-27 as seven-point underdogs in the 2015 GoDaddy Bowl, only to go 5-7 in Summers’s first year on the job in 2016.

-- Georgia Southern sprinted out to a 7-1 start both SU and ATS with its lone defeat coming by a 38-7 score at Clemson as a 31.5-point road underdog. The Eagles appeared to take control of the Sun Belt East division when they rocked eventual SBC champ, Appalachian State, by a 34-14 count as 11-point home underdogs on Oct. 25. However, they dropped their next two games in blowout fashion at ULM (44-25) and vs. Troy (35-21).

-- Georgia Southern bounced back to win its final two regular-season games both SU and ATS at Coastal Carolina (41-17) and at Georgia State (35-14). In the win over the Panthers in Atlanta, GSU raced out to a 28-0 lead and didn’t give up any points until there was 9:45 remaining in the final stanza. Sophomore QB Shai Werts completed 8-of-11 passes for 105 yards and two TDs without an interception. He also rushed for 75 yards and one TD on 13 attempts. RB Wesley Fields ran 16 times for 151 yards and one TD. Werts threw a 58-yard TD pass to Colby Ransom and had a 38-yard scoring strike to Darion Anderson.

-- GSU posted a 3-1 record both SU and ATS in four games as a single-digit favorite during the 2018 regular season.

-- Werts completed 65-of-109 passes (59.6%) for 954 yards and 10 TD passes without an interception. He also ran for 822 yards and a team-high 13 TDs while averaging 5.0 YPC. Fields rushed for a team-best 959 yards and nine TDs, averaging 5.4 YPC. Fields also had 10 receptions for 237 yards and one TD. Sophomore RB Wesley Kennedy had 15 catches for 182 yards, in addition to 395 rushing yards and three TDs with a 7.2 YPC average.

-- GSU is ranked ninth in the nation in rushing yards and scores at a 31.1 PPG clip. The Eagles are ranked 27th in the country in scoring ‘D’ (21.6 PPG).

-- Totals were an overall was for the Eagles (6-6), but they saw a 5-0 run of ‘overs’ snapped when the 49 combined points dropped ‘under’ 60 in the regular-season finale at Georgia State. GSU’s games averaged combined scores of 52.7 PPG.

-- The ‘under’ has been a steady money maker for the Eagles this season, going 8-4 overall. They’ve seen the ‘under’ cash in three straight games and seven of their past nine. Eastern Michigan’s games have averaged combined scores of 49.5 PPG.


***Middle Tennessee vs. Appalachian State***

-- Conference USA and the Sun Belt Conference will have their representative collide Saturday night in the Big Easy at the New Orleans Bowl. Kickoff from the Mercedes-Benz Superdome is scheduled for 9:00 p.m. Eastern on ESPN.

-- As of late Friday afternoon, most books had Appalachian State (10-2 SU, 8-4 ATS) favored by 6.5 points with a total of 47. The Blue Raiders were +200 to win outright (risk $100 to win $200).

-- App State shook off the loss of four-year starting QB Taylor Lamb, who is the school’s third all-time leader in career passing yards with 9,786 after graduating following the 2017 campaign that was capped by a 34-0 win over Toledo as a seven-point underdog in the Dollar General Bowl, to have another terrific season. The Mountaineers, who joined the FBS and SBC in 2014, won the league’s first championship game, remained perfect in terms of winning records at the FBS level (5-for-5) and are going bowling for the fourth straight season.

-- Unfortunately for the program, the enormous success led head coach Scott Satterfield to get a job offer from Louisville, and it was absolutely one he couldn’t turn down. Therefore, Appalachian State is without its head coach. Defensive Line coach Mark Ivey is serving as the team’s interim head coach.

-- Another hurdle App State overcame this season was the loss of star RB Jalin Moore, a two-time All-SBC first-teamer who went down with a season-ending injury in early October. Moore had rushed for 400 yards and six TDs with a 6.3 YPC average, but Darrynton Evans stepped up nicely to fill those shoes. Evans has run for 1,079 yards and seven TDs while averaging 6.5 YPC. Marcus Williams Jr. has run for 536 yards and four TDs with a 4.6 YPC average.

-- Sophomore QB Zac Thomas replaced Lamb and had an outstanding debut season as the starter. Thomas has connected on 62.6 percent of his throws for 1,862 yards with an 18/4 TD-INT ratio. He’s run for 476 yards and 10 TDs while averaging 5.7 YPC. There were no jitters for Thomas whatsoever in his debut at Penn State. in front of more than 105,000 hostile fans. In a 45-38 overtime loss to PSU, Thomas hit on 25-of-38 passes for 270 yards and two TDs with one interception. He ran for 43 yards and one TD. He has seven TD passes without a pick in the Mountaineers’ past five outings.

-- Thomas’s favorite wideout is Corey Sutton, who has 36 receptions for 695 yards and eight TDs. Dominique Heath has caught 22 balls for 299 yards and five TDs, while Evans has 12 catches for 87 yards and one TD.

-- All 10 of App State’s wins have come by double-digit margins. The Mountaineers were double-digit favorites in 11 of their 12 games, as they covered the spread easily as 24-point ‘dogs in Happy Valley. Since 2015, they’re 7-2 SU and 6-3 ATS in nine games as single-digit ‘chalk,’ but we should note that they were 1-2 both SU and ATS in three such spots in 2017.

-- App State is 3-0 and 2-1 ATS in the program’s first three bowl games that have come in the past three campaigns. We noted last year’s win over Toledo and in ’16, the Mountaineers nipped Toledo (yes, they played in bowls twice in a row) 31-28 as one-point favorites. In the 2015 Camelia Bowl, they edged Ohio 31-29 as 7.5-point ‘chalk.’

