Spooky Express College Football Bowl season Bowling for Dollars selection and analysis thread

[Spooky Express]

FAMOUS IDAHO POTATO BOWL

 

WESTERN MICHIGAN vs AIR FORCE

Saturday, Dec. 20, 5:45 p.m. ET

ESPN

 

UPDATE

 

 

The Broncos are getting some love in this game, and it's for good reason. Both teams have strong running games and have done well on the defensive side of the ball. I think the difference comes down to Western Michigan's ability to air it out consistently, as quarterback Zach Terrell has thrown for 3,146 yards and 23 touchdowns on the year. Western Michigan gets it done and wins this game by more than a touchdown! Really liking this game and going all in with the Broncos.

 

 

 

WESTERN MICHIGAN BRONCOS PK (moneyline)

 

Check back closer to game day for any changes to the spread and/or prediction here and at Spooky Express.

 

[Spooky Express]

RAYCOM MEDIA CAMELLIA BOWL

 

SOUTH ALABAMA vs BOWLING GREEN

Saturday, Dec. 20, 9:15 p.m. ET

ESPN

UPDATE

 

 

 

It's tough to not imagine the emotion that this South Alabama team will be playing with. They have so much emotion and reason to be hyped up about this game, as it's their first ever bowl game. While Bowling Green has been solid this year, I think South Alabama's defense is simply going to get it done against the Falcons. This year, the Jaugars allowed just 25.8 points per game, while the Falcons allowed 33.9, a stat which will come into play. I am playing South Alabama and think they win this game although not the strongest play of bowl season. Really like the Under as well and it should be a low scoring game. Always play the totals less than I do the sides as noted again and again.

 

 

 

South Alabama Jaguars PK (moneyline)

 

South Alabama / Bowling Green Under 55 Points

 

Check back closer to game day for any changes to the spread and/or prediction here and at Spooky Express.

 

[Spooky Express]

AUTOZONE LIBERTY BOWL

 

TEXAS A&M vs WEST VIRGINIA

Monday, Dec. 29, 2:00 p.m. ET

ESPN

 

 

 

Monday afternoon features a very intriguing slate of games, but one of the highlights will be the Texas A&M Aggies against the West Virginia Mountaineers. The Aggies come into this one with a 7-5 record, but went just 3-5 in the tough SEC. The Mountaineers on the other side are 7-5, and went 5-4 during Big 12 play. These two teams were the definition of the word “streakyâ€, but both have plenty of reason to believe that they can win this game. Let’s look at the breakdown and give a pick for the game which kicks off on Monday, December 29th at 2:00pm EST on ESPN.

 

 

Streak Aggies Looking for Bowl Win

 

 

For the Aggies, it started beautifully. A 52-28 dominating performance against the then-ranked #9 South Carolina Gamecocks. They ran their record to 5-0, but it took three losses in a row against ranked teams for the Aggies to come back down to earth, and also show how average the Gamecocks were in 2014. It was capped off by a 59-0 loss to Alabama, but they won two in a row after that to become bowl eligible, and things looked up. Then came the final two games against Missouri and LSU, both of which were losses, leaving them team at 7-5 with plenty of question marks. Their passing game has been the talk, as they average 306.4 passing yards per game (12th in the nation) in a season that started with Kenny Hill, but turned to Kyle Allen in the end.

 

 

Air Attack for Trickett and Company

 

 

If you want to talk about a team who can throw the ball, it’s the Mountaineers. Transfer Clint Trickett had a very strong year, throwing for 3,285 yards and 18 touchdowns, while his team ranked 9th in the nation with 314.6 yards per game. They also run the ball well, averaging 187.5 yards per game. West Virginia started off with a 6-2 record, and were bowl eligible in the blink of an eye. Unfortunately, they lost three straight to conference opponents, which left them look at a 7-5 finish in the end. Oh, and let’s not forget to mention Trickett’s favorite target, Kevin White, who caught a whopping 102 passes for 1,318 yards and nine touchdowns.

 

PICK

 

 

It’s your call here, if you want to take West Virginia on the money line to play it safe, then do it to it, but I don’t think it will end up mattering. West Virginia is the better team and I think they win this game by double digits when all is said and done. They have a very strong pass game, and a run game that compliments it well. This team will also be able to slow down the Aggies’ offense, making them a strong bet.

 

WEST VIRGINIA MOUNTAINEERS

 

 

 

 

Check back closer to game day for any changes to the spread and/or prediction here and at Spooky Express.

 

[Spooky Express]

RUSSELL ATHLETIC BOWL

OKLAHOMA vs CLEMSON

Monday, Dec. 29, 5:30 p.m. ET

ESPN

 

 

 

 

The Oklahoma Sooners and Clemson Tigers are set to square off in what could be one of the most intriguing bowl games of the pre-New Years action. It’s the 2014 Russell Athletic Bowl, and the Sooners come into this game with an solid 8-4 record, and a 5-4 Big 12 record. Even more impressive has been the Tigers’ season, as they’ve gone 9-3 on the year, while posting a 6-2 ACC record. Both teams have some major playmakers, but one side, the Tigers, will be without a freshman phenom in Deshaun Watson. Watson tore his ACL before the South Carolina game, yet he played and led his team to a win. Let’s look at this one and give a prediction and pick.

