Saturday Bowl Previews.

Search
Greenbacks

Greenbacks

Active member
Handicapper
Joined
Jun 18, 2007
Messages
90,903
Tokens
Preview: Connecticut at Marshall.

When: 11:00 AM ET, Saturday, December 26, 2015
Where: Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, Florida



ST. PETERSBURG BOWL STORYLINES

1. Sitting at 5-5 with games against Houston and Temple remaining, it appeared Connecticut was destined to miss the postseason for the fifth straight year. The Huskies, however, handed the Cougars their only loss of the season to become bowl eligible and face Marshall in the St. Petersburg (Fla.) Bowl on Dec. 26. It is UConn's first postseason appearance since meeting Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl in 2010 while the Thundering Herd are looking for their third bowl victory in as many seasons.

2. The Huskies, who are 21-39 overall since their showcase in the Fiesta Bowl, shocked the No. 16 Cougars 20-17 in their penultimate regular-season contest. UConn will have Bryant Shirreffs back under center after he suffered a severe concussion in that game. Shirreffs admitted that he lost consciousness after receiving a blow to the helmet. “It was a pretty big hit, it is probably the hardest hit I’ve taken,” the sophomore told reporters

3. Marshall won the Boca Raton Bowl last season and has beaten just one team, Southern Mississippi, which earned a bowl berth this year. The game, which will be played at Tropicana Field - the baseball home of the Tampa Bay Rays, shapes up to be a low-scoring affair as the Thundering Herd finished the season ranked 14th in scoring defense at 18.4 points per game while the Huskies were 17th at 19.8. Marshall is 9-3 in bowl appearances all-time and has won nine of its last 10 appearances but is unlikely to have star running back Devon Johnson, who missed the final five games of the season with a back injury.

TV: 11 a.m. ET, ESPN. LINE: Marshall -4

ABOUT CONNECTICUT (6-6, 4-4 American Athletic Conference): UConn's offense is paced by Arkeel Newsome, who ranks 18th in the nation in all-purpose yards (1,621) while Shirreffs threw for 1,992 yards while completing 60.3 percent of his passes, the school's best numbers since Dan Orlovsky in 2004. The Huskies lost five of six games during a dreadful stretch in the middle of their schedule and are 3-2 all time in bowl games. UConn placed five players on the all-conference team led by Jamar Summers, who was tied for third in the nation with seven interceptions and was its only first-team choice.

ABOUT MARSHALL (9-3, 6-2 Conference USA): Marshall won seven straight games but dropped two of its final three contests to fall into a tie for second place in the C-USA East Division. Freshman Chase Litton took over the starting job at quarterback in the third week of the season, won his first seven starts and finished the season with 2,387 yards passing with 22 touchdowns and seven interceptions. The Herd has a strong special teams unit paced by punter Tyler Williams averaging 44.3 yards and DeAndre Reaves, who had 47 receptions and is a major threat in the return game.




ATS Trends

Connecticut

  1. Huskies are 4-0-1 ATS in their last 5 vs. CUSA.
  2. Huskies are 7-15 ATS in their last 22 games following a straight up loss of more than 20 points.
  3. Huskies are 8-18-1 ATS in their last 27 games following a ATS loss.
  4. Huskies are 7-16 ATS in their last 23 games after accumulating less than 170 yards passing in their previous game.
  5. Huskies are 3-7 ATS in their last 10 games after accumulating less than 100 yards rushing in their previous game.
  6. Huskies are 7-17 ATS in their last 24 games overall.
  7. Huskies are 5-14 ATS in their last 19 games after scoring less than 20 points in their previous game.
  8. Huskies are 2-6 ATS in their last 8 games following a straight up loss.
  9. Huskies are 5-15-1 ATS in their last 21 non-conference games.
  10. Huskies are 4-12-1 ATS in their last 17 games after allowing less than 170 yards passing in their previous game.
  11. Huskies are 2-7 ATS in their last 9 games in December.
  12. Huskies are 2-12 ATS in their last 14 games on fieldturf.


