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Spooky Express Bowling for Dollars Selection and Analysis Thread

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Posted: #26
Quote Originally Posted by SpookyExpress:



Thanks my friend.  Oneman is the man.  Go back a long ways.
Chuc mung ngay le

what do you know about that Master Spooky
 
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Posted: #27
GL this bowl season!
 
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Posted: #28
Quote Originally Posted by mrdish33:


what do you know about that Master Spooky


If you been paying attention all these years, lots of my brothers from another mother are from Nam.  Cool Blue, Donorman and I can go on and on.  One of these days they will drag me out there for a visit and I may not want to come back once they take me to the Lotus Garden.   
 
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Posted: #29
Quote Originally Posted by brideofcool:


So this is saying you figure CSU to be 13 points better than Wazzou, right?  Just wondering, because when I look at CSU's resume, it doesn't look very good:

They beat 0 teams that are headed to a bowl game, and lost to 3 (Colorado, Tulsa, SJ St) that are home for the holidays.  How exactly does that make them 13 points better than Wazzou, given that Wash St beat 3 Bowl teams, and didn't lose to any teams that aren't going to a bowl game?

Hard to figure that!


I guess the easiest way to explain this brideofcool is this.  I have created a system that I have used for literally 35 years and have fine tuned it to a certain degree.  Anyone that knows me understands I am NOT a trends or stats kind of guy, I dont worry bout this or that and I never crunch numbers.  Basically I cap on a head and heart basis on my day to day capping.  But in BOWL Season I have come up with something that works for me.  Whether it works this year, who knows.  All I can say (and everyone that knows me and has followed in the 15 years on the forum) understands this system and my bowl picks has never had a losing season.  The only reason I hesitate to always post my plays is because I have a concious and dont like anyone following and losing a wager.  I have had seasons that have gone 25-3 on the plays and other years where it was 18-15.  But basically it has never lost.  Why does it work, I dont know, I dont care.  I obviously put my own thought and capping into it to finalize the plays prior to the game but to explain why one team is stronger than the other is to ask why the Jets beat the Saints and then Titans beat the Jets by 25 so then Titans are 25 plus points better than the Saints.  We all know thats not the case.  So to be honest, this may be the game that you are right and Colorado State doesnt make sense and loses.  But for the most part I try to stay focused use the numbers and make the play.  And in the end realize that if I stay true to what I have done over the years and not over think things then we have a great season. 

Again not to generalize but this is what I do, what I play and what Im sharing.  I hope it works for me and in turn works for everyone.  I dont ever want someone playing because I posted it, but because that person wanted to play it.  Its just something I do.  I have done fairly well over the years for the most part and even if that is an understatement, then I will let everyone else embellish it.

In closing, it may be hard to figure but if we had to try and figure these things out then it wouldnt be gambling I guess.  Best of luck in whatever you do and happy holidays.

I know you asked me the time and I told you how to build a watch.  lol

I ask guys to check BTB and the Spooky Express website for more picks cause just cant post everything nor do I want to. 


 
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Posted: #30
ROYAL PURPLE LAS VEGAS BOWL

 FRESNO STATE vs. USC
Saturday, Dec. 21, 3:30 pm
ABC
It's always nice when one of the more intriguing college football bowl game match-up's is going to be one of the games that starts off our bowl season. This year, we get the second game out of all the bowls to feature two top 25 teams in the USC Trojans and the Fresno State Bulldogs. Fresno State looked like they could have a shot at a BCS Bowl, but they lost their spot to the UCF Knights after the Bulldogs went down to the San Jose State Spartans at the end of the year.

I’m sure that there are teams that have gone through more coaching drama in a season than the Trojans have heading into this game, but I sure can’t think of any. They entered the season with the handicap of having Lane Kiffin at the helm. He was fired — in an airport parking lot, no less — and Ed Orgeron was named interim. The turnaround he engineered is the only reason this team is in this or any bowl game. It wasn’t enough to convince AD Pat Haden that he would be a better long-term hire than uninspiring Steve Sarkisian, though.

