Free Picks: Service Plays for Friday, December 30

DUNKEL INDEX

NCAAB

Missouri at Old Dominion
The Monarchs look to take advantage of a Missouri team that is 3-8 ATS its last 11 road games following 3 or more consecutive home games. Old Dominion is the pick (+8 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the Tigers favored by only 6. Dunkel Pick: Old Dominion (+8 1/2)

Game 841-842: Temple at Delaware (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Temple 66.225; Delaware 54.873
Dunkel Line: Temple by 9 1/2; 133
Vegas Line: Temple by 6; 139
Dunkel Pick: Temple (-6); Under

Game 843-844: Missouri at Old Dominion (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Missouri 70.943; Old Dominion 64.949
Dunkel Line: Missouri by 6; 143
Vegas Line: Missouri by 8 1/2; 138 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Old Dominion (+8 1/2); Over

Game 845-846: Mississippi at Dayton (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Mississippi 61.479; Dayton 62.633
Dunkel Line: Dayton by 1; 138
Vegas Line: Dayton by 4 1/2; 133
Dunkel Pick: Mississippi (+4 1/2); Over

Game 847-848: Princeton at Florida State (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Princeton 54.147; Florida State 69.040
Dunkel Line: Florida State by 15; 115
Vegas Line: Florida State by 12 1/2; 118 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Florida State (-12 1/2); Under

Game 849-850: Towson at Virginia (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Towson 36.821; Virginia 73.711
Dunkel Line: Virginia by 37; 112
Vegas Line: Virginia by 31; 116 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Virginia (-31); Under

Game 851-852: Western Michigan at Duke (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Western Michigan 58.179; Duke 75.918
Dunkel Line: Duke by 17 1/2; 153
Vegas Line: Duke by 20 1/2; 149
Dunkel Pick: Western Michigan (+20 1/2); Over

Game 853-854: West Virginia at Seton Hall (9:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: West Virginia 67.370; Seton Hall 66.539
Dunkel Line: West Virginia by 1; 142
Vegas Line: Seton Hall by 1; 137 1/2
Dunkel Pick: West Virginia (+1); Over

Game 855-856: Rhode Island at Central Florida (9:00 p.m. EST)
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Game 857-858: Stetson vs. James Madison (9:30 p.m. EST)
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Game 859-860: Air Force vs. Eastern Michigan (9:00 p.m. EST)
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Game 861-862: Wagner at Santa Clara (11:15 p.m. EST)
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Game 863-864: Eastern Washington at Montana (3:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Eastern Washington 51.695; Montana 53.183
Dunkel Line: Montana by 1 1/2; 130
Vegas Line: Montana by 4 1/2; 132
Dunkel Pick: Eastern Washington (+4 1/2); Under

Game 865-866: NC-Greensboro at Richmond (4:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: NC-Greensboro 42.228; Richmond 61.884
Dunkel Line: Richmond by 19 1/2; 149
Vegas Line: Richmond by 15 1/2; 144
Dunkel Pick: Richmond (-15 1/2); Over

Game 867-868: Georgia Southern at Auburn (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Georgia Southern 45.754; Auburn 55.558
Dunkel Line: Auburn by 10; 128
Vegas Line: Auburn by 12; 133 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Georgia Southern (+12); Under

Game 869-870: Appalachian State at Miami (FL) (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Appalachian State 49.037; Miami (FL) 62.008
Dunkel Line: Miami (FL) by 13; 143
Vegas Line: Miami (FL) by 16; 137 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Appalachian State (+16); Over

Game 871-872: Furman at NC-Wilmington (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Furman 50.480; NC-Wilmington 56.580
Dunkel Line: NC-Wilmington by 6; 131
Vegas Line: NC-Wilmington by 4 1/2; 132 1/2
Dunkel Pick: NC-Wilmington (-4 1/2); Under

Game 873-874: George Mason at College of Charleston (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: George Mason 58.799; College of Charleston 60.213
Dunkel Line: College of Charleston by 1 1/2; 132
Vegas Line: College of Charleston by 4; 138
Dunkel Pick: George Mason (+4); Under

Game 875-876: St. Bonaventure at Niagara (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: St. Bonaventure 59.882; Niagara 48.736
Dunkel Line: St. Bonaventure by 11; 144
Vegas Line: St. Bonaventure by 9; 140 1/2
Dunkel Pick: St. Bonaventure (-9); Over

Game 877-878: Murray State at Eastern Illinois (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Murray State 60.559; Eastern Illinois 51.565
Dunkel Line: Murray State by 9; 134
Vegas Line: Murray State by 10 1/2; 136 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Eastern Illinois (+10 1/2); Under

Game 879-880: Portland State at Montana State (9:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Portland State 45.304 Montana State 49.620
Dunkel Line: Montana State by 4 1/2; 157
Vegas Line: Montana State by 1 1/2; 152
Dunkel Pick: Montana State (-1 1/2); Over

