12-21-13

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Power Plays
1* FRESNO St 31 (+) USC 34


4.5* TULANE 27 (if -2.5 or less) LOUISIANA 16

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Nelly's
NEW MEXICO BOWL University Stadium in Albuquerque, New Mexico Washington State (-4½) Colorado State (65) 1:00 PM The Cougars are back in the postseason in the second season for Mike Leach and four conference wins are the most for Washington State since 2006. By most measures Washington State played one of the toughest schedules in the nation while the opposite is true for Colorado State. The Cougars have been a high turnover team on both sides of the ball, getting 27 turnovers but surrendering 32, among the most nationally. Colorado State has great rushing numbers led by Kapri Bibbs who has 28 touchdowns on the season. Colorado rushes for 202 yards per game on 5.0 yards per carry and they will likely be an underdog with a big rushing edge. The Colorado State defense has really struggled against the pass however. Statistically the Rams might appear to have minor edges but the schedule has been a dramatic difference for these teams and the Cougars will be excited to be in a bowl game for the first time in a decade. Leach has plenty of bowl experience with a winning career record in the postseason and there is just not much substance behind the 7-6 record for the Rams. While good rushing teams are attractive underdogs, those rules don’t apply when going against the Leach style of offense. WSU BY 10


LAS VEGAS BOWL Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada Usc (-6) Fresno State (62) 2:30 PM With the coaching carousel at USC there is some instability for USC as Clay Helton leads the team as the interim coach with most of the staff knowing the future is uncertain. USC laid an egg in the bowl game last season with an ugly Sun Bowl performance and this is a talented team that played well down the stretch for the most part. USC has featured one of the best pass defenses in the nation and the Trojans have the ability to shut down the Fresno State passing attack. The Bulldogs had the door open for a BCS spot but they failed late in the season before bouncing back to win the MWC championship. Of the three regular season wins for Fresno State over bowl teams two came in overtime and the other came by a single point. There has been a massive disparity in the schedules between these teams and with the turmoil surrounding the USC program value may be with the Trojans in a favorable venue. Fresno State produced a great record but it appears to be a mirage that could be exposed in the desert. There should be motivation and excitement for USC knowing how poorly things went last season and with the hire of Steve Sarkisian being met positively despite the awkward parting with the well liked Ed Orgeron. USC BY 7


FAMOUS IDAHO POTATO BOWL Bronco Stadium in Boise, Idaho Buffalo (-1) San Diego State (53) 4:30 PM Potentially chilly conditions in Boise should seem to favor the cold weather team in Buffalo as the Bulls make the second ever bowl trip for the program. The per play statistics are pretty similar for these teams overall but Buffalo has featured a dominant pass defense that could cause serious problems for an Aztecs team that is reliant on a somewhat inefficient aerial attack with less than 57 percent completions on the season. San Diego State incredibly had three overtime wins on the season as the Aztecs were a fortunate team. Buffalo had its own good fortune with one of the best turnover margins in the nation at +15. Rocky Long is 0-2 in bowl games since taking over at San Diego State and in his career he is just 1-6 as the postseason has not seemingly been a priority despite an excellent and respected career. This is a veteran Buffalo team that has been building for this bowl opportunity. Both teams are coming off clunker performances in the final games of the regular season but the conditions may favor the Bulls. San Diego State has allowed at least 30 points in five of the last six games. BUFFALO BY 3


NEW ORLEANS BOWL Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana TULANE (NL) UL-Lafayette 8:00 PM The health of Louisiana-Lafayette quarterback Terrance Broadway keeps this line off the board at most outlets with those offering it basically calling it a pick. Broadway is a dynamic player that posted big numbers this season and the Ragin’ Cajuns are not the same team without him. This is a home game for Tulane, in a bowl game for the first time since 2002. Tulane was out-gained by almost 50 yards per game on average this season but a great turnover margin for an opportunistic defense won games. The offense gained just 4.5 yards per play however, compared with a 6.2 mark for UL-Lafayette. Tulane’s defense has been dominant against the run, allowing just 3.1 yards per rush and the Wave allowed just 30 points over the final three games of the season. Tulane was a terrible rushing team on offense however and they may not be able to take advantage of a suspect defense for UL-Lafayette in this matchup of Bayou State teams. These teams played in the regular season last year with the Cajuns winning 41-13 but that could motivate the Wave and if Broadway is not 100 percent UL-Lafayette may not look like the same team that mostly dominated the Sun Belt. TULANE BY 7

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Saturday's Bowl Action
By Brian Edwards

Las Vegas Bowl

Matchup: Fresno State vs. Southern California
Venue: Sam Boyd Stadium
Location: Las Vegas, Nevada
Time/TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC

As of Friday afternoon, most books had USC (9-4 straight up, 6-7 against the spread) installed as a six-point favorite with a total of 62. Gamblers can back the Bulldogs on the money line for a +210 return (risk $100 to win $210). For first-half bets, USC is favored by 3 ½ with a total of 31 ½.

Fresno St. (11-1 SU, 5-7 ATS) is in its first underdog situation of the season. Any disappointment of not getting to a BCS bowl was most likely forgotten by the Bulldogs when they saw their name next to that of USC’s. I would expect FSU to play with a chip on its shoulder due to the fact that most of its players were bypassed by the Trojans in the recruiting process.

Fresno St. went unbeaten until suffering a 62-52 loss at San Jose St. on Nov. 29. The Bulldogs recovered the following week to win the Mountain West Conference title game by a 24-17 count over Utah St. They hooked up their betting supporters as 2.5-point home ‘chalk.’ Derek Carr threw for 404 yards and three touchdowns against the Aggies.

Carr has enjoyed a sensational senior campaign and will have NFL scouts galore on hand to watch him in Vegas. He has completed 70.1 percent of his throws for 4,866 yards with a 48/7 touchdown-to-interception ratio. Carr’s favorite target is Davante Adams, who has hauled in 122 receptions for 1,654 yards and 23 TDs. Josh Harper, who missed the MWC title game with a groin injury, has 79 catches for 1,011 yards and 13 TDs.

USC has hired a new coach in former assistant Steve Sarkisian, but it will be without Ed Orgeron after he led the team to six wins in its last eight games. Oregeron bolted town after not getting the head job. Therefore, you have to wonder what the mindset is for this team going into the postseason. Remember, USC completely no-showed the Sun Bowl last year by losing 21-7 to a seven-loss Ga. Tech squad.

USC had won five consecutive games before getting thumped 35-14 by UCLA in its regular-season finale. Brett Hundley paced the Bruins with 80 rushing yards and a pair of TD scampers. Javorious Allen ran for 123 yards and one TD. Allen, a product of Tallahassee Lincoln High School that has produced the likes of former Florida OT Zach Pillar, former UF defensive end Kevin Carter and former FSU cornerback Antonio Cromartie, has 10 rushing scores in USC’s last five games.

Southern Cal has been a single-digit favorite four times this year, going 2-2 ATS.

USC will be without two starting offensive linemen. OT Aundrey Walker and center Marcus Martin are both out after sustaining knee injuries.

The ‘under’ is 9-4 overall for the Trojans. Meanwhile, totals have been an overall wash for the Bulldogs (6-6).

