NCAAF Bowl Previews
Armed Forces Bowl
Tulsa started season 1-3, but losses were to Oklahoma/Oklahoma St/Boise St- they won next seven games, with six wins by 17+ points, before losing finale 48-16 to Houston. Hurricane was 3-0 in bowls under previous coach Graham, winning 63-7/45-13/62-35, but two of those three were vs MAC schools; LY’s bowl was great win at Hawai’i. BYU is an independent now; ; they were 5-0 vs WAC schools, beat UCF of C-USA 24-17 but lost 54-10 to rival Utah, 38-29 at TCU, split 1-point decisions with Ole Miss/Texas. Cougars won bowls last two years, 44-20/52-24. Underdogs won this game last two years, but favorites are 5-3 vs spread in this bowl, 3-0 when TCU/service academy isn’t involved; average total in last four bowls is 59.3. Tulsa (+1.5) lost this game 26-13 five years ago. MWC teams are 2-3 in this bowl.
Pinstripe Bowl
6-6 Iowa State won two games as double digit underdogs to get here; they lost four games in row in October by average score of 34-18, but handing Oklahoma State its only loss made them bowl eligible- they are 7-3 vs spread as underdogs, with 24-20 win at UConn (not far from here) in September. Rutgers lost 40-22 at UConn, but won seven of last ten games- they’re 2-2 as favorite this year. Scarlet Knights didn’t go bowling LY, but they’ve won last four bowls by average score of 41-22 (3-1 vs spread); this is home game for them, with game being played in Bronx for second time. Iowa State is playing in just its second bowl since ’05; they’re 2-3 in last five bowls, all as underdogs- four of the five games were decided by 4 or less points (3-1-1 vs spread). ISU coach Rhoads is familiar with Rutgers from his days as Pitt’s DC (2000-7).
Music City Bowl
Mississippi State won its last four bowls, despite being underdog in three of them; their last bowl loss was in ’98 Cotton Bowl- this is just their third bowl since 2000, so their fans are excited (sold out their allotment of tickets). More was expected of Bulldogs than 6-6, scoring 12 or less points in four of six losses. State is 4-3 as a favorite this year. Wake Forest is in first bowl since ’08; they’ve won four of last five bowls, despite being dog in three of five. Deacons lost four of last five games, losing finale 41-7 to Vanderbilt; now they’re bowling in Vandy’s hometown. Wake is 5-4 as a dog this season. SEC teams are 4-4 in this bowl, 3-3 vs ACC teams, with underdogs 5-2 vs spread in last seven. Since 2003, dogs of 6+ points are 3-1 in this bowl. Since 2006, SEC clubs are 30-16 in bowls, 18-11 against the spread as bowl favorites.
Insight Bowl
Iowa is 1-4 on road this year, losing at Minnesota/Iowa State; they covered once in four games as a dog. Oklahoma split its last six games after a 6-0 start, allowing 41-45-44 points in its three losses- they’re 6-5 as favorite this year, 5-5 when laying double digits. Hawkeye alum Stoops is 6-6 in bowls, 4-8 vs spread, 1-2 when laying double digits, but he won his last two bowls, 31-27/48-20; Ferentz is 6-3 in bowls, winning his last three- he’s covered six of seven as a bowl dog. Big 12 teams are 4-1 in this bowl last five years, with Iowa (+2.5) beat Missouri LY; since ’03, underdogs are 5-3 vs spread in this game. Over last 5+ years, double digit bowl favorites are 11-18 v spread, 1-1 this year. Teams from Oklahoma’s league (Big X) won nine of last 12 bowls vs Big Dozen schools, but are just 4-8 vs spread in those games.
Armed Forces Bowl Betting Preview
By Rob Veno
Sportsmemo.com
Rob Veno’s Betting Take: It’s not that difficult to poke holes in each of the pointspread hot streaks posted by these teams to close the regular seasons. Tulsa went 5-1 ATS over the back half of its schedule but the only bowl teams they faced were Marshall and Houston. They destroyed Marshall by 42 but got hammered at home by Houston 48-16 in a season ending showdown for the Conference-USA West Division title. Against bowl teams overall, Tulsa went 1-4 straight up and 2-3 ATS with all five games totaling 61 points or more and averaging 70.8. BYU’s final six games saw a 6-0 ATS run with the lone straight up loss at TCU, 38-28. The rest of their current pointspread run consists of victories over sub .500 teams which combined for a 17-44 SU mark (one of the opponents was FCS Idaho State). A pair of teams on non-impressive hot streaks forces us to dig extremely deep to find an edge here.