Game 885-886: Western Illinois at IUPUI (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Western Illinois 48.176; IUPUI 52.259
Dunkel Line: IUPUI by 4; 121
Vegas Line: IUPUI by 5 1/2; 128
Dunkel Pick: Western Illinois (+5 1/2); Under

Game 887-888: IPFW at North Dakota State (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: IPFW 46.978; North Dakota State 63.900
Dunkel Line: North Dakota State by 17; 152
Vegas Line: North Dakota State by 13 1/2; 147 1/2
Dunkel Pick: North Dakota State (-13 1/2); Over

Game 889-890: Oral Roberts at South Dakota (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Oral Roberts 65.573; South Dakota 49.048
Dunkel Line: Oral Roberts by 16 1/2; 141
Vegas Line: Oral Roberts by 10 1/2; 138 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Oral Roberts (-10 1/2); Over

Game 891-892: Southern Utah at UMKC (8:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Southern Utah 48.285; UMKC 50.870
Dunkel Line: UMKC by 2 1/2; 132
Vegas Line: UMKC by 4 1/2; 137
Dunkel Pick: Southern Utah (+4 1/2); Under

Game 893-894: Oakland at South Dakota State (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Oakland 56.530; South Dakota State 62.613
Dunkel Line: South Dakota State by 6; 178
Vegas Line: South Dakota State by 9; 173 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Oakland (+9); Over

Game 895-896: SE Louisiana at Texas Tech (9:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: SE Louisiana 46.855; Texas Tech 56.093
Dunkel Line: Texas Tech by 9; 117
Vegas Line: Texas Tech by 8; 126
Dunkel Pick: Texas Tech (-8); Under

Matt Fargo

Wake Forest @ Mississippi St.
PICK: Mississippi St. -6.5

Looking at the statistics in this matchup show them to be pretty even on both sides with Wake Forest having a slight edge on offense and Mississippi St. having a slight edge on defense. When putting together power rating based on statistics, it is very important to include other factors with strength of schedule being one of the most important additions. In this case, the Bulldogs have played a much tougher schedule including three teams ranked in the top ten with Wake Forest facing none.

Mississippi St. needed to win the Egg Bowl in its regular season finale to become bowl eligible and it did just that as Mississippi showed no resistance. It was supposed to be a better year for the Bulldogs as they came into the preseason ranked in the top 20 but a seven-point loss at Auburn knocked them out and they could never recover. Playing in the SEC West will do that as Mississippi had to face LSU, Alabama and Arkansas and to make it worse, it drew Georgia and South Carolina out of the East.

Wake Forest started the season 4-1 including a win over Florida St. to grab that fourth win and it was talking ACC title but it was short-lived. A blowout loss against Virginia Tech, a one-point win over Duke and then three more losses had the Demon Deacons reeling but they were able to become bowl eligible with a win over lowly Maryland. They lost their season finale against Vanderbilt as they forgot to show up and were hammered by an equally as good if not slightly worse than Mississippi St. team.

This is where things could get more dicey for Wake Forest. They were clearly mentally and physically exhausted after a long season so head coach Jim Grobe gave them some extended time off leading up to this game. While it could get them more energized, it could also have a reverse effect and bring the Demon Deacons in completely unprepared. This is the time when most teams cherish this time as they get in as many practices to prepare for the bowl game and for next season. Wake Forest did neither.

I think the Bulldogs defense is going to be too strong for Wake Forest to have any success. They allowed 24 or fewer points in 10 of 12 games which is very impressive against the schedule they faced. Wake Forest meanwhile was outgained overall on the season and it was outgained in seven of its last eight games including four times by at least 152 total yards. This also includes getting outrushed in each of those final seven games and against Mississippi St., that will be a big problem.

Jim Feist

Raptors vs. Mavericks
Play: Over 194½

Toronto still runs a breakneck pace, scoring 104 points in the opener. They face a Dallas team that has a ton of scoring options, but the defense has been a problem allowing 110 ppg -- 30th in the NBA. The over is 13-5 in the Mavericks last 18 home games vs. a team with a winning road record. And when these teams meet the over is 6-1 in the last 7 meetings in Dallas. Play the Raptors/Mavericks Over the total.

EZWINNERS

Iowa Hawkeyes +13.5

Iowa may be perceived as a team that lacks playmakers, but I believe the Hawkeyes will show some explosiveness in this game. Oklahoma is without their top running back and wide receiver and the Sooners did not end the season on an impressive note. Oklahoma is 0-3 against the spread as a favorite in their last three non BCS bowls and Iowa has excelled as a bowl underdog covering the spread in five straight as an underdog including four outright wins. Take the generous points.

David Chan

Predators @ Blues
PICK: Under

The 19-14-4 Nashville Predators prowl into St. Louis to take on the 21-11-4 Blues.

