5 Best College Football Bowl Predictions Against The Spread December 16-19 Games

5 best college football bowl predictions and picks against the spread and point totals for the first run from December 16th to the 19th

5 best predictions for this the early bowls. What are the best bets and picks for the bowl games from December 16th through the 19th?  


5 Best College Football Bowl Predictions December 16-19 Games

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Bowls Dec 16-19 | Dec 20-27 | NFL Week 15
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Results So Far: 74-63-1

Bowl games require a completely different skill set when it comes to figuring out the best picks against the spread and the slightly off point totals.

Especially this year, it’s like trying to figure out NFL preseason games. Who’s playing, who’s going to try, who has the most interest?

And every time you think you have a game that closely represents a big regular season showdown, something always goes wrong.

But there’s a flip side to that. Figure out where the public is leaning based on what happened during the regular season, and combine that with the always-massive overreaction to even the slightest bit of injury or opt-out news, and there’s a chance to clean up.

I’m not going to lie, though. This bowl season is going to be rough. As I always advise, never, ever parlay, and that goes triple for these games.

That doesn’t mean I can’t have a 3-for-5 day at the plate for the first ten bowls of the season.

Merry bowling, everyone.

Because this first one is probably rolling by the time you get to this, go ahead and apply all of this to the second half lines in …

Click on each game for the game preview

5. HomeTown Lenders Bahamas Bowl: UAB vs Miami University

Friday, December 16, 11:30 am, ESPN 
POINT TOTAL 
45
PICK Over

Here’s where this might get tricky – Miami University is missing way too many offensive players off a team that didn’t exactly light it up during the regular season.

There are a few ways to look at all the opt-outs, transfers and injuries in these games. Either it’s going to be a disaster without no offensive continuity, or coaches are just going to throw everything at the wall and see what sticks.

Or, one team is about to get obliterated.

Miami might not have a strong enough O line or passing game, and UAB doesn’t have its new head coach Trent Dilfer quite yet. However, the Blazers are relatively intact, they like outgoing head coach Bryant Vincent enough to play hard for him.

If this UAB offense gets rolling, it’s more than capable of handling at least 30 of the 45 points on the total by itself even against a good RedHawk D. It’s going to be up to Miami University’s offense – held together by duct tape and a few prayers – to help just a little bit.

30ish to 15ish will get this done. In the first seven Bahamas Bowls, four went over 45, last year’s hit it, and one came close at 44, and one got to 40.

Now, if this doesn’t work and you think I’m even more of an idiot by the time you get to this piece, it’s bowl season. Shake it off – there are always more bowls on the way.

NEXT: College Football Pick Against the Spread No. 4: SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl

UAB vs Miami University HomeTown Lenders Bahamas Bowl Prediction Game Preview

UAB vs Miami University game preview, prediction, and breakdown for the HomeTown Lenders Bahamas Bowl Championship Week game on Friday, December 16

UAB vs Miami University prediction, game preview, odds, how to watch. HomeTown Lenders Bahamas Bowl, Friday, December 16


UAB vs Miami University HomeTown Lenders Bahamas Bowl Prediction Game Preview

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UAB vs Miami University How To Watch

Date: Friday, December 16
Game Time: 11:30 am ET
Venue: Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium, Nassau, NP
How To Watch: ESPN
Record: UAB (6-6), UAB (6-6)
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UAB vs Miami University HomeTown Lenders Bahamas Bowl 5 Things To Know

It’s one of the funkier bowl games with the pressure of being first to get rolling. The matchup was determined weeks ago – with both teams needing time to prep everything for the trip to the Bahamas. The winner finishes with a winning season, the loser doesn’t. For either of the two programs that were supposed to be in the mix for their respective conference championships and weren’t, 7-6 wouldn’t be a bad way to finish.

It’s just the sixth bowl appearance for UAB, not counting the 2020 Gasparilla Bowl that got canceled. It’s 2-3 in bowls after winning the 2021 Independence last year over BYU.

Miami University is 8-5 in bowls and 1-2 under head coach Chuck Martin, winning the Frisco Football Classic last season over North Texas 27-14. However, seven of first 13 bowl appearances came in 1986 or earlier with the Martin era representing four of the programs bowl games since 2010.

The Bahamas Bowl has generally been solid. Two times it’s been among the best bowls of the season, wasn’t bad three times, got canceled in 2020, and was totally miserable the two of the three game the MAC team won incising Ohio’s 41-6 win over UAB in 2017.

UAB doesn’t have any key transfers yet, but the coaching situation is in a holding pattern with Trent Dilfer set to take over once this is done. Bryan Vincent will remain on for the bowl. Miami University QB Brett Gabbert was in the transfer portal and then he wasn’t, but he’s been hurt most of the year. Aveon Smith has been the main man outside of a few games in the middle of the season.

HomeTown Lenders Bahamas Bowl Prediction, What’s Going To Happen, History

Why Miami University Will Win The HomeTown Lenders Bahamas Bowl

The RedHawks come into this playing well, winning three of their last four games including a clutch 18-17 performance over Ball State to get bowl eligible.

They don’t have a high-powered attack, but they’re good for around 200 passing yards per game without a slew of big mistakes – just one interception in the last six games – and they’re at their best when they get the ground game rolling.

They lost to Buffalo when the rushing attack rocked, but that’s been it for being on the wrong side when they’re powering away. Led by QB Aveon Smith and a rotation of young backs, Miami is 5-1 when running for 120 yards or more and 1-5 when they don’t.

The UAB run defense has been a disappointment finishing 94th in the nation partly because the line doesn’t do much of anything to get in the backfield. The team is 2-5 when allowing more than 140 yards and only allowed fewer than 120 four times.

CFN Experts Picks: Bowls December 16th-19th

Why UAB Will Win The HomeTown Lenders Bahamas Bowl

The Miami offense isn’t going to crank up 45 points with any sort of high-flying craziness. It’s about controlling the clock, running well, and not making any big mistakes. The problem with that is the inability to keep things moving – they’re awful on third downs.

UAB has the ability to crank up the points fast and turn the lights out. It might be inconsistent, but it was able to keep up in the 44-38 loss to UTSA, hung up 41 on North Texas, and overall stepped it up over the final month when it needed to go on a run to get bowl eligible.

Yes, Miami can run, but UAB has the star of the show in the nation’s leading rusher, DeWayne McBride. He averaged 155 yards per game, ran for a 1,713 yards despite missing the opener and getting stuffed by LSU.

Miami’s run defense led the MAC and should be able to hold up a bit, but …

HomeTown Lenders Bahamas Bowl Prediction, What’s Going To Happen, History

NEXT: What’s Going To Happen, UAB vs Miami University Prediction, HomeTown Lenders Bahamas Bowl History