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

IT'S THAT TIME!!!!!!
BOWLING FOR DOLLARS FOR 2014/2015!

SPOOKY EXPRESS AND BOWL SEASON

Many of you know I started posting my bowl game selections almost 17 years ago and that is how it all began at the forums. Never have had a losing bowl season since 1977 and not about to start now. Record speaks for itself.

Have had some unbelievable outstanding seasons and a few average years but always have showed a profit. This is the only time I truly crunch numbers and play more with the numbers than my head.

Bobalou and I will start posting some opinions in the next couple weeks but wanted to get started on all the threads since there is so much work involved. I am just going to make 1 thread for the analysis, write ups, thoughts for each of the games that go along with the rankings and another thread for my game time updates, selections and wagers.

These will once again be MY PLAYS and my opinion. I really don't care if you follow or not. Not looking to debate my selections.

The totals (Over/Unders) will be posted much closer to game time since weather and other developments effect the game and they are only an opinion. I will post my power ratings, my dog plays and some money line plays if you care.

We had almost 100,000 views going back to 2012 so I'm hoping we can continue that trend this year.


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I will post the early recap for some of you that have not followed in years past
or like their annual reminder.

As the odds change so can the selection. Obviously the Best bets will not change dramatically.

There will be in the coming weeks analysis and capping for each game along with some totals (Over/Unders) which will be posted much closer to game time since weather and other developments effect the game. The totals are only Opinions so we focus on the side plays. At the beginning is where I jump on some early lines which stand out and get the best value for the wager. I may completely reverse my thinking as time goes by, but for now I let the numbers do the talking and everyone that has seen or followed Spooky this millennium can corroborate how solid they usually are.

ANYTIME A TEAM IS PICKED TO WIN OUTRIGHT AND ALSO COVER WITH THE POINTS MAKES THEM A PLAY.
NO LOOKING BACK, NO THINKING ABOUT IT.

There will also be some live underdogs. So be ready. These teams are picked to win and they are getting points. Money Line Dogs. Get them while they are hot. Don’t be afraid when the pointspread moves. It is done so emotionally. QB gets hurt, RB gets suspended, who cares. The points will be adjusted. These selections are not based on 1 or 2 games but an entire season. Remember since 1977 this has not lost.

Just use some judgement and as we get closer the plays will become clearer and Spooky will let you know.

If you like a Pro game, start making small parlays with them on the best bets. By the time game time comes around you should have tons of action on the later games and that creates tons of profit!!!!

Since many ask about the way I mess with the strengths of each play, this is a synopsis of what I do.

I will usually rank them 1 thru 5 smileys with the 4 and 5 smileys very infrequently. If there is no smiley listed than you can consider that anywhere from an opinion to 1 smiley. When playing on the totals I will almost always consider it an opinion. For the simple reason that I crunch numbers during bowl season and the side has a value outside of what is my opinion. The total is basically my opinion (which is what I do the remaining months of the year). The total is totally subjective. I usually will make the total play anywhere from 1/4 to 1/2 of the listed play. So if I am playing 300 on a game then the total would be anywhere from 75 to 150 if we were to put a numerical dollar value on it.

Please remember this is what I do, I am not getting paid to determine your money management or what you should be doing. Certainly you can play everything equal or you can follow the smileys. This is just my Bowl Express and sharing with everyone what I am doing for the most part.


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This is where I get started early on.

Here will be all the team strengths indicating what teams are the strongest plays based solely on the system and based on the current pointspread.


As the odds change so can the selection. There will be more in the coming weeks more analysis and capping for each game along with some totals (Over/Unders) which will be posted much closer to game time since weather and other developments effect the game.

For those interested in POWER RATINGS

The lower the number the stronger the ranking. These numbers will change slightly after the Army/Navy game. Please remember all the power ratings are a guide to what I do during bowl season. My picks are still going to be my picks and I may move away from certain plays when the time comes. Again I don't do this for a living, just sharing what I do as I have for the past couple decades.