Nashville is coming off a 2-1 victory over Minnesota on Wednesday.

Goaltender Pekka Rinne and a patchwork defense, which included three rookie defensemen were outstanding:

“They are playing their games and playing to their strengths,” Rinne said of Jonathon Blum, Roman Josi and Ryan Ellis. “They are not trying to not make mistakes.That’s the biggest thing for them.”

“We thought Wilson was ready for it,” Nashville coach Barry Trotz said. “I give a lot of credit to Mitch Korn, our goaltending coach, who breaks down the opposition’s goaltenders.”

Rinne stopped 34 shots.

The Blues are coming off a 3-2 loss at Detroit on Tuesday:

“They dialed it up in the third and forced us into making mistakes,” St. Louis coach Ken Hitchcock said.

Brian Elliot made 29-saves:

“You’re up on the road, you’ve just got to finish, playing a clear concise game,” Elliot said. “We didn’t do what we needed to do in the third period and that cost us.”

These teams last played on December 17th, a 2-1 victory for the Predators in front of the home town crowd; I'm expecting a similar score in this one!

SPORTS CHAT PLACE

Tulsa Golden Hurricane vs. BYU Cougars (+1, 56.5)

The city of Dallas welcomes the Brigham Young Cougars and Tulsa Golden Hurricane as they square off in the Armed Forces Bowl.

Tulsa has won three consecutive Bowl games after smacking around Hawaii last season 62-35 in the Hawaii Bowl and finished the regular season having won seven of eight with a loss to Houston in their finale’ as the only blemish. In fact, all four defeats suffered by the Golden Hurricane came at the hands of teams that were ranked in the top ten. Tulsa’s calling card has been on the offensive side of the ball where the Golden Hurricane piled up 424 yards and 34 points with the ability to run and pass behind quarterback GJ Kinne. Kinne was a highly effective passer, completing 230 of 349 passes for 2,876 yards for 25 touchdowns and 12 interceptions and exceeded 300 passing yards five times. The top target was Willie Carter with 868 yards on 61 catches with seven scores followed by Bryan Burnham who snagged 50 balls for 737 yards and another eight TD’s. Clay Sears posted 35 catches for 438 yards and six touchdowns with Jordan James and Trey Watts combining for 56 catches for 555 yards and four touchdowns. Watts was also a key figure in the nation’s #24 rushing attack with 843 yards on a team high 147 carries with three scores while Ja’Terian Douglas was the most explosive with 884 yards on 107 totes with an 8.2 yard average and four touchdowns. Kinne proved to be competent runner with 112 tries for 405 yards and picked and chose his spots while Alex Singleton added 279 yards on 82 carries and led the backfield with eight touchdowns. The Golden Hurricane were #89 defensively, giving up 421 yards and under 28 points and were vulnerable against the pass, allowing nearly 290 yards per game which was #118.

Brigham Young was just as hot as their counterparts to close the year as winners of eight in nine with the lone loss coming at the hands of TCU. The Cougars are appearing in their seventh consecutive Bowl and have won four including a 52-24 rout of UTEP in the New Mexico Bowl a year ago. BYU is a well rounded offense that was #41 in total yards and averaged over 30 points and was somewhere in the middle of the rankings with the run and pass. Jake Heaps was initially the starter under center but had a slow and mistake filled beginning to the season. He completed 143 of 252 throws for 1,452 yards for nine TD’s and eight picks. Riley Nelson came in and was an immediate boost by going 99 of 162 for 1,497 yards with 16 touchdowns and five interceptions but was injured against Idaho and came back for the finale’. Cody Hoffman led the receiver by committee passing game with 53 receptions for 821 yards and seven touchdowns with Ross Apo a distant second with 453 yards on 34 balls with nine scores. JD Falslev (29-299), McKay Jacobson (23-279), Marcus Matthews (25-265) and JJ Di Luigi (24-259) all proved to be reliable and productive in limited capacity. Brigham Young also had a run by committee look to it with Di Luigi leading the way with 546 yards on 106 carries while Michael Alisa gained 455 yards on 85 totes. Riley Nelson had a little dual threat in him with 376 yards on 75 tries with Joshua Quezada and Bryan Kariya combined for 545 yards on 144 carries with the rushing attack accounting for 16 scores overall. The BYU defense outplayed the offense for most of the season, allowing 316 yards (#16) and only 20 points while being equally strong versus the run and pass.

I certainly like Nelson at quarterback much better than Heaps and Brigham Young has the better defense which will be tested by a very strong Tulsa offense. Looking strictly at the numbers I think the Cougars have a slight edge but the Golden Hurricane have played a tougher slate and I’m going against the grain a bit but I’m siding with Tulsa…

MARK'S PICK: Tulsa Golden Hurricane +2

Rutgers Scarlet Knights vs. Iowa State Cyclones (+1.5, 44.5)

The Iowa State Cyclones and Rutgers Scarlet Knights travel to Yankee Stadium for the Pinstripe Bowl.

