Arizona Bowl: Ball State vs San Jose State Picks

College football betting has seen several terrific ATS teams this season and one of the best will take to the field on New Year's Eve as the San Jose State Spartans face the Ball State Cardinals in the Arizona Bowl.

San Jose State opened as a 6.5-point favorite for this game but the line has shifted to -9.5 while the total is at 63.

We break down the college football odds with our best free Ball State vs. San Jose State picks and predictions for the Arizona Bowl on December 31, with kickoff at 2 p.m. ET.

Arizona Bowl: Ball State Cardinals vs San Jose State Spartans Betting Preview

Weather

It's expected to be a cool, but clear, afternoon at Arizona Stadium in Tucson, AZ with temperatures between 32 and 57 degrees and a slim four percent chance of rain. Be sure to monitor the gametime conditions with our NCAA football weather info.

Key Injuries

Ball State: Caleb Huntley RB (Out), Luke Martin OL (Out).
San Jose State: None.
Find our latest NCAA football injury reports.

Betting Trend to Know

The Under is 6-0 in Ball State's last six neutral site games. Find more NCAA betting trends for Ball State vs. San Jose State.

Against the Spread (ATS) Pick

Ball State cruised to a MAC Championship after defeating Buffalo 38-28 last week. That gave the Cardinals their sixth win in a row and they are now also 4-0 ATS in their last four contests.

That said, San Jose State's season has arguably been even more impressive. The Spartans are coming off their first Mountain West Championship in program history and have gone 7-0 SU and 6-0-1 ATS this season (and depending on when you bet their line against UNLV, a perfect 7-0 ATS).

The Spartans have saved their best for last with their last two wins coming by double digits—against the second and third-best teams in the conference. 

The Cardinals are fueled by a high-powered attack that racks up 455.1 yards and 34.3 points per game. However, Ball State's defense has been ugly, surrendering 441.7 ypg. They've been particularly poor against the pass, ranking 119th in the country in passing yards allowed.

That's bad news against a San Jose State aerial attack that ranks 20th in the nation in passing yards and features QB Nick Starkel, who started for two different programs in the SEC before transferring to San Jose State. With Starkel completing 65.1 percent of his passes for 272.3 ypg, expect the Spartans to move the ball against Ball State's weak secondary.

The big difference in this game will be San Jose State's stop-unit, which has been among the stingiest in the country. With the Spartans' superiority on defense, expect them to win and cover.

PREDICTION: San Jose State -9.5 (-110)

Over/Under Pick

Both of these teams are averaging more than 30 points per game but the Over/Under total of 63 looks a tad too high when you consider San Jose State's defense.

The Spartans hold opponents to just 17.9 ppg and play at one of the slowest tempos in the country, which had led them cashing the Under in five straight games.

Ball State normally has a balanced offense, led by quarterback Drew Plitt and running back Caleb Huntley, but Huntley has opted out of the bowl game—which might force the Cardinals to become more one-dimensional. 

Despite the Cardinals' high-scoring offense and leaky defense, oddsmakers have been setting their totals a tad too high, causing them to go 4-1 to the Under in their previous five contests. Take the Under.

PREDICTION: Under 63 (-110)

Arizona Bowl: Ball State vs San Jose State Betting Card

• San Jose State -9.5 (-110)
• Under 63 (-110)

Where Can I Bet on College Football Bowl Games?

You can bet on college football bowl game odds at every online and casino sportsbooks, including NCAA football point spreads, Over/Under totals, derivative bets and even prop plays as well. Head over to our best-suggested sportsbooks for the top spots to bet on college football odds in your area.

Pages related to this topic