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl

Matchup: Buffalo vs. San Diego State
Venue: Bronco Stadium
Location: Boise, Idaho
Time/TV: 5:30 p.m. ET, ESPN

These teams will meet in the Idaho Potato Bowl on the smurf turf in Boise. Buffalo will have to venture across country, but it will be familiar with the cold conditions in Idaho. San Diego St. won’t have to travel as far, but the weather won’t be to its liking.

As of Friday afternoon, most spots had San Diego St. (7-5 SU, 6-6 ATS) listed as a 1 ½-point favorite with a total of 51.

Before laying an egg in a 45-19 loss at UNLV in its regular-season finale, Rocky Long’s squad had won seven of its eight previous games. The lone defeat during that span came to Fresno State in overtime.

San Diego St. is by RB Adam Muema, who rushed for 1,015 yards and 12 TDs during the regular season. QB Quinn Kaehler threw for 2,796 yards with a 17/9 TD-INT ratio.

Buffalo (8-4 SU, 8-4 ATS) has one of the nation’s premier players in LB Khalil Mack, who won the Lambert Award for the country’s top linebacker. Mack has 94 tackles, 19 tackles for loss, 10.5 sacks and three interceptions this season. He returned two of those picks for TDs and he has 15 career forced fumbles.

Buffalo produced a seven-game winning streak before dropping two of its last three games. The Bulls lost a 24-7 decision at home to eventual MAC champ Bowling Green in their regular-season finale.

Buffalo QB Joe Licata had a solid season, throwing 2,628 yards with a 21/7 TD-INT ratio. Brandon Oliver ran for a team-high 1,421 yards and 15 TDs.

San Diego St. compiled a 3-1 spread record in four games as a single-digit favorite.

Buffalo went 2-3 ATS in five games as an underdog.

ESPN will have the telecast at 5:30 p.m. Eastern.

B.E.’s Bonus Nuggets

Three SEC quarterbacks won’t play in the postseason – Georgia’s Aaron Murray, LSU’s Zach Mettenberger and Vandy’s Austyn Carta-Samuels.

In Saturday’s New Mexico Bowl at 2:00 p.m. Eastern on ESPN, Washington St. is favored by 5 ½ vs. Colorado St. The ‘over’ is 8-3 for the Rams, who have gone 3-2 ATS in five games as underdogs.

Tulane is favored by 1 ½ or two vs. UL-Lafayette in Saturday night’s New Orleans Bowl at the Superdome. The Ragin’ Cajuns will most likely be without starting QB Terrance Broadway, who has an injured wrist. Without Broadway, UL-Lafayette got smashed 30-8 at South Alabama in its regular-season finale.

Tulane has covered the number at a 7-1 clip in its last eight games. On the flip side, the Ragin’ Cajuns are in the midst of a 0-5 ATS slide.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

POINTWISE

COLLEGIATE
BASKETBALL PROPHECY

KEY RELEASES
OREGON over Byu (Sat) RATING: 1
ST BONAVENTURE over Niagara (Sat) RATING: 3

(12:00) KANSAS 76 - Georgetown 69 (ESPN) _____ _____

(12:00) NORTH CAROLINA STATE 80 - East Carolina 72 _____ _____

(12:00) TCU 69 - Tulsa 58 _____ _____

(1:00) OAKLAND 64 - Eastern Michigan 56 _____ _____

(2:00) CINCINNATI 77 - Middle Tennessee State 65 _____ _____

(2:00) UNC-WILMINGTON 72 - Old Dominion 71 _____ _____

(2:00) ST JOHNS 72 - Youngstown State 69 _____ _____

(2:00) TOLEDO 74 - Cleveland State 73 _____ _____

(2:00) FLORIDA ST 76 - Massachusetts 73 (Sunrise, Fla) _____ _____

(3:00) Butler 69 - EVANSVILLE 64 _____ _____

(3:00) COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON 71 - Kent State 68 _____ _____

(3:30) Gonzaga 70 - KANSAS ST 57 (ESPN2) (Wichita) _____ _____

(4:00) VIRGINIA 72 - Northern Iowa 65 _____ _____

(4:00) PITTSBURGH 79 - Cal-Poly Slo 64 _____ _____

(4:00) TEXAS 68 - Michigan State 63 (CBS) _____ _____

(4:00) VANDERBILT 77 - Georgia Tech 71 _____ _____

(4:30) FLORIDA 83 - Fresno State 68 (FSN) (Sunrise, Fla) _____ _____

(4:30) Rice 73 - Houston 70 (Toyota Center) _____ _____

(5:00) LSU 78 - Uab 71 _____ _____

(5:30) Va Commonwealth 64 - Va Tech 58 (Richmond Col) _____ _____

(5:30) Missouri 79 - Illinois 72 (ESPN2) (St Louis) _____ _____

(5:30) CAL-DAVIS 63 - Air Force 60 _____ _____

(6:00) Louisville 76 - FLA INTERNATIONAL 58 (FOX1) _____ _____

(6:30) ARIZONA STATE 72 - Texas Tech 69 _____ _____

(7:00) TEXAS A&M 67 - Oklahoma 66 (ESPNU) (Houston) _____ _____

(7:00) ALABAMA 73 - Xavier 72 _____ _____

(7:00) MARSHALL 70 - Arkansas State 58 _____ _____

(7:30) Ohio St 84 - No Dame 67 (ESPN2) (Mad Sq Grdn) _____ _____

(8:00) SOUTHERN ILLINOIS 66 - Ball State 61 _____ _____

(8:00) ARKANSAS 75 - South Alabama 68 (Little Rock) _____ _____

(8:30) Utep 71 - WASHINGTON STATE 65 _____ _____

(8:30) Michigan 73 - Stanford 70 (FOX1) (Brooklyn, NY) _____ _____

(9:00) Nw Mexico 78 - Marquette 71 (ESPNU) (Las Vegas) _____ _____

(10:30) OREGON 82 - Oklahoma State 68 _____ _____

(11:30) Okla St 79 - Colorado 74 (ESPN2) (Las Vegas) _____ _____

BVI TROPICAL SHOOTOUT PROBABLE FINAL
(5:30) Southern Mississippi 67 - Arkansas-Little Rock 58 _____ _____

TULANE CLASSIC @ New Orleans, Louisiana
(4:00) TULANE 74 - Alabama State 64 _____ _____
(6:30) Wisconsin-Milwaukee 77 - Northeastern 70 _____ _____

BASKETBALL TRAVELERS CLASSIC @ Logan, Utah
(7:30) Cal-Santa Barbara 72 - Western Illinois 67 _____ _____
(10:00) UTAH STATE 81 - Troy 62 _____ _____

ADDED GAMES
(12:00) KENTUCKY 90 - Belmont 78 _____ _____
(2:00) MONMOUTH 76 - Fordham 75 _____ _____
(2:00) WISCONSIN-GREEN BAY 73 - Fairfield 63 _____ _____
(2:00) WESTERN KENTUCKY 74 - Murray State 69 _____ _____
(2:00) IPFW 68 - Eastern Illinois 55 _____ _____
(2:00) GEORGIA 79 - Western Carolina 67 _____ _____
(2:00) WAKE FOREST 85 - UNC-Greensboro 68 _____ _____

