College Football Betting News and Notes for Friday, December 30th, 2016

Liberty Bowl - Georgia - TCU

SEC teams are 8-2 SU in last ten bowls with Big X teams; SEC squads won this bowl last three years, by 22-8-37 points; average total in last five Liberty Bowls: 60.8. Georgia won three of last four bowls but that was with Richt as coach; they’re 29-19 overall in bowls. TCU won four of last five bowls; Patterson is 9-5 as a bowl coach. Horned Frogs have only 8 scholarship seniors; they went 3-5 in last eight games. TCU is 2-2 as an underdog, 2-6 in games with single digit spread- they lost in OT to Arkansas of SEC. Georgia won three of last four games; they beat North Carolina of ACC 33-24. Dawgs are 3-4 as favorites, 4-4 in games with single digit spread Under is 6-1 in last seven TCU games, 4-2 in last six Georgia games. SEC teams are 15-21 vs spread out of conference; Big X teams are 9-12.

Sun Bowl - Stanford - North Carolina

Pac-12 beat ACC in this game four of last five years (underdogs 3-2 vs spread). North Carolina is 8-4 but lost two of last three games, both as double digit favorites; Tar Heels are 2-1 as underdogs, 2-3 in games with single digit spread. Stanford is 9-3, 5-5 vs spread as a favorite. 5-3 in games with single digit spread. UNC lost three of last four bowls, allowing 40+ points in all three losses. Stanford won three of last four bowls, winning 45-21/45-16 last two years- three of those four were Rose Bowls. ACC non-conference underdogs are 7-4 vs spread; Pac-12 favorites are 7-9. Stanford had a 1-3 skid early in year where they scored 11 pts/game, losing to both Washington schools/Colorado, but they won their last five games, scoring 39.6 pts/game. Carolina QB Trubinsky is 1st-year starter, but expected to be a first-round pick in NFL Draft.

Music City Bowl - Nebraska - Tennessee

Last five years, SEC teams are 11-4 vs Big 14 teams in bowls, 8-6-1 vs spread (SEC was favored in 14 of 15 games). Nebraska is 2-4 in its last six bowls, giving up 33.8 pts/game; they’re bowl underdog for sixth year in row- average total in their last four bowls, 68.7. Cornhuskers went 2-3 in last five games after a 7-0 start, with 62-3/40-10 losses; they’re 1-2 as an underdog this year, 4-1-1 in games with single digit spread. Tennessee is 3-4 in its last seven games after a 5-0 start; they’re 3-6 s a favorite, 1-2-1 in games with single digit spread. Average total in Vols’ last three games: 88.0. Favorites covered this bowl three of last four years; SEC teams are 3-2 here last five years. Riley has been HC in NFL/CFL; he has big edge over Vols’ coach Jones (good recruiter).

Arizona Bowl - South Alabama - Air Force

South Alabama beat San Diego State of Mountain West the last two years, but went 3-4 this year after upsetting the Aztecs; Jaguars lost 33-28 to Bowling Green in only previous bowl, the ’14 Camellia Bowl. USA is 3-3 as an underdog, 2-5 in games with double digit spread- they won at Miss State as a 28-point dog in season opener. Last three years. Jaguars are 7-14 as an underdog. Air Force lost three of last four bowls— losses were all in Military or Armed Forces Bowls; they beat Western Michigan 45-24 In Potato Bowl two years ago. Falcons won last five games, scoring 35.6 pts/game- they’re 3-6 vs spread as a favorite. 1-5 in games with double digit spread. Since 2011, Sun Belt teams are 7-5 vs spread in games vs Mountain West teams. This bowl is in its second year; Nevada (+3.5) beat Colorado State LY.

Orange Bowl - Florida State - Michigan

ACC teams won last four Orange Bowls, were underdog last three years; Florida State won this game 31-10 in ’12, but lost last two bowls 59-20/38-24. FSU won six of last seven games after 3-game stretch early on when they allowed 45 pts/game; Seminoles were 3-2 on October 1st, but allowed 16.6 pts/game from that point on. FSU is 2-0 as an underdog this year, 5-2 in games with single digit spread. Michigan lost two of last three games (losses by total of 4 pts) after a 9-0 start; Wolverines are 5-6 as a favorite (double digit favorite in all 11 games), 1-0 in games with single digit spread. Michigan is 2-3 in last five bowls but Harbaugh won his first bowl with Wolverines LY, 41-7 over Florida- he is 2-1 overall in bowls. Florida State beat Miami here 20-19 October 8, game that turned Seminoles’ season around.

Armadillosports.com

Friday's Bowl Tips
By Joe Williams
VegasInsider.com

Georgia vs. Texas Christian

Georgia (7-5 straight up, 7-5 against the spread) will take on Texas Christian (6-6 straight up, 3-9 against the spread) in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl in Memphis, Tenn. It's the fourth bowl trip to Memphis for the Bulldogs, who are 1-2 all-time in the Liberty Bowl. Their last appearance was Dec. 31, 2010, a 10-6 loss to UCF. TCU made one previous appearance in the bowl, topping Colorado State by a 17-3 score Dec. 31, 2002.

The Bulldogs kicked off the post-Mark Richt era with three straight wins, including a neutral-site victory over North Carolina in the Georgia Dome in Atlanta. The early season wasn't without its scares and struggles, however, as they were nearly upset in between the hedges against FCS Nicholls State, staving off the Colonels by a 26-24 score despite closing as 52 1/2-point favorites. After a 28-27 win Sept. 17 in Missouri, things went a little off the rails for the Bulldogs. They were annihilated at Mississippi, 45-14, and followed that up with a stunning 34-31 loss at Sanford Stadium against Tennessee on a 43-yard touchdown with four seconds remaining.

The Bulldogs turned things around once the calendar turned to November, topping Kentucky in Lexington 27-24, and eding a good Auburn team by a 13-7 score despite entering as 10-point underdogs. Those two games marked only the second time all season the Bulldogs covered in back-to-back games. They finished with a win over Louisiana-Lafayette before a tough 28-27 loss at home against in-state rival Georgia Tech.

Georgia struggled offensively, and flourished on the defensive side of the ball. The Bulldogs managed to finish 89th in the country with 382.4 yards per game, and 97th in the nation with just 195.9 yards per game. Teams stacked the box to stop RBs Nick Chubb and Sony Michel, challenging the Bulldogs to pass. On defense, the Bulldogs ranked 17th in the nation with 328.0 yards allowed, and they were 18th against the pass. The Bulldogs allowed just 24.1 points per game to check in 39th in the country.

Chubb didn't live up to preseason Heisman expectations, but his season wasn't terrible. He still managed 988 yards with seven touchdowns, averaging 4.8 yards per carry. Michel added 753 yards with three touchdowns on 5.5 yards per tote. RB Brian Herrien also stepped up when needed, going for 5.9 yards per carry to finish with 362 yards and three scores. QB Jacob Eason passed for 2,266 yards with 14 touchdowns and eight interceptions, throwing for 208 or fewer yards in four of his final five games. He also amassed just three multi-TD games, and one (vs. UL-Lafayette) in his final seven games. In the receiving game, Isaiah McKenzie was the best of the lot with seven scores on 40 receptions, posting a team-high 530 yards and 13.3 yards per catch. Only TE Isaac Nauta (three TDs) had more than two touchdowns other than McKenzie.

