70 helpful stats you didn't know for 70 bowl teams

If you're aiming to handicap all 35 bowl games in record time, this is the article for you. We dug to find you one helpful stat for every bowl team on the betting board. We listed them by matchup in chronological order.

New Mexico Bowl

Nevada – Nation’s second-best rusher Stefphon Jefferson (1703 yards).
Arizona – Nation’s top rusher Ka’Deem Carey (1757 yards).

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl

Toledo – Linebacker Dan Molls led the nation in tackles this season with 166.
Utah State – Third-most profitable team in college this year at 10-1-1 ATS (against the spread).

Poinsettia Bowl

BYU – No. 1 red zone efficiency defense in the nation.
San Diego State – Went 6-1 ATS during its current seven-game winning streak.

Beef O'Brady's Bowl

Ball State – Led the nation in tackles for loss allowed with just 40 against.
Central Florida – Quincy McDuffie leads the nation in kickoff return yards per game (34.2) and tied for most return TDs with three.

New Orleans Bowl

East Carolina: Lost all three meetings with non-conference FBS opponents, going 0-3 ATS in those games.
UL Lafayette – Ragin Cajun’ are home run hitters, ranking tops in the country in plays of 70-plus yards from the line of scrimmage with eight.

Las Vegas Bowl

Washington – Tied for first in the nation in opponent fumbles per game (2.5) and recovered half of those (15 of 30).
Boise State – 4-0 ATS in its last four bowl games & recovered the most fumbles in the nation this season (17).

Hawaii Bowl

Fresno State - Senior Phillip Thomas led the nation in interceptions with eight and tied for tops in the nation with three returned for TDs.
SMU – The Mustangs tied for the most interception return TDs with six this season. SMU finished tied for sixth with 19 INTs.

Little Caesar's Bowl

Western Kentucky - Antonio Andrews was nation's leading all purpose runner with 2977 yards this year.
Central Michigan – RB Zurlon Tipton has rushed for over 100 yards in six straight games, with CMU going 4-2 ATS.

Military Bowl

San Jose State - No. 2 passing efficiency offense (in terms of percentage) in the country (71.29).
Bowling Green – In addition to being the most profitable under team this year (1-10 O/U) the Falcons have only one win over a team with a winning record this season – 8-4 Ohio.

Belk Bowl

Cincinnati – Bearcats are 2-7 ATS in bowl games since 2000.
Duke: The Blue Devils haven’t been to a bowl game since the 1994 Hall of Fame Bowl.

Holiday Bowl

Baylor - Bear have the best total offense in the nation with 578 yards per game.
UCLA – Bruins ranks 91st against the pass and have allowed at least 295 yards through the air in five of 13 games.

Independence Bowl

La. Monroe - Only three teams in the country lost fewer fumbles this season (lost four).
Ohio – Bobcats have failed to cover in seven of their last eight games.

Russell Athletic Bowl

Rutgers - Worst first-down offense of all bowl teams with an average of just 16.7 ypg.
Virgina Tech – Defense allowed an average of 417 yards and 33.5 points against in road games this year compared to 334 yards and 23.9 points against at home.

Meineke Car Car Bowl

Minnesota – Only seven current Gophers played in the team’s last bowl game in 2009.
Texas Tech - Second-best passing offense in the nation with 361 yards per game.

Armed Forces Bowl

Rice - Leads all bowl teams in time of possession at 33:40.58 (Second in FBS).
Air Force - Falcons' triple-option attack leads all bowl teams with an average of 328.75 yards on the ground per game.

Pinstripe Bowl

Syracuse – The over went 5-0-1 in the Orange’s last six games and they averaged 38.5 points per game during that stretch.
West Virginia – Second-worst pass defense in the nation, behind only Louisiana Tech.

Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl

Arizona State - Second in the nation in sacks (48) and tackles for loss (106.0).
Navy - Second worst of all bowl teams in third-down efficiency defense 47.4 percent (behind only Baylor).

Alamo Bowl

Texas – Ranked ninth this year in pass efficiency but was undecided on its starting QB for the third straight year heading into its bowl game.
Oregon State – Ranked second in the Pac-12 in scoring defense (17.8 points against per game) but last four games with a posted total went over.

Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl

TCU – Ranked first in the Big 12 in total defense with just 332 yards against per game
Michigan State – Went 2-5 SU and ATS in a stretch of an NCAA-record-tying seven straight games decided by four points or fewer.

Music City Bowl

North Carolina State - Worst rushing offense of all bowl teams (117 yards per game).
Vanderbilt – Ranked first in the SEC in tackles for loss.

Sun Bowl

USC – Didn’t rank higher than 29th in the nation in any major offensive category and didn’t rank higher than 41st in any major defensive category.
Georgia Tech – Went 0-3 SU and ATS against non-conference FBS foes this year.

Liberty Bowl

Iowa State – Didn’t hold any of its last nine opponents to fewer than 21 points.
Tulsa – Ranks 11th in the nation in rushing, but both teams tied with 160 rushing yards in their September meeting.

Chick-Fil-A Bowl

LSU – Ranked in the Top 11 in the nation in rushing defense, pass efficiency defense, total defense and scoring defense.
Clemson - Second in the nation in red-zone efficiency offense (scored on 51 of 54 red zone drives).

Heart of Dallas Bowl

Purdue – Won three straight games but is the biggest underdog of this bowl season.
Oklahoma State – Over went 5-1 in Cowboys games with a total of 70 or higher this season.

Gator Bowl

Mississippi State – Had the best turnover margin in the SEC.
Northwestern – Tied with Fresno State as the most profitable team in the nation for bettors at 11-1 ATS.

Outback Bowl

South Carolina – Under is 4-0 in South Carolina’s last four bowl games.
Michigan - Threw most INTs among bowl teams this season with 18.

Capital One Bowl

Nebraska - No. 2 pass efficiency defense in the nation.
Georgia - Linebacker Jarvis Jones led the nation in forced fumbles (7) and tackles for loss (22.5).

Rose Bowl

Stanford - Led the nation in tackles for loss with 120.0 and sacks with 56.
Wisconsin - Worst red-zone efficiency defense in the nation (allowed scores on 27 of 29 drives).

Orange Bowl

Northern Illinois – Underdogs for just the second time this season. Lost 18-17 to Iowa as a 7.5-pt dog Sept. 1
Florida State – Tied among bowl teams for the worst ATS record at 3-9.

Sugar Bowl

Louisville - Led the nation in red-zone efficiency offense (scored on 48 of 50 drives).
Florida - Worst passing offense of all bowl teams that don't run a triple-option style offense (114th in the nation, 143.9 yards per game).

Fiesta Bowl

Oregon - Second-highest scoring team in the nation with 50.8 points per game.
Kansas State – Led the nation in punt returns, kickoff returns and turnover margin.

Cotton Bowl

Texas A&M – Ranked first in the SEC in passing, rushing, total offense and scoring – yet was an under team with a 4-6 over/under record.
Oklahoma – First time the Sooners have been underdogs to Texas A&M since 1999, breaking a string of 12 straight meetings where Oklahoma was favored (OU won that game 51-6 as 3.5-pt dogs).

Compass Bowl

Pittsburgh - Tied for first in the nation in fewest turnovers lost this year (8).
Mississippi – The most profitable team in the SEC this season at 9-3 ATS.

GoDaddy.com Bowl

Kent State - Tied for tops in the nation in turnovers gained with 38.
Arkansas State – Hasn’t been held to fewer than 34 points during its current seven-game winning streak (6-1 ATS).

BCS National Championship

Alabama – Ranked 84th in the nation in passing offense, but first in the nation in passing efficiency.
Notre Dame – Second best under team in the nation at 2-10 over/under behind only Bowling Green (1-10 O/U).

Saturday, December 15

Game Score Status Pick Amount


Nevada - 1:00 PM ET Arizona -8.5 500

Arizona - Under 79 500


Toledo - 4:30 PM ET Utah State -10.5 500

Utah State - Over 58.5 500

70 helpful stats you didn't know for 70 bowl teams

If you're aiming to handicap all 35 bowl games in record time, this is the article for you. We dug to find you one helpful stat for every bowl team on the betting board. We listed them by matchup in chronological order.

New Mexico Bowl

Nevada – Nation’s second-best rusher Stefphon Jefferson (1703 yards).
Arizona – Nation’s top rusher Ka’Deem Carey (1757 yards).

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl

Toledo – Linebacker Dan Molls led the nation in tackles this season with 166.
Utah State – Third-most profitable team in college this year at 10-1-1 ATS (against the spread).

Poinsettia Bowl

BYU – No. 1 red zone efficiency defense in the nation.
San Diego State – Went 6-1 ATS during its current seven-game winning streak.

Beef O'Brady's Bowl

Ball State – Led the nation in tackles for loss allowed with just 40 against.
Central Florida – Quincy McDuffie leads the nation in kickoff return yards per game (34.2) and tied for most return TDs with three.

New Orleans Bowl

East Carolina: Lost all three meetings with non-conference FBS opponents, going 0-3 ATS in those games.
UL Lafayette – Ragin Cajun’ are home run hitters, ranking tops in the country in plays of 70-plus yards from the line of scrimmage with eight.

Las Vegas Bowl

Washington – Tied for first in the nation in opponent fumbles per game (2.5) and recovered half of those (15 of 30).
Boise State – 4-0 ATS in its last four bowl games & recovered the most fumbles in the nation this season (17).

Hawaii Bowl

Fresno State - Senior Phillip Thomas led the nation in interceptions with eight and tied for tops in the nation with three returned for TDs.
SMU – The Mustangs tied for the most interception return TDs with six this season. SMU finished tied for sixth with 19 INTs.

