Midweek EPL Betting action Recap

On the English Premier League betting menu for Tuesday were two fixtures: Aston Villa vs. Liverpool and Bolton vs. Hull City. Two entirely different clashes they were and largely because of their inherent differences they served up enticing soccer betting options.

Aston Villa 0:1 Liverpool

Liverpool went into this match with all sorts of question marks hanging over them, patchy form, unproductive stars and Rafa Benitez’s tenure as the Reds coach just some of the more pressing. In spite of the cloud of doubt, soccer bettors found Liverpool favoured, if marginally so to win outright. The Reds were listed at +150 odds to win outright while the Villans were offered at +175.

Liverpool had not lost at Villa Park since February 1998, and they were after a victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers at the weekend. Still soccer bettors would have been forgiven any uncertainty they might have had surrounding the Reds’ chances.

But didn’t they make all that count when they took the narrow 1:0 victory at Villa Park. Bluntly put, they only just managed to squeak through courtesy of Fernando Torres’ dramatic 90 th minute strike.

That both sides are in a battle for a top four finish (most likely, fourth spot given current circumstances), which will ensure a spot in Champions League next season, made the three points up for grabs crucial towards that aim. Kudos to Rafa and Co. for finishing the 2009 term on a positive note.

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Bolton 2:2 Hull City

Bolton and Hull City are relegation rivals and their battle was an important clash for survival points. It was important for both sides to move in a positive direction but the market strongly favoured Bolton to take the win, listing the home side at favourite odds of -125 while offering Hull City at +350. Considering the gap in the odds on offer, there wasn’t even the slightest whiff this might end in a draw. But it did.

It has to be said though Bolton should have won and they missed a huge chance to take all three points. They took the early lead, scoring first in the 19 th minute and then built on that lead in the second half when Davies carried them to a 2:0 lead in the 60 th minute. It is not surprising that Coach Gary Megson was bitterly disappointed at the end of the match as he watched agonizingly his men squander the lead, allowing Hunt to score twice for Hull in the 70 th and 78 th minute to give Hull a point for their efforts. Megson’s opposite, Phil Brown was singing a different tune in the post match interview. He was naturally ecstatic his men battled back and salvaged a point from this crucial match, giving Hull their first win at Bolton since 1935.

NFC Playoff Picture – Second Seed and First Round Bye Up for Grabs

By virtue of the Minnesota Vikings loss to the Chicago Bears on Monday night, the New Orleans Saints clinched home field advantage throughout the playoffs. 

No definitive word yet on whether or not the Saints will go all out this coming Sunday when they visit the Carolina Panthers.  I doubt that Drew Brees will play more than a half and if you see Jeremy Shockey, who is coming off of a slight turf toe injury, or Reggie Bush out there, then call their attorneys. 

Saints coach Sean Payton is no dummy.  He won’t sit by and risk a shot at the Super Bowl by trying to beat his old friend Carolina coach John Fox. 

One thing is for certain, Payton and defensive coordinator Gregg Williams will rest those defensive players.  It would be nice for the Saints to get their starting cornerbacks, linebackers and D-line healthy for the playoffs.  Expect a huge game out of Carolina QB Matt Moore and if the BetOnline odds makers release an NFL betting line on the game, think Panthers in that one.

Besides the good news for the New Orleans Saints a couple of other things are certain in the NFC.  A big uncertainty is who will secure the 2nd seed in this year’s NFC Playoffs.

Let’s go over a lot of that huge question right now.

NFC Playoff Picture

1st Seed:  New Orleans Saints

2nd Seed:  ?

The 2nd seed in the NFC Playoffs could go to either one of the other four teams that have already secured a playoff berth: the Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys, Arizona Cardinals, Minnesota Vikings.  The Green Bay Packers can’t win the NFC North Division and have no way of getting out of the wildcard spot.

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The Philadelphia Eagles are in the driver’s seat.  If the Eagles beat the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, then they not only will win the NFC East Division but they will secure the 2nd seed in the NFC Playoffs.

If they lose and the Minnesota Vikings win, then Minnesota would get the 2nd seed.  If the Eagles lose and the Vikings lose, then the Arizona Cardinals would get the 2nd seed if they were to beat the Green Bay Packers.

The Dallas Cowboys could get the 2nd seed in the playoffs if they were to beat the Philadelphia Eagles and the Minnesota Vikings and Arizona Cardinals were to lose.

Who will get the second seed in the NFC Playoffs?

My gut tells me that the Philadelphia Eagles will beat the Dallas Cowboys even though they face the Cowboys as 3 point underdogs on the road.  The Minnesota Vikings will beat the New York Giants but it won’t matter because Philly will beat Dallas.

