1. Frisco Bowl: Boise State vs North Texas
Saturday, December 17, 9:15 pm, ESPN
LINE Boise State -10.5
ATS PICK Boise State
Sometimes you go with your first answer and don’t waiver.
It’s the bowl season. Could something totally stupid happen, like North Texas ripping it up in a relative home game with 46-year-old QB Austin Aune – he’s actually 29 – throwing for 350 yards in a 44-10 win? Yeah. Welcome to bowl games.
But no. This was it, this was the first game I liked the most from the moment the lines came out. And why?
It’s too frighteningly good of a matchup for Boise State.
First, North Texas is without head coach Seth Littrell. He got the team to the Conference USA Championship and was sacked after losing it. Longtime coach Phil Bennett knows what he’s doing in the interim, but the change doesn’t help.
Next, Boise State is relatively intact. The few weeks off should be just enough for star RB George Holani to be ready to go after hurting his shoulder, but the rest of the parts of the great running game are fine.
And that’s the issue. Boise State’s rested running game should come up with 200 yards rushing halfway through the pregame meal.
North Texas is awful against the run and 124th in the nation in total defense. Boise State isn’t.
The Broncos are sixth in total defense and 11th in scoring D, but it’ll give up a few big passing yards here and there. That’s okay, the O will make up for it with gashing runs as the game goes on.
You’ll worry a little bit going into halftime, but by about 1:00 AM ET when the wild day of football is done, all will be right with the world.
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