The featured matchup is Buffalo's offense versus Buffalo -1.0 vs Troy - Dollar General Bowl - It's the second best teams in each conference. Buffalo blew a big lead in the MAC Championship against Northern Illinois, and Troy lost the regular season finale against Appalachian State to miss out on playing for the Sun Belt title. Both teams should be fired up for this one after gut wrenching losses. Troy should have a little extra motivation as the game is a mere two hours away form their campus.
The feature matchup is Buffalo’s offense versus the Trojan defense. This will be the best offense Troy has faced all year. QB Tyree Jackson, RB Jarret Patterson, and WR Anthony Johnson are weapons behind the MAC’s most productive offensive line. An offensive line that was the tightest in the MAC in giving up the fewest sacks and tackles for loss.
But Troy had the Sun Belt’s pass rush, averaging three sacks per game and it’s was the best at takeaways too, forcing a league-high 27 turnovers.
As good as the Buffalo offense is, it’s awful in the red zone. It finished dead last in the MAC scoring just 76% of the time inside the 20, failing to come up with points in the scoring area in a ten of 13 games. On the other side, Troy’s defense owns the red zone, allowing teams to convert a Sun Belt-low 77.5% of the time. In three tight wins, this turned out to be a huge difference.
The feature matchup is Buffalo’s offense versus the Trojan defense. This will be the best offense Troy has faced all year. QB Tyree Jackson, RB Jarret Patterson, and WR Anthony Johnson are weapons behind the MAC’s most productive offensive line. An offensive line that was the tightest in the MAC in giving up the fewest sacks and tackles for loss.
But Troy had the Sun Belt’s pass rush, averaging three sacks per game and it’s was the best at takeaways too, forcing a league-high 27 turnovers.
As good as the Buffalo offense is, it’s awful in the red zone. It finished dead last in the MAC scoring just 76% of the time inside the 20, failing to come up with points in the scoring area in a ten of 13 games. On the other side, Troy’s defense owns the red zone, allowing teams to convert a Sun Belt-low 77.5% of the time. In three tight wins, this turned out to be a huge difference.
Troy's defense Troy’s offense has struggled down the stretch. They scored a mere 12 points against a bad Texas State team and 10 points in the loss to App State. Meanwhile the Buffalo run defense is not too shabby. They only gave up 250 yards twice, Army was one.
In what could be a tight game kicking could decide it. Not good if you are a Bulls fan. Field goals have been a bit of an adventure for Buffalo this season. Kicker Adam Mitcheson has connected on only 8 of 12 field goals and has missed seven extra points (48 of 55).
The Trojans will be looking for their 10th win of the season and aim to extend the Sun Belt’s recent run of success in this bowl, as the conference has claimed five out of the last six games versus the MAC.
Bettors have made out well with both teams. Buffalo is 9-4 ATS and 6-2-1 outside the MAC. Troy is 8-3-1 ATS this year and 9-3-1 ATS as a dog.
Troy has a good bowl track record. They’ve won three. Buffalo has never won a bowl.
I'm going to go with Buffalo to cover the small spread. While the Bulls offense and Troy defense will play to a draw the Buffalo defense will hold a floundering Troy defense. No quatloos though. I don't trust the Bulls in the red zone and their kicking game.
In what could be a tight game kicking could decide it. Not good if you are a Bulls fan. Field goals have been a bit of an adventure for Buffalo this season. Kicker Adam Mitcheson has connected on only 8 of 12 field goals and has missed seven extra points (48 of 55).
The Trojans will be looking for their 10th win of the season and aim to extend the Sun Belt’s recent run of success in this bowl, as the conference has claimed five out of the last six games versus the MAC.
Bettors have made out well with both teams. Buffalo is 9-4 ATS and 6-2-1 outside the MAC. Troy is 8-3-1 ATS this year and 9-3-1 ATS as a dog.
Troy has a good bowl track record. They’ve won three. Buffalo has never won a bowl.
I'm going to go with Buffalo to cover the small spread. While the Bulls offense and Troy defense will play to a draw the Buffalo defense will hold a floundering Troy defense. No quatloos though. I don't trust the Bulls in the red zone and their kicking game.
Cole McDonald has Hawai'i running and shooting again Hawai'i +1.0 vs La Tech - Hawai'i Bowl - Hawai’i went back to run and shoot roots and started racking up the yardage and wins. However, an insane travel schedule caught up to the Warriors in October and the first weekend in November when they lost four consecutive contests both SU and ATS. All four of those defeats came by margins of at least 18 points. They recovered by winning their last two to become bowl eligible.
La Tech struggled in the home stretch too losing four of their last five.
Hawai’i got its passing game back this year under QB Cole McDonald. They ended up 6th overall in passing. Another reason for the midseason slump? McDonald went down with an injury. When he came back he struggled a bit before exploding in the finale against SDSU. When it was all said and done, McDonald, despite missing time ended up seventh in passing.
They will be playing against a Louisiana Tech defense that doesn’t come up with stops, allowing teams to convert 94% of the time inside the 20. The D stopped UTEP once, and got another stop against Southern Miss. That’s it. Get in the red zone and it’s points for the Rainbows.
It’s getting into the red zone that will be the problem. The Bulldog pass rush is among the best in the nation – averaging three sacks per game. They will be camping in Warrior backfield. Led by Jaylon “Sack Daddy” Ferguson and his college football best 15 sacks, the Bulldogs generate pressure without a problem against a leaky Rainbow Warrior line.
La Tech struggled in the home stretch too losing four of their last five.
Hawai’i got its passing game back this year under QB Cole McDonald. They ended up 6th overall in passing. Another reason for the midseason slump? McDonald went down with an injury. When he came back he struggled a bit before exploding in the finale against SDSU. When it was all said and done, McDonald, despite missing time ended up seventh in passing.
They will be playing against a Louisiana Tech defense that doesn’t come up with stops, allowing teams to convert 94% of the time inside the 20. The D stopped UTEP once, and got another stop against Southern Miss. That’s it. Get in the red zone and it’s points for the Rainbows.
It’s getting into the red zone that will be the problem. The Bulldog pass rush is among the best in the nation – averaging three sacks per game. They will be camping in Warrior backfield. Led by Jaylon “Sack Daddy” Ferguson and his college football best 15 sacks, the Bulldogs generate pressure without a problem against a leaky Rainbow Warrior line.
Jaylon Ferguson will attempt to keep him in check The Hawai’I defense is back to it’s old ways too. They finished 101st in total defense, No. 106 in run defense and No. 111 in scoring defense (35.4 PPG). Despite itself, La Tech should move the ball and keep pace with the home squad.
Hawai’i may be playing at home but that hasn’t always translated into wins. Since 2006, Hawaii has hosted this bowl game four times. The Warriors are 2-2 both SU and ATS in those four games.
Overall the trends favor La Tech. the Rainbows are 6-13-1 ATS at home. La Tech is 9-4 on the road.
The spread has been jumping around with Hawai’I favored through much of the week and La Tech getting the chalk early this morning.
I’ll take Hawai’i and the point just for fun. Make it for a quatloo to pay for the night cap
Hawai’i may be playing at home but that hasn’t always translated into wins. Since 2006, Hawaii has hosted this bowl game four times. The Warriors are 2-2 both SU and ATS in those four games.
Overall the trends favor La Tech. the Rainbows are 6-13-1 ATS at home. La Tech is 9-4 on the road.
The spread has been jumping around with Hawai’I favored through much of the week and La Tech getting the chalk early this morning.
I’ll take Hawai’i and the point just for fun. Make it for a quatloo to pay for the night cap