Little Caesar's Bowl

Western Kentucky - Antonio Andrews was nation's leading all purpose runner with 2977 yards this year.
Central Michigan – RB Zurlon Tipton has rushed for over 100 yards in six straight games, with CMU going 4-2 ATS.

Military Bowl

San Jose State - No. 2 passing efficiency offense (in terms of percentage) in the country (71.29).
Bowling Green – In addition to being the most profitable under team this year (1-10 O/U) the Falcons have only one win over a team with a winning record this season – 8-4 Ohio.

Belk Bowl

Cincinnati – Bearcats are 2-7 ATS in bowl games since 2000.
Duke: The Blue Devils haven’t been to a bowl game since the 1994 Hall of Fame Bowl.

Holiday Bowl

Baylor - Bear have the best total offense in the nation with 578 yards per game.
UCLA – Bruins ranks 91st against the pass and have allowed at least 295 yards through the air in five of 13 games.

Independence Bowl

La. Monroe - Only three teams in the country lost fewer fumbles this season (lost four).
Ohio – Bobcats have failed to cover in seven of their last eight games.

Russell Athletic Bowl

Rutgers - Worst first-down offense of all bowl teams with an average of just 16.7 ypg.
Virgina Tech – Defense allowed an average of 417 yards and 33.5 points against in road games this year compared to 334 yards and 23.9 points against at home.

Meineke Car Car Bowl

Minnesota – Only seven current Gophers played in the team’s last bowl game in 2009.
Texas Tech - Second-best passing offense in the nation with 361 yards per game.

Armed Forces Bowl

Rice - Leads all bowl teams in time of possession at 33:40.58 (Second in FBS).
Air Force - Falcons' triple-option attack leads all bowl teams with an average of 328.75 yards on the ground per game.

Pinstripe Bowl

Syracuse – The over went 5-0-1 in the Orange’s last six games and they averaged 38.5 points per game during that stretch.
West Virginia – Second-worst pass defense in the nation, behind only Louisiana Tech.

Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl

Arizona State - Second in the nation in sacks (48) and tackles for loss (106.0).
Navy - Second worst of all bowl teams in third-down efficiency defense 47.4 percent (behind only Baylor).

Alamo Bowl

Texas – Ranked ninth this year in pass efficiency but was undecided on its starting QB for the third straight year heading into its bowl game.
Oregon State – Ranked second in the Pac-12 in scoring defense (17.8 points against per game) but last four games with a posted total went over.

Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl

TCU – Ranked first in the Big 12 in total defense with just 332 yards against per game
Michigan State – Went 2-5 SU and ATS in a stretch of an NCAA-record-tying seven straight games decided by four points or fewer.

Music City Bowl

North Carolina State - Worst rushing offense of all bowl teams (117 yards per game).
Vanderbilt – Ranked first in the SEC in tackles for loss.

Sun Bowl

USC – Didn’t rank higher than 29th in the nation in any major offensive category and didn’t rank higher than 41st in any major defensive category.
Georgia Tech – Went 0-3 SU and ATS against non-conference FBS foes this year.

Liberty Bowl

Iowa State – Didn’t hold any of its last nine opponents to fewer than 21 points.
Tulsa – Ranks 11th in the nation in rushing, but both teams tied with 160 rushing yards in their September meeting.

Chick-Fil-A Bowl

LSU – Ranked in the Top 11 in the nation in rushing defense, pass efficiency defense, total defense and scoring defense.
Clemson - Second in the nation in red-zone efficiency offense (scored on 51 of 54 red zone drives).

Heart of Dallas Bowl

Purdue – Won three straight games but is the biggest underdog of this bowl season.
Oklahoma State – Over went 5-1 in Cowboys games with a total of 70 or higher this season.

Gator Bowl

Mississippi State – Had the best turnover margin in the SEC.
Northwestern – Tied with Fresno State as the most profitable team in the nation for bettors at 11-1 ATS.

Outback Bowl

South Carolina – Under is 4-0 in South Carolina’s last four bowl games.
Michigan - Threw most INTs among bowl teams this season with 18.

Capital One Bowl

Nebraska - No. 2 pass efficiency defense in the nation.
Georgia - Linebacker Jarvis Jones led the nation in forced fumbles (7) and tackles for loss (22.5).

Rose Bowl

Stanford - Led the nation in tackles for loss with 120.0 and sacks with 56.
Wisconsin - Worst red-zone efficiency defense in the nation (allowed scores on 27 of 29 drives).

Orange Bowl

Northern Illinois – Underdogs for just the second time this season. Lost 18-17 to Iowa as a 7.5-pt dog Sept. 1
Florida State – Tied among bowl teams for the worst ATS record at 3-9.

Sugar Bowl

Louisville - Led the nation in red-zone efficiency offense (scored on 48 of 50 drives).
Florida - Worst passing offense of all bowl teams that don't run a triple-option style offense (114th in the nation, 143.9 yards per game).

Fiesta Bowl

Oregon - Second-highest scoring team in the nation with 50.8 points per game.
Kansas State – Led the nation in punt returns, kickoff returns and turnover margin.

Cotton Bowl

Texas A&M – Ranked first in the SEC in passing, rushing, total offense and scoring – yet was an under team with a 4-6 over/under record.
Oklahoma – First time the Sooners have been underdogs to Texas A&M since 1999, breaking a string of 12 straight meetings where Oklahoma was favored (OU won that game 51-6 as 3.5-pt dogs).

Compass Bowl

Pittsburgh - Tied for first in the nation in fewest turnovers lost this year (8).
Mississippi – The most profitable team in the SEC this season at 9-3 ATS.

GoDaddy.com Bowl

Kent State - Tied for tops in the nation in turnovers gained with 38.
Arkansas State – Hasn’t been held to fewer than 34 points during its current seven-game winning streak (6-1 ATS).

BCS National Championship

Alabama – Ranked 84th in the nation in passing offense, but first in the nation in passing efficiency.
Notre Dame – Second best under team in the nation at 2-10 over/under behind only Bowling Green (1-10 O/U).

Beef 'O'Brady's Bowl Matches Up UCF With Ball State

Ball State Cardinals vs. Central Florida Knights
Beef 'O' Brady's Bowl Betting Preview
Date: 12/21/2012 at 7:30 p.m. (ET)
Opening Lines: UCF -7½, O/U 63
Television: ESPN

Ball State Cardinals: A second-place finish in the MAC West sends the Cards (9-3 straight-up, 9-3 against the spread) to the Beef 'O' Brady's Bowl in St. Petersburg against Central Florida. It's the first bowl appearance since the 2008 campaign when BSU went to the GMAC Bowl vs. Tulsa. Ball State ended the 2012 campaign with six consecutive wins, covering five of those victories. The Cardinals have injury concerns at quarterback where starter Keith Wenning is probable after missing the regular-season finale at Miami-OH with an ankle injury (click to check updated college football injury report). Backup Kelly Page is questionable with a concussion suffered in the win over Miami. A strong ground game is BSU's calling card with the team averaging 214.3 yards rushing per game. Sophomore Jahwan Edwards accounts for about half that figure with 110 yards per contest (21st in country). Ball State won the last meeting between these clubs in 2004, scoring a 21-17 victory at home to just cover the 3½-point spread.

UCF Knights: Runner-ups in Conference USA, Central Florida (9-4 SU, 6-7 ATS) suffered two tough losses to champion Tulsa in the final three games to fall just short of the title. The Knights bring a well-balanced offense into the contest, one reason behind 10 of their 13 games this campaign cashing for "over" bettors. Sophomore QB Blake Bortles directs the unit after completing over 62 percent of his passes this season for 2,787 yards and 22 TDs against seven interceptions. The ground attack features 1,000-yard rusher Latavius Murray, who averaged close to six yards per tote and scored 14 rushing touchdowns. Central Florida's defense ranked 42nd in the passing department, allowing less than 218 yards per game, and 29th in points allowed (22.5 per game). Each squad enters the game with solid "over" trends. Twelve of Ball State's last 17 contests have jumped the number while eight of Central Florida's last nine have gone past the mark.

Ball St. clashes with UCF Friday in St. Pete

BALL STATE CARDINALS (9-3)
vs. UCF KNIGHTS (9-4)

Beef 'O' Brady's Bowl - St. Petersburg, FL
Kickoff: Friday, 7:30 p.m. EDT
Line: UCF -7, Total: 62

Former MAC opponents meet for the first time since 2004, when Ball State challenges Central Florida in Friday's Beef 'O' Brady's Bowl in St. Petersburg.

The Cardinals have won six straight games (5-1 ATS), but have serious injury issues on the offensive line and with starters QB Keith Wenning (ankle) and WR Jamill Smith (foot) both less than 100 percent. Ball State has both scored and allowed at least 22 points in every game this year. UCF is 7-2 SU in its past nine contests with both losses coming to Tulsa by a combined eight points. Knights QB Blake Bortles has thrown for 15 TD and just 2 INT in his past 10 games. That most recent meeting in 2004 was a 21-17 Ball State win, but the Cardinals have never won a bowl game, getting outscored 37-19 on average in these five losses. UCF won the 2010 Liberty Bowl 10-6 over Georgia just one year after playing in the St. Petersburg Bowl.

Can Ball State finally win its first-ever bowl game? For the answer, download your FREE copy of the StatFox Edge College Bowl Guide for all the StatFox Experts picks for each of the 35 bowls, both Against The Spread and Over/Under.

