College Football Betting News and Notes for Thursday, December 29th, 2016

Birmingham Bowl - South Florida - South Carolina

SEC teams won/covered this game as favorites last four years; now the SEC team is underdog here. USF coach Taggart is off to Oregon; not a big fan of laying double digits with a team whose coach skipped town. Bulls are 10-2 despite allowing 42+ points four times. USF is 6-3-1 as a favorite this season, 3-2-1 in games with double digit spread. Bulls lost 55-35 to Florida State, a team with SEC-type speed. South Carolina is 6-6, with five losses by 11+ points; they’re 3-5 as underdogs this year, 2-4 in games with double digit spread. Gamecocks won/covered last four bowls, scoring 30.3 pts/game, but that was with Spurrier as coach. USF won three of last four bowls, but LY’s 45-35 loss to WKU was their first bowl since ’10. Mobile QB Flowers is great on broken plays, but will he be as effective against a defense with SEC speed? AAC teams are 2-0-1 as a favorite vs SEC teams the last four years.

Belk Bowl - Arkansas - Virginia Tech

SEC teams beat ACC teams in this game 51-28/37-14 last two years; favorites won/covered last four Belk Bowls. Arkansas was 4-5 in last nine games after a 3-0 start; Razorbacks are 4-4 as underdogs this year, 4-3 in games with single digit spread- they’re 3-1 in games decided by 4 or less points. Virginia Tech won five of last seven games; they’re 5-4 as a favorite, 4-1 in games with single digit spread. Hokies allowed 30+ points in four of last six games. Bielema is 4-4 in bowls, 2-0 here; Arkansas won its last three bowls, scoring 35 pts/game- favorites covered their last four bowls. Va Tech won three of last four bowls; Fuente won his only bowl at Memphis. ACC non-conference favorites are 12-6 vs spread this season; SEC underdogs are 5-3. Last three Tech games went over total.

Alamo Bowl - Oklahoma State - Colorado

Colorado DC Leavitt bolted for Oregon, big loss for Buffs, who made quantum leap this year, are in first bowl since 2007- their last bowl win was in ’04. Colorado was 35-88 the last 10 years, are 10-3 this year; Buffs are 5-2 as favorites, 4-2 in games with single digit spread. Oklahoma State won seven of last eight games after a 2-2 start; Cowboys are 3-2 as an underdog. 5-1 in games with single digit spread. Gundy is 6-4 in bowl games, 3-2 in last five, with average total of 68.6. Big X teams are 3-2 vs Pac-12 teams in last five Alamo Bowls; favorites are 3-2 vs spread in last five, with average total of 76.2. Pac-12 non-conference favorites are 7-9 vs spread; Big X underdogs are 2-4. Over is 5-3 in last eight OSU games, 2-7 in last nine Colorado games. Would expect Oklahoma State to have crowd edge; they recruit a lot in Texas.

Armadillosports.com

NCAAF: Streaks, Tips, Notes
Sportspic.com

South Florida at South Carolina

The Birmingham Bowl set for December 29 at 02:00 EST features AAC South Florida Bulls (10-2, 8- ATS) against the SEC’s South Carolina Gamecocks (6-6, 5-6-1 ATS). The Bulls racking up 43.6 points/game on 515.1 total yards are lead by duel threat QB Quinton Flowers tossing 2546 yards, 22 TD's, 6 Int along with 1,425 rushing yards, 15 TD's. On the other side of the ball, Bulls allowed 31.0 points/game on 482.3 total yards.

The Gamecocks' behind a carousel of QB's lead by Jake Bentley (1030 PY, 6 TD's, 2 Int), Perry Orth (661 PY, 0 TD, 2 Int), Brandon Mcllwain (660 PY, 2 TD, 1 Int) managed a lowly 19.2 points/game. Defensively, Gamecocks' ranked 45th in points allowed surrender 24.8 per/contest.

Bulls entering with plenty of momentum having won its last four (3-1 ATS), seven of eight down the stretch (5-3 ATS) along with carrying a nation-leading streak of 16 straight games scoring at least 30 points won't be denied. Consider laying the expected -10.0 (-$1.10) points currently being offered at Bovada.lv

Oklahoma State faces Colorado in Alamo Bowl
By: StatFox.com

#10 Colorado will be looking to cap off an unbelievable season with a win over #12 Oklahoma State in the Alamo Bowl on Thursday.