Marshall

  1. Thundering Herd are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 bowl games.
  2. Thundering Herd are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 neutral site games.
  3. Thundering Herd are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 Bowl games.
  4. Thundering Herd are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games following a ATS loss.
  5. Thundering Herd are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games after allowing more than 40 points in their previous game.
  6. Thundering Herd are 12-4 ATS in their last 16 non-conference games.
  7. Thundering Herd are 6-2 ATS in their last 8 games after allowing more than 280 yards passing in their previous game.
  8. Thundering Herd are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 games following a straight up loss.
  9. Thundering Herd are 15-7 ATS in their last 22 games after allowing more than 450 total yards in their previous game.
  10. Thundering Herd are 0-5-1 ATS in their last 6 games after accumulating less than 100 yards rushing in their previous game.


OU Trends

Connecticut

  1. Under is 5-0 in Huskies last 5 games overall.
  2. Under is 4-0 in Huskies last 4 non-conference games.
  3. Under is 8-0 in Huskies last 8 games after allowing less than 170 yards passing in their previous game.
  4. Over is 4-0 in Huskies last 4 games in December.
  5. Under is 4-0 in Huskies last 4 vs. a team with a winning record.
  6. Under is 10-1 in Huskies last 11 games following a straight up loss of more than 20 points.
  7. Under is 5-1 in Huskies last 6 games after accumulating less than 170 yards passing in their previous game.
  8. Under is 5-1 in Huskies last 6 games following a ATS loss.
  9. Under is 4-1 in Huskies last 5 games on fieldturf.
  10. Under is 4-1 in Huskies last 5 games following a straight up loss.
  11. Under is 4-1 in Huskies last 5 games after scoring less than 20 points in their previous game.


Marshall

  1. Under is 4-0 in Thundering Herd last 4 games following a straight up loss.
  2. Under is 6-0 in Thundering Herd last 6 games following a straight up loss of more than 20 points.
  3. Under is 12-2 in Thundering Herd last 14 games after accumulating less than 275 total yards in their previous game.
  4. Under is 4-1 in Thundering Herd last 5 games overall.
  5. Under is 4-1 in Thundering Herd last 5 Bowl games.
  6. Under is 4-1 in Thundering Herd last 5 games on fieldturf.
  7. Under is 4-1 in Thundering Herd last 5 neutral site games.
  8. Under is 4-1 in Thundering Herd last 5 bowl games.
  9. Over is 4-1 in Thundering Herd last 5 games after accumulating less than 100 yards rushing in their previous game.
  10. Under is 5-2 in Thundering Herd last 7 games after allowing more than 450 total yards in their previous game.
  11. Over is 5-2 in Thundering Herd last 7 non-conference games.
  12. Under is 5-2 in Thundering Herd last 7 games in December.
 
Greenbacks

Greenbacks

Active member
Handicapper
Joined
Jun 18, 2007
Messages
90,903
Tokens
[h=1]Preview: Miami at Washington State[/h]When: 2:00 PM ET, Saturday, December 26, 2015
Where: Sun Bowl Stadium, El Paso, Texas




HYUNDAI SUN BOWL STORYLINES

1. Miami (Fla.) goes after its first postseason victory since 2006 when it takes on Washington State in the Hyundai Sun Bowl on Dec. 26 at El Paso, Texas. The Hurricanes won four of five games after coach Al Golden was fired and Larry Scott, who took over in an interim basis, will try to end the school’s five-game losing streak in bowl games since beating Nevada 21-20 in the 2006 MPC Computers Bowl at Boise, ID. The Cougars built their best record (8-4) since 2003, when they went 10-3 with a Holiday Bowl victory, and have played only one postseason game since (2013 New Mexico Bowl).

2. Two efficient, productive 6-4 sophomore quarterbacks face off when Miami’s Brad Kaaya meets Luke Falk of the Cougars. Kaaya, who missed 1 1/2 games with a concussion in midseason, has thrown for at least 3,000 yards in two straight years while connecting for 41 touchdowns with 16 interceptions (12 as a freshman). Falk returned to practice after missing the regular-season finale against Washington with a concussion and has completed 70.7 percent of his passes with 36 TDs and 4,266 yards this season but isn’t expected to have top receiver Gabe Marks (ankle).

3. The teams are tied for 83rd in the nation in scoring defense (28.8), and a big play on that side of the ball could turn the tide in a game that features two high-powered offenses. Washington State leads the nation in red-zone conversions for TDs at 94.3 percent but is near the bottom in sacks allowed (39). The Hurricanes have 15 interceptions, led by six from Artie Burns, and 24 sacks while ranking seventh in the country in turnover margin (plus-13).