Wenning ranks third in the MAC with 273 total YPG, but he hasn't thrown for 300 yards in any of his team's six straight victories. He does have at least 2 TD passes in each of the past four games though, totaling 10 TD and 5 INT. However, Ball State prefers to pound the football, averaging 214 rushing YPG, which ranks 3rd in the MAC and 23rd in the nation. The Cardinals have rushed for at least 165 yards in each of their six straight wins, averaging 229 YPG on 4.9 YPC. Sophomore Jahwan Edwards (110 rush YPG) is the main ball carrier, rumbling for 786 yards (63 YPC) and 9 TD over the past six games. Fellow sophomore RB Horactio Banks has also been running strong with 215 yards on 36 carries (6.0 YPC) in the past two weeks. These running backs have helped BSU's injury-riddled offensive line maintain its excellent 0.8 sacks allowed per game (T-9th in FBS). Ball State's defense continues to give up big chunks of yardage though, ranking 105th in the nation in total defense (460 YPG), and 108th against the run (206 YPG). The Cardinals have allowed more than 300 rushing yards in three of their past seven games and have forced exactly one turnover in each of the past four contests.

Bortles has thrown for 8 TD and 0 INT during the past five games, while rushing for another four scores. This has helped keep the Knights balanced in their pass/run selection and the team has committed just three turnovers in these five games combined. The offense continues to revolve around MAC leading rusher Latavius Murray (104 rush YPG) who has scored at least one touchdown in each of the past eight games. During this stretch, he's averaged 133 total YPG (897 rushing, 164 receiving) with 15 TD. Another hero for this team has been WR/KR Quincy McDuffie who leads the nation with 34.2 yards per kick return, running three kicks back for touchdowns this year. Defensively, UCF has allowed 23+ points in each of the past four games, giving up more than 200 rushing yards in three of these contests. But the Knights have been better defending the pass, holding seven opponents to 165 passing yards or less. They don't put a lot of pressure on opposing quarterbacks though, with a mere 1.8 sacks per game.

NCAAF

Friday, December 21

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Beef O'Brady's Bowl: What bettors need to know
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Beef O'Brady's Bowl: UCF Knights vs. Ball State Cardinals (+7, 61.5)

BEEF ‘O’ BRADY’S BOWL STORYLINES

1. Ball State began the season 3-3 and has won six straight games since, while Central Florida was victorious in two of its first four games before finishing 7-2.

2. Jahwan Edwards of Ball State and Central Florida’s Latavius Murray have each rushed for more than 1,000 yards and 14 touchdowns. The Cardinals average 214.3 yards and UCF 178.7 on the ground.

3. Ball State has won four games with scores in the last two minutes of regulation or in overtime. Central Florida is 2-3 in games decided by seven points or less.

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN.

LINE: Central Florida opened as a touchdown favorite and has remained steady. The total has also stood pat at 61.5 points.

CONSENSUS: Fifty-six percent of Covers Consensus picks are on Ball State while 58 percent are on the over.

TRENDS:

* Knights are 5-2 ATS in their last seven vs. MAC.
* Cardinals are 19-7 ATS in their last 26 non-conference games.
* Under is 7-2 in Knights' last nine vs. MAC.
* Over is 4-1-1 in Cardinals' last six non-conference games.

ABOUT BALL STATE (9-3, 6-2 MAC, 9-3 ATS): The Cardinals are tied for the third most victories in the program’s history, thanks to a productive offense. Ball State’s losses are to Clemson, Northern Illinois and Kent State - who combined for a 33-5 record - and the Cardinals have averaged 31 points in those games. Quarterback Keith Wenning, who is probable with an Achilles injury which kept him out of the last regular-season game, has completed 65.5 percent of his passes and thrown for 22 touchdowns while averaging 261.2 yards. Willie Snead is the top target with 82 receptions and 1,070 yards and 135-pound Jamill Smith has 69 for 706. Edwards, who has totaled of 1,321 yards, keys a ground game that has produced more than 220 yards in four of the last five games. Linebacker Travis Freeman is the nation’s active leader in career tackles with 455. Ball State is 0-5 in bowl games and plays in its first since the 2008-09 season.

ABOUT CENTRAL FLORIDA (9-4, 7-1 C-USA, 6-7 ATS): The Knights have lost to undefeated Ohio State, bowl-bound Tulsa twice and Missouri – three of those by six points or less. Central Florida, which has won one of three games all time against Ball State, has been balanced by scoring 31 times on the ground and 25 through the air. Murray has 1,035 yards rushing in 10 games. Quarterback Blake Bortles has thrown 22 touchdown passes with only seven interceptions – three less than his counterpart. Bortles averages more than 200 yards and has completed 62.6 percent of his passes. J.J. Worton, Rannell Hall and Jeff Godfrey all have at least 31 receptions and 400 yards, combining for 11 scores. Central Florida is tied for 16th in the nation in turnover margin plus .85). The Knights are 1-3 in bowl games, winning their last against Georgia in the 2010 Liberty Bowl. They lost to Rutgers 45-24 in the 2009 Beef ‘O’ Brady’s Bowl.

Friday, December 21

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BALL ST (9 - 3) vs. UCF (9 - 4) - 12/21/2012, 7:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BALL ST is 8-1 ATS (+6.9 Units) off a win against a conference rival over the last 2 seasons.
BALL ST is 11-3 ATS (+7.7 Units) after playing a conference game over the last 2 seasons.
BALL ST is 12-3 ATS (+8.7 Units) in games played on turf over the last 2 seasons.

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

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Friday, December 21

7:30 PM
BALL STATE vs. CENTRAL FLORIDA
Ball State is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 12 of Ball State's last 17 games
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Central Florida's last 9 games
Central Florida is 7-2 SU in its last 9 games

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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 21

Game 207-208: Central Florida vs. Ball State (7:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Central Florida 95.374; Ball State 83.632
Dunkel Line: Central Florida by 11 1/2; 55
Vegas Line: Central Florida by 7; 61 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Central Florida (-7); Under

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Friday, December 21, 2012

Beef 'O' Brady's Bowl
Ball State vs. Central Florida, 7:30 ET ESPN
Ball State: 6-0 ATS off a road win
Central Florida: 9-1 Over as a favorite

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Friday, December 21

Beef O'Brady Bowl (St Petersburg)
First bowl for Ball State since their 12-2 season in '08; they lost last two bowls, 52-30/45-13, are 0-5 all-time (1-2 vs spread). 90-minute trip west for UCF, which lost 45-24 (+2) in this game to Rutgers three years ago; Knights are 1-3 in bowls- they beat Georgia 10-6 in Liberty Bowl two years ago, their last bowl. Ball State won last six games after a 3-3 start; losing side scored 26+ points in 8 of their 12 games. Cardinals are 4-1 vs spread as an underdog this year; UCF is 5-5 as a favorite. 10 of 13 UCF games went over total; Cardinals allowed 400+ TY in nine of 12 games. MAC dogs are 17-15 vs spread, 13-11 on road. C-USA favorites are 4-6 vs spread this season. Indoor game, so weather not an issue. Favorites covered three of previous four O'Brady games, with C-USA teams 1-3 in those games, but all three losses were to Big East teams.

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Friday, December 21

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Central Florida - 7:30 PM ET Ball State +7 500 POD

Ball State - Over 61.5 500 POD TOTAL

Las Vegas Bowl preview

December 21, 2012

BOISE STATE BRONCOS (10-2) vs. WASHINGTON HUSKIES (7-5)

Sportsbook.ag Line & Total: Boise State -5.5 & 44.5
Opening Line & Total: Broncos -5.5 & 46

No. 20 Boise State returns to a familiar place when it battles Washington in Saturday's Las Vegas Bowl.

This is the third straight Las Vegas Bowl for the Broncos who have outscored opponents 99-37 during a three-game bowl win streak. This matchup features two schools that each scored 56 points last bowl season, but the Huskies surrendered 67 points in a loss to Baylor, while Boise State allowed just 24 to Arizona State.

Washington is just 2-4 both straight up and against the spread in non-home games, losing to 14-point underdog Washington State in the regular season finale. The Broncos are 5-1 SU (4-2 ATS) away from the blue turf with the lone loss coming in August by just four points at Michigan State. The Huskies turned things around after a 3-4 start to the season, reeling off four consecutive wins (both SU and ATS) before losing to Washington State in overtime in the season finale in one of those throw-out-the-records-when-these-teams-face-each-other rivalry games. They won each of the first three games of that four-game win streak despite being an underdog in each of them, beating an Oregon State team that had previously been undefeated, then winning by 8 at California before blowing out Utah by 19 at home.

Although Boise State isn't the high-octane offense that it was under departed QB Kellen Moore (44.7 PPG in 2010-2011), the school still put up 30.4 PPG and 390 total YPG with Joe Southwick under center. And the junior is playing his best football late in the year, completing 53-of-75 passes (71%) for 624 yards (8.3 YPA), 7 TD and 0 INT in leading his team to three straight victories. RB D.J. Harper (1,065 rush yds, 15 TD) is the focal point of this Broncos offense with six 100-yard rushing games, including two in row.

The Broncos defense has been top-notch all year, ranking ninth in the FBS in total defense (305 YPG) and sixth in scoring defense (14.9 PPG). DE Demarcus Lawrence (9.5 sacks, 13.5 TFL) anchors a stout front four while senior LB J.C. Percy mans with the middle with a team-best 101 total tackles (61 solo). The secondary has also performed at a high level, giving up just 163 passing YPG, which is tied for the 4th-fewest in the nation. Boise State has allowed a mere three TD passes all year while picking off 16 passes.