TEAM / RANK

Michigan State 110

Marshall 125

Alabama 135

Ohio State 136

TCU 157

Baylor 179

Ole Miss 189

Clemson 193

Memphis 205

Georgia 211

Oregon 211

Boise State 224

Mississippi State 224

Louisville 225

Stanford 236

Miami Florida 242

East Carolina 245

Houston 246

LSU 259

Florida 259

Arkansas 260

Kansas State 260

Western Michigan 261

UCF 263

BYU 268

Colorado State 270

Oklahoma 270

Missouri 271

Nebraska 272

West Virginia 277

USC 279

Florida State 279

Auburn 283

Louisiana Tech 284

Boston College 286

Pittsburg 289

San Diego State 291

Iowa 296

Northern Illinois 308

Arkansas State 312

Duke 316

Central Michigan 317

Penn State 320

UCLA 321

Toledo 324

Georgia Tech 325

Arizona State 328

Virginia Tech 329

Utah State 333

Minnesota 335

Air Force 348

Arizona 358

Cincinnati 359

NC State 360

South Carolina 363

Notre Dame 363

Tennessee 369

Washington 373

Texas 376

Texas A&M 378

UTEP 396

Utah 400

Navy 403

LA-Lafayette 412

Rice 416

Western Kentucky 421

South Alabama 424

Nevada 439

Fresno State 463

North Carolina 480

Bowling Green 489

Maryland 495

Rutgers 496

Oklahoma State 505

Illinois 510

BOWL SELECTIONS

In order of team to win by the most points based on power ratings

(Pointspreads are not involved)

This is used to determine money line plays, contest picks and plays not involving pointspreads

Remember these ratings will be adjusted after the Army/Navy game to a small degree


Team / Power Difference / Team They are Playing


Stanford 25.9 Maryland

Louisiana Tech 22.6 Illinois

Marshall 18.3 Northern Illinois

Boise State 13.4 Arizona

Washington 13.2 Oklahoma State

Colorado State 13.0 Utah

Miami Florida 12.1 South Carolina

Arkansas 11.6 Texas

San Diego 11.2 Navy

LSU 10.4 Notre Dame

Western Kentucky 10.4 Central Michigan

West Virginia 10.1 Texas A&M

Mississippi State 10.1 Georgia Tech

Wisconsin 9.9 Auburn

UCF 9.7 NC State

Western Michigan 8.7 Air Force

Clemson 7.7 Oklahoma

Iowa 7.3 Tennessee

Michigan State 6.9 Baylor

Oregon 6.8 Florida State

South Alabama 6.5 Bowling Green

Missouri 6.4 Minnesota

Utah State 6.3 UTEP

Memphis 6.3 BYU

Kansas State 6.1 UCLA

Rice 4.7 Fresno State

Houston 4.3 Pittsburg

Boston College 3.4 Penn State

TCU 3.2 Ole Miss

Virginia Tech 3.0 Cincinnati

La-Lafayette 2.7 Nevada

North Carolina 1.6 Rutgers

Georgia 1.4 Louisville

East Carolina 1.4 Florida

Duke 1.2 Arizona State

Arkansas State 1.2 Toledo

Nebraska 0.7 USC

Alabama 0.1 Ohio State

R+L NEW ORLEANS BOWL

NEVADA vs LOUISIANA LAFAYETTE
Saturday, Dec. 20, 11:00 a.m.ET
ESPN

To kick off the 2014 college football bowl season, we get an interesting matchup between the 7-5 Nevada Wolfpack and the 8-4 Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns. both of these teams have been impressive at points this year, while other teams we've seen both falter. The Wolfpack come in with a 4-4 record in the Mountain West, while the Ragin' Cajuns finished 7-1 in the Sun Belt. This game will kickoff on Saturday, December 20th at 11:00am EST, and it will be aired on ESPN.

