College Bowl Game Betting. Tuesday 12/24/13

[TheGame]

Hawaii Bowl Preview
Sportspic.com

Matchup: Oregon State (6-6, 6-6 ATS) vs. Boise State (8-4, 6-6 ATS)
Location: Honolulu, Hawaii

Opening Line: Oregon State -2
Current Line: Oregon State -2.5
Percentage of Action: 82% Oregon State

Key Betting Trends:
Oregon State: 29-12 off two straight conference losses
Boise State: 5-14 ATS after scoring 31 points or more in two straight games

Analysis: A fourth quarter fade resulted in Oregon State losing outright in their bowl outing last season. Boise State played in this bowl game six years ago, losing in a high-scoring shootout, but earned money for their backers this season. Last year, the Broncos won their bowl game, but failed to cover the four-point spot. Early money is strongly on Oregon State, with the line moving up a half-point, and the combination of Boise State not playing for anything important, and their departed head coach’s absence, giving a few points here could be the best idea.

Lean: Oregon State

[TheGame]

OREGON ST (6 - 6) vs. BOISE ST (8 - 4) - 12/24/2013, 8:00 PM

Top Trends for this game.
BOISE ST is 114-74 ATS (+32.6 Units) in all games since 1992.
BOISE ST is 114-74 ATS (+32.6 Units) in all lined games since 1992.
BOISE ST is 72-41 ATS (+26.9 Units) after playing a conference game since 1992.
BOISE ST is 65-36 ATS (+25.4 Units) off a win against a conference rival since 1992.
OREGON ST is 16-6 ATS (+9.4 Units) in road games when playing with 2 weeks or more of rest since 1992.
OREGON ST is 98-67 ATS (+24.3 Units) after playing a conference game since 1992.
OREGON ST is 15-5 ATS (+9.5 Units) in road games after a bye week since 1992.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.


OREGON STATE vs. BOISE STATE
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Oregon State's last 6 games
Oregon State is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games
Boise State is 19-5 SU in its last 24 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Boise State's last 6 games


Oregon St at Boise St
Oregon St: 15-5 ATS in road games after a bye week
Boise St: 5-14 ATS after scoring 31 points or more in 2 straight games

[TheGame]

Hawaii Bowl

Boise State suspended two QBs during week; reinstated backup but sent former starter Southwick home, bad news for team with an interim coach after Peterson left for Washington. Broncos won six of last eight games after a 2-2 start- they allowed 34+ points in all four losses. Oregon State lost last five games, allowing 37.2 ppg; not sure how they got to a bowl- plus they lost season opener 49-46 to I-AA team. Beavers allowed 30+ points in seven of 12 games, but won 34-30 (-8) at San Diego State, its only game vs Mountain West team this year. Boise lost 38-6 in opener at Washington, its only Pac-12 foe. Underdogs covered four in row and seven of last ten Hawaii Bowls, with winning side scoring 41+ points in nine of those ten; underdog won SU four of last six years. Boise won last four bowls, beating Pac-12 schools in last two. Oregon State lost its last two bowls, despite being favored in both- their last bowl win was in '08.

[TheGame]

Hawaii Bowl betting: What Bettors Need to Know
By Covers.com

Boise State Broncos vs. Oregon State Beavers (-3, 63.5)


SHERATON HAWAII BOWL STORYLINES:

1. After turning Boise State into a BCS buster, Chris Petersen left to become the new coach in Washington. Although the school announced the hiring of former Broncos assistant and Arkansas State coach Bryan Harsin to replace Petersen next season, linebackers coach Bob Gregory will lead the team in Honolulu on Dec. 24 against Oregon State in the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl. Boise State went 92-12 and won a pair of BCS bowl games in eight seasons under Peterson.

2. Sean Mannion (4,403 passing yards, 2nd nationally) and Brandin Cooks (Pac-12 record 120 receptions for an FBS-high 1,670 receiving yards) make the Beavers exciting to watch. Oregon State averaged 43.8 points during a six-game win streak, but has seen that mark fall to 21 per game during its five-game skid.

3. Boise State has won four straight bowl games, but failed to reach the 10-win mark for the first time since 2005 – the year before Petersen took over. Oregon State is 5-2 in the postseason under coach Mike Riley, but has dropped two straight since defeating Pittsburgh in the 2008 Sun Bowl.

LINE: The line opened with Oregon State as 2.5-point faves and they have been bet to -3. The total has dropped from 65 to 63.5.

WEATHER: There is a 45 percent chance of rain with an 18 mph wind blowing towards the South end zone.

ABOUT BOISE STATE (8-4, 6-6 ATS): Quarterback Joe Southwick, who missed four games with a broken ankle, returned to start in the regular-season finale but was pulled after throwing for a touchdown on the opening drive. Grant Hedrick, who stepped up with 15 TD passes and five interceptions in Southwick’s absence, went the rest of the way for Boise State – leaving the identity of the starting quarterback in some doubt. The Broncos rank 93rd in pass defense, making the Beavers a less-than-ideal matchup.

