NCAAF Bowl Game News, Match-Ups and Trends For Friday 1/3/20

Potato Bowl Preview
Joe Williams

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl (ESPN, 3:30 p.m. ET)

Ohio vs. Nevada

-- The Ohio Bobcats (6-6 straight up, 4-8 against the spread) from the Mid-American Conference will battle the Nevada Wolf Pack (7-5 straight up, 5- against the spread) from the American Athletic Conference in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl at Albertsons Stadium in Boise, Idaho.

-- The Bobcats have won their past two bowl game appearances, including last season's 27-0 win over San Diego State, a Mountain West team, at the Frisco Bowl. They also won their only previous appearance in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, a narrow 24-23 win over Utah State on Dec. 17, 2011.

-- Nevada won their bowl appearance last season, too, topping Arkansas State 16-13 in the Arizona Bowl, and like Ohio, they have also won each of their past two postseason appearances. They haven't played in Boise for a bowl game since Dec. 30, 2008, a 42-35 loss to Maryland when the game was called the Humanitarian Bowl. They also lost by one point, 21-20, to Miami (Fla.) on Dec. 31, 2006 when the game was sponsored by MPC Computers.

-- Ohio heads into this game ranked 33rd in total yards (443.3), 72nd in passing yards (226.8) and 22nd in rushing yards (216.5) while checking in 20th with 34.7 points per game. Defensively, the Bobcats allowed 401.7 total yards per game to end up 76th in the nation, they were 62nd against the pass (223.8) and 82nd against the run (177.9) while yielding 27.0 PPG.

-- Nevada ranked just 103rd in the land in total yards per game (360.0), while ending up 62nd in pass (236.5) and 117th in rushing yards (123.5) per outing. They alos posted just 21.3 PPG to finish 111th. Defensively they were so-so, but the stats were skewed due to a pair of blowout losses, a 77-6 setback at Oregon and a 54-3 beating from Hawaii.

-- The Wolf Pack have more issues, too, as S Austin Arnold, CB Daniel Brown (team-high four interceptions) and NT Hausia Sekona were each suspended for this game due to a post-game brawl against UNLV. All three were starters.

-- Ohio is 4-0 ATS in the past four bowl games, and 5-1 ATS in their past six neutral-site affairs. They're also 18-8 ATS in the past 26 non-conference battles. However, the Bobcats are 2-7 ATS in the previous nine as a favorite.

-- Nevada is 3-1-1 ATS in the previous five bowl games, and they're 3-0-1 ATS in the past four neutral-site games as an underdog.

-- The over is 5-2 in the past seven overall for Ohio, while going 11-4 in their past 15 non-conference games. The over is also 5-2 in the past seven against winning teams, while going 5-1 in the past six as a favorite.

-- The over is 5-2 in Nevada's past seven non-conference tilts, but the under is 6-1 in their past seven bowl games and 7-3 in the past 10 as an underdog.

Jan 3- Idaho Potato Bowl, Boise
Ohio scored 66-52 points in winning its last two games to get to 6-6; they’re 1-4 when they score less than 34 points. Bobcats ran ball for average of 265.8 ypg the last six games- they’re 2-6 ATS this year as a favorite. Bobcats’ last three games went over. Ohio won its last two bowls by combined 68-6; favorites covered four of their last five bowls. Nevada won three of last four games; they were held to 10 or fewer points in 4 of their 5 losses. Wolf Pack four of last five bowls, winning last two by total of 8 points. MAC lost three of last four visits to this bowl; average total in last five Potato Bowls: 61.

NCAAF
Trend Report
Friday, January 3

Ohio @ Nevada
Ohio
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Ohio's last 7 games
Ohio is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
Nevada
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Nevada's last 6 games
Nevada is 12-6 SU in its last 18 games

NCAAF
Dunkel
Friday, January 3

Ohio @ Nevada

Game 275-276
January 3, 2020 @ 3:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Ohio
84.467
Nevada
73.128
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Ohio
by 11 1/2
66
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Ohio
by 7 1/2
58
Dunkel Pick:
Ohio
(-7 1/2); Over