Wolfpack Have Solid Ground Attack

For the Wolfpack, it's going to be about their ability to run the ball. They rank 32nd overall in rushing yards per game at 215.2, and are actually led in rushing by their quarterback, Cody Fajardo. Fajardo not only has thrown for 2,374 yards and 18 touchdowns, but he's also rushed for 997 yards with 13 touchdowns. Don Jackson has also been a key part of the run game for the Wolfpack, as he's rushed for 932 yards and seven touchdowns, averaging 4.5 yards per carry on the year. Nevada has had some impressive games, including a close 35-28 loss to Arizona and a win over BYU. Nevada has not won a bowl game since back in 2010, and are looking to right the ship this year.

Ragin' Cajuns Look To Build on Bowl Success

Louisiana-Lafayette had an uphill climb to get to this point, as they started the year out 1-3, losing to both Ole Miss and Boise State. They went on to win seven of their last eight games, and leave them as an interesting pick for this matchup. The Ragin' Cajuns are led by Elijah McGuire, who has been an absolute force at times this season. He's rushed for 1,165 yards and 14 touchdowns, while averaging an incredible 7.8 yards per carry. He even posted 265 yards and four touchdowns in a single game. Louisiana-Lafayette has been incredibly successful in the past in bowl games, winning their previous three.

This is a tough one to call, but I'm rolling with the hot hand. The Ragin' Cajuns finished the year on a high note, while the Wolfpack actually lost two of their final three games. It's going to be a close one, and these two are actually incredibly evenly matched across the board. The Wolfpack average 197.8 passing yards and 215.2 rushing yards per game, while the Ragin' Cajuns average 188.9 passing and 228.4 rushing. Defensively, both allow over 30 points per game, so we could be in for a shootout. In the end, at this point I'm taking the Ragin' Cajuns and riding the hot hand as I have them winning the game by almost a field goal. Again check back closer to the game for any thoughts on the total and opinion on this game.

LOUISIANA-LAFAYETTE

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

GILDAN NEW MEXICO BOWL

UTAH STATE vs UTEP
Saturday, Dec. 20, 2:20 p.m. ET
ESPN

It's that time of the year again. Christmas is near and the college football regular season has officially come to a close. This means one thing: it's time for some bowl game action. This year features a whopping 39 bowl games to choose from, and we're covering them all. One of the opening day bowls will include a matchup between the Utah State Aggies and the UTEP Miners. Both teams had some solid wins this year, and earned a bid into the Gildan New Mexico Bowl. This game kicks off on Saturday, December 20th at 2:20pm EST, and will be aired on ESPN. Let's take a more in-depth look at the matchup and give our prediction and pick.

Before we get to the picks, let's give a bit of background on the two teams. The Aggies enter this game with a 9-4 record, and finished with a 6-2 conference record in the Mountain West. The Miners on the other side finished at 7-5, with a 5-3 record in Conference USA, and open this game up as a big underdog to the talented Aggies.

Utah State Bounce Back Game

Utah State didn't exactly finish the year on a high note, losing to Boise State by a score of 50-19, but they were as hot as you can get before that, winning five games in a row, and allowing an average of just 13 points per game. Their defense was simply firing on all cylinders, and they are actually the 21st best in the entire country in points allowed per game at 20.8. If you want to look at some motivation for the Aggies, just look at the fact that they gave up that 50-point effort to the Broncos in the final game, and you should fully expect that they could be looking for a major bounce back effort.

First UTEP Bowl Game Since 2010

For the Miners, they had an up and down season, but were strong enough on the year to earn their first bowl bid since 2010. This is actually just their fifth bowl since 2000, and their impressive turnaround from a 2-10 record last year to a 7-5 record this year is a hot topic around town currently. This is a UTEP team riding emotion and excitement heading into this bowl game, and a win would be their first time reaching eight victories since 2005. UTEP is led by their talented sophomore running back Aaron Jones, who actually ranks 23rd in the nation in terms of rushing yards per game at 112.1. In total, he ran for 1,233 yards with 11 touchdowns. He also caught three touchdowns, and will be a focal point of this offense.