The Eagles will secure the second seed in the playoffs.  They will get the 1st round bye along with the New Orleans Saints.

The Minnesota Vikings will end up playing the lowest seed, the six loss Dallas Cowboys next week in the Metrodome while the Arizona Cardinals and Green Bay Packers will go back to back in Glendale, AZ.

Check back Monday for the wildcard round NFC Playoff lines as well as articles in the BetOnline Locker Room on Super Bowl 44 Expert picks!

NFL Week 17 Betting Lines – New Orleans vs. Carolina

Who would have thought that at this point the New Orleans Saints would be the team that would be faltering, while the Carolina Panthers were coming on strong? Yet if you have looked at the respective performances of these teams the last couple of weeks that might be the conclusion you’d draw.

New Orleans Saints (13-2 SU, 8-7 ATS) at Carolina Panthers (7-8 SU, 8-7 ATS)

Sunday, January 3 – 1 PM ET

Here are some NFL football betting trends as they relate to this matchup:

• NO has covered one of its last five games
• NO has won 13 of its last 15 games SU
• NO has played five of its last six games
• NO has won its last seven road games SU
• CAR has covered four of its last five games
• CAR has played five of its last six games UNDER the total
• CAR has won 12 of its last 16 home games SU
• CAR has played five of its last six home games UNDER the total

The Saints were run over by the Dallas Cowboys on their own field a couple of weeks ago, and did not wake up until it was too late. Then, they went to sleep in the second half last Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, blowing a 17-0 lead and losing 20-17 in overtime. Now comes the speculation about whether the Saints possibly peaked at the wrong time.

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Carolina couldn’t have had a worse start, while Jake Delhomme was throwing all those interceptions. By the time he was finished he had thrown 18 of them, then went out with a finger injury, leaving things to backup Matt Moore, who hadn’t played since 2007.

Well, Carolina has suddenly gotten competitive, covering four games in a row in the NFL betting lines and averaging 163.5 yards rushing over the last four. In their last two games the Panthers have outscored the Vikings and Giants by a total score of 67-16. Jonathan Stewart ran for 206 yards last week against the Giants, leading Carolina to a 41-9 embarrassment of the Giants in the Meadowlands.

Here are some of the head-to-head NFL football betting trends that relate to this matchup:

• CAR has covered five of the last six meetings
• CAR has won six of the last eight meetings SU
• Four of the last five meetings have gone UNDER the total
• NO has covered six of the last seven meetings as the road team
• NO has won six of the last nine meetings SU as the road team
• The last five meetings in Charlotte have gone UNDER the total

Minnesota lost in overtime to the Bears on Monday night, which means that the Saints have clinched the #1 seed throughout the NFC side of the playoff draw.

So coach Sean Payton has some decisions to make regarding personnel in this game. How many of his defensive starters is he going to rest? What about Reggie Bush, who is always susceptible to injury? Does he start Drew Brees and play him for just a series or two? Does it matter to get a win under his team’s belt after two pretty disappointing defeats? Keep in mind that New Orleans, which is 8-7 ATS in the NFL betting lines, will get a first-round playoff bye, so they will not play for two weeks.

It has been suggested that had New Orleans won that game last week, they may have taken it easy this week and taken a false sense of confidence into the playoff opener. I don’t know that they are going to capture an authentic "sense of urgency" in this game. Carolina looks like the team fighting hard to get to the .500 mark. They already seem to have saved John Fox’ job, at least for one more season.

If a team is napping, the Panthers, with their running game (which could get DeAngelo Williams back this week) will make you pay. Both Williams and Stewart have topped 1000 yards for the season. Matt Moore has now thrown seven TD passes in the last three weeks without an interception, and has completed 61% in that time. He has started seven games in the NFL, and Carolina has covered every one of them.

I’m not altogether positive that the Saints can get the spark back, even if they tried. We are sticking with the Carolina Panthers in the NFL betting lines.

JAY’S PREDICTION: CAROLINA BY 13

Horse Play of the Day from Aqueduct – Ending the Year on a Winning Note

Padding Your Bankroll: Wednesday December 30

I would like to go out in 2009 a winner, and we have two days of action left to pad our bankroll.

Today we will head back to Aqueduct, a nine race card with plenty of potential and several races I really like.

Our Late Pick 3 play is a $24 investment, and while the first two legs may be formful, I am hoping we can knock down a longshot in the nightcap.

