Wunderdog Sports Picks Newsletter
2004 College Football - Bowls Part 1 of 3
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New Orleans Bowl A Winner... This Week's Games
We started off the 2004 Bowl season on the right foot with an easy two-star winner on Southern Miss in the New Orleans Bowl. This newsletter contains picks for the following bowl games, all on ESPN:

  Champs Sports (12/21)
  GMAC (12/22)
  Fort Worth (12/23)
  Las Vegas (12/23)
  Hawaii (12/24)

I'll be sending out another newsletter next weekend, covering the next set of games that will take us through the games on the 30th. My final college newsletter will contain the remainder of the games from the 31st through the Orange Bowl on January 4th.

Good luck this weekend!COMMA_NAME!!

The Wunderdog

This Week's Picks

*Georgia Tech -5 (-110) vs. Syracuse (Check latest line)

It's not Orange but rather Tangerine, involving the Orange-men. We learn much about the Big East in this game. The conference was all ups and downs this season. The Orangemen are riding some serious momentum but I think it ends here against a team that has faced much stiffer competition. Some of their momentum is due to being on the right side of turnovers. Especially last game. I think their recent wins have kept this line lower than it probably should be. Syracuse is 3-10 ATS in road games after a game where they forced 4 or more turnovers since 1992 and 1-5 ATS after having won 3 out of their last 4 games over the last 3 seasons. Georgia Tech is 6-1 ATS after 2 consecutive games where they forced 1 or less turnovers over the last 3 seasons. Small lean to the Yellow Jackets here, who played in a much superior conference this season. I'd like the Jax more here if the close to their season weren't so suspect. One star on the Yellow Jackets minus the points. (Bet game @ BoDog | Bet game @ BetOnline)

 

**Bowling Green -4 (-110) vs. Memphis (Check latest line)
*Over 71.5 (-110)

This game will be a shootout pitting DeAngelo Williams running against Omar Jacobs and Bowling Green's aerial offense. I expect BG to come out on top. Memphis is 6-17 ATS after 2 or more consecutive straight up wins and 2-10 ATS off a double digit road win since 1992. The Tigers defense has been torched throughout the season against offenses much worse than Bowling Green's. Memphis has give up at least 26 points in four of its last five games including 49 and 56 to Cincy and Louisville is back to back weeks. Both teams will score early and often here, but the MAC is traditionally a very good bowl conference, and it will continue here. The Falcons will load the box and force Memphis to throw the ball. They will struggle. BG's defense has also caused a boat-load of turnovers in the MAC this season, while Memphis has difficulty in both causing turnovers and capitalizing on them as well. These two teams average a combined 967 yards and 80 points of offense per game. Bowling Green qualifies for this nice trend: Games featuring a team with an incredible offense (averaging 6.4 or more yards/play), after allowing 6.25 or more yards/play in their previous game are 54-22 OVER (71%) since 1992. Two stars on Bowling Green and one star on the Over. (Bet game @ BoDog | Bet game @ BetOnline)

 

*Cincinnati -1.5 (-110) vs. Marshall (Check latest line)

This is perhaps the who cares bowl of them all. I'll reluctantly pick it but don't waste much of your time with this one. The only reason that either of these teams are in a bowl game at all is because the big conference teams were pretty weak this season (see Big 12 North). Cincy QB Gino Guidigli returns from his broken hand here and the Bearcats offense is thankful for that. They were a completely different unit against Louisville without him. Marshall has not won a big game since last season and really should not be in this game. Cincy is coming off a couple of bad games turnover-wise. Teams at +3 to -3 after 2 consecutive games with a turnover margin of -2 or worse are 65-33 (66%) over the last 10 seasons. (Bet game @ BoDog | Bet game @ BetOnline)

 

*Wyoming +12 (-110) vs. UCLA (Check latest line)

The Cowboys will be elated to play in this game. Joe Glenn continues to return the Cowboys back to the top of the MWC bringing them to a bowl game for the first time since 1993 season. "We hit the jackpot," Glenn said. "This is the culmination of a lot of hard work over the last two years." UCLA lost four of its final six games this season, and will not happy to be playing the Cowboys. Wyoming must stop Bruin TB Maurice Drew if they are to hang around in this contest. Wyoming is 14-5 ATS vesus good rushing teams (averaging >4.75 rushing yards/carry) since 1992. The Bruins will sleep walk in this game, and should get the win, but not the cover. One star on the Cowboys here. (Bet game @ BoDog | Bet game @ BetOnline)

 

**Hawaii -3.5 (-110) vs. UAB (Check latest line)
*Over 75.5 (-110)

UAB is thrilled to be playing in a bowl game but has the unfortunate task of playing the Rainbows on their home field on Christmas Day. Hawaii has all the intangibles working for them here. Most teams view the trip to Honaluhu as a vacation. If the history of this game tells us anything, it is that the team with the most business like approach in Hawaii walks away from this game with a win. The problem for UAB is that nothing will be out of the ordinary for the Rainbows. The Rainbows are 7-1 at home this season and 6-2 ATS in those contests. That includes impressive wins against Michigan State and Northwestern. It will be business as usual as Hawaii will win this game and Tim Chang will blow up in his final game for the Island Warriors. This will be a shoot-out and UAB isn't very good in these types of games. They are 1-6 ATS vs. very bad defensive teams who give up 34 or more points/game over the last 3 seasons. Two stars on Hawaii. Games in which the total is greater than or equal to 63 invloving a team with a poor defense (allowing 400 or more total yards/game), after gaining 6.75 or more yards/play in their previous game are 24-5 OVER (83%) the last 10 seasons. Also, games involving teams with a poor defense (allowing 400 or more total yards/game), after gaining 7.25 or more yards/play in their previous game have gone OVER 32-13 (71%) over the last 5 seasons. Hawaii qualifies for both of these trends. One more star on the over here. (Bet game @ BoDog | Bet game @ BetOnline)

See Star-Ratings section below for recommendations on betting amounts.
Resources

College Football Resources

  Up-to-Date NCAA Football ATS Records
  College Football Game-of-the-Week Preview
  Live College Football Football Lines
  Latest College Football News

Pass It On

Betting Recommendations and Unit Tracking
My star ratings equate to the following betting recommendations for each pick. For tracking purposes on my site, my bankroll is assumed to be an even $5000.

  * (1 star) = 1% of bankroll (or $50)
  ** (2 star) = 2% of bankroll (or $100)
  *** (3 star) = 3% of bankroll (or $150)
  **** (4 star) = 4% of bankroll (or $200)
  ***** (5 star) = 5% of bankroll (or $250)
  ****** (6 star) = 6% of bankroll (or $300)

To determine your bet amount, you should simply use the percentages below, multiplied by your specific bankroll. It is my strong recommendation that you never bet more than 10% of your bankroll on any given game - ever! You should usually bet just a few percent. There are no such thing as locks. See my write-up on Bankroll Management.
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The information in this newsletter is based on opinion is intended for informational purposes only. No guaranteees or warranties are implied. Use this information at your own risk.

Good Luck.

 

The Wunderdog

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