 

Healthy Sooners Ready to Roll

 

The Sooners are expected to have both their leader at quarterback, Trevor Knight, and stud freshman running back, Samaje Perine for this one. Perine has been an absolute monster this season, as he’s rushed for 1,579 yards with a 6.6 YPC average, while also posting 21 touchdowns on the year. Knight has missed the last three games with an injury, and his return will be welcomed by this offense. Regardless, the Sooners will rely heavily on their rushing game, which averages 268.6 yards per game, which is ranked 9th in the nation. They also rank 11th in the country in points per game at 38.9.

 

Clemson Top Defensive Team in the Nation

 

For the Tigers, this is the top defense in the nation. They give up just 17.6 points per game, and absolutely can shutdown offenses in key moments. While they’ll be without Watson, the ball goes over to the original starter this season, senior Cole Stoudt, who will look to go out in his final game while making a statement. The run game picked up the pace down the home stretch, as Wayne Gallman ended up with 714 yards on the year. The defense will be the focus of this game for the Tigers though, including All-American and future NFL player Vic Beasley.

 

PICK

 

 

 

This game is actually sitting right around a pick currently, but has moved both towards the Tigers and away from the Tigers. Regardless, I think Clemson gets the job done. They’ll win this one by a touchdown, and as long as that line stays with Clemson as an underdog, their defense is going to be too much for Oklahoma. I’m rolling with the Stoudt, the improved offense and a ridiculous defensive unit headed up by former Sooner, Brent Venables.

 

Clemson Tigers

 

 

 

 

Check back closer to game day for any changes to the spread and/or prediction here and at Spooky Express.

 

[Spooky Express]

MIAMI BEACH BOWL

 

BYU vs MEMPHIS

Monday, Dec. 22, 2:00 p.m.ET

ESPN

Update

 

Interesting spot here, as these two teams are a pickem, and on paper that’s probably the right line to put out. With that said, when you pair the Tigers’ ridiculous defense with the fact that they are led by a quarterback who is rolling along the way that Lynch is, it’s a dangerous combination. I think that Memphis gets the job done and makes a statement in a big way with this win. After four straight losing seasons where the team won just 10 total games, expect the Tigers to end this season on a very high note and win this game by a touchdown. Not a very strong play and honestly head is with BYU and numbers show Memphis. Lets go easy and focus on stronger plays down the road.

 

Memphis Tigers PK

[Spooky Express]

BOCA RATON BOWL

MARSHALL vs NORTHERN ILLINOIS

Tuesday, Dec. 23, 6:00 p.m.ET

ESPN

 

Update

 

 

With all due respect to the Huskies, I truly believe that the Thundering Herd are going to come out and make a statement. I figured Marshall could be favored by even more than this, and I strongly believe the the senior QB, Cato, goes out on the highest of notes, while putting up a big bowl victory and drawing even more attention to himself heading into his NFL push. Marshall has so much talent on both sides of the ball and we're taking them to win by 3+ touchdowns in this one! Really like this play so lets roll with it. Even though I buy the point as a force of habit its a strong play.

Marshall Thundering Herd -7

 

[Spooky Express]

SAN DIEGO COUNTY CREDIT UNION POINSETTIA BOWL

NAVY vs SAN DIEGO STATE

Tuesday, Dec. 23, 9:30 p.m. ET

ESPN

Update

 

 

The man to watch in this game is Aztec’s running back Donnel Pumphrey. He’s rushed for 1,761 yards and 19 touchdowns, and is third in the entire nation in rushing yards. He’s also just 82 yards away from breaking George Jones’ single-season school rushing mark. Expect Pumphrey to come out look to make a statement, and I do believe that this Aztecs team ends up being too much when all is said and done. San Diego State’s strong defense will prepare the right way for the triple-option, and will put up a major fight. Like this game on the moneyline as well since they should win by little more than a touchdown you hate to get backdoored.

 

San Diego State Aztecs -3

 

 

Check back closer to game day for any changes to the spread and/or prediction here

and at The Spooky Express.

 

[Spooky Express]

ADVOCARE TEXAS BOWL

ARKANSAS vs TEXAS

Monday, Dec. 29, 9:00 p.m. ET

ESPN

 

 

In a battle of 6-6 teams, the Arkansas Razorbacks are set to take on the Texas Longhorns in the AdvoCare V100 Texas Bowl. This game will kickoff on Monday, December 29th at 9:00pm EST, and will be aired on ESPN. While the Razorbacks look to have struggled to 6-6, while going 2-6 in SEC play and the Longhorns went 5-4 in Big 12 play, sometimes the conference records don’t tell the whole story. Let’s take a more in-depth look at this game, and breakdown things to expect, as well as a pick and prediction on the 2015 Texas Bowl.

