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Booooj Picks
Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl
Amon G. Carter Stadium, Fort Worth Texas
5 Units on Houston (-4) over Air Force
Houston (7-5) vs. Air Force (8-4)- This is our second bowl game that features a regular season rematch, and like the first one, I expect a different result. Houston was a distracted team in the first meeting, with the game being moved from their campus due to Hurricane Ike. The Cougars are a team that has grown a lot this season, and are hungry to end an 8 bowl losing streak. QB Case Keenum will have a big game throwing the ball to a variety of weapons. On the defensive side of the ball, Houston will look to slow down a dominant Air Force rushing attack. Todd Newell and Asher Clark should be able to get some things done on the ground, but look for Houston to outscore the Falcons. Houston by 7-10.
Brut Sun Bowl
Sun Bowl Stadium, El Paso, Texas
15 Units on Pittsburgh (+2) over Oregon St.
Oregon St. (8-4) vs. Pittsburgh (9-3)- Oregon St. comes in after a disappointing loss to rival Oregon. The Beavers had a chance to play in the Rose Bowl, and can’t be thrilled to play in this game. If running back Jacquizz Rodgers can’t play, which it appears he won’t, the Beavers will struggle to run against a tough Pitt defense. QB Lyle Moevao will have to carry the Beaver offense and I don’t believe he can do it against this Panther defense. On offense, Pitt features one of the nation’s top backs in LeSean McCoy. Pitt will look to get him the ball upwards of 30 times and hope he can wear down the Beaver defense. Pitt will pound the ball enough to open up the play action passing game for QB Bill Stull. Look for Pitt to win a tight, low scoring affair. Pitt by 4-7.
Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl
LP Field, Nashville, Tennessee
25 Units on Boston College (-3.5) over Vanderbilt
Boston College (9-4) vs. Vanderbilt (6-6)- Don’t expect Vanderbilt to be happy just being in a bowl game for the first time in 26 years. They will certainly come to play, and will have the advantage of playing what is virtually a home game. Boston College comes in looking to continue the nation’s longest post season winning streak. Redshirt Freshman QB Dominique Davis will be making just his third career start for the Eagles, and is coming off of a shaky performance in the ACC championship game. With the extra time to prepare, Davis should have a much better game. On the other side of the ball, the Boston College defense is led by standout linebacker Mark Herzlich, who was named ACC defensive player of the year. Vanderbilt struggles on offense and don’t expect much to change today. BC wins a defensive battle. Boston College by 13-17.
Insight Bowl
Sun Devil Stadium, Tempe, Arizona
3 Units on Minnesota (+8.5) over Kansas
Kansas (7-5) vs. Minnesota (7-5)- Minnesota comes into this game on a four game losing streak after opening the season 7-1. They have struggled done the stretch a little, but really just ran into opponents that were better than them. Minnesota loves to throw the ball on offense, and have a very talented young QB Adam Weber. Kansas will be able to outscore the Gophers in this one behind playmaking QB Todd Reesing. Minnesota should keep it close, but Kansas will get the victory. Kansas by 3-7.
Chick- fil- A Bowl
Georgia Dome, Atlanta, Georgia
15 Units on LSU (+4) over Georgia Tech
LSU (7-5) vs. Georgia Tech (9-3)- The defending National champs certainly didn’t expect to be playing in a bowl game before New Year’s Day. Things certainly have not gone as planned for LSU this year, they’ve suffered through inconsistent QB play and an underachieving defense, among other things. Georgia Tech, on the other hand has overachieved under first year coach Paul Johnson. Georgia Tech features one of the nation’s most dynamic offenses led by QB Josh Nesbitt and RB Jonathan Dwyer. LSU freshman QB Jordan Jefferson will be making his second career start in this game, and should benefit from the extra time to prepare. Jefferson is a supremely talented dual threat QB, and could give the Yellow Jackets defense fits. Look for LSU’s defense to perform better than they have of late and the Tiger’s offense to make enough plays to spring the upset. LSU by 3-7
Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl
Amon G. Carter Stadium, Fort Worth Texas
5 Units on Houston (-4) over Air Force
Houston (7-5) vs. Air Force (8-4)- This is our second bowl game that features a regular season rematch, and like the first one, I expect a different result. Houston was a distracted team in the first meeting, with the game being moved from their campus due to Hurricane Ike. The Cougars are a team that has grown a lot this season, and are hungry to end an 8 bowl losing streak. QB Case Keenum will have a big game throwing the ball to a variety of weapons. On the defensive side of the ball, Houston will look to slow down a dominant Air Force rushing attack. Todd Newell and Asher Clark should be able to get some things done on the ground, but look for Houston to outscore the Falcons. Houston by 7-10.