Orgeron pouted and took his toys and went home, so now offensive coordinator Clay Helton gets the chance to wear the interim tag while Sarkisian waits in the wings. That move cerates two questions. First, after all the turmoil does the team still have the will to perform well? Second, what will the offensive play calling look like? Kiffin called the plays until he was fired, then Helton took over. He’ll likely keep calling them, but his attentions will be divided. What impact will that have?

Fresno State QB Derek Carr has been spectacular this year — like something out of a video game. He has passed for 4,866 yards and 48 touchdowns with just seven picks, and he has completed more than 70 percent of his passes. Those numbers have him at the helm of the top passing offense in the country and in the eyes of NFL scouts. The question, though, is how well he can handle the big jump up in class that the Trojans represent.

The toughest opponent Fresno State has played is probably Rutgers, so this is a whole new class of opponent — something that makes Fresno State so hard to evaluate. The Trojans have the top pass defense in the Pac-12, allowing 214.5 yards per game against a conference full of passers. The Trojans will have to contain receiver Davante Adams to have their way in this game.

The pass defense is going to be a story on both sides. Fresno State’s pass defense ranks just 118th in the country — out of 125 teams. It’s their clear weakness, and opponents have exploited it repeatedly. USC hasn’t exactly dominated the skies this year, though they have been much better lately. It has to be the focus for them in this one — something that the distraction of OC and one-time QB coach Helton won’t help.

In any bowl game you need to think about things that could be a distraction and have one of the teams playing well below their optimal focus. There are possibilities on both sides — besides the elephant in the room that is the USC soap opera, of course. Neither team likely spent much time dreaming of playing in Las Vegas on Dec. 21, so there is a real potential for disappointment on both sides. The Trojans were supposed to be strong heading into the season, and they had a chance at a much better fate before getting humiliated by UCLA last time out. Fresno State seemed destined for their first BCS appearance until they lost in their 11th outing against San Jose State. This is about as far from a BCS bowl as you can get. Beyond that, there is a chance that Fresno State could evolve a coaching crisis of its own before this game. Tim DeRuyter is in his second year with the team, and has done a remarkable job. He already gets mentioned for openings when they happen, and as more teams make changes in the coming days he could get into the mix in a serious way. If he were to interview or be seriously rumored, it could really impact the final preparations of his team.

This sports betting line has floated between -5.5 to -7 for the USC Trojans, but right now I see it mainly around -6. I actually see this game being tight early on, but see USC opening it up in the second half with their defensive pressure. I think that USC has a massively bright future, and they'll be a great team next year, but Fresno State's offense hasn't played the kind of defense that USC will bring to the table. I am all over USC laying less than a touchdown here.

Love USC to win this game but with the interim coach and my lifelong rooting interest for USC I am going to hedge a little on the strength of the play. Will update as we get closer to the game.

USC -5
 
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Posted: #31
[Quote: Originally Posted by SpookyExpress]

If you been paying attention all these years, lots of my brothers from another mother are from Nam.  Cool Blue, Donorman and I can go on and on.  One of these days they will drag me out there for a visit and I may not want to come back once they take me to the Lotus Garden.   
[/Quote
yes sir master spooky you were right
 
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Posted: #32
Thanks for the great dialog folks! Let's have a great season! More plays coming soon.....
 
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Posted: #33
Your write ups are incredible.  CSU passes the eye test to me.  They are huge on the offensive line and feature 2 very large and good tight ends.  If they had a decent QB, they would be much better.  They overpowered us physically and even USC and OR St. did not do that to us.  We played both FSU and USC and all I can say is FSU has a terrible defense.  I like all of your plays.  Thank you.
 
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Posted: #34
Quote Originally Posted by ShadowWarrior:

Your write ups are incredible.  CSU passes the eye test to me.  They are huge on the offensive line and feature 2 very large and good tight ends.  If they had a decent QB, they would be much better.  They overpowered us physically and even USC and OR St. did not do that to us.  We played both FSU and USC and all I can say is FSU has a terrible defense.  I like all of your plays.  Thank you.


