Utes can cash in on Boise State’s disappointment

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Timing is everything, whether it be the stock market, a long-lost love interest or the date of a college football game.

For instance, if Boise State had played Utah at a neutral site in early November when the then-undefeated Broncos were riding high and ranked in the top five, a 17-point line would have seemed reasonable, if not attractive, to bettors.

But with Boise State’s far-fetched dream of a national title appearance — in addition to its second straight invitation to a Bowl Championship Series game — out the window, 17 points seems a heavy burden for the Broncos to bear.

Especially in a pre-Christmas game such as the MAACO Bowl Las Vegas on Wednesday.

Star quarterback Kellen Moore and the Broncos had visions of something much grander before a pair of short missed field goals on a fateful Friday night in Reno sent them packing for Las Vegas for the holidays.

The line is too high when one considers the timing of the game and the respective teams’ level of interest. Take the points with Utah, which has won nine straight bowls and typically thrives in the role of the underdog.

More bowl selections between today and Dec. 30:

Humanitarian Bowl, today

■ Fresno State (+1½) over Northern Illinois — Fresno State tailback Robbie Rouse is healthy, former Northern Illinois coach Jerry Kill has packed his bags for the Minnesota job, and the Bulldogs are accustomed to Boise’s blue turf.

■ Fresno State-Northern Illinois (Under 58) — The forecast calls for accumulations of snow up to 3 inches. Both teams take pride in running the ball and stopping the run.

Hawaii Bowl, Friday

■ Hawaii (-10) over Tulsa — Hawaii ranks No. 1 in the NCAA in pass offense (387.8 yards per game), while Tulsa is No. 119 out of 120 teams in pass defense (305.7 yards per game). Warriors quarterback Bryant Moniz should throw for more than 400 yards in this spot.

Little Caesars Pizza Bowl, Dec. 26

■ Florida International (+1½) over Toledo — FIU is coming off its first Sun Belt Conference title and making the first bowl appearance in school history. The Golden Panthers are the better, more motivated team.

Independence Bowl, Dec. 27

■ Air Force (-3) over Georgia Tech — Yellow Jackets coach Paul Johnson said this week that starting quarterback Joshua Nesbitt would probably miss the bowl game. The Falcons should bring more zest to Shreveport, La., than a Georgia Tech team that played rival Georgia in its regular-season finale.

Military Bowl, Dec. 29

■ East Carolina (+7) over Maryland — Atlantic Coast Conference bowl favorites are 8-16 against the spread over the past five seasons, including 1-5 as a favorite of seven or more points, while Conference USA ‘dogs of seven or more points are 5-1 ATS. Take the Pirates and the points.

Alamo Bowl, Dec. 29

■ Arizona (+6) over Oklahoma State — Cowboys offensive coordinator Dana Holgerson is off to West Virginia. Arizona has lost four in a row, but Big 12 bowl favorites of four or more points are 3-10 ATS over the past five years.

Armed Forces Bowl, Dec. 30

■ Southern Methodist (-7½) over Army — Army is a feel-good story after qualifying for its first bowl game since 1996. But the Cadets defeated no quality opponents and now face a passing team on its home turf.

Pinstripe Bowl, Dec. 30

■ Kansas State-Syracuse (Under 47½) — Syracuse scored more than 20 points just once this season in Big East action but plays solid defense. These two ground-oriented teams could combine to run fewer than 130 offensive plays. Poor weather could also be a factor.

Last week: 2-4-1 against the spread

Season: 45-54-4

Texas-based handicapper Paul Stone of Vegassportsauthority.com is providing college football analysis for the Las Vegas Review-Journal.