TV: 2 p.m. ET, CBS. LINE: Washington State –3

ABOUT MIAMI (8-4, 5-3 ACC): Kaaya was hampered by an inconsistent rushing attack that ranks 116th in the nation but still threw for 3,019 yards with 15 touchdowns and gives 2016 coach Mark Richt a dependable quarterback around whom to build. Wide receivers Stacy Coley, Rashawn Scott and Herb Waters each have at least 38 receptions and 600 yards as Kaaya has completed 61.7 percent of his throws. Joseph Yearby needs 61 rushing yards to reach 1,000 and the Hurricanes boast one of the top kickers in the nation in Michael Badgley, who has made 24-of-27 attempts inside 50 yards.

ABOUT WASHINGTON STATE (8-4, 6-3 Pac-12): Falk, who was named to the All-Pac 12 first team, leads an offense that has nine players with at least 200 receiving yards. Marks, who was injured in the 45-10 loss to Washington on Nov. 27th, is fourth in the nation in receptions (99), tied for fourth in receiving TDs (14) and 19th in receiving yards (1,125), while Dom Williams has made 73 catches and is three yards shy of 1,000. Defensive lineman Hercules Mata’afa (six sacks) was named a freshman All-American by USA Today and sophomore linebacker Peyton Pelluer leads the team with 98 tackles.




[h=3]ATS Trends[/h]
Miami

  • Hurricanes are 11-4 ATS in their last 15 games after allowing less than 170 yards passing in their previous game.
  • Hurricanes are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games on turf.
  • Hurricanes are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games following a straight up win.
  • Hurricanes are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 bowl games.
  • Hurricanes are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games in December.
  • Hurricanes are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 neutral site games.
  • Hurricanes are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 Bowl games.



Washington State

  • Cougars are 6-0 ATS vs. a team with a winning record.
  • Cougars are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games after accumulating less than 100 yards rushing in their previous game.
  • Cougars are 7-0 ATS in their last 7 games following a straight up loss of more than 20 points.
  • Cougars are 8-1 ATS in their last 9 games after accumulating more than 280 yards passing in their previous game.
  • Cougars are 8-1 ATS in their last 9 games overall.
  • Cougars are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games following a straight up loss.
  • Cougars are 21-6 ATS in their last 27 games after allowing more than 200 yards rushing in their previous game.
  • Cougars are 17-7-1 ATS in their last 25 games following a ATS loss.
  • Cougars are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games after scoring less than 20 points in their previous game.
  • Cougars are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 non-conference games.
  • Cougars are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 games after allowing more than 40 points in their previous game.



[h=3]OU Trends[/h]
Miami

  • Under is 6-1 in Hurricanes last 7 neutral site games.
  • Under is 5-1 in Hurricanes last 6 Bowl games.
  • Under is 5-1 in Hurricanes last 6 games in December.
  • Under is 5-1 in Hurricanes last 6 bowl games.
  • Under is 5-2 in Hurricanes last 7 games on turf.
  • Under is 7-3 in Hurricanes last 10 games following a ATS win.
  • Under is 39-17 in Hurricanes last 56 non-conference games.



Washington State

  • Under is 4-0 in Cougars last 4 games following a straight up loss of more than 20 points.
  • Under is 7-1 in Cougars last 8 games after accumulating less than 100 yards rushing in their previous game.
  • Under is 5-1 in Cougars last 6 games after allowing more than 40 points in their previous game.
  • Under is 4-1 in Cougars last 5 games overall.
  • Under is 4-1 in Cougars last 5 games after accumulating more than 280 yards passing in their previous game.
  • Over is 15-5-1 in Cougars last 21 games after scoring less than 20 points in their previous game.
  • Over is 55-27-1 in Cougars last 83 games following a ATS loss.
 
