On December 24th, the tenth anniversary of the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl occurs in Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii when the Nevada Wolf Pack takes on the Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles. With Southern Miss at -6 with the over/under at 62, the sportsbook has its eyes on this game too.
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Nevada comes into Honolulu with a 7-5 in total record and a 5-2 record good enough for 2nd place in the WAC. The Wolf Pack have gone 0-2 against ranked opponents this season. Nevada’s power does not come through the air; it comes directly at their opponents with a 251.8 rushing yards per game average. That average is ranked sixth in the nation and paired with their passing, the Wolf Pack average 522.8 yards of total offense per game which also rates sixth nationwide. Nevada is now in their 3rd distinct period with renowned hall of fame head coach Chris Ault. Freshman Qb Cody Fajardo and senior Qb Tyler Lantrip are heading Ault’s pistol offense is a double-fisted attack. With his 91 receptions standing 9th in the nation, Senior Wide receiver Rishard Matthews has been lights out all year.
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Southern Miss has had a remarkable year with an 11-2 in total record with a 6-2 1st place showing in Conference USA. They’ve competed with one ranked squad this season and soundly beat undefeated #6 Houston 49-28 two weeks ago and destroyed the Cougars opportunity for a BCS bowl game along the way. As Larry Fedora is coaching his final game with the Golden Eagles, the head coaching spot at Southern Miss is a lame duck position. Fedora has managed a 33-19 record over his four years in Hattiesburg and he was named the new head coach of the Tar Heels on December 9th.
Senior Qb Austin Davis leads the Golden Eagles behind center. Freshman RB Jamal Woodyard is reliable on the ground whilst senior WRs Ryan Balentine and Kevin Bolden are often a prospective deep menace.
If you want your Bowl competitions hot and ready, the Little Caesars Bowl begins at Ford Field in Detroit on December 26th with the Western Michigan Broncos taking on the Purdue Boilermakers. Back in 1998 when it was formerly called the Motor City Bowl, former Michigan State football coach George Perles helped give birth to the Little Caesars Bowl. It is been a Michigan tradition since then with great competitions annually and this year is no distinct. The sports book has the line pretty near with Purdue at -2 ½ with the over/under at 60.
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The Western Michigan Broncos arrive with a 7-5 overall record and a 5-3 record in the MAC West division. Bill Cubit is now in his 7th year as Western Michigan Broncos head coach with a 47-38 overall record at Western Michigan. When you talk Western Michigan Broncos football in 2011, offense comes to mind and plenty of it. The boys from Kalamazoo have won their last 2 competitions and average 28 ppg on defense. As previously claimed, the offense is where the Western Michigan Broncos genuinely shine on the field. The greatest weapon down the field for the Western Michigan Broncos and possibly the entire nation is star senior WR Jordan White. White leads the country with 127 catches and 1,646 receiving yards, he’s furthermore second in the country with 16 receiving Tds.
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The Purdue Boilermakers turn up in Motown with a 6-6 overall record and a 4-4 record in the Big Ten. Head coach Danny Hope is in his 3rd year in West Lafayette with a 15-21 overall record. Purdue averages 26.1 ppg on offense and 26.4 ppg on defense. The Purdue Boilermakers have a 1-2 record versus ranked opponents this year.
Junior Qb Caleb TerBush paces the Purdue offense with junior running back Ralph Bolden reliable behind him. TerBush’s favorite targets down the field are still Junior WR Antavian Edison and senior WR Justin Siller.
Before the increase of bowl games in recent years, ncaa football revolved around a number of season-ending games. One of these games started 35 years back in Shreveport, Louisiana was the Independence Bowl. The sportsbook has this at Missouri Tigers -5 with the over/under at 52 ½.