Oklahoma State faced Oklahoma in what was pretty much the Big 12 Championship in the final week of the regular season, as the winner of that game was going to finish the season atop the conference. The Cowboys were not very competitive in that game, though. They lost 38-20 as 12-point underdogs, and that loss snapped a seven-game winning streak. Still, this is a good football team and Oklahoma State knows the importance of winning a bowl game like this one. The Cowboys offense will be the focal point of Colorado’s film sessions, as Oklahoma State put up 40 or more points in six games this season. The Buffaloes, meanwhile, get things done on defense. Until losing 41-10 to Washington in the Pac 12 Championship, Colorado had allowed an average of 16.0 PPG in its previous eight games. The team will need to put forth a similar effort in this one. It’s worth noting that Oklahoma State is 4-2 in its past six bowl games and that this is Colorado’s first bowl appearance since 2007. The fact that the Buffaloes are even playing in this game is truly insane, as many thought this was the worst team in the conference before the year. As for trends in this game, Colorado is the team that is seemingly favored. The Buffaloes were 6-0 ATS when the total was between 56.5 and 63.0 points this season, and they are also facing a Cowboys team that is just 5-15 ATS after having won eight of its past 10 games since 1992.

If a great offense beats a great defense then Oklahoma State should come away with a win in Thursday’s Alamo Bowl. The Cowboys have one of the most explosive units in the nation, and they are capable of beating teams with both the pass and the rush. Through the air, QB Mason Rudolph (3,777 yards, 25 TD, 4 INT) takes a ton of deep shots and he rarely ever throws picks. He threw only four interceptions all season, and two of those came in the same game. When he does look downfield, the guys he’ll be targeting will most likely be WRs James Washington (62 rec, 1,209 yards, 9 TD) and Jalen McCleskey (69 rec, 762 yards, 7 TD). Both players are extremely talented, but Washington’s 19.5 yards per catch is truly ridiculous. He should be in for a huge play or two in this one. On the ground, it’ll be RB Justice Hill (1,042 yards, 5 TD) that sees most of the carries for this Oklahoma State team. Hill is only a freshman, but he emerged as the best ball carrier on this team with a 122-yard performance against Baylor on Sep. 24. From there, Hill rushed for 100 yards or more in four of the next eight games. He’ll need to run it well on Thursday for his team to win this massive game.

The Buffaloes might not have the same amount of weapons as the Cowboys, but they can put up points as well. The leader of their offense is QB Sefo Liufau (2,171 yards, 11 TD, 6 INT), who is also one of the team’s best runners. Liufau rushed for 496 yards and seven touchdowns on the season, and his ability to do both keeps defenses honest. Liufau suffered an ankle injury against Washington in the Pac 12 Championship, and the result of the game might have been different if he were 100% healthy in that one. He should, however, be fully recovered for this game, and he’ll be ready to take off. The most talented player on this offense is RB Phillip Lindsay (1,189 yards, 16 TD), though. Lindsay has a nose for the endzone, as he had five multi-touchdown games this season. He is also a weapon out of the backfield, as he caught 47 passes for 390 yards and a score this season. If Colorado is going to win this game then it’ll mean that Lindsay made a ton of plays. Defensively, the Buffaloes were one of the best teams in the nation this season. Shutting down the Cowboys’ passing game will be tough, but this secondary is certainly capable.

Thursday's Bowl Tip Sheet
By Brian Edwards
VegasInsider.com

South Florida vs. South Carolina

Back in August, I stated that if Will Muschamp could hit the six-win mark and get his first South Carolina team into the postseason, he should be a strong candidate for SEC Coach of the Year. Well, here we are and the Gamecocks are going bowling on Thursday. To be exact, they’ll take on South Florida at the Birmingham Bowl at Legion Field.

As of early Wednesday afternoon, most betting shops had USF (10-2 straight up, 8-4 against the spread) listed as a 10-point favorite with a total of 62. Gamblers could take South Carolina to win outright for a +330 payout (risk $100 to win $330).

South Florida is bowling for a second straight season after missing out on the postseason from 2011-2014. However, the Bulls will have to face South Carolina without head coach Willie Taggart, who parlayed USF’s 10-2 record into a better job at Oregon. He has been replaced by former Texas and Louisville head coach Charlie Strong, who will take over after interim coach T.J. Weist runs the show in Birmingham.

USF lost a 45-35 decision to Western Kentucky as a 2.5-point underdog at last year’s Miami Beach Bowl.

USF won its first three games in blowout fashion before taking its first loss to FSU by a 55-35 count as a four-point home underdog. The Bulls would respond with three consecutive victories by margins of at least 15 points before taking a 46-30 loss at Temple on a Friday night. Since then, however, they have won four in a row while cashing tickets at a 3-1 ATS clip.

USF’s best wins came vs. Navy (52-45), at Memphis (49-42) and vs. UCF (48-31). Seven of the Bulls’ 10 wins came by at least 15 points. They closed the regular season with the win over the Knights as 12.5-point home ‘chalk.’ Marlon Mack led the way against UCF by rushing for 155 yards and two TDs on 20 attempts. Junior QB Quinton Flowers ran for 152 yards and a pair of scores on 20 attempts. He also completed 17-of-26 passes for 152 yards. Rodney Adams had nine receptions for 78 yards.

