The Royal Purple Las Vegas Bowl features what should be an intriguing match-up between the Mountain West champion, No. 20 Fresno State, and No. 25 USC. The postseason clash is scheduled to kickoff at 3:30pm ET on Saturday, December 21st at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada; the game will be broadcast live on ABC. The latest 2013 Las Vegas Bowl Odds from offshore bookmaker 5Dimes have the Trojans listed as a -6.5 favorite and the Over/Under set at 62 points.
USC started the season with Lane Kiffin as its head coach, then it played the final eight games of the regular season with Ed Orgeron running the show, and now it will face Fresno State in the Las Vegas Bowl with Clay Helton on the sidelines.
The current coaching staff has no idea whether or not Steve Sarkisian will retain any of them when he takes over as head coach next year, but a solid bowl showing on the part of the Trojans can only help their chances.
Ultimately it rests on the players, though, and one can only imagine how they might feel after such a whirlwind season. Of course, there is also the fact they are playing in a bowl game most perceive as being below USC standards. If the public and fans think that, it is probably safe to assume some of the players do as well.
Fresno State may feel slighted in some ways as well. The Bulldogs did win the Mountain West championship and they posted an impressive 11-1 record in doing so. They, perhaps, feel as though they deserve more recognition.
Still, motivation should be high for Fresno State, which has an opportunity to make a statement against one of college football's most storied programs.
Whether or not the Bulldogs can come through is another matter. They do field a prolific offense, which is led by quarterback Derek Carr (4866 yards, 48 touchdowns, seven interceptions), but the Trojans defense, despite a few lapses, is, arguably, the toughest they have faced all season.
USC gave up 35 points in its regular season finale against UCLA, but they had won five straight before falling to the Bruins. The Trojans allowed a meager 18.2 points per game during their last season run.
The only team Fresno State faced with a defense comparable to USC's unit was Utah State. The Bulldogs found their way past the Aggies in the Mountain West Championship Game, but they posted a season low 24 points in the win. Fresno also tallied 460 yards in the victory, which is 110 yards fewer than its season average.
Notable Trends: Fresno State is 6-1 against the spread and 2-5 straight up in its last seven games as an underdog with a total of 54.5 or more points.
2013 Las Vegas Bowl Odds:
No. 20 Fresno State Bulldogs -6.5 (-110), Over 62 (-110), -240 (Moneyline)
No. 25 USC Trojans +6.5 (-110), Under 62 (-110), +200 (Moneyline)
Handicapping Tips: Live Wagering
Pregame.com's Steve Fezzik give some insight and handicapping tips on what to look for when it comes to betting live wagering.
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