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Missouri enters into the game with a 7-5 total record and a 5-4 record in the Big 12. The Missouri Tigers are headed by tenth year head coach Gary Pinkel who has amassed an 84-54 record on his watch. Special mention must be made to the rushing offense of the Missouri Tigers as they have averaged 236.3 yards per game that is rated 11th in the country. Missouri has done favorably vs rated squads this year with an incredible five games vs them. They’re now coming off of a three-game winning streak. Sophomore scrambling Qb James Franklin is leading the Missouri Tigers behind center.
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The North Carolina Tar Heels enter the fray with the same 7-5 total record and a poor 3-5 record in the ACC Coastal division. In the head coaching department, North Carolina is in a state of transition. Southern Miss head coach Larry Fedora has been declared as the new head coach to be effective after Fedora’s bowl game with the Golden Eagles vs Nevada in the Hawaii Bowl on December 24th. Temporary head coach Everett Withers has done a decent job in switching from his defensive coordinator position to head the North Carolina Tar Heels this season. With UNC announcing Fedora’s hiring, Withers is rumored to be signing up for Urban Meyer’s coaching staff in Columbus after the Independence Bowl. Withers lead the North Carolina Tar Heels on a temporary basis after UNC dismissed Butch Davis back in July. The North Carolina Tar Heels have averaged 28.3 points per game on offense and 23.5 points per game on defense. UNC is directed by stable sophomore Qb Bryn Renner. Renner’s 68.8 completion ratio ranks 13th top in the country and his 161.2 rating is now ninth on the list of nation’s leading quarterbacks.
The Louisville Cardinals battle against the Wolfpack in the 10th anniversary of the Belk Bowl on December 27th at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina. Louisville enters into play with a 7-5 record with a 5-2 1st place record in the Big East. Charlie Strong is in his 2nd year as Cardinals coach following spending the prior seven seasons as an assistant coach in Gainesville at Florida under Urban Meyer. The sports book has this at NC State Wolfpack -2 ½ with the over/under at 44 ½.
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Freshman Qb Teddy Bridgewater sets the pace for the Cardinals offense behind center. The two-pronged running attack behind Bridgewater is directed by Senior Running back Victor Anderson and sophomore Running back Dominique Brown. Freshman WR Michaelee Harris is a man to watch out for in the open field.
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For the NC State Wolfpack, it’s a homecoming of sorts and they come into play with a 7-5 overall record and a 4-4 record in the ACC Atlantic Division. Head coach Tom O’Brien is in his fifth year with the NC State Wolfpack amassing a 32-30 record. North Carolina State averages 28 points per game on offense and 24.8 points per game on defense. NCS has gone 1-1 versus ranked competitors this year winning versus #7 Clemson and losing to #21 Georgia Tech. A bright spot for the NC State Wolfpack is that they have been victorious in their past 2 games and are trying to add to that amount.
NCS is steadied by senior Qb Mike Glennon and junior Running back James Washington in the backfield. Downfield dangers incorporate senior WR T.J. Graham and junior WR Tobias Palmer.
Among the newest Bowl matches comes out to play on December 28th when the Toledo Rockets battle against the Falcons in Washington D.C. at the Military Bowl. The game happens in RFK Stadium and has been a fixture in December since 2008. The sportsbook always has its eyes on the prize with Toledo at -3 and the over/under at 70.
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Toledo goes into action with an 8-4 total record and they lead the standings in the MAC West Division with a 7-1 record. With a reasonably balanced run and pass attack, the Rockets are 11th in total offense in the nation. Toledo is losing in 2 matches vs ranked opponents this year. Toledo finds themselves not only in a lame duck circumstance for a head coach, but in this instance the duck already flew the coop. Tim Beckman was hired by Illinois on December 9th and has already left the squad. Offensive Coordinator Matt Campbell was in the beginning promoted as Beckman’s replacement on a temporary basis, but that escalated pretty swiftly in the last couple of days after rumblings from Beckman to maybe sway Campbell to join him in Urbana-Champaign were revealed. Campbell’s promotion is now full time and his trial by fire will be in Military Bowl.
