Saturday, December 18, 2010 - 5:00 PM EST
Humanitarian Bowl @ Bronco Stadium - Boise, ID
Fresno St +1.02 over Northern Illinois
The Huskies always have a good regular season and one of the main reasons they do is because they play in the weak MAC. However, once they reach the preseason, all of its flaws or lack of talent gets exposed and that?s the price you pay for playing mediocre teams all season. A close look reveals that over the last three Bowl games in the last three years with a lot of the same players, the Huskies are 0-3 and have not come close to covering in any, losing by a combined 41?-points to the number. The Huskies only game this season against a non-conference Bowl participant was against an average Illinois squad way back in week 3 and the Huskies were beaten 28-22. That score is actually flattering to Northern Illinois, as the Illini ran for 319 yards and averaged 6?-yards per carry. That?s where the Bulldogs thrive, on the ground, where Robby Rouse, despite missing two games, was 13th in the nation in rushing yards. Expect plenty of Rouse, plenty of play-action and once again expect the Huskies to go home with their tails between their legs. There?s a reason why Northern Illinois lays an egg every post-season and that?s because they?re good in the MAC but they?re not good anywhere else. Play Fresno St +1.02 (Risking 2 units).
Saturday, December 18, 2010
New Mexico Bowl @ University Stadium - Albuquerque, NM
BYU ?11? over UTEP
Teams that back into a Bowl game have a horrible history and the Texas El Paso Miners certainly qualify as such. Here?s a Miner team that opened the year 5-1 and finished the year 1-5 for an overall record of 6-6. Meanwhile, the Cougars are the opposite, as they opened the year with a 2-5 record and finished it up 4-1. So, for two 6-6 teams, 11?-points sure seems like a lot of lumber but it?s difficult to pull the trigger on a team that figuratively and literally limps into this game. The Miners #1 QB, Trevor Vittatoe is likely to go but he?s a hit away from calling it a day. He has a bad ankle sprain and his chances right now of playing are 50-50. Without him, the Miners are in a heap of trouble. BYU is completely jacked up for this contest. Reports out of practice say the team can?t wait for this game. The Cougars have a whole slew of seniors that will play their final college game and they want to go out with a win. Down the stretch the Cougars put up big offensive numbers and they almost pulled off a big upset when they lost to #20 Utah by a single point in the final week of the season. Freshman QB Jake Heaps had a strong second half and wants more than anything to send off the seniors with a win. BYU was written off for dead after the seventh week of the season and here they are in a Bowl game and you cannot underestimate a club that has huge momentum coming into a Bowl game, especially against a team that got here the complete opposite way. Play: BYU ?11? (No bets).
Humanitarian Bowl @ Bronco Stadium - Boise, ID
Fresno St +1.02 over Northern Illinois
The Huskies always have a good regular season and one of the main reasons they do is because they play in the weak MAC. However, once they reach the preseason, all of its flaws or lack of talent gets exposed and that?s the price you pay for playing mediocre teams all season. A close look reveals that over the last three Bowl games in the last three years with a lot of the same players, the Huskies are 0-3 and have not come close to covering in any, losing by a combined 41?-points to the number. The Huskies only game this season against a non-conference Bowl participant was against an average Illinois squad way back in week 3 and the Huskies were beaten 28-22. That score is actually flattering to Northern Illinois, as the Illini ran for 319 yards and averaged 6?-yards per carry. That?s where the Bulldogs thrive, on the ground, where Robby Rouse, despite missing two games, was 13th in the nation in rushing yards. Expect plenty of Rouse, plenty of play-action and once again expect the Huskies to go home with their tails between their legs. There?s a reason why Northern Illinois lays an egg every post-season and that?s because they?re good in the MAC but they?re not good anywhere else. Play Fresno St +1.02 (Risking 2 units).
Saturday, December 18, 2010
New Mexico Bowl @ University Stadium - Albuquerque, NM
BYU ?11? over UTEP
Teams that back into a Bowl game have a horrible history and the Texas El Paso Miners certainly qualify as such. Here?s a Miner team that opened the year 5-1 and finished the year 1-5 for an overall record of 6-6. Meanwhile, the Cougars are the opposite, as they opened the year with a 2-5 record and finished it up 4-1. So, for two 6-6 teams, 11?-points sure seems like a lot of lumber but it?s difficult to pull the trigger on a team that figuratively and literally limps into this game. The Miners #1 QB, Trevor Vittatoe is likely to go but he?s a hit away from calling it a day. He has a bad ankle sprain and his chances right now of playing are 50-50. Without him, the Miners are in a heap of trouble. BYU is completely jacked up for this contest. Reports out of practice say the team can?t wait for this game. The Cougars have a whole slew of seniors that will play their final college game and they want to go out with a win. Down the stretch the Cougars put up big offensive numbers and they almost pulled off a big upset when they lost to #20 Utah by a single point in the final week of the season. Freshman QB Jake Heaps had a strong second half and wants more than anything to send off the seniors with a win. BYU was written off for dead after the seventh week of the season and here they are in a Bowl game and you cannot underestimate a club that has huge momentum coming into a Bowl game, especially against a team that got here the complete opposite way. Play: BYU ?11? (No bets).