An overall statistical examination would indicate a sizeable defensive edge for BYU and while it is true they are the better defense, just how good they are is in question. The Cougars played a litany of offensively impaired and unbalanced foes which skews their numbers. The one performance that sticks out positively however was the 283 total yards allowed in their loss at high powered TCU. The Tulsa defense does not have one game on their results log that matches it. Still, while the one common denominator is Tulsa’s defense being below average, I’m not quite sure BYU’s is that much above average. Head coach Bronco Mendenhall’s team was shredded for 7.7 yards per carry by Utah State, recorded 10 of their 20 quarterback sacks in two games (Idaho State and Central Florida), faced two top 20 total offenses all season, and zero balanced spread offenses with the diversity of a running quarterback. The latter is what they’ll see in Tulsa which averages 204.6 ypg rushing (24th nationally) and 249.8 ypg passing (40th). Quarterback GJ Kinne runs for 34 ypg and Tulsa ranks 23rd in total and scoring offense.
Conversely, BYU is not as potent an offense but with mobile quarterback Riley Nelson running the show they’ve averaged 41.2 ppg. Sure that number includes a lot of troubled defenses but Tulsa’s certainly fits that category. The Provo crew has balanced their offense over the past eight games with a ground attack averaging 165.8 yards by committee including Nelson whose 34 rypg is equal to that of his counterpart Kinne. Tulsa’s pass defense has been a sieve so figure the Cougars’ arsenal of pass routes to pile up yardage and points.
With each side eager to be part of this contest, motivational edges are not real visible but have to believe that Tulsa truly wants to atone for their season ending national TV clunker against Houston. The weather figures to be pretty good with little to no wind so the offenses won’t face those issues. The return games haven’t been special for either squad and while they’ve each been turnover prone, they’ve also been strong at takeaways. There has been slight play toward Tulsa which is now listed as a 1-point favorite. That price doesn’t even give us an advantage where recent history is concerned since BYU is 4-1 SU in bowls the last five years and Tulsa is 3-1. In a very even game I’ll give a tiny nod to BYU.
Pinstripe Bowl Betting Preview
By Teddy Covers
Sportsmemo.com
Teddy Covers' Betting Take: Iowa State wasn’t very good this year. The Cyclones did have one signature win, a thrilling double OT victory at home against Oklahoma State. And Iowa State did put together a road blowout, beating up on Texas Tech 41-7 the week after the Red Raiders had knocked off Oklahoma in Stillwater. But when you look at the entirety of the Cyclones schedule, you walk away underwhelmed with their accomplishments. Iowa State was a team that closed out the season on a 3-6 SU slide. Five of their six wins came by four points or less, or in overtime – even the one point win over FCS Northern Iowa, a win they needed to become bowl eligible.
ISU finished ninth in points scored out of a ten team Big XII. They ranked eighth in total offense and third down conversion percentage. Iowa State’s defense wasn’t much better, finishing seventh in the conference in points allowed and sixth in yards allowed, despite the fact that five of their six losses came by two touchdowns or more – games where opposing teams weren’t looking to pile up points and yards by the fourth quarter. A mid-season quarterback change to Jared Barnett wasn’t a difference maker – Barnett threw only six touchdowns in 213 attempts. Leading rusher James White averaged less than 60 yards per game, and other than Darius Reynolds, the receiving corps lacked playmakers. The Cyclones did pull off a minor upset in their last bowl game, beating Minnesota 14-13 in the 2009 Insight Bowl as two-point underdogs, but it’s hard to project that victory having much meaning on a cold December afternoon in the Bronx on Friday.
Rutgers was as lucky as they were good in 2011, repeatedly finding ways to win coin flip type games. Two of their eight wins came in overtime (South Florida and Syracuse, neither of whom was a bowl team). A third win (Navy, another non-bowl team) came by a single point thanks to a late blocked field goal. But Rutgers certainly had more quality wins than Iowa State did, beating up on bowl bound Cincinnati, Pitt and Ohio U; all by double-digit margins. They beat Army on this field back in November, and while a return trip to the same venue is not always a good thing, the Scarlet Knights should enjoy enough crowd support here to make them a worthy favorite.
