COLLEGE FOOTBALL BEST EARLY BOWL BETS FOR SAT. DECEMBER 27
Summary
The Go Bowling Military Bowl features Pittsburgh against East Carolina, with a prediction that the game’s total points will exceed 56.5. The Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl has Penn State facing Clemson, where Clemson is favored to win and cover the 3-point spread in a high-scoring affair. For the Wasabi Fenway Bowl, UConn is expected to keep the game close against Army, covering the +8.5 point spread.
In the Pop-Tarts Bowl, the over on 56 total points is favored when Georgia Tech meets BYU. Fresno State is picked to cover a 6-point spread against Miami (OH) in the Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl. For the Isleta New Mexico Bowl, North Texas is predicted to cover -3.5 against San Diego State. Missouri is favored by 3.5 points over Virginia in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl. Finally, in the Kinder’s Texas Bowl, Houston is selected to cover -3 against LSU, with the total points also expected to go over 41.5.
GO BOWLING MILITARY BOWL
PITTSBURGH VS EAST CAROLINA (+9.5, O/U: 56.5)
Pittsburgh (8-4) ended its regular season with a 38-7 loss to College Football Playoff team Miami, which looks a lot better now two weeks later. Mason Heintschel was 22 of 32 for 199 yards, one touchdown, and a pick in the win. He was sacked four times. Raphel Williams, Jr. caught five passes for 66 yards. Justin Holmes caught the lone Panthers TD. The defense picked off Carson Beck once and sacked him twice. The Pirates (8-4) wrapped up their campaign with a 42-3 victory over Florida Atlantic. Katin House was 20 of 29 for 258 yards and two TDs with no interceptions. He added 11 carries for 55 yards and two scores and was sacked once. Marlon Gunn, Jr. rushed 14 times for 130 yards and a score. Desiro Riles caught seven passes for 87 yards and a TD. Brock Spradlin hauled in five balls for 76 yards and got into the paint once.
BEST BETS: Over 56.5
Pittsburgh and the spread might be safe, but I like the way the Pirates can score points. Since Pitt can put up some pinball scores too, that makes the over the play.
BAD BOY MOWERS PINSTRIPE BOWL
PENN STATE VS CLEMSON (-3, O/U: 48.5)
We have our first of the “fired coaches” bowls on the day as The Nittany Lions (6-6) come into this celebration of lawn care on a three-game winning streak, capped with a 40-36 shootout victory over Rutgers. Ethan Grunkmeyer was 17 of 21 for 209 yards, one touchdown, and no interceptions. He was sacked once. Kaytron Allen rushed 22 times for 226 yards and a score. Nicholas Singleton had nine carries for 86 yards and two TDs. Andrew Rappleyea caught four passes for 75 yards and a touchdown. The defense sacked Athan Kaliakmanis three times. Clemson (7-5) ended their season on a win streak, piling up four victories to make the most of a severely disappointing season. They knocked off South Carolina 28-14 on Rivalry Saturday to close it down. Cade Klubnik was 24 of 39 for 268 yards, no TDs, and an interception. He added 12 yards and a touchdown on the ground and was sacked once. Adam Randall rushed 24 times for 102 yards and a score. TJ Moore had six receptions for 101 yards. The defense intercepted LaNorris Sellers twice and sacked him five times.
BEST BETS: Clemson -3, Over 48.5
For all their faults, and there were many, Penn State scored points as they came down the stretch. The Tigers should win easily, but in a 35-21 type game.
WASABI FENWAY BOWL
UCONN VS ARMY (-8.5, O/U: 44)
UConn (9-3) brings a four-game winning streak into the Japanese Hot Sauce bowl, ending its season with a wild 48-45 win over FAU. Joe Fagnano was 33 of 46 for 446 yards, three touchdowns, and no picks. He was sacked twice. Cam Edwards rushed 16 times for 101 yards and two scores. Mel Brown had 10 carries for 70 yards and a TD. Skyler Bell caught eight passes for 125 yards. Shamar Poerter, Alex Honig, and John Neider all hauled in touchdowns. The defense sacked Caden Veltkamp once and intercepted him once. The Black Knights fell in the annual Army-Navy game, 17-1,6 a fortnight ago. Cale Hellums was 5 of 10 for 82 yards, no touchdowns, and a pick. He carried the ball 25 times for 100 yards and a touchdown and was sacked once. Noah Short caught three passes for 51 yards. The defense intercepted Blake Horvath once and sacked him twice.
BEST BETS: UConn +8.5
This is a lot of respect for the Army, which lost two of its last three to Tulsa and Navy. All six of their final games, wins or not, have been one-score games. There’s no reason to see this one any differently.
POP-TARTS BOWL
No. 23 GEORGIA TECH VS No. 12 BYU (-4.5, O/U: 56)
The Yellow Jackets (9-3), who also had notions of making the College Football Playoff, take Notre Dame’s sore loser spot in the Pop-Tarts Bowl after ending their season in a 16-9 loss to Georgia. Haynes King was 19 of 27 for 181 yards, no TDs, and a pick. He rushed 10 times for 39 yards and was sacked once. Isiah Canion caught four passes for 54 yards. The defense picked off Gunner Stockton once and sacked him twice. BYU (11-2) barely missed out on the CFP but happily shows up to this game after falling to Texas Tech, 34-17, in the Big 12 Championship. Bear Bachmeir was 16 of 27 for 115 yards, no touchdowns, and two interceptions. LJ Martin rushed 19 times for 76 yards and a TD. The defense sacked Behren Morton twice.
