Wyoming And Temple Tangle In New Mexico Bowl
By: Bruce Marshall
Donbest.com
We’ve seen the drill before, not only in sports, but in life. Bullies exist. And for the purposes of this exercise in previewing bowl action, it’s best that we identify that characteristic as soon as possible.
To put it simply, Temple (8-4 straight up and against the spread) was a bully team this campaign. Whether the Owls can similarly push around Wyoming (8-4 SU, 7-5 ATS) in Saturday’s New Mexico Bowl at University Stadium in Albuquerque remains to be seen.
This matchup is also significant because it marks the commencement of the 2011 college football bowl season, which will continue on a near daily basis for the next three-plus weeks, until the BCS title game the night of January 9 between Alabama and LSU at the Mercedes Benz Superdome in New Orleans.
But if LSU-Alabama is being played appropriately in a stadium sponsored by Mercedes Benz, the New Mexico Bowl is a Chevy Cobalt by comparison. Temple-Wyoming is about as far away from the BCS as a bowl game can get. The dynamics, however, suggest an intriguing battle in Albuquerque.
Yet the oddsmakers and wagering public seem to have been taken in by Temple’s bullyish nature. As the Don Best odds screen indicates, the Owls are favorites of 6½-7 points around Las Vegas, with the total teetering between 48 and 49 points, depending upon the outlet. ESPN will be there to telecast the first bowl of the postseason, with Saturday’s kickoff slated for 2:00 p.m. (ET).
Goodness knows, however, that Temple could be excused for taking out its frustrations on whomever it could. The Owls have been one of college football’s notorious punching bags for the past three decades, or not long after coach Wayne Hardin retired in 1982. Hardin, who had coached Roger Staubach’s Navy teams in the early ‘60s, sought to upgrade the Owls’ football profile by going independent upon his arrival in 1969, leaving the old University Division Middle Atlantic Conference behind.
Hardin’s Temple competed on mostly-even terms with other Eastern independents throughout the ‘70s, with QB Steve Joachim earning some All-American honors in 1974. The Owls even fashioned a 10-2 mark behind QB Brian Broomell in 1979, in the process qualifying for the second Garden State Bowl at the original Meadowlands Giants Stadium, where Temple lost to Roger Theder’s Cal Bears, quarterbacked by Rich Campbell, 28-17.
But it would be another 30 years before the Owls would go bowling again. In between that 2009 Eagle Bank D.C. Bowl appearance against UCLA and revival under Al Golden, Temple’s program fought merely to survive, never mind flourishing. Successors to Hardin had less and less success, beginning with current Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Bruce Arians, then ex-Penn and Rice head coach Jerry Berndt, followed by some real despair in a 13-season period between 1993 and 2005 under Ron Dickerson and Bobby "NASCAR" Wallace, who were a combined 27-118.
No wonder the Owls have seemed to enjoy the chance for once to beat up some foes in 2011!
After Golden departed for Miami-Florida following last season, Temple tapped Florida Gators offensive coordinator Steve Addazio to continue the momentum, which Addazio seems to have accomplished. The Owls took no prisoners in most of their eight wins, as many of their scorelines confirm; 42-7 over Villanova, 41-3 over Akron, 38-7 over Maryland, 42-0 over Ball State, 34-3 over Buffalo, 42-14 over Army, 34-16 over Kent State. Only one win, a 24-21 success vs. Miami-Ohio, was close.
Upon closer inspection, however, notice the common thread among all of those battered foes; each was subpar this season, all under .500 and nowhere near the bowl scene. When Temple stepped up, it was hardly as easy, although the Owls did come close to a rare win over Penn State in mid-September before bowing. Toledo (a runaway winner at Lincoln Financial Field), and close road setbacks at Bowling Green and Ohio completed the schedule as the Owls missed out on the MAC East crown thanks to that loss to Frank Solich’s Ohio Bobcats in a midweek game at Athens in early November.
The Owls can run the ball, ranking seventh nationally at 258 ypg, with pinball-like RB Bernard Pierce (nation’s sixth-leading rusher with 1,381 yards) leading the way, complemented by "Mini" Matt Brown (all 5-foot-5 of him), who often disappeared behind his blockers before emerging with 891 rush yards.
The matchup vs. a Wyo defense that ranked a poor 115th vs. the rush would thus figure to be troubling for the Mountain West rep Cowboys, but we’re not so sure.
Remember that Wyoming had to face all sorts of brutish rush games all season, from Nebraska’s bone-crushing power to the lightning of Utah State’s 6th-ranked infantry, Air Force’s second-ranked option, San Diego State’s future NFL back Ronnie Hillman, and omnipotent Boise State, among others. Dealing with Temple will hardly be any more difficult than what Wyo has already endured in 2011.
Consider, too, that the Owls were completely imbalanced this season, ranking down near Navy and Army’s passing attacks at 117th in the land. Addazio used three QBs – senior Chester Stewart, junior Mike Gerardi and sophomore Chris Coyer – throughout the season without much success, gaining just 123 ypg via the aerial route. Coyer, who had assumed the starting role because of his better running ability, suffered a shoulder injury in the regular-season finale vs. Kent State but is likely to be ready to go in Albuquerque.
Balance-wise offensively, it’s advantage Wyoming which did almost as much damage on the ground (185 ypg) as in the air (214 ypg). Entering the season with plenty of questions at QB after last year’s starter Austyn Carta-Samuels transferred to Vanderbilt, true frosh Brett Smith grabbed the job by the throat and ended up breaking most of the Mountain West freshman passing marks held by TCU’s Andy Dalton, throwing for 2495 yards, More importantly, Smith only tossed three picks over his last seven games.