Thanks a ton ShadowWarrior....means a lot....many more plays yet to come! Let's make some $$$$
 
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All selections, analysis and thoughts will be posted on the Bowl Express Thread

SPOOKY EXPRESS BOWLING FOR DOLLARS SELECTION AND ANALYSIS THREAD

FAMOUS IDAHO POTATO BOWL

SAN DIEGO STATE vs. BUFFALO
Saturday, Dec. 21, 5:30 pm
ESPN
The Buffalo Bulls went through a ridiculous hot streak where they won seven straight games to get to 8-4 overall this year, and it was good enough to earn them a bowl bid against a solid San Diego State Aztecs team, who ended the year at 7-5 overall. Both teams put together a 6-2 conference record, but fell just short of playing for their conference titles. These are two interesting offenses, but one is much better at offense, while the other is much better at defense, which we'll look more at below.

The Bulls hot streak featured them topping 30 points in every game except for one, and their defense simply shut down opponents in many situations. While they aren't riding the late season push like the Aztecs did to become bowl eligible, they had one of the stronger years that we remember from this team, and they are going to be a fun team to watch in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.

The Aztecs on the other side started 0-3 with some tough losses against strong opponents, but won seven of their last nine games, with the two losses coming against the Fresno State Bulldogs, who are a top 20 team, and the UNLV Runnin' Rebels. Their loss to Fresno State also came in overtime, as they pushed the Bulldogs to the brink.

Buffalo Bulls Defense

The Bulls have been very strong defensively, as they rank 27th in the entire country in points per game at just 22.3. That's very, very impressive, but they'll have their work cut out for them against the Aztecs. The Bulls gave up 40 points to Ohio State and 70 points to Baylor, which makes the fact that they gave up only 22.3 points per game even more impressive.

San Diego Aztecs Passing Game

While the Aztecs give up 32.3 points per game, it's their passing game that has won them some big games. Their passing game ranks 35th in the country in yards per game at 262.3. They are led by quarterback Quinn Kaehler who has thrown for 17 touchdowns this year, but he's led the team to putting up some points in big games.

Consensus

The Bulls are an interesting team this year, and their defense will just be too much for San Diego State in my opinion. This game is sitting at a pick on most sports betting sites, and I love that spot for Buffalo. I just think that they are a better team than the Aztecs are this season, and that they'll win this one by around a touchdown. As always when the line is 3 or less I will be taking the moneyline so we just have to win the game. I also think this will be a low scoring game for the most part with a score in the 20's. Lets take a shot with the Under and always check for an update as we get closer to game.

BUFFALO PK (moneyline)
BUFFALO / SAN DIEGO STATE UNDER 55 POINTS
 
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R+L CARRIERS NEW ORLEANS BOWL 

TULANE vs. LA.-LAFAYETTE
Saturday, Dec. 21, 9:00 pm
ESPN

To round out the first day of college football bowl game betting, we have a game between the Tulane Green Wave and the LA Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns on Saturday, December 21 at 9:00pm EST. We have two teams here who sputtered a bit down the home stretch of the season. The Green Wave finished with a 7-5 record, but they lost three of their last four games of the season. The Ragin' Cajuns on the other hand lost their last two games of the year, ending up with an 8-4 record.

The records don't tell the whole story though, so let's look at this one a bit more in-depth.

The Green Wave had some big wins this year, including an overtime win against a strong ECU Pirates team, and against North Texas as well. They really won their games thanks to some strong defense in most situations, but they did have games where we saw their offense step up at times when it was needed.

For the Ragin' Cajuns though, it was about the offense. They won eight straight games, and they interestingly lost their first two games of the year, and also lost the last two games of the year as previously mentioned. The Ragin' Cajuns have a great rushing game, and we'll look more at their offense here.

LA Lafayette Offense

You have to love when an offense can just pound the ball on the ground and really stick with it. LA Lafayette averaged an impressive 207.6 yards per game on the ground, which is good for 26th best in the country. This obviously led to scoring for the Ragin' Cajuns as well, as they ranked 31st in points per game at 34.6 points per game. But what makes this game so interesting? The fact that this strong offense is going against the strong Tulane defense.