Iowa State isn’t a fixture in the postseason with their last appearance in 2009 and have played in only ten Bowls overall with three victories. After playing a brutal schedule laced with ranked opponents, the Cyclones snuck in with a 6-6 record after consecutive defeats to Oklahoma and Kansas State to end the year. Iowa State comes in with a middle of the row offense that produced 393 yards paced by the #35 rushing attack that averaged 181 yards leading to just under 24 points per contest. The quarterback position as seen a change with Steele Jantz beginning the season under center before giving way to Jared Barnett. Jantz completed 123 of 228 throws for 1,322 yards for ten TD’s and nine picks but was only a 54% passer. Barnett went 108 of 213 for 1,178 yards with six scores and six interceptions and was little more than a 50% passer so throwing the ball was not a sure thing with this group. Darius Reynolds was the star of the receiving corps with 655 yards on 41 balls and seven TD’s with Josh Lenz hauling in 35 catches for 438 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Aaron Horne (33-385) and Albert Gary (21-267) were in the top four options but it was obvious that throwing the ball wasn’t their strength however running the ball was. James White led the rushing attack with 701 yards on 149 carries with eight trips to the end zone. Barnett gave the running game a boost that Jantz couldn’t with 435 yards on 99 totes while Jeff Woody (87-359) and Shontrelle Johnson (51-247) produced on limited opportunities. The defensive side of the ball had difficulty keeping up with the offenses of the Big 12 allowing 432 yards and almost 30 points and could be run or passed on.

Rutgers is probably ecstatic to be in the postseason after a dismal 4-8 mark a year ago and will be Bowling after a five year hiatus. Unlike Iowa State, the Scarlet Knights didn’t face a whole lot of ranked opponents with West Virginia being the only one which ended as a 43-31 defeat. Rutgers comes in to the Pinstripe with an ordinary offense that produced 336 yards and 26 points with a slightly better passing game with a rushing attack that barely cracked 91 yards. The Scarlet Knights used two quarterbacks this year with Gary Nova going 113 of 220 for 1,533 yards with eleven scores and nine picks and a 51% completion rate. Chas Dodd came on later on in the year, completing 129 of 228 for 1,398 yards with nine touchdowns and seven picks and was just under a 57% passer. Despite the quarterback situation Mohamed Sanu excelled with 109 receptions for 1,144 yards and seven touchdowns with Brandon Coleman a distant second with 466 yards on only 16 catches and five scores. Quron Pratt (31-323), Mark Harrison (14-274) and Joe Martinek (27-262) showed some explosiveness but not many chances. The running game was basically a one man act with Jawan Jamison rambling for 766 yards on 204 totes and seven scores but averaged less than four yards. Jeremy Deering (47-169) and Savon Huggins (56-146) gave Jamison an occasional breather but not much more. The undeniable strength of Rutgers was on the defensive side of the ball with the #12 unit that gave up only 312 yards and less than 19 points. The Scarlet Knights gave up just 168 passing yards but allowed 144 yards on the ground.

I would expect Iowa State to do most of their work on the ground because that is what they do and Rutgers one weakness is run D. It will be interesting to watch the Scarlet Knights on offense because they don’t run and their passing is hit or miss. Right now I’m going with defense...

MARK'S PICK: Rutgers Scarlet Knights -2

Wake Forest Demon Deacons vs. Mississippi State Bulldogs (-6.5, 48)

He city of Nashville hosts the Wake Forest Demon Deacons and Mississippi State Bulldogs in the Music City Bowl.

Wake Forest looked like a lock for the postseason after a 4-1 start to the season before stumbling to the finish line with a 2-5 finish. However, the Demon Deacons did get their six wins to make their first Bowl appearance in three years when they defeated Navy 29-19 in the 2008 EaglesBank Bowl. The Demon Deacons did not stand out offensively averaging over 374 yards and 27 points with the #37 ranked passing game that had some punch at 256 yards per game. Quarterback Tanner Price was the star of the air attack, completing 229 of 376 throws for 2,803 yards for 20 touchdowns and six interceptions for a 61% rate. Chris Givens was the top target with 74 catches for 1,276 yards and nine TD”s and over 17 yard average. Michael Campanaro was a quality number two with 705 yards on 63 receptions with Danny Dembry posting 35 catches for 419 yards and a pair of scores. Terrence Davis rounded out the top pass catchers with 20 balls for 269 yards and five scores. Running the ball wasn’t a strong point for the Demon Deacons who averaged less than 119 yards with a pair of 100+ carry backs. Brandon Pendergrass was the top rusher with 750 carries on 164 carries and eight touchdowns while Josh Harris posted 432 yards on 101 totes and three scores with averages of 4.6 and 4.3 yards respectively. The Wake defense didn’t out in many areas, allowing just under 400 yards and nearly 28 points but were equally susceptible to the run and pass.