TCU had plenty of ups and downs this season, with their longest win streak of two games coming Sept. 17-23 against Iowa State and at Southern Methodist. The team struggled to replace QB Trevone Boykin, WR Josh Doctson and WR Kolby Listenbee, although there were some bright spots. Transfer QB Kenny Hill posted 3,062 yards while completing 60.8 percent of his passes, but he tossed 15 touchdowns with 13 interceptions. Hill was also solid in the run game, posting 537 yards with nine touchdowns on 5.0 yards per attempt. RB Kyle Hicks was the best of the lot in the run game, rolling for 954 yards and 12 touchdowns on 5.1 yards per rush. WR Taj Williams was the top receiving threat, posting 702 yards and five touchdowns.

TCU sits as a two-point favorite as of Thursday morning with a total of 48 1/2.

As a single-digit favorite this season, the Horned Frogs were 0-3 SU/ATS all in their final three home games. TCU dropped a 27-24 overtime game against Texas Tech on Oct. 29, and they were pounded by Oklahoma State 31-6 despite entering as a 6 1/2-point favorite on Nov. 19. They wrapped up the season as four-point favorites, but were against embarrassed in Fort Worth by a 30-6 count against Kansas State. TCU was actually better away from home this season, going 4-1 SU/3-2 ATS, while going just 2-5 SU/0-7 ATS at home.

The Bulldogs were single-digit underdogs just three times this season, going 0-3 SU/1-2 ATS in those outings.

Georgia has covered seven of their past 10 bowl games, and they're 5-2 ATS in their past seven games in the month of December.

The 'under' is 5-0 in Georgia's past five neutral-site games, 7-2 in their past nine bowl games and 6-2 in their past eight non-conference games. The under is also 5-1 in their past six against teams from the Big 12 Conference.

TCU has a 2-5 ATS in their past seven bowl games, and they're 2-7 ATS in their past nine neutral-site outings.

The 'under' is 8-1-1 in TCU's past 10 bowl games, and 6-1 in their past seven games overall. They're also 4-1 in their past five against teams with an overall winning record, and 8-3-1 in their past 12 neutral-site games.

Stanford vs. North Carolina

Two teams that entered the season with much higher expectations will square off at the Sun Bowl in El Paso, Tex. when the Stanford Cardinal (9-3 straight up, 7-5 against the spread) meet the North Carolina Tar Heels (8-4 straight up, 7-5 against the spread). Over the past three Sun Bowls the ACC representative has been on the short end of the stick, and the ACC is just 1-4 over the past five against Pac-12 teams in this game.

The biggest news story to come out of this bowl, or at least come out well beforehand, is the decision by RB Christian McCaffrey to skip this game to preserve his health for the 2017 NFL Draft.

Stanford struggled offensively in 2016, ranking 99th in total offense with 374.7 yards per game, and they were 116th in the country with just 159.1 yards per outing. They ranked 33rd in rushing, but again, McCaffrey will be out for this one. On defense, Stanford ranked 36th in total yardage, and they were 17th in the country with just 20.2 points per game allowed.

Without McCaffrey on the field, the Cardinal turn to RB Bryce Love to carry the load. He showed glimpses of brilliance in the regular season finale against Rice Nov. 26, posting 111 rushing yards on seven runs, including a touchdown. Love, who hails from the state of North Carolina, might run with a little extra intensity against a team he is very familiar from his days growing up in suburban Raleigh.

WR JJ Arcega-Whiteside came on down the stretch, posting a pair of 100-yard games in the final three outings, and he ended up with a team-high five touchdown grabs. WR Trenton Irwin led the team with 437 yards, but scored just once, while the steady WR Michael Rector managed 31 grabs, 355 yards and three touchdowns. The Cardinal have had plenty of outstanding tight ends in recent seasons, and this year it was 6-foot-6 TE Dalton Schultz leading the way with 21 catches, 203 yards and a score.

North Carolina's powerful offense will challenge the Stanford defense early and often, especially through the air. They rank 43rd in the nation in total yards with 442.4 yards per game, while posting 294.2 yards per game through the air to rank 23rd. They were also 40th in the country in points scored with 33.1 points per game. On the defensive side of the ball, they were middle of the road with 418.5 yards per game, struggling mightily against the rush. They allowed 232.2 yards per game to rank 111th in the country, but they completely shut down the pass with just 186.3 yards per game to check in 16th.

QB Mitch Trubisky is very highly thought of in NFL circles, and will be a high-round pick, perhaps even No. 1 overall, in the 2017 draft. Trubisky completed 68.9 percent of his pass attempts for 3,468 yards, 28 touchdowns and four interceptions while also running for 270 yards and five scores. RB Elijah Hood led the way on the ground, rolling for 858 yards and eight scores, while T.J. Logan complemented him nicely with 578 yards and seven scores. Both averaged over 5.7 yards per tote. On the receiving end of Trubisky's passes was the steady WR Ryan Switzer, topping the charts with 1,027 yards and five scores. WR Bug Howard came down with some big grabs this season, and he led the team with seven touchdowns while piling up 768 yards. WR Austin Proehl, son of former NFL standout Ricky Proehl, posted 506 yards on 36 receptions and three touchdowns.

The Tar Heels managed 35 or more points in seven of their final 11 games, while their defense really stepped up down the stretch and allowed 28 or fewer points in each of their last six outings.

The Cardinal won their final five games, covering three of the outings, and their offense hit its stride with an average of 46.3 points per game. Again, that was with the help of McCaffrey who had 623 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns during that three-game span, so that's a lot of offense to replace.

Stanford is 4-0 ATS in their past four games against ACC teams, 7-1 ATS in their past eight neutral-site games and 6-1 ATS in their past seven bowl games. They're also 20-9 ATS in their past 29 games overall.

The 'over' is 4-0 in the past four neutral-site games for Stanford, and 4-1 in their past five bowl games. The over is also 10-4 in their past 14 against teams with an overall winning mark.

UNC is 4-1 ATS in their past five versus winning teams, but they're 1-4 ATS in their past five games in the month of December and 0-5 ATS in their past five neutral-site games, including their opener this season vs. Georgia.

The 'over' is 4-0 in UNC's past four against Pac-12 teams, but the 'under' is 7-1 in their past eight games overall while going 4-1 in their past five against teams with an overall winning record.

These teams haven't met since 1998, when Stanford won 37-34 at home.

Nebraska vs. Tennessee

The Big Ten and Southeastern Conference do battle in Nashville at the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl at Nissan Stadium. Nebraska (9-3 straight up, 6-4-2 against the spread) will square off against Tennessee (8-4 straight up, 5-7 against the spread), and the crowd is expected to be heavily colored in orange with the 'Power T' prevalent throughout the stands.

Nebraska was a Top 10 team near the end of October, but that all changed when they were tripped up in overtime at Wisconsin before being eviscerated 62-3 at Ohio State on Nov. 5. The Huskers righted the ship with wins over bowl teams Maryland and Minnesota in their final two games, but were taken behind the shed at Iowa 40-10 in their regular season finale Nov. 25. Nebraska was outscored 125-30 in those final three road games, and that's hard to ignore as they travel south to Nashville into hostile territory.