Tulane Defense

19th in the entire country. That's what Tulane ranks in terms of points per game allowed. This defense gives up just 21.2 points per game, and that includes losses where they gave up 52, 41, and 34, with a win against ECU where they gave up 33 in overtime. Their defense will have a major test against this Lafayette offense, and it'll be fun to watch.

Consensus

Really tough game to call here, and definitely not a favorite game of mine here, but the sports betting line on this one is at a pick currently on most sportsbooks. If I'm looking at it and have to make a choice, I'm going with offense over defense. I think that the Lafayette run game will wear down the Tulane defense and it'll lead to a victory for the Ragin' Cajuns but will come back much closer to kickoff to make a final determination.

UL LAFAYETTE / TULANE
 
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BEEF 'O' BRADY'S BOWL EXPRESS

EAST CAROLINA vs. OHIO 
Monday, Dec. 23, 2:00 pm
ESPN

On day two of the college football bowl game action, we get an interesting game between the ECU Pirates and the Ohio Bobcats. The Pirates have some very impressive wins this year, as they were able to knock off North Carolina and Middle Tennessee for starters, and also lost to Virginia Tech by only five points. The Pirates ended the year with a 9-3 record overall, but a tough loss to Marshall kept them out of the Conference USA Championship game.

In this game the Pirates get the 7-5 Ohio Bobcats, who had a pretty tough schedule this year. Ohio actually beat that same Marshall team who beat ECU, and also beat North Texas as well. Ohio did it in many different ways offensively, but they struggled a bit down the home stretch of the season, as the team lost three of their final four games.

This game is going to be an early kickoff on Monday the 23rd, and it's set to get underway at 2:00pm EST. East Carolina's offense is going to be a major deciding factor in this game for sports bettors, and we'll take a look at the match-up more in-depth here, and then get to our thoughts.

ECU Offense

It's all about that very, very nice passing game for the ECU Pirates. They have one of the strongest passing games in the country, as they rank 10th in passing yards per game at 331.5, and the great passing numbers have led to a massive number of points. The Pirates average 40.4 points per game, which is 11th best in the country, and they have been a bettors favorite when looking at betting on the total on their games.

Consensus

When you look at the Ohio Bobcats, I just see a lot of middle of the road numbers, and some losses that leave you scratching your head. They're an interesting team though, and their win over Marshall is big. ECU is a heavy favorite in this game though, as they are laying around -13.5 on most sportsbooks, and I expect this number to get to -14 and possibly even higher and why I posted this game almost 10 days ago with the lower pointspread. 

ECU has the far better offense, and in all honesty they just have a better team this year. I expected ECU to push Marshall and possibly play in the C-USA title game, but they couldn't get it done. They'll show us something on Monday though, and get a nice bowl game win against the Bobcats by more than the -13.5 spread. East Carolina should win this game by 3 touchdowns and really dont see this game being close. As always, check back as we get closer to game. 

EAST CAROLINA -12 
 
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SHERATON HAWAII BOWL

BOISE STATE vs. OREGON 
Tuesday, Dec. 24, 8:00 pm
ESPN 

Christmas Eve is going to give us an early present in terms of a very interesting football game at the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl. The Boise State Broncos are going to be taking on the Oregon State Beavers. It's definitely worth pointing out that the Broncos have officially seen head coach Chris Petersen leave for another job. Petersen saw his team get beaten in their opening game by Washington 38-6 this year, and apparently he liked what he saw over there, as he left to become their new head coach.

Back to the game though, as Boise State is still moving forward and looking to get a bowl game win to cap off an 8-4 season. The Boise State record may look solid, but they didn't have many wins that jump off the screen at you. They lost a tight game to Fresno State by one, lost to Washington as previously mentioned, and then lost to BYU and San Diego State. Those were their major tests this year, and they just couldn't pass with flying colors.