Music City Bowl Betting Preview
By Erin Rynning
Sportsmemo.com
Erin Rynning's Betting Take: The Music City Bowl presents an interesting dilemma of basic bowl handicapping – matchups vs. motivation. You would think Wake Forest would have motivation on its side after dropping four of its last five games, including an embarrassing 41-7 loss to Vanderbilt to close out the regular season. Meanwhile, Mississippi State could very easily be disinterested for this game. Last season was a storybook journey for the Bulldogs, which culminated in the dismantling of famed Michigan on New Year’s Day. This showdown with Wake Forest just might not be enough to get the true juices flowing. As for the position battles, the edge clearly goes to the bigger, faster, and stronger SEC team. The Demon Deacons are undersized in their front-seven, 3-4 defense. During their late season struggles they allowed an average of 221 yards on the ground including 297 yards to Vanderbilt. Wake Forest’s defensive line averages 259 pounds across the interior, while the Bulldogs’ o-lines checks in at 302 pounds. Generally in bowl games if you can predict the team that will control the line of scrimmage and outrush the opponent you’ll cash tickets more often than not. Wake Forest will need to move the ball through the air with sophomore quarterback Tanner Price and wide receiver Chris Givens. Concerning of course is the fact the Bulldogs ranked 23rd in the country in pass defense led by all-SEC cornerback Johnthan Banks. Mississippi State is as battle tested as anyone in the country as well after facing the likes of LSU, Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina and Arkansas.
Insight Bowl Betting Preview
By Alatex Sports
Sportsmemo.com
Brent Crow's Betting Take: Oklahoma comes into this matchup as clearly the better team, but sometimes that doesn’t matter much in bowl games. The Sooners were a highly ranked team all season, winning their first six games before splitting their final six to finish 9-3. Iowa on the other hand was never in the top 25 and wound up 7-5 on the year. Against quality teams, Iowa really struggled, losing 13-3 at Penn State, 37-21 at Michigan State and 20-7 at Nebraska. They did post a solid win at home against Michigan but beyond that, Iowa’s resume isn’t very impressive.
Oklahoma had some dominating performances against bowl teams, beating Texas 55-17, Kansas State 58-17, Florida State 23-13 and Texas A&M 41-25. There is no question that the Sooners have an explosive offense, and at times a dominating defense. However, following the late season meltdown, they now find themselves in the Insight Bowl instead of a BCS game. A somewhat similar situation took place in 2009 when Oklahoma started the year ranked No. 3 but stumbled to a lackluster 8-5 finish. Against Stanford in the Sun Bowl, they were laying double-digits but failed to cover in a 31-27 win. I certainly have to wonder how much effort they will put into preparing for this matchup. Also note that Iowa has a strong history of postseason success, going 3-1 SU and 4-0 ATS over the last five years. If Oklahoma comes focused, it should make easy work of Iowa, but I certainly wouldn’t bet on it.
What Bettors Need to Know: Friday's Bowl Game Action
By Covers.com
Tulsa Golden Hurricane vs. BYU Cougars (+1, 56.5)
ARMED FORCES BOWL STORYLINES:
1. Brigham Young started 1-2 before winning nine of its last 10 and Tulsa rebounded from a 1-3 start to win seven in a row before losing to Houston in its last game. All four of Tulsa’s losses are to teams that were in the top 10 at the time.
2. Fifth-year senior quarterback G.J. Kinne and running back Ja’Terian Douglas, who leads the nation with 8.2 yards a carry, key a Tulsa offense which ranks 23rd in the country in scoring (34.1) and yards (454.4). BYU is ranked 17th in the nation in total defense.
3. Tulsa has won three straight bowl games, averaging 56.7 points. BYU has won four of its last five bowl outings and will try to win its 10th game for the fifth time in six seasons.
4. BYU won the first six meetings between the two former Western Athletic Conference teams, but Tulsa won the last one 55-47 in 2007.
TV: ESPN, ESPN3.com.
LINE: BYU opened as a 2-point favorite and was bet up to -3, before bettors came back on Tulsa and flipped the spread to +1
WEATHER: Clear skies are in the forecast for Dallas, with game-time temperatures in the high 50s. Winds will blow at 6 mph from the NW.