This Boise defense could create a lot of problems for Washington QB Keith Price who has majorly regressed in his junior season with 15 fewer passing TD and a considerably lower passing efficiency (124.48, 77th in FBS) than in 2011 (161.93 rating, 7th in FBS). The Huskies are trying to shake off a tough loss to rival Washington State, when they relinquished an 18-point lead in the fourth quarter and lost 31-28 in overtime. Price had a key fumble in the final quarter and then threw an interception in the extra session to seal his team's fate. There have been no complaints about the job RB Bishop Sankey has done in replacing departed star RB Chris Polk this year. Sankey (1,234 rush yds, 15 TD) has rushed for more than 80 yards in nine of the past 10 games, topping 100 yards in six of those contests. In the past four games, Sankey has totaled 637 yards from scrimmage (159 YPG) with 6 TD runs.

The loss to WSU ended a four-game win streak where the defense allowed just 48 points combined (12.0 PPG). This unit has made tremendous strides since last bowl season when they allowed 67 points and 777 total yards in the Alamo Bowl loss to Baylor. The Huskies give up just 23.8 PPG and 353 total YPG for the season, a huge improvement from the 453 total YPG and 35.9 PPG from 2011. In the past five games, the Huskies have forced 19 turnovers (3.8 per week).

College Bowl Trends - Part I

December 21, 2012



Saturday, Dec. 22
Matchup Skinny Tech Trend

EAST CAROLINA vs. LOUISIANA-LAFAYETTE (New Orleans Bowl)...ULL returns to the sight of its exciting bowl win over San Diego State last December. Ragin' Cajuns 4-2 vs. line away from Lafayette this season, 17-4 in that role since 2010 campaign. Ruffin McNeill's ECU only 2-6 vs. spread its last eight away from Greenville. Louisiana, based on team trends.

WASHINGTON vs. BOISE STATE (Las Vegas Bowl)...Boise's third straight Las Vegas Bowl, won and covered handily the past two years. Chris Petersen has covered last four and five of six bowls since taking over as Bronco coach in 2006. Boise 26-8 vs. number away from blue carpet since 2008 season. Huskies just 4-8 vs. line away since 2011, and U-Dub 1-1 SU and vs. line in bowls under Steve Sarkisian. Boise State, based on road and bowl marks.

Monday, Dec. 24
Matchup Skinny Tech Trend

SMU vs. FRESNO STATE (Sheraton Bowl)...Fresno was a pointspread revelation this season, covering 11 of its 12 games on the board. Bulldogs also 4-0 vs. spread outside of Mountain West and are 7-1 vs. spread last eight away from Bulldog Stadium. June Jones just 1-4 vs. line away from Dallas this season and 2-7 vs. spread last nine on road since mid 2011. Fresno State, based on team trends.

Wednesday, Dec. 26
Matchup Skinny Tech Trend

CENTRAL MICHIGAN vs. WESTERN KENTUCKY (Little Caesars Bowl)...Chippewas closed with a flourish by winning and covering their last three and four of their last five this season. Previously, CMU had been a pointspread disaster, dropping 24 of previous 32 decisions vs. number. WKU went in mostly the opposite direction, its 17-game spread win streak snapped near midseason and dropping four of last six vs. spread. But Hilltoppers have covered all 12 of their spread decisions away from Bowling Green since 2011! Western Kentucky, based on extended team trends.

Thursday, Dec. 27
Matchup Skinny Tech Trend

BOWLING GREEN vs. SAN JOSE STATE (Military Bowl)...San Jose has been on quite a pointspread run since last season, covering last four and ten of twelve in 2012, 13 of last 15 since late 2011, and 18 of last 22 on board since early 2011. Spartans have also covered their last eight away from home. Bowling Green also closed fast in 2012 with covers in seven of its last eight games this season. Falcs have lost and failed to cover their last two bowls and haven't won and covered in a bowl game since 2004 against Memphis in GMAC Bowl. San Jose State, based on team trends.

CINCINNATI vs. DUKE (Belk Charlotte Bowl)...First Duke bowl game since Fred Goldsmith's 1994 Blue Devils faced Wisconsin and lost to Badgers 34-20 in Hall of Fame (now Outback) Bowl in Tampa; prior to that, Duke hadn't "bowled" since 1989 under Steve Spurrier and hasn't won a bowl since beating Arkansas 7-6 in the 1961 Cotton Bowl! Blue Devils closed slowly this season by losing and failing to cover their last four games, but HC David Cutcliffe is 2-0 SU in bowls dating to his Ole Miss days. Cutcliffe is 5-1 vs. line last six against non-ACC opposition. Duke, based on team trends.

BAYLOR vs. UCLA (Holiday Bowl)...Baylor closed season on an uptick with covers in its last five games, and Bears 16-8 overall vs. number the last two season. Art Briles only 1-3 SU in bowl games, however. Bruins 8-5 vs. line in Jim Mora debut season. Slight to Baylor, based on team trends.

Friday, Dec. 28
Matchup Skinny Tech Trend

OHIO vs. UL-MONROE (Independence Bowl, Friday)... Solich hit the skids vs. number as 2012 progressed, only 1-7 vs. spread last eight TY. Solich also no covers last four on road TY. Solich won and covered his bowl games last year (vs. Utah State) but previously was 0-3 SU and vs. line as bowl coach with the Bobcats. Meanwhile, ULM 6-1 vs. line away from home this season and 8-1 against spread last nine away from Malone Stadium since late 2011. UL-Monroe, based on team trends.

RUTGERS vs. VIRGINIA TECH (Russell Athletic Bowl)...Rutgers cooled off down the stretch this season, losing and failing to cover four of is last five games, but Beamer had more problems, only 3-9 against the line this season. Hokies only 7-20 last 27 games on board since late in 2010 campaign, and Beamer only 4-7 vs. spread last his last 11 bowl games. Scarlet Knights 16-9 vs. number overall since 2011. Rutgers, based on recent Beamer spread woes.

MINNESOTA vs. TEXAS TECH (Meineke Texas Bowl)...Rematch of 2006 Insight Bowl when Minnesota blew a huge lead to lose in OT and Glen Mason was dismissed after the game. Gophers last bowled in 2009 but have lost four straight in postseason (1-3 vs. line in those) since 20-16 win over Alabama in 2004 Liberty Bowl. Texas Tech again faded down stretch, no covers last five this season, and Red Raiders1-9 vs. spread last five games of the past two campaigns. Minnesota, based on Texas Tech late-season fade numbers.

Saturday, Dec. 29
Matchup Skinny Tech Trend

AIR FORCE vs. RICE (Armed Forces Bowl)... Air Force has covered its last three bowl games after Troy Calhoun lost and failed to cover his first two in postseason. Four of the Calhoun bowl games have been in this Armed Forces Bowl. But Falcs really backed up down the stretch in 2012 with no covers in last four games and just 3-9 overall vs. spread this season. Falcs just 12-23 overall last 35 vs. number since early in 2010 season. Rice won four of last five SU this season and covered five of its last six for David Bailiff. Rice, based on team trends.

NAVY vs. ARIZONA STATE (Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl)...Navy dropped its last four vs. the number in 2012 but has covered in five of its last seven bowl. Mids also 20-12 vs. spread as dog since 2007, and Navy 26-13 vs. spread its last 39 as a dog dating to the middle of the 2004 season. ASU cooled off after a quick start this season and dropped 4 of its last six vs. the number, and Sun Devils have not covered in their last four bowls (last bowl cover in 2004 Sun Bowl vs. Purdue). Navy, based on extended team and bowl trends.

WEST VIRGINIA vs. SYRACUSE (Yankee Pinstripe Bowl)...Former Big East rivals! Cuse won meetings the past two seasons as DD underdog on both occasions. Orange also closed this season hot, winning and covering five of last six. WVU earned covers in its last three but had dropped 6 of previous 7 vs. number this season. Syracuse, based on recent trends.

OREGON STATE vs. TEXAS (Alamo Bowl)... Mack Brown only 4-7 vs. number last 11 bowls, while Mike Riley 5-1 SU and 4-2 vs. line in bowls with OSU since 2003. Texas 15-24 last 38 vs. spread since late 2009. Beavers 9-2 vs. line this season and 4-1 vs. line on road in 2012. Oregon State, based on team and extended bowl trends.

TCU vs. MICHIGAN STATE (Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl)...Mark Dantonio 1-4 SU, 2-3 vs. spread in bowl games with MSU since 2007. Spartans only 4-8 vs. line this season but did cover 4 of 5 away from East Lansing (MSU was terrible 0-7 vs. spread as host this season) and are 9-3 against spread last 12 away from Spartan Stadium. Note Gary Patterson is 3-1 SU but 0-4 vs. line in last four bowls, and Frogs have won 6 of last 7 bowl games SU. Slight to TCU, based on recent bowl SU record.

Monday, Dec. 31
Matchup Skinny Tech Trend

NC STATE vs. VANDERBILT (Music City Bowl)... NCS has covered its last seven bowls which extends to the Amato and O'Brien regimes. Pack only 1-5 vs. line away from Raleigh this season but extended dog mark is good (11-6-1 since 2010, 28-16-1 since 2007 receiving points). Vandy 9-4 vs. points in 2012 and 18-8 vs. line under James Franklin since 2011, although Dores failed to cover bowl last year vs. Cincy. NC State, based on extended bowl numbers.

GEORGIA TECH vs. SOUTHERN CAL (Sun Bowl)... SC subpar 3-9 vs. number this season and 0-6 against number away from Coliseum. Lane Kiffin 0-1 in bowls (2009 with Tennessee against Virginia Tech in Chick fil-A Bowl). Trojans just 19-30 last 49 on board since early 2009. Paul Johnson 0-4 vs. line in bowls at GT but covered 3 of 4 in bowls with GT. Jackets 8-5 vs. line in 2012. Georgia Tech, based on SC road woes.