Oregon State on the other hand finished just 6-6 this year, but that doesn't tell the whole story. They won six straight to get to that point, but their five game losing streak to end the year featured losses to ranked teams (or teams right outside of the top 25) in Stanford (by 8), USC, Arizona State, Washington, and Oregon (by 1). If that's not one of the toughest home stretches that you've ever seen, then it has to be close to it. Oregon State has an excellent quarterback in Sean Mannion, who threw for 4,403 yards and 36 touchdowns, and he'll be a player to watch.

Oregon State Offense

Passing yards and points, that's what Oregon State does. They've put up some major passing yards this year on average, as they rank 3rd in the country at 382.1 yards per game. To go along with that stat, you'll see that the Beavers rank 32nd in the country in points per game at 34.5, and that'll bode well against a Boise State defense who has struggled against the very good offenses this year.

Consensus

Boise State may rank 37th in the country in points against at 23.8 per game, but the issue is what's happened in their losses. When they played those teams mentioned above, we saw them give up 41, 38, 37, and 34 points. Oregon State can put points up, and this game should be a shootout but I will get back to that as we get closer to kickoff. This is an interesting game but I see Boise State winning this game by 2 touchdowns and I wouldn't be surprised to see them play well for the interim coach. Another money line dog that will get us the money. Will update as we get closer to game.

BOISE STATE +4 
 
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SAN DIEGO COUNTY CREDIT UNION POINSETTIA BOWL

UTAH STATE vs. NORTHERN ILLINOIS
Thursday, Dec. 26, 9:30 pm
ESPN 

That's a heck of a long bowl game name that we have here, but it has a very good match-up in it. The Utah State Aggies had an interesting year where they lost starting quarterback Chuckie Keeton, and back-up freshman Darell Garretson had to step in and get the job done for the team. The Aggies ended the year at 8-5, winning their final five regular season games, getting to play against Fresno State in the Mountain West Championship game. They fell just short, losing to the Bulldogs by a touchdown, but had one heck of a turnaround.

The Northern Illinois Huskies on the other hand are a bit disappointed not to be playing in a BCS Bowl, as it looked like they could very well be the team to make it, until they lost to Bowling Green by 20 in the MAC Championship game. The Huskies were undefeated up until that point as well, making this an even tougher loss for them to swallow. The have one of the best quarterbacks in the country in Jordan Lynch, who actually finished third in Heisman voting as well.

This game kicks off at 9:30pm EST the day after Christmas, and the question that many are wondering is whether or not the Huskies are going to be able to bounce back after that loss to Bowling Green that ended their perfect season.

Utah State Defense

The Utah State Aggies always had a good defense, but after Keeton went down, they really stepped up. They rank 7th in the entire country in points allowed, as they only give up 17.3 points per game. They run a well-balanced attack on offense, but their defense really sets them up nicely it seems.

Northern Illinois Offense

The NIU offense ranks 4th in rushing yards and 9th in points for (312.5 yards per game and 41.6 points per game), and we fully expected to see that offense just run over Bowling Green, but it was just the opposite. Bowling Green frustrated this powerful Northern Illinois offense, and I'm definitely interested to see how they do against a strong Utah State defense, which is similar to Bowling Green in terms of stats.

Consensus

Some of these pre-New Years bowl games really are great, and this should be one of them. Northern Illinois is currently a favorite in terms of the betting line. With how strong Utah State's defense is though, paired with the fact that I think Northern Illinois will be a bit let down after losing their undefeated season, I'm taking the Aggies to win this game. Utah State should win this game by almost a touchdown. Should be an interesting game with Northern Illinois offense vs the Utah State defense. You saw with Bowling Green how they shut down NIU in the championship game and I really believe it will happen again. Will update as we get closer to game. 

UTAH STATE +3  
 
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Check out our previews at facebook, BTB and website since we are limited to the amount of characters we are allowed on each post.

MILITARY BOWL

MARYLAND vs. MARSHALL 
Friday, Dec. 27, 2:30 pm
ESPN 

Friday, December 27th's afternoon bowl game is going to feature two teams who we've seen put points up early and often at times this year in the Marshall Thundering Herd and the Maryland Terrapins. The Thundering Herd finished at 9-4 and are coming off of a Conference USA Championship game loss to the Rice Owls, while the Maryland Terrapins ended the year at 7-5, and actually had only a 3-5 ACC record at the end of the year.