ABOUT TULSA (8-4, 7-1, Conference USA, 7-5 ATS): The Golden Hurricane have plenty of weapons. Douglas and Trey Watts have both rushed for more than 800 yards. Kinne, with 900 career passing yards, has 25 touchdown passes and 12 interceptions – two against Houston. Willie Carter is Kinne’s top target with 61 catches for 868 yards. Kicker Kevin Fitzpatrick is 15-for-17 this season and is the school’s all-time leading scorer with 296 points. Linebacker Curnelius Arnick averaged 11.8 tackles, tied for sixth in the nation. All-Conference USA defensive end Tyrunn Walker is listed as questionable with a leg injury. The Golden Hurricane has an 8-9 all-time bowl record.
ABOUT BYU (9-3, 8-4 ATS): The Cougars have put up good numbers defensively in their first season as an independent, averaging 15 points against in wins and losing only 17-16 to Texas. But BYU, which has an 11-7-1 all-time record in bowls, has only one victory over a team with a winning record (Utah State). Quarterback Riley Nelson is 5-1 as a starter after replacing Jake Heaps. Nelson has 16 touchdown passes, only five interceptions and 376 yards rushing. Wide receiver Cody Hoffman has caught 53 passes for 821 yards and Ross Apo has nine touchdown receptions. Linebacker Kyle Van Noy leads the team with 10 tackles for loss and five sacks.
TRENDS:
* Golden Hurricane are 4-1 ATS in their last five Bowl games.
* Cougars are 5-0 ATS in their last five non-conference games.
* Under is 4-1 in Golden Hurricane's last five Bowl games.
* Over is 4-1 in Cougars' last five non-conference games.
PREDICTION: Tulsa 41, BYU 31 – Kinne shakes off a rough game as the Golden Hurricane win a shootout.
Rutgers Scarlet Knights vs. Iowa State Cyclones (+1.5, 44.5)
PINSTRIPE BOWL STORYLINES:
1. Rutgers fell short in its bid for the Big East’s automatic BCS berth. Iowa State played a big role in the BCS in its own way, scoring one of the biggest upsets of the season when it knocked off then-No. 2 Oklahoma State in double overtime Nov. 18.
2. The Scarlet Knights came into the final weekend of the regular season with a share of the Big East title and a chance at a BCS bowl. But they committed six turnovers and fell behind by 30 points in the third quarter en route to a 40-22 setback against Connecticut.
3. Rutgers has been going back and forth between sophomore Chas Dodd and freshman Gary Nova at quarterback, with each struggling to claim the job outright. The two have the best security blanket in the Big East in receiver Mohamed Sanu, who set the conference record with 109 receptions and totaled seven touchdowns.
4. The Cyclones, who average 181.2 yards on the ground, will put their high-scoring attack up against the Scarlet Knights and their 12th-ranked scoring defense. Rutgers’ strength is in the secondary, where it is holding teams to 168.3 passing yards. Iowa State should have room to run.
TV: 3:20 p.m., ESPN, ESPN3.com.
LINE: Rutgers opened as a 2-point favorite and has dropped to -1.5
WEATHER: Rain is in the forecast for Yankee Stadium, with a 33 percent chance of showers. Game-time temperatures will dip into the mid 40s while winds will blow South at 6 mph.
ABOUT IOWA STATE (6-6, 3-6 Big 12, 7-5 ATS): The Cyclones went up against seven ranked teams during the regular season and knocked off two, claiming upsets at Texas Tech and in the shocker versus Oklahoma State. Iowa State also holds a win at Rutgers’ nemesis Connecticut from September and played strong at Kansas State in a 30-23 loss to end the regular season. Coach Paul Rhodes was given a 10-year contract extension but will be coaching his final game with offensive coordinator Tom Herman, who is taking a job under Urban Meyer at Ohio State.
ABOUT RUTGERS (8-4, 4-3 Big East, 8-4 ATS): The Scarlet Knights’ vaunted defense was put in a tough position against Connecticut thanks to three combined interceptions by Dodd and Nova. Dodd also lost a fumble that was returned for a touchdown in the second quarter. When the two play mistake-free football, the defense usually leaves Rutgers in a strong position. Dodd and Nova have each been getting practice reps and coach Greg Schiano won’t be afraid to pull either quarterback. The Scarlet Knights have recent experience playing at Yankee Stadium after beating Army 27-12 in the Bronx on Nov. 12.
TRENDS:
* Scarlet Knights are 4-0-1 ATS in their last five bowl games.
* Cyclones are 6-2 ATS in their last eight non-conference games.
* Over is 4-1 in Scarlet Knights' last five Bowl games.
* Under is 4-0-1 in Cyclones' last five Bowl games.
