2013 GoDaddy.com Kent State vs. Arkansas State Picks & Predictions
By ATSSportsline.com
MOBILE, AL (ATS Consultants) - The final bowl game before the BCS national championship will take place tonight when Kent State takes on Arkansas State in the 2013 GoDaddy.com Bowl at 9:00PM ET.
ODDS: According to oddsmakers from online sports book Bovada.lv, Arkansas State is a 3.5-point favorite versus Kent State while the total is sitting at 63 points. The Golden Flashes finished the regular season with an 11-2 overall record and went 8-1 in the MAC, while the Red Wolves went 9-3 overall and 7-1 in the Sun Belt.
LINE MOVEMENT: The game opened as a pick'em but the line has been bet up to 3.5 in favor of Arkansas State. As for the total, it opened at 62 but it's been bet up a full point to 63.
PUBLIC BETTING: Of the current wagers placed on tonight’s game, 56% of College Football public bettors currently favor the Golden Flashes. This information is subject to change, however, so make sure you click on the link provided to get the most updated public betting numbers.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL BOWL PICK: Take Kent State. According to latest college football trends, Kent State is 15-5-1 ATS in their last 21 games overall, 5-2-1 ATS in their last 8 games after allowing more than 40 points in their previous game and 7-3-1 ATS in their last 11 games after allowing more than 200 yards rushing in their previous game. Arkansas State is 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games after allowing less than 170 yards passing in their previous game.
Kent State has one advantage in this bowl game. Their head coach is coaching his last game, while Arkansas State will have an interim coach. Last year, Hugh Freeze left for Ole Miss and the Red Wolves lost to Northern Illinois, 38-20 in this same bowl. Defensive coordinator John Thompson will serve as Arkansas State's interim coach this time. Darrell Hazell has accepted the job at Purdue, but he wanted the opportunity to try to lead Kent State (11-2) to its first-ever bowl victory. Kent State is bringing in Arkansas defensive coordinator and former Golden Flashes defensive back Paul Haynes as its next coach, but the school is happy Hazell will be in Mobile. Running backs Dri Archer and Trayion Durham combined for 200.0 yards per game on the ground to lead a rushing attack ranked 16th in the country. The duo had 29 of the Golden Flashes' 35 rushing scores. The Kent State defense, led by DT Roosevelt Nix, will look to get pressure on two-time Sun Belt Player of the Year Ryan Aplin, who leads the nation's 17th-ranked offense. Archer logged a 38.2-yard average on kickoff returns with three returns for touchdowns. Archer is the only player in the country with more than 1,300 yards rushing and 500 receiving. He also threw a 24-yard touchdown pass this season. Linebacker Luke Batton has 132 total tackles and ranks as one of the top 20 most prolific defenders in the country. Kent State ranks second in Division I in turnover margin and - with 38 takeaways - is tied with Oregon for the nation's lead. The special teams and big plays will put Kent State over the top in this game.
2013 GODADDY.COM BOWL FREE PICK: KENT STATE GOLDEN FLASHES +3.5
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