Flowers had a sensational campaign, connecting on 61.5 percent of his throws for 2,546 yards with a 22/6 touchdown-to-interception ratio. He also ran for a team-high 1,425 yards and 15 TDs while averaging 8.1 yards per carry. Mack, who is already the school’s all-time leading rusher even though he’s a true junior, went over 1,000 rushing yards for a third straight season. He ran for 1,137 yards and 15 TDs while averaging 7.1 YPC.

Adams is USF’s go-to WR, snaring 60 balls for 755 yards and five TDs. Marquez Valdes-Scantling had 21 receptions for 401 yards and five TDs.

USF has been a double-digit favorite seven times this year, producing a 5-2 spread record.

South Florida is ranked fifth in the nation in rushing, ninth in total offense and seventh in scoring (43.6 points per game). However, the Bulls are ranked No. 120 (of 128 FBS teams) in total defense and they’re No. 118 at defending the pass.

South Carolina (6-6 SU, 5-6-1 ATS) has been a double-digit underdog four times this year, compiling a 2-1-1 spread record with one outright victory. The Gamecocks own a 3-4-1 spread record as underdogs.

After starting 2-4 and losing 28-14 at home to Georgia, USC went into the open date searching for answers on offense. Muschamp made a bold move and took the redshirt off of 4-star recruit Jake Bentley, a true freshman who skipped his senior year of high school. The move paid off instantly with Bentley leading his team on a three-game winning streak with home victories over UMass (34-28), Tennessee (24-21) and Missouri (31-21).

South Carolina was only blown out once this season. Unfortunately, that came against its arch rival in the regular-season finale. Clemson took it to the Gamecocks early and often in a 56-7 beatdown as a 27-point home favorite. The Tigers gashed the USC defense for 622 yards. Bentley couldn’t get anything going, completing only 7-of-17 passes for 41 yards with one interception. USC’s only score came on a 33-yard TD pass from WR Deebo Samuel to true freshman WR Bryan Edwards.

South Carolina’s best wins came at Vanderbilt (13-10) and vs. the Volunteers, who managed only 297 yards of total offense and committed three turnovers in Columbia. Bentley connected on 15-of-20 throws for 167 yards and two TDs without an interception. Rico Dowdle, another true freshman, rushed 27 times for 127 yards and one TD. Samuel had eight catches for 83 yards, while Edwards hauled in four receptions for 41 yards and one TD.

For the season, Bentley completed 63.3 percent of his passes for 1,030 yards with a 6/2 TD-INT ratio. He has three main targets in Samuel, Edwards and sophomore TE Hayden Hurst. Samuel had a team-best 45 receptions for 593 yards, while Hurst had 42 catches for 530 yards. Neither player had a TD catch, however. Edwards finished the regular season with 38 grabs for 519 yards and three TDs. Another tight end, sophomore Kevin Crosby, had 22 catches for 210 yards and a team-high four TDs. Samuel did find the end zone, though. The versatile sophomore rushed 14 times for 94 yards and five TDs, and he also had the aforementioned TD pass.

Dowdle missed all of September with an injury, but he still rushed for a team-high 714 yards and six TDs in only eight games. Dowdle averaged 5.9 YPC.

South Carolina missed the postseason in 2015, but it has still won four straight bowl games, including wins over Miami, Wisconsin, Michigan and Nebraska from 2011-2014 under Steve Spurrier.

The ‘over’ is 9-3 overall for USF, going 5-1 in its last six games. The Bulls have seen their games average combined scores of 74.6 PPG. Their games that went ‘under’ had totals of 74.5, 73 and 68.5.

The ‘under’ is 8-4 overall for South Carolina, but the ‘over’ hit in back-to-back contests to close the regular season. The Gamecocks have watched their games average combined scores of 44.1 PPG. This is the highest total they’ve seen all season. The previous high was 57.5 in a 17-10 loss at Kentucky that had a thunder ‘under’ appearance.

Arkansas vs. Virginia Tech

This SEC/ACC showdown will take place at the Belk Bowl in Charlotte at Bank of America Stadium. As of early Wednesday, most spots had Virginia Tech (9-4 SU, 7-6 ATS) installed as seven-point favorite with a total of 61. The Razorbacks were +220 on the money line (risk $100 to win $220).

This is Virginia Tech’s 24th consecutive postseason appearance. The Hokies have won back-to-back bowl games and three of their last four, including a 55-52 non-covering win over Tulsa as 14-point ‘chalk’ last year.

Virginia Tech won the ACC’s Coastal Division in the first season of Justin Fuente’s tenure. The Hokies appear to have found themselves a terrific coach to lead them into the future. Fuente’s team came up short against Clemson at the ACC Championship Game, but not without giving the Tigers fits for 60 minutes. Clemson won a 42-35 decision thanks to a Cordrea Tankersley interception of Jerod Evans in the red zone with 1:16 remaining. The Hokies took the cash as 11-point underdogs. Evans threw for 264 yards and one TD, in addition to rushing for 46 yards and a pair of scores. Cam Phillips brought down 12 catches for 92 yards and one TD, while Travon McMillan rushed seven times for 37 yards and two TDs.