Greenbacks

Greenbacks

Active member
Handicapper
Joined
Jun 18, 2007
Messages
90,903
Tokens
[h=1]Preview: Washington at Southern Mississippi[/h]When: 2:20 PM ET, Saturday, December 26, 2015
Where: Cotton Bowl Stadium, Dallas, Texas




ZAXBY'S HEART OF DALLAS BOWL STORYLINES

1. Zaxby’s Heart of Dallas Bowl is the location for the first postseason game between Pac-12 and Conference USA teams when Washington meets Southern Miss on Dec. 26 at the historic Cotton Bowl. The Huskies needed wins over Oregon State and Washington State in the season’s final two weeks to become bowl eligible and play in the postseason for a sixth straight season. Led by third-year head coach Todd Monken and quarterback Nick Mullens, the Golden Eagles were the most improved program in FBS this season (six more wins than last season) and qualified for their first bowl since 2011.

2. The Southern Miss offense has gone from scoring 19 points per game in 2014 to 40.6 points this season, scoring 50 or more a school-record five times. The Golden Eagles have broken single-season school records for completions (312), passing yards (4,263), total offensive yards (6,758), touchdowns (67), and points (528). Mullens, the Conference USA Offensive Player of the Year, has completed 63.4 percent of his 483 passes for 4,145 yards and 36 TDs against 12 interceptions.

3. The Golden Eagles’ talented offense will be going up against the best defense in the Pac-12. Washington led the conference and was among the top 30 in FBS in points allowed per game (17.8), yards against (349.9) and red zone defense (77.8 percent). Cornerback Sidney Jones and safety Budda Baker earned spots on the All-Pac-12 first team, Azeem Victor led the team with 88 tackles while fellow linebackers Cory Littleton and Travis Feeney combined for 13 sacks.

TV: 2:20 p.m. ET, ESPN. LINE: Washington --8.5

ABOUT WASHINGTON (6-6, 4-5 PAC-12): Running back Myles Gaskin, who set school freshman records with 1,121 yards and 10 touchdowns, will be the focal point of the offense. He ran for 265 yards as the Huskies outscored the Beavers and Cougars by a combined 80 points to close out the season. In his final eight games, Gaskins ran for 912 yards (5.6 per carry), but quarterback Jake Browning (62.9 percent completion, 2,671 yards, 16 TDs, 10 Interceptions) had an inconsistent season, throwing four scoring passes each in wins over Arizona and Oregon State but multiple interceptions in losses to California and Arizona State.

ABOUT SOUTHERN MISS (9-4, 7-1 C-USA): Mullens posted an historic season but he was shut down in the Conference USA championship game, throwing for only 181 yards with three interceptions in the 45-28 loss to Western Kentucky. Casey Martin is his favorite target with 74 catches for 855 yards and seven TDs, but Michael Thomas is the deep threat, grabbing 62 balls for 1,201 yards and 12 scores. The Golden Eagles’ run game is also potent, as senior Jalen Richard (1,098 yards rushing, 14 TDs, 5.9 yards per carry) and sophomore Ito Smith (1,088 yards rushing, eight TDs, seven yards per carry) combined for more than 2,900 yards from scrimmage and 27 scores.


[h=3]ATS Trends[/h]
Washington

  1. Huskies are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games after accumulating more than 200 yards rushing in their previous game.
  2. Huskies are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games in December.
  3. Huskies are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games after allowing more than 280 yards passing in their previous game.
  4. Huskies are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 games on fieldturf.

Southern Mississippi

  1. Golden Eagles are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 non-conference games.
  2. Golden Eagles are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games after allowing more than 40 points in their previous game.
  3. Golden Eagles are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games following a straight up loss.
  4. Golden Eagles are 10-3 ATS in their last 13 games overall.
  5. Golden Eagles are 6-2 ATS in their last 8 games on fieldturf.
  6. Golden Eagles are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 games following a ATS loss.
  7. Golden Eagles are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 games after allowing more than 450 total yards in their previous game.
  8. Golden Eagles are 1-3-1 ATS in their last 5 games in December.
  9. Golden Eagles are 5-15-1 ATS in their last 21 games after allowing more than 280 yards passing in their previous game.

[h=3]OU Trends[/h]
Washington

  1. Under is 6-0 in Huskies last 6 games after allowing more than 280 yards passing in their previous game.
  2. Under is 5-1 in Huskies last 6 non-conference games.
  3. Under is 8-2 in Huskies last 10 games after allowing less than 100 yards rushing in their previous game.
  4. Over is 4-1 in Huskies last 5 games following a straight up win of more than 20 points.
  5. Under is 6-2 in Huskies last 8 vs. a team with a winning record.
  6. Under is 20-8 in Huskies last 28 games overall.
  7. Under is 5-2 in Huskies last 7 neutral site games.
  8. Under is 17-7 in Huskies last 24 games after scoring more than 40 points in their previous game.