Mississippi State looks for back to back postseason victories after routing Michigan 52-14 in the Gator Bowl a year ago. The Bulldogs became Bowl eligible on the final day of the season with a victory over Mississippi but MSU has still dropped 2 of 3 and couldn’t match their 9-4 mark of 2010. The Mississippi State offense produced 355 yards and under 26 points with a running game that averaged nearly 169 yards to rank #46. The Bulldogs had a pair of quarterbacks that saw plenty of action with Chris Relf completing 102 of 171 throws for 1,083 yards with nine touchdowns and seven interceptions while Tyler Russell went 69 of 129 for 1,034 yards with eight scores and four picks. Arceto Clark led the receiving corps with 28 catches for 404 and three touchdowns with Chad Bumphis (24-342) and Chris Smith (30-283) led a very controlled attack with six others totaling between 114 and 188 yards. Running the ball is where the Bulldogs excelled with Vick Ballard leading the way with 1,009 yards on 179 carries with LaDarius Perkins adding 407 yards on 81 totes with eight and two touchdowns respectively. The strength of the Bulldogs was on the defensive side of the football where they gave up only 356 and under 20 points so managing the scoreboard was their specialty. This unit gave up 195 passing yards to rank in the top 25 nationally but could be run on at over 160 yards.

Neither team has explosive offenses but Mississippi State doesn’t give up points and should be able to run. The question is can Wake Forest throw against a strong Bulldogs secondary. Giving Grobe too much time to prepare is a worry for me but right now I’m taking defense here…

MARK'S PICK: Mississippi State Bulldogs -6.5

Iowa Hawkeyes vs. Oklahoma Sooners (-14, 57.5)

The Oklahoma Sooners and Iowa Hawkeyes match up in the Insight Bowl in Tempe, Arizona Saturday.

After starting the season 6-0 and the National Championship in their sights, the Sooners lost two of three to end their title hopes. In the process, OU missed out on a BCS Bowl and are back looking for another Bowl after they throttling Connecticut 48-20 last year. Oklahoma amassed plenty of real estate at 521 yards (#4) and over 40 points (#10). The Sooners were a competent running team but it was through the air where this offense made their mark at over 365 yards per contest. Quarterback Landry Jones put the ball in the air a lot, completing 339 of 537 passes for 4,302 yards for 28 touchdowns and 14 interceptions and 63% completion rate. His top target was Ryan Broyles who caught 83 balls for 1,157 yards and ten scores but his production is gone with a knee injury. Third leading receiver Jaz Reynolds might also be out with a kidney problem and takes with him 715 yards and 58 catches with five scores. That makes Kenny Stills the top option after making 58 receptions for 818 yards and eight touchdowns meaning this might be receiver by committee after Stills. The backfield also has a few problems with Dominique Whaley out for the year and along with him 627 yards on 113 carries with nine touchdowns. Roy Finch was second on the ground with 601 yards on 105 totes but was suspended and his availability is an unknown. With so many key players out for Oklahoma, the defense might have to step up take control. This unit allowed 383 yards and 23 points which are solid numbers versus some strong offensive teams in the Big 2.

Iowa certainly didn’t have the season they had hoped for after winning this Bowl last year but barely becoming Bowl eligible with a 2-3 finish to the regular season. The Hawkeyes averaged 379 yards and over 28 points, both of which were middle of the row nationally. Quarterback James Vandenberg had a productive season, going 214 of 360 for 2,806 yards for 23 touchdowns against six picks with just over 59% completions. Marvin McNutt was one of the best receivers in the conference and beyond with 1,269 yards on 78 balls with 12 TD’s while Keenan Davis served the role as the number two option by snagging 45 balls for 637 yards and four scores. Kevonte Martin-Manley totaled 29 receptions for 302 yards and three touchdowns with three others accounting for over 400 yards. What will the rushing attack give the Hawkeyes is a huge question with Marcus Coker on suspension for this game. Coker was the only Iowa runner of significance with 1,384 yards on 280 carries for 15 touchdowns and nearly five yards per touch. No other running back gained more than 80 yards so needless to say this will be a huge void to fill. The Iowa defense might be called upon to keep the score in reach with the offense shorthanded. On the year this unit allowed 388 yards and 23 points but didn’t standout in any phase.

I’m not a big fan of games with multiple injuries and suspensions, especially combined with a huge spread. Neither team will be at full strength and this might be more of a lean than anything…

MARK'S PICK: Iowa Hawkeyes +14

Steve Janus

Iowa +14

Iowa has been an excellent team to back in bowl games under head coach Kirk Ferentz. The Hawkeyes have won outright and covered the spread in three straight bowl game appearances, and I think getting them at +14 is an absolute gift.

