ed welch
The countdown to Christmas is on and if you looking to kill time before December 25, this week’s bowl schedule is good start. There are bowls on the board Tuesday through Saturday and we look at those odds and some angles from the best online betting sites to capping the college football action:
Dec 19 – DXL Frisco Bowl: San Diego State Aztecs vs Ohio Bobcats (-2.5, 53.5)
The Bobcats opened as 4.5-point favorites for this bowl game in Frisco Texas but money on San Diego State has slimmed this spread below a field goal to -2.5. Ohio finished with an 8-4 record in the MAC and won two straight to bolster its bowl appeal. The Aztecs, on the other hand, finished 7-5 and backed into bowl season on a three-game losing skid. The Bobcats have a relentless rushing attack ranked No. 9 in the country and face a SDSU stop unit ranked third versus the run, allowing just 94.5 yards on the ground per game and just 2.8 yards per attempt.
Dec 20 – Bad Boy Mowers Gasparilla Bowl: Marshall Thundering Herd vs. South Florida Bulls (+2.5)
Marshall opened as a field-goal favorite in this bowl game in Tampa Bay, Florida but money on the Bulls has trimmed it below the key number to -2.5. South Florida doesn’t have too far to travel for this game and has won six of its last seven bowl appearances, but starting QB Blake Barnett is not 100 percent heading into this matchup due to a lingering shoulder injury. The Thundering Herd also have an injury to a key player, with running back Tyler King nursing a undisclosed injury. His status is still not clear entering the week.
Dec 21 – Makers Wanted Bahamas Bowl: Florida International Panthers vs. Toledo Rockets (-6, 60)
Toledo is a 6-point favorite in Nassau, enjoying some fun in the sun away from those cold Ohio nights. The Rockets became bowl eligible and finished with seven wins thanks to a two-game winning bump to end the regular season. Toledo runs a balanced attack that scores 41.1 points per game, including outputs of 56 and 51 points in those final two games. Florida International is led by James Morgan, who threw for 26 touchdowns and just seven interceptions. The Panthers covered in three straight to end the season and are 9-3 ATS on the year.
Dec 21 – Famous Idaho Potato Bowl: Western Michigan Broncos vs. Brigham Young Cougars (-12.5)
The BYU Cougars are among the big favorites of bowl season, opening at -11 and drawing action to move this spread to just under -13. The Cougars don’t have great memories of Boise, where this bowl is being played, losing 21-16 at Boise State back in November. The status of BYU running back Lopini Katoa, who is nursing a knee injury, will be a key to this game, giving the Cougars a dynamic weapon on offense. Western Michigan stumbled to the finish line with three losses before a victory in the season finale. The Broncos defense is terribly inconsistent, allowing 33.3 points per game, leaving this team to go 4-8 ATS on the year.
