Hawaii Bowl Preview
By Jim Feist
The running team against the all-passing one! Nevada (7-5) is tough to defend with that Pistol/Option attack for Coach Chris Ault, averaging 32.9 points, 271 yards passing and 251 yards rushing (8th in the nation) behind redshirt freshman QBs Tyler Lantrip (10 TDs, 6 INTs) and Cody Fajardo (6 TDs, 5 INTs), both excellent runners. Junior RB Mike Ball (704 yds, 5.2 ypc) and senior RB Mark Lampford (728 yds, 5.6 ypc) have carried the load in the backfield. The defense allows 25.3 ppg. They lost to Oregon (69-20), Texas Tech (35-34) and Boise (30-10). The Wolf Pack is 0-4 ATS in their last 4 Bowl games.
Southern Miss (11-2 SU, 8-4 ATS) is off a terrific 49-28 upset of Houston in the Conference USA title game. Coach Larry Fedora runs a wide-open spread offense he helped run at Oklahoma State. The Golden Eagles average 37.8 points, 263 yards passing and 207.8 rushing behind senior QB Austin Davis (28 TDs, 11 INTs, 3,331 yards) plus speedy senior WR Ryan Balentime (742 yds) and freshman RB Jamaal Woodyard (683 yards, 6.4 ypc). The defense is allowing 21.1 ppg and hasn't faced many strong offenses. They also held on for a 30-24 victory against Virginia.
Hawaii Bowl: What Bettors Need to Know
By Covers.com
Nevada Wolf Pack vs. Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles (-8.5, 63)
HAWAII BOWL STORYLINES
1. Defense may be an afterthought in this game, which features two high-powered offenses. Nevada averages 522.8 yards of offense (fifth in the NCAA) and Southern Miss averages 471 (13th in the NCAA). Southern Miss has won 10 of its last 11 games, during which it has been held below 30 points only one time. Nevada has scored 37 or more in six of its last eight games, including 56 in the season-finale against Idaho.
2. Southern Miss will be playing its final game under coach Larry Fedora, who accepted the head coaching position at North Carolina. Among those who have interviewed for the vacancy are South Carolina defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson, Alabama defensive coordinator Kirby Smart and Oklahoma State offensive coordinator Todd Monken.
3. This will be the third meeting between Nevada and Southern Miss. They played a home-and-home series, with Southern Miss winning 35-19 in 1997 in Hattiesburg and 55-28 in Reno in 1998. Southern Miss will be playing a bowl game for the 10th consecutive year and the 14th in 15 years. Nevada has been to seven straight bowl games.
LINE: The Golden Eagles opened as 6-point favorites and have been bet past the key number to -8.5. The total has climbed to 63 points after opening around 61.5.
WEATHER: So much for a nice sunny vacation in Hawaii. Rain is in the forecast for Aiea with a 58 percent chance of showers and 20-mph winds, blowing ENE across Aloha Stadium.
ABOUT SOUTHERN MISS (11-2, 6-2 Conference USA, 8-4-1 ATS): The No. 21-ranked Golden Eagles set a school record when they beat Houston in the Conference USA championship game for their 11th win. The victory got a lot of attention, as it knocked the Cougars out of BCS consideration and allowed the Golden Eagles to win the Conference USA title. Senior QB Austin Davis, a starter since his freshman season, holds the school record for TD passes (81) and total offense (12,082 yards); he broke Brett Favre’s record for passing yardage and now has 10,727. Southern has a running back by committee approach, with four different players posting 100-yard games.
ABOUT NEVADA (7-5, 5-2 Western Athletic Conference, 5-7 ATS): Mark Lampford is the top rusher (104 yards per game), but it wasn’t easy. A torn ACL in 2010, a case of mono and a chest injury late in summer camp pushed him so far down the depth chart he didn’t even make the travel roster for the opener with Oregon. No decision on whether Tyler Lantrip or Cody Fajardo will start at QB. Lantrip threw for 340 yards in the final game, but Fajardo had started the previous seven games until suffering a badly sprained ankle. The Wolf Pack may have the best defensive player on the field in tackle Brett Roy. The senior led the WAC in tackles for loss (18.5) and sacks (10) and was named first-team All-America by Sports Illustrated.
TRENDS:
* Wolf Pack are 0-4 ATS in their last four Bowl games.
* Golden Eagles are 8-2-1 ATS in their last 11 games overall.
* Under is 4-1 in Wolf Pack's last five Bowl games.
* Over is 4-1 in Golden Eagles' last five games overall.
PREDICTION: Southern Miss 41, Nevada 35 – In a game between two very gifted offensive teams, Southern gets the edge because of QB Austin Davis.