Based on the point spread and overall record of each team, the 2019 Music City Bowl looks like a game where the teams are evenly matched. However, it’s anything but that. Strength of conference is likely to play out huge here. Check out Dan’s take on this SEC vs. ACC matchup!
When you hear the words “Rose Bowl”, old guys from all over the country can’t help but reminisce about Keith Jackson’s stoic voice saying “Ah the Rose Bowl, the Grandaddy of them All!” This year’s contest should be a real doozy between two teams that were on the fringe for playing in the National Championship game. In all candidness, there are some games better watched and enjoyed than bet. This is one of them.
There’s a difference of opinion in the Predictem office on this one. Jay thinks the Georgia Bulldogs have enough tools in the shed to get it done. Others question Georgia’s motivtion to play their best in the Sugar Bowl after their National Championship hopes were crushed. At time of print, it’s not yet clear if D’Andre Swift will sit. My bet is he will.
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish come into the Camping World Bowl as slight -3.5 favorites vs. the Iowa State Cyclones. If you’re a fan of trends, you’ll likely be wagering on ND as Iowa State defense that ranks nationally 66th against the pass, 52nd and six of the Cyclones seven wins came against FCS Northern Iowa, 5-7 UL Monroe and the bottom four teams in the Big 12. ISU is just 5-25 in their last 30 games against ranked teams. It’s hard to fade numbers like those!
It’s weird to see someone (Memphis) other than Central Florida represent the American Athletic Conferences’s best in the Cotton Bowl. The Tigers will get a Penn State Nittany Lions team that didn’t finish out the season very strong. Bookmakers are suspicious that Memphis has a shot to win this game straight up as they’re only a +7 underdog.
Two teams that don’t really deserve to be in a bowl game meet up in a baseball stadium trying to be a football stadium on December 27th as the Michigan State Spartans (6-6 SU, 3-9 ATS) meet up with the Wake Forest Demon Deacons (8-4 SU, 5-6-1 ATS) in the Pinstripe Bowl. Keep a garbage can nearby to barf in while watching this one!
Weekday-daytime college football takes place (Yeah Baby!) on December 27th as the North Carolina Tar Heels (6-6 SU, 7-5 ATS) battle the Temple Owls (8-4 SU, 8-4 ATS) in the Military Bowl. Instead of talking about the game in this space, The Predictem family would like to give a HUGE Thank You and salute both active and retired military for the sacrifices you’ve made to make the United States the great country that it is.
The Cheez-It Bowl features a kind of weird matchup between the ground attack of Air Force vs. the aerial attack of the Washington State Cougars. When college football games feature a low point spread where it’s tough to pick a winner, it’s often times best to look at the total, which is what Wilson is doing here.
The ACC isn’t exactly a superpower in college football, but when matched up with a team from the MAC, there’s a huge indifference. The Pitt Panthers are simply better at every position than the Eastern Michigan Eagles. We make this point spread at -14.5 so will happily lay the eleven points, despite the game being played at Ford Field, only 36 miles away from the EMU campus.
BYU is usually a very focused team, so I don’t see the typical enamourment with all the good things that come with going to Hawaii being much of a distraction. The problem for BYU is that the Aloha Bowl is a home game for the Rainbow Warriors and they’re actually a pretty good team. I’m not much of a conspiracy theorist, but having watched numerous games on the island, weird things happen and opposing teams almost always seem to be on the wrong end of the stick with regards to penalties. Watch and you shall see!