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Air Force flies into play with a 7-5 total record and a frustrating 3-4 record in the MWC. Head coach Troy Calhoun is in his fifth year with an total record of 34-18. Their offense packs a wallop, putting up 458.8 total offense yards per game, which is excellent enough for 21st in the nation. The Falcons average 320.3 rushing yards a game as the real meat and potatoes of the Air Force offense lies in the ground game. Air Force is directed by senior Qb Tim Jefferson Jr and he’s supported in the backfield by senior RB Asher Clark. Clark is also boosted by junior FB Mike DeWitt and senior WR Zack Kauth is often a risk on 3rd down.
In the 1980′s and 1990′s, these two squads would have been a lock for a Fiesta Bowl or another BCS-type game however the BCS process was not in place back then. These two squads can still put on one heck of a show even though players and systems may alter through the years. The Seminoles take on the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the Champs Sports Bowl in Orlando on December 29th. We have Jimbo Fisher vs Brian Kelly rather than Bobby Bowden vs Lou Holtz in what is sure to be an excellent game. The sportsbook appears to agree with Florida State at -3 and the over/under at 47.
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The FSU Seminoles come into the Citrus Bowl with an 8-4 total record and a 5-3 record in the ACC Atlantic Division. As discussed, Jimbo Fisher is the future heir of Bobby Bowden and Fisher’s record now sits at a decent 18-8 following two full seasons. Only permitting 15.2 ppg which ranks fourth in the nation, FSU’s offense averages 31.7 ppg and the defense locked down rival squads. FSU’s passing game is managed by junior Qb E.J. Manuel.
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Notre Dame come into play with an 8-4 record as an independent, averaging 30.5 ppg on offense and 20.9 ppg on defense. Brian Kelly is trying to strengthen on his legacy and the major successes than he’s had in Cincinnati and Grand Valley State.
Sophomore Qb Tommy Rees is at the lead of the Fighting Irish. Notre Dame presents a bruising running game with the team of junior RB Cierre Wood and senior RB Jonas Gray. Junior WR Michael Floyd ranks 8th in the nation with 95 receptions, with shades of Irish legend Raghib Ismail. Junior TE Tyler Eifert is a capable and dependable 2nd option for Rees.
San Diego, California sets the stage when the California Golden Bears face the #24 rated Longhorns on December 28th at the Holiday Bowl. Qualcomm Stadium will be jumping, as these two teams who are evenly matched will slug it out. The Holiday Bowl has been a San Diego custom since 1978 and this season’s game seeks to be a classic. The sportsbook has the line at Texas -3, with the over/under at 47 ½.
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California is headed by junior Quarterback Zach Maynard and led in the backfield by junior RB Isi Sofele. The Golden Bear receiving corps is in fantastic hands with sophomore WR Keenan Allen who rates 11th in the country with 89 receptions. A viable alternative to double teams on Allen is Senior WR Marvin Jones.
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The Longhorns enter into San Diego with an identical 7-5 total record and a frustrating 4-5 record in the Big 12. These are quite poor statistics indeed for a coach of Mack Brown’s prominence. Brown is in his 14th year in Austin, putting together an illustrious record of 140-36. Texas has also identical statistics in the points category, averaging 28.7 on offense and 23.3 on defense. The fact that the Horns come into play still rated 24th on the polls while losing all 4 of their competitions vs rated opponents speaks volumes about the value of the Longhorns and the strength of the Big 12.
What might explain the down year that the Longhorns have experienced this year is a youthful team still coming to grips with the Brown process. Sophomore Quarterback Case McCoy and freshman Quarterback David Ash have both taken turns this year at the helm. Sophomore WR Mike Davis and freshman WR Jason Shipley have turned in exceptional performances over the year while Freshman RB Malcolm Brown has been the workhorse in the backfield.