Have to think that Marshall is a big favorite here right? Not so fast. The Thundering Herd are currently favored by -2.5 on most online sports betting sites, and I wouldn't be surprised if it floats around that for a bit. The Thundering Herd had a tough loss, and we've seen Maryland play some strong games this year. Unfortunately though, it seemed like every time that the Terrapins had a tough game, they fell short of getting the win, and I could see that happening here as well.

The Terrapins had exactly one win over a team who had a better than .500 record (they did beat Old Dominion who is an FBS Independent as well). That doesn't make up a very impressive resume overall, and I think the Terrapins could be in trouble against a high powered Thundering Herd offense led by Rakeem Cato.

Marshall Offense

The Thundering Herd were a force offensively this year. They ranked 7th in points per game at 43, ranked 21st in passing yards per game at 291.2, and ranked 22nd in rushing yards per game at 211.2. Their offense is very, very good, and they get to go against a Maryland defense that ranks 48th in points against, but most importantly has had issues scoring at times this year. I could fully see Cato and the Thundering Herd offense having a very big day.

Consensus

All four of Marshall's losses came to bowl teams this year, and while they don't have a ton of wins over big time opponents, and lost a tight one to Virginia Tech, they had a nice win against an ECU team who I think is very underrated. In my opinion, Marshall's offense will be far too much for Maryland, and just because you play in the ACC doesn't mean that you are going to be able to keep up with opponents. Marshall's defense is solid as well, as they allow only 23.2 points per game, which is going to be a problem for Maryland. Marshall should win this game by 3 touchdowns and really dont see this game being close.   I am also playing the Over in the game since I see this being a high scoring game. 

MARSHALL PK (moneyline)  

MARSHALL / MARYLAND OVER 60 POINTS 
 
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Spooky, does you analysis take into account that the BG has left for greener pastures?  

teams with coaching changes went 3-7 ATS last bowl season. 
 
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BG coaches...
 
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M....G.....Spooky  

Good Luck this season....    Glad to see us posting in the same forum again.

Please, help some of these posters out with some guidance, feels like the new era of teens and college kids have taken the "social media" angle to an all time low.  Posting on our old-timer pastime pages.     Their mouths move a lot, but no information ever comes out.

USC???  -   hahaha   no surprises!!!!  

 
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Spooky, I'm just curious what your overall strategy in coming up with these power spreads is?  You don't have to go into details if you don't want.  I'm just curious about which factors you think are important from an analysis standpoint.
 
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Hey guys....thanks so much for the comments, thoughts and even making fun of USC Beecher.

Let me try and reiterate and put it in a capsule form for anyone missing out some of what I wrote.  I have posted for almost 2 decades on forums.  I have capped, wagered and played for fun and entertainment purposes for almost 40 years.  My normal capping is done by heart, knowledge and common sense.  I never crunch numbers, I never use trends and outside of getting good information from some sources the plays are mine with my years of knowledge.  I am solid in football, baseball and basically suck in basketball.  Just dont put the time in and since this is for "fun" no sense to spend time on what I dont do well.

That all said.  Somehow 35 years ago I came up with a bowl system that I utilized for shits and giggles.  This system has somehow withstood time and logic and has never had a losing season.  Now, the system creates a power ranking and I use that ranking to determine my bowl season game selection along with my "logic" and "capping" for the total if there is one.

That simple.  I dont over think it.  I would never be wasting anyone's time outside my own if this has not worked all these years.  Again these are my plays.  I would love you to go to our facebook page or website to check out more but the object is just to share my thoughts and picks.  And hopefully it does well again.

In closing, there is really no analysis outside of crunching these numbers that consist of year long stats.  The plays are based on what I think is best and the system although I have been known to sway from what it shows.  Fresno State is a play based on power rankings but as Beechernic will attest, Im too stubborn to play against my USC Trojans who I have been loyal to since I was 8 years old.  So again these are my plays.  Do with it what you want.