The committee-based running attack led by high-stepping junior Alvester Alexander and whippet-like soph Brandon Miller was also complemented by none other than QB Smith, who contributed another 645 YR. Freshman wideout Josh Doctson also emerged as a gamebreaker by the end of the season, catching passes worth 139 yards and two TDs in the regular-season finale win over border rival Colorado State while mitigating the loss of leading receiver Chris McNeill (42 catches) to an arm injury earlier in November.
All of those developments contributed to making Wyoming one of the nation’s surprise teams this season and created some attention for coach Dave Christensen, who has been peripherally mentioned for several higher-profile job opening overs the past few weeks. For the moment, Christensen remains in Laramie, but he’s definitely on the coaching radar after leading the Cowboys to bowls (both at this one in Albuquerque, by the way) in two of his three seasons on the Wyo job.
The Owls and Cowboys had one common foe, Bowling Green, with both games at the Falcons’ Doyt Perry Stadium, Wyoming winning by a 28-27 count (thanks to a last-second blocked PAT) and Temple losing 13-10.
A trend to note is also Wyoming’s sparkling 13-3 spread mark as an underdog away from Laramie since Christensen arrived as coach in 2009.
Utah State Aggies Battle Ohio Bobcats In Boise
By: Bruce Marshall
Donbest.com
It’s not often that we get to see Utah State (7-5 straight up, 6-6 against the spread) in a bowl game. Indeed, the last time the Aggies participated in the postseason, Bill Clinton was still President and Barack Obama was newly elected to the Illinois State Senate. And the Governor of Texas was a fellow named George W. Bush.
That was all in 1997.
Fast-forward 14 years, and the Utags have returned to Boise, where their last bowl adventure also took place against the Cincinnati Bearcats, who won that 1997 contest, 35-19. Utah State was Big West champion that season and was coached by John L. Smith, who immediately skedaddled to Louisville after the bowl game.
But it looks like the Aggies’ current coach, Gary Andersen, isn’t about to go anywhere. More on that in a moment.
Another rare Utah State postseason appearance takes place this Saturday on the blue turf of Boise’s Bronco Stadium. Although the bowl isn’t called the Humanitarian Bowl as it was the last time the Aggies participated. Nor is it named after the truck stops (Roady’s) that subsequently sponsored this game for several years. Fittingly, they’ve gotten around to labeling it the Idaho Potato Bowl, which we thought always should have been the name of the game in the first place.
The bowl is in Idaho, for gosh sakes! It’s about time they gave this Boise bowl game a proper title!
The opponent this Saturday will be Frank Solich’s Ohio Bobcats (9-4 SU, 6-7 ATS) for the 5:30 p.m. (ET) kickoff. The Don Best odds screen shows the Utags as 2½ to 3-point favorites at all Las Vegas wagering outlets, with the total hovering between 57 and 57½. ESPN will provide the TV coverage.
It might surprise many modern-day fans that Utah State actually has a bit of interesting football history, and some familiar names that the Aggies count among their alumni. Several 1960s and ‘70s pro football stars were Utah State products, including the late, great Rams Hall-of-Fame DT Merlin Olsen. Packers DE Lionel Aldridge, Jets PK Jim Turner, Lions RB Altie Taylor, Rams/Lions/Chargers/Bills/Seahawks QB Bill Munson and Cowboys DB Cornell Green were also Utags. In the ’80s, familiar NFL names such as Lions QB Eric Hipple, Broncos DE Rulon Jones and Broncos RB Rick Parros were all Aggies, too.
Their coach from 1959-62 was John Ralston, who mentored Olsen, Aldridge, Munson and Turner, who also played some QB for the Utags and had, according to Ralston, "the best arm I ever coached." Hardly faint praise from a successful pro and college coach who also had a Heisman-winning QB named Jim Plunkett at Stanford, where Ralston moved from Logan in 1963. Ralston would later go on to turn around the fortunes of the Denver Broncos in the 1970s. Cornell Green’s name is notable because he never played a down of college football, and made his mark instead as an All-American hoopster in college for LaDell Anderson before being one of the early products to be identified by the Tex Schramm and Gil Brandt’s "computerized" scouting for the Dallas Cowboys.
Colorful history aside, it had mostly been a barren few decades in Logan until the arrival of coach Gary Andersen, who assumed the reins at Utah State after serving with distinction as Utah’s defensive coordinator, including the Utes’ unbeaten 2008 season and Sugar Bowl win over Alabama. Andersen, however, made the Aggies competitive almost from his arrival date in 2009 and stewarded the breakthrough this season. Moreover, he seems content in Logan, and despite his name being peripherally mentioned for several recent higher-profile job openings, Andersen apparently has no desire to leave, even tattooing a Utah State logo onto his shoulder. Sounds like he intends to stay in Logan as long as they want him.
It was a bit of a wild ride for Utah State in 2011, however, blowing several games in indescribably wretched fashion during the first half of the season, including the opener at defending BCS champ Auburn, which trailed almost the entire game at Jordan-Hare Stadium before two very late TDs (the last aided by an onside kickoff recovery) stole a 42-38 decision. Subsequent losses to Colorado State and BYU were no less gut-wrenching.
Ironically, Utah State began to turn its season around after exciting frosh QB Chuckie Keeton was KO’d with a concussion in the November 5 game at Hawaii. The Utags rallied from a 31-14 deficit behind backup QB Adam Kennedy and notched a late 35-31 win that triggered a season-ending 5-game win streak, with Kennedy at the controls, to get bowl-eligible.
White-knucklers were the rule for the Aggies, however, with each of their last five wins decided by 7 points or fewer, and that 7-point success came in overtime at Idaho.