 

 

Arkansas Impressive Even In Losses

 

 

The Razorbacks may have just two conference wins this year, but their losses are ALL respectable losses. This team dropped games to Auburn, Texas A&M, Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi State and Missouri this year. That’s a pretty impressive group of losses in all honesty, and this team is led by their two-headed monster at running back in Jonathan Williams and Alex Collins. Williams finished the year with just one more carry than Collins, and went for 1,085 yards and 11 touchdowns, while Collins rushed for 1,024 yards with 12 touchdowns. The rushing game is huge for Arkansas, as they average 220.3 yards per game on the year.

 

 

Texas Needs To Step Up To Compete

 

 

For the Longhorns, they beat the teams they were supposed to beat, and lost to everyone else. They didn’t have bad losses either, going down to BYU, UCLA, Baylor, Oklahoma, Kansas State and TCU. All are strong losses, but they didn’t have many wins that jump off the page at you. Quarterback Tyrone Swoopes may be playing for his 2015 starting job in this game, as he finished the year with 2,352 yards and 13 touchdowns after David Ash suffered a concussion and was forced to call it a career. Expect the Longhorns’ defense to be the ones to step up here, as they allow just 23.3 points per game on the year.

 

PICK

 

 

The Razorbacks are less than a touchdown favorite, and I think they win this game by two touchdowns without much of a problem. While we talked about the Longhorns’ defense, we can’t overlook the fact that the Razorbacks average 32 points per game and give up just 20.3 points per game. This is a talented SEC team who really caught a few bad breaks, and lost every single one of their games by seven or fewer points, with the lone exception being their opening game. Arkansas gets it done and does it in impressive fashion.

 

 

Arkansas Razorbacks

 

 

 

Check back closer to game day for any changes to the spread and/or prediction here

and at The Spooky Express.

 

[Spooky Express]

FRANKLIN AMERICAN MORTGAGE MUSIC CITY BOWL

 

NOTRE DAME vs LSU

Tuesday, Dec. 30, 3:00 p.m. ET

ESPN

 

 

 

If you want an interesting Tuesday afternoon matchup, look no further than the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl. It’ll kickoff on Tuesday the 30th of December at 3:00pm EST, and will be played on ESPN. This game features two teams who definitely underperformed through 2014 in the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the LSU Tigers. The Fighting Irish finished the year up at 7-5 overall, while the Tigers went 8-4, with a 4-4 record in the SEC. Both teams are looking to end their year on a high note, and there will be plenty to talk about leading up to this one.

 

 

Two QB Set Featured for Notre Dame

 

 

For the Irish, they’ll be featuring a two-QB set with Everett Golson and Malik Zaire. As good as Golson was at points this season, he also struggled mightily with turnovers. Zaire should be an interesting player to watch, but Golson will get plenty of work as well. This Irish team started the year out 6-0, before dropping five of their last six games and four straight to end the year, leaving them wondering what could have been. The strength of this team is their passing game, as they average 293.8 yards per game, but their run game really started coming on down the stretch with Tarean Folston.

 

 

Issues at QB for LSU

 

 

For the Tigers, they have their own quarterback issues, as they try to figure out who will start this bowl game. Many expect Anthony Jennings to get the call, but he’s struggled as the season has wound down, leaving the door open for a potential bit of action for Brandon Harris. It’s unknown what will happen with this, but it seems like Jennings will continue to start. For the Tigers, their key to success has been the run game and their defense. They have averaged 219.5 yards on the ground per game, and give up the third-fewest points per game this year at 16.4.

 

PICK

 

 

The Tigers come in with questions, but not nearly as many as the Irish have. Not only has the quarterback position been an issue for Notre Dame, but they are dealing with plenty of injuries as well. Simply put, the Tigers’ defense is going to cause major issues for Notre Dame, and I think they’ll do more than enough to win this game by double digits. It’s going to be a fun one to watch, but take the Tigers laying the touchdown.

 

LSU Tigers

 

Check back closer to game day for any changes to the spread and/or prediction here

and at The Spooky Express.

 

[Spooky Express]

SHERATON HAWAII BOWL

FRESNO STATE vs RICE

Wednesday, Dec. 24, 8:00 p.m. ET

ESPN

 

Update

 

I think that Rice simply wins this one by more than field goal, and if they’re getting points than this can make for a great money line underdog. These teams are so close in terms of numbers across the board, including passing yards per game, rushing yards per game, and points for/against. I think that it should be a great game, but Rice is the better team on this one. I’m going with the Owls to get the job done and as always check back prior to the game for any update or thoughts on the total.