And finally, for Abizzo.  Like I said I dont do trends so because new coaches (interim) did bad ATS last year, what does that mean for this year or what did that mean from 10 years ago.  I dont care.  The pointspread is usually adjusted to injuries, coaching changes etc., so it all balances out at the end.  I dont chase my tail. Plus the public loves to go against these major changes and you know what happens when the public is all over something. Been doing this too long and life is too short.  Just have fun, play smart and focus on what is important. 

Hope this helps.  Again the write ups are what we post on the Spooky Express website and are written by myself and/or our Spooky Express writers.  

 
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All selections, analysis and thoughts will be posted on the Bowl Express Thread

SPOOKY EXPRESS BOWLING FOR DOLLARS SELECTION AND ANALYSIS THREAD

HEART OF DALLAS BOWL

UNLV vs. NORTH TEXAS
Wednesday, Jan 1, 12:00 pm
ESPNU
After lots of disappointment in recent years, the Rebels secured a New Year’s Day bowl berth against the North Texas Mean Green in the Heart of Dallas Bowl. A bowl game on New Year’s Day is a big deal for this program, and it’s a sign of how much progress has been made this season.

UNLV’s last game came on Nov.30 at home against San Diego State. The Rebels were already bowl eligible, but they needed a win in that game to help them get into a decent bowl. UNLV came through with what I believe was its best performance of the season. The Rebels beat down San Diego State, 45-19. San Diego State came into that contest having won seven of their last eight games.
Senior Quarterback Caleb Herring was the star for the Rebels in that win. The Rebels defense did a nice job against a balanced attack from San Diego State.
Herring wasn’t even the Rebels starting quarterback at the beginning of the year, but it can’t be overstated how good he has been for UNLV this year. Herring has thrown 22 touchdown passes compared to just four interceptions. His excellent decision-making has played a huge role in the Rebels going from a 2-10 team to a 7-5 team. The quarterback spot was once considered a major question mark for the Rebels this year, but Herring turned it into a major strength. How big of a deal is this bowl game for the UNLV program? Their trip to the Heart of Dallas Bowl will be UNLV’s first bowl game outside of Nevada in almost three decades. Their destination will be the Cotton Bowl, which is one of the most historic football fields in the nation. At a press conference on Dec. 9, UNLV coaches and players talked about what a New Year’s Day bowl game means to the team. The team was caught off guard by being selected to the Heart of Dallas bowl, but all of the players talked about how excited they were to get the news. Herring said, “It was pretty shocking and exciting to be able to participate in one of these bowl games in a historic stadium where a lot of great games have taken place.”

Consensus

How great is this? Never have there been so many matchups that have such a disparity in my bowl system. The UNLV Rebels do walk into a difficult spot here. North Texas essentially has a home game because they are so close to home. The Mean Green will be plenty comfortable in this one. Dan McCarney is North Texas’ coach, and he has the Mean Green playing some tremendous defense. UNLV’s run defense still hasn’t proven it can stop a good rushing attack, and I think North Texas has their way on the ground here. UNLV has had a great season, but I don’t like this matchup at all for the Rebels. Look for the North Texas defense and home-field advantage to lead to a comfortable win for the Mean Green. Either the public is underestimating these non BCS teams or we are in for a big surprise. North Texas will win this game by more than 2 touchdowns and surprise most everyone but Spooky. Will update as we get closer to game.

NORTH TEXAS -6
 
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SPOOKY EXPRESS BOWLING FOR DOLLARS SELECTION AND ANALYSIS THREAD

TEXAS BOWL

SYRACUSE vs. MINNESOTA
Friday, Dec. 27, 6:00 pm
ESPN
Out in Reliant Stadium on Friday, December 27th we get two teams who had interesting seasons to say the least. The Syracuse Orange ended up at 6-6 overall, just barely becoming bowl eligible in their last game, which was a three point win against the Boston College Eagles. The Orange had some tough losses to take, but didn't really have any wins that blow you away when you look at them on paper.