Evans, a juco transfer, started all 13 games. He completed 63.5 percent of his passes for 3,309 yards with a 27/7 TD-INT ratio. Evans also rushed for a team-best 759 yards and 10 TDs while averaging 4.2 YPC. His favorite target was Isaiah Ford, who had 73 receptions for 1,038 yards and seven TDs. Phillips caught 70 balls for 868 yards and five TDs, while TE Bucky Hodges had 43 catches for 640 yards and seven TDs.

McMillan is the featured RB, rushing for 637 yards and six TDs with a 4.7 YPC average.

Virginia Tech owns a 3-1 spread record in four games as a single-digit ‘chalk.’

Virginia Tech’s best wins came at Pitt (39-36), vs. Miami (37-16), at North Carolina (34-3) and vs. Boston College (49-0). The Hokies lost vs. Tennessee (45-24), at Syracuse (31-17) and vs. Georgia Tech (30-20).

Virginia Tech is ranked 19th in the nation in total defense, 22nd versus the run and 28th in scoring defense (22.7 PPG).

Arkansas started the season 3-0, including a 41-38 overtime win at TCU as a 10.5-point underdog. However, the Razorbacks ineptitude in the red zone prompted a tie game late in the third quarter to turn into a 45-24 loss to Texas A&M at Jerry World in Arlington. They would trade a win for a loss in consecutive weeks for the rest of the season.

Arkansas (7-5 SU, 5-7 ATS) posted its best wins at TCU, vs. La. Tech (21-20), vs. Ole Miss (34-30), vs. Florida (31-10) and at Mississippi State (58-42). The win over UF was the first since Arkansas joined the SEC in 1992. The Gators came to Fayetteville with only one loss and off a blowout win over Georgia on Nov. 5. But on this day at War Memorial Stadium, it was all Hogs. They took the lead less than three minutes in on a 24-yard pick-six by Santos Ramirez and never relinquished it. UF managed only 241 yards of total offense and its second-ranked defense (at the time) allowed Arkansas to run for 223 yards and to produced 466 yards of total offense. Rawleigh Williams led the way with 148 rushing yards and two TDs on 26 attempts. Drew Morgan had seven receptions for 95 yards and one TD.

Arkansas has been an underdog seven times this year, posting a 3-4 record both SU and ATS.

Arkansas took its defeats vs. Texas A&M, vs. Alabama (49-30), at Auburn (56-3), vs. LSU (38-10) and at Missouri (28-24). The only loss from the ‘chalk’ role came in the regular-season finale when the Razorbacks went scoreless in the second half and allowed a 24-7 halftime advantage to disappear. In his first season as the starter replacing his older brother Brandon, Austin Allen had an excellent year for the most part. But in Columbia, his 348 passing yards couldn’t make up for a pair of costly interceptions.

Allen has completed 61.4 percent of his passes for 3,152 yards with a 23/12 TD-INT ratio. However, he was intercepted twice in the loss to LSU as well.

Allen is blessed with an outstanding set of WRs, including Keon Hatcher and Morgan. Hatcher has 38 receptions for 638 yards and seven TDs, while Morgan has 61 catches for 664 yards and three TDs. Jared Cornelius has 32 catches for 515 yards and four TDs, while TE Jeremy Sprinkle has 33 grabs for 380 yards and four TDs.

Williams rushed for 1,326 yards and 12 TDs with a 5.7 YPC average. His back-up, Devwah Whaley, has rushed for 601 yards and three TDs while averaging 5.7 YPC.

Arkansas missed the postseason in Bret Bielema’s first season at the helm. Since then, the Razorbacks are 2-0 both SU and ATS in bowl games, including wins over Kansas St. (45-23) at last year’s Liberty Bowl and Texas (31-7) at the 2014 Texas Bowl.

Totals have been an overall wash (6-6) for the Hogs, who saw their games average combined scores of 61.6 PPG.

The ‘over’ is 8-5 overall for the Hokies after cashing in each of their last three outings. Their games have averaged combined scores of 57.7 PPG.

Oklahoma State vs. Colorado

The Valero Alamo Bowl will feature a pair of former Big 12 rivals as Colorado squares off against Oklahoma State at the Alamodome in San Antonio. As of early Wednesday, most books had Colorado (10-3 SU, 10-3 ATS) listed as a three-point favorite with a total of 62.5. The Cowboys were +125 on the money line (risk $100 to win $125).

Colorado is already assured of its first winning season since 2005. The Buffaloes, who went 5-40 in their first five years of Pac-12 play, have already bagged their first Pac-12 South title, too. Now they’re looking for their first postseason victory since 2004.