(3:00) MANHATTAN 74 - Buffalo 63 (Barclays Center)
(3:30) INDIANA STATE 77 - Iupui 64 _____ _____
(4:00) VILLANOVA 83 - Rider 59 (FOX1) _____ _____
(4:00) DENVER 68 - Cal-Irvine 58 _____ _____
(7:00) St Bonaventure 92 - NIAGARA 84 _____ _____
(5:00) SAN DIEGO 70 - Southern Utah 55 _____ _____
(5:00) NORTH CAROLINA 81 - Davidson 64 (ESPNU) _____ _____
(5:00) NORTH DAKOTA 76 - North Dakota State 73 _____ _____
(6:00) CAL-FULLERTON 69 - Sacramento State 64 _____ _____

(8:00) NORTH DAKOTA STATE 72 - Towson 62 _____ _____
(8:00) MEMPHIS 83 - SE Missouri State 68 _____ _____
(8:00) TENNESSEE STATE 62 - Miami-Ohio 61 _____ _____
(8:30) NEBRASKA 87 - The Citadel 63 _____ _____

BEST BETS
CLEVELAND STATE
BUTLER
TEXAS
MISSOURI
XAVIER,
OREGON (1)
ST. BONAVENTURE (3)

[Can'tPickAWinner]

WINNING POINTS

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

Kansas* over Georgetown by 11
The Jayhawks should have fun collapsing on Georgetown center Josh Smith, then
watching the Hoyas guards clang three-pointers.
KANSAS, 79-68.

North Carolina State* over East Carolina by 3
ECU head coach Jeff Lebo is a North Carolina grad (and former player, of course).
He’ll preach hatred of Wolfpack and all that, and hope that his players – whose school
is only 35 miles away and whose football team already drubbed NC State’s football
team -- feel the hate and all that. ECU is shooting a lot better from the outside than
NC State.
NORTH CAROLINA STATE, 74-71.

TCU* over Tulsa by 5
Aw, no fair, these guys played already in Alaska, we won it online for Winning Points
Online members with **PREFERRED, TCU, keying on their injury returnee forward
Amric Fields, who is now an injured-and-out guy again. No need to reach back
into the pocket for hard-earned money and get involved again.
TCU, 58-53.

***BEST BET
Oakland* over Eastern Michigan by 16
If you schedule like Oakland’s Greg Kampe has – we’ve outlined it recently but here
it is again: at North Carolina, at UCLA, at Cal, at Gonzaga, at Indiana, at Michigan
State -- then you’d darn better be ready to kick some in-state butt in a true home gameagainst an opponent that struggles to put the ball in the basket and that recently
allowed a ridiculous run on their home floor to up-tempo UMass in a double-digit
defeat.
OAKLAND, 79-63.

Cincinnati* over Middle Tennessee St. by 8

Old Dominion over NC Wilmington* by 2

St. John’s* over Youngstown State by 12
Redmen (Ha! Redmen!) are doing a very good defensive job but YSU has plenty of
guys who can shoot the three and chip away in a 3-for-2 game vs. Lavin’s bricklaying
jump shooters. However, the road dog will get killed on the boards for put-backs, and
through the lane. For SJU, what wasn’t there against Syracuse will be there against
these Penguins.
ST. JOHN’S, 82-70.

Toledo* over Cleveland State by 23
Toledo is scoring 20 more ppg than they did last season, and they were 9-0 entering
the week, including three true road wins. Cleveland State is coming off a soft home
stretch…perhaps too soft.
TOLEDO, 81-58.

Massachusetts over Florida State by 1 (at Sunrise, FL)
Go, Chazz, go. Game is not in Talahassee. Sunrise is about as far away from Talahassee as you can be and still be in Florida.
MASSACHUSETTS, 81-80.

Butler over Evansville* by 8
Evansville scored only 47 points against Indiana recently, so don’t expect much more
vs. a bunch that always brings it on D.
BUTLER, 67-59.

***BEST BET
Kent State over College of Charleston* by 12
It will have been 17 days since Kent State last played a game. They have to do it on
the road against this stranger, when regional rival Cleveland State is on deck. CofC
will have had three games in the span during which Kent was idle. Sounds like a slamdunk for the home team, right? Except for the fact that CofC is averaging a mere 63 ppg and defense has never been a staple of the program, whose head coach Doug
(Yawn!) Wojcik is in his second season, wading through the post-Cremins/current-self
mess and looking ahead to a new conference (Colonial) after they were in the
Southern Conference in his first year.
KENT STATE, 71-59.

Gonzaga over Kansas State by 9 (at Wichita, KS)
This should be like a replay of Gonzaga’s win at offensively challenged West Virginia,
except in the replay, the ‘Zags don’t have to sweat as much.
GONZAGA, 80-71.

Virginia* over Northern Iowa by 12
UNI handled VCU pressure at home. Can they handle Virginia’s halfcourt D on the
road? It’s like a polar opposite situation!
VIRGINIA, 62-50.

Pittsburgh* over Cal Poly-SLO by 22
Pitt is really challenging themselves. First Loyola Marymount from 3,000 miles away,
now another SoCal program with even less of a hoops pedigree from the same area.
Sheesh. Maybe they’ll blow them away if the Pitt coaches don’t have old friends on
Cal Poly.
PITTSBURGH, 79-57.

**PREFERRED
Texas* over Michigan State by 7
Revenge game for a Texas team that lost 67-56 in East Lansing last season, when current leading scorer Jonathan Holmes was limited to 19 minutes with foul troubles and current fifth-leading (but still double-digit!) scorer Cameron Ridley was a wee freshman center getting schooled. People wanted to hand Michigan State the national
championship a few weeks ago but they still have to play a lot of games and lose some
in order to get there, if they get there, which we don’t have to worry about right now.
TEXAS, 78-71.

Vanderbilt* over Georgia Tech by 7

Florida over Fresno State by 25 (at Sunrise, FL)
Fresno has a seven-man rotation but the last two guys are averaging only 5 ppg. Foul
trouble, fatigue, and a late fade loom.
FLORIDA, 84-59.

Houston over Rice by 4 (at Toyota Center)
Houston took two out of three in this rivalry last season.
HOUSTON, 75-71.

LSU* over UAB by 11
LSU is right behind #1-ranked rebounding team UAB on the boards. Those extra
UAB shots – and set defenses -- won’t be there as often as they’ve been.
LSU, 75-64.

VCU* over Virginia Tech by 18 (at Richmond Coliseum)
VCU kids love putting it to ACC players who the ACC schools chose over them.
When they can, of course, and in Va. Tech’s current shape, they probably can.
VCU, 81-63.

Missouri over Illinois by 5 (at St. Louis, MO)
“We’ve had trouble finishing games,” said Illinois head coach John Groce recently.
Alrighty, then. As long as this game has an ending…
MISSOURI, 74-69.

Air Force over Cal Davis* by 4

Louisville over Florida International* by 17

Arizona State* over Texas Tech by 19
Smokin’ Herb picked good seasons to schedule home-and-home vs. Texas Tech: 77-62
win at Tech in last year’s horrible Tech year; now a return engagement on their home
floor in Tubby Smith’s sort-through-the-rubble, break-it-all-down-before-building-itback-up-again first season as Red Raiders’ head coach.
ARIZONA STATE, 81-62.

Oklahoma over Texas A&M by 10 (at Houston, TX)
Sooners have played the tougher slate to date.
OKLAHOMA, 75-65.

