2013 Orange Bowl Northern Illinois vs. Florida State Pick & Prediction
By Anthony Rome
MIAMI, FL (The Spread) – In what many people believe will be a blowout, Florida State will battle Northern Illinois in the 2013 Orange Bowl tonight at 8:30PM ET. Will the Huskies shock the world?
ODDS: Oddsmakers from online sports book Bovada.lv have installed Florida State as a 13.5-point favorite versus Northern Illinois, while the over/under total is currently sitting at 58.5 points. The Seminoles enter the game with an 11-2 overall record and went 7-1 in the ACC, while the Huskies were 12-1 overall and a perfect 8-0 in the MAC.
LINE MOVEMENT: The Seminoles opened as a 14-point favorite but the number has been bet below the key number of 13.5. As for the total, it opened at 59.5 but has been bet down a full point to 58.5.
PUBLIC BETTING: Current college football public betting information says that 57% of public bettors are currently backing Florida State. This information is subjected to change leading up to kickoff, however, so make sure you click on the link provided for more detailed information.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL BOWL PICK: Take Northern Illinois. According to latest college football trends, the Huskies are 7-1-2 against the spread in their last 10 games following a straight up win and 7-1-2 in their last 10 games overall. They’re also 4-1 against the number in their last five games versus the ACC, 3-1-1 ATS in their last five non-conference games and 5-1-1 ATS in their last seven games after accumulating more than 200 yards rushing in their previous contest. As for the Seminoles, they’re 1-4 against the number versus a team with a winning record and 0-4 ATS in their last four games overall. They’re also 2-5 against the number in their last seven games following an ATS loss and 1-7 ATS in their last eight contests following a straight up win. On paper this should be a Florida State rout. But this is NIU’s Super Bowl and it’s not like the Huskies are without talent. Quarterback Jordan Lynch is a dual threat who leads the nation in total yards (4,733) and ranks third in total yards per game (364.08) In his last nine games he’s thrown 17 touchdowns to just two interceptions and has rushed for at least 100 yards in 12 games this season. You have to wonder what Florida State’s motivation is for this game and Northern Illinois has expressed confidence in its ability to win (not just cover) this game since the bowl pairing was announced. Take the points but don’t be shocked if the Huskies have a chance to win this game in the fourth quarter.
2013 ORANGE BOWL PREDICTION: NORTHERN ILLINOIS HUSKIES +13.5