Utah State will pressure the Ohio defense with an electric infantry paced by slashing junior RB Robert Turbin, who motored for 1426 YR and 19 TDs in 2011 and is apparently leaning to come out early for next April’s NFL Draft. Along with sidekicks Michael Smith (728 YR and 7.1 ypc) and Kerwynn Williams (480 YR and 6.7 ypc), the Ags force opposing defenses into cheating against a running game that ranked sixth nationally at 280 ypg. That invites trouble against the accurate-throwing Kennedy, who completed 71% of his tosses, with deep threat wideouts Matt Austin and Stanley Morrison combining for 59 catches and nine TDs. Keeton will also be available for duty in Boise.
Ohio’s defense might believe it has the credentials to slow down the Utags ground game after finishing near the top in MAC rush defense stats (allowing only 126 ypg and 3.7 ypc), but the Bobcats did not face many ground-gobbling offenses in what was a pass-happy MAC. The one powerful infantry it confronted, Temple’s, ran for 305 yards, though Ohio survived that Wednesday night game on November 2 by a 35-31 count.
Still, Solich’s Bobcat offense might have a chance to trade points behind dual-threat soph QB Tyler Tettleton, son of former MLB catcher Mickey Tettleton and projected to have a shot at the NFL despite his relatively small (5-foot-11) stature. Capably operating the Ohio "Pistol" looks, Tettleton completed 63 percent of his passes with 26 TDs while adding another 598 rush yards, with RB Donte Harden adding another 939 yards on the ground. The Bobcats gained 457 yards per game, ranking 21st nationally, and posted better than 200 ypg both running and passing.
MAC sources, however, wonder about Ohio’s mental approach to this game after a late meltdown in the conference title game two weeks ago at Ford Field against Northern Illinois. Tettleton picked a bad time to have one of his worst outings, tossing three crucial interceptions, as the Bobcats allowed the Huskies to score the last 23 points of the game after leading 20-0. MAC insiders report that the team was not excited about the quick turnaround and trip to Boise, which was not its preferred postseason destination.
Moreover, despite the success Solich has recorded since assuming the Ohio job in 2005, he’s still winless in conference title games (0-3 SU) and bowls (also 0-3 SU).
Nonetheless, given the numerous close games on each side this season, a down-to-the-wire finish looks likely. And with both teams scoring better than 30 ppg, the total in the high 50s seems very reachable.
Aztecs And Ragin' Cajuns Battle In Big Easy
By: Adam Markowitz
Donbest.com
The 2011-12 college football bowl season gets underway Saturday, and in the final game of a three-pack of NCAA football betting battles, the Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns will take on the San Diego State Aztecs in the R&L Carriers New Orleans Bowl.
Kickoff from the Mercedes Benz Superdome is set for 9:00 p.m. (ET), and coverage will pick up on ESPN and ESPN3.com as soon as the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl is finished.
Last year, San Diego State (8-4 SU, 5-7 ATS) went bowling right in its backyard at Qualcomm Stadium. This year, the Aztecs have to travel halfway across the country into the Bayou, where the Ragin' Cajuns (8-4 SU, 5-7 ATS) will have the decided home field advantage.
Hopes were truly high this year for the Aztecs, but their schedule was just far too tough for them to survive. Of their four losses, the only head-scratcher of the bunch was a 30-27 defeat at home against the Wyoming Cowboys on October 29. Aside from that, it is hard to fault SDSU for getting beaten by the Michigan Wolverines, TCU Horned Frogs and Boise State Broncos, all of which had resumes that were good enough to at least be considered by the BCS bowls this year.
Ryan Lindley will be wrapping up his career with the Aztecs on Saturday night. This wasn't his greatest season for San Diego State, completing only 52.5 percent of his passes for 2,740 yards with 20 TDs against eight INTs. However, a veteran presence is always important under center during the bowl season, and that should play into the hands of the Aztecs.
Watch out for Ronnie Hillman as well. He rushed for 1,656 yards, good enough for No. 3 in the nation in rushing. He also had 20 TDs to his credit, all but one on the ground.
ULL got an early Christmas present this year in the form of a bowl bid, the first in school history.
The Ragin' Cajuns are an exciting team that can put a ton of points on the board in a hurry. They scored 34 against the Oklahoma State Cowboys right at the start of the year, and put 37 on the Arizona Wildcats in the final weekend of the campaign, proving they can really play with anyone in the land.
Blaine Gautier is leading an offense averaging 32.3 PPG and 380.2 YPG. The dual-threat quarterback accounted for 2,488 yards and 20 TDs as a passer and 464 yards and three scores as a rusher. The Aztecs have to contain him if they hope to be able to win this game.
This is the first time that these two strange bedmates have played against one another, so there isn't any head-to-head history to go by.
However, ULL is 9-1 ATS in its last 10 games played on turf, and is also 13-3 ATS the last 16 games as an underdog. San Diego State is just 1-5 ATS in its last six played on turf, and is only 1-4 ATS in its last five games as a favorite.
The R&L Carrier New Orleans Bowl odds have stayed relatively steady. The Aztecs opened as 4½-point favorites, and they have hovered between -4½ and -5 all week long. The total has only dipped slightly from 59 to 58.
NCAAF Preview
New Mexico Bowl
This should be good game if only because both teams thrilled to be in a bowl game; Temple is in second bowl since 1979 (lost 30-21 to UCLA in '09 bowl), Wyoming is in its third bowl since '93 (won bowls in '04, '09, both as double digit underdogs). Cowboys covered last four games as an underdog, winning five of last seven SU. Owls ran ball for 200+ yards in each of last seven games- they lost to Penn St. in September 14-10 (+8) . Temple is 4-4 as a favorite thi season. MAC non-conference favorites are 4-3 vs spread this year; MWC road underdogs are 4-8, 2-1 if spread is single digits. Mountain West teams won this bowl the last four years, with average total in the last three, 71.3.