Southern Mississippi

  1. Under is 9-0 in Golden Eagles last 9 games after allowing more than 280 yards passing in their previous game.
  2. Under is 5-1 in Golden Eagles last 6 games after allowing more than 40 points in their previous game.
  3. Under is 7-3 in Golden Eagles last 10 games overall.
 
Greenbacks

Greenbacks

Active member
Handicapper
Joined
Jun 18, 2007
Messages
90,903
Tokens
[h=1]Preview: Indiana at Duke[/h]When: 3:30 PM ET, Saturday, December 26, 2015
Where: Yankee Stadium, Bronx, New York




NEW ERA PINSTRIPE BOWL STORYLINES

1. Indiana and Duke, two schools known more for their prowess on the basketball court, meet on the gridiron for the first time since 1984 - this time in a baseball stadium - as they invade Yankee Stadium for the Pinstripe Bowl on Dec. 26. Indiana is in a bowl game for the first time since 2007 and plays in just its second since 1993. The Blue Devils are making their fourth bowl appearance in a row but are in search of their first postseason win since the Cotton Bowl on Jan. 2, 1961.

2. Both teams boast quality quarterbacks, with Hoosiers senior Nate Sudfeld leading the Big Ten in passing yards (3,184), touchdowns (24) and pass efficiency (153.9). His play in back-to-back road wins to end the regular season lifted Indiana into the bowl picture, as he threw for 735 yards and eight touchdowns with no interceptions against Maryland and Purdue. Duke signal caller Thomas Sirk is not quite on that level as a passer, but he did rank third in the ACC in pass completions and can hurt opponents with his legs, compiling a team-high 648 yards and six touchdowns on the ground.

3. The Hoosiers and Blue Devils both had strong starts before gut-punch losses altered their seasons and may have prevented them from attaining a more notable bowl berth. Indiana was 4-2 and up 25 points at home against a bad Rutgers team, but it collapsed in a 55-52 loss that was the lowlight during a six-game losing streak. Duke was 6-1 and on top of the ACC Coastal division before visiting Miami utilized eight laterals in a wild kickoff return for a touchdown that sent the Blue Devils to a damaging 30-27 defeat that started a four-game losing streak.

TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC. LINE: Indiana -2

ABOUT INDIANA (6-6, 2-6 Big Ten): The long layoff before the bowl game allows running back Jordan Howard's knee to heal up, and head coach Kevin Wilson said there is a chance the junior plays, which could transform Indiana's attack. Howard produced 1,213 yards in only nine games but missed the finale against Purdue and later had his knee scoped. He averaged 168.8 yards a game during the Hoosiers' 4-0 start and 206 in narrow losses to Iowa and Michigan down the stretch.

ABOUT DUKE (7-5, 4-4 ACC): Behind Sirk and a balanced attack that features five receivers with at least 30 catches and four rushers with more than 300 yards, the Blue Devils should move the ball against an Indiana squad that ranked last in the Big Ten in total defense. Duke will want to shore up its defensive unit, though, after it was lit up for an average of 42.3 points during the four-game losing streak. Senior safety Jeremy Cash, who had 101 tackles - 18 for a loss - and 2.5 sacks, shined through it all to claim ACC Defensive Player of the Year honors.


[h=3]ATS Trends[/h]
Indiana

  1. Hoosiers are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games following a straight up win.
  2. Hoosiers are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 games after accumulating more than 200 yards rushing in their previous game.
  3. Hoosiers are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games following a ATS win.
  4. Hoosiers are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 non-conference games.
  5. Hoosiers are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 games after allowing more than 280 yards passing in their previous game.
  6. Hoosiers are 3-10-1 ATS in their last 14 games after allowing more than 450 total yards in their previous game.
  7. Hoosiers are 2-7 ATS in their last 9 games on grass.