IOWA STATE vs. TULSA (Liberty Bowl)...Rematch from ISU's 38-23 in opener of 2012 season at Ames. Tulsa 4-2 SU and vs. line last six bowl games, and Blankenship 13-7 vs. spread last 20 on board since mid 2011. Slight to Tulsa, based on extended trends.

CLEMSON vs. LSU (Chick fil-A Bowl)...Les Miles 5-2 SU and vs. spread in bowls with LSU, although he did lose last year's BCS title game vs. Alabama. LSU only 1-3 vs. line as road favorite this season, but he was 10-4 vs. line away from Baton Rouge in 2010-11. Dabo only 5-5 as dog since 2010 (1-1 TY) and is just 1-3 SU and vs. line in bowls the past four seasons. LSU, based on team trends.

ECU travels to New Orleans to face UL-Lafayette Saturday

EAST CAROLINA PIRATES (8-4)
vs. UL-LAFAYETTE RAGIN' CAJUNS (8-4)

New Orleans Bowl - New Orleans, LA
Kickoff: Saturday, 12:00 p.m. EDT
Line: Louisiana-Lafayette -5, Total: 65.5

Louisiana-Lafayette will end its season close to home once again when they play in their second straight New Orleans Bowl Saturday versus East Carolina.

Both teams enter this game with high-scoring, three-game win streaks. ECU has scored 47.0 PPG during its surge while ULL has 39.3 PPG during its three-game ride. However, the Pirates have been held to 20 points or less during a three-game bowl losing skid. The Ragin' Cajuns have appeared in just one bowl since 1970, winning last year's New Orleans Bowl 32-30 over SDSU with a Brett Baer 50-yard FG as time expired. East Carolina QB Shane Carden has 17 TD passes in his past seven games, while UL-Lafayette QB Terrence Broadway has 349 total YPG in his past seven contests.

Can Louisiana-Lafayette win a second straight New Orleans Bowl? For the answer, download your FREE copy of the StatFox Edge College Bowl Guide for all the StatFox Experts picks for each of the 35 bowls, both Against The Spread and Over/Under.

Carden averages a solid 243 total YPG, but that number has risen significantly in the past five games to 326 YPG. Although Carden prefers to stay in the pocket, he does have four rushing touchdowns in the past two games, including 3 TD in the 65-59 double overtime win over Marshall in the last game. ECU leaves most of the ground duty to RB Vintavious Cooper who ranks fifth in Conference USA with 86 rushing YPG. In the past five games, Cooper has rushed for 572 yards (114 YPG) on 5.4 YPC with seven total touchdowns. It's a good thing the offense has been so efficient lately, because ECU's defense has surrendered 40.2 PPG over the past five games including two 50-point outbursts. The passing defense has been burned all year (272 YPG, 108th in FBS), but the rushing defense (146 YPG, 46th in FBS) has been excellent over the past three games, allowing just 251 yards on 78 carries (3.2 YPC).

Broadway has been a true dual-threat QB during ULL's three-game win streak, completing 66% of his passes for 736 yards and 4 TDs, while rushing for 354 yards on just 42 carries (8.4 YPC) and 3 TD. He's the biggest reason the team has piled up 118 points (39.3 PPG) and 1,572 total yards (524 YPG) during the win streak. Sophomore RB Alonzo Harris is also producing nicely with back-to-back 100-yard games, totaling 231 yards on just 31 carries (7.5 YPC) with 3 TD. Harris rushed for a pedestrian 62 yards on 15 carries (4.1 YPC) in last year's New Orleans Bowl win over San Diego State. While the Cajuns offense is in good shape, the defense has some issues, especially defending the pass where they allow 284 passing YPG (10th-most in FBS). ULL's run defense has made great strides though, limiting the past five opponents to 138 rushing YPG on 4.3 YPC. The Ragin' Cajuns also rank second in the Sun Belt in both sacks (2.2 per game) and Tackles For Loss (6.5 per game).

No. 20 Boise meets Washington in Las Vegas Bowl

BOISE STATE BRONCOS (10-2)
vs. WASHINGTON HUSKIES (7-5)

Las Vegas Bowl - Las Vegas, NV
Kickoff: Saturday, 3:30 p.m. EDT
Line: Boise State -5.5, Total: 44.5

No. 20 Boise State returns to a familiar place when it battles Washington in Saturday's Las Vegas Bowl.

This is the third straight Las Vegas Bowl for the Broncos who have outscored opponents 99-37 during a three-game bowl win streak. This matchup features two schools that each scored 56 points last bowl season, but the Huskies surrendered 67 points in a loss to Baylor, while Boise State allowed just 24 to Arizona State. Washington is just 2-4 (SU and ATS) in non-home games, losing to 14-point underdog Washington State in the regular season finale. The Broncos are 5-1 SU (4-2 ATS) away from the blue turf with the lone loss coming in August by just four points at Michigan State.

Can Boise State win its third Las Vegas Bowl in three years? For the answer, download your FREE copy of the StatFox Edge College Bowl Guide for all the StatFox Experts picks for each of the 35 bowls, both Against The Spread and Over/Under.

Although Boise State isn't the high-octane offense that it was under departed QB Kellen Moore (44.7 PPG in 2010-2011), the school still put up 30.4 PPG and 390 total YPG with Joe Southwick under center. And the junior is playing his best football late in the year, completing 53-of-75 passes (71%) for 624 yards (8.3 YPA), 7 TD and 0 INT in leading his team to three straight victories. RB D.J. Harper (1,065 rush yds, 15 TD) is the focal point of this Broncos offense with six 100-yard rushing games, including two in row. The Broncos defense has been top-notch all year, ranking ninth in the FBS in total defense (305 YPG) and sixth in scoring defense (14.9 PPG). DE Demarcus Lawrence (9.5 sacks, 13.5 TFL) anchors a stout front four while senior LB J.C. Percy mans with the middle with a team-best 101 total tackles (61 solo). The secondary has also performed at a high level, giving up just 163 passing YPG, which is tied for the 4th-fewest in the nation. Boise State has allowed a mere three TD passes all year while picking off 16 passes.

This Boise defense could create a lot of problems for Washington QB Keith Price who has majorly regressed in his junior season with 15 fewer passing TD and a considerably lower passing efficiency (124.48, 77th in FBS) than in 2011 (161.93 rating, 7th in FBS). The Huskies are trying to shake off a tough loss to rival Washington State, when they relinquished an 18-point lead in the fourth quarter and lost 31-28 in overtime. Price had a key fumble in the final quarter and then threw an interception in the extra session to seal his team's fate. There have been no complaints about the job RB Bishop Sankey has done in replacing departed star RB Chris Polk this year. Sankey (1,234 rush yds, 15 TD) has rushed for more than 80 yards in nine of the past 10 games, topping 100 yards in six of those contests. In the past four games, Sankey has totaled 637 yards from scrimmage (159 YPG) with 6 TD runs. The loss to WSU ended a four-game win streak where the defense allowed just 48 points combined (12.0 PPG). This unit has made tremendous strides since last bowl season when they allowed 67 points and 777 total yards in the Alamo Bowl loss to Baylor. The Huskies give up just 23.8 PPG and 353 total YPG for the season, a huge improvement from the 453 total YPG and 35.9 PPG from 2011. In the past five games, the Huskies have forced 19 turnovers (3.8 per week).

Saturday, December 22

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E CAROLINA (8 - 4) vs. LA LAFAYETTE (8 - 4) - 12/22/2012, 12:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
LA LAFAYETTE is 7-0 ATS (+7.0 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.
LA LAFAYETTE is 16-7 ATS (+8.3 Units) when playing on a Saturday over the last 2 seasons.
LA LAFAYETTE is 11-3 ATS (+7.7 Units) in road games in games played on turf over the last 3 seasons.

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

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WASHINGTON (7 - 5) vs. BOISE ST (10 - 2) - 12/22/2012, 3:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
WASHINGTON is 67-96 ATS (-38.6 Units) after playing a conference game since 1992.
BOISE ST is 63-32 ATS (+27.8 Units) off a win against a conference rival since 1992.
BOISE ST is 74-44 ATS (+25.6 Units) after 2 or more consecutive straight up wins since 1992.
BOISE ST is 38-18 ATS (+18.2 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record since 1992.
BOISE ST is 108-67 ATS (+34.3 Units) in all games since 1992.
BOISE ST is 108-67 ATS (+34.3 Units) in all lined games since 1992.
BOISE ST is 87-57 ATS (+24.3 Units) as a favorite since 1992.
BOISE ST is 75-52 ATS (+17.8 Units) when playing on a Saturday since 1992.
BOISE ST is 69-36 ATS (+29.4 Units) after playing a conference game since 1992.
BOISE ST is 6-0 ATS (+6.0 Units) in road games in non-conference games over the last 2 seasons.

