2013 Gator Bowl Mississippi State vs. Northwestern Picks & Predictions
By Anthony Rome
JACKSONVILLE, FL (The Spread) – Six bowl games grace the college football schedule today, with the first being a matchup between Mississippi State and Northwestern in the 2013 Gator Bowl. Which team will cover?
ODDS: Oddsmakers from online sports book Bovada.lv have installed Northwestern as a 2-point favorite at most online sports books and a 1-point favorite at most Las Vegas books. The Bulldogs enter this game with an 8-4 record overall and were 4-4 in the SEC, while the Wildcats finished 9-3 overall and 5-3 in the Big Ten.
LINE MOVEMENT: Northwestern opened as a 2-point underdog but bettors have pounded the Wildcats and have managed to flip the spread. Northwestern is now a 2-point favorite while the total has gone from 52 to 53.5.
PUBLIC BETTING: Current college football public betting information says that 66% of public bettors are currently backing Northwestern. This information is subjected to change leading up to kickoff, however, so make sure you click on the link provided for more detailed information.
2013 GATOR BOWL PICK: Take Mississippi State. According to latest college football trends, the Bulldogs are 6-2 against the spread in their last eight games after accumulating more than 280 yards passing in their previous contest. The Wildcats, meanwhile, are 4-9 against the number in their last 13 games after allowing less than 275 total yards in their previous game and 4-14 ATS in their last 18 games following a straight up win of more than 20 points. Look for Mississippi State’s balanced offense led by running back LaDarius Perkins, quarterback Tyler Russell and receiver Chad Bumphis to methodically wear down a solid Northwestern defense.
2013 GATOR BOWL FREE PICK: MISSISSIPPI STATE +2