Idaho Potato Bowl
Utah State lost the first Idaho Potato Bowl 35-19 to Cincinnati back in 1997, last bowl Aggies played in; State won its last five games to get to this bowl, with all five wins by 4 points or less, or in OT- they're 2-6 vs spread as a favorite. Ohio U hasn't played on a Saturday since October 22; they're playing their 4th bowl in last six years, but lost last three, by 28-7/21-17/48-21 scores. Bobcats' bowls last two years were in domes; their punter whined when he found out they were coming here. Ohio also won its last five games; they are 1-1 as underdog this year. WAC faves are 7-5 out of conference this year, 3-1 on road. MAC road underdogs are 10-16 vs spread, 4-3 if spread was single digits. WAC teams are 3-5 in last eight Idaho Bowls. Utah State should have edge in fan support.
New Orleans Bowl
UL-Lafayette is in its first bowl, they'll be very excited to be playing in New Orleans under 1st-year coach Hudspeth, who was 66-21 as a head coach at D-II North Alabama, before being an assistant at Mississippi State for two years. Ragin' Cajuns (+37) lost 61-34 in season opener at Oklahoma State, 45-37 (+13) in finale at Arizona; they're 7-0 vs spread as an underdog this year. San Diego State (-3) beat Navy 35-14 at home in Poinsettia Bowl LY, their first bowl in 12 years; Aztecs are just 2-5 vs spread as a favorite this year. Both teams have senior QB's-- Aztecs have one of best RBs in country in Hillman. San Diego State coach Long lost four of his last five bowls while coaching at New Mexico. Sun Belt underdogs are 16-11. MWC non-conference favorites are 4-12. Sun Belt teams are 4-1 in last five NO Bowls, after losing four of first five.
Saturday's Tip Sheet
By Brian Edwards
VegasInsider.com
New Mexico Bowl – Dec. 17, 2011 (Saturday) – 2 p.m. ET., ESPN
Temple (8-4 straight up, 8-4 against the spread) vs. Wyoming (8-4 SU, 7-5 ATS)
Line: Temple minus-6.5
Over/Under: 48.5
The Wynn opened Temple as a six-point favorite on Dec. 5, but the number quickly moved to seven. Since Dec. 7, however, most betting shops have had the Owls favored by 6 1/2, while the total opened at 48 and is now up to 48 1/2. Gamblers can take Wyoming on the money line for a lucrative plus-220 return (risk $100 to win $220).
The Cowboys have thrived as underdogs this year, compiling a 5-2 spread record with three outright victories. They are led by freshman quarterback Brett Smith, who has 2,495 passing yards and 18 touchdown passes compared to only eight interceptions.
Temple is ranked seventh in the nation in rushing thanks to junior Bernard Pierce, who has 1,381 yards and 25 TDs. The Owls went to their first bowl game since 1979 two years ago, losing 30-21 to UCLA as 4½-point underdogs.
In Wyoming’s last two postseason appearances in 2004 and ’09, it has won outright as a double-digit underdog with wins over UCLA and Fresno St., respectively. I like the Cowboys to win outright in this spot, too, so I’ll back them as ‘dogs and get a small taste of the money-line as well.
As for the total, Temple has seen four consecutive ‘overs’ despite a 7-5 overall ledger for the ‘under.’ Wyoming has watched the ‘under’ cash in five straight games and go 7-4-1 overall.
Idaho Potato Bowl – Dec. 17, 2011 (Saturday) – 5:30 p.m. ET., ESPN
Utah State (7-5 SU, 6-6 ATS) vs. Ohio (9-4 SU, 6-7 ATS)
Line: Utah St. minus-2.5
Over/Under: 57.5
Motivation and location are two pivotal factors in predicting the outcome of bowl games. In this scenario, we have a Utah St. squad that has won five in a row and is returning to the postseason for the first time since 1997. The Aggies are close to home and familiar with their surroundings, playing on the smurf turf of Bronco Stadium in a loss to Boise St. in last year’s regular-season finale.
Ohio, on the other hand, just saw its five-game winning steak snapped when it blew a 20-0 third-quarter lead in a 23-20 loss to No. Illinois in the MAC Championship Game. The Bobcats have to fly out West into a different time zone while still suffering a hangover from the loss to NIU.
Therefore, Gary Andersen’s team appears to have the motivation/location advantages. Utah St. will also have the best player on the field in WAC Player of the Year, Robert Turbin, who has 51 career rushing TDs. Furthermore, USU gets back freshman QB Chuckie Keeton, who has not played due to a back injury since a Nov. 5 win at Hawaii. Keeton has an 11/2 TD-INT ratio. In his absence, another true freshman, Adam Kennedy, has played well by leading the Aggies to victory in all four of his starts. Kennedy has a 10/4 TD-INT ratio.
Frank Solich’s squad won the MAC East thanks to the brilliant play of sophomore QB Tyler Tettleton, who has 3,060 passing yards with a 26/10 TD-INT ratio. Tettleton has also rushed for 598 yards and nine TDs.
The ‘over’ is 7-5 overall for USU, but the ‘under’ has cashed in back-to-back games. Meanwhile, Ohio has seen the ‘over’ go 7-6 overall, but the ‘under’ has hit in its last three outings.
These schools met in 1994 with Utah St. going to Ohio and winning by a 5-0 count as a two-point road underdog.
New Orleans Bowl – Dec. 17, 2011 (Saturday) – 9 p.m. ET., ESPN
Louisiana (8-4 SU, 8-4 ATS) vs. San Diego State (8-4 SU, 5-7 ATS)
Line: San Diego St. minus-5
Over/Under: 58.5
Although the location and motivation factors favor Louisiana, which is playing in a bowl game for the first time in school history, bettors have to weigh if those advantages are enough for a Sun Belt team to beat a squad from a tougher league – the Mountain West Conference in this instance.