ABOUT OREGON STATE (6-6, 6-6 ATS): Mannion averaged 427.4 yards passing and 4.1 touchdowns during the Beavers’ 6-1 start, but has seen those numbers drop to 282.2 and 1.4 during the losing streak. One positive to come out of the team’s Nov. 29 setback against Oregon was the success of the FBS’ 120th-ranked rushing attack, which generated 231 yards – nearly double the team’s previous season high. “It’s a picture of who we want to be and what we’re going to shoot for, both in a bowl game and next year,” Riley said about his team’s balanced 545-yard effort.

TRENDS:

* Boise State is 4-1 ATS in its past five bowl games.
* Oregon State is 1-4 ATS in its last five versus the MWC.
* Over is 4-1 in Boise State's last five neutral site games.
* Over is 4-1 in Oregon State's last five non-conference games.

[TheGame]

Sheraton Hawaii Bowl
By Brian Edwards
VegasInsider.com

Sheraton Hawaii Bowl

Matchup: Oregon State vs. Boise State
Venue: Aloha Stadium
Location: Honolulu, HI
Time/TV: 8:00 p.m. ET, ESPN

The handicap for this year’s Hawaii Bowl in Honolulu could be a tough one. For starters, Boise State is going through a coaching change.

And this isn’t just any coaching change. For eight seasons, Boise St. (8-4 straight up, 6-6 against the spread) has been extremely fortunate to have one of the top coaches in all of college football.

While leading BSU to 92 wins in eight years, including a pair of BCS bowl-game victories, Chris Petersen turned down at least a dozen job offers at bigger schools in more marquee conferences.

Until a few weeks ago, every suitor had been denied by Petersen, who finally got the job offer to pull him away from the smurf turf. He is now the new head coach at the University of Washington, while linebackers coach Bob Gregory is the interim head coach for one game. BSU plucked former assistant and Arkansas St. head coach Bryan Harsin to replace Petersen on a permanent basis.

When these transitions occur, you have to question how a team will respond. Drama unfolded on the first night the Broncos got to town, as senior QB Joe Southwick was sent home for disciplinary reasons.

Back in Boise, Southwick has told the media that he was sent home for urinating off of a balcony. But he claims it was a different teammate that did so and, in hopes of clearing his name, Southwick is taking a lie-detector test.

Whatever the case, Southwick hasn’t played much since breaking his ankle in October so his absence isn’t that big of a deal. Grant Hedrick is playing well and it will be his game against Oregon State.

As of Monday afternoon, most betting shops had Oregon St. (6-6 straight up, 6-6 against the spread) installed as a three-point favorite with a total of 64. The money-line price for the Beavers is -150, while gamblers can bring home a +130 payout if the Broncos win outright (risk $100 to win $130).

For first-half wagers, OSU is favored by 1.5 with a total of 32.5.

After a shocking season-opening loss to Eastern Washington at home, Mike Riley’s team won six consecutive games. However, Oregon St. ended the regular season on a five-game losing streak.

The slump can be directly related to the play of junior QB Sean Mannion, who started the season by throwing for 30 touchdown passes compared to only three interceptions. Those were incredible numbers through eight games when the Beavers’ only defeats came against Eastern Washington and Stanford in nail-biters.

Since then, however, Mannion has been intercepted 11 times in four games. All that said, Oregon St. and Mannion played extremely well in the regular-season finale.

OSU went into Eugene and fought valiantly in an epic edition of the Civil War. After four lead changes in the fourth quarter, Oregon won a 36-35 decision thanks to Josh Huff’s 12-yard TD catch from Marcus Mariota with 29 ticks remaining.

But Oregon St. easily took the cash as a 24-point road underdog. The 71 combined points slipped ‘over’ the 69.5-point total thanks to 27 points scored in the final stanza.

Mannion threw for 314 yards and a pair of scores against the Ducks. He finished fourth in the nation in passing yards (4,404) and tied for third in the NCAA in TD passes (36).

Mannion’s favorite target is Brandin Cooks, who enjoyed another monster campaign. Cooks made 120 receptions for an NCAA-best 1,670 yards and 15 TDs.

Boise St. won’t reach a double-digit win total for the first time since 2005. The Broncos haven’t lost five games in a season since 1998, but they dropped four this year – at Washington (38-6), at Fresno St. (41-40), at BYU (37-20) and at San Diego St. (34-31 in overtime).

BSU beat only two bowl-bound teams with its victories at Colorado St. and at Utah St. Since becoming the starter in October, Hedrick has produced a 15/5 TD-INT ratio and also run for six scores. His passing has been equally effective compared to Southwick, and Hedrick provides another dimension with his scrambling skills.

BSU has a much more balanced offense compared to OSU’s pass-heavy attack. Jay Ajayi has led the Broncos with 1,328 rushing yards and 17 TDs. Matt Miller leads the team in receiving with 77 catches for 934 yards and 11 TDs.

These schools last met in 2010 with BSU winning by a 37-24 count as a 17.5-point home favorite. The Broncos have won three of the last four head-to-head encounters going back to 2004.