Tennessee won their first five games of the season, including a victory over Virginia Tech at Bristol Motor Speedway, a drought-busting win againt Florida and a miraculous last-second finish at Georgia. They also had a tremendous comeback at Texas A&M, forcing overtime in a classic Oct. 8, but they fell 45-38 to the Aggies as 7 1/2-point underdogs. That touched off a three-game losing streak, as they were demoralized 49-10 at Alabama and surprised 24-21 at South Carolina. The Vols got untracked in three games from Nov. 5-19, scoring at least 49 points in three outings against Tennessee Tech, Kentucky and Missouri, but they were dropped 45-34 at rival Vanderbilt to leave a sour taste in their mouth.

Big Red struggled offensively, ranking 86th with 386.2 total yards while checking in 91st in passing yards with 207.9. The Huskers also posted 26.8 points per game to rank 79th in the country. On defense, Nebraska was 23rd in the nation with 350.8 yards per game, 33rd in the country with 141.2 yards per outing and 29th in the nation by allowing just 22.8 points per game.

The Vols were 42nd in the country with 203.2 yards per game, 49th wwith 437.2 total yards per game and 24th in the nation with 36.2 points per contest. On defense, they had plenty of issues, ranking 110th in the country with 460.2 yards per game. Most of the struggles came against the run, as the Vols were gashed for 234.1 yards per game to rank 112th in the country. Tennessee gave up 29.2 yards per game to finish 71st in the nation.

QB Tommy Armstrong Jr. (hamstring) is doubtful to play in this game due to a hamstring injury, so QB Ryker Fyfe (wrist) is expected to draw the start. He has been dealing with a wrist injury of his own, but is listed as probable. He threw for 220 yards in a start and win against Maryland, tossing a TD with no INTs. Fyfe's best friend will be RB Terrell Newby, who rolled for 864 yards with seven scores. RB Devine Ozigbo was a hammer, pounding out 346 yards with five scores. WRs Jordan Westerkamp and Stanley Morgan Jr. are the best receivers on the team. Westerkamp snagged 38 catches for 526 yards and five touchdowns, while Morgan added 425 yards and two touchdowns.

The Vols were led by QB Joshua Dobbs, who completed 63.3 percent of his 319 passes for 2,655 yards, 26 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. He also led the team in rushing with 713 yards while tying for the team high of nine scores on the ground. He is one of the top dual threat options in the nation, and he'll give Nebraska's stout rush defense fits. RB Alvin Kamara posted 565 yards with 5.9 yards per run while tying Dobbs with nine scores. RB John Kelly posted 560 yards with four scores on 83 carries, averaging 6.7 yards per carry to lead the squad. WR John Malone posted a team-high 10 touchdown receptions with 18.9 yards per catch, while Jauan Jennings managed 521 yards with seven touchdowns. Kamara also was a solid receiver out of the backfield, adding 33 catches for 346 yards and four scores.

Nebraska has managed a 10-1 ATS mark in their past 11 games on a natural grass surface, and they're 3-0-1 ATS in their past four non-conference tilts. They're also 9-3 ATS in their past 12 games in the month of December.

The 'under' hit in eight of Nebraska's final 10 regular season games, but the 'over' is 4-1 in their past five neutral-site tilts and 8-3 in their past 11 outside of the Big Ten.

The Vols are 5-0 ATS in their past five neutral-site games, and 7-3 ATS in their past 10 against teams wit ha winning overall record.

The Volunteers have hit the 'over' in each of their past four bowl games, and the 'over' is 7-0 in their past seven neutral-site games. The over is also 7-2 in Tennessee's past nine outings, and 6-2 in their past eight on a grass surface.

South Alabama vs. Air Force

The Nova Home Loans Arizona Bowl is the fourth of five games Friday, and perhaps the least interesting of all of the matchups. However, both South Alabama (6-6 straight up, 3-9 against the spread) and Air Force (9-3 straight up, 5-7 against the spread) have had some exciting times and big victories.

The USA Jaguars opened their season in style with a 21-20 road win at Mississippi State as 27 1/2-point underdogs. They also topped San Diego State 42-24 on Oct. 1, proving they were not going to be a pushover against some of the top teams in the nation. However, the Jags were just 2-4 SU/3-3 ATS against the six bowl teams on their schedule.

The Jags were mediocre on offense, ranking 75th in total yards with 395.8. If they're going to be successful, it's likely in the passing game where they were 56th in the country with 243.7 yards per game. USA's defense will be tested early and often. They were 50th in total yardage allowed, but dented for 212.1 yards per game on the ground, and rushing is a specialty of Air Force.

USAFA opened a perfect 4-0 this season, covering their first three, but they struggled against the number down the stretch going 5-3 SU/2-6 ATS over the final eight outings. Against bowl teams, the Falcons were 4-3 SU/3-4 ATS. As usual, Air Force was strong in the run game, posting 322.8 yards per game to rank third in the country while posting 34.3 points per game to rank 35th in the country. On defense, Air Force was very good, holding opponents to 370.4 yards per game (39th in the country), while ranking 14th against the rush.

When South Alabama has the ball it's QB Dallas Davis running the show, but he was erratic with 2,461 passing yards, 10 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. Davis also rushed for 250 yards and two scores. RB Xavier Johnson posted a team-high 787 yards with 10 touchdowns while averaging 5.4 yards per carry. RBs Dami Ayoola and Tyreis Thomas were key contributors with 345 yards and 300 yards respectively, while combining for 11 rushing touchdowns. Johnson is also dangerous in the kick return game, posting 23.9 yards per return, including a 95-yard score against Nicholls State.

For Air Force, QB Nate Romine (ankle) has thrown for 1,206 yards, 10 touchdowns and just four interceptions, and he completed just 41.7 percent of his passes. However, Romine missed the final two games of the season due to an ankle injury, and he is a question mark for the bowl game. QB Arion Worthman filled in admirably in wins against San Jose State and Boise State, and the Falcons are 6-0 SU in games when he has been active. He has passed sparingly in his limited action, but completed 55.2 percent of his passes with three TD throws. Worthman rolled up 605 rushing yards with six touchdowns to rank second on the team, averaging 5.5 yards per rush. RB Timothy McVey ran for 667 yards and a team-high 10 touchdowns, while RB Jacobi Owens led the team with 783 yards and three scores. One wouldn't think a wideout on Air Force would have any notable stats, but WR Jalen Robinette managed 33 catches, 835 yards and five touchdowns, averaging 25.3 yards per catch.

South Alabama has appeared in just one bowl previously, losing 33-28 in the 2014 Camellia Bowl against Bowling Green.

Air Force has a much longer bowl history sheet, appearing in bowl games in each of the past two seasons, eight of the past nine years and 25 bowl games in team history. This will be the first appearance for the Falcons in the Arizona Bowl, and their first appearance in a postseason game in the state since the 1995 Copper Bowl, when they lost to Texas Tech 55-41. This is Air Force's first meeting against a Sun Belt team in their bowl history.

USA is 3-9 ATS in their past 12 games against teams with a winning overall record, 8-24 ATS in their past 32 games overall and 3-13 ATS in their past 16 following a straight up win.

The 'over' is 6-1-1 in the past eight for South Alabama against a team with a winning overall record and 8-2 in their past 10 non-conference tilts.