The Aztecs stayed home and played in the Poinsettia Bowl last season, so it’s debatable whether or not they are disappointed to travel to New Orleans. Rocky Long’s team has won four of its last five games with the lone loss coming to Boise St. San Diego St. has one of the nation’s most underrated running back in sophomore Ronnie Hillman, who has already rushed for more than 3,000 yards and 36 career touchdowns. Also, QB Ryan Lindley has 20 TD passes.
Mark Hudspeth’s squad is bowling thanks to outstanding production from junior QB Blaine Gautier, who has 20 TD passes compared to only five interceptions. The Ragin’ Cajuns are an amazing 7-0 ATS as underdogs this year. They have seen the ‘over’ go 8-4 overall, 4-1 in their last five games.
SDS has a mediocre 3-5 spread record in eight games as a favorite this year. Totals have been an overall wash (6-6) for the Aztecs.
B.E.’s Bonus Nuggets
La. Tech and TCU will both bring seven-game winning streaks to San Diego for the Poinsettia Bowl. The Bulldogs, who are catching 10 ½ points from the Horned Frogs, have taken the cash in all six of their games as underdogs this year. They are 5-0 ATS against teams in bowl games and they’ve cashed tickets at a 4-0 ATS clip when playing in the Pacific time zone.
TCU went 3-5 ATS as a double-digit favorite this year.
Alabama offensive coordinator Jim McElwain has been named the new head coach at Colorado St. He’ll recruit for the Rams until Dec. 19 before going back to Tuscaloosa to join the Crimson Tide in its preparation for the BCS Championship Game vs. LSU on Jan. 9 at the Superdome in New Orleans. We’ve seen many instances through the years when a coordinator for a team prepping for the national-title game has taken a head-coaching gig at another school. The results have been mixed. When Mark Richt took the Georgia job while serving as the OC for FSU vs. Oklahoma in the 2000 title game, the ‘Noles had their worst offensive showing of the year in a 13-2 loss to the Sooners. On the flip side, Florida fared just fine in 2008 when it beat Oklahoma after OC Dan Mullen had taken the Mississippi St. job. The same positive results came for LSU in a blowout win over Ohio St. after DC Bo Pelini took the Nebraska job in 2009. (If I didn’t make it clear, all three of those coaches stayed on and called plays in the aforementioned BCS title games.)
Auburn OC Gus Malzahn is leaving The Plains to become the new head coach at Arkansas State, which lost Hugh Freeze to Ole Miss last week. Also, DC Ted Roof has bolted for the same job at UCF under George O’Leary.
Early Bowl Trends
By Bruce Marshall
VegasInsider.com
TEMPLE vs. WYOMING...Wyo 4-1 as dog away from Laramie TY, 13-3 against number in role since Dave Christensen arrived as coach in 2009. Owls 8-4 vs. spread in 2011 but only 2-2 as chalk away from home. Wyo not often in bowls but has won last two outright as DD dog (2004 Las Vegas vs. UCLA and 2009 New Mexico vs. Fresno). Tech Trend: Wyoming, based on Christensen dog mark away from Laramie.
UTAH STATE vs. OHIO...Utags bowling for first time since 1997 in this same bowl game vs. Cincinnati. Solich 0-3 SU and vs. line in bowl games with Bobcats but is 17-9 his last 26 as dog since 2007. USU only covered two of last seven on board TY and was 1-5 its last six as chalk. Tech Trend: Slight to Solich, based on team trends.
UL-LAFAYETTE vs. SAN DIEGO STATE...Mark Hudspeth waits for Miss. State job to open or one of the others (SUM, maybe Houston) in the region. ULL a staggering 7-0 as dog in 2011 and has covered 12 of last 13 as the "short" since last season. Ragin' Cajuns also 11-1 against line last 12 away from Lafayette! Rocky Long only covered 2 of last 7 as chalk this season, and Aztecs only 2-8 against points their last 10 as chalk away from Qualcomm Stadium. Rocky Long New Mexico & SDSU teams just 2-6 their last 8 as chalk away from home. Tech Trend: ULL, based on team trends.
New Mexico Bowl Betting Preview
By Rob Veno
Sportsmemo.com
Temple at Wyoming Saturday, 11 am PT – ESPN
CRIS Opener: Temple -7.5 O/U 46.5
CRIS Current: Temple -7 O/U 49
Rob Veno Power Rating: Temple -6.5
Rob Veno’s Betting Take: The excitement level should be sky high for both of these squads. For the Owls, it’s an opportunity to be nationally showcased on ESPN after being snubbed last year despite an 8-4 record. This is a favorable postseason destination for Wyoming after beating Fresno State as a 10-point underdog in the 2009 New Mexico Bowl. The site may lend a slight edge to the Cowboys which play here every other year as part of the Mountain West. It also provides a reasonable distance for their fan base to travel to.