BEST BETS: Over 56
Both these teams got shut down in their last chances on the field, and I think they’ll more than make up for it against each other.
SNOOP DOGG ARIZONA BOWL
MIAMI (OH) VS FRESNO STATE (-6, O/U: 42.5)
The RedHawks (7-6) fell 23-13 to Western Michigan in their last time on the field. Henry Hesson was 7 of 20 for 107 yards, one touchdown, and no interceptions. Thomas Gotkowski was 7 of 17 for 92 yards, no TDs, and no picks. They were sacked four times combined. Jordan Brunsun rushed 14 times for 59 yards and a score. Kam Perry caught seven balls for 101 yards. The defense sacked Broc Lowry once. Fresno State (8-4) took down San Jose State in their final game, winning 41-14. EJ Warner, son of Kurt Warner, was 15 of 20 for 138 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. He was sacked once. Elijah Gilliam rushed nine times for 92 yards and two TDs. Brandon Ramirez scored a touchdown. Josiah Freeman caught six passes for 76 yards and a score. The defense picked off Xavier Ward three times,
BEST BETS: Fresno State -6
It’s the battle of Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams’ legacy as Kurt Warner’s kid faces off against Sean McVay’s old school. I’m going with Kurt’s progeny here, but 18 years from now, when McVay’s kid is in college, facing off against Philip Rivers’ great-grandson, it’ll be a different story.
ISLETA NEW MEXICO BOWL
No. 25 NORTH TEXAS VS SAN DIEGO STATE (+3.5, O/U: 53)
Our first-ranked team makes an appearance on this Bowl Saturday as North Texas (11-2) rolls into this game off a 34-21 loss to Tulane in the American Conference Championship. Drew Mestmemaker was 21 of 34 for 294 yards, two touchdowns, and three picks. He was sacked five times. Ashton Gray scored a TD. Miles Coleman caught seven passes for 125 yards and a score. Tre Williams III got into the end zone. The Aztecs (9-3) wrapped their season with a 23-17 loss to New Mexico. Jayden Denegal was 14 of 24 for 162 yards, one TD, and one pick. He was sacked four times. Lucky Sutton rushed 22 times for 110 yards. Christian Washington had 77 yards on the ground. Donovan Brown hauled in five receptions for 91 yards and a score. The defense sacked Jack Layne seven times.
BEST BETS: North Texas -3.5
Speaking of Rams legends, I hate to go against Marshall Faulk’s alma mater here, but the Mean Green need to make up for missing out on the chance at a College Football Playoff blowout in the final year a Group of Six team will make it.
TAXSLAYER GATOR BOWL
No. 19 VIRGINIA VS MISSOURI (-3.5, O/U: 45)
Speaking of teams that could have been in the College Football Playoff, Virginia (10-3) blew its shot by falling 27-20 to Duke in the ACC Championship. Chandler Morris was 21 of 40 for 216 yards, two TDs, and two interceptions. He was sacked once. Harrison Waylee rushed 11 times for 66 yards. J’Mari Taylor and Eli Wood both caught touchdowns. The defense picked off Darian Mensah once and sacked him once. The Tigers (8-4) stumbled late in their SEC campaign, losing four of their last seven. They did knock off Arkansas, 31-17, in the finale. Beau Pribula was 4 of 7 for 25 yards, no TDs, and no picks. He kept the ball 16 times for 78 yards and a score and was sacked twice. Ahmad Hardy rushed 27 times for 157 yards. Jamal Roberts had 11 carries for 100 yards and a touchdown. The defense sacked KJ Jackson four times.
BEST BETS: Missouri -3.5
There will be no bowl consolation prize for the Cavaliers here. Missouri should win easily.
KINDER’S TEXAS BOWL
LSU VS No. 21 HOUSTON (-3, O/U: 41.5)
Our second fired head coach team shows up as LSU (7-5) goes to Texas after losing 17-13 to Oklahoma at the end of the season. Michael Van Buren, Jr. was 14 of 25 for 96 yards, one TD, and an interception. He added 33 yards on the ground. Zavion Thomas caught three passes for 30 yards and a score. The defense picked off John Mateer three times. The Cougars (9-3) beat Baylor, 31-24, to end their season. Conner Weigman was 21 of 31 for 201 yards, one touchdown, and an interception. He added 22 carries for 121 yards and two scores on the ground and was sacked once. Dean Connors got into the paint. Amare Thomas caught nine passes for 97 yards and a score. The defense picked Sawyer Robinson off once and sacked him once.
BEST BETS: Houston -3, Over 41.5
I do think Houston should take this one, but I like LSU to put up a solid fight, which should give us the over.Follow Adam Greene on Blue Sky @AdamGreene13, threads @adam.greene and Twitter @TheFirstMan