For Air Force, they covered just two of their final eight games, but they're 9-3 ATS in their past 12 non-conference games and 5-2 ATS in their past seven in the month of December.

The 'over' is 4-1 in Air Force's past five neutral-site games, 6-2 in their past eight overall and 8-3 in their past 11 games on a natural grass surface. The 'under' is 5-2 in Air Force's past seven non-conference battles.

FSU faces Michigan in Orange Bowl
By: Sam Chase
StatFox.com

This year’s Orange Bowl features a lot of guys who will be playing on Sundays soon.

Two teams with playoff-level talent meet for one of this season’s best bowl games on Friday when Florida State takes on Michigan in the Rose Bowl. For many fans, the enduring image of the Seminoles from the 2016 season will be a 63-20 loss to Louisville in Week 3, a game in which the Noles were utterly dominated by eventual Heisman winner Lamar Jackson. From there, though, FSU won seven of its last nine games, with close losses to a playoff team in Clemson and a very good team in North Carolina. They won four straight games to end the regular season at 9-3 and 7-4 against the spread, and they finished on a particularly high note with a 31-13 win over rival Florida (FSU -8 ). They’ll wrap up the year with a showdown against a Michigan team that, up until the final moment of their regular season finale, likely believed they were headed to the playoffs. Michigan started the year 9-0 with wins over Colorado, Penn State and Wisconsin that all look even more impressive now than they did at the time. Then, they were shocked by a 14-13 road defeat to Iowa as 24-point favorites. Nonetheless, a win at rival Ohio State two weeks later would have put them in the playoffs, but a 30-27 overtime loss (MICH +3.5) set them back to 10-2 (6-6 ATS) and effectively eliminated them. Over the last five seasons, underdogs of 3.5 to 10 points that are outrushing their opponents by at least 1.25 yards per carry (FSU) are 33-9 ATS after allowing 75 rushing yards or fewer in their previous game. In the same time frame, teams that gained at least 6.0 yards per carry in their previous game and allowed no more than 2.0 (FSU) are 32-14 Over when the total is between 49.5 and 56. FSU S Ermon Lane is expected to miss the game with a foot injury, while Michigan QB Wilton Speight is considered probable.

Florida State freshman QB Deondre Francois (60.6 CMP%, 3,128 yards, 18 TDs, 6 INTs; 98 carries, 189 yards, 4 TDs) drew Heisman buzz early this season with an incredible performance in the Seminole’s season-opening win against Ole Miss, completing 33 of 52 passes for 419 yards and two touchdowns, and rushing for 59 yards, as well. He has certainly come back to earth since then, as the 419 passing yards remains a career high and it was the third highest rushing output of his season. He ranks seventh in the ACC in passer rating (143.7), sixth in passing yards and sixth in yards per attempt (8.4). He did take good care of the ball, as 10 ACC quarterbacks have thrown more interceptions than him. He has been throwing a little less in recent weeks: He had attempted at least 31 passes in five straight games until his last three, a stretch in which he has attempted no more than 28 passes in a game. His No. 1 wideout, Travis Rudolph (53 catches, 807 yards, 7 TDs), is in his third year of putting up solid production for the Seminoles. Rudolph has caught a touchdown in four straight games coming into this one. Francois spreads the ball around quite a bit, and other targets include WRs Auden Tate (25 catches, 409 yards, 6 TDs), Jesus Wilson (30 catches, 390 yards, TD), Kermit Whitfield (33 catches, 372 yards, TD) and Nyqwan Murray (25 catches, 337 yards, 3 TDs). Tate was apparently wearing a no-contact jersey in practice this week, but there has been no indication that he might not play on Friday. The star of the Florida State offense is, and has been, RB Dalvin Cook (268 carries, 1,620 yards, 18 TDs; 30 catches, 426 yards, TD). As one of the most powerful runners in the sport in recent memory, Cook is eighth in the nation and first in the ACC in rushing yards. In his last two games, he has carried the ball 54 times for 378 yards and five touchdowns. He will be the primary object of Michigan’s game planning woes—well, him and the entire FSU defense. The unit ranks 29th in the country with 357 yards allowed per game and 43rd with 24.4 points allowed per game. DE DeMarcus Walker and CB Tarvarus McFadden were named First Team All-ACC selections this year. Walker is tied for the national lead with 15 sacks and McFadden leads the country with eight interceptions.

For the second straight season, John Harbaugh’s Michigan team has had a new starting quarterback. This year it’s junior Wilton Speight (62.5 CMP%, 2,375 yards, 17 TDs, 6 INTs), who, despite not being particularly celebrated by the media, has been one of the best quarterbacks in the Big Ten this season by many metrics. He’s first in the conference in completion percentage, second in passer rating (145.6) and second in yards per attempt (8.1). Then again, he’s not one of the more prolific passers in the conference, as he only has the seventh-most attempts (293), sixth-most passing yards and sixth-most passing touchdowns. Not coincidentally, the Wolverines’ losses this year have correlated with Speight’s worst games. Easily his poorest performance of the year was against Iowa, when he completed only 11 of 26 passes for 103 yards and an interception. Against Ohio State, he threw two interceptions for the first and only time all season. Thanks to the relative infrequency with which he throws, not many Michigan receivers have big numbers to speak of; only three players on the roster have 15 or more receptions. The most impressive has been WR Amara Darboh (52 catches, 826 yards, 7 TDs), who is fourth in the Big Ten in receiving yards and fifth in yards per reception (15.9). After two straight games with only one catch, he tied a season high with eight receptions for 68 yards and a touchdown against OSU. TE Jake Butt (43 catches, 518 yards, 4 TDs) is considered by many to be the best tight end prospect in the upcoming NFL Draft. While it appears he will fall short of his production from a year ago, he remains someone opposing defenses always have an eye on. WR Jehu Chesson (31 catches, 469 yards, 2 TDs) joins Darboh and Butt as senior playmakers. Michigan is remarkably deep at the running back position, boasting four backs with at least 400 yards and three touchdowns. De’Veon Smith (165 carries, 810 yards, 10 TDs) is the workhorse, but Chris Evans (80 carries, 565 yards, 3 TDs), Karan Higdon (68 carries, 422 yards, 6 TDs) and Ty Isaac (74 carries, 417 yards, 5 TDs) could all get carries in the Orange Bowl. The Wolverines feature one of the few defenses in the country that could be called more intimidating than FSU’s. They’re second in the country in both total defense (253) and scoring defense (12.5 points allowed per game). LB Jabrill Peppers was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, and one could argue that he’s not even the best player on his own defense, thanks to the presence of CB Jourdan Lewis. DEs Taco Charlton and Chris Wormley joined the two of them as First Team All-Big Ten selections.

Orange Bowl Preview
By Joe Williams
VegasInsider.com

Michigan vs. Florida

The first of the much-anticipated 'big name' bowl games takes place at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla. for the Capital One Orange Bowl, televised on ESPN at 8:00 p.m. ET.

The Michigan Wolverines (10-2 straight up, 6-6 against the spread) of the Big Ten Conference will take on the Florida State Seminoles (9-3 straight up, 7-4 against the spread) of the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Wolverines opened as a six-point favorite, and they're favored by a touchdown as of Thursday afternoon with a total hovering around 51 1/2.