Fundamentally, this game has a pair of crucial matchups which figure to decide not only the side winner but the total as well. The Wyoming defense had some difficulty this season against premier rushing attacks allowing 333 yards to Nebraska, 318 to Utah State, 390 to TCU and 312 to Air Force. Including the 282 yielded to San Diego State and the 200 to Boise State, Wyoming has faced six bowl bound teams and allowed an average of 307.5 ypg and 6.4 per carry. That’s great news for Temple running backs Bernard Pierce (125.5 ypg) and Matt Brown (72.3 ypg) and the rest of an offense that ranks No. 7 nationally at 256.7 yards per game on the ground. Making things even more difficult for Wyoming is the running ability of Temple quarterback Chris Coyer who took over the starting job late this season and has run for 491 yards and 8.6 per carry. Coyer’s passing efficiency has turned out to be a gem of a discovery too as the redshirt sophomore is 22-for-38, 294 yards with 5 TDs and 0 INTs. Tight end Evan Rodriguez and wide receiver Rod Streater have become relevant and dangerous play-action pass options. On the other side, Temple’s overall rock solid defense has shown one major chink in the armor that can be exploited here. There were only a couple, but against teams with effective run/pass balance and the ability to spread the Owls out (Toledo and Ohio), they were destroyed. In those games, Temple’s defense was hit for 826 total yards, 72.5% pass completions and 71 points in what turned out to be a pair of losses. Temple head coach Steve Addazio seemed unable to make any adjustments to help the defense in these games and although neither Toledo nor Ohio has a good defense, they were able to do enough to get victories. Wyoming head coach Dave Christensen is a master spread offense technician and he has the tools to do some damage here in the form of multi-threat freshman quarterback Brett Smith (31st nationally in total offense), junior running back Alvester Alexander (4.9 per carry) and combined production from an unheralded receiving corps (top WR Chris McNeill missed the last three games and is out for this game).
Preparation and ability to adjust on the fly will be crucial components in this game which could see rain or snow showers. Despite the problems Wyoming had with strong running attacks this season, they managed to go 4-2 against the spread versus bowl opponents (4-0 ATS in the second half of the season). Meanwhile, Temple only played three bowl teams and went 1-2 ATS including 0-2 as favorites. I’ll give a very slight lean toward Wyoming +7 in this one.
Idaho Potato Bowl Betting Preview
By Teddy Covers
Sportsmemo.com
Idaho Potato Bowl
Utah State vs. Ohio Saturday, 3:30 pm PT - ESPN
CRIS Opener: Utah State -3 O/U 58
CRIS Current: Utah State -1.5 O/U 58
Teddy Covers’ Betting Take: The MAC, as a conference, has been a disaster area in recent bowl seasons, with a money-burning 5-15-1 ATS mark over the last five years. Ohio, in particular, has been a solid contributor to that losing record, with an 0-3 SU/ATS run in bowls under head coach Frank Solich, including a 48-21 wipeout at the hands of Troy last year and a 21-17 loss to Marshall the previous season. It’s surely worth noting that both of those games were lined in a similar spread range as this year’s Idaho Potato Bowl – one game was a pick ‘em, the other was +1.
The Bobcats aren’t in a particularly good spot this year either. Two weeks ago, midway through the fourth quarter, Ohio was well on its way to a MAC Championship and a trip to the GoDaddy.com Bowl game the night before the national championship game in January. But a late meltdown cost them a title and the bowl bid they coveted, leaving the team a bit shell-shocked as they began practices for their trip to Boise.
Utah State is a bowl virgin, without a postseason appearance since the mid 90s. But the Aggies faithful are buying tickets and readying themselves for the relatively short drive (four hours) from Logan to Boise. Gary Anderson’s squad is familiar with the blue turf from their time competing against Boise State in the WAC, before the Broncos moved to the Mountain West Conference this season. And they have no shortage of positive momentum, reeling off five straight tight wins down the stretch by a combined total of 19 points.
I’ve seen conflicting reports on the health of Aggies starting quarterback Chuckie Keeton, who missed the final month of the regular season. Backup Adam Kennedy filled in admirably for Keeton down the stretch: 71% completions, a 10-4 TD-INT ratio and 228 rushing yards. Regardless of which QB plays, look for Aggies RB Robert Turbin (1,426 rushing yards, 6.2 yards per carry and 19 TDs) to be the focal point for the Utah State offense. If Turbin runs well, the Aggies should win, if he gets stuffed, Ohio could get the first bowl victory in school history.
New Orleans Bowl Betting Preview
By Erin Rynning
Sportsmemo.com
New Orleans Bowl
Louisiana-Lafayette vs. San Diego State Saturday, 6 pm PT - ESPN
CRIS Opener: San Diego State -5.5 O/U 60
CRIS Current: San Diego State -4.5 O/U 58.5
Rob Veno Power Rating: San Diego State -10.5
Erin Rynning's Betting Take: The upstart Ragin Cajuns seek to deliver the goods for the Sun Belt Conference once again as the conference has now won four of the last five New Orleans Bowls. The excitement level will definitely be there for ULL with at least 18,500 tickets swooped up by its fan base. Meanwhile, San Diego State has sold around 1,000 of its 9,500 ticket allotment. With the Lafayette campus less than two hours away, and a New Orleans Bowl record crowd of almost 40,000 fans expected, it will do doubt be a pro-Cajuns crowd. Note also that it will mark Lafayette’s first postseason appearance in 41 years! First-year ULL head coach Mark Hudspeth has done a remarkable job picking this program up off of the mat. After overtures from a few schools including Mississippi State, Hudspeth is now the highest paid coach in the Sun Belt. He’s captured the attention of the fans and was able to get his players to quickly buy in. On the field the Cajuns are led by quarterback Blaine Gautier. The offense averaged just over 32 points per game, while Gautier flashed a 20-to-5 TD/INT ratio. He’s also dangerous on the ground with 465 yards on the season.
This contest will serve as a back-to-back bowl appearance for the Aztecs. San Diego State won the Poinsettia Bowl last year on its home turf, knocking off Navy 35-14. Head coach Rocky Long is now in charge after Brady Hoke left for Michigan. Hoke did an amazing job stockpiling talent but I noticed the pendulum has started to swing back in the other direction. The Ragin Cajuns will need to slow SDSU’s run game down as super sophomore running back Ronnie Hillman averages 138 yards per game on the ground with 20 touchdowns. Senior quarterback Ryan Lindley failed to live up to expectations this season, completing just 53% of his passes. The Aztecs still haven’t quite recovered from the regular season as their most recent bowl practice was cut short due to mounting injuries. If this game comes down to field goals, the Cajuns hold a distinct advantage. ULL kicker Brett Baer is a Lou Groza Award finalist (16-of-18 field goals) while the Aztecs’ Abel Perez hit just 5-of-13.