Duke

  1. Blue Devils are 5-1-1 ATS in their last 7 games after allowing more than 280 yards passing in their previous game.
  2. Blue Devils are 15-5-1 ATS in their last 21 non-conference games.
  3. Blue Devils are 16-7 ATS in their last 23 games following a straight up win.
  4. Blue Devils are 13-6 ATS in their last 19 games following a ATS win.
  5. Blue Devils are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games overall.
  6. Blue Devils are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games on grass.

[h=3]OU Trends[/h]
Indiana

  1. Over is 4-0-1 in Hoosiers last 5 non-conference games.
  2. Over is 5-0 in Hoosiers last 5 games after scoring more than 40 points in their previous game.
  3. Over is 4-1-1 in Hoosiers last 6 games following a straight up win.
  4. Over is 18-6-2 in Hoosiers last 26 games on grass.
  5. Over is 3-1-1 in Hoosiers last 5 vs. ACC.
  6. Over is 15-5-1 in Hoosiers last 21 games after accumulating more than 280 yards passing in their previous game.
  7. Over is 26-9-1 in Hoosiers last 36 games after accumulating more than 200 yards rushing in their previous game.
  8. Over is 20-7-1 in Hoosiers last 28 games after allowing more than 280 yards passing in their previous game.
  9. Over is 38-15-1 in Hoosiers last 54 games overall.
  10. Over is 5-2 in Hoosiers last 7 games after accumulating more than 450 total yards in their previous game.
  11. Over is 35-15-2 in Hoosiers last 52 vs. a team with a winning record.
  12. Over is 34-15-2 in Hoosiers last 51 games after allowing more than 450 total yards in their previous game.

Duke

  1. Under is 4-0 in Blue Devils last 4 non-conference games.
  2. Over is 5-1 in Blue Devils last 6 games overall.
  3. Over is 4-1 in Blue Devils last 5 games on grass.
  4. Under is 13-5 in Blue Devils last 18 games following a straight up win.
 
Greenbacks

Greenbacks

Active member
Handicapper
Joined
Jun 18, 2007
Messages
90,903
Tokens
[h=1]Preview: Tulsa at Virginia Tech[/h]When: 5:45 PM ET, Saturday, December 26, 2015
Where: Independence Stadium, Shreveport, Louisiana




CAMPING WORLD INDEPENDENCE BOWL STORYLINES

1. The storied career of coach Frank Beamer will come to an end when he leads Virginia Tech to its 22nd straight bowl appearance. Beamer, who made his first bowl appearance with the Hokies in the 1993 Independence Bowl, will guide them one last time when they face Tulsa in this year’s edition in Shreveport, LA. on Dec. 26. The legendary coach announced his impending retirement earlier in the season and will move on to a different position in the athletic department at the end of the campaign.

2. “I want to finish this thing in a good way, but we’ve got to go play well,” Beamer told reporters. “Tulsa can throw the football. Any time you can throw the football the way they do, you’re always dangerous. We’ve got to get ready for that.” The Golden Hurricane became bowl eligible by showing off that passing offense in a 45-34 win at Tulane in the regular-season finale. Dane Evans threw for 367 yards and three touchdowns in that triumph as Tulsa overcame a 10-point, fourth-quarter deficit to become bowl eligible for the first time since 2012.

3. The Golden Hurricane were set to deal with upheaval on the coaching staff as well, but offensive coordinator Sterlin Gilbert reportedly turned down a three-year contract to take the same position at Texas. Gilbert oversaw a unit that averaged 27.9 points and ranked 11th in FBS with an average of 329.8 passing yards. The Hokies ranked ninth nationally in passing defense, limiting opponents to an average of 173.8 yards.


TV: 5:45 p.m. ET, ESPN. LINE: Virginia Tech -13.5

ABOUT TULSA (6-6): The Independence Bowl will mark the career finales for senior running back Zach Langer and wide receiver Keyarris Garrett, who combined for 24 touchdowns in the regular season. Garrett is second in FBS with 1,451 receiving yards and torched Tulane for 216 on 10 catches in the regular-season finale. The two seniors make things easier for junior quarterback Evans, who needs 42 passing yards to reach 4,000 on the season.

ABOUT VIRGINIA TECH (6-6): Beamer made his reputation by being dominant on special teams, and kicker Joey Slye is ready to send his coach out on a winning note. “It’s another bowl game, and coach Beamer is taking it like another bowl game,” Slye told reporters. “That’s kind of trickling down to the rest of the players. We’ve got business to do, we’ve got business to handle, so let’s go out and handle business.” Beamer is set to be replaced by former Memphis coach Justin Fuente, whose team ripped Tulsa 66-42 in the regular season.




