The final non-playoff bowl game of the college football season will take place on Saturday morning in the Bahamas, where the Buffalo vs. Liberty matchup will be played at 11:00 a.m. ET. Will the Bulls cover as a 4.5-point favorite or is there a better bet on the board today?
Game Matchup & Betting Odds
Buffalo Bulls (-4.5) at Liberty Flames (+4.5); o/u 51
11:00 a.m. ET, Saturday, January 4, 2025
Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium, Nassau, Bahamas
TV: ESPN2
Buffalo vs. Liberty Bahamas Bowl Public Betting: Bettors Leaning Bulls
As of this writing, our CFB Public Betting page shows that 52% of bets are on Buffalo. That said, this page is updated frequently so make sure that you click on the link provided so that you’re getting the most updated information.
Ogbonna accounts for five TDs in blowout
C.J. Ogbonna was 14-for-22 passing for 193 yards, three touchdowns and one interception during Tuesday’s 43-7 victory against Kent State. He also had nine rushes for 51 yards with two touchdowns. Ogbonna produced a huge game against the struggling Golden Flashes, amassing five total touchdowns for the second time this season. The senior quarterback also kept the Bulls’ conference championship hopes alive, though a plethora of things will have to happen for the team to sneak in to the game. He finished out the regular season with 2,244 passing yards, 19 touchdowns, five picks and a 57.1 completion percentage.
Burger’s status up in the air for bowl game
Ryan Burger is in the concussion protocol and hasn’t practiced throughout the week, so his status for the Jan. 4 game against Buffalo is uncertain, according to ASeaofRed.com. There are roughly three weeks left before this matchup, so Burger will have enough time to recover and start under center. However, and in the meantime, Nate Hampton, who’s in the transfer portal, has been earning most of the reps in practice and could start if Burger is out. Burger, a sophomore, made just four starts for Liberty in 2024, completing four of seven passes. He’s expected to get the start for the Bahamas Bowl since Kaidon Salter elected to enter the transfer portal on Dec. 2.
Buffalo vs. Liberty Bahamas Bowl Betting Trends
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Buffalo’s last 9 games
Buffalo is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
Liberty is 21-4 SU in its last 25 games
Liberty is 3-9 ATS in its last 12 games
Buffalo vs. Liberty Bahamas Bowl Prediction
The Liberty quarterback situation is a mess entering today’s Bahamas Bowl matchup with Buffalo. Starter Kaidon Salter elected to enter the transfer portal on December 2 and since has chosen to go to Colorado. The sophomore Ryan Burger will be starting his first game, but he got limited practice time this month due to being in concussion protocol. He transferred from Appalachian State before the season, but only saw spot duty in his college career.
Meanwhile, Buffalo enters today’s game nearly at full strength. That includes having two of the better linebackers in college football in Shaun Dolac and Red Murdock. Both are expected to play, which is huge considering how well Liberty’s offensive system produces chunk yards in the running game. I think this number is too short given the opt-outs for Liberty.
Buffalo vs. Liberty Bahamas Bowl Prediction: Buffalo Bulls -4.5