Alabama* over Xavier by 8
Can easily foresee Xavier playing the role of bricklaying opponent that Cincinnati
recently played against them.
ALABAMA, 60-52.

Arkansas State over Marshall* by 2
There should be enough tape of Marshall’s 6’9” outside-shot loving leading scorer
Elijah Pittman hoisting treys, for opponents to begin game-planning for and around
it. Actually, that process has already begun, with four straight losses.
ARKANSAS STATE, 76-74

***BEST BET
Ohio State over Notre Dame by 21 (Madison Sq. Garden, NY)
‘Oh, Notre Dame covered against Iowa on the road, and they beat Indiana on a neutral
floor! Notre Dame owns the Big Ten! Give me Notre Dame!’ Whoever wants
Notre Dame can have Notre Dame. Ohio State plays defense on a different level than
those other two sides. Whichever big stiffs Irish head coach Mike Brey wants to rotate
around the forward spots won’t do much damage on either end of the floor, and Aaron
Craft can contain Jerian Grant, who has been carrying the Irish offense. Grant, Pat
Connaughton and Eric Atkins sport nice offensive scoring averages but they’ve come
in more minutes than your typical college player tends to play because they desperately have needed them on the floor to put away, or lose, to lesser.
OHIO STATE, 70-49.

Southern Illinois* over Ball State by 9

Arkansas* over South Alabama by 16 (at Little Rock)

Washington State* over UTEP by 4

Michigan over Stanford by 10 (at Brooklyn, NY)
Stanford is getting out-coached in this match-up as we speak.
MICHIGAN, 77-67.

New Mexico over Marquette by 3 (at Las Vegas, NV)
Marquette, against decent defensive foes? No, thanks.
NEW MEXICO, 65-62.

***BEST BET
Oregon* over BYU by 22
This should be like BYU at UMass (a ***BEST BET winner on UMass) all over again,
except that Oregon is deeper than UMass, better-coached, and has two guards who
played a lot last season returning to action from a nine-game suspension, to help make
an already good team better. BYU fancies itself as an up-tempo team. Ha-ha. Scoring
100 at Stanford early-on was the fake-out. Then they get into other road games against squads like UMass and Oregon and the scoreboard starts to separate, and that quote from head coach Rose that bordered on “over-scheduling” looms large.
OREGON,102-80.

Oklahoma State over Colorado by 9 (at Las Vegas, NV)

Northeastern over Wisconsin-Milwaukee by 1 (at New Orleans, LA)

Utah State* over Troy by 21
Phil Cunningham gets schooled. Third game in three nights for both, but Troy is a
lousy hoops program with a hack coach in his first season, playing on the home floor
of a perennial post-season team.
UTAH STATE, 78-56

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Insider Angles

NCAA Football 2013-14 Bowl Previews

New Mexico Bowl - Washington State (-3½) vs. Colorado State - Saturday, December 21, 2:00 ET: This is an interesting contrast in styles, as Washington State finished fourth in the country in passing offense behind quarterback Connor Halliday, but Colorado State averaged a potent 202.7 rushing yards per game with running back Kapri Bibbs leading all of FBS with 28 touchdowns. It does appear that the underdog Rams could be more capable of controlling the clock here though in their first bowl appearance since 2008, as Bibbs will be running against a Cougars' defense ranked just 85th against the run allowing 185.3 rushing yards per game. Bowl favorites coming off of 3 ATS wins (Washington State) are only 29-50-3 ATS since 2000 for a 63.3 percent fade.

Las Vegas Bowl - Fresno State vs. USC (-5½) - Saturday, December 21, 3:30 ET: Now, there can be little debate that the Trojans have the better overall personnel here and are capable of running up the score if they choose too. But that is precisely the problem, as USC envisioned a much more high-profile bowl game when this year began, and the players seemed to love playing for interim coach Ed Orgeron, who resigned his position when passed over for the permanent coaching job, leaving the Trojans with yet another interim coach for this bowl game. Amidst that distraction, they must contend with Fresno State quarterback Derek Carr, who is quickly bolting up NFL Draft boards after leading the FBS with his 4,866 passing yards and 48 touchdown passes. Bowl underdogs coming off of a home game (Fresno State) are 123-87-4, 58.6 percent ATS since 2000.

Idaho Potato Bowl - Buffalo (-2) vs. San Diego State - Saturday, December 21, 5:30 ET: Some NFL scouts consider Buffalo linebacker Khalil Mack the best prospect of the entire draft not from a BCS conference, and he spearheaded a Bulls' defense that held its last nine opponents to 15.0 points per game after understandably struggling early at Ohio State and Baylor, and if you factor out a 51-41 loss to Toledo, Buffalo only allowed 10.5 points per game in the other eight games to close the season. San Diego State is rather fortunate to be here with three overtime wins that could have gone either way, and ending the regular season with a 45-19 loss at UNLV is nor an encouraging sign. San Diego State is just 2-6 ATS in eight career bowl games for a 75.0 percent fade.

New Orleans Bowl - Tulane (PK) vs. Louisiana-Lafayette - Saturday, December 21, 9:00 ET: Tulane must be living a charmed life because the Green Wave finished 7-5 and made their first bowl game since 2002 despite ranking 118th in the country in total offense with 304.2 yards per game while averaging just 3.5 yards per rush and 5.6 yards per pass attempt. That speaks to the weakness of Conference USA this year, and Tulane only finished fourth in the West Division. The Ragin' Cajuns of UL Lafayette are the Sun Belt Conference Champions and they average a potent 34.6 points and 424.4 total yards per game with nice balance, averaging 207.6 rushing yards and 216.8 passing yards. UL Lafayette is 15-7-1, 68.2 percent ATS when coming off of two losses since 2005.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

UL-Lafayette, Tulane clash in Saturday's New Orleans Bowl
by Freddy Wander

R&L Carriers New Orleans Bowl
Superdome – New Orleans, LA
Kickoff: Saturday, 9:00 p.m. ET
Line: Tulane -2.5, Total: 49

UL-Lafayette tries to win the New Orleans Bowl for the third straight season as they take on in-state rival Tulane on Saturday night.

The Ragin' Cajuns have had plenty of success in the Superdome in the past two postseasons. Two years ago they won a close 32-30 battle against San Diego State, and then won 43-34 against East Carolina in front of a New Orleans Bowl record-setting crowd last season. UL-Lafayette won eight straight games between Sept. 14 and Nov. 16, including starting 5-0 in conference play, before losing their its final two games of the season to Sun Belt foes UL-Monroe and South Alabama. The Green Wave also started conference play in strong fashion, winning their first four games against C-USA opponents. They looked as if they would be competing to play in the conference championship until they lost three of their final four games and finished fourth in the West division. Tulane put up a strong effort against eventual conference champion Rice in its final game, losing only 17-13 as 9.5-point underdogs and held the Owls to zero points in the second half. This will be Tulane’s 11th bowl game and first since 2002, going 4-6 SU in its previous 10, but winning its past two bowls. The Ragin' Cajuns are currently on a five-game ATS losing streak and are only 4-8 ATS this season while the Green Wave have been an impressive 9-3 ATS, including 7-1 ATS over their past eight games. These two programs squared off last season with UL-Lafayette pounding Tulane by a score of 41-13, but failing to cover the large 31-point spread. They outrushed the Green Wave 294-53 in that game and forced three turnovers. Both teams are relatively healthy for this game, but the big question is whether or not UL-Lafayette QB Terrance Broadway can play after breaking his arm on Nov. 30. He's considered questionable right now, as the doctors have not yet cleared him to play.