These two sides entered the season with high expectations, but each hit speed bumps along the way. While Florida State was out of the conversation for a playoff spot rather early, fighting back from difficulties to get into a major bowl. Michigan, on the other hand, feels like they should have been in the four-team college football playoff, but late losses at Iowa and in double-overtime at Ohio State pushed them outside of the Top 4 in the eyes on the selection committee.

Michigan was strong from the get-go, annihilating Hawaii 63-3 to open their season, before destroying UCF by a 51-14 count in the 'Big House'. They were able to cover each of those games as 36-point favorites or higher. Their first real test came against visiting Colorado, and they handled that test with aplomb, winning 45-28. It was their first non-cover, as they were 17 1/2-point favorites, but it was a convincing win nonetheless. The Wolverines also point to their 49-10 dismantling of Penn State back on Sept. 24 as a case for their inclusion into the playoff, and a 14-7 win against Wisconsin helped their case, too. The Wolverines also piled up 78 points in a shutout road win at Rutgers in early October, and their offense looked to be a force to be reckoned with.

In mid-November, Michigan's offense struggled in Iowa City, as the Wolverines posted a season-low 13 points in a loss to the Hawkeyes. The loss, even a late-season loss, did not eliminate them from the playoff race with No. 2 Ohio State still looming large on their schedule. They beat bowl team Indiana 20-10 to setup their showdown with the Buckeyes Nov. 26. The Wolverines and Buckeyes played a classic in the Horseshoe, going to double-overtime before a winner was decided. Many Michigan fans felt like a fourth-down run by Ohio State QB J.T. Barrett was stopped short of the line to gain, and the Wolverines would have won by a field goal. However, on the field it was ruled a first down, and instant replay did not show enough evidence to overturn it. The play will be discussed for years, and coach Jim Harbaugh's complaining led to a $10,000 fine.

Florida State took a different path to the Orange Bowl, and they're likely a lot more appreciative of their situation than Michigan. The Seminoles opened with Mississippi in a neutral-site game. The Seminoles fell behind early, but surged back to erase a 21-point deficit in Orlando. QB Deondre Francois provided the late heroics, and RB Dalvin Cook was his usual impressive self in the 45-34 win, that looked like a loss early on.

It didn't take long before FSU experienced their first loss of the season. It wasn't even losing to Louisville, a good Cardinals team, that was so bad - it was how they lost. FSU hung tough at Louisville initially, trailing just 14-10 early in the second quarter. But then the wheels came off in a hurry, as the Cardinals offense had a 21-point blitzkreig to go up 35-10 at the break. Louisville didn't take their foot off the gas in the second half, either, posting 14 more points in the third quarter to make it 49-10, and another 14 more to start the fourth quarter to blow out to a 63-10 lead before FSU finally stopped the 49-0 run with 10 meaningless points in the final 5:19. It was a shocking 43-point loss, one you just do not see from FSU, that opened everyone's eyes to Louisville, and sounded the death knell on FSU's playoff hopes before the season had really even started.

FSU managed to fight and claw past a good South Florida team in Tampa the following week to get back to 3-1, but a home loss on a last-second field goal against North Carolina had the Seminoles at 0-2 to start ACC play. Surely they wouldn't start 0-3 in conference play, right? Well, rival Miami stood in the way, and the Top 10 Hurricanes looked to add to their rivals' misery. But an unbelievable late missed extra point helped FSU escape this very same stadium where the Orange Bowl is being played, winning 20-19.

The last loss of the season came in a 37-34 game against Clemson, one of the most exciting marquee games of the season. After that, FSU steamrolled Boston College, Syracuse and the rival Florida Gators to get into position for a major bowl and payday. In fact, FSU also covered those three outings as heavy favorites, too.

Michigan QB Wilton Speight (shoulder) was banged up down the stretch, and initially it looked like he might be done for the season. But he returned to start the Ohio State game, and was effective enough. He completed 62.5 percent of his passes for 2,375 yards, 17 touchdowns and six interceptions, and backup QB John O'Korn proved to be useful when called upon. Michigan is in good hands in the passing game. WR Amara Darboh is the big play receiver on the outside, hauling in 52 receptions for 826 yards and seven touchdowns. If the Wolverines are going deep, Darboh is the likely target. TE Jake Butt is a dependable tight end with great hands who has a future playing on Sundays. He posted 43 grabs for 518 yards and four scores, averaging 12.0 yards per pop. WR Jehu Chesson (31-469-2) and FB Khalid Hill (14-105-2) are secondary options in the receiving game to make up for the loss of WR Grant Perry.

Perry did not travel with the team, and is suspended indefinitely due to allegations of sexual misconduct back in mid-October.

In the run game, RB De'Veon Smith rolled for 810 yards and 10 touchdowns while going for 4.9 yards per rush, and RB Chris Evans was a nice change of pace guy with 565 yards and three scores, rolling for 7.1 yards per attempt. LB Jabrill Peppers is another player who occasionally seems time on the offense, posting 167 yards on 27 attempts, scoring thrice while going for 6.2 yards per play. RB Karan Higdon (68-428-6) and RB Ty Isaac (74-411-5) provide plenty of depth in the backfield. And the fullback Hill is a short-yardage hammer, used to either move the chains or punch it in on goal-line situations. He tied for the team lead with 10 rushing touchdowns despite posting just 39 rushing yards on 25 attempts. If Michigan is on the opponents' 1-yard line, you can bet No. 80 will see the ball.

For FSU, Francois threw for 3,128 yards and 18 touchdowns with six interceptions, and he found the end zone four times with his feet. In the pass game WR Travis Rudolph is the big play threat, posting 807 yards with a team-high seven touchdowns. Cook is the good hands guy out of the backfield, posting 426 yards with a score, going for 14.2 yards per reception. That type of ability to catch with soft hands out of the backfield has NFL scouts anxious to get him to the next level. WR Auden Tate (25-409-6) is also a player Michigan needs to be very aware.

In the run game, it's all Cook all the time. He amassed 1,620 yards and 18 rushing scores, including 11 over his past five outings. He found the end zone four times each in Syracuse and against Clemson, so he is a big-time player who plays well in big-time situations. He also scored three times against North Carolina, and twice against a good USF front.

Michigan ranked No. 2 overall in the country in total yards allowed, giving up just 252.7 yards per game. They were No. 1 against the pass, and No. 12 against the run, while yielding just 12.5 points per game which was second in the nation. On offense, they were 30th in the country with 223.2 yards per game, and 46th in total yards with 439.3 yards per contest, checking in 11th in the nation with 41.0 points per game.

For FSU, they were a respectable 29th in the nation with 357.2 yards per game allowed, and 40th with 24.4 yards per game given up. On offense, FSU piled up 474.3 yards per game to rank 24th in the nation, while posting 35.2 points per game to rank 29th in the country in that category.

Michigan is 4-1 ATS in their past five non-conference games, but 0-4 ATS in their past four following a cover in their previous outing, while going 3-8 ATS in their past 11 games on a grass surface.

Florida State has covered four of their past five games, and they're 5-1 ATS in their past six non-conference tilts. In addition, FSU is 8-2-1 ATS in their past 11 bowl trips and 10-3 ATS in their past 13 on grass. However, they are just 1-5 ATS in their psat six neutral-site affairs.