Saturday's NCAAF Bowl Game Action: What Bettors Need to Know
By Covers.com
New Mexico Bowl
Temple Owls vs. Wyoming Cowboys (+7, 50.5)
NEW MEXICO BOWL STORYLINES
1. The 2011 bowl season kicks off with one team – Wyoming – which cannot stop the run, meeting another – Temple – which cannot stop running. So it should come down to whether the Cowboys, who are 115th among the 120 FBS teams in run defense, can figure out a way to stop the No. 7 Owls’ rushing attack. If they do, Temple and its No. 117 passing attack could be in trouble.
2. Temple is making its fourth appearance in a bowl game (1-2). Its last was a 30-21 loss to UCLA in the 2009 EagleBank Bowl; its first was a 20-14 loss to Tulane in the inaugural Sugar Bowl in 1935 under coach Glen “Pop’’ Warner. Wyoming is 6-6 and has won two straight, including a 35-28 victory in double overtime over Fresno State in the 2009 New Mexico Bowl.
3. The teams had one common opponent in 2011. Temple lost to Mid-America Conference foe Bowling Green 13-10 while Wyoming defeated the Falcons 28-27. Both games were on the road.
4. The Owls are No. 3 in points allowed – behind Alabama and LSU – at 13.8 and 15th in total defense (313.5 yards per game).
TV: ESPN, ESPN3.com. LINE: Temple -6.5.
ABOUT WYOMING (8-4, 5-2 Mountain West, 7-5 ATS): The Cowboys, who finished third in the MWC behind Top 25 teams TCU and Boise State (their two conference losses), have won three of their last four games. Dave Christensen and Brett Smith were named MWC coach and freshman of the year, respectively. Smith threw for 2,495 yards and 18 touchdowns and rushed for 10 scores. Wyoming has scored and allowed 324 points this season. The Cowboys won the only previous meeting, 38-23 in 1990.
ABOUT TEMPLE (8-4, 5-3 MAC, 8-4 ATS): Junior Bernard Pierce is sixth in the country with 125.5 rushing yards per game and has a school-record 25 touchdowns this season. Temple has won 30 games in the last four years, the most by a senior class in school history, and their 25 victories over the past three seasons is also a school record. The Owls registered their first victory over an FBS school, 38-7 at Maryland on Sept. 24. Temple needs 39 points to set a school record for points in a season (399 in 1979).
TRENDS:
* Owls are 10-1 ATS in their last 11 non-conference games.
* Cowboys are 5-2 ATS in their last seven games overall.
* Over is 4-0 in Owls last four games overall.
* Under is 5-0 in Cowboys last five games overall.
PREDICTION: Wyoming 31, Temple 17 – The Owls haven’t won a game against a winning team all season, and they won’t start now.
Famous Idaho Potato Bowl
Utah State Aggies vs. Ohio Bobcats (+1, 59)
FAMOUS IDAHO POTATO BOWL STORYLINES
1. Neither Ohio nor Utah State has had much success in bowl games, going a combined 1-11. The Aggies haven’t appeared in a bowl since a 35-19 loss to Cincinnati in the 1997 Humanitarian Bowl. The Bobcats haven’t ever won a bowl game (0-5 all-time), but this is their third consecutive bowl appearance and fourth under coach Frank Solich, who took over the program in 2005.
2. These two teams are expected to put up a good amount of points, as both rank in the Top 25 nationally in total offense. Utah State does its damage on the ground, ranking sixth in the country at 277 rushing yards per game, while Ohio utilizes a more balanced attack.
3. Both teams enter this bowl game on relative hot streaks. The Aggies won five in a row to finish in a tie for second in the WAC, while the Bobcats posted five straight victories to win the MAC’s East Division before falling in the conference championship game to Northern Illinois.
4. Utah State running back Robert Turbin was 10th in the country with 118 rushing yards per game and tied for fifth with 23 touchdowns, but he might find things more arduous against Ohio. The Bobcats finished third in the MAC allowing only 126 yards per contest on the ground.
TV: 5:30 p.m. ET, ESPN Line: Utah State -1.5
ABOUT OHIO (9-4, 6-2 Mid-American Conference, 6-7 ATS): As good as the Bobcats’ 2011 campaign has gone, it could’ve been even better. Ohio was ahead 20-0 at halftime of the MAC Championship Game against Northern Illinois before surrendering 23 unanswered points to lose on a field goal as time expired. In the loss, the Bobcats’ offense was held to less than 400 yards for the first time in eight contests. Before that, the Bobcats had rattled off five straight victories behind strong play from quarterback Tyler Tettleton, who finished the year with 26 touchdowns to only 10 interceptions.
ABOUT UTAH STATE (7-5, 5-2 Western Athletic Conference, 6-6 ATS): Turbin, a junior, was named the WAC Offensive Player of the Year after totaling 1,580 total yards and 23 scores, but he didn’t close the year on a hot streak. He failed to top 100 yards and didn’t find the end zone in narrow victories over Nevada and New Mexico State. The Aggies — picked by coaches to finish fifth in the WAC — lost to only Fresno State and conference champion Louisiana Tech to finish in a tie for second.
TRENDS:
* Aggies are 0-5 ATS in their last five games as favorites.
* Bobcats are 9-3 ATS in their last 12 games as underdogs.
