Cotton Bowl Total Prediction
Can we expect a shootout when No. 10 Penn State and No. 17 Memphis meet up in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic on Saturday at Noon ET?
Game Snapshot & Odds
Good Year Cotton Bowl Classic
239 Memphis vs. 240 Penn State
Saturday, December 28, 2019
Noon ET – AT&T Stadium
TV: ESPN
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Public Betting Trends
According to the latest oddsmakers, Penn State is favored in this game, as the Nittany Lions are getting odds of -7 points against Memphis. The over/under total for the contest is listed at 60.5 points. The public betting currently has 70 percent going on Penn State as the favorite. This information is subject to change, however, so be sure to check out our NCAAF Public Betting Page for updated figures on the game.
Memphis wins AAC
The Memphis Tigers have won seven straight games coming into bowl seasons, including a 29-24 win over Cincinnati in the AAC Championship. The Tigers are 12-1 on the season, 8-5 against the spread and 8-5 with the over.
Memphis has been dynamite on offense this season, averaging 40.5 points and 480.7 yards per game. Defensively, the Tigers are giving up 24.4 points and 372.3 yards per contest. Brady White is leading the team with 3,560 passing yards and 33 touchdowns. Kenneth Gainwell is leading the ground attack with 1,425 yards and 12 touchdowns, while Damonte Coxie has caught 68 passes for 1,144 yards and nine scores.
Nittany Lions come off win
Penn State is coming off a 27-6 win over Rutgers to end the regular season, but the Nittany Lions have split their last four games. Penn State is 10-2 on the season, 6-6 against the spread and 7-5 with the under.
The Nittany Lions are solid on both sides of the ball. They are allowing just 14.1 points and 330.2 yards per game on defense, while averaging 34.3 points and 402.2 yards per game on offense. Sean Clifford leads PSU with 2,521 passing yards and 22 touchdowns, while also rushing for 374 yards and five touchdowns. KJ Hamler is his top receiver with 54 catches for 858 yards and eight touchdowns. Journey Brown is the leading rusher with 688 yards and 10 touchdowns.
College Football Betting Trends
Memphis
The Tigers are 10-2 in their last 12 games as an underdog and 9-4 with the over in their last 13 games following a win.
Penn State
The Nittany Lions are 4-1 with the over in their last five bowl games and 8-1 with the over in their last nine non-conference games.
Prediction:
This is an interesting matchup that has potential for being an offensive showcase or a defensive battle. The Tigers have been able to score on everyone thus far, including 63 points over two games against Cincinnati to end the season. Penn State held Ohio State to its lowest total of the season, so its defense could be something to reckon with. I still think Memphis is going to find ways to score on the fast indoor track at AT&T Stadium. I also think Penn State should find points against a Memphis defense that isn’t as good as what the Nittany Lions experience in the Big Ten.
Memphis vs. Penn State, 12/26/19 Cotton Bowl Predictions & Preview
Cotton Bowl Prediction: Memphis/Penn State Over 60.5