Dating back to the Hawkeyes 24-26 loss to Texas in the Alamo Bowl, Iowa has covered four straight in postseason play. Iowa was a 9-point underdog in that game to Texas, and they nearly won outright. The Hawkeyes were 6-point underdogs against Georgia Tech in the 2009 Orange Bowl, they won that game 24-14. Last year they were getting 2-points against Missouri in the Insight Bowl and won that game outright 27-24.

The big concern for Iowa is they will be without starting running back Marcus Coker, who finished second in the Big Ten with 1,384 rushing yards to go along with 15 touchdowns. Coker has been the predominant back this season, as no other running back has more than 18 attempts.

A big reason why Coker had so much success, is because he was running behind a talented offensive line. I see no reason why someone can't step up and give Iowa some production on the ground. Last year Coker came out of nowhere to rush for 219 yards and two touchdowns against Missouri in the bowl game.

It's not like Oklahoma has a powerhouse run defense. The Sooners come in 45th against the run (139.6 ypg). They just gave up 278 rushing yards in their regular season finale against Oklahoma State.

All of that and we haven't even got to talking about the weapons Iowa has in the passing game. Junior quarterback James Vandenberg threw for 2,806 yards with 23 touchdowns to just six interceptions. Vandenberg has a future NFL wideout at his disposal in Marvin McNutt, who finished up the year with 78 catches for 1,269 yards and 12 touchdowns.

Oklahoma is going to be able to move the ball against a suspect Iowa defense, but I don't think they are going to have as much success as some might think. Oklahoma's offense has not been the same since the loss of star receiver Ryan Broyles, and I expect Ferentz to have a solid game plan ready for what the Sooners will be looking to do offensively.

Iowa is 7-1 ATS in their last 8 games as an underdog of 10.5 or greater, while Oklahoma is just 1-4 ATS in their last 5 Bowl games as a favorite.

Rob Vinciletti

Houston Rockets vs. Memphis Grizzlies
Play: Memphis Grizzlies -5

On Friday the free NBA play is on Memphis. Game 812 at 8:05 eastern as they come off a tough home loss to Ok. City and take on a Houston team we took last night in their win vs The Spurs. Memphis should get their first win tonight vs an unrested Houston team. If last year is any indicator for this year the Rockets will coast. The Angle below illustrates how road teams with no rest did last year going to Memphis. Not to good at 0-15 straight up and ats. While this Angle looks solid I wasn't able to tie any power systems into the plays and I never play a side based solely on an angle like this. However for a free play its a nice looking play. Houston has failed to cover 7 of the last 10 times on the road when the total is 190 to 195 and Memphis should get the win and cover tonight.

Tradeline Sports

Predators at Blues
Play: Under 5

Playing to the bottom side of a National Hockey League Over-Under on a team (St Louis) that is coming off a road loss by one goal or less in a game involving two teams with a winning percentage between .510 and .600 percent when the oddsmakers set the total at 5 goals has cashed at a 70% clip (50-21) over the last 15 NHL campaigns. This is the first time this season the bias has presented itself.

Miami Heat at Minnesota Timberwolves
Play: Miami Heat -7.5

Fading National Basketball Association underdogs (Minnesota) following a game where they committed 13 or more turnovers than their opponent when the oddsmakers set the pointspread between of 3.5 to 9.5 points has been a money maker over the last 15 NBA campaigns. The trend is 46-15 (75%) during this span and this is the first time the bias has presented itself this season.

Rockets at Grizzlies
Play: Under 192

Play to the bottom side of the National Basketball Association Over-Under on a team (Houston) who has made six or more three points shots, on average, last season in a contest against a division foe when the oddsmakers set the total between 190 and 199.5, this in the first month of the season. The trend is a stellar 35-8 over the last five NBA campaigns and is already 4-1 this season.

New York Rangers at Florida Panthers
Play: Florida Panthers +105

Fading road National Hockey League teams (Rangers) that have won four of their last five games when playing on Friday nights has been a solid money maker over the last 15 NHL campaigns. The trend is times tested 165-88 during that span and is a red hot 7-1 this season.