Mike MacIntyre was hired in 2013 after turning around a San Jose State program and leading the Trojans to an 11-2 record both SU and ATS in 2012. The first three seasons were rough, as the Buffaloes limped to a 10-27 record. They were picked to finish last in the Pac-12 South by basically every poll or publication that’s out there. But CU turned the corner this season in spectacular fashion. It started with blowout wins over Colorado State (44-7) and Idaho State (56-7). Then as a 17.5-point underdog in Week 3, the Buffs went to The Big House and immediately raced out to leads of 14-0 and 21-7 in the first quarter. Less than a minute into the third quarter, senior QB Sefo Liufau found Shay Fields for a 70-yard scoring strike to put CU back in front of Michigan by a 28-24 score. However, Liufau injured his ankle on the play and would miss the rest of the game and the next two contests. Without their senior leader, the Buffs stalled offensively with back-up QB Steven Montez failing to complete a pass on seven attempts. Nevertheless, CU still covered the spread in the 45-28 loss.

With the redshirt freshman Montez as the starter, CU went to Eugene and knocked off Oregon 41-38 as a 14-point underdog. Next, the Buffs stroked Oregon State 47-6 as 17.5-point home ‘chalk.’ With a 2-0 mark in Pac-12 action, MacIntyre’s squad went to USC and lost a hard-fought 21-17 decision. Even in defeat, CU hooked up its betting supporters as a five-point road underdog.

Colorado would respond to the loss at USC by winning six consecutive games to earn a spot in the Pac-12 Championship Game in Santa Clara against Washington. CU’s most notable victories came at Stanford (10-5), vs. Washington State (38-24) and vs. Utah (27-22).

The Pac-12 Championship Game was a disappointment, though, as UW rolled to a 41-10 win as an 8.5-point favorite. The Huskies led 14-7 at intermission, but they dominated the second half starting with a 35-yard pick-six on the second play of the third quarter. Liufau was intercepted three times and CU generated merely 163 yards of total offense.

The CU offense relies heavily on junior RB Phillip Lindsay, who rushed for 1,189 yards and 16 TDs while averaging 5.2 YPC. He also has 47 catches for 390 yards and one TD.

Liufau became the school’s all-time leader in passing yards back in September. For the season, he completed 62.8 percent of his passes for 2,171 yards with an 11/6 TD-INT ratio. Liufau also makes plays with his legs, rushing for 494 yards and seven TDs.

Fields has made 52 catches for 845 yards and nine TDs, while Devin Ross hauled in 66 receptions for 765 yards and five TDs. Bryce Bobo has 41 catches for 523 yards and two TDs. Bobo is listed as ‘questionable’ for the bowl game due to a leg injury that kept him out of the Pac-12 Championship Game.

CU went 2-0 ATS in its only spots as a single-digit favorite this year.

Colorado is ranked 16th in the country in total defense, 12th against the pass and 19th in scoring defense (20.5 PPG).

Oklahoma State (9-3 SU, 7-5 ATS) is gunning for a fifth season with a double-digit win total in the last seven years. The Cowboys are bowling for the 11th straight season under Mike Gundy, who has a 103-50 record since taking over in Stillwater. The Cowboys have played in the Alamo Bowl four times, beating Arizona 36-10 in its last visit here in 2010. They made it to the Sugar Bowl last year, falling 48-20 to Ole Miss.

OSU started the season 2-2, losing a controversial 30-27 decision to Central Michigan as a 17.5-point home favorite on a Hail Mary pass on the game’s final play. The second defeat came at Baylor by a 35-24 count in Week 4. After that, however, Gundy’s club ripped off seven straight wins while going 5-2 ATS. The regular season ended on a down note, though, when Oklahoma won 38-20 as a 12-point home ‘chalk’ in the Bedlam rivalry.

OSU has been an underdog five times, producing a 3-2 record both SU and ATS with wins at TCU (31-6), at Kansas State (43-37) and vs. West Virginia (37-20).

Other notable wins on Oklahoma St.’s resume include a 45-38 home win over Pittsburgh and a 49-31 home win over Texas.

OSU junior QB Mason Rudolph had a sensational season, completing 63.0 percent of his passes for 3,777 yards with a remarkable 25/4 TD-INT ratio. He also rushed for six TDs.

OSU’s featured RB is true freshman Justice Hill, who rushed for 1,042 yards and five TDs while averaging 5.6 YPC. Chris Carson ran for 498 yards and eight TDs with a 7.0 YPC average. Carson also had 13 receptions for 128 yards and one TD.

Rudolph throws to a deep set of WRs led by junior James Washington, who brought down 62 balls for 1,209 yards and nine TDs. Jalen McCleskey had 69 catches for 762 yards and seven TDs, while Jhajuan Seales had 34 grabs for 572 yards and three TDs.