The 'over' is 4-0 in Michigan's past four out of conference, and 8-2 in their past 10 neutral-site games. The over is also 11-2 in their past 13 against teams with an overall winning mark. The over has hit in 16 of their past 21 games overall, too.

The 'over' is 5-0 in FSU's past five neutral-site games, but the 'under' is 5-1 in their past six bowl games. The under is also 6-2 in the past eight overall for Florida State, 16-5 in their past 21 following a cover in their last game and 4-1 in their past five against teams with an overall winning record.

Liberty Bowl Betting Preview: Georgia vs Texas Christian
By Covers.com

Georgia Bulldogs vs Texas Christian Horned Frogs (-2, 48.5)

Neither Georgia nor TCU entered the season aiming for a berth in the Liberty Bowl in Memphis on Dec. 30, but that is where they will end disappointing campaigns. The Horned Frogs are tied with Oklahoma for the best record in the Big 12 the past three years (29-9), but after finishing in the top 10 in the country each of the past two years, they won just six times this season. The Bulldogs also fell short of expectations, going 7-5 in Kirby Smart’s first season as head coach after finishing 10-3 in 2014 and 2015.

TCU’s roster features just 13 seniors, and head coach Gary Patterson looks to the bowl game as a springboard into next season. “It’s really about us growing up as a football team and finding out how we need to play going into next season, because we weren’t happy with this one,” Patterson told reporters. “Going 6-6 is not something we’re happy about.” The Horned Frogs lost three games by six points or less, including two in overtime, and closed the regular season with losses in four of their final six contests.

Smart’s first season was marked by a 1-4 stretch in the middle of the season, a stirring upset victory over Auburn and then a bitter home loss to in-state rival Georgia Tech. The Bulldogs have spent practice time working on improving execution, especially at quarterback, where freshman Jacob Eason has shown flashes of brilliance mixed with first-year mistakes. “He’s got to do a better job of commanding the huddle for our team and being a leader,” Smart told reporters.

LINE HISTORY: The line opened with TCU as 1.5-point dogs, that number has since jumped the fence and now stands TCU -2.5. The total opened at 49 and faded to 48, before rebounding to 48.5. Check out the complete line history here.

WEATHER REPORT: The forecast for kickoff on Friday afternoon at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium is sunny skies with temperatures in the mid-50’s.

INJURY REPORT:

Georgia - WR Jayson Stanley (probable, toe), DB Tyrique McGhee (questionable, leg), DT DaQuan Hawkins (questionable, ankle), LB Natrez Patrick (questionable, shoulder), LB Lorenzo Carter (questionable, knee), DB Kirby Choates (doubtful, personal), WR Michael Chigbu (doubtful, knee), DB Juwuan Briscoe (out, personal), DB Rico McGraw (out, personal)

Texas Christian - QB Kenny Hill (probable, foot), PK Jonathan Song (questionable, toe)

ABOUT GEORGIA (7-5 SU, 5-7 ATS, 5-7 OU): The Bulldogs received surprisingly good news Dec. 15 when running backs Nick Chubb and Sony Michel, who combined to rush for 1,741 yards and 10 touchdowns, announced they would return for their senior seasons. Eason completed 55 percent of his passes and threw for 14 touchdowns, but did not top 200 yards passing six times in 12 games (11 starts) as the Bulldogs ranked 11th in the SEC in scoring (24 points per game). Georgia’s defense forced 25 turnovers, tops in the conference, and ranked 18th nationally against the pass (186.9 yards per game).

ABOUT TCU (6-6 SU, 3-9 ATS, 5-7 OU): Quarterback Kenny Hill passed for 3,062 yards and 15 touchdowns in his first season after transferring from Texas A&M, but the junior threw 13 interceptions. A knee injury to wide receiver KaVontae Turpin disrupted an offense that still averaged 31.7 points and 475 yards of total offense per game, as Kyle Hicks rushed for 954 yards and 12 touchdowns. Defensively, the Horned Frogs gave up 30 points six times, and followed up a dominant performance at Texas by allowing 30 points to Kansas State in the regular-season finale.

TRENDS:

* Bulldogs are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games following a straight up loss.
* Horned Frogs are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games after scoring less than 20 points in their previous game.
* Under is 5-0 in Bulldogs last 5 neutral site games.
* Under is 8-1-1 in Horned Frogs last 10 Bowl games.
* Under is 4-1 in Horned Frogs last 5 vs. a team with a winning record.

CONSENSUS: The public is on the underdog in this matchup, with 58 percent of wagers on Georgia. As for the total, an 55 percent of wagers are on the Over.

Sun Bowl betting preview: Stanford vs North Carolina
By Covers.com

No. 18 Stanford Cardinal vs North Carolina Tar Heels (+3, 54)

Stanford star running back Christian McCaffrey was a key part of the team’s five-game winning streak to close the regular season, but the junior will not play when the Cardinal face North Carolina in the Hyundai Sun Bowl on Dec. 30 in El Paso, Texas. McCaffrey, who leads the nation with 2,327 all-purpose yards and has posted 1,603 rushing yards, announced on Twitter that he will sit out the Sun Bowl to focus on his NFL draft preparation. McCaffrey’s early departure creates an opportunity for promising sophomore Bryce Love, who has three rushing touchdowns and averages 7.4 yards per carry.

The Sun Bowl may lack its original star power, but North Carolina junior quarterback Mitch Trubisky is an emerging NFL prospect who threw for nearly 3,500 yards and completed 69 percent of his passes with 28 touchdowns against four interceptions. The Tar Heels’ roller-coaster campaign included wins over Florida State, Miami and Pittsburgh as well as disappointing late-season losses to Duke and North Carolina State. “We weren’t able to overcome all the emotions we created for ourselves,” coach Larry Fedora told reporters. “There were a few games down the stretch that we didn’t play up to our capability. We didn’t make the ordinary plays that we needed to make.”

North Carolina needs a complete effort against Stanford, which fell out of the Pac-12 race with back-to-back losses to Washington and Washington State but ended the season by winning six of its final seven games. The Tar Heels allowed 235 yards per game on the ground and 28 rushing touchdowns, which doesn’t bode well against a Stanford offense that figures to give Love a heavy workload. If North Carolina’s front seven can bottle up Love, the Cardinal could struggle to keep pace with the Tar Heels’ explosive offense.

LINE HISTORY: The line opened with Stanford field goal favorites, that line was quickly bet up to 3.5, before fading late in the week to 2.5. The total opened at 54 and was briefly bet up to 54.5 than returned to the opening number. Check out the complete line history here.

WEATHER REPORT: It will be a cloudy day at Sun Bowl Stadium in El Paso, with temperatures in the mid-50’s.

INJURY REPORT:

Stanford - OT Casey Tucker (probable, undisclosed), TE Greg Taboada (probable, undisclosed), S Zach Hoffpauir (questionable, undisclosed), RB Christian McCaffrey (out, personal)

North Carolina - HB Elijah Hood (out, undisclosed)

ABOUT STANFORD (9-3 SU, 7-5 ATS, 5-7 OU): After watching his offense struggle early in the season, Shaw replaced senior quarterback Ryan Burns with sophomore Keller Chryst, who provided an immediate spark and led the Cardinal to five straight wins while throwing nine touchdowns and one interception. Wide receivers JJ Arcega-Whiteside and Trenton Irwin became key late-season factors for the Cardinal, who posted over 500 yards of total offense in each of their last three games. Defensive end Solomon Thomas recorded 55 tackles and seven sacks to lead a unit that allows 20.2 points per game and has been especially tough in the red zone.