The Saints will visit the Atlanta Falcons for a fight for the greater squad in competition for the playoffs in among the more intriguing contests of the week. The Atlanta Falcons are focused on trying to close the gap between them and the New orleans saints as they have a somewhat greater record at 6-3 compared to the Falcons’ 5-3 record. The New orleans saints are currently in 1st place and this sets up an amazing division fight between the 2 squads in the NFC South.
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The New orleans saints are seeking to really utilize Drew Brees as he is one of the best qbs in the league today and the Atlanta Falcons are focused on following Matt Ryan as their quarterback. This can be a pretty high scoring game and most analysts have said that this can be a pretty tight game too. This will surely be among the more enjoyable contests of the year along with being the 1st match up between the 2 squads. This just might be an upset for the Atlanta Falcons if Matt Ryan is able to have one of his top contests of the season.
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The New orleans saints are arriving off a major win against the Buccaneers however the Atlanta Falcons are on a much hotter streak with three straight wins, though this match will center on qbs and the New orleans saints may have an advantage. The Atlanta Falcons are looking pretty great recently, having beat the Panthers, Lions, Colts. Look to see the Atlanta Falcons beat the Saints to tie them for 1st place in the NFC South. If you have been viewing the Atlanta Falcons play as of late, this just might be the no brainer choice as Mike Smith is really seeking to ultimately turn this squad around in the course of the 2nd half of this season.
The Green Bay Packers will be the hot faves when they greet the Vikings to Lambeau Field on Sunday.
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With an 8 game winning streak, the year thus far has seen the Packers establish themselves as the top squad in the nfl at this time. They are going to look to continue their domination over the Vikings following having been victorious in all of their contests thus far this year.
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They are going to look to strengthen defensively, and it’ll be important that the Packers do not let complacency creep into their game as a result of their exceptional form. This should happen under defensive coordinator Dom Capers. The attack have already been the real stars of the great run and whilst the defense is also playing relatively well, Capers has highlighted the need for the Packers to stay focused this week and is usually looking for progress from his defensive unit.
The Vikings will need to expose the Packers’ vulnerability to big passing plays which has been their principal weak spot all year if the Vikings are to break down that defense and improve on their weak record of 2 victories and 6 losses this year. They have struggled with the pass rush, managing 19 sacks which places 17th in the nfl. Clay Matthews has contributed only 3 sacks which will disappoint him. This is the Vikings’ greatest possibility of producing a victory.
The Vikings are lacking Chris Cook since his felony arrest and could use his organizational abilities against the Packers. While his legal difficulties are sorted, they’re going to have to manage devoid of their leading 2010 draft pick for the foreseeable future.
The Packers have been firing on all cylinders in offense and should have enough to get the win against the Vikings. The Packers could possibly go all the way up this year if the defense improves to the level which they’re capable of operating.
Following a mixed start to the year the Bengals have steadied the ship with a 5 game winning streak that will fill them full of confidence in front of the visit of the Steelers.
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This is a pivotal game in the AFC North and will go a long way to determining the fate of both teams both when it comes to league position and mentality as they face the rest of the year. Both teams are quite evenly matched however the Bengals will be by far the most assured. Their outstanding run of victories will have them thinking that they’re able to beat anybody in football.
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The Rookie Qb, Andy Dalton is settling into his position well and has made the team the real surprise package of the year to date. One more rookie AJ Green has also settled down well, completing forty catches leading to five touchdowns in the year to date. This injection of fresh faces has been a big element of the on field success of the Bengals.
It might have an effect on their morale that the Steelers lost late in the game on Sunday evening to Baltimore. Their inability to properly protect their Qb is the real issue for the Steelers. Unfortunately for them, this plays right into the strong points of their opposition. If they are to win this Sunday, they will have to boost in this element.
The Steelers defense is typically the essence of their team but it is not performing this year, they’ve got a negative turnover differential that can hamper them.
I expect the Bengals will stretch their winning streak to half a dozen games with a victory this week. They seem like a very excellent value bet at the current odds. They’ve played greater on the field and have the mental advantage off the field with their outstanding recent form.