RICE OWLS +2

 

[Spooky Express]

BELK BOWL

 

GEORGIA vs LOUISVILLE

Tuesday, Dec. 30, 6:30 p.m.ET

ESPN

 

 

 

The 2014 Belk Bowl should be a great matchup, and one that’s definitely worth taking in when you get home from work (unless you have the day off!) on Tuesday, December 30th at 6:30pm EST on ESPN. It features two top-25 teams in the Georgia Bulldogs (13th) against the Louisville Cardinals (21st). Both of these teams have done some impressive things in 2014, and both are looking to end the year on a high note. Let’s get to a prediction and pick for this great pre-New Years matchup!

 

Georgia Turns to Chubb With Gurley Out

 

For the Bulldogs, they’ll be without Todd Gurley, who is out with an injury. Fortunately for this team, Nick Chubb has stupped up in a big way during his absence, and has rushed for 1,281 yards and 12 touchdowns. Quarterback Hutson Mason has had a strong senior year as well, throwing for 20 touchdowns and just four interceptions, showing a strong ability to avoid turning the ball over in most situations. The Bulldogs have gotten success from all over, as they are the 13th-best rushing team in the country with 255 yards per game, while also averaging 41.7 points per game, eighth best in the country. The Bulldogs’ only losses came against bowl-eligible teams in South Carolina, Florida and Georgia Tech, although those first two didn’t have the best of years by a long shot.

 

Louisville Led by Parker and Rotating QB's

 

Louisville actually played the first seven games of the season without star wide receiver DeVante Parker, but he still leads the team in receiving with 735 yards and five touchdowns. He’s been a complete stud throughout his career, and it hasn’t mattered who’s been playing quarterback. Starter Will Gardner got injured during the season, and things turned over to Reggie Bonnafon, who had a strong stretch. Bonnafon went down in the final game against Kentucky though, and this meant that Kyle Bolin had to step in and led the way with a massive game. It’s worth noting that the Cardinals will be without former Auburn running back Michael Dyer, as he was ruled academically ineligible before this game.

 

PICK

 

 

The Bulldogs may be the favorites here, but you can’t overlook what the Cardinals have done this year. While they had a tough loss to Virginia, their other two losses came against the Clemson Tigers and Florida State Seminoles, showing us just how well this team has dealt with the ups and downs of the season. I think that the Cardinals keep this one close, and it goes down to the wire. I’ll take this game to stay within a touchdown, and for the game to end within a field goal one way or the other.

 

Louisville Cardinals

 

 

 

 

Check back closer to game day for any changes to the spread and/or prediction here

and at The Spooky Express.

 

[Spooky Express]

FOSTER FARMS BOWL

 

MARYLAND vs STANFORD

Tuesday, Dec. 30, 10:00 p.m.ET

ESPN

 

 

 

If you want to talk about two teams who went in different directions in 2014, look no further than the two teams squaring off in the 2014 Foster Farms Bowl. For the Maryland Terrapins, no one really knew what to expect from this team, but they were able to go 7-5 with a 4-4 record in their move to the Big Ten. On the other side, the Stanford Cardinal were a highly ranked team to start the season, but ended at 7-5 with a 5-4 Pac-12 record, leaving fans pretty disappointed when all was said and done. These two teams now square off, and kickoff is set for Tuesday, December 30th at 10:00pm EST on ESPN.

 

Maryland Comes In Not Playing Great Football

 

The Terrapins come in having lost two of their last three games, and three of their last five games. Basically, this Terrapins’ team got the job done against the teams they were supposed to beat, and lost to the teams they were supposed to lose to (in the eyes of most). Now, they’ll look to get a solid win to end the year on the right note. Wide out Stefon Diggs will be the player to watch, as he had 52 catches for 654 yards and five touchdowns, but is absolutely electric when the ball touches his hands. This team didn’t excel at much offensively, and really won quite a few of their games in true “grind it out†fashion.

 

Stanford Defense Is Key To Wins

 

The Cardinal on the other hand lost to teams who were all in the top-25 at the time that they faced them. It was a respectable group of losses, but they just couldn’t get that big win at the time they needed it. They did knock off the eighth-ranked UCLA Bruins in the final game of the season, which was incredibly impressive, and could be a building block towards this bowl game. Kevin Hogan will be the man to watch offensively, as the senior threw for 17 touchdowns and eight interceptions this year. Truly though, the power of Stanford is their defense, as they rank second in the nation in points allowed per game at just 16.

 

PICK

 

 

The Cardinal comes in as two touchdown favorites, but I just don’t think it’s enough. Stanford is just a far better team, and I have a ton of faith in them, especially coming off of that win against UCLA. This is one of the best bets of the bowl season, and I think they win by multiple touchdowns (more than two obviously). Expect this game to turn into a blowout for Stanford.

 

 

 

Stanford Cardinal

 

 

 

 

Check back closer to game day for any changes to the spread and/or prediction here

and at The Spooky Express.