ABOUT NORTH CAROLINA (8-4 SU, 7-5 ATS, 4-8 OU): Trubisky has a number of weapons at his disposal, including senior wideout Ryan Switzer, a dangerous punt returner and first-team All-ACC selection who leads the team with 91 receptions for 1,027 yards and five touchdowns. The Tar Heels also boast an effective ground game led by versatile junior Elijah Hood (eight touchdowns) and senior T.J. Logan, who added seven touchdowns on 101 carries. On defense, the Tar Heels are led by linemen Nazair Jones and Malik Carney along with linebacker Andre Smith, who recorded a team-high 110 tackles.

TRENDS:

* Cardinal are 7-1 ATS in their last 8 neutral site games.
* Tar Heels are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 neutral site games.
* Over is 4-0 in Cardinal last 4 neutral site games.
* Over is 4-0 in Tar Heels last 4 vs. Pac-12.

CONSENSUS: The bettors prefer the favorite in this matchup, with 53 percent of wagers on Stanford. As for the total, 60 percent of wagers are on the Over.

Arizona Bowl Betting Preview: South Alabama vs Air Force
By Covers.com

South Alabama Jaguars vs Air Force Falcons (-13.5, 57.5)

South Alabama came out strong with a win at Mississippi State in its season opener but did not win another road game the rest of the way and had to scramble to become bowl eligible. The Jaguars picked up a victory in their regular-season finale over New Mexico State to earn a spot in the Arizona Bowl against Air Force on Dec. 30 in Tucson, Ariz. The Falcons won five straight to close out the regular season, including a 27-20 triumph over then-No. 19 Boise State in the finale.

South Alabama is making the second bowl appearance in school history and is looking for its first win after falling to Bowling Green in the 2014 Camellia Bowl. The Jaguars showed an ability to get up for big games this season with the win over Mississippi State - the Sun Belt's lone triumph over an SEC team in 2016 - and a 42-24 thrashing of then-No. 19 San Diego State at home on Oct. 1. Each of South Alabama's final three losses and four of the six came by seven or fewer points.

Air Force hit a lull with three straight losses at the beginning of conference play but churned out the yards on the ground in the final five games. The Falcons are third among FBS teams with an average of 322.8 rushing yards and are averaging 34.3 points. Air Force is appearing in a bowl game for the ninth time in the last 10 seasons under head coach Troy Calhoun and is searching for its fourth win in that span.

LINE HISTORY: The Falcons opened as 12.5-point favorites and that number wasn’t high enough for bettors, betting the line up another full point to 13.5. The total opened at 57.5 and has yet to move off that number. Check out the complete line history here.

WEATHER REPORT: The forecast for Arizona Stadium is calling for cloudy skies with a touch of rain in the evening and temperatures in the mid-50’s at kick off. Winds gusting out of the southwest at 5 mph and gusts as high as 10 mph.

INJURY REPORT:

South Alabama - S Kalen Jackson (probable, ankle), OL Curtis Williams (questionable, knee), OL Troy Thingstad (questionable, hip)

Air Force - QB Nate Romine (questionable, ankle)

ABOUT SOUTH ALABAMA (6-6 SU, 3-9 ATS, 5-6-1 OU): Head coach Joey Jones led the Jaguars' transition to the FBS in 2012 and is confident despite being an underdog against Air Force. "We're going out there to win a bowl game, first and foremost," Jones told reporters. "Yes, we're going to have some great dinners and we're going to do some sightseeing, and that's a great experience, but we have to get the guys to understand it's time for business, and when we get away from those events we have to be ready to practice and ready for meetings." Jones, whose team already beat one Mountain West opponent this season in San Diego State, will lean on junior running back Xavier Johnson, who collected career highs of 154 yards and three touchdowns in the regular season finale.

ABOUT AIR FORCE (9-3 SU, 5-7 ATS, 7-5 OU): The Falcons excel at the option attack and totaled 35 rushing touchdowns in the regular season from eight different players. Jacobi Owens led the team with 785 yards but was one of four rushers to total at least 600 on the season and tied for fifth with three TDs as Timothy McVey paced the team with 10 rushing scores. Air Force is led on defense by senior safety Weston Steelhammer, who became the first player in school history to be named first-team All-Mountain West three years in a row after leading the team with 75 tackles and boosting his career total to 17 interceptions with six more this season.

TRENDS:

* Jaguars are 3-13 ATS in their last 16 games following a straight up win.
* Over is 6-1-1 in Jaguars last 8 vs. a team with a winning record.
* Over is 4-1 in Falcons last 5 neutral site games.
* Over is 8-2 in Jaguars last 10 non-conference games.

CONSENSUS: Bettors are firmly behind the double digit favorite, with 64 percent of wagers on Air Force. As for the total, 62 percent of the wagers are taking the Over.

Music City Bowl Betting Preview: Nebraska vs Tennessee
By Covers.com

No. 16 Nebraska Cornhuskers vs No. 21 Tennessee Volunteers (-6.5, 58 )

Nebraska and Tennessee once seemed poised to return to prominence in 2016, only to watch their seasons wrap up Dec. 30 at the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl in Nashville, Tenn. after league play took its toll. The 21st-ranked Cornhuskers reeled off seven straight wins before a 59-point beating at Ohio State served as one of two blowout losses during their 2-3 finish. The Volunteers opened 5-0, but a three-game skid in mid-October led to a lackluster 3-4 end to their season.

Quarterbacks Tommy Armstrong Jr. and Joshua Dobbs are set to play their final games after record-breaking careers, although the former may not be able to hold up his end of the deal. Armstrong owns the Cornhuskers' all-time passing (8,871) and total-yardage (10,690) marks, but he reportedly suffered a setback in the left hamstring he injured late in a Nov. 12 win over Minnesota and appears unlikely to go. Dobbs, who holds the Volunteers' single-season rushing mark for a quarterback, leads the SEC in touchdown passes (26), passer efficiency (152.6) and points responsible for (216).

While the Cornhuskers made significant strides in 2016 on defense (31st in scoring defense and 21st in total defense this year after 75th- and 64th-place finishes, respectively, in 2015), the Volunteers boast the most impactful player on that side of the ball. All-American junior defensive end Derek Barnett is tied for sixth in the nation with an SEC-high 12 sacks, while his 18 tackles for loss lead the league and rank 16th nationally. He is also tied with Vols legend Reggie White for the most sacks in school history (32).

LINE HISTORY: Oddsmakers opened with Tennessee as 3-point favorites, but that wasn’t enough for bettors and they forced the line up to 6.5 late in the week. The total opened at 60.5 and was quickly bet up a half-point to 61, before fading to 58 when this cheat sheet was created. Check out the complete line history here.

WEATHER REPORT: The forecast is calling for plenty of sunshine at Nissan Stadium in Nashville for this afternoon kick off. Temperatures will be in the high-40’s and winds heading east at 7 mph.