[h=3]ATS Trends[/h]
Tulsa

  1. Golden Hurricane are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 games after scoring more than 40 points in their previous game.
  2. Golden Hurricane are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 bowl games.
  3. Golden Hurricane are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games following a straight up win.
  4. Golden Hurricane are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games on grass.
  5. Golden Hurricane are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 Bowl games.
  6. Golden Hurricane are 5-12 ATS in their last 17 games after allowing more than 450 total yards in their previous game.
  7. Golden Hurricane are 2-6-1 ATS in their last 9 non-conference games.
  8. Golden Hurricane are 1-10 ATS in their last 11 games after accumulating less than 100 yards rushing in their previous game.
  9. Golden Hurricane are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games following a ATS win.

Virginia Tech

  1. Hokies are 6-2 ATS in their last 8 games in December.
  2. Hokies are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 games following a ATS loss.
  3. Hokies are 7-15-2 ATS in their last 24 non-conference games.
  4. Hokies are 2-5-1 ATS in their last 8 neutral site games.

[h=3]OU Trends[/h]
Tulsa

  1. Under is 6-0 in Golden Hurricane last 6 neutral site games.
  2. Over is 8-0 in Golden Hurricane last 8 games after accumulating less than 100 yards rushing in their previous game.
  3. Over is 9-1 in Golden Hurricane last 10 games following a ATS win.
  4. Over is 6-1 in Golden Hurricane last 7 games after allowing more than 450 total yards in their previous game.
  5. Under is 6-1 in Golden Hurricane last 7 Bowl games.
  6. Under is 6-1 in Golden Hurricane last 7 bowl games.
  7. Over is 9-2 in Golden Hurricane last 11 games after allowing more than 280 yards passing in their previous game.
  8. Under is 6-2 in Golden Hurricane last 8 games in December.
  9. Under is 18-7-1 in Golden Hurricane last 26 games after scoring more than 40 points in their previous game.
  10. Over is 20-8 in Golden Hurricane last 28 games overall.

Virginia Tech

  1. Under is 4-0 in Hokies last 4 games overall.
  2. Over is 6-0 in Hokies last 6 non-conference games.
  3. Under is 6-1 in Hokies last 7 games on grass.
  4. Under is 22-7-1 in Hokies last 30 games after accumulating less than 100 yards rushing in their previous game.
  5. Over is 3-1-1 in Hokies last 5 neutral site games.
  6. Over is 5-2 in Hokies last 7 games in December.
  7. Under is 29-12-1 in Hokies last 42 games following a straight up win.
 
Greenbacks

Greenbacks

Active member
Handicapper
Joined
Jun 18, 2007
Messages
90,903
Tokens
Preview: UCLA at Nebraska

When: 9:15 PM ET, Saturday, December 26, 2015
Where: Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, California





FOSTER FARMS BOWL STORYLINES

1. UCLA’s bid to go to the Rose Bowl fell apart late while Nebraska thought it had played its way out of bowl berth entirely, at least until the NCAA stepped in. The Bruins settled for a spot in the Foster Farms Bowl at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Dec. 26 after coming up one game short of playing in the Pac-12 title game. The Cornhuskers are one of three five-win programs that benefited from the NCAA’s decision to use Academic Progress Rate as the main tiebreaking mechanism to help it reach the 80 teams needed to fill out 40 bowl games.

2. Nebraska is assured of finishing with a losing record for the third time since 1962, but its seven losses have come by a total of 31 points under first-year coach Mike Riley. The Cornhuskers became only the second FBS program since 2006 to lose four times on the final play of regulation or in overtime. The results started to get better as some key players began to get healthy near the end of the season, highlighted by Nebraska’s 39-38 comeback win over Big Ten champion Michigan State on Nov. 7.

3. UCLA, which has won 11 consecutive non-conference contests - which includes a home win over Nebraska in 2013 to complete a two-game series sweep – controlled its own destiny in the Pac-12 South entering the final weekend of the regular season before falling to eventual champion USC. The Bruins are 0-2 at this event, losing to Florida State in the 2006 Emerald Bowl and Illinois in the 2011 Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl – both of which were played in San Francisco. Coach Jim Mora can notch his 38th career victory with UCLA in this contest, however, and break his tie with Terry Donahue for the most wins over his first four seasons at the school.