* Over is 4-1-1 in Aggies last six vs. a team with a winning record.
* Over is 7-0 in Bobcats last seven non-conference games.
PREDICTION: Utah State 34, Ohio 28. Neither offense will find much trouble putting points on the board, and the Aggies will come through with a late score for the victory.
New Orleans Bowl
UL Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns vs. San Diego State Aztecs (-4.5, 59)
NEW ORLEANS BOWL STORYLINES
1. San Diego State had to sweat out the bowl selection process despite having eight victories and was one of the last teams to receive an invitation. Louisiana-Lafayette figures to have a boisterous game-night following with its campus located just two-plus hours west of New Orleans.
2. Both teams excel at putting points on the board and have solid quarterbacks. The Aztecs averaged 29.8 points with Ryan Lindley (2,740 yards, 20 touchdowns) becoming the school’s all-time leader in passing yards with 12,277. The Ragin’ Cajuns average 32.3 points with quarterback Blaine Gautier throwing for 2,488 yards and 20 touchdowns. His 20 TD passes match the school mark held by Jake Delhomme (20 in both 1995 and 1996).
3. San Diego State’s Ronnie Hillman has 1,656 yards (second-most in school history) and ranks third in the nation in rushing yards per game (138.0) while rushing for 19 touchdowns. Louisiana-Lafayette is average at stopping the run, ranking 55th nationally while allowing 144.5 per game.
4. Louisiana-Lafayette is playing in its first bowl game in 41 years. Coincidentally, San Diego State’s appearance in the 2010 Poinsettia Bowl was the Aztecs’ first bowl contest in 41 years. The Aztecs are 4-4 in bowl games; the Ragin’ Cajuns are 1-1.
TV: ESPN LINE: San Diego State -4.5
ABOUT LOUISIANA-LAFAYETTE (8-4, 6-2 Sun Belt, 8-4 ATS): The Ragin’ Cajuns lost their last two regular-season games after a surprising 8-2 start. Louisiana-Lafayette rolled off six straight wins after being thrashed by Oklahoma State 61-34 in its opener. The Ragin’ Cajuns have returned seven interceptions for touchdowns, tied for second in college history behind this season’s Southern Mississippi squad (eight). Cornerback Bill Bentley and safety Jemarlous Moten each returned two of their three interceptions for scores. Bentley (shoulder) is expected to play. Alonzo Harris (638 yards, eight touchdowns) is the team’s top rusher, while Javone Lawson (54 receptions, 899 yards) and Harry Peoples (53-647) are Gautier’s top targets.
ABOUT SAN DIEGO STATE (8-4, 4-3 Mountain West, 5-7 ATS): The Aztecs won their final two games and four of their last five games to muscle their way into a bowl game. San Diego State has been splendid in the second half of games, outscoring opponents 207-72. Three of their four losses were to Michigan, TCU and Boise State. Cornerback Larry Parker has been a turnover machine with seven interceptions and three forced fumbles and linebacker Miles Burris (19 tackles for loss) has eight of San Diego State’s 28 sacks. Hillman had an ankle injury late in the season but will be close to 100 percent for the bowl game.
TRENDS:
* Ragin' Cajuns are 5-0 ATS in their last five non-conference games.
* Aztecs are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games as favorites.
* Over is 7-1 in Ragin' Cajuns last eight non-conference games.
* Under is 5-2 in Aztecs last seven non-conference games.
PREDICTION: Louisiana-Lafayette 37, San Diego State 31 – The game means infinitely more to the Ragin’ Cajuns and the crowd support helps Louisiana-Lafayette to is first bowl win since the 1943 Oil Bowl.
NCAA Football Bowl Preview
Temple -7 +100 vs. Wyoming (New Mexico Bowl - Saturday, December 17): Temple has one of the best defenses in the country statistically while playing in a MAC that is dominated by offense, allowing only 13.8 points and 315.5 yards per game. However, back-to-back losses to Bowling Green and Ohio late in the year knocked the Owls out of MAC title contention, and uncharacteristically allowing 35 points in the Ohio loss didn't help. Wyoming was a surprising eight-game winner this year, and while the Cowboys benefitted by feasting on the likes of New Mexico and UNLV at home, they also posted nice road upsets at Air Force, San Diego State and Bowling Green. Mountain West Conference bowl underdogs are 13-8, 61.9 percent ATS since 2000, while MAC favorites are 9-13-1, 40.9 percent in that same span.
Utah State -2½ vs. Ohio (Idaho Potato Bowl - Saturday, December 17): Utah State won its last five games to finish at 7-5, but "Oh what may have been", as besides a 10-point loss at Fresno State, the other four losses were by seven points or less and three of them were by four, three and one point respectively! Ohio finished at 9-4, but the Bobcats blew a 20-0 lead in the MAC Championship Game while losing 23-20 to Northern Illinois. Something has to give here from a conference profile perspective, as WAC favorites are an atrocious 3-12, 20.0 percent ATS in bowls since 2000, but MAC bowl underdogs are just 10-16-1, 38.5 percent ATS.
San Diego State -4½ vs. UL Lafayette (New Orleans Bowl - Saturday, December 17): These teams both finished 8-4 straight up, but UL Lafayette also went 8-4 against the spread while the Aztecs had a losing 5-7 ATS mark. San Diego State did have a potent running game averaging 194.2 rushing yards per game on an excellent 5.1 yards per carry, but the Aztecs gave it back on the defensive end, surrendering 177.3 rushing yards per contest. Then again, the Ragin' Cajuns only average 3.6 yards per rush, so they may be unable to exploit that weakness. The conference bowl profiles since 2000 wash out here, as Mountain West favorites are 11-9, 55.0 percent ATS and Sun Belt Conference dogs are 5-4-1, 55.6 percent.