Football Bowl Odds – Bowling Green vs. Idaho in the Humanitarian Bowl

2009 Roady’s Humanitarian Bowl

Bowling Green Falcons (7-5 SU, 7-5 ATS) vs. Idaho Vandals (7-5 SU, 7-5 ATS)

Wednesday, December 30: 4:30 p.m.

Football Bowl Odds: Bowling Green -1, Total Points 68

Here are some betting trends which may impact this game:

Bowling Green: 6-1 SU in their last 7 games

Bowling Green: 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games

Bowling Green: The total has gone UNDER in 4 of their last 6 games

Idaho: 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games

Idaho: 1-4 SU in their last 5 games

Idaho: The total has gone OVER in 4 of their last 5 games

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Two of college football’s best passing teams will air it out on the Blue Turf of Boise, when Idaho and Bowling Green square off in the Humanitarian Bowl.

Bowling Green enters this game as one of college football’s hottest teams, having won four straight games coming in. They are led by senior quarterback Tyler Sheehan, who despite struggling with expectations early in the season, came on strong late. He threw for 3,665 yards and 23 touchdowns on the year, including an impressive 7-0 touchdown to interception ratio the last three games.

His top receiver is college football’s top receiver, senior Freddie Barnes. On the year, Barnes caught a staggering 138 catches, for 1551 yards. He also had 16 touchdown catches more than any receiver in the country.

Not to be outdone, Idaho has a pretty potent passing game of its own, one which finished the year ranked 11th in college football. The Vandals are led by junior quarterback Nathan Enderle. While Enderle’s stats aren’t overwhelming, it is important to note that he missed two games late in the year with injury. He did manage to respond in Idaho’s final game throwing for 262 yards and three touchdowns however.

As good as both of these team’s offenses are, the key in this game will likely come down to which defense can actually make more stops. Looking at Idaho’s numbers, things aren’t looking good for the Vandals. While Bowling Green has played its best football down the stretch, it’s actually quite the opposite for Idaho, who’s lost four of their last five, and have given up 50 or more points in three of those games. And their biggest problem has been the pass defense.

They gave up over 300 yards to Boise State and Utah State both in the last two games, and on the year, rank 114 out of 120 Division I college football teams in passing defense. Needless to say, Freddie Barnes and Tyler Sheehan could have a very big afternoon in Boise on December 30.

Because of the discrepancy in the pass defense, and because Bowling Green is just playing better overall, I’m going with the Falcons. The only advantage that I see Idaho with coming in, is that Boise is quite close to their Moscow, Idaho campus.

But even if the stadium is filled with Idaho fans, the talent discrepancy on the field is too much. Take the Falcons, giving a point in this week’s college football betting odds.

Aaron’s Pick: Bowling Green -1