College football betting trends — bowl games
Friday
Memphis (-8½, 55½) at Hawaii (Hawaii Bowl): The Tigers are 0-8-1 against the spread on the road since last season and 1-9-1 ATS since the Cotton Bowl game against Penn State two years ago. The Rainbow Warriors are 3-3-1 ATS at home this season. Edge: Hawaii and slight to under.
Saturday
Georgia State (-6, 51) vs. Ball State (Camelia Bowl): The Panthers closed 6-1 straight up and ATS in their final seven games this season. Coach Shawn Elliott is 2-1 straight up and ATS in bowl games with Georgia State. The Cardinals are 4-8 ATS this season and 2-4 ATS away from home. Ball State is 1-4 ATS in its past five games. Edge: Georgia State.
Monday
Western Michigan (-7, 56) vs. UNR (Quick Lane Bowl): The Broncos dropped four of their final five games ATS and were 1-3-1 ATS away from home. Western Michigan is 0-2-1 ATS in its past three bowl games. The Wolf Pack covered their final three games and six of their final seven to finish 9-3 ATS. UNR is 15-6 ATS the past two seasons and 8-0 ATS as an underdog since 2020. Edge: UNR.
Boston College (-2½, 51½) vs. East Carolina (Military Bowl): The Eagles are 2-5 ATS in their past seven games, and seven of their past eight games have gone under the total. Boston College is 1-4 straight up and ATS in its past five bowl games. The Pirates are 4-1 straight up in their past five games and 6-2 ATS in their past eight. The under is 9-4 in East Carolina games since late 2020. Edge: East Carolina and under.
Tuesday
Houston vs. Auburn (-2½, 51½) (Birmingham Bowl): The Tigers are 1-4 straight up and ATS in their past five bowl games. Auburn lost its final four games outright (1-3 ATS). Auburn coach Bryan Harsin was 3-2 straight up and ATS in bowl games at Boise State. Houston coach Dana Holgorsen had no covers in his final seven bowl games with West Virginia. Edge: Auburn.
Air Force vs. Louisville (-1, 56) (First Responder Bowl): The Falcons are 4-0-1 ATS away from home this season, and coach Troy Calhoun is 6-2 ATS in his past eight bowl games. The Cardinals are 11-11 ATS since winning a bowl game two years ago. Edge: Air Force.
Mississippi State (-9½, 59½) vs Texas Tech (Liberty Bowl): Mississippi State coach Mike Leach has failed to cover his past five bowl games, but the Bulldogs did close the season on a 5-1 spread uptick. The Red Raiders didn’t manage back-to-back covers all season, but did post a 4-2 ATS record in away games. Edge: Slight to Mississippi State.
UCLA vs. North Carolina State (-1½, 60½) (Holiday Bowl): This is the first bowl game for the Bruins since 2017. UCLA is 8-4 straight up and ATS this season. The Bruins won and covered their final three games, and four of their final five games went over the total. The Wolfpack are 2-3 ATS in away games this season, and their final three games went over. Edge: UCLA and over.
West Virginia vs. Minnesota (-4½, 45) (Guaranteed Rate Bowl): Mountaineers coach Neal Brown is 4-0 straight up (3-1 ATS) in bowl games at Troy and West Virginia. The Golden Gophers have won and covered their past two bowl games and covered seven of eight away games this season. Edge: Slight to Minnesota.
Wednesday
Southern Methodist vs. Virginia (-2½, 71½) (Fenway Bowl): The Mustangs faded late for the second straight season, going 1-4 ATS in their final five games. SMU was badly beaten in its past two bowl games. The Cavaliers are 15-8 ATS in their past 23 games on the board and have covered their past two bowl games. Edge: Virginia.
Las Vegas handicapper Bruce Marshall is editor of The Gold Sheet (Goldsheet.com). He provides the Review-Journal with college football tech notes and trends. Follow @thegoldsheet on Twitter.