SPORTS WAGERS

BYU +109 over Tulsa PINNACLE

Tulsa boasts an impressive résumé for an 8-4 team, with losses only to top-10 outfits Oklahoma State, Oklahoma, Boise State and Houston. The development of quarterback G.J. Kinne and a veteran offensive line helped the Golden Hurricane overcome a lack of experienced skill position players. There are no impressive wins on this team's schedule but most of them were blowouts and there's no shame in any of the losses. BYU has a similar résumé, with losses to the three best teams on its slate, accompanying a host of lopsided victories over weak opponents. The Cougars aren't as explosive as Tulsa, but this BYU defense is easily the best the Hurricane has faced outside of its quartet of highly ranked foes. Seventh-year BYU boss Bronco Mendenhall is an accomplished bowl coach, and his edge in postseason experience over Tulsa rookie Bill Blankenship could be the decisive advantage in this evenly matched affair. Play: BYU +109 (No bets)

RUTGERS –102 over Iowa State PINNACLE

Expect a grinding, defensive affair from two teams that prefer to run but aren't that great at it. Iowa State lacks explosive playmakers in the passing game, relying on James White and Jeff Woody for yards on the ground. Rutgers is transitioning from a failed spread approach back to the downhill identity that served the Scarlet Knights so well during the Ray Rice era. Iowa State takes its bowls seriously and is not a program we expect to fade in the postseason. However, Rutgers has a few advantages that could turn this defensive struggle in the Knights' favor. Rutgers has the far better defense, big-play special teams units and will be playing in front of a partisan crowd in a stadium in which it beat Army just a month ago. The Knights also feature the matchup's best playmaker in record-setting wideout Mohamed Sanu. Most important, Iowa State is a turnover-prone group, ranking 118th in giveaways, while the ball-hawking Knights are the country's fifth-best in takeaways. Yards will be at a premium but a Rutgers team that ranks just 100th in total offense yet 66th in scoring finds a way to get the job done even when the chains aren't moving. Play Rutgers –102 (Risking 2.04 units to win 2).

Wake Forest +7 over Mississippi St. SportsInteraction

The current identity of the Wake Forest offense plays into Mississippi State's hands, as the Bulldogs linebackers are inexperienced but the secondary is among the nation's best. Nor is this a great matchup for a Wake Forest defense that has struggled with physical rushing attacks. Still, even with the matchup disadvantages, we are unwilling to lay postseason points to a Jim Grobe-coached team. After falling out of the SEC West race all that remained for Mississippi State was to claim bowl eligibility and a third straight win over hated rival Ole Miss. Those missions accomplished, it's hard to see the Dogs getting fired up to play a historical ACC doormat. All State knows about Wake is that the Deacons dropped a 41-7 decision to Vandy in their final game. It's almost impossible for State not to be overconfident here, while Wake is itching to prove it's better than its last outing, especially given a chance at redemption against an SEC opponent. Another red flag that should concern Bulldog backers is that all the money is coming in on the chalk. No question Mississippi State matches up well here but a fresh Wake team is a lot better than the out-of-gas squad Vanderbilt saw. A touchdown is too much weight to lay with an offensively challenged team against an opponent that’s “expected to lose” with an excellent track record both in bowls and as an underdog. Play: Wake Forest +7 (Risking 2.2 units to win 2).

Iowa +13½ over OKLAHOMA PINNACLE

Iowa RB Marcus Coker is out and unlike last year's Insight, when Coker had his coming-out party in relief of suspended tailback Adam Robinson, there's no comparable talent waiting his turn down on the depth chart. The loss of Coker will really hurt Iowa's ability to control the clock and keep Oklahoma's offense off the field. Still, it's impossible to endorse an Oklahoma team that's down to just two backs itself and is suffering the worst team wide wear and tear in the country. Sooner Nation is melting down after the preseason No. 1 fell to 9-3 and a minor bowl berth. Oklahoma now finds itself in the classic spot of the disappointed big bowl favorite. Bob Stoops has done well in non-BCS bowls, but those previous appearances were in known retooling years, not seasons of dashed high expectations, and he's just 4-8 against the spread in all bowls. With three trips in five years, this is a team that's grown weary of Fiesta Bowls. It's unlikely the Sooners can get that fired up about yet another trip to Phoenix, this one for the Insight. Iowa's pass defense is miserable, and Oklahoma should roll up some serious yardage, but at least the Hawkeyes will play hard for retiring coordinator Norm Parker. Just a few stops might be enough for the Iowa defense, as Big Ten receiving leader Marvin McNutt is prepared to be the go-to guy in Coker's absence and Iowa is capable of landing some blows on an underachieving Oklahoma pass defense. Add the Sooners state of mind after being selected to play in a small Bowl game and that makes the Cyclones the only side worth having. Play: Iowa State +13½ (Risking 2.14 units to win 2).

JR O'Donnell

Coll. of Charleston -4

Charleston comes in favored by 4 (BetOnLine) and for good reason. They are 6-0 SU at home, and GMU is 0-3 ATS on the road with losses at Florida Atlantic, a cover but not convincingly at Towson (0-12) and a pasting at Virginia. Look at the other side, Charleston lost to power Louisville on the road by "7", a game that was close to the final minutes and beat Tennessee at home, and won at Clemson. GMU RPI is #207, and their strength of schedule is #325 compared to C of C with an RPI of #53 and #175 strength of schedule. It should be noted that Charleston scores almost "2" ppg more at home while GMU allows "3" more on the road while scoring "3" ppg less. GMU won "27" last year, but are just getting new pg Cornelius back after a long suspension, and have had "4" games already with 22+ turnovers! This is a better C of C team with the addition of freshman post player Baru, 6-9 who chose them over Maryland, NC State and Virginia Tech. Power rated @ C o C - 6.88 points.