After scoring 23+ points in 10 straight games, the Ragin’ Cajuns really missed junior QB Terrance Broadway (2,276 pass yards, 19 TD, 10 INT) in the regular season finale, scoring just eight points at South Alabama with three UL-Lafayette quarterbacks combining to complete just 9-of-26 passes for 143 yards (5.5 YPA), 1 TD and 2 INT. If Broadway is not able to go, freshman QB Brooks Haack (224 pass yards, 6.4 YPA, 1 TD, 1 INT) will be taking the snaps. Broadway also adds a lot to the running game with 421 rushing yards (3.6 YPC) and eight touchdowns on the ground. The uncertainty at quarterback makes HBs Alonzo Harris (868 rush yards, 4.7 YPC, 13 TD) and Elijah McGuire (818 rush yards, 8.9 YPC, 7 TD) that much more important. McGuire has been lightning in a bottle this season with four games of at least 11 yards per carry, but he rushed the ball only three times for 13 yards in the loss to South Alabama. Junior WR Jamal Robinson has been the main target in the passing game with 812 receiving yards (16.2 avg.) and eight touchdowns, but he is coming off a game where he had only one catch for 11 yards. LB Justin Anderson (124 tackles) leads this defense that has allowed 26.9 PPG to their opponents this season (68th in nation), including giving up 30+ points in four of the past five games. The Cajuns have done a decent job stopping the run (4.2 YPC), but have allowed opposing quarterbacks to complete 61.2% of their passes for 239 YPG.

Tulane surprisingly won seven games this season despite having an offense that ranks 104th in FBS passing yards (176 YPG) and 102nd in rushing yards (128 YPG). QB Nick Montana has a subpar 1,654 passing yards (5.7 YPA) with 14 TD and 9 INT this season, but he has thrown four touchdowns and zero picks over his past contests. That's quite an improvement from his 0 TD and 5 INT in two games to start the month of November. Senior HB Orleans Darkwa has 780 rushing yards on 172 attempts (4.5 YPC) while adding nine touchdowns, but has been wildly inconsistent. He has three 100+ yard games this year, but has also been held to 50 yards or less in six different contests. The true star on the offense has been senior WR Ryan Grant, who has compiled 926 receiving yards on 70 receptions (13.2 avg.) and nine touchdowns. He has 7+ catches in six games this year, and hopes to be playing on Sundays next season. The defense has played pretty well all season, allowing only 21.2 PPG (19th in nation), including holding four of the past five opponents to 17 points or less. The defense has been especially tough versus the run, giving up only 119 YPG on 3.1 YPC, and has forced multiple turnovers in all but one game this season, totaling 33 takeaways in the 12 games.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

The Factsman

CFB Saturday Video Pick

Fresno St.+7

[Can'tPickAWinner]

NCAAB betting: Saturday's Top 25 cheat sheet

Saturday may be the opening day of Bowl Season, but there is still a jam-packed slate of college hoops. Here's a look at all the Top 25 betting action Saturday:

Belmont Bruins at Kentucky Wildcats

Belmont has had no trouble scoring this season (80.1 points per game), but the biggest hurdle the Bruins will face in Lexington is on the glass. No Belmont player averages more than five rebounds per game, and Rick Byrd’s squad is ranked 308th nationally in rebounding at 32.3.

It’s no secret that Kentucky’s biggest question coming into this season was whether its uber-talented roster could figure out how to play together, and so far the jury is still out. Randle has been extraordinary as expected (17.2 points, 11.4 rebounds), while Aaron and Andrew Harrison have averaged 14.4 and 10.9 points respectively, but the offense still doesn’t quite feel like it’s running full throttle for Calipari yet. The Wildcats have broken 80 points just once in their last six games.

TRENDS:

* Bruins are 1-4 ATS in their last five games overall.
* Under is 4-1 in Wildcats last five overall.
* Wildcats are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 home games.


Georgetown Hoyas at Kansas State Wildcats

The Hoyas had a good learning experience through the first nine games and coach John Thompson III said they have soaked up a lot of knowledge. “I think we’re figuring out, as a group, how to skin a cat,” Thompson said on the team’s website. “We’re figuring out what to look for, what not to look for, what we do and don’t do well.”

Freshman-heavy Kansas has lost three of its last five contests, but is unbeaten in three games on its home court at Allen Fieldhouse where the Jayhawks are 164-8 since coach Bill Self took over in 2003-04. Self is mixing and matching with his deep but young squad while looking for the right rotation with the Big 12 season around the corner.

TRENDS:

* Under is 4-1 in Jayhawks last five vs. Big East.
* Hoyas are 5-0 ATS in their last five vs. Big 12.
* Under is 4-0 in Hoyas last four Saturday games.


Massachusetts Minutemen vs. Florida State Seminoles
Game to be played at BB&T Center in Sunrise, Florida

The raw numbers are nothing less than gaudy for the Minutemen, who have all five starters averaging double figures and are shooting 49.2 percent for the year. It all runs through point guard Chaz Williams, who is scoring 16.3 points per game and ranks second nationally in assists at 7.9. His most common target has been Cady Lalanne, who has been a force in the paint at 14.4 points, 9.6 rebounds and 2.8 blocks for the Minutemen.

The Seminoles haven’t scored a ton this season, but have been efficient — ranking 13th nationally in field goal percentage at 50.4. White has been a key component with 14.2 points and a 54.9 rate from the floor, but the Seminole guards have been surprisingly accurate as well. Both Ian Miller (14.9 points) and Aaron Thomas (11.8 points) are just under 49 percent from the field.

TRENDS:

* Minutemen are 4-0 ATS in their last four neutral site games.
* Seminoles are 5-1 ATS in their last six vs. Atlantic 10.
* Under is 4-1 in Seminoles last five overall.


Gonzaga Bulldogs vs. Kansas St. Wildcats
Game to be played at Intrust Bank Arena in Wichita, Kansas

The Zags are proficient both inside and outside and have scored 90 or more points five times while averaging 87.5 per game. Five of Gonzaga’s top six scorers are shooting better than 52 percent from the field. Gonzaga defeated Kansas State 68-52 in Seattle last season for its lone win in three all-time meetings with the Wildcats.

Kansas State senses an opportunity to bolster up the resume and seeks its sixth straight victory when it faces No. 15 Gonzaga on a neutral court in the Wichita Wildcat Classic. The Wildcats don’t have a true signature win yet this season and the powerful Bulldogs sure meet the qualifications of a quality victory. Freshman guard Marcus Foster has been an immediate hit and has scored in double digits in nine straight games while averaging a team-leading 14.4 points.

TRENDS:

* Bulldogs are 0-4 ATS in their last four Saturday games.
* Over is 4-1 in Bulldogs last five neutral site games.
* Under is 10-1 in Wildcats last 11 overall.