Today’s Pick 3 Play from Aqueduct:

Starting in Race 7: $1: 4,7 / 1,3,7 / 1,5,11,12 = $24

AQU Race 7 Alw $50,000s (3:16 ET)

#4 Frenchonionsoup, #7 R Little Nugget

#4 Frenchonionsoup prompted the early pace and finished strong in the stretch to draw off and win by five lengths against $25K non-winners of two. The fifth and sixth place finishers in that race came back to win next out. The gelding was claimed out of his last start by the Schwartz barn that does not hit the claim box often, just showing a 2 for 6 mark (with a healthy +ROI). The gelding owns a solid pace profile throughout and looks capable of winning right back.

#7 R Little Nugget has won three in a row and makes his third start of his current form cycle. Last out he went gate to wire to beat $40K non-winners of three at the Big M. The third place finisher in the race was For All Who Conga, who beat $32K non-winners of three on Dec. 4. The high percentage barn has been icy so far at the inner meeting, hitting with just one of 21 starters.

AQU Race 8 OClm $75,000N3X (3:44 ET)

#7 Mt. Glittermore, #1 Carbonite, #3 Samhoon

#7 Mt. Glittermore tracked the early pace and drew clear smartly in the slop to beat $60K claimers last out. This guy seldom runs a bad one, landing in the exacta in 11 of 19 career outings. The colt has a win at this condition, coming at Philly this summer. Breaking from the outside the colt should get a good tracking trip sitting just off the pace and we should see a fair price.

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#1 Carbonite had to steady at the half-mile pole and did not threaten in the stretch in a fourth place finish at 6/5. Two back in the Gallant Bob he checked in third behind a pair of next out winners. The winner Pachito the Che came back won the Dudley at Calder in his next start, then missed winning the Gravesand by a nose on Dec. 26. A clean trip from the rail makes this guy a legit threat here as the likely favorite for the Tony D. barn.

AQU Race 9 Clm $7,500 (4:12 ET)

#1 Crazy Coyote / #1a Man in Grey, #5 Morine’s Victory, #11 Of All Times, #12 Charging Hero

#1 Crazy Coyote ships in from Churchill Downs for the Autrey barn that has been very live at the meeting so far (14-4-5-2). The gelding came up short last out against $10K claimers, checking in sixth in a race that produced five next out winners. Now he returns off a short freshening for a barn that is 18% winners first off the claim. The gelding owns back numbers that are a good fit and the 8/1 ML looks generous.

#5 Morine’s Victory was caught in a bit tight at the start, split rivals on the far turn and finished up well for third last out for this tag. The gelding is a 20-time winner who has handled the inner (8-2-2-1) and this guy should be a generous price here.

Price Plays From Aqueduct:

These are price plays to watch today. A small win-place wager is in order or if your pockets are deep enough, use these runners in your trifecta and Pick 3 and Pick 4 wagers. One or two of these could be the difference between a regular day at the track and hitting the IRS window with a signer.

R2: #8 Bird Box 10/1

R3: #3 Baroness 8/1

R4: #8 Indy’s Forum 12/1

R5: #12 Sand and Song 12/1

R6: #2 San Naa 15/1

R6: #8 Tire Kicker 10/1

R9: #1 Crazy Coyote / #1a Man in Grey 8/1

R9: #5 Morine’s Victory 15/1

Good luck padding your bankroll today!

History of the NHL Winter Classic

History of the NHL Winter Classic

For those fortunate enough to have been raised in the great white north, the thought of playing hockey outside on a frozen pond, or a home made rink that your father made in the back yard is what hockey is all about. It’s a place where Hot Chocolate and Long Underwear were as much a part of the game as sticks and helmets.

For a sport that had long strived for exposure in the seemingly impenetrable US market, outdoor games on New Year’s Day in spectacular venues seemed to be the perfect solution for its perception issues.

The idea for the “Annual” Winter Classic came from the NHL Heritage Classic, November 22, 2003 in frigid Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton, Alberta.  The game pitted the Montreal Canadians against the Edmonton Oilers with the Canadians prevailing 4-3.  The game was a huge success, both with players and the 57,000 insane fans that braved the minus thirty degree Celsius temperatures. 

The concept of the NHL outdoor game was put on ice for a few years until the incredibly bad press surrounding an NHL lockout.  The work stoppage forced the NHL brass to introduce something to bring the fans back and to increase the NHL’s exposure in a slumping US market.

The first Winter Classic was played on January 1, 2008, between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Buffalo Sabers before a record crowd of more than 71000 fans at Ralph Wilson Stadium in Orchard Park New York.  Sidney Crosby scored the shootout winner in that game to give the Penguins a 2-1 win.  The success of that game would  be a catalyst for a 2009 game and then a 2010 edition of the Winter Classic.

