Baylor vs Air Force prediction, game preview, odds, how to watch. Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl, Thursday, December 22
Baylor vs Air Force Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl Prediction Game Preview
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Baylor vs Air Force How To Watch
Date: Thursday, December 22
Game Time: 7:30 ET
Venue: Amon G. Carter Stadium, Fort Worth, TX
How To Watch: ESPN
Record: Baylor (6-6), Air Force (9-3)
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Baylor vs Air Force Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl 5 Things To Know
Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl Prediction, What’s Going To Happen, History
– Baylor wasn’t able to repeat as the Big 12 champion, and it lost its last three games, but it was an entertaining season with lots of offense, a decent defense, and enough on both sides to come this close to beating TCU.
But that’s the problem. Beating Oklahoma and Texas Tech was good, but it couldn’t come through in several close losses. Beating Air Force wouldn’t make up for the misfires, but getting this done and finishing with a winning season would be nice.
– Air Force was rolling along with a 4-1 start, and it closed with four straight wins. In between it lost two of three games to keep it out of the Mountain West title hunt. Even so, it was a terrific season as it went full Air Force. It led the nation in rushing, time of possession, and in total defense. It’s got the ability to take down the Big 12 team and come up with a ten-win season.
– For years Air Force was a sure-thing bowl L, going 4-10 from 1987 to 2009. Troy Calhoun was responsible for two of the losses, and then he and the Falcons kicked it in going 6-3 in the last nine bowls. Win this, and it’ll be four straight bowl victories and five ten-win seasons since 2014. Last year the Falcons beat Louisville 31-28 in the First Responder.
– Baylor has been great at this bowl thing, too. It won four of the last five going back to the end of the Art Briles era in 2015, and Dave Aranda won in his first try in last year’s Sugar Bowl over Ole Miss.
– Around since 2003, the Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl always seems to deliver. The matchups might not always be the sexiest on the board, but in the 19 games, ten have been close, last year’s Army win over Missouri was thrilling. The late Mike Leach’s Mississippi State team’s win over Tulsa was – let’s just say – intense at the end, and in 2018 Army cranked up 70 in a win over Houston. This should be entertaining, too.
CFN Bowl Expert Picks: Dec 16-19 | Dec 20-27
Why Baylor Will Win The Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl
It’s one of the few teams that can control the clock as well as Air Force.
It might not quite be able to gear down and hold the ball for 36 minutes, but it could – it hasn’t been terribly far off this year. There’s a good offensive balance, the attack is great on third downs, and things go well when the ground game works.
Baylor is 4-0 when running for over 235 yards and 5-1 when coming up with over 170 yards – the one loss was the last second loss to TCU. The Air Force defensive front might be strong, but the whole machine gets wobbly when teams are able to run against it.
The Falcons are 8-0 when allowing fewer than 115 rushing yards and 1-3 – the one win coming against Northern Iowa from the FCS – when they give up more. Baylor is 0-3 when not getting to 115 yards, but that’s it – just three times.
However …
Why Air Force Will Win The Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl
The Air Force offense got some rest.
The team was just fine over the finishing kick off the season, but it was banged up throughout key parts of the season and it mattered. It’s a team that needs everyone in place and working to be that half-click faster with how it operates.
Baylor might be solid on defense, and it’s great at holding up against the run, but it doesn’t do much to get into the backfield – it’s not going to stop the Falcon O before it gets moving.
The Bears are 1-4 when giving up 150 yards or more, and it’s Air Force – it comes up with that before breakfast. It hasn’t rushed for fewer than 171 yards and is 9-1 when getting to 200.
Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl Prediction, What’s Going To Happen, History