Michigan State Spartans at Texas Longhorns

Michigan State pulled away for a 67-56 home win over a Texas team that struggled to a 16-18 record a year ago, but Spartans coach Tom Izzo expects a much-improved Longhorns team to await his squad in Austin. "It's funny, there's always teams that there's addition by subtraction," Izzo told reporters. "They had a couple guys that they got rid of - pretty talented guys, too, by the way - and this is a much better team than the one they had last year. Much better." The Spartans have been without star guard Gary Harris (ankle) for three of the past four games and his status is uncertain for Saturday, while Matt Costello (mononucleosis) remains sidelined indefinitely.

Texas has a shot to notch consecutive wins against ranked opponents for the first time in nearly three years when it hosts No. 5 Michigan State on Saturday. Coming off an 86-83 win at No. 18 North Carolina on Wednesday, the Longhorns are after their first back-to-back wins over top-25 teams since taking down No. 13 Missouri and No. 16 Texas A&M in January 2011.

TRENDS:

* Under is 4-0 in the last four meetings.
* Spartans are 1-4-1 ATS in their last six road games.
* Over is 8-2 in Longhorns last 10 home games.


Rider Broncs at Villanova Wildcats

The Broncs shot 53.2 percent from the field and Zedric Sadler recorded 20 points and eight rebounds in last weekend's 79-58 victory over Wagner. Anthony Myles leads the team in scoring (18.7) and has finished in double figures in eight of his first nine games this season. Daniel Stewart tops the Broncs in rebounds (54), steals (12), blocks (eight) and free throws made (65).

No. 12 Villanova looks to keep its perfect record intact when it hosts Rider on Saturday. The Wildcats have reeled off 10 consecutive victories to begin the campaign, including two over ranked foes Kansas and Iowa, on their way to winning the Battle 4 Atlantis championship. Villanova is off to its best start in eight seasons, but coach Jay Wright is wary of complacency within his squad, saying: "You can start this way and if you don't get better you can slip, and if you slip you don't necessarily get it back."

TRENDS:

* Wildcats are 7-1 ATS in their last eight home games.
* Over is 5-0 in Broncs last five overall.
* Under is 5-2 in Wildcats last seven home games vs. a team with a losing road record.


Fresno State Bulldogs at Florida Gators
Game to be played at the BB& Center in Sunrise, Florida

The Bulldogs are coming off back-to-back losses to Pac-12 members California and Utah, but received a bit of a boost when Tyler Johnson returned last game after missing the previous four with a right foot injury. Johnson is averaging 14 points, one of five players in double figures for Fresno State. If the Bulldogs hope to stay with Florida, they’ll need a better start from leading scorer Marvelle Harris, who missed his first eight shots in Saturday’s loss to California before finishing 5-for-18.

Florida can afford to exhale just a bit as the No. 17 Gators prepare to play Fresno State on Saturday afternoon at the Orange Bowl Basketball Classic in Sunrise, Fla. Florida is coming off the toughest three-game stretch of the regular season and the Gators fared pretty well, beating No. 19 Kansas and No. 14 Memphis after falling to No. 10 Connecticut. Florida continues to get phenomenal production from 6-6 forward Casey Prather, who is averaging a team-high 18.7 points and has emerged as a front-runner for SEC Player of the Year.

TRENDS:

* Under is 5-0 in Gators last five Saturday games.
* Bulldogs are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 road games.
* Gators are 1-4 ATS in their last five Saturday games.


Davidson Wildcats at North Carolina Tar Heels

Attempting to upset North Carolina becomes even more of an arduous task if both De'Mon Brooks (16.8 points, 6.4 rebounds) and Tom Droney (13.1 average) aren’t in uniform. Brooks was the Southern Conference Preseason Player of the Year and has missed six straight games with his ailment while Droney injured a foot against Niagara on Dec. 11 and missed an ensuing loss to Drexel.

North Carolina has guard Leslie McDonald back on the court but remains without P.J. Hairston, last season’s leading scorer, as the No. 18 Tar Heels enter Saturday’s matchup with visiting Davidson. Both players were suspended for receiving impermissible benefits and McDonald was reinstated prior to Wednesday’s loss to Texas and school officials are hoping to finalize Hairston’s situation within the week. The Tar Heels are looking to bounce back after a disappointing effort against the Longhorns.

TRENDS:

* Wildcats are 0-4 ATS in their last four vs. Atlantic Coast.
* Under is 4-1 in Wildcats last five road games.
* Tar Heels are 5-2 ATS in their last seven games overall.


Illinois Fighting Illini vs. Missouri Tigers

While the Tigers are undefeated, the Illini have been dinged by two tough losses - 67-64 at Georgia Tech and 71-64 against Oregon - in games they led in the second half. Guard Joseph Bertrand (10.7 points, 5.3 rebounds) has played well against Missouri, including 19 points on 9-of-9 shooting as a sophomore, but Tracy Abrams (11.5 points, 3.4 assists) played sparingly against the Tigers as a freshman and was saddled with foul trouble last year.

Despite the lack of continuity - Missouri returned only one starter from last year - the Tigers are off to a great start in large part because of Tulsa transfer Jordan Clarkson (19.4 points, 3.9 assists). Clarkson and Brown are one of six sets of teammates in the nation averaging at least 19 points apiece. Missouri has been especially tough at the defensive end recently, holding West Virginia (85.1 points per game) and UCLA (90.6) a combined 35 points below their season averages in a pair of 80-71 wins before keeping Western Michigan 10.6 points under its average in a 66-60 victory Sunday.

TRENDS:

* Under is 4-1 in Tigers last five overall.
* Fighting Illini are 2-9-1 ATS in their last 12 Saturday games.
* Fighting Illini are 3-0-1 ATS in their last four neutral site games.


Louisville Cardinals at Florida International Golden Panthers

The Cardinal, who are beginning a four-game road trip, won all five games of their recent homestand by margins of 31, 28, 39, 16 and 30 points. Jones (wrist) returned from a one-game absence against Missouri State and scored nine points in 19 minutes off the bench. Talented sophomore forward Montrezl Harrell, who had 17 points and eight rebounds against the Bears, has only one double-double in 11 games this season.

Florida International's scoring attack is explosive yet balanced, with former Cardinals forward Rakeem Buckles among four players averaging double figures. Buckles, who played his first three seasons for Louisville before sitting out last year per NCAA transfer rules, is fulfilling the promise that he never really showed with the Cardinals. Buckles is averaging 14.7 points, 10.5 rebounds and 1.8 blocks with season highs of 26 points, 17 rebounds and eight blocks. Murphy leads the team in scoring at 16.3 points and has surpassed 20 points in five of his last seven games.

TRENDS:

* Under is 4-0 in Golden Panthers last four home games.
* Cardinals are 0-4 ATS in their last four games following a ATS win.
* Golden Panthers are 7-0 ATS in their last seven home games.


Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs. Ohio State Buckeyes
Game to be played at Madison Square Garden in New York, New York

Garrick Sherman is the lone big man in the starting lineup for the Fighting Irish and he’s made big strides this season as well. The 6-11 center has more than doubled his scoring average to 14.3 and is doing the same with his rebounding (7.5). Of course, he’s also playing 10 minutes more a game, but his improvement can also be seen at the free throw line, where he’s off to a 75.5 percent start after shooting 66 percent last season and 36.7 as a sophomore at Michigan State in 2011-12.