 

[Spooky Express]

Update

 

 

The Bulldogs come into this game as close to a touchdown favorite, and I think this is the team who gets the job done in the Zaxby’s Heart of Dallas Bowl. Why, you ask? Well, this is a Bulldogs’ team who leads the nation with 40 takeaways on the year, so their defense has done a great job of getting the ball back into the offenses hands. Tack on the fact that this is just the fourth time that the Bulldogs have made a bowl in 20 years, and I fully expect them to end their year on a high note. We actually expect this team to win by more than three touchdowns, and while that may sound crazy, this is one of the best bets of the entire bowl season, although I am still treading a bit easy.

 

 

Louisiana Tech -6

 

[Spooky Express]

CHICK-FIL-A PEACH BOWL

 

OLE MISS vs TCU

Wednesday, Dec. 31, 12:30 p.m. ET

ESPN

 

 

 

It’s that time of year, we’re almost to 2014, and the biggest of the bowl games to this point is set to kickoff on Wednesday, December 31st at 12:30pm EST. The game will be aired on ESPN, and features the TCU Horned Frogs, who are still upset about missing out on the first-ever CFB Playoff, against an Ole Miss Rebels team who looked like they could be poised for a Playoff run themselves after starting the year out 7-0, including a win over the Alabama Crimson Tide. Let’s get the preview and pick for this one, and breakdown the game a bit more in-depth.

 

Ole Miss Led By Wallace

 

After rolling along to start the year, the Rebels dropped two straight, and three of four games to lose out on any hopes of a Playoff showing. They did knock off the Mississippi State Bulldogs to end the year, which gave them a spot in this bowl. What was the most impressive part of the Rebels’ 2014 season is that they were the top team in the entire country in terms of points allowed per game at just 13.8. They were also strong through the air passing, averaging 275.6 yards per game, which is 31st in the nation. Bo Wallace led the way, throwing for 3,085 yards and 22 touchdowns.

 

TCU Can Score Points

 

The Horned Frogs have to be upset about how far they fell after dominating Iowa State in the final game of the season, 55-3. They were an incredible 11-1 this season, and their lone loss came against the Baylor Bears, in a game where they were ahead almost the entire time, but lost a heartbreaker 61-58. They had some incredible wins and were led by an incredibly talented quarterback themselves in Trevone Boykin, who had an incredible 3,714 yards passing with 30 touchdowns, and also rushed for 642 yards and eight touchdowns on the ground. He literally did everything asked of him, and he’s been a key to their success in 2014.

 

PICK

 

 

The Cardinal comes in as two touchdown favorites, but I just don’t think it’s enough. Stanford is just a far better team, and I have a ton of faith in them, especially coming off of that win against UCLA. This is one of the best bets of the bowl season, and I think they win by multiple touchdowns (more than two obviously). Expect this game to turn into a blowout for Stanford.

 

TCU Horned Frogs

 

 

 

 

Check back closer to game day for any changes to the spread and/or prediction here

and at The Spooky Express.

 

[Spooky Express]

QUICK LANE BOWL

 

RUTGERS vs NORTH CAROLINA

Friday, Dec. 26, 4:30 p.m. ET

ESPN

 

Update

 

 

 

This is a very, very tough game to call, and with the Tar Heels only laying a field goal, it’s not the best bet either way currently. While we expect Rutgers to be right there with the Heels, they could obviously pull the upset. We’ll come back closer to game time with a pick, but for now I’d be looking at the Scarlet Knights as the bet if I can get more than a field goal but will sit tight for the time being. Tough call in this game but its bowl season and I always play every game so lets take the points and buy another and roll with my old home state team.

 

 

RUTGERS SCARLET KNIGHTS +5

 

[Spooky Express]

BITCOIN ST. PETERSBURG BOWL

 

NC STATE vs UCF

Friday, Dec. 26, 8:00 p.m. ET

ESPN

Update

 

 

 

The Knights are small favorites here, but I think their defense will just be too much for the Wolfpack. The Pack don’t have the type of pass game that can truly make life very tough on their opponent, and that’s what they’d need here. Central Florida wins this game by more than a touchdown, and I think this could end up being a very solid bet in the upcoming bowl season. A bit hesitant with this game even though it seems to be one of the better bets of bowl season, take them on the moneyline regardless. Lets hope our good run continues, Western Kentucky notwithstandings.

 

CENTRAL FLORIDA KNIGHTS PK (moneyline)

 

[Spooky Express]

VIZIO FIESTA BOWL

 

BOISE STATE vs ARIZONA

Wednesday, Dec. 31, 4:00 p.m. ET

ESPN

 

 

The midday action for New Years Eve is poised to feature a great game in the Boise State Broncos up against the Arizona Wildcats, both of which are top 20 teams in the nation currently. Boise State comes into this one as the 20th-ranked team in the country with an 11-2 record (7-1 in the Mountain West), while Arizona is sitting at 10-3 this year with a 7-2 Pac-12 conference record. The Wildcats are the early favorites in this one, but let’s take a look at a prediction and pick and break the game down more in-depth.