David Banks

Iowa / Oklahoma Over

The Insight Bowl is scheduled to go on Friday night in Tempe where the Iowa Hawkeyes (7-5, 5-7 ATS) will look to win their fourth straight bowl game against what could be a very disinterested group of Oklahoma Sooners (9-3, 6-6 ATS); kick-off from Sun Devil Stadium is set for 10:00 ET with ESPN & ESPN3.com covering the live broadcasts.

Since going 11-2 SU and defeating Georgia Tech in the 2009 Orange Bowl, the Hawkeyes program has been marred in mediocrity compiling 15-10 SU & 11-13-1 ATS records the last two seasons. Head coach Kirk Ferentzs kids were an afterthought in the Big Ten in 2011 placing fourth in the newly formed Legends Division with a 4-4 SU record. Its biggest win of the season came in the outright variety at home where it beat the Michigan Wolverines 24-16 as four-point underdogs at the beginning of November. The squad went on to lose two of its final three games against both Michigan State and Nebraska with a win at Purdue sandwiched in between. Save for the defense allowing just 23.2 points per game (#42), Iowa failed to do anything else above average on either side of the pigskin. Iowa won just one of its five games played away from Iowa City, and managed just a 1-3 ATS record the four times it was dogged.

Head coach Bob Stoops squad entered their 2011-12 campaign with lofty expectations ranking amongst the top five in both the coaches and AP polls. OU looked to be well on its way towards once again partaking in a BCS Bowl after compiling a perfect 6-0 SU mark and 4-2 ATS record over the course of its first six games played which included wins over Florida State, Missouri, and Texas. Then October 22nds home date with Texas Tech arrived, and the Sooners were shockingly upset at home 41-38 as near 30-point favorites. Though the club rebounded with back-to-back annihilations of both Kansas State and Texas A&M, Oklahoma dropped a huge one in Waco out of their bye before earning a non-covering win against Iowa State heading into its Bedlam match-up with Oklahoma State. When the dust cleared in that one, the Sooners found themselves on the wrong side of a 44-10 beatdown which dashed any and all hopes of going BCS bowling. Because of that, this trip to the Insight Bowl could play out to a similar result as in 2009 when they just got past Stanford as double-digit Sun Bowl favorites.

Before plopping your hard-earned money down on Iowa plus the points here, know that the teams leading rusher and the Big Tens second best back, RB Marcus Coker (1384 yards), has been suspended for this game. Still, Iowas covered each of its L/4 bowl games and has gone 7-1 ATS the L/8 times it was installed an underdog of 10.5 points or more. OUs gone 7-0 SU & 6-1 ATS following its L/7 SU losses to conference rivals, but its also 1-4 ATS its L/5 as a bowl game chalk. The under is 7-2 the L/9 times Iowa lined up against a member of the Big 12, while its 4-1 the L/5 times the Sooners played off an outright defeat.

NHL Predictions

Nashville Predators +161

Take note that the Preds are coming off a big 2-1 shootout victory against the Wild, while the Blues are coming off a road loss in Detroit and have played 3 of their last 4 on the road. Nashville has already taken both meetings between these two teams, including one game in St Louis (a 4-2 win), with Pekka Rinne coming up big in both wins. This is a good chance to get on the Predators coming off a win with Rinne playing solid.

Sean “Paddy” Murphy

Princeton @ Florida State
PICK: Princeton =12.5

Princeton may own a losing SU record so far this season, but the Tigers are a gutsy bunch, taking on all comers while posting a 7-4 ATS mark to date.

This may look like a mismatch on paper, as an Ivy League school challenges an ACC foe. However, we could have said the same thing when Princeton went up against SEC powerhouse Kentucky in last year's NCAA Tournament. The Tigers gave the Wildcats all they could handle, and then some, in a narrow two-point loss.

The core of that Princeton squad is back in the fold here in 2011-12. Coming off a tough 63-59 loss at Siena before the Christmas break, I'm confident we'll see the Tigers put forth their best effort on Friday.

I'm not sure the same can be said for the Seminoles. They were blasted 82-64 by rival Florida last Thursday night. This is a team that may be doubting itself a little, having lost every time its stepped up in class this season.

As a little extra motivation, it's worth noting that Florida State dropped a 46-41 decision to Princeton's rival, the Harvard Crimson back on November 25th.

The Seminoles are 0-3 SU and ATS when failing to score more than 70 points this season. I'm not convinced they'll get there against a stingy Princeton defense that hasn't allowed more than 68 points in regulation time since its season-opener.