TV: 9:15 p.m. ET, ESPN. LINE: UCLA -6.5

ABOUT UCLA (8-4, 5-4 Pac-12): The Bruins witnessed a number of record-setting performances this season as kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn became the conference’s all-time leading scorer and receiver Jordan Payton become the school’s all-time receptions leader. Quarterback Josh Rosen threw two interceptions against the Trojans to stop his streak of not throwing one at 245 attempts, one of several school records he broke en route to earning Pac-12 Offensive Freshman of the Year honors. Paul Perkins ranks third in the conference in rushing (1,275 yards) while first-team All-Pac 12 junior defensive tackle Kenny Clark is the leader of a defense that is tied for first in the conference in fewest yards allowed per play (4.9).ABOUT NEBRASKA (5-7, 3-5 Big Ten): Tommy Armstrong Jr. operates the Big Ten’s second-ranked total offense and is the only Cornhusker to record two seasons with at least 3,000 total yards, but threw nine of his 16 interceptions over the final three contests. Jordan Westerkamp tied Nate Swift for the most single-season receptions in school history (63) in Nebraska’s 28-20 loss to Iowa in the regular-season finale while tight end Cethan Carter began to emerge as a valuable big-play threat for Armstrong as the regular season drew to a close. Although defensive tackles Vincent Valentine and Maliek Collins combined to miss seven games in 2015, Nebraska still ranks eighth in the country in run defense (113.4 yards per game).


ATS Trends

UCLA

  1. Bruins are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games following a ATS loss.
  2. Bruins are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games after allowing more than 200 yards rushing in their previous game.
  3. Bruins are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 vs. Big Ten.
  4. Bruins are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games on grass.

Nebraska

  1. Cornhuskers are 8-1 ATS in their last 9 games on grass.
  2. Cornhuskers are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 games following a straight up loss.
  3. Cornhuskers are 8-3-1 ATS in their last 12 games following a ATS loss.
  4. Cornhuskers are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 non-conference games.
  5. Cornhuskers are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 games in December.
  6. Cornhuskers are 17-40-1 ATS in their last 58 games after allowing less than 275 total yards in their previous game.
  7. Cornhuskers are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 vs. Pac-12.

OU Trends

UCLA

  1. Under is 3-0-1 in Bruins last 4 games overall.
  2. Under is 7-1-1 in Bruins last 9 games after allowing more than 200 yards rushing in their previous game.
  3. Under is 4-1 in Bruins last 5 non-conference games.
  4. Under is 35-15-1 in Bruins last 51 games following a straight up loss.
  5. Under is 21-10 in Bruins last 31 vs. a team with a losing record.

Nebraska

  1. Over is 4-0 in Cornhuskers last 4 games on grass.
  2. Over is 6-1 in Cornhuskers last 7 non-conference games.
  3. Under is 6-2 in Cornhuskers last 8 Bowl games.
  4. Under is 9-3 in Cornhuskers last 12 neutral site games.
  5. Under is 6-2 in Cornhuskers last 8 bowl games.
  6. Under is 8-3 in Cornhuskers last 11 games in December.
  7. Under is 5-2 in Cornhuskers last 7 games after allowing less than 170 yards passing in their previous game.
  8. Over is 5-2 in Cornhuskers last 7 games following a straight up loss.
  9. Over is 7-3 in Cornhuskers last 10 games after accumulating more than 280 yards passing in their previous game.
 
Greenbacks

Greenbacks

Active member
Handicapper
Joined
Jun 18, 2007
Messages
90,903
Tokens
Bump.....Good Luck!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Forum statistics

Threads
1,119,796
Messages
13,573,213
Members
100,869
Latest member
yaseenamrez

Share this page

The RX is the sports betting industry's leading information portal for bonuses, picks, and sportsbook reviews. Find the best deals offered by a sportsbook in your state and browse our free picks section.FacebookTwitterInstagramContact Usforum@therx.com
@2023 TheRX. All rights reserved.21+. Bet Responsibly: If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, seek help at 1-800-Gambler