The 2012 Poinsettia Bowl will feature former conference rivals BYU and San Diego State squaring off on the Aztecs home turf at Qualcomm Stadium. The Cougars and Aztecs are scheduled to take the field at 8:00pm ET on Thursday, December 20th; the game will be broadcast live on ESPN. The latest 2012 Poinsettia Bowl Preview and Odds are favoring Bronco Mendenhall’s Cougars at -3.5 against the spread. Tomorrow’s game total is set at 48 points.
Despite a modest 7-5 record and a 1-4 mark against winning teams, BYU enters this bowl contest as a 3.5 point favorite. Obviously the odds makers and betting public are counting on the Cougars tremendous defense (allowed an average of 14.7 points and 266.3 yards per game) shutting down a San Diego State team that averaged just over 35 points per game for the season.
BYU will present the Aztecs offense with the most difficult challenge it has faced this year as they matched up with mostly poor defensive units aside from those at Boise State and Washington. San Diego State’s performance against the Broncos and Huskies is, no doubt, a factor in this line as it totaled just 33 points and 596 yards in those two games.
Two other factors, perhaps, at play here are the Cougars bowl record under Mendenhall and BYU’s success against San Diego State. BYU is 5-2 in seven postseason appearances with Mendenhall at the helm and it has won nine of its last 10 meetings with the Aztecs (the last being 2010).
2012 Poinsettia Bowl Preview and Odds: BYU vs San Diego State
BYU Cougars -3.5 (-110), Over 48 (-110), -165 (Moneyline)
San Diego State Aztecs +3.5 (-110), Under 48 (-110), +145 (Moneyline)
College Football Free Picks: BYU vs San Diego State Betting
What college football bettors need to know about BYU Cougars vs San Diego State Aztecs on Thursday (12/20/12) - a free pick from Pregame.com's Chuck Edel, with Steve Fezzik and host Chris Andrews.
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