PREDICTION: Iowa State 33, Rutgers 20 - The Cyclones are battle-tested from the Big 12 slate while the Scarlet Knights have yet to prove themselves against top competition.
Wake Forest Demon Deacons vs. Mississippi State Bulldogs (-6.5, 48)
MUSIC CITY BOWL STORYLINES:
1. Mississippi State has won its past four bowl appearances, including a 52-14 thrashing of Michigan in last season’s Gator Bowl. But the Bulldogs had to beat arch-rival Mississippi in the regular-season finale just to become bowl eligible after struggling in the rugged SEC West.
2. Whether Chris Relf or Tyler Russell start at quarterback for Mississippi State remains a question. Both are splitting snaps in practice. Relf started the season on top of the depth chart and appeared in 10 games. Russell took over starting duties at midseason and played in nine games.
3. Wake Forest will look to trump a Bulldogs’ defense allowing only 19.9 points per game with the play of quarterback Tanner Price, a sophomore who completed 60.9 percent of his passes and threw for 20 touchdowns. Price’s top target, Chris Givens, caught nine touchdowns and finished with 1,276 receiving yards.
4. The Demon Deacons have not appeared in a bowl game since beating Navy 29-19 in the 2008 EagleBank Bowl.
TV: ESPN, ESPN3.com.
LINE: Mississippi State opened at -6.5 and has remained steay at that numbers with some books going to -7.
WEATHER: Cloudy skies and game-time temperatures in the high 50s are in the forecast for Nashville. Winds, blowing SW, will reach speeds of up to 11 mph.
ABOUT MISSISSIPPI STATE (6-6, 2-6 SEC West, 6-6 ATS): Expectations were high in Starkville following a nine-win season in 2010. But the Bulldogs lost to Auburn and LSU in a five-day span in mid-September and never fully recovered. Whoever plays quarterback will look to running back Vick Ballard to lead the way. Ballard rushed for 1,009 yards and eight touchdowns this season, including 144 yards against Ole Miss. The Bulldogs are in a bowl game for the second consecutive season for the first time since 1999-2000, and have won their past four bowl appearances.
ABOUT WAKE FOREST (6-6, 5-3 ACC, 7-5 ATS): A 35-30 upset victory over then-No. 23 Florida State on Oct. 8 pushed the Demon Deacons to 4-1 on the season. But Wake would drop five of its final seven, including an ugly 41-7 loss at home to Vanderbilt in the regular-season finale. Price will have to spark the offense as Wake Forest ranks 96th in the nation in rushing offense. Leading rusher Brandon Pendergrass posted back-to-back 100-yard rushing games against Clemson (134 yards) and Maryland (125 yards) late in the season.
TRENDS:
* Demon Deacons are 4-1 ATS in their last five bowl games.
* Bulldogs are 4-0 ATS in their last four bowl games.
* Under is 4-1 in Demon Deacons' last five Bowl games.
* Under is 7-3 in Bulldogs' last 10 games overall.
PREDICTION: Mississippi State 24, Wake Forest 20 - The Bulldogs find a way to keep Price in check just enough to pull out a close victory.
Iowa Hawkeyes vs. Oklahoma Sooners (-14, 57.5)
INSIGHT BOWL STORYLINES
1. Oklahoma opened the season with national-championship expectations, but the loss of leading receiver Ryan Broyles and leading rusher Dominique Whaley combined with a sloppy defense has Bob Stoops’ Sooners outside of a BCS bowl for only the second time in the last six years. Iowa also enters off a down year by Kirk Ferentz’s standards, but has won three straight bowl games, including the last two as underdogs.
2. Oklahoma quarterback Landry Jones, billed as a Heisman candidate for the first half of the season, didn’t throw a touchdown pass in his last three games and had five interceptions. Iowa junior quarterback James Vandenberg was up-and-down, but finished with 23 touchdowns and only six interceptions. He'll be missing his backfield mate, leading rusher Marcus Coker, who has been suspended for the game. Coker set Iowa bowl records for rushing attempts (33) and rushing yards (219) in the Hawkeyes' 27-24 win over Missouri in last year's Insight Bowl.
3. Stoops played safety at Iowa, when Ferentz was the Hawkeyes’ offensive line coach in the early 1980s.
4. Ferentz has been mentioned as a candidate for the Kansas City Chiefs vacancy.
TV: ESPN.
LINE: Oklahoma opened at -15.5 and has been bet down to as low as -13.5.