Both schools have seen the ‘over’ go 7-5 overall. However, both teams have seen the ‘under’ go 4-2 in their last six games.

Kickoff is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. Eastern on ESPN.

[TheGame]

Football Betting Tips: Late December Bowl Games
By Jim Feist
Playbook.com

As 2013 draws to a close, we find ourselves smack in the middle of the bowls. You shouldn't be bowled-out, either, as the bowls slowly build to the crescendo that is the Auburn/Florida State showdown.

Hawaii Bowl (Tues, Dec. 24): A pair of teams with great passing offenses that slumped down the stretch. Boise State (8-4 SU/6-6 ATS) is 2-4 SU/3-3 ATS away from home and the Broncos will be playing their first game under interim coach Bob Gregory. Senior QB Joe Southwick (12 TDs, 5 INTs) is back from an October ankle injury while soph RB Jay Ajayi (1,328 yds, 5.9 ypc) is a powerful back. Boise State's 91st ranked pass defense that gave up 460 yards and four touchdowns through the air to Fresno State, which is a concern against a pass-happy Oregon State (6-6 SU/6-6 ATS) offense. The Beavers average 34.5 points, 382 yds passing (No. 3 in the nation) behind junior QB Sean Mannion (36 TDs, 14 INTs, 4,403 yds, 66%) and junior WR Brandin Cooks (1,670 yds, 13.9 ypc, 15 TDs). Mike Riley's team started 6-1, then folded, losing the last 5. The Beavers are 11-6-1 ATS vs. a team with a winning record and the underdogs are on a 6-2 ATS Hawaii Bowl run.

Little Caesar's Bowl (Thurs., Dec. 26): Pitt (6-6 SU, 4-7-1 ATS) didn't exactly tear it up to make this bowl indoors at Ford Field, on a 2-4 SU/2-3-1 ATS run. They were outscored for the season and rank 112th in rushing. The offense has senior QB Tom Savage (21 TDs, 9 INTs) and a pair of talented targets in Tyler Boyd and Devin Street. Pitt is on a 7-2 run under the total. The Panthers have wins over Notre Dame and Duke. Bowling Green (10-3) is riding high after its big upset of undefeated Northern Illinois in the MAC title game, 47-27. This team ranks 5th in the nation in points allowed (14.8 ppg) and has plenty of offensive punch averaging 35.4 points and over 206 yards rushing and passing, led by sophomore QB Matt Johnson (23 TDs, 7 INTs). However, they lose their head coach as Dave Clawson, off to Wake Forest.

Fight Hunger Bowl (Fri., Dec. 27): Offense against defense! Washington (8-4) is another team in a bowl with a head coaching change, with Steve Sarkasian jumping back to USC. This is one of the best offensive teams in the country, led by senior quarterback Keith Price (20 TDs, 5 INTs), averaging 38.5 points, 243 yards rushing and 271 yards passing. He's got the Pac-12's leading rusher, Bishop Sankey (1,775 yards, 5.8 ypc) to help him. BYU (8-4) scored plenty of points (31.3 ppg) but did it on the ground, 10th in the nation in rushing with 274.6 yards per game, 74th in passing. Linebackers Kyle Van Noy and Uani' Unga lead a terrific Cougar defense that allows 21.3 points per contest.

Wild Wings Bowl (Sat., Dec. 28): Michigan (7-5) squeezed into a bowl despite a 5-0 start, losing 5 of its final 7 games. They put it all on the line against Ohio State in a thrilling 42-41 loss in the finale, but the offense went mostly cold down the stretch scoring 6, 13, 27 and 21 in the previous four. Michigan is on a 4-1 run under the total. This offense finished 100th in the nation in rushing. The Wolverines have a flair for the dramatic: In addition to the Ohio State thriller, they played a pair of multiple overtime games (2 and 4 OTs), and five other games decided by 4 points or less. By contrast, Kansas State (7-5) began the season 2-4 before winning five out of its last six games, on a 6-2 ATS run. Bill Snyder's team has great balanced averaging 33.4 points, 220.8 yards passing and 180 yards rushing behind QBs Jake Waters and Dan Sams, while RB John Hubert (968 yards) averages 5.3 yards per carry. Kansas State has lost its last five bowl games.

Alamo Bowl (Mon., Dec. 30): Texas (8-4) and Oregon (12-2) clash, a pair of teams that had huge expectations this fall and came up short. Mack Brown felt the heat all season, starting and finishing 1-2 sandwiched around a 6-game win streak. The Longhorns did not fare well when stepping up, getting blown out by Ole Miss (44-23), Oklahoma State (38-13) and Baylor (30-10). Texas is riding a 12-1 SU streak in its past 13 bowl games. Oregon is third in the nation in points (46.8 ppg), averaging 294.7 yards passing and 278 yards rushing, but the Ducks lost steam after a late season lost to rival Stanford, going 2-2 SU, 0-4 ATS. The favorites are 4-1 ATS in the past 5 Alamo Bowls and the under is 6-2 in Oregon's last eight bowl games.