Winter Classic II took place at another historic venue – Wrigley Field in Chicago and it featured defending the Stanley Cup Champion Detroit Red Wings and a young and energetic Chicago Black Hawks.  The 40000+ fans were treated to a great game that the Wings won 6-4.  It was the highest rated Hockey Game in the US in over 30 years – a legacy was born.

The 2010 edition of the Winter Classic marks the 2nd year that its major sponsor – Bridgestone would be involved.  The game is slated for January 1st at Fenway Park in Boston.  The Philadelphia Flyers begin their climb toward legitimacy against a solid Bruins team.  The Winter Classic appears that it is here to stay.  It is already a New Year’s Day tradition in Canada, soon to be one in the USA.

For the betting public, it is worth noting that the road team has won each of the last 3 Outdoor NHL games.  The home team do not seem to have much of an advantage – the venue is a foreign to them as the visiting team.  Tough conditions exist, and therefore goalies and Defensemen have the advantage in these games.  Be wary if you are betting the over!

Enjoy the 2010 Winter Classic – and Happy New Year!

Santa Anita Race 7 is the Horse Pick of the Day

It’s back to Santa Anita for Wednesday’s Horse Pick of the Day!

Horseplayers should log onto the BetOnline Racebook and put a few dollars on the 7 th at Santa Anita today. Three year olds and up are running for part of a $52,000 purse.

Here’s whom I like in the 7 th at Santa Anita today.

Santa Anita Park – Race 7 (7:07 pm EST)

$62,500 Allowance

For Three Year Olds and Upward Which Have Never Won $10,000 Other Than Maiden, Claiming or Starter or State Bred or Which Have Never Won Three Races or Optional Claiming Price of $62,500

1 1/16 th miles on Pro-Ride

Viscount – - 3/1 morning line odds

He’s 2 and 1 out of 3 races at the 1 1/16 th mile distance, gets Garrett Gomez, already has a victory over the Pro-Ride, breaks from the rail and is trained by Bob Baffert who is winning at a 42% clip at the meet so far. Yeah, I’d say this guy has a shot in this race.

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Deal Breaker – - 7/2 morning line odds

Jockey Rafael Bejarano is winning at a 28% clip at the current meet. That’s an incredible stat for a jockey. Deal Breaker goes first time for trainer Mike Mitchell and has the necessary speed to stay close to front-runner One Track Mind. He should be able to at least get past that fella. Holding off Viscount is not going to be easy, but Bejarano will have this dude in a great position throughout. Deal Breaker also has a victory over the Santa Anita surface at the 1 1//16 th mile distance.

One Track Mind – - 7/2 morning line odds

Like Viscount, One Track Mind is 2 and 1 out of 3 at the distance. He hasn’t won a race over Santa Anita’s Pro-Ride surface, but he does have the ability to go a long way in route races and jockey Martin Pedroza is fantastic with front-runners. Deal Breaker could break One Track Mind, but One Track Mind is super fast early and by doing so, by taking him on, Deal Breaker could hurt his own chances at the victory. I have to give this speedster a big shot in this race.

Wagering Strategy

Viscount should get the perfect trip behind One Track Mind and Deal Breaker. I’m going to bet him to win. I will play an exacta with Viscount over One Track Mind and Deal Breaker. I will reverse for less.

English Premier League Betting: Portsmouth vs. Arsenal

Portsmouth are all set to welcome the hot Gunners to Fratton Park on Wednesday in what will be their last fixture of 2009. Portsmouth are after a 2:0 loss to relegation rivals West Ham United at the weekend. The loss was costly in survival points and disappointing in that if followed their stunning performance against Liverpool last week when they beat the Reds 2:0.

Portsmouth fans might be hoping their side masterminds another shock upset against a Premier League bigwig but unlike Liverpool, Arsenal have a lot of things going their way this season, contesting the battle for top finish just one of them. I cannot help but think opposite-side-of-the-table Portsmouth cannot be looking at this fixture with Arsenal as an opportunity to get things on track and chalk up points to their season total.

Soccer Betting Line:

Portsmouth +1 -115 +550 2½ O -125 U +105 Draw +275
Arsenal -1 -105 -195 2½ O -125 U +105 Draw +275

Additional Soccer Betting Lines:

First Half:

Portsmouth +½ -135 +425 1 O -130 U +110 Draw +125
Arsenal -½ +115 +115 1 O -130 U +110 Draw +125

Alternate Line 1:

Portsmouth +1, +1½ -150 2½, 3 O +105 U -125
Arsenal -1, -1½ +130 2½, 3 O +105 U -125

Score First: Portsmouth +185 Arsenal -250

Match Time: 02:45 P.M. Eastern Time Wednesday December 30, 2009

Venue: Fratton Park:

Soccer Betting Verdict: Arsenal are solid favourites at -195 to win outright – not an unexpected occurrence considering the drop off between the two outfits in the table. And Portsmouth, as you might expect, are set long, at +550 underdog odds to win outright.