 

Boise State and Ajayi Ready for Bowl Game

 

The Broncos two losses this year came in the first five games, sat his team started out 3-2 to kick off the year, losing to Ole Miss and Air Force, who are both in bowl games as well. Interestingly, both the Broncos pass game and run game has been incredibly effective this year, ranking in the top 30 in the nation. They also rank ninth overall in total points for at 39.8 per game, showing just how talented this team is on offense. Jay Ajayi, the Broncos’ stud junior running back has been incredible this year, rushing for 1,689 yards with 25 total touchdowns. Ajayi is going to be the man to watch in this game, but they have a talented quarterback in Grant Hedrick who can get the job done as well.

 

Arizona Football Future is Bright

 

For Arizona, their losses were all incredibly respectable, as they fell to USC, UCLA and Oregon. Arizona can also air it out well, averaging 277.7 yards per game, and they’ve had very little problem scoring the ball also, averaging 34.8 points per game. Freshman running back Nick Wilson has been strong, with 1,289 yards and 15 touchdowns, while Anu Solomon, another freshman has led this team well, throwing for 3,458 yards, 27 touchdowns and just seven interceptions. Basically, the future for Arizona football is incredible bright at this point thanks to their young talented group of offensive players specifically.

 

PICK

 

 

The Wildcats come in as three point favorites, but I think the underdog is the bet here. Not only that, but I think that the Broncos get the job done in impressive fashion. This is another game that has me thinking. I like the Pac 12 and I could see Arizona blowing out Boise State but on the other hand the numbers show Boise State as a big play. So lets roll with the numbers and I’d recommend taking this team as the underdog, but also taking them straight up on the money line and giving yourself a shot at getting a nice return on your bet.

 

Boise State Broncos

 

 

 

Check back closer to game day for any changes to the spread and/or prediction here

and at The Spooky Express.

 

[Spooky Express]

CAPITAL ONE ORANGE BOWL

 

#7 MISSISSIPPI STATE vs #12 GEORGIA TECH

Wednesday, Dec. 31, 8:00 p.m. ET

ESPN

 

 

The 2014 Capital One Orange Bowl is one of the most anticipated games of the bowl season, at least before New Years Day. This is the final bowl game of 2014, as it’s the late-night kickoff at 8:00pm EST and will be aired on ESPN. The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets are the early underdogs against the Mississippi State Bulldogs in this game of right around a touchdown. The Bulldogs and Yellow Jackets both had huge years, and the Yellow Jackets actually fell just short of taking down the ACC Championship in 2014 against the Florida State Seminoles.

 

 

Great Year for Mississippi State

 

 

For the Bulldogs, they went 10-2 on the year with a 6-2 SEC record. They were the top team in the country for a while, but after a 9-0 start, they lost two of three games, with losses against the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Ole Miss Rebels to end the year. The man with the plan for the Bulldogs? It has to be Dak Prescott, who has thrown for nearly 3,000 yards and 24 touchdowns, but also rushed for 939 yards and 13 touchdowns on the season. Until a few late season mediocre games, Prescott was in the thick of the Heisman Trophy race. While Prescott has been incredibly good this year, the defense has been even better, as they allow just 19.4 points per game, which is the ninth best in the nation.

 

 

Great Running Leads Yellowjackets

 

 

Georgia Tech on the other side, well, they are one of the best rushing teams in the entire country, averaging 333.6 yards per game. They’ve been simply stellar, and that rushing attack has turned into some big scoring performances. The Yellow Jackets average 37 points per game, which is 19th best in the nation. Justin Thomas, the sophomore quarterback, is the man to watch, as he’s thrown for 1,594 yards with 17 touchdowns, but has 965 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns as well. He’s a serious game changer and could be the man to lead the upset.

 

PICK

 

 

The Bulldogs are seven-point favorites, but they’ll get the job done. I’m projecting them to win by double-digits, so I wouldn’t lay more than around a touchdown. Mississippi State’s body of work, paired with their incredible defense could make all the difference in the end. Prescott is going to lead the way and make a statement to the country while doing so.

 

Mississippi St Bulldogs

 

 

Check back closer to game day for any changes to the spread and/or prediction here

and at The Spooky Express.

 

[Spooky Express]

OUTBACK BOWL

 

AUBURN vs WISCONSIN

Thursday, Jan. 1, 12:00 p.m. ET

ESPN2

 

 

In our first of the New Year bowl games, we get to see two top-20 teams face off in the 2014 Outback Bowl in the Auburn Tigers and the Wisconsin Badgers. This game kicks off on Thursday, January 1st at 12:00pm EST and will be aired on ESPN2. Both Auburn and Wisconsin finished the year with solid records, but both had much higher hopes than where they finished. The Tigers finished the year up at 8-4 with a 4-4 SEC record, while the Badgers went 10-3 with a 7-1 Big Ten record. Both of these teams have players to watch, but let’s look at a few keys to watch for and give a prediction and pick on this one.