Ohio State probably can’t afford a second straight sluggish effort Saturday when the No. 2 Buckeyes meet Notre Dame in their final game at the Gotham Classic at Madison Square Garden in New York. Ohio State had 13 turnovers and seven assists, shot their lowest percentage in a month and had trouble keeping Delaware from getting to the rim Wednesday. The Buckeyes still won by double digits for the 11th time this season.

TRENDS:

* Fighting Irish are 4-1 ATS in their last five vs. Big Ten.
* Over is 4-0 in Buckeyes last four neutral site games.
* Over is 5-1 in Fighting Irish last six neutral site games.


Southeast Missouri State Redhawks at Memphis Tigers

This game is the Redhawks' Super Bowl, as they have no other ranked opponents on their schedule. Southeast Missouri State has a two-headed scoring attack led by Jarekious Bradley and Tyler Stone, who combine to average more than 37 points and 16 rebounds. Bradley (19.5 points, 7.7 rebounds) is also the team's most consistent 3-point shooter at 40.7 percent, while Stone (18.1 points, 8.8 rebounds) leads the Redhawks with 1.5 blocks.

The Tigers, meanwhile, have scored at least 70 points in every game this year despite not shooting particularly well from the foul line or the 3-point arc. Even after the hard-fought loss to Florida, coach Josh Pastner feels pretty good about his team. "This was a high level game. It felt like a Sweet 16 game," Pastner said. "All you can ask for is to have the ball in your hand to tie or win the game and that's what we had and it didn't go our way, but give Florida credit. We'll grow from this and get better."

TRENDS:

* Redhawks are 6-2 ATS in their last eight road games.
* Tigers are 8-1 ATS in their last nine home games.
* Under is 4-1 in Tigers last five overall.


McNeese State Cowboys at San Diego State Aztecs

The Cowboys have certainly become road weary. In the midst of a nine-game road swing, McNeese State hasn't played a home game since beating Louisiana College on Nov. 15. McNeese State is 0-6 on the road and is scoring 66.7 points a game which ranks 296th nationally.

Despite the absence of a pair of star forwards San Diego State embarrassed Southern Utah last time out. The 23rd-ranked Aztecs aim for their 44th consecutive win against non-conference opponents at home when they entertain McNeese State on Saturday. Xavier Thames, who scored 16 points for the Aztecs in their humbling 76-39 of Southern Utah leads the squad in scoring at 17.2 points.

TRENDS:

* Under is 4-0 in Aztecs last four overall.
* Cowboys are 1-5 ATS in their last six non-conference games.
* Aztecs are 48-22-1 ATS in their last 71 Saturday games.


Brigham Young Cougars at Oregon Ducks

The Cougars boast an impressive backcourt, but their top four guards - Kyle Collinsworth, Matt Carlino, Tyler Haws and Frank Bartley IV - combined to shoot 9-for-42 from the field against Utah. Haws averages a team-high 22.3 points and has scored in double figures in 25 consecutive games. Freshman center Eric Mika, averaging 14.1 points and 6.4 points, recorded his second career double-double against Utah before being ejected for a flagrant foul midway through the second half.

Oregon remained unbeaten with a 91-63 win over UC Irvine on Tuesday in the season debut of point guard Dominic Artis and forward Ben Carter, who were each suspended for the first nine games for selling team apparel. The Ducks rank second in the nation at 89.3 points per game and have had at least four players with 10-plus points in each of the last seven games.

TRENDS:

* Over is 9-1 in Ducks last 10 overall.
* Cougars are 2-5 ATS in their last seven games overall.
* Ducks are 8-1-2 ATS in their last 11 home games.


Oklahoma State Cowboys vs. Colorado Buffaloes

The Cowboys haven't reached their average of 87.2 points - 11th in the country through games played Wednesday - in five games, but have handled slower paces well in winning four of them. Marcus Smart, a 6-4 sophomore who averages a team-best 18 points while contributing 4.8 rebounds and a team-high 3.8 assists, should be well-rested after scoring only eight points and taking five shots in 27 minutes against Delaware State.

The Buffaloes are leaving Colorado for the first time since their season-opening setback in Dallas after playing eight home games and road contests at Air Force and Colorado State. Sophomore Josh Scott, who averages 12.4 points and a team-best 8.6 rebounds, has provided a more physical presence down low after adding bulk to his 6-10 frame during the offseason and is the key to preventing Oklahoma State from driving the lane at will.

TRENDS:

* Over is 6-2 in the last eight meetings.
* Underdog is 5-2 ATS in the last seven meetings.
* Over is 5-1 in Buffaloes last six vs. Big 12.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Where the action is: Saturday's bowl game line moves

College football bowl season kicks off Saturday with four postseason matchups available for betting. We talk to Mike Perry of Sportsbook.ag about the action coming in on these games and where the odds could end up come kickoff:

New Mexico Bowl: Washington State at Colorado State – Open: +3.5, Move: +5.5

Washington State is back in bowl season after an extended drought and bettors expect the Cougars to make the most of it, pumping them up as many as two points at some markets. With 86 percent of the action on WSU, this could be the biggest decision of Saturday’s bowl action.

“On December 10, we got sharp play buying a half point on WSU to -3, so we moved to -4,” says Perry. “On Monday, we moved to -5 because of heavy action on WSU. Earlier today moved to -5.5.”

Las Vegas Bowl: Fresno State vs. USC Trojans – Open: -5.5, Move: -6.5

This line has remained relatively steady at most books, however, some have tacked on an extra points with early money on the Trojans. Books keeping this one under the key number of seven has kept balanced action on the Las Vegas Bowl but injury concerns on both sides have bettors on watch.

“Fresno WR Josh Harper is questionable and USC RB Silas Redd will miss the game,” says Perry. “About 64 percent of the cash is backing the Trojans.”

Idaho Potato Bowl: Buffalo Bulls vs. San Diego State Aztecs – Open: +3.5, Move: -1

This spread is one of the bigger moves of the entire bowl season board, with wiseguy action moving this spread as many as 4.5 points. Sharp money has sided with SDSU since opening and has books worried about this outcome in Idaho due to the frantic pace of the line adjustments.

“Could be a game where the shop loses a good chunk of action because of all the middling opportunities some players have,” says Perry. “Almost split down middle on this game, as 52 percent of money is backing the Aztecs.”

New Orleans Bowl: Tulane vs. UL Lafayette – Open: +1.5, Move: +2.5

With UL Lafayette QB Terrance Broadway expected to miss the New Orleans Bowl, action has picked up on the Green Wave. According to Perry, that announcement and the upgraded statuses of many key Tulane players have money moving this spread.

“Tulane QB Nick Montana, son of the infamous Joe, is probable for game. Green Wave’s leading wideout Ryan Grant is also listed as probable,” he says. “Sixty-three percent of cash is riding the Green Wave.”

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Saturday's NCAA bowl games: Weather forecast

Find out how weather will impact your bowl bets for Saturday's college football matchups:

Gildan New Mexico Bowl

Washington State Cougars vs. Colorado State Rams (+6, 65.5)
Site: University Stadium, Albuquerque, New Mexico

Temperatures will be in the low-40s with a slight chance of snow. Wind will blow across the field at 14 mph.


Royal Purple Las Vegas Bowl

Fresno State Bulldogs vs. USC Trojans (-6, 63)
Site: Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas, Nevada

Temperatures will be in the low-50s with partly cloudy skies. Wind will blow slightly toward the N endzone at 2 mph.