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

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Saturday, December 22

12:00 PM
EAST CAROLINA vs. LOUISIANA-LAFAYETTE
East Carolina is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of East Carolina's last 5 games
Louisiana-Lafayette is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Louisiana-Lafayette's last 6 games

3:30 PM
WASHINGTON vs. BOISE STATE
Washington is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
Boise State is 10-1 SU in its last 11 games
Boise State is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games


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SATURDAY, DECEMBER 22

Game 209-210: East Carolina vs. UL-Lafayette (12:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: East Carolina 77.270; UL-Lafayette 85.709
Dunkel Line: UL-Lafayette by 8 1/2; 59
Vegas Line: UL-Lafayette by 5 1/2; 64 1/2
Dunkel Pick: UL-Lafayette (-5 1/2); Under

Game 211-212: Washington vs. Boise State (3:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Washington 100.064; Boise State 95.383
Dunkel Line: Washington by 4 1/2; 49
Vegas Line: Boise State by 5 1/2; 46
Dunkel Pick: Washington (+5 1/2); Over

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Saturday, December 22, 2012

R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl
East Carolina vs. Louisiana Lafayette, 12:00 ET ESPN | Matt Fargo's Bowl Preview
East Carolina: 11-3 ATS away playing on artificial turf
LA Lafayette: 10-2 Over off BB conference games

MAACO Las Vegas Bowl
Washington vs. Boise State, 3:30 ET ESPN
Washington: 16-30 ATS off a conference road loss
Boise State: 6-0 ATS away vs. non-conference opponents

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Saturday, December 22

New Orleans Bowl
I tend to be wary of teams going back to same bowl they won LY; UL-Lafayette (+4) upset San Diego State 32-30 in this game LY, their first-ever bowl, in front of partisan crowd of 42,000+; their excitement level can’t be the same for this game. ULL scored 31-52-35 points in last three games; they allowed 21+ in last seven, and are 3-3-1 vs spread as favorites this year. East Carolina beat Tulane 28-23 on this field November 17, so they’ll be in familiar surroundings, only with much bigger crowd. All four of ECU’s losses this year are by 20+ points; they scored 41+ points in last four wins. Pirates are in 5th bowl in last six years after staying home LY; they’ve lost last three bowls, but those were all vs SEC/ACC teams. ECU’s last bowl win was an upset of Boise State in Hawai’i five years ago. ULL played slightly tougher schedule this year. Sun Belt non-conference favorites are 5-2 vs spread this year; C-USA road dogs are 7-12. This will basically be a ULL home game.

Las Vegas Bowl
Washington lost three of last four bowls, beating Nebraska 19-7 two years ago, before RGIII/Baylor ran them out of Alamodome LY, 67-56, game that cost DC Holt his job—he was replaced by Justin Wilcox, who was Boise’s DC from 2006-09. Boise State is in Las Vegas Bowl for third year in row (won 26-3/56-24 last two years, both as double digit favorites vs Pac-12 teams), so little bit wary of Broncos here, since they’ve got new QB/OC from LY. Peterson is 4-2 in bowl games (5-1 vs spread); Boise scored 27+ points in 8 of 12 games this year, but won three of four when they scored less- this is a less explosive Bronco team that has a better defense. Washington was on 4-game win streak and had 18-point lead in Apple Cup rivalry game, but blew that game- they allowed 17 or less points in all seven wins. Huskies are 5-3 vs spread as an underdog this year; Boise is 5-6 as a favorite. MWC non-conference favorites are 6-8 vs spread; Pac-12 underdogs are 7-4.

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NCAAF

Saturday, December 22

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New Orleans Bowl: What bettors need to know
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East Carolina vs. UL Lafayette (-4.5, 65)

R+L CARRIERS NEW ORLEANS BOWL GAME STORYLINES

1. Louisiana-Lafayette won four of its last five games, scoring 31 or more points in each of the wins in claiming second place in the Sun Belt, and makes its second consecutive trip to The Big Easy after winning the bowl last year. The Ragin' Cajuns will put their high-scoring attack to the test against East Carolina in a near inevitable shootout. The Pirates, who won five of their last six before losing the Conference USA tiebreaker to Central Florida, have scored more than 40 points in four of those wins.

2. The Ragin' Cajuns and the Pirates make the most of their scoring opportunities. Louisiana-Lafayette is tied for second in the country in red zone efficiency while the Pirates lead C-USA and are tied for fifth nationally.

3. While both teams have had little trouble scoring the ball, neither has had much success stopping their opponents as they allow close to 30 points per game. The Pirates suffered each of their four defeats by at least 20 points.

TV: 12 p.m. ET, Saturday, Dec. 22.

LINE: This line opened as high as UL Lafayette -6 and the total has crept up from 64 to 65.5 at some shops.

CONSENSUS: Nearly 59 percent of Covers Consensus players like the Rajin’ Cajuns to cover.

TRENDS:

* Over is 4-1 in Pirates' last five games overall.
* Ragin' Cajuns are 4-1 ATS in their last five games overall.
* Pirates are 0-5 ATS in their last five games vs. a team with a winning record.
* Under is 4-1 in Ragin' Cajuns' last five games following a win.

ABOUT EAST CAROLINA (8-4, 7-1 C-USA): Shane Carden has racked up 2,838 yards of total offense and 29 touchdowns this season. In the Pirates' 65-59 double-overtime victory over Marshall in their season finale, Carden completed 38 of 47 passes for 439 yards and three touchdowns while running for another three scores. Justin Hardy, Carden's top target, has caught 83 passes for 1,046 yards and 10 touchdowns as East Carolina's air attack ranks 35th in the nation. Vintavious Cooper's 1,030 rushing yards and seven scores helps balance the attack. The Pirates are likely underdogs because of the four blowout losses to South Carolina, North Carolina, Central Florida and Navy. Also, East Carolina failed to record a victory against a bowl-bound opponent.

ABOUT LOUISIANA-LAFAYETTE (8-4, 6-2 Sun Belt): While its the Ragin' Cajuns four wins in their last five games that sent them to New Orleans, its their lone loss in that span - a 27-20 defeat at the hands of then-No. 6 Florida that put them in the public spotlight. Dual-threat quarterback Terrance Broadway has thrown for 2,565 yards and 16 touchdowns while rushing for 661 yards and another eight scores. Three of his four best rushing performances came in Louisiana-Lafayette's last three games -- all wins. Paired with Alonzo Harris (761 yards, eight touchdowns), the Ragin' Cajuns average 187.3 yards per game on the ground, 40th-best in the nation. Louisiana-Lafayette recorded two victories over bowl teams this season in Louisiana-Monroe and Western Kentucky.


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NCAAF

Saturday, December 22

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Las Vegas Bowl: What bettors need to know
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Washington vs. Boise State (-5.5, 45)

MAACO BOWL LAS VEGAS STORYLINES

1. It is a testament to how well Chris Petersen and his staff have done at Boise State that a 10-2 season feels like a down year. The 15th-ranked Broncos were likely out of BCS consideration when they fell at Michigan State on opening weekend but stayed strong behind a defense that allowed less than 15 points and managed to claim a share of the Mountain West. While Boise State was expected to take a small step back, Washington’s step forward in the Pac-12 never fully materialized this season and a loss in the Apple Cup left a sour taste in everyone’s mouth last month.

2. The Huskies have struggled offensively all season and will have to go up against a stout Boise State defense. Washington did not get to 30 points in Pac-12 play until facing the bottom of the league in Utah and Colorado late in the season. The Broncos gave up more than 20 only three times and never let a team hit 30. Boise State has been especially strong against the pass, holding opponents to 163.4 yards - fourth in the nation.

3. Washington is trying to lock down its first eight-win season since 2001 while the Broncos are hoping to avoid their first three-loss campaign since 2007. The schools have met only once previously (a 24-10 victory by the Huskies in Seattle in 2007) but will be playing in back-to-back contests, with the Broncos set to open next season in Seattle on Aug. 31.

TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN.

LINE: The line opened at Boise State -6 at most shops with the total shrinking to 45 after opening at 46.

WEATHER: Forecasts are calling for temperatures in the mid-50s with partly cloudy skies. Winds will blow out of the SSE at 10 mph.

CONSENSUS: Nearly 65 percent of Covers Consensus players like the Broncos to cover.

TRENDS:

* Huskies are 4-1 ATS in their last five games overall.
* Broncos are 4-0 ATS in their last four bowl games.
* Under is 5-0 in Broncos’ last five games vs. a team with a winning record.
* Under is 4-1 in Huskies’ last five games vs. a team with a winning record.


ABOUT WASHINGTON (7-5, 5-4 Pac 12): The Huskies went 7-6 in each of the previous two seasons and were a trendy pick to challenge for the Pac-12 North with junior quarterback Keith Price entering his third year in coach Steve Sarkisian’s system. But Price and the entire team developed a tendency to come up short in their biggest games early in the season. Losses at LSU in September and a three-game slide in October saw the Huskies outscored by an average of 28.5 points. They were on their way to a five-game winning streak to close the regular season before squandering an 18-point lead to rival Washington State. Price could spend most of his day in Las Vegas handing off to sophomore running back Bishop Sankey, who totaled 1,234 yards and 15 touchdowns in the regular season. Sankey will be going up against the soft spot in the Broncos’ defense, a front line that has allowed an average of 141.3 yards on the ground.

ABOUT BOISE STATE (10-2, 7-1 MWC): The Broncos will be making their 11th straight bowl appearance and third in a row at the MAACO Bowl Las Vegas. They beat Utah 26-3 in the 2010 game and took out Arizona State 56-24 in Las Vegas last December. Boise State was replacing four-year starter at quarterback Kellen Moore in 2012 and took a while for the offense to catch up to the defense under new signal-caller Joe Southwick. The junior came on at the end of the season, throwing seven touchdowns and no interceptions over the final three games to bring the Broncos back to a tie for first place in the Mountain West. Senior running back D.J. Harper finished the season with back-to-back 100-yard games and should see plenty of carries against a Washington defense that has surrendered 164.3 yards on average.


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Saturday, December 22

Game Score Status Pick Amount

East Carolina - 12:00 PM ET UL Lafayette -6 500

UL Lafayette - Under 68 500

Washington - 3:30 PM ET Boise State -5 500

Boise State - Under 44 500

NCAAF Consensus Picks

December 22, 2012 »

Sides (ATS)

Time Away Line Picks Pct Home Line Picks Pct Detail Odds

3:30 PM Washington +4.5 1134 35.39% Boise State -4.5 2070 64.61% View View

12:00 PM East Carolina +6 1279 40.95% UL Lafayette -6 1844 59.05% View View

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Totals (Over/Under)

Time Away Total Home Over Pct Under Pct Detail Odds

3:30 PM Washington 44.5 Boise State 1439 61.97% 883 38.03% View View

12:00 PM East Carolina 68 UL Lafayette 1503 63.15% 877 36.85% View View


Games are highlighted when more than 59% of all cash contests players choose outcome.