 

Auburn Just Misses Championship Games

 

The Tigers started the year out 5-0 on the year before dropping one to the Mississippi Bulldogs. Many thought that Auburn might have trouble making the CFB Playoff at that point, but still had a shot. Things didn’t work out, though, as they dropped three of their last four games to Texas A&M, Georgia and Alabama to fall out of contention. Senior Nick Marshall is the man to watch for the Tigers, as he’s thrown for 2,315 yards, 18 touchdowns and rushed for an impressive 780 yards and 11 touchdowns as well. Add on the nearly 1,500 yards and 11 touchdowns from Cameron Artis-Payne, and it’s no surprise that the team who ranks 12th in the nation in rushing yards per game and 23rd in points per game is favored by close to a touchdown in this one.

 

Wisconsin Struggled Down the Stretch

 

As for Wisconsin it was an ending to a year that they want to forget. After losing to LSU and Northwestern early in the season, the Badgers reeled off seven wins in a row to get to the Big Ten Championship against Ohio State. The Buckeyes third-string QB had a day that many dream of, knocking off this team 59-0. Wisconsin is an incredible running team, averaging 314 yards per game, which is fourth in the nation, while giving up only 20 points per game defensively. If you haven’t heard the name Melvin Gordon yet, well, you’ve been living under a rock. Gordon went for 2,336 yards and 26 touchdowns this year, and is a major NFL prospect.

 

PICK

 

 

I actually believe that the wrong side is favored here. The Badgers are undervalued here after that brutal loss to the Buckeyes, and I think they win this game by more than a touchdown and shock both the SEC and the Auburn Tigers. It’s a major upset, but taking the Badgers on the money line can pay off nicely, but either way, stick with the Badgers and the points in a worst case. As stated on other reviews I do want to see how the Big Ten does in some of these bowl games but this looks like one of those games where everyone zigs and Spooky zags.

 

Wisconsin Badgers

 

 

 

Check back closer to game day for any changes to the spread and/or prediction here

and at The Spooky Express.

 

[Spooky Express]

GOODYEAR COTTON BOWL

 

MICHIGAN STATE vs BAYLOR

Thursday, Jan. 1, 12:30 p.m. ET

ESPN

 

 

 

In the second of the Thursday, January 1st bowl games, we have what could likely be the best of the bowl games to this point in the bowl season. The eighth-ranked Michigan State Spartans are taking on the fifth-ranked Baylor Bears. While the Bears are still upset about missing out on the first-ever CFB Playoff, the Spartans finished an impressive year and fell just on the outside looking in as well. This game kicks off at 12:30pm EST, and will be aired on ESPN. Let’s breakdown the game and give a prediction and pick on what should be quite the matchup.

 

 

Michigan State Impressive All Around

 

 

The Spartans finished the season up with a 10-2 record, losing only to two different teams in the CFB Playoff in the Oregon Ducks and Ohio State Buckeyes. It’s incredibly impressive when you look at it, and this is a team who gets it done on both sides of the ball. Not only do they rank seventh nationally with 43.1 points per game, but their defense ranks 14th overall, as they allow only 19.9 points per game. Connor Cook has been great at quarterback, tossing for 22 touchdowns, but their run game has also racked up big numbers, as Jeremy Langford had an incredible 19 touchdowns with 1,360 yards, and Nick Hill tacked on nine touchdowns and 596 yards.

 

 

Baylor Comes In With 1 Loss

 

 

Not to be outdone, the Baylor Bears rolled on to an 11-1 record, with their only loss coming to West Virginia by a score of 41-27. The offense has been often-talked about throughout the college football world, as they average the most points per game this year with 48.8 per game. As for the starting quarterback and leader of the Bears, Bryce Petty, he has led this passing game to an average of 346.2 yards per game, ranking fifth overall. Petty tossed 26 touchdowns, while Shock Linwood also added 16 touchdowns on the ground. The Bears are still dealing with not making the Playoff, but the question is, can they get past it for this game?

 

PICK

 

 

Let’s not overlook the Spartans here, because this is an incredibly talented team. In fact, the Bears are getting the love here because of their strong year, which is rightfully earned, but I think the Spartans get the job done and win this game by close to a touchdown. Without crunching numbers I would think that this is all about Baylor but the numbers say otherwise. And who am I too argue. This is another great spot for a money line underdog, but I’ll take Michigan State and the points. I do want to see how the Big Ten is doing leading up to this game but its a go.

 

Michigan State Spartans

 

 

Check back closer to game day for any changes to the spread and/or prediction here

and at The Spooky Express.

 

[Spooky Express]

BUFFALO WILD WINGS CITRUS BOWL

 

MISSOURI vs MINNESOTA

Thursday, Jan. 1, 1:00 p.m. ET

ABC

 

 

Welcome to the official 2015 bowl games, as this action will be one of the first games to kick off the New Year. Both the Missouri Tigers and the Minnesota Golden Gophers finished in the top 25 in the nation to end the year, with the Tigers going 10-3 with a 7-1 SEC record, while the Golden Gophers went 8-4 with a 5-3 Big Ten record. This game gets underway on Thursday, January 1st at 1:00pm on ABC. Let’s take a look at the game breakdown and give a prediction and pick on the Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl.