Famous Idaho Potato Bowl

Buffalo Bulls vs. San Diego State Aztecs (-1.5, 50)
Site: Bronco Stadium, Boise, Idaho

Temperatures will be in the mid-30s with mostly cloudy skies. There is a 33 percent chance of rain in the forecast.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

English Breakfast: Premier League betting cheat sheet

The 17th round of Premier League fixtures features one matchup that could shuffle the power at the top of the table. But Arsenal and Chelsea square off Monday. First though, here is a quick look at the seven matches on the board Saturday.


Liverpool v Cardiff (-500, +650, +1500)

Why bet Liverpool: Luis Suarez is playing out of his mind and is easily one of the best on the planet at the moment. The superstar has now tallied 17 goals in just 11 appearances on the season. The Reds have won three-straight matches and are back in second on 33 points.

Key players out/doubtful: Steven Gerrard, Daniel Sturridge, José Enrique

Why bet Cardiff: The Bluebirds posted a very solid 1-0 home victory over slumping West Brom last time out. Nabbing any points at Anfield will be tough, but Craig Bellamy could be the only player unavailable to manager Malky Mackay as the side is relatively healthy.

Key players out/doubtful: Craig Bellamy

2012-13 fixture result: N/A

Key betting note: The Reds have scored at least four goals in the last four matches at Anfield.


Crystal Palace v Newcastle (+225, +240, +138)

Why bet Crystal Palace: Palace played fairly well at Stamford Bridge, but came up short en route a 2-1 defeat to Chelsea last time out. They posted back-to-back victories prior and have only lost two matches in their past six overall. Tony Pulis has this team playing much, much better.

Key players out/doubtful: Jerome Thomas, Adlène Guédioura, Patrick McCarthy

Why bet Newcastle: Newcastle has been absolutely stellar this season, sitting sixth in the table and seriously competing for European spots. Plus, they will get a couple of key players back as Yohan Cabaye returns from suspension and Mathieu Debuchy should return from injury.

Key players out/doubtful: Ryan Taylor

2012-13 fixture result: N/A

Key betting note: Crystal Palace's last four home matches have resulted in under the 2.5 goal total.


Fulham v Manchester City (+850, +425, -275)

Why bet Fulham: The Cottagers might boast players like Dimitar Berbatov, Darren Bent and Maarten Stekelenburg, but they are still among the worst in the league. They own the 19th spot and have shown very little that would indicate they can move out of the relegation zone. If anything, new boss René Muelensteen has brought in a new tactical approach, but they just haven't gotten results.

Key players out/doubtful: Hugo Rodallega, Brede Hangeland

Why bet Manchester City: City looks more dangerous than anyone in the league. A win at Craven Cottage would move the Citizens even with Arsenal at the top of the table, pending the Gunners' result Monday. They have been an absolute machine recently with four wins and one draw in their last five.

Key players out/doubtful: Stevan Jovetic, Sergio Agüero, Pablo Zabaleta, Micah Richards, Matija Nastasic

2012-13 fixture result: Fulham 1, City 2

Key betting note: City's matches have gone over the 2.5 goal total in 10 of the last 12.


Manchester United v West Ham (-275, +425, +900)

Why bet Manchester United: Eighth in the table. That's where United currently resides. It's weird to type, but it's just the reality of the un-United season. They dropped back-to-back matches before a very good 3-0 away win over Aston Villa last time out. Robin van Persie remains sidelined, so it is still Wayne Rooney's show. That's not such a bad predicament. Plus, they absolutely own the Hammers having blanked them in eight of the last 10 at Old Trafford.

Key players out/doubtful: Robin van Persie, Michael Carrick

Why bet West Ham: Not the best form in the league for the Hammers, as they've won just won one game in their last nine. They did defeat Tottenham in the Capital One Cup midweek, which could be a rallying point for Big Sam Allardyce and his men.

Key players out/doubtful: Kevin Nolan, Stewart Downing, Winston Reid, Andy Carroll, Ricardo Vaz Te, Mladen Petric

2012-13 fixture result: Man United 1, West Ham 0

Key betting note: The Hammers have lost three-straight home matches in the Premier League.


Stoke v Aston Villa (+130, +225, +250)

Why bet Stoke: The Potters have played reasonably well recently, but are still a draw-machine with four in their last eight. They still can't score a whole lot - Charlie Adam leads the side with three - but they defend well, and haven't lost at home since a 1-0 defeat to Norwich back on Sept. 29.

Key players out/doubtful: Robert Huth, Matthew Etherington, Stephen Ireland

Why bet Aston Villa: Villa appears to be right on track, sitting 11th in the table, but are riding back-to-back losses into Saturday's match at the Brittania. But one part of the Villain's game that isn't on track is striker Christian Benteke. The Belgian has struggled mightily recently, and could see the bench as Libor Kozák has been great, with three goals in six appearances.

Key players out/doubtful: Charles N'Zogbia, Gabriel Agbonlahor, Jores Okore

2012-13 fixture result: Stoke 1, Villa 3

Key betting note: Villa is unbeaten in the last five meetings with Stoke (all competitions).


Sunderland v Norwich (+105, +250, +300)

Why bet Sunderland: The Black Cats sit dead-last in the league and although they've been a bit more competitive with Gus Poyet at the helm, they still can't seem to grab three points. They are at home though, where they've defeated both Manchester City and bitter-rivals Newcastle.

Key players out/doubtful: Carlos Cuéllar

Why bet Norwich: This is a team that appears to have turned a corner. After bringing in various new players, the Canaries started the season poorly, but have since been winning matches. They've won three and drawn one in their last six matches and could very well keep the positive results going at the Stadium of Light.

Key players out/doubtful: Elliott Bennett, Robert Snodgrass, Alexander Tettey, Anthony Pilkington

2012-13 fixture result: Sunderland 1, Norwich 1

Key betting note: Six of Sunderland's last seven matches at the Stadium of Light have gone over the 2.5 goal total.


West Brom v Hull (-110, +250, +300)

Why bet West Brom: Four-straight losses for the Baggies has them mired in 16th in the league table. The team is a mess right now. But, they are relatively healthy and there's possibly no better spot to grab three points than at home against the Tigers.

Key players out/doubtful: N/A

Why bet Hull: Despite just one win in their last six matches, the Tigers are still in a respectable 12th in the table. They have put together back-to-back draws and are always competitive. They are a fairly tidy club defensively, but scoring goals is their biggest concern. They have just six goals in eight away matches this season.

Key players out/doubtful: Sone Aluko, Stephen Quinn, Joe Dudgeon

2012-13 fixture result: N/A

Key betting note: The Baggies have lost their last two home matches in the Premier League.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

J. Clifton saturday bowls

Colorado state (we locked in at +4 )
fresno state +6 (a)
buffalo +1 (a)

opinion toward ul lafayette

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Ness 10* Going Over The Total- Over San Diego State/ Buffalo

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Jeffrey James (YouWinNow)

#206 San Diego State pick (5:30 est) ESPN

Really don't see how the Aztecs are not favored big time here. Buffalo was terrible down the stretch of the season missing out on their shot at the MAC title. San Diego State will be much closer to home and have a much bigger home crowd contingent here as well. Take San Diego State to get this win and cover in relatively easy fashion here.