OSU has won three of its last four head-to-head meetings with Colorado and owns an 8-1 record in its last nine games against Pac-12 foes.

The ‘over’ is 7-5 overall for the Cowboys despite seeing back-to-back ‘unders’ to close the regular season. Their games have averaged combined scores of 66.8 PPG.

The ‘under’ went 8-5 overall for CU, cashing at a 7-2 clip in its last nine contests. The Buffs saw their games average combined scores of 53.3 PPG.

Birmingham Bowl Betting Preview: South Florida vs. South Carolina
By Covers.com

South Florida Bulls vs. South Carolina Gamecocks (+10, 62)

When USF and South Carolina square off in the Birmingham Bowl on Dec. 29 at Legion Field, it will mark just the second all-time meeting between the schools. It’s also a matchup of one of the nation’s most potent offenses in the Bulls’ Gulf Coast Offense against a Gamecocks defense that has taken on first-year coach Will Muschamp’s hard-nosed style. USF has hired Charlie Strong to replace head coach Willie Taggart, who departed for Oregon, but interim coach T.J. Weist will coach the Bulls in the bowl game with David Reaves serving as offensive coordinator.

South Carolina is bowl-eligible for the 12th time in 13 seasons after doubling its win total in Muschamp’s first campaign in Columbia. The Gamecocks have won their last four bowl games – only Marshall’s five-game winning streak in bowl games is longer. The Gamecocks are 0-2 in the bowl games in Birmingham, though, having lost 24-14 to Missouri in the 1979 Hall of Fame Bowl and 20-7 to Connecticut in the 2010 Birmingham Bowl.

The Bulls already have set a program record with 10 wins as well as school marks for total offense (6,181 yards), scoring (523 points), touchdowns (71), rushing yards (3,501) and rushing touchdowns (44). USF junior quarterback Quinton Flowers will be the most dynamic offensive player on the field for either team and finished the regular season ranked in the top 20 in the nation in nine offensive categories. Flowers already has set program records for total offense (3,976 yards), rushing yards (1,425), rushing touchdowns (15), total touchdowns (37) and 300-yard total offense games (eight).

LINE HISTORY: This line hit the board with South Florida favored by double digits at -10. They were briefly bet up to -10.5, but have since returned to the opening number. The total opened at 62.5 and has been bet down slightly to 62. Check out the complete line history here.

WEATHER REPORT: At kickoff Thursday afternoon in Birmingham the weather is expected to be cloudy with a slight chance of showers and temperatures in the mid-50's. Wind may be a factor in the kicking and passing game with sustained winds expected to exceed 20 mph.

INJURY REPORT:

South Florida - DB L. Robbins (Questionable, shoulder), OL G. Bethel (Out Indefinitely, eligibility), G B. Atterbury (Out Indefinitely, leg), RB D. Tice (Out Indefinitely, ankle), S M. Dixon (Out For Season, shoulder), WR A. Legree (Out For Season, knee).

South Carolina - RB A. Turner (Probable, knee), RB M. Denson (Questionable, knee), OL D. Stanley (Questionable, ankle), WR R. Davis (Questionable, hamstring), TE K. Markway (Out Indefinitely, ankle), QB L. Nunez (Out For Season, red shirt).

ABOUT USF (10-2 SU, 8-4 ATS, 9-3 O/U): With Flowers leading the way, the Bulls averaged a whopping 515.1 total yards – including 292.2 on the ground – and 43.6 points during the regular season. Flowers and running back Marlon Mack (1,137 yards, 15 TDs) are a tough 1-2 punch on the ground, but Flowers can do damage with his arm and rarely makes mistakes – he has thrown 22 touchdown passes with just six interceptions. The Bulls haven’t been as consistent on the other side of the ball and have allowed at least 500 total yards in four of their last five games.

ABOUT SOUTH CAROLINA (6-6 SU, 5-6-1 ATS, 4-8 O/U): The Gamecocks had won four of five and were feeling positive about the direction they were headed before a 56-7 rout at the hands of rival Clemson to close the regular season. The 622 total yards surrendered to the Tigers marred what was an otherwise encouraging season for Muschamp’s defense, which ranked 10th nationally with 25 takeaways – including 14 interceptions – and has been tough in the red zone, allowing touchdowns just 28 times in 49 trips inside the 20. A young offense came to life late in the season after freshmen Rico Dowdle (714 rushing yards, six TDs) and Jake Bentley (1,030 passing yards, six TDs, two interceptions) took on larger roles.

TRENDS:

* Bulls are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 vs. SEC.
* Gamecocks are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 neutral site games.
* Over is 5-1 in Bulls last 6 games overall.
* Under is 3-0-1 in Gamecocks last 4 vs. AAC.

CONSENSUS: The public is favoring the underdog South Carolina Gamecocks at a rate of 57 percent and the Under is picking up the majority of the totals wagers at 56 percent.