Now, it's time to get to the pick for this one, and while Utah State has a ridiculously talented defense, I don't believe UTEP will give away too much here. Senior quarterback Jameill Showers has only five interceptions on the year, and three of them came in one tough game. Add in the fact that the Miners are likely to focus in on giving Jones the ball as much as possible, and I think we see UTEP keep this one close right down to the finish. We have Utah State winning by about a touchdown. Not a strong play at this time but I'll take the big points and assess my selection closer to kickoff.

UTEP

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

ROYAL PURPLE LAS VEGAS BOWL

UTAH vs COLORADO STATE
Saturday, Dec. 20, 3:30 p.m. ET
ABC

The college football bowl action starts off the opening day from Las Vegas, with the Royal Purple Las Vegas Bowl. In terms of interesting matchups for the opening day, this one may take the cake. Utah comes in as the 22nd ranked team in the countr, but the Rams have been incredibly strong this year, already earning 10 wins on the year. This game gets underway at 3:30pm EST, and will be aired on ABC. Let's get to the breakdown of the matchup, and also give the prediction and pick here.

Utah Bowl Ready

For the Utes, they were likely expecting a different finish to their year, after starting off 6-1, but they ended the year on a bit of a sour note, losing three of their last five games. While they played some tough competition in Arizona State, Oregon and Arizona (all losses) over that span, it left them with an 8-4 record, and a 5-4 Pac-12 conference record. While Utah may have finished 8-4, they got some impressive wins as well, taking down UCLA and USC. These wins obviously can't be overlooked, and add on the fact that Utah missed a bowl game in each of the last two seasons, and they have plenty to play for.

Colorado State Can Do It All

Colorado State had a whopping two losses all season. The first one came to a strong Boise State team 37-24 in the second week of the season, while the other one was a tough 27-24 loss against Air Force. Both of those teams ended the year with strong records, as Boise is 11-2 and Air Force is 9-3. In between those two losses, Colorado State racked up nine straight wins, and are led by a combination of a great passing game and great rushing game. Basically, this team can do it all. They are 8th in the entire country in passing yards at 326.3 per game, and average 171.6 yards per game on the ground. The Rams were so good this year, that they just lost head coach Jim McElwain to Florida!

Well, it says Utes on paper as the favorite, but I think the wrong team may be getting the love here. The Rams are led by three ridiculously talented offensive playres in Garrett Grayson, who has thrown 32 touchdowns to just six interceptions, running back Dee Hart (16 touchdowns with a 6.7 YPC average) and wide out Rashard Higgins, who has hauled in 89 passes for 1,640 yards and 17 touchdowns. Want more? The Rams allow just 23.4 points per game, which is 34th best in the country. I'll take the Rams to win it outright in one of our bigger plays of the bowl season at this point. Can you say money line dog!

COLORADO STATE



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

FAMOUS IDAHO POTATO BOWL

WESTERN MICHIGAN vs AIR FORCE
Saturday, Dec. 20, 5:45 p.m. ET
ESPN

Some great bowl games are filling up the opening day of bowl action, and this is just one of the many. The Famous Idaho Potato Bowl features two intriguing teams in the Western Michigan Broncos, against the Air Force Falcons. This will be an early-evening kickoff, as it's set for Saturday, December 20th at 5:45pm EST, and will be aired on ESPN. Interestingly, both the Broncos and the Falcons had similar runs to finish out the year, and that'll likely be the talking point heading into this game. Let's take a look at the breakdown of these two teams and give a prediction and pick.

