Temple (betting odds-7) vs Wyoming: The simplistic way to view this game is to back a Temple team who should have great success on the ground at 257/5.3 vs a Wyoming defensive front that allows 231/5.1. The Owls also have the better defense, allowing just 14 PPG and 4.9 YP play. At 8-4 SU, 8-4 ATS, they covered the number by a net 94 points. It was a solid year of transition under first year HC Addazio. But a closer inspection shows that it is Wyoming, under third year HC Christensen, who made the bigger move. Cowboys recorded an 8-4 SU, 7-5 ATS mark, following their 3-9 SU season of 2010. Most notable is Christensen’s coaching record which finds him 13-3 ATS dog when not at home. A big reason for their success is that they were fourth in the nation in TO margin. They feature more offensive balance, running and passing for at least 187 YPG. And they did it against a far tougher schedule, playing in the MWC as opposed to the MAC-East. The altitude site of Albuquerque is a subtle, and meaningful, factor favoring the cowboys. Free College Football Bowl Pick: 4* Wyoming (+7)
CFB Bowl Games
Analyzing college football Bowls requires a slight adjustment in our thinking. Here is a checklist of 10 things that I look for when handicapping these games.
- Satisfaction – is the team satisfied with their bid or were they expecting more
- Motivation – is the team emotionally, psychologically and mentally prepared
- Experience in Bowls, big games, and with upper classman leadership
- Coaching – is there continuity and has the staff prepared the team
- Defense vs run, pass, and overall
- Running game – yards per rush, % running yards
- Quarterback experience, continuity, depth
- Offensive balance – the ability to succeed on the ground and in the air
- Strength of schedule – the quality of teams they played and how well they played against these quality teams
- Road-ability – how the team has performed this year, and historically, when not on home their home field
Free Picks: Louisiana Lafayette vs San Diego State Betting - Semi home game for Louisiana Lafayette and San Diego State motivation is questionable plus other factors NFL bettors need to know about Louisiana Lafayette vs San Diego State (Saturday, December 17, 2011) from Pregame.com - Including predictions from Bryan Leonard and analysis from host Vegas Runner.