-- App State junior OT Victor Johnson, a first-team All-SBC selection in 2017 who started all 26 games as a freshman and sophomore, missed the regular-season finale with a leg injury. Johnson is ‘questionable’ vs. the Blue Raiders.

-- App State is ranked fifth in the nation in total defense, third at defending the pass, 30th in run defense and sixth in scoring ‘D’ (15.7 PPG). This unit is led by junior LB Akeem Davis-Gaither, who had a team-high 95 tackles, 7.5 TFL’s, seven passes broken up, three QB hurries, two forced fumbles and one sack. Junior LB Jordan Fehr recorded 84 tackles, 5.5 sacks, two TFL’s, two PBU and two QB hurries, while LB Noel Cook had 69 stops, 3.5 sacks, 6.5 TFL’s, one interception, one PBU and three QB hurries.

-- Middle Tennessee (8-5 SU, 8-5 ATS) is led by senior QB Brent Stockstill, who will face a stout secondary led by junior CB Clifton Duck (first-team All-SBC last year) and senior CB Tae Hayes, a second-team All-SBC choice in 2017 who had six PBU, three interceptions (for 75 return yards), three TFL’s and two blocked punts/kicks this season.

-- Rick Stockstill’s squad won seven of its last nine regular-season games to win C-USA’s East Division. MTSU locked up the division by blasting UAB 27-3 as a 3-point home underdog in the regular-season finale. Stockstill connected on 22-of-29 passes for 261 yards and two TDs without an interception to pace the winners.

-- The win over UAB set up a rematch with the Blazers at Johnny ‘Red’ Floyd Stadium in Murfreesboro just seven days later. This time around, however, it was UAB that captured a 27-25 triumph as a 1.5-point road underdog. UAB’s Nick Vogel buried a 28-yard field goal with 3:23 remaining to lift his team to victory. Stockstill completed 29-of-45 attempts for 362 yards and two TDs, but he was intercepted twice.

-- Stockstill was already his school’s leader in career passing yards coming into his senior campaign. After throwing for 3,214 yards this year, he has 12,126 passing yards and a career 105/33 TD-INT ratio. Stockstill also ran for 178 yards and a pair of TDs this season.

-- Junior WR Ty Lee, a first-team All-C-USA selection in 2017, had another stellar season by making 67 catches for 828 yards and seven TDs. Patrick Smith had 54 receptions for 526 yards and six TDs.

-- MTSU’s ground attack is led by RB Chaton Mobley, who has a team-best 579 rushing yards, four TDs and a 5.0 YPC average. RB Tavares Thomas had a team-high five rushing TDs and caught 34 balls for 232 yards and four TDs.

-- MTSU is bowling for a fourth straight year and for the eighth time in Rick Stockstill’s 13-year tenure. The Blue Raiders had lost four bowl games in a row and five of six under Stockstill until beating Arkansas State 35-30 as 3.5-point underdogs in last year’s Camelia Bowl. They are 4-7 in 11 all-time postseason appearances.

-- MTSU was an underdog seven times this season, going 4-3 ATS with three outright wins vs. FAU (25-24), at Marshall (34-24) and vs. UABG (27-3).

-- Totals have been an overall wash for ASU (6-6), but the ‘under’ finished the regular season on a 6-2 run. The Mountaineers have seen their games average combined scores of 52.3 PPG.

-- The ‘under’ is 7-6 overall for the Blue Raiders, but they saw the ‘over’ go 3-1 in their last four contests. Their games are averaging combined scores of 54.5 PPG.

***B.E.’s Bonus Nuggets***

-- Arizona State was already going be without likely first-round pick WR N’Keal Harry for Saturday’s Las Vegas Bowl showdown vs. Fresno State. Then on Thursday, reports leaked out that ASU won’t have leading tackler Merlin Robertson. The LB, who garnered Pac-12 Defensive Freshman of the Year honors, is dealing with a personal matter and didn’t make the trip to Vegas in order to be with his family. Robertson had 77 tackles, 8.5 TFL’s and five sacks for the Sun Devils, who were six-point underdogs as of Friday afternoon. Side Note: Herm Edwards’s ASU squad hasn’t lost by more than seven points all season.

-- Kentucky junior RB Benny Snell has announced his intentions to turn pro a year early. However, on a bright note for UK fans, Snell says he will play in the team’s bowl game vs. Penn State. PSU was favored by 6.5 points as of Friday. Josh Allen, who some draftniks have as a top-10 pick in the first round, will also play for the ‘Cats vs. the Nittany Lions.

-- Players skipping bowls to stay healthy for the Draft include West Virginia QB Will Grier, WVU’s best o-lineman Yodney Cajuste, Baylor TE Jalen Hurd, Houston DT Ed Oliver, Iowa TE Noah Fant, LSU CB Greedy Williams, South Carolina WR/special-teams All-American Deebo Samuel, N.C. State’s first-team All-ACC LB Germain Pratt, N.C. State’s best WR Kelvin Harmon, Oklahoma State RB Justice Hill and Michigan DL Rashan Gary. Florida WR Tyrie Cleveland (broken collarbone) is ‘out’ vs. Michigan and LSU will also be sans DB Kristian Fulton vs. UCF.

-- According to sources, Stanford star TE Kaden Smith’s lower-body injury that prevented him from playing in the Cardinal’s last two regular-season games (and might’ve cost him The Mackey Award, as he was one of three finalists) “continues to linger” and he’s unlikely to play in the team’s bowl game. Smith, who is listed as 'questionable,' is projected to be a second or third-rounder if he skips his last two years of college to turn pro. We’re told he won’t announce his decision until after the bowl game.