Western Michigan Led By Freshman Franklin

Western Michigan finished the year up with an 8-4 record, while going 6-2 in the MAC. They had an up and down start to the year, going 2-3 over their first five, but finished the year up on a hot note, winning six in a row at one point, and six of their final seven. Their lone loss came against a Northern Illinois team who finished 11-2 in the final game of the year, 31-21. What many are saying about this Broncos team is obvious, as they made an amazing turnaround from last year, when they were 1-11. The key to the turnaround? Well, many things factored in, but freshman running back Jarvion Franklin has to be considered as a large reason for it. He was the MAC Offensive Player of the Year, rushing fomr 1,525 yards, and scoring 24 touchdowns.

Air Force Attacks on the Ground

Now for that talented Air Force team. They had a hot finish to their year as well, winning four in a row and five of their last six games. Not only that, but this team defeated both Nevada and Colorado State down the home stretch, making their finish even more impressive. The Broncos weren't the only team to turn things around from a tough 2013, as the Falcons finished 2-10 last year, making a complete 180 themselves. Air Force has gotten it done in many ways offensively, but running back Jacobi Owens has rushed for 1,054 yards, and quarterback Kale Pearson has also tacked on 646 yards on the ground as well. Pearson has passed for 14 touchdowns as well, showing that he's a truly talented dual-threat option.

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!

WESTERN MICHIGAN BRONCOS



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

RAYCOM MEDIA CAMELLIA BOWL

SOUTH ALABAMA vs BOWLING GREEN
Saturday, Dec. 20, 9:15 p.m. ET
ESPN

To wrap up on the opening day of college football bowl games, the South Alabama Jaguars are taking on the Bowling Green Falcons. These two teams both had tough finishes to the 2014 season (more below), but they are looking to finish up their year on a high note. This game will kick off on Saturday, December 20th at 9:15pm EST, and will be aired on ESPN. Let's take an in-depth look at the game, as well as give a pick. Currently, the Jaguars have opened up as small favorites.

Run First for South Alabama

Speaking of those Jaguars, they finished the year at 6-6, and went 5-3 in the Sun Belt Conference. South Alabama had a nice start to the year, but finished it up by losing four of their final five games, including a two-point loss to the Navy Midshipmen. Not many know the story behind South Alabama, who didn't even have a football program until five years ago. They moved to the FBS in 2012, and are led by an NFL prospect at the quarterback position in Brandon Bridge. The Jaguars are a run-first team, rushing 124 more times than they did pass, but Bridge has still managed 1,648 yards and 14 passing touchdowns, as well as three rushing touchdowns.

Bowling Green Loaded With Young Talent

As for the Falcons, they have quite a bit of talent, and some young talent as well. Freshman wide out Roger Lewis is going to be the man to watch in this game, as he's hauled in 69 catches for 956 yards and five touchdowns this year. For Bowling Green, their story is similar to South Alabama's, as they actually lost their last three games of the 2014 season. Sophomore quarterback James Knapke has been asked to air it out quite a bit this year, and finished with 2,805 yards with 13 touchdowns, but 12 interceptions as well. He'll likely be asked to lead the charge in this one.

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. South Alabama to win by a touchdown.

South Alabama Jaguars



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

MIAMI BEACH BOWL

BYU vs MEMPHIS
Monday, Dec. 22, 2:00 p.m.ET
ESPN

We’re taking our talents to Miami Beach. Or, at least the BYU Cougars and Memphis Tigers are. These two strong programs are set to square off in the Miami Beach Bowl to kick off the second day of the bowl action, on Monday, December 22nd. If you have to work, here’s to hoping you can stream it through your phone, because this game kicks off at 2:00pm EST, and will be aired on ESPN. The Cougars and Tigers both had similar roads to get to this point, but it was mostly about how these two teams finished the year that leaves us the most impressed. Let’s take a look at both teams, and also give a prediction and pick on what should be a great early bowl-season matchup.