NCAAF

Monday, December 24

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Sheraton Hawaii Bowl: What bettors need to know
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Fresno State Bulldogs vs. SMU Mustangs (+12, 59.5)

SHERATON HAWAII BOWL GAME STORYLINES

1. The lone Christmas Eve bowl game figures to be gift-wrapped with plenty of offense. Southern Methodist will try to keep pace with Fresno State, which is ranked 14th nationally in total offense at 488.5 yards per game while averaging 40.2 points. The Mustangs average 29.5 points and scored a school-record 72 against Houston in October.

2. SMU coach June Jones is familiar with the islands after coaching Hawaii for nine seasons. The Mustangs, who are making their school-record fourth consecutive bowl appearance, won the 2009 Hawaii Bowl 45-10 against Nevada. The Bulldogs are making their 12th bowl appearance in the last 14 seasons, and are coming off their first conference championship since 1999.

3. Both teams enter the contest riding a wave of momentum after finishing the regular season on a high note. Fresno State has won five straight games, including a 48-15 victory over Air Force on Nov. 24. SMU went 2-2 down the stretch, but the Mustangs beat Tulsa 35-27 in their season finale to hand the Golden Hurricane their first conference loss. Fresno State lost to Tulsa 27-26 on Sept. 22.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, ESPN.

LINE: Fresno State opened at -11.5 and has since climbed to -12. The total opened at 59.5 and has remained steady.

WEATHER: The forecast is calling for a 51 percent chance of rain later in the game with temperatures in the high 60s. Winds are expected to blow ENE at 7 mph.

CONSENSUS: 57 percent of Covers Consensus picks are on Fresno State while 66 percent are leaning toward the over.

TRENDS:

* Bulldogs are 1-4 ATS in their last five Bowl games.
* Mustangs are 5-1 ATS in their last six vs. MWC.
* Over is 4-0 in Bulldogs' last four Bowl games.
* Over is 5-2 in Mustangs' last seven games overall.

ABOUT FRESNO STATE (9-3, 7-1 Mountain West, 11-1 ATS): Led by first-year coach Tim DeRuyter, the Bulldogs shared the conference championship with Boise State and San Diego State. Junior quarterback Derek Carr was named Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year after throwing for a career-high 3,742 yards with 36 touchdowns and only five interceptions. Freshman wide receiver Davante Adams led the conference in receptions (89), receiving yards (1,168) and touchdown catches (13), while senior Robbie Rouse rushed for 1,468 yards and 12 touchdowns. Senior defensive back Philip Thomas leads the Bulldogs’ defense, which ranked 19th in the nation while allowing an average of 335.3 yards. Thomas was named the Mountain West’s top defensive player after recording a career-high 82 tackles and eight interceptions. After recording only nine takeaways last year, Fresno State tied for third nationally with SMU and Boise State with 33 turnovers gained this season.

ABOUT SMU (6-6, 5-3 Conference USA, 7-5 ATS): The Mustangs needed their victory over Tulsa to become bowl eligible after losing 36-14 at Rice on Nov. 17. The offense is led by senior Zach Line, who was named C-USA Offensive Player of the Year after rushing for 1,207 yards and 12 touchdowns. Quarterback Garrett Gilbert is a dual threat who had 14 passing touchdowns and seven rushing. Gilbert has a 14-to-13 touchdown-to-interception ratio, but has thrown 126 passes without an interception. The defense is led by defensive end Margus Hunt and linebacker Ja'Gared Davis, who forced three turnovers against Tulsa. The Mustangs are vulnerable in the secondary, where they've lost two starters to injuries. Over the past two-plus seasons, SMU is 14-0 when scoring first, but 0-14 when the opponent scores first.

Hawaii Bowl Preview

December 22, 2012

While Monday Night Football in the NFL is done for the season, there is bowl action this Monday night as the annual Christmas Eve Hawaii Bowl features an intriguing match-up to wrap up the football weekend. SMU finished the season just 6-6, needing to beat Conference USA champion Tulsa to gain bowl eligibility in the finale, while Fresno State is riding a five-game winning streak for a successful first season in the Mountain West. Here is a look at this game and the history between these teams.

Match-up: Southern Methodist Mustangs vs. Fresno State Bulldogs
Venue: Aloha Stadium, Honolulu, Hawaii (FieldTurf)
Date: Monday, December 23, 2012
Time/TV: 8:00 PM ET – ESPN
Line: Fresno State -12½, Over/Under 59
Last Meeting: 2004, Fresno State (-27), 42-0

This is a fourth straight bowl game in the five years since June Jones took over at SMU, an impressive feat considering SMU was 1-11 in his first season. That ugly season was coming off a 1-11 record in 2007 and the Mustangs had not been to a bowl game since getting hit with major NCAA sanctions, with the last bowl appearance being a 27-20 win over Notre Dame in the 1984 Aloha Bowl. SMU was in this bowl game in 2009, winning 45-10 as a double-digit underdog over Nevada. Jones coached at Hawaii from 1999 to 2007, leading Hawaii to the Sugar Bowl after the 2007 season when he led a 12-0 regular season in his final season with the Warriors. Jones is well received on the islands for his success at the university even though he left with some resentment.

Fresno State also has some experience playing in Hawaii as they meet the Warriors as WAC and now Mountain West foes annually. Fresno State made this trip last season, which could help the players with familiarity with the travel and stadium. The Bulldogs won a share of the Mountain West this season going 9-3 overall and 7-1 in conference play. The only losses for Fresno State came on the road against quality teams, Oregon, Tulsa, and Boise State. The Bulldogs also put together an incredible ATS season going 11-1. Fresno State went 3-3 against bowl teams this season, but most would agree that the Bulldogs lost to the best three teams on the schedule and really lack any high quality wins.

Statistically, Fresno State has far better numbers on both sides of the ball, impressively with 6.3 yards per play on offense against just 4.7 yards per play allowed on defense. SMU is also positive in that differential, but much less impressive on both sides of the ball at 5.5 yards per play on offense and 5.2 yards per play allowed on defense. Fresno State posted nearly 490 yards per game, including over 322 passing yards per game for one of the more productive offenses in the nation. On defense, Fresno State did allow significant rushing yards this season, surrendering 172 yards per game on the ground, but having to play Oregon made a big impact on those statistics.

Junior quarterback Derek Carr had a huge season for the Bulldogs and could certainly be growing as a NFL prospect. His brother, David was the #1 pick in the 2002 draft after playing for the Bulldogs and while he never became the star many expected, he has had a job in the league for a decade, currently the back-up for the New York Giants. Derek’s numbers this season are impressive with 36 touchdown passes against five interceptions, while completing almost 68 percent of his passes for over 3,700 yards. David threw for over 4,800 yards in his senior season but Derek’s numbers best what David did as a junior in just about every possible way.

Fresno State is certainly a pass-first team, averaging over 40 passing attempts per game and the ratio of passes to runs would likely be greater if the Bulldogs had fewer blowout wins. Diminutive senior running back Robbie Rouse needs just 32 yards to eclipse 1,500 yards for the second straight season, while also catching 58 passes and scoring 14 times combined. Freshman wide receiver Davante Adams has been the key weapon in the passing game with 89 catches this season for over 1,100 yards. Many of his catches are of the short-yardage variety with only five 100-yard games, but he has the ability to create yardage after the catch. This offense averaged over 40 points per game this season, the 12th best mark in college football.

SMU still looks like the run-and-shoot teams of past years under June Jones, but the offense has not been nearly as prolific. The Mustangs averaged just 366 yards per game this season and passed about 57 percent of the time. Despite over 40 pass attempts per game, SMU only averaged 237 passing yards per game as quarterback Garrett Gilbert (famous for filling in admirably for Colt McCoy at Texas in the 2009 BCS championship game) completed just over 53 percent of his passes. Most of his throws have gone for short yardage and he had just one more touchdown pass than interception. SMU was less reliant on the pass late in the year as Gilbert threw almost 46 passes per game in the first half of the season but just 33 attempts per game in the final six games.

Senior running back Zach Line led the Mustangs with over 1,200 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns while also catching 32 passes. He rushed for at least 81 yards in 10 of 12 games this season and had at least 15 attempts in every game. Darius Johnson and Jeremy Johnson led the receiving corps with very similar numbers but both are on the small end as far as receivers go. The Mustangs do spread the ball around but the offense was very inconsistent this season, scoring an average of 42 points in wins but less than 17 points per game in losses.

While Fresno State did play Oregon and Tulsa in non-conference play, SMU played a brutal non-conference schedule, losing to Baylor, TCU, and Texas A&M. Conference USA certainly had a down year, but the Mustangs did have to play the top team from the East division for one of the tougher slates in the conference. SMU went 5-3 in league play, including beating the eventual champion Tulsa. The schedules for these teams rated similarly with the Mountain West producing a handful of respectable teams and the Bulldogs getting a boost for playing Oregon.

Defensively, Fresno State has far better numbers and while there are some holes in the SMU secondary the Mustangs are not as bad as the overall numbers suggest with a 103rd- ranked pass defense. Facing Baylor and Texas A&M put a big hit on those numbers and the pace of play for SMU allowed for more plays to be ran against them. What both defenses did extremely well was create turnovers this season. As SMU and Fresno State both picked up 33 turnovers on the season and both teams had turnover margins ranked in the top 12 of the nation. That could be a key for the outcome of this game.