WEATHER: Clear skies and temperatures in the high 50s is in the forecast for Sun Devil Stadium. Winds, blowing WSW, will blow at 2 mph.
ABOUT IOWA (7-5, 4-4 Big Ten, 5-7 ATS): A difficult offseason was followed by an up-and-down regular season for the Hawkeyes. They had an impressive win over BCS-bound Michigan, but also suffered an embarrassing loss to a three-win Minnesota team. Vandenberg has a big-play target in Marvin McNutt to throw at the suspect Oklahoma secondary. The Hawkeyes’ defense struggled to pressure the quarterback, which left their secondary vulnerable. Iowa ranked last in the Big Ten in pass defense.
ABOUT OKLAHOMA (9-3, 6-3 Big 12, 6-6 ATS): The Sooners are making their 12th straight bowl appearance, a streak spanning Stoops’ entire tenure in Norman. But bowl season hasn’t always been kind to Oklahoma, which has lost three of its last five postseason appearances. Oklahoma was No. 1 in the nation until suffering a stunning upset at home to Texas Tech in late October. The Sooners managed to climb back into the national-title picture, before falling at Baylor. If Jones can’t get the offense clicking, look for backup Blake Bell to get more snaps. Bell was used as a short-yardage specialist as Jones faded late.
TRENDS:
* Hawkeyes are 4-0 ATS in their last four bowl games.
* Sooners are 1-4 ATS in their last five bowl games.
* Over is 5-0-1 in Hawkeyes' last six non-conference games.
* Over is 4-1 in Sooners' last five Bowl games.
PREDICTION: Oklahoma 34, Iowa 28. After a blowout loss at Oklahoma State to end the regular season, the Sooners’ motivation will be tested by the less-talented Hawkeyes.
Friday's Bowl Notebook
By Chris David
VegasInsider.com
Armed Forces Bowl at Gerald Ford Stadium from Dallas, New York
* Tulsa (8-4 SU, 7-5 ATS) vs. BYU (9-3 SU, 8-4 ATS) - Expert Picks
* Tulsa closed the year on a 7-1 run (5-2 ATS), but it hasn't played since Nov. 25 when it was blasted at home to Houston (16-48)
* The Golden Hurricane went 4-2 SU and 5-1 ATS on the road, with losses coming against Oklahoma (14-47) and Boise State (21-41)
* Despite averaging 34.1 points per game, Tulsa saw the 'under' go 8-4 this season
* Tulsa has won its last three bowl games by scores of 63-7, 45-13 and 62-35
* After starting the season 1-2, BYU finished with an 8-1 record
* The Cougars went 3-2 SU and 4-1 ATS outside of Provo
* BYU posted 41 points in its final three games, which helped the 'over' go 3-0
* The Cougars own an all-time record of 11-17-1 in bowl games
* However, coach Bronco Mendenhall is 4-2 in bowls at BYU, which includes back-to-back victories the last two years by 24 and 28 points
* BYU opened as a three-point favorite, but the money has shifted Tulsa to a one-point 'chalk'
Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium from Bronx, New York
* Rutgers (8-4 SU, 8-4 ATS) vs. Iowa State (6-6 SU, 7-5 ATS) - Expert Picks
* Rutgers started the season on a roll (5-1) and ended just as strong (3-1)
* The Scarlet Knights went 4-1 SU and 3-1 ATS in non-conference play, the loss coming on the road to North Carolina (22-24)
* Rutgers was 2-3 SU and 3-2 ATS outside of New Jersey this season
* The Knights were a clear-cut 'under' team (8-3), especially on the road (4-1)
* Rutgers is 4-2 all-time in bowls, and all of the victories have come under head coach Greg Schiano (4-1).
* The Knights have won four straight postseason affairs (3-1 ATS), putting up 37, 52, 29 and 45 points during this span
* Iowa State's season can be summed up in a pair of three-game winning streaks
* The Cyclones began 3-0 before dropping four straight. Then the team won three in a row, including the big upset against Oklahoma State (37-31). Sure enough, they closed the year with back-to-back losses.
