Both Teams like to run - Texas State just does it better The 2025 Bowl Season comes to an end today. All that will be left is the playoffs.
Here's my final bowl picks:
Texas State -9.5 1st half vs Rice - Rice plays in a bowl due to thier APR Score and not anything that they’ve done on the field. The Owls went 5-7 and are far removed from a quality football team. This is the 12th year in a row that the Owls will end the season with a losing record.
Texas State HC GL Kinne was a hot commodity in the Coaching Carousel but decided to stay in San Marcos as the Bobcats will be moving to the Pac 12 next year.
Both teams like to run the ball. Rice was 6th in rushing attempts while Texas State sits just outside the Top 25. Texas State does a far better job at it. The Bobcats average 5.11 Yards per attempt (20th) while Rice averaged 4.11 YPA (88th).
The run did open up the pass, as Texas State was one of only seven teams in the nation with a completion rate over 70%. QB Brad Jackson completed over 71% of his passes with an 18/7 TD/INT ratio. He is also the team’s second-leading rusher with 692 yards and the team in TDs with 16.
Rice will be playing without its starting QB Chase Jenkins who hit the transfer portal. The quarterback is the most important player in any offense, but that gets magnified in an option offense.
Kinne demands a level of buy-in from his roster. Just two players are expected to transfer, neither of whom started a game beyond Week 6.
The line has ballooned to Texas State -17.5 for the game. Rather than risk a back door cover against backups in the second half I’ll take Texas State with a full roster and better team to cover the 1st half spread of 9.5.
Here's my final bowl picks:
Texas State -9.5 1st half vs Rice - Rice plays in a bowl due to thier APR Score and not anything that they’ve done on the field. The Owls went 5-7 and are far removed from a quality football team. This is the 12th year in a row that the Owls will end the season with a losing record.
Texas State HC GL Kinne was a hot commodity in the Coaching Carousel but decided to stay in San Marcos as the Bobcats will be moving to the Pac 12 next year.
Both teams like to run the ball. Rice was 6th in rushing attempts while Texas State sits just outside the Top 25. Texas State does a far better job at it. The Bobcats average 5.11 Yards per attempt (20th) while Rice averaged 4.11 YPA (88th).
The run did open up the pass, as Texas State was one of only seven teams in the nation with a completion rate over 70%. QB Brad Jackson completed over 71% of his passes with an 18/7 TD/INT ratio. He is also the team’s second-leading rusher with 692 yards and the team in TDs with 16.
Rice will be playing without its starting QB Chase Jenkins who hit the transfer portal. The quarterback is the most important player in any offense, but that gets magnified in an option offense.
Kinne demands a level of buy-in from his roster. Just two players are expected to transfer, neither of whom started a game beyond Week 6.
The line has ballooned to Texas State -17.5 for the game. Rather than risk a back door cover against backups in the second half I’ll take Texas State with a full roster and better team to cover the 1st half spread of 9.5.
It's your last chance to see Blake Horvath Navy -7.5 vs Cincinnati – This will be your last chance to see Navy QB Blake Horvath. The senior signal caller led the Middies to consecutive 10-win seasons and won the Commander-in-Chief Trophy in back-to-back years. What made him so dynamic in this Navy offense is that he could actually throw the ball. On top of rushing for 1,147 yards and 15 touchdowns, Horvath also threw 1,472 yards and 10 more scores.
Cincinnati ended the season in a tailspin. The Bearcats lost four consecutive games to end the year failing to cover in all four. Defense was a real issue. The Bearcats allowed too many yards on first and second downs and then couldn't get off the field enough on third and fourth downs.
Against run-heavy teams, Cincinnati crumbled. Utah rushed for 267 yards, and BYU went for 265.
The season ending tailspin has led to a ton of opt outs. The Bearcats are also losing five starers on defense including virtually everyone in the secondary. More devastating is the star QB Brendan Sorsby who hit the transfer portal and is about to get a big payday. Sorsby ended the season with 2,800 yards and 27 TDs.
It’s Navy, opt outs and transfers don’t happen. They will be at full strength. I’ll take a the Middies to run the ball down the throat of Cincinnati, that struggled against the run even at full strength, and missing its best player on offense.
I went 1-2 yesterday brining the overall record to 35-34
Cincinnati ended the season in a tailspin. The Bearcats lost four consecutive games to end the year failing to cover in all four. Defense was a real issue. The Bearcats allowed too many yards on first and second downs and then couldn't get off the field enough on third and fourth downs.
Against run-heavy teams, Cincinnati crumbled. Utah rushed for 267 yards, and BYU went for 265.
The season ending tailspin has led to a ton of opt outs. The Bearcats are also losing five starers on defense including virtually everyone in the secondary. More devastating is the star QB Brendan Sorsby who hit the transfer portal and is about to get a big payday. Sorsby ended the season with 2,800 yards and 27 TDs.
It’s Navy, opt outs and transfers don’t happen. They will be at full strength. I’ll take a the Middies to run the ball down the throat of Cincinnati, that struggled against the run even at full strength, and missing its best player on offense.
I went 1-2 yesterday brining the overall record to 35-34