INJURY REPORT:

Nebraska - QB Ryker Fyfe (probable, wrist), RB Terrell Newby (probable, knee), TE Matt Snyder (questionable, elbow), WR Alonzo Moore (questionable, undisclosed), RB Tre Bryant (questionable, hamstring), QB Tommy Armstrong Jr. (doubtful, hamstring), WR Jordan Westerkamp (out, knee), S Nate Gerry (out, eligibility), CB Boaz Joseph (out, suspension)

Tennessee - DL Austin Smith (questionable, shoulder), OL Dylan Wiesman (questionable, ankle), OL Chance Hall (out, undisclosed), OL Venzell Boulware (out, academics)

ABOUT NEBRASKA (9-3 SU, 6-4-2 ATS, 3-9 OU): With Armstrong trending in the wrong direction, coach Mike Riley is working under the belief that fellow senior Ryker Fyfe will make his third career start; the former walk-on threw for 220 yards and a score in a win against Maryland in his only previous 2016 start on Nov. 19. Leading receiver Jordan Westerkamp suffered a torn meniscus in practice on Dec. 14 and has been ruled out, leaving senior Brandon Reilly (17 catches for 314 yards) to start in his place in the slot. Safety Nate Gerry needs one interception to match Dana Stephenson's school career mark of 14 - the same number of tackles he requires to tie Mike Brown's program record for career tackles by a defensive back (287).

ABOUT TENNESSEE (8-4 SU, 5-7 ATS, 8-4 OU): The Volunteers averaged 50.2 points over their final four games (3-1) and Dobbs had a hand in 15 of the 27 touchdowns scored while piling up 1,362 total yards (including 393 yards on the ground) over that same span. Junior Josh Malone is easily the team's biggest offensive threat after Dobbs, ranking second in the conference with 10 receiving touchdowns and 18.9 yards per catch. Barnett accumulated all 12 of his sacks during conference play and became the first Tennessee defensive lineman to earn first-team all-conference coaches' honors since Robert Ayers in 2008, but he is one of the few bright spots for a unit that ended the regular season ranked 109th in FBS in total defense and 73rd in scoring defense.

TRENDS:

* Cornhuskers are 10-1 ATS in their last 11 games on grass.
* Volunteers are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games after allowing more than 280 yards passing in their previous game.
* Over is 5-1 in Cornhuskers last 6 games on grass.
* Over is 4-0 in Volunteers last 4 bowl games.

CONSENSUS: 55 percent of users are backing the favorite Tennessee Volunteers. As for the total, 62 percent of the wagers are on the Over.

Orange Bowl Betting Preview: Michigan vs Florida State
By Covers.com

No. 6 Michigan Wolverines vs No. 11 Florida State Seminoles (+7, 52)

Sixth-ranked Michigan looks to overcome the disappointment of missing out on the College Football Playoff when it faces No. 10 Florida State in the Orange Bowl on Dec. 30 in Miami. The Wolverines seemed poised to make their first appearance in the CFP until they dropped two of their last three games down the stretch, including a controversial 30-27 double-overtime loss to No. 2 Ohio State. The Seminoles were picked fourth in the preseason USA Today Coaches' poll but failed to live up to the hype, suffering losses to Louisville (60-23), North Carolina (37-35) and second-ranked Clemson (37-34) during a six-week span, as they failed to advance to the ACC title game for the second time in as many seasons.

Sophomore hybrid linebacker Jabrill Peppers, who has played in 11 different positions, and junior running back Dalvin Cook, who has rushed for 4,319 yards and 45 touchdowns in his Florida State career, are likely playing their last collegiate games. Cook rewrote the record book with the Seminoles after running for 1,620 yards and 18 touchdowns this season to break Warrick Dunn's career mark for rushing yards (3,959) and eclipse Greg Allen's 32-year old record for most touchdowns (44). Peppers won a multitude of awards this season, including the Big Ten's Defensive Player of the Year, the Lott Impact Trophy, the Horning Award and finished fifth in the Heisman Trophy voting en route to becoming the first unanimous All-American at Michigan since Jake Long in 2007.

The key to the matchup could hinge on whose offensive line protects their quarterback the best as Florida State led the nation with 47 sacks while Michigan finished right behind the Seminoles with 44 in the regular season. DeMarcus Walker led the country with 15 sacks and anchors a talented Seminoles' defensive front that has the potential to wreak havoc on the Wolverines' offensive line, which struggled in the last three games of the season. Michigan was dominate defensively under first-year coordinator Don Brown as the Wolverines finished first nationally in tackles for loss (115), second in scoring defense (12.5) and second in total defense (252.7).

LINE HISTORY: The Wolverines opened this bowl favored by 7-points, that line was briefly dropped to 6.5 before returning to the opening number. The total hit the board at 55 and has been driven down 2.5-points to 52.5. Check out the complete line history here.

WEATHER REPORT: It should be a beautiful night for football at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. The forecast is calling for clear, minimal winds and temperatures in the low 60’s.

INJURY REPORT:

Michigan - QB Wilton Speight (probable, shoulder), K Quinn Nordin (questionable, leg)

Florida State - DB Calvin Brewton (probable, head), DT Adam Torres (questionable, foot), DT Darvin Taylor II (questionable, shoulder), TE Jalen Richardson (questionable, concussion), DB Marcus Lewis (questionable, hip), LB Josh Brown (questionable, foot), OL Brock Ruble (questionable, leg), WR Da’Vante Phillips (questionable, wrist), DB A.J. Westbrook (questionable, concussion), WR Ermon Lane (out, foot), DB Derwin James (out, knee), OL Wilson Bell (questionable, possible suspension), LB Jacob Pugh (questionable, concussion)

ABOUT MICHIGAN (10-2 SU, 6-6 ATS, 8-4 OU): Junior quarterback Wilton Speight, who threw for 2,375 yards and 17 touchdowns in his first year as a starter, was hampered by a shoulder injury down the stretch but is expected to be back to 100 percent health against Florida State. "Wilton had a phenomenal year and improved game by game," Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh told reporters. "I truly think he will go into next year as one of the top quarterbacks in the country." Every defensive starter for the Wolverines received Big Ten honors, including Peppers, cornerback Jourdan Lewis and defensive end Taco Charlton, who are all projected to be selected in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft.

ABOUT FLORIDA STATE (9-3 SU, 7-4 ATS, 5-6 OU): Promising quarterback Malik Henry, who was beaten out of the starting job by Deondre Francois despite throwing for 205 yards and two touchdowns in the spring game, revealed his intention to transfer to another school on Dec. 13. Cook has rushed for at least 100 yards in eight of his last nine games and is coming off an 153-yard performance in the 31-13 win over No. 18 Florida to become the first player since Sammie Smith in 1988 to notch 3 straight 100-yard games against the Gators. "I'm looking forward to it. That's why I'm putting in the time watching Michigan film," Cook told reporters. "I'm looking forward to playing a good football team."

TRENDS:

* Wolverines are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games following a ATS win.
* Seminoles are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 non-conference games.
* Seminoles are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 neutral site games.
* Over is 11-2 in Wolverines last 13 vs. a team with a winning record.
* Over is 5-0 in Seminoles last 5 neutral site games.

CONSENSUS: Users like the favorite in this matchup, with 52 percent of the wagers on Michigan. As for the total, bettors are split 50/50.