Senior Bowl: What Bettors Need to Know
By Covers.com
The favored North will have to overcome a rash of injuries if it is to knock off the SEC-loaded South in Saturday’s Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama.
The North team, coached by Leslie Frazier and the Minnesota Vikings staff, lost two centers to injury during practice this week and was using a guard at the position late in the week. The result was plenty of botched snaps.
The North also lost Nebraska cornerback Alfonzo Dennard, a projected first-round pick, to a hip flexor.
The South, coached by Mike Shanahan and the Washington Redskins staff, features 21 players from programs in the SEC last season. The SEC, of course, has produced the last six BCS champions.
The South defense also has a pair of projected high first-round draft picks in Alabama linebacker Courtney Upshaw and North Carolina defensive end Quinton Coples. Both players were dominant at times during this week’s practices.
The South has won three of the last four Senior Bowls by an average margin of 16 points per game.
The line
The North opened as a 2.5-point favorite offshore and in Nevada and remained a small favorite as of Friday morning.
The total
The total sat at 45.5 as of Friday morning. Only once in the last seven games has there been more than 45 points scored.
The quarterbacks
Oklahoma State’s Brandon Weeden has generated the most buzz this week. He’ll lead the South squad, along with Arizona’s Nick Foles and San Diego State’s Ryan Lindley. All three have prototypical NFL quarterback size and strong arms.
That’s not the case on the North squad, with Michigan State quarterback Kirk Cousins the only QB standing over 6-foot. Wisconsin’s Russell Wilson and Boise State’s Kellen Moore are the other North quarterbacks.
Weather
Rain forced Thursday’s practice indoors, but sunny skies with temperatures in the 60s are forecast for Saturday’s 4 p.m. ET kickoff at Ladd Peoples Stadium.
Special teams
Georgia’s Brandon Boykin and North Alabama’s Janoris Jenkins, a former Florida Gator are big-time weapons for the South in the return game. Several scouts said they were the fastest players on the field.