2* - Miami/LSU UNDER 41
Neither of these teams were able to live up to expectations this year and as a result, both are playing in a bowl game that neither wanted to be in. However, due to the high profile that each team brings, their final game of the season does indeed have some of the hooplah usually reserved for the BCS bowls. What we have tonight is one of only three games being played in this bowl season in which two Top 10 teams are playing each other.
There are only three teams in college football who allow less than 3 yards per rush and less than 5? yards per pass attempt and these are two of them, with Virginia Tech being the third. LSU allows just 15 points per game, while Miami allows just 12. No team ran for more than 163 yards in a game against the Hurricanes or threw for more than 276 yards. LSU had similar numbers, allowing just 3.96 yards per carry on the ground and 4.39 passing yards per attempt. Only one team ran for more than 150 yards this season against LSU, and the Tigers allowed 218 yards or less of passing in their last 11 games. Even in the 34-14 loss to Georgia in the SEC Championship game, the defense only gave up 250 total yards.
Miami QB Kyle Wright will be good someday but the fact of the matter is that against the seven winning teams Miami faced, he threw only six TD passes. LSU QB JaMarcus Russell is not expected to start this game and that means inexperienced QB Matt Flynn will get his first start against a Miami defense whose ability to cover one-on-one in the secondary should allow the Canes front seven to apply plenty of pressure on him.
I really believe that this total should be set no higher than 33 points. Sometimes as much as you hate to do it, you just have to go with a play that seems too obvious. I see this game being very much like the one played between LSU and Alabama.
Prediction: Miami 17 ? LSU 14
Neither of these teams were able to live up to expectations this year and as a result, both are playing in a bowl game that neither wanted to be in. However, due to the high profile that each team brings, their final game of the season does indeed have some of the hooplah usually reserved for the BCS bowls. What we have tonight is one of only three games being played in this bowl season in which two Top 10 teams are playing each other.
There are only three teams in college football who allow less than 3 yards per rush and less than 5? yards per pass attempt and these are two of them, with Virginia Tech being the third. LSU allows just 15 points per game, while Miami allows just 12. No team ran for more than 163 yards in a game against the Hurricanes or threw for more than 276 yards. LSU had similar numbers, allowing just 3.96 yards per carry on the ground and 4.39 passing yards per attempt. Only one team ran for more than 150 yards this season against LSU, and the Tigers allowed 218 yards or less of passing in their last 11 games. Even in the 34-14 loss to Georgia in the SEC Championship game, the defense only gave up 250 total yards.
Miami QB Kyle Wright will be good someday but the fact of the matter is that against the seven winning teams Miami faced, he threw only six TD passes. LSU QB JaMarcus Russell is not expected to start this game and that means inexperienced QB Matt Flynn will get his first start against a Miami defense whose ability to cover one-on-one in the secondary should allow the Canes front seven to apply plenty of pressure on him.
I really believe that this total should be set no higher than 33 points. Sometimes as much as you hate to do it, you just have to go with a play that seems too obvious. I see this game being very much like the one played between LSU and Alabama.
Prediction: Miami 17 ? LSU 14