BYU Been Slumping a Bit

The Cougars come into this game with an 8-4 record, but it wasn’t easy getting there. While they started the year off 4-0, they dropped their next four games, and all of the sudden their bowl hopes were a bit up in the air. The Cougars turned it on when it mattered most, though, as they reeled off four straight wins to end the year on an incredibly high note. This team does quite a bit well, and they even rallied back after losing star quarterback Taysom Hill to a broken leg. When Hill went down, it was Mitch Mathews who stepped up, as the receiver has 840 yards and eight touchdowns on the year. Christian Stewart has stepped in for Hill, and he’s done a beautiful job for this Cougars’ offense, posting 22 touchdowns to just six interceptions, which includes a brutal first game, where he threw three interceptions in a loss.

Defense is Key for Memphis

As for the Tigers, this team is simply a defensive juggernaut. They have stepped up huge on the defensive side of the ball, and rank 5th nationally in points per game allowed at just 17.1. While Memphis started the year out 3-3, they reeled off six straight wins to finish out the year with an impressive 9-3 record, and a 7-1 conference record, which was good enough to claim their first conference title since 1971. Memphis will look to sophomore quarterback Paxton Lynch in this game to continue his incredibly impressive year, as he’s thrown for 2,725 yards with 18 touchdowns, while also rushing for 283 yards and 10 touchdowns. His touchdown total actually set the school record for most touchdowns by a player in a season. Lynch is simply on fire right now, and he could be a matchup nightmare, even for a talented BYU defense.

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.

Memphis Tigers


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

BOCA RATON BOWL

MARSHALL vs NORTHERN ILLINOIS
Tuesday, Dec. 23, 6:00 p.m.ET
ESPN

I mean it in the most honest of ways when I say that this game between the Marshall Thundering Herd and the Northern Illinois Huskies in the Boca Raton Bowl, could very well end up being one of the best games of the bowl season. These two teams are both incredibly talented, have some serious playmakers, and are going to make for an exciting game to watch. Heck, just look at Marshall’s lone loss this season, a 67-66 overtime loss to Western Kentucky, and even that one was an amazing game to watch. This game will kick off on Tuesday, December 23rd at 6:00pm EST, and will be aired on ESPN. Let’s look at each team and give a prediction and pick on the matchup.

Dominating Season for Marshall

The Thundering Herd have literally been dominant this season. They rank 18th in passing yards per game (287.8), 7th in rushing yards per game (275.6), 5th in points per game (45.1) and their defense has allowed just 20.8 points per game, which is good for 22nd in the entire country. They do a little bit of everything, which explains why they were 12-1, with a 7-1 Conference USA record. Rakeem Cato is the man to watch in this game, as he’s been absolutely dominant for his second straight season. He’s thrown for 3,622 yards with 37 touchdowns this season, and has now thrown for 30 or more touchdowns in three straight seasons.

Northern Solid on Both Sides of the Ball

Let’s not forget about how good Northern Illinois has been this year, as the Huskies’ 11-2 record, and 7-1 conference record in the MAC is no joke. They not only are 14th best in the nation in rushing, averaging 252.9 yards per game, but they average 32.2 points per game, and only give up 23.6 per game defensively. They finished the year by rolling off seven straight, and are now set up for a great matchup against a talented opponent. The Huskies are led by the talented wide out Da’Ron Brown, who has hauled in 64 catches for 1,002 yards and seven total touchdowns. He’ll be the player to watch for this offense, without question.

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!

Marshall Thundering Herd

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

SAN DIEGO COUNTY CREDIT UNION POINSETTIA BOWL

NAVY vs SAN DIEGO STATE
Tuesday, Dec. 23, 9:30 p.m. ET
ESPN

In the second, and final game of the Tuesday, December 23rd bowl action, the Navy Midshipmen are going to be taking on an intriguing San Diego State Aztec team. Both of these teams made solid cases to be bowl-bound this year, but it took some strong late season play from both sides to find themselves playing in the San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl. Kickoff for this one is set for 9:30pm EST, and will be played at Qualcomm Stadium. Let’s take an in-depth look at the matchup, and of course give a prediction and pick on the game.