While June Jones and his return to Hawaii will be a lead storyline, a great first year for Tim DeRuyter in Fresno should also be worth mentioning. Well-respected longtime Coach Pat Hill was released after last season’s disappointing 4-9 season and while Hill had a number a very good teams and big upset wins he never won a WAC title. In the first year in the Mountain West, DeRuyter has a conference title for Fresno State, albeit with mainly players Hill brought in. DeRuyter did coach Texas A&M to a bowl victory last season as an interim head coach, beating Northwestern 33-22 last season and while with the Aggies he was the offensive coordinator that helped hand SMU a 46-14 defeat last season as well.

Line Movement: Fresno State opened as a -10½-point favorite, but the line quickly climbed to -12 and later to -12½ where it has been steady much of the week before some recent buy-back to -12 at some outlets. The total opened at 59½ and has bounced down to 59. Fresno State is around -450 on the moneyline with SMU +350.

Last Meeting: In 2004, Fresno State was a huge favorite of -27 hosting a one-win SMU team in the latter part of the season. Fresno State won in a blowout with a 42-0 win, but the yardage was actually relatively close as Fresno State had a 465-356 edge as SMU had four turnovers. That was an SMU team that had won once in the previous 18 games however and a good Fresno State team was focused coming off three consecutive tight losses.

Series History: These teams played six straight seasons from 1999 to 2004 with Fresno State winning all but the first meeting S/U though going just 2-3-1 ATS. Fresno State was favored by more than 14 points in each of those contests.

SMU Historical Trends: Since June Jones took over this program in 2008, SMU is 18-16-1 ATS as an underdog and the Mustangs were 4-3 ATS in that role this season including three S/U wins. This is a fourth bowl game in a row for the Mustangs with SMU winning big twice as an underdog and losing as a favorite two years ago in a ‘home’ bowl game. Since 2009, SMU is 8-4 ATS as an underdog of 10 or more points but SMU is also just 4-8 ATS the last two seasons in non-home games.

Fresno State Historical Trends: From late 2005 until the end of last season, Fresno State was mired in an ugly 9-32-2 ATS run in the favorite role. It all changed this season as Fresno State went 9-0 S/U and ATS as a favorite this season including going 7-0 as a double-digit favorite. The only game in which Fresno State failed to cover this season was at Boise State, losing by 10 as a seven-point underdog. Fresno State is 4-7 ATS in the last 11 games as a double-digit favorite away from home and 9-14 ATS in the last 23 games overall as a favorite away from home.

SMU, Fresno State Square Off Monday In Hawaii Bowl

Fresno State Bulldogs vs. Southern Methodist Mustangs
Hawaii Bowl Betting Preview
Date: 12/24/2012 at 8:00 p.m. (ET)
Opening Lines: Fresno St. -12½, O/U 60½
Television: ESPN

Fresno State Bulldogs: It was a very successful first season in the Mountain West Conference for the Bulldogs (9-3 straight-up, 11-1 against the spread), who captured a share of the league title during their first year under Coach Tim DeRuyter. Fresno State also made a lot of friends on the college betting front with nearly 10 units of profit vs. the lines. The only hiccup at the window was a midseason 20-10 loss at Boise State as a 7-point 'dog, but FSU recovered with five consecutive wins and covers to end the campaign. The Bulldogs offense had a lot to do with the team covering seven times as double-digit chalk, and that unit was directed by quarterback Derek Carr, the younger brother of former Fresno star David Carr. The junior out of Bakersfield completed over 68 percent of his passes for 3,742 yards and an outstanding 36:5 touchdown-to-interception ratio. The passing game was supported by a ground unit that averaged nearly 166 yards per contest behind Robbie Rouse's 1,468 yards (13th in country).

SMU Mustangs: It will be something of a homecoming for Coach June Jones when he brings Southern Methodist (6-6 SU, 7-5 ATS) to the islands for Christmas. Jones spent nine seasons at the helm of the Hawaii Warriors, a span that included guiding the team into this bowl contest four times. He also got to know Fresno State very well, with the Bulldogs and Warriors growing into a strong WAC rivalry before the Bulldogs bolted for the MWC. The Mustangs closed their season with a 35-27 upset of Tulsa to gain bowl eligibility and hand the Golden Hurricane their only Conference USA defeat of the campaign. SMU was a 6-point underdog in the contest, and finished 6-1 ATS at home. Former Texas QB Garrett Gilbert directed the Ponies offense with more than 2,700 yards passing, and the unit was augmented by Zach Line's 1,207 yards rushing. The Mustangs are making their fourth consecutive bowl appearance with this game, and second Hawaii Bowl matchup after a 45-10 win and cover over Nevada in 2009, Jones' second year with the program.

Monday, December 24

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SMU (6 - 6) vs. FRESNO ST (9 - 3) - 12/24/2012, 8:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
FRESNO ST is 11-1 ATS (+9.9 Units) in all games this season.
FRESNO ST is 11-1 ATS (+9.9 Units) in all lined games this season.
FRESNO ST is 9-0 ATS (+9.0 Units) as a favorite this season.
FRESNO ST is 10-1 ATS (+8.9 Units) in games played on turf this season.

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

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Monday, December 24

8:00 PM
SOUTHERN METHODIST vs. FRESNO STATE
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Southern Methodist's last 7 games
Southern Methodist is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing Fresno State
Fresno State is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
Fresno State is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Southern Methodist

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MONDAY, DECEMBER 24

Game 213-214: Fresno State vs. SMU (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Fresno State 97.175; SMU 78.675
Dunkel Line: Fresno State by 18 1/2; 55
Vegas Line: Fresno State by 12; 59 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Fresno State (-12); Under

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Monday, December 24, 2012

Sheraton Hawaii Bowl
SMU vs. Fresno State, 8:00 ET ESPN
SMU: 0-6 ATS away after committing 1 or 0 turnovers
Fresno State: 9-0 ATS as a favorite

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Monday, December 24

Hawai’i Bowl
SMU coach Jones is a legend in Paradise, having coached Rainbow Warriors for nine years (’99-’07), some of best years in program history; his SMU team won this game 45-10 as a 12-point dog over Nevada (and Colin Kaepernick) three years ago, so can’t dismiss them here, even though they’re 6-6, with four losses by 22+ points. Jones is 6-3 overall in bowls; Mustangs are 4-3 vs spread as underdogs this year- they run ball lot more than Jones’ usual run-and-shoot team, mainly because his QBs aren’t good enough to throw on every down. Fresno State is 8-0 vs spread as a favorite this year, 6-0 when laying double digits; Bulldogs won last five games, scoring 47.2 ppg. Pat Hill lost his last three bowls with Fresno, allowing 40-35-40 points; they’ve lost six of last eight bowls, overall. Average total in Bulldogs’ last five bowls is 63.6. C-USA non-conference underdogs are 12-20 vs spread this year; MWC favorites are 6-8 against the spread.

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Hawaii Bowl

Fresno State - Senior Phillip Thomas led the nation in interceptions with eight and tied for tops in the nation with three returned for TDs.

SMU – The Mustangs tied for the most interception return TDs with six this season. SMU finished tied for sixth with 19 INTs.

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Monday, December 24

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Fresno State - 8:00 PM ET Fresno State -12.5 500

Southern Methodist - Under 61.5 500

Central Michigan, Western Kentucky Meet In Little Caesars Bowl

Western Kentucky Hilltoppers vs. Central Michigan Chippewas
College Football Betting Preview
Date: 12/26/2012 at 7:30 p.m. (ET)
Opening Lines: WKU -6, O/U 60
Television: ESPN

NOTE: Central Michigan wide receivers Titus Davis and Courtney Willliams are both out for Wednesday's Little Caesars Bowl game vs. Western Kentucky due to suspensions.

WKU Hilltoppers: A 5-1 start to the season fizzled out at the end for the Hilltoppers (7-5 straight-up, 8-4 against the spread), who dropped four of their final six games. The Little Caesars Bowl still rewarded WKU with an invite to take on Central Michigan at Detroit's Ford Field, and defensive coordinator Lance Guidry will lead the team as interim head coach after Willie Taggart opted to take the South Florida job in early December. Western Kentucky recently announced the hiring of former Arkansas head coach Bobby Petrino to take over beginning next year. This is the first bowl appearance for the Hilltoppers since a Tangerine Bowl victory in 1963, and they bring a solid ground game into the affair, led by running back Antonio Andrews. The junior rushed for 1,614 yards, ranked eighth in the nation, and scored 11 touchdowns on the ground, adding another three scores receiving. Both teams bring solid "over" trends into the contest, with seven of CMU's last 10 games topping the total while five of WKU's last seven skipped past the number.

CMU Chippewas: Sneaking into the bowl picture with three wins and covers to close the schedule, Central Michigan (6-6 SU, 5-7 ATS) is making its first postseason appearance since winning the GMAC Bowl in 2009. The Chips were coming off consecutive 3-9 campaigns in Coach Dan Enos' first two years as head coach before the late push to become bowl eligible this season. Senior quarterback Ryan Radcliff threw for more than 2,900 yards and 20 TDs, with his favorite target being Cody Wilson (64 receptions, 739 yards). However, Radcliff will be missing his best downfield threat for this game since Titus Davis (43 catches for 860 yards) is out due to a suspension. The real strength of the CMU attack is RB Zurlon Tipton, who closed the season with six consecutive games rushing for at least 110 yards. The junior ranked 15th in the country with almost 1,400 yards rushing, and he scored 19 touchdowns on the ground.