Belk Bowl Betting Preview: Arkansas vs Virginia Tech
Covers.com

Arkansas Razorbacks vs No. 22 Virginia Tech Hokies (-7, 61)

Virginia Tech came up short in the ACC title game, but a win over Arkansas in the Belk Bowl on Dec. 29 would be a decent consolation prize for the Hokies. Virginia Tech and Arkansas will head to Charlotte for an intriguing matchup between two teams that posted some quality wins this season. The Hokies defeated North Carolina, Miami (Fla.) and Pittsburgh as part of a solid first season under coach Justin Fuente, while the Razorbacks topped TCU, Ole Miss and Florida as part of a 6-3 start before losing two of their final three games.

The Hokies got big production in the ACC title game from the usual suspects - quarterback Jerod Evans (one passing TD, two rushing TDs), Travon McMillian (two rushing scores) and Cam Phillips (12 catches, 92 yards and a TD). Evans enters the postseason with 27 touchdown strikes and seven interceptions, not to mention 10 rushing scores, while McMillian has added six TDs on the ground and another three through the air. Phillips (70 catches, 868 yards) forms a dangerous tandem with Isaiah Ford (73 receptions, 1,038 yards) for the Hokies, who are seeking their fourth bowl victory in the last five seasons.

The Razorbacks have won their last three bowl games, but they will likely need Austin Allen to play like he did in the first half of the season if they are going to extend their streak. Allen's first five games featured 12 passing TDs, a rushing score and only two interceptions - both in the season opener. His last seven games saw him throw 11 touchdowns and 10 interceptions, including multiple picks in a disappointing loss to Missouri to end the regular season.

LINE HISTORY: Oddsmakers opened the line with Virginia Tech as 6.5-point favorites and that quickly rose up to a touchdown. Earlier this week that line of 7 was faded down to as low as 6 before jumping back up to 7 on game day. The total opened at 61.5 and dropped to 61 and hasn’t moved off that number. Check out the complete line history here.

WEATHER REPORT: The forecast at Bank of America Stadium is calling for a clear night in Charlotte, with temperatures hovering in the high-40’s. Winds heading to the west at 17.

INJURY REPORT:

Arkansas - LB Dre Greenlaw (questionable, foot), RB Kody Walker (questionable, foot), WR Cody Hollister (out, foot)

Virginia Tech - RB Shai McKenzie (questionable, undisclosed)

ABOUT ARKANSAS (7-5 SU, 5-7 ATS, 6-6 OU): In one sense, the Razorbacks are a balanced team as they score 30.8 points on average and they also give up 30.8 points per contest. Rawleigh Williams III ran for at least 117 yards seven times this season and totaled 322 yards and five rushing scores in the last two games - a high-scoring win over Mississippi State and the 28-24 loss to Missouri. “I think they’ll be very eager,” coach Bret Bielema, whose team will be facing the Hokies for the first time in school history, told reporters. “We’d like to play one this week to get that taste out of your mouth. Our guys will handle it the right way. We’ve got a good group of seniors.”

ABOUT VIRGINIA TECH (9-4 SU, 7-6 ATS, 8-5 OU): The Hokies are appearing in their 24th straight bowl game, but of course it will be the first for Fuente, who helped his team surpass expectations after Frank Beamer failed to exceed eight wins in any of the last four seasons. "(Playing Arkansas) is going to be on line with the skill and the athletes of Pittsburgh and Clemson. That is the way I see it," said Fuente, whose team defeated Pitt in late October - one of three three-point wins for the Hokies this season. Ford totaled 10 catches for 143 yards and a touchdown in that win over the Panthers but has scored only one TD in five games since and hasn't reached 90 receiving yards in any of those contests.

TRENDS:

* Razorbacks are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games following a straight up loss.
* Hokies are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games following a straight up loss.
* Hokies are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 vs. SEC.
* Over is 13-3 in Hokies last 16 non-conference games.
* Under is 7-1 in Razorbacks last 8 bowl games.

CONSENSUS: The public is on the underdog in this matchup, with 56 percent of wagers on Arkansas. As for the total, 59 percent of wagers are on the Over.

Alamo Bowl Betting Preview: Oklahoma State vs Colorado
Covers.com

No. 12 Oklahoma State Cowboys vs No. 10 Colorado Buffaloes (-3, 62.5)

Two former Big 12/Eight rivals clash in the 25th Alamo Bowl when No. 13 Oklahoma takes on No. 11 Colorado on Dec. 29 in San Antonio. Before Colorado jumped to the Pac-12 Conference in 2011, the programs met 46 times between 1920 and 2009 with the Buffaloes holding a 26-19-1 advantage. The Cowboys, however, won three of the last four meetings and emerged victorious in eight of their last nine contests overall against Pac-12 foes.