* On the road, Iowa State was 2-4 SU and 4-2 ATS
* Against non-conference foes, ISU was 3-0 SU and 2-1 ATS
* The Cyclones watched five of their final six games go 'under' the number
* Iowa State stopped Minnesota 14-13 in last year's Insight Bowl, which improved their all-time bowl record to 3-7
* The line has held steady in this matchup, with Rutgers listed as a short favorite (-1) and the total hovering between 44 and 45
Music City Bowl at LP Field from Nashville, Tennessee
* Wake Forest (6-6 SU, 7-5 ATS) vs. Mississippi State (6-6 SU, 6-6 ATS) - Expert Picks
* Wake Forest started the season 4-1 but ended with a 2-5 record
* The Demon Deacons were 1-3 SU and 1-2 ATS in non-conference games
* On the road, WF went 2-3 both SU and ATS. Two of the setbacks were tight, with one loss to Syracuse (29-36) in overtime and the other against ACC Champions, Clemson (28-31)
* The Deacons closed the season with four straight 'under' tickets
* Jim Grobe has been a solid bet in bowl games, going 3-1 in his career, 2-1 at Wake Forest
* Mississippi State went 1-2 in its final three games, with double digit losses to Alabama (7-24) and Arkansas (17-44)
* The Bulldogs had identical 3-3 records on the road and at home. However, they were 4-2 ATS outside of Starkville
* Mississippi State owns an 8-6 all-time bowl record, which includes last year's 52-14 blowout win against Michigan in the Gator Bowl.
* The last seven Music City bowls have been decided by single digits. The ACC has taken the last two from the SEC
* Not much line movement on the side, but the total dropped from 48 ½ to 47 ½ points
Insight Bowl at Sun Devil Stadium from Tempe, Arizona
* Iowa (7-5 SU, 5-7 ATS) vs. Oklahoma (9-3 SU, 6-6 ATS) - Expert Picks
* Iowa was 1-4 both SU and ATS on the road this season
* The Hawkeyes were 3-1 SU and 2-1 ATS in non-conference affairs
* Iowa closed the season with a 1-2 mark, losing both games by double digits
* Kirk Ferentz has gone 6-3 in bowls at Iowa, which includes three straight wins and covers
* Oklahoma went 4-2 SU and 3-3 ATS outside of Norman
* The Sooners finished the season with losses in two of their last three, giving up 45 and 44 in the setbacks
* Oklahoma was a double-digit favorite in 11 of its 12 games, which produced a 9-2 SU and 6-5 ATS mark
* Bob Stoops owns a 6-6 record in bowl games at Oklahoma. The Sooners are 2-3 SU and 1-4 ATS in their last five postseason games
* The Big 12 has won four of the last five Insight Bowls, but Iowa captured the hardware last year when it beat Missouri 27-24
* Oklahoma opened as high as a 16-point favorite but the number has dropped to 13 ½ at most shops. Surprisingly, the suspension of Iowa running back Marcus Coker was announced last week yet the line still shifted toward the 'dog
Friday's Bowl Trends
By Bruce Marshall
VegasInsider.com
TULSA vs. BYU...BYU on another late-season uptick like 2010, won last five and covered last six in 2011. Last year the Cougs covered their last five including bowl romp past UTEP. Bronco Mendenhall has won and covered his last two bowls, now 4-2 vs. spread in postseason. Tulsa did cover last five away from home TY and has covered 10 of last 11 away from Chapman Field/Skelly Stadium. Golden Hurricane has also won and covered last three bowls. Tech Trend: BYU, based on late-season uptick.
RUTGERS vs. IOWA STATE...Greg Schiano has won his last four bowls games SU and is 4-1 vs. spread in five bowls since 2005 campaign. Rutgers also 4-1 vs. line outside of Big East TY. ISU closed with a rush by covering five of its last six TY, including last five as dog. Tech Trend: Slight to Rutgers, based on Schiano bowl marks.
WAKE FOREST vs. MISSISSIPPI STATE...Grobe has won and covered three of four bowls at Wake. Grobe 23-15 as dog since 2005 if you exclude injury-wrecked 2010. MSU covered five of last six TY, and Bulldogs have won and covered last three well-spaced bowls since 2000 (1-0 for Dan Mullen). Tech Trend: Wake, based on Grobe's extended dog marks.
IOWA vs. OKLAHOMA...OU cooled off down the stretch, failing to cover last three and five of last six TY. Bob Stoops just 1-4 vs. number last five, and 2-6 vs. points last eight bowl games. Krik Fernetz has covered last four bowls and five of last six as bowl underdog. Ferentz 6-1 vs. spread last seven bowls. Ferentz only 1-3 as dog TY but 13-7 as "short" since 2007. Tech Trend: Iowa, based on bowl trends.