 

 

Missouri Fitting Right In SEC

 

 

The Tigers played some very strong defense against a talented SEC, allowing just 21.4 points per game, which is 26th best in the nation. They had two tough losses against the Georgia Bulldogs (34-0) and the Alabama Crimson Tide (42-13), but what really hurt them was an early season loss to the Indiana Hoosiers. The Tigers have a very up-and-down quarterback in sophomore Maty Mauk, but when Mauk is on his game, he’s really firing on all cylinders. He finished the year with 2,551 yards, 23 passing touchdowns and 11 interceptions. Mauk will be key for the Tigers, but junior running back Russell Hansbrough has been impressive on the year, rushing for nine touchdowns.

 

 

Cobb Running Game Should Carry Minnesota

 

 

As for those Golden Gophers, their run game is where they excel. They average 224.6 yards per game, and their only losses this year came against bowl-bound teams in TCU, Illinois, Ohio State and Wisconsin. Minnesota had two players rush for double-digit touchdowns, as running back David Cobb went for 1,545 yards and 13 touchdowns, while quarterback Mitch Leidner ran for 10 touchdowns, an threw for 10 as well. This team is focused in a big way on their run game, and they’ll try to control the pace and let their strong defense (23.4 points per game allowed) get their job done against Mauk and company.

 

PICK

 

 

What a brutal game to call. These two sides seem to be pretty evenly matched, and while I wouldn’t be surprised to see either team walk away with the win, I think it’s going to really come down to the wire. Since I think this one ends up being a close game, I’m going to take the Golden Gophers to cover the spread in a game that could end up coming down to a late field goal from Missouri, or possibly a late field goal from Minnesota. Great game to watch, let’s roll with the Gophers! And once again lets see how the Big Ten does in these bowl games so definitely check back closer to game time for a final decision.

 

Minnesota Golden Gophers / Missouri Tigers TBD

 

 

Check back closer to game day for any changes to the spread and/or prediction here

and at The Spooky Express.

 

[Spooky Express]

MILITARY BOWL

 

CINCINNATI vs VIRGINIA TECH

Saturday, Dec. 27, 1:00 p.m. ET

ESPN

Update

 

It’s interesting, because sometimes the records don’t tell the full story. The Hokies had the one bad loss to Wake Forest, but aside from that, they lost to Georgia Tech, ECU, Pittsburgh, Miami and Boston College. All of which are not bad losses. They’ve also showed how good they can be with that 35-21 win over Ohio State. Do we see good or bad Hokie football? I think we see the good, and they get the job done, making them an interesting money line underdog bet here. I see them winning this game by a field goal. Lets take the points and check back closer to the game. Truly not sold on this game. I will be rolling with the Hokies but making this a small play because I can see this going all wrong and played it a week ago.

VIRGINIA TECH HOKIES +4

 

[Spooky Express]

HYUNDAI SUN BOWL

 

ARIZONA STATE vs DUKE

Saturday, Dec. 27, 2:00 p.m. ET

CBS

Update

 

 

There’s something strange about this game. Arizona State is getting a whole lot of love, but I think Duke isn’t getting the respect they deserve. Dave Cutcliffe is one of the best coaches in the country, and he’s going to have his team ready for this matchup. I think the Sun Devils’ offense gets slowed down quite a bit, and Duke either keeps it very close, or possibly pulls off the upset. I like this bet quite a bit, lets roll with the underdog here, take the points in a battle to the end. Can you say Money Line Dog as well? Maybe.

DUKE BLUE DEVILS +9

 

DUKE BLUE DEVILS / ARIZONA STATE UNDER 66 POINTS

 

[Spooky Express]

DUCK COMMANDER INDEPENDENCE BOWL

 

MIAMI vs SOUTH CAROLINA

Saturday, Dec. 27, 3:30 p.m. ET

ABC

 

Update

 

 

The Hurricanes may be listed as small favorites in this one, but I love this game. I think Miami rolls right through and makes a statement against the Gamecocks. Look for Johnson to run all over South Carolina, and have a huge game in what could potentially end up being his final college game. Miami wins this game by double digits. Lets roll with the Canes!

MIAMI HURRICANES PK (moneyline)

 

[Spooky Express]

NEW ERA PINSTRIPE BOWL

 

BOSTON COLLEGE vs PENN STATE

Saturday, Dec. 27, 4:30 p.m. ET

ESPN

 

Update

 

 

It’s a tough call, but while I do believe Boston College wins the game here, I think it’s safer just to take them on the money line and not lay any points. The combination of their incredible run game, mixed with a defense who should completely shut down the Penn State offense makes for an interesting bet, and I’m rolling with the Eagles in a very close game. Hopefully they open it up late so lets take em on the moneyline and look for another winner.

 

BOSTON COLLEGE EAGLES PK (moneyline)