Colorado’s sudden and unexpected turnaround - going from 5-40 in its first five seasons of Pac-12 play to 8-1 (10-3 overall) and winning the Pac-12 South - was one of the more surprising FBS developments and garnered coach fourth-year coach Mike MacIntyre the Associated Press, Home Depot and Walter Camp national coach of the year awards. The Buffaloes were dominated by College Football Playoff-bound Washington 41-10 in the Pac-12 championship game Dec. 2, but Colorado still has a chance to cap the program’s first winning season since 2005 with its first bowl win since the 2004 Houston Bowl. “What’s been so awesome about this team is they’ve looked adversity right in the face for a few years and didn’t let it break them, they let it make them,” MacIntyre said at the Dec. 8 Alamo Bowl news conference. “That’s why we’ve achieved.”

Oklahoma State started the season 2-2 but proceeded to reel off seven straight victories - including double-digit wins over nationally ranked Texas and West Virginia - to set up a de facto Big 12 championship game Dec. 3 at Oklahoma. The game was tied at 17 at halftime, but the No. 7 Sooners owned the second half, outscoring the Cowboys 21-3 to cap their undefeated run through the Big 12 and send Oklahoma State into a month of bowl prep on a down note. “We want to win them all,” 12th-year Cowboys coach Mike Gundy said at the bowl news conference. “But I get over the games really fast because I believe if we think one second about the past, that keeps us from thinking about being positive in the future, then that’s one second that doesn’t give us an opportunity to be successful the next day.”

LINE HISTORY: Colorado opened this battle of top 25 ranked teams as 3-point favorites and was briefly bet up to 3.5, but has returned to the opening number of 3. The total opened at 62.5 and has been bet up half-point to 63. Check out the complete line history here.

INJURY REPORT:

Oklahoma State - OL Larry Williams (probable, ankle), DE Jordan Brailford (questionable, leg)

Colorado - OL Gerrad Kough (probable, ankle), QB Sefo Liufau (probable, ankle), DB Jaisen Sanchez (questionable, knee), LB Christian Shaver (questionable, suspension), DE Jaleel Awini (questionable, suspension), TE Chris Hill (questionable, suspension), WR Bryce Bobo (questionable, leg)

ABOUT OKLAHOMA STATE (9-3 SU, 7-5 ATS, 7-5 OU): This will be the Cowboys’ 11th straight bowl appearance under Gundy, the former Oklahoma State quarterback, and it is also the program’s fourth overall appearance in the Alamo Bowl with the last one coming in 2010 (a 36-10 victory over Arizona). In quarterback Mason Rudolph (3,777 yards, 25 touchdown passes), running back Justice Hill (187 carries, 1,042 yards, five TDs) and wide receiver James Washington (62 catches, 1,209 yards, nine TDs), the Cowboys are one of six FBS teams with a 3,500-yard passer, 1,000-yard rusher and 1,000-yard receiver, and are averaging 492.1 yards (17th nationally) and 38.7 points (19th) per game. Free safety Jordan Sterns (team-most 96 total tackles) and defensive tackle Vincent Taylor (12 tackles for loss, six sacks) are the leaders for the Cowboys’ defense, which is surrendering 457.0 yards (108th FBS) and 28.1 points (tied for 65th) per contest but has forced 24 turnovers and ranks ninth nationally with a plus-10 turnover differential.

ABOUT COLORADO (10-3 SU, 10-3 ATS, 5-8 OU): The Buffaloes are vying to become the fourth team in program history to win 11 games, and keeping record-setting senior quarterback Sefo Liufau (2,171 passing yards, 496 rushing, 18 total TDs) healthy will be a key as he was battling injuries and/or unable to finish each of the team’s three losses this season, including the Pac-12 title game. Running back Phillip Lindsay (230 carries, 1,189 yards, 16 TDs) and wide receiver Shay Fields (52 receptions, 845 yards, nine TDs) top the list of Liufau’s primary weapons with Colorado averaging 32.8 points (tied for 43rd FBS) and 446.3 yards (43rd) per outing. Led by linebacker Kenneth Olugbode (105 total tackles), linebacker Jimmie Gilbert (10.5 sacks) and safety Tedric Thompson (seven interceptions), Colorado ranks in the top 20 nationally in total defense (328.3 yards allowed), scoring (20.5 points) and passing defense (182.5) while also recording 26 takeaways (tied for seventh nationally), but veteran defensive coordinator Jim Leavitt is getting a sizable raise to take the same position at Oregon and likely won’t coach in the bowl game.

TRENDS:

* Cowboys are 4-1 ATS vs. a team with a winning record.
* Buffaloes are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games following a straight up loss.
* Under is 4-1 in Cowboys last 5 games on grass.
* Under is 4-0 in Buffaloes last 4 neutral site games.

CONSENSUS: The public is on the underdog in this matchup, with 54 percent of wagers on Oklahoma State. As for the total, an overwhelming 69 percent of wagers are on the Over.