Brut Sun Bowl
Sun Bowl Stadium, El Paso, Texas
15 Units on Pittsburgh (+2) over Oregon St.
Oregon St. (8-4) vs. Pittsburgh (9-3)- Oregon St. comes in after a disappointing loss to rival Oregon. The Beavers had a chance to play in the Rose Bowl, and can’t be thrilled to play in this game. If running back Jacquizz Rodgers can’t play, which it appears he won’t, the Beavers will struggle to run against a tough Pitt defense. QB Lyle Moevao will have to carry the Beaver offense and I don’t believe he can do it against this Panther defense. On offense, Pitt features one of the nation’s top backs in LeSean McCoy. Pitt will look to get him the ball upwards of 30 times and hope he can wear down the Beaver defense. Pitt will pound the ball enough to open up the play action passing game for QB Bill Stull. Look for Pitt to win a tight, low scoring affair. Pitt by 4-7.
Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl
LP Field, Nashville, Tennessee
25 Units on Boston College (-3.5) over Vanderbilt
Boston College (9-4) vs. Vanderbilt (6-6)- Don’t expect Vanderbilt to be happy just being in a bowl game for the first time in 26 years. They will certainly come to play, and will have the advantage of playing what is virtually a home game. Boston College comes in looking to continue the nation’s longest post season winning streak. Redshirt Freshman QB Dominique Davis will be making just his third career start for the Eagles, and is coming off of a shaky performance in the ACC championship game. With the extra time to prepare, Davis should have a much better game. On the other side of the ball, the Boston College defense is led by standout linebacker Mark Herzlich, who was named ACC defensive player of the year. Vanderbilt struggles on offense and don’t expect much to change today. BC wins a defensive battle. Boston College by 13-17.
Insight Bowl
Sun Devil Stadium, Tempe, Arizona
3 Units on Minnesota (+8.5) over Kansas
Kansas (7-5) vs. Minnesota (7-5)- Minnesota comes into this game on a four game losing streak after opening the season 7-1. They have struggled done the stretch a little, but really just ran into opponents that were better than them. Minnesota loves to throw the ball on offense, and have a very talented young QB Adam Weber. Kansas will be able to outscore the Gophers in this one behind playmaking QB Todd Reesing. Minnesota should keep it close, but Kansas will get the victory. Kansas by 3-7.
Chick- fil- A Bowl
Georgia Dome, Atlanta, Georgia
15 Units on LSU (+4) over Georgia Tech
LSU (7-5) vs. Georgia Tech (9-3)- The defending National champs certainly didn’t expect to be playing in a bowl game before New Year’s Day. Things certainly have not gone as planned for LSU this year, they’ve suffered through inconsistent QB play and an underachieving defense, among other things. Georgia Tech, on the other hand has overachieved under first year coach Paul Johnson. Georgia Tech features one of the nation’s most dynamic offenses led by QB Josh Nesbitt and RB Jonathan Dwyer. LSU freshman QB Jordan Jefferson will be making his second career start in this game, and should benefit from the extra time to prepare. Jefferson is a supremely talented dual threat QB, and could give the Yellow Jackets defense fits. Look for LSU’s defense to perform better than they have of late and the Tiger’s offense to make enough plays to spring the upset. LSU by 3-7
hno:
Nick Bogdanovich regarding sharp $$$ on this game:
LSU VS. GEORGIA TECH: I mentioned in the first bowl article right when the openers went up that the sharps LOVED Georgia Tech in this spot. They were lining up to bet the Tech on the opener figuring they would get a good price. Oddsmakers knew this, and thought making Tech a small favorite would discourage action. After all, LSU was the defending national champions, and they’d have a few weeks to get ready for the option attack. Nope! Sharps laid -2.5, laid -3, and laid -3.5 on the way to the current line of Tech -4. The total has gone up from around 49 to 53 as I write this. That’s also a big move. I want to emphasize though that Tech is one of the sharps biggest plays of the entire bowl slate. They didn’t just move the line past the magic number of three. They moved a line that had already been mentally adjusted before posting past that magic number! Oddsmakers may have had LSU as small chalk before the rumors started. They adjusted, yet still got flooded with sharp Tech money. Is the value still there on the favorite at -4? That’s what handicappers have to decide today. You have to bet at the lines you see, not at the lines that used to be!
LSU VS. GEORGIA TECH: I mentioned in the first bowl article right when the openers went up that the sharps LOVED Georgia Tech in this spot. They were lining up to bet the Tech on the opener figuring they would get a good price. Oddsmakers knew this, and thought making Tech a small favorite would discourage action. After all, LSU was the defending national champions, and they’d have a few weeks to get ready for the option attack. Nope! Sharps laid -2.5, laid -3, and laid -3.5 on the way to the current line of Tech -4. The total has gone up from around 49 to 53 as I write this. That’s also a big move. I want to emphasize though that Tech is one of the sharps biggest plays of the entire bowl slate. They didn’t just move the line past the magic number of three. They moved a line that had already been mentally adjusted before posting past that magic number! Oddsmakers may have had LSU as small chalk before the rumors started. They adjusted, yet still got flooded with sharp Tech money. Is the value still there on the favorite at -4? That’s what handicappers have to decide today. You have to bet at the lines you see, not at the lines that used to be!