Navy Sneaks Into Bowl Game

For the Midshipmen, it was back-to-back wins over Georgia Southern (9-3) and South Alabama (6-6 and bowl bound) in two of their end of the season games that sealed their bowl fate. They were 4-5 before that point, and after dominating Georgia Southern 52-19, they pulled off a close one 42-40 against South Alabama. The Midshipmen are one of the best rushing teams in the entire country, as they run that always-frustrating triple-option offense, which has led to them posting a ridiculous 357.8 yards per game on the ground, ranking them second in the entire nation. They’ve also averaged 34.5 points per game as well. The man to watch for the Midshipmen? It has to be quarterback Keenan Reynolds, he’s leading the nation at the QB position in terms of rushing yards and touchdowns, with 1,082 yards and 20 touchdowns, even though he’s missed two games.

San Diego State Used to Coming From Behind

Now, how about the Aztecs, who finished the year up 7-5, with a 5-3 record in the Mountain West. They also won two straight at the end of the year, both in dominant fashion. They beat Air Force 30-14 to become bowl eligible, and then San Jose State 38-7 to grab their seventh win of the year. This team is also strong running the ball, as they average 218.6 yards per game, ranking them 30th in college football. Possibly the most impressive stat when looking at the Aztecs is that they are ranked 14th nationally in points allowed per game at just 20.1. Interesting stat? This San Diego State team saw all seven of their wins come by double digits.

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. San Diego State should win by double digits around 11 points. Will have to return and make a final determination once the pointspread is determined.

San Diego State Aztecs


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

POPEYES BAHAMAS BOWL

CENTRAL MICHIGAN vs WESTERN KENTUCKY
Wednesday, Dec. 24, 12:00 p.m. ET
ESPN

Welcome to the bowl action on Wednesday, December 24th, and the action will kick off on Christmas Eve at Noon with the Central Michigan Chippewas against the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers. These two teams should be set for quite an interesting matchup, and while Western Kentucky comes in as the early favorite, the Chippewas have a talented defense that could slow down this Hilltoppers team. Let’s take a look at this matchup and give a prediction and pick on our first of two Christmas Eve bowl games.

Chippewas Excited for Bowl Opportunity

The Chippewas come into this one with a 7-5 record, while posting a 5-3 MAC record. They won three of their final four games to end up bowl bound, and a large key to their success has been the fact that they’ve allowed just 23.2 points per game on average through 2014. Central Michigan has given a warm welcome to the Michigan transfer, Thomas Rawls, who has run for 1,103 yards, and he even missed two games this year as well. He’s averaged 23.3 carries per game, so we should expect to see a whole lot of Rawls on Christmas Eve. Central Michigan has plenty to be excited about, as this is just their second bowl game in the past five years, but they did finish 6-6 last year. Look for the Chippewas to be hungry in this game.

Western Kentucky Loaded with Talent

For Western Kentucky, they finished the year up at 7-5 with a 4-4 Conference USA record, but no win was more impressive than their very last one. They knocked off then-ranked Marshall 67-66 in an overtime thriller, and this team reeled off four straight to finish the year. They have some serious talent on this roster, including quarterback Brandon Doughty, who has been absolutely ridiculous. The senior quarterback has thrown for 4,344 yards and 44 touchdowns, including an eight-touchdown performance against the Thundering Herd. We also can’t overlook Leon Allen, who has rushed for 1,490 yards and 12 touchdowns on the year, giving plenty of talent in the run game to work well with this passing game.

Pick for Popeyes Bahamas Bowl

This Hilltoppers team is seriously dangerous. They average 44 points per game on the year, which is sixth best in the country, while also averaging 365 passing yard per game, which is third best in the nation. The defense is the problem, as they give up 39.3 points per game, but I think the offense will be able to do more than enough to walk away with a win here, and I see it coming by around double-digits.

Western Kentucky Hilltoppers

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