The Minnesota Golden Gophers on the other side were a nice surprise to finish out the year at 8-4 overall. They beat some solid teams in UNLV, San Jose State, Nebraska, Indiana, and Penn State. They finished their year out by barely losing to Michigan State 14-3. The Golden Gophers were a solid team this year, and they are looking to round out the year with a nice bowl game win as well.

This game kicks off with a sports betting line of right around -4 for the Minnesota Golden Gophers on most sports betting sites. I'm not surprised to see the Golden Gophers favored here, and I think in this spot against a team who they are likely to overmatch, that they could very possibly pull out a nice bowl win.

Check the Numbers

When two teams are pretty evenly matched you think on paper, you should check the stats. I really like the stats here that favor towards Minnesota. When you look at the numbers, Minnesota averages 26.4 points per game, while Syracuse averages only 22.8 per game. The defense though is what really sticks out, as Syracuse gives up 26.1 points per game, but Minnesota has played some solid offenses this year, and allowed just 22.3 points per game.

Consensus

Two teams, one who snuck into a bowl game, and the other who was prepared for a bowl game weeks ago. The Golden Gophers still aren't getting quite enough love in my opinion, and while I'd love to see this line move a little lower for the Gophers', I'm going to be looking at it for a bet on the moneyline. Minnesota's offense isn't going to have much of an issue against the Syracuse defense, but I could very likely see Syracuse not being able to put up a ton of points on this Minnesota defense. This is one of those games that I have as a small favorite and its hard to lay the points yet more difficult to take a team I am not sure can win grab only a few points. At this point I am leaning towards taking Minnesota on the moneyline and making it a small play. Will update as we get closer to game.

MINNESOTA PK (moneyline)
 
 
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SPOOKY EXPRESS BOWLING FOR DOLLARS SELECTION AND ANALYSIS THREAD

R+L CARRIERS NEW ORLEANS BOWL

TULANE vs. LA.-LAFAYETTE
Saturday, Dec. 21, 9:00 pm
ESPN
To round out the first day of college football bowl game betting, we have a game between the Tulane Green Wave and the LA Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns on Saturday, December 21 at 9:00pm EST. We have two teams here who sputtered a bit down the home stretch of the season. The Green Wave finished with a 7-5 record, but they lost three of their last four games of the season. The Ragin' Cajuns on the other hand lost their last two games of the year, ending up with an 8-4 record.

The records don't tell the whole story though, so let's look at this one a bit more in-depth.

The Green Wave had some big wins this year, including an overtime win against a strong ECU Pirates team, and against North Texas as well. They really won their games thanks to some strong defense in most situations, but they did have games where we saw their offense step up at times when it was needed.

For the Ragin' Cajuns though, it was about the offense. They won eight straight games, and they interestingly lost their first two games of the year, and also lost the last two games of the year as previously mentioned. The Ragin' Cajuns have a great rushing game, and we'll look more at their offense here.

LA Lafayette Offense

You have to love when an offense can just pound the ball on the ground and really stick with it. LA Lafayette averaged an impressive 207.6 yards per game on the ground, which is good for 26th best in the country. This obviously led to scoring for the Ragin' Cajuns as well, as they ranked 31st in points per game at 34.6 points per game. But what makes this game so interesting? The fact that this strong offense is going against the strong Tulane defense.

Tulane Defense

19th in the entire country. That's what Tulane ranks in terms of points per game allowed. This defense gives up just 21.2 points per game, and that includes losses where they gave up 52, 41, and 34, with a win against ECU where they gave up 33 in overtime. Their defense will have a major test against this Lafayette offense, and it'll be fun to watch.

Consensus

Really tough game to call here, and definitely not a favorite game of mine here, but we do have La Lafayette picked to win by a point or so in a really tight game. If I'm looking at it and have to make a choice, I'm going with offense over defense plus the pointspread is moving up and if you can grab 3 points then it will be worth a play. I think that the Lafayette run game will wear down the Tulane defense and it'll lead to a victory for the Ragin' Cajuns. Stay tuned for an update on Saturday for a final decision.

UL LAFAYETTE + 3
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