Taking Portsmouth for the win is a long shot bet, best left alone. If you are looking to bet against an Arsenal win though you might find value in the draw, tipped at +275. I fancy this would be Portsmouth’s best shot at taking something from this match.

That said, Arsenal are on form with only two losses and two draws in their last 12 matches. Odds are they are going to win rather than lose so they seem to be the correct play at -195 to win outright on the money line.

I fancy quite a few goals in this match, namely from the Gunners side of the proceedings so the value play is the Over 2.5 goals at -125. Arsenal should run riot with Portsmouth making their odds to score first at -250 another good bet. Moreover, if you are going to back Arsenal then why not do so all the way. Take them on the First Half odds, at +115 (to lead in the first half) as well, by more than a goal at Over 1 -130.

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Expert Soccer Picks: Manchester United vs. Wigan Athletic

Wigan Athletic will fight hard to take something away from the Old Trafford and given the fact that Manchester United is not exactly searing hot right now having lost to Fulham 3:0 they might fancy their chances against the Red Devils. Of course, the bookies don’t exactly agree, tipping Wigan as the overwhelming underdogs, so discouraging that soccer bettors might be thinking of giving them a skip. Well, don’t be so hasty….

Soccer Betting Line :

Manchester United -1½ -140 -550 3 O +110 U -130 Draw +500
Wigan +1½ +120 +1600 3 O +110 U -130 Draw +500

Additional Soccer Betting Lines:

First Half:

Manchester United -½ -145 -175 1 O -145 U +125 Draw +175
Wigan +½ +125 +850 1 O -145 U +125 Draw +175

Alternate Line:

Manchester United -1½, -2 -115 2½, 3 O -125 U +105
Wigan +1½, +2 -105 2½, 3 O -125 U +105

Score First:

Manchester United -450 Wigan +275

Match Time: 02:45 P.M. Eastern Time Wednesday December 30, 2009

Venue: Old Trafford

Soccer Betting Verdict: United, are priced short as one might expect, so short they would appear to be untouchable favourites. Man U are after a seemingly redeeming win against Hull City at the weekend, where they won 3:1. However, for most of the match they were level 1:1 and looking to be in all sorts of problems defensively. That Hull City took it to Man U and managed to run circles around them for even a stretch is concerning and Man U fans have every reason to be worried.

That all said, Man United will be playing at the Old Trafford on Wednesday. Their home patch has witnessed only one loss and one draw through the first half of the season and they will be looking to end the 2009 term by adding another into the win column. Soccer betting fans looking to back Man U to win outright could do no worse than laying down a risk on their -550 favourite odds. With such inspiring favourite odds it goes without saying, but I will say it anyway—take Man U to win convincingly by running riot on Wigan. Taking Man U on the handicap at -1 ½ -140.

Soccer bettors looking to bet against United will find Wigan at massive odds of +1600. A tempting payout should this bet come through but the odds it will are slim to none. If you are looking to bet against Man U, the draw is an attractive alternate at +500 but better value is in the half-time market me thinks.

The half-time market offers value with Wigan tipped at +800 to take the early lead. Given the Red Devils are in a defensive crisis it is not unthinkable that Wigan would go into the locker room at half-time with a lead. If you are buying this option then take Wigan to open the scoring at +275 as well. It follows that the combined totals of Over 3 + 110 would be an additional value play to consider.

In the end, this match is Man U’s for the taking. Wigan will fight hard and open a good account but I believe Sir Fergusson and co will come through and punch at their weight class with a much-needed win.

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2009 Sugar Bowl – #3 Cincinnati Bearcats vs. #5 Florida Gators

No. 3 Cincinnati Bearcats (12-0 SU, 6-5 ATS) vs. No. 5 Florida Gators (12-1 SU, 5-6-1 ATS)

Friday, January 1: 8:00 p.m.

BetOnline.com Betting Odds: Florida -11, 57 ½        

Here are some Sugar Bowl betting trends which may impact this game:

• Cincinnati: 5-0 SU in their last 5 games
• Cincinnati: 1-3 ATS in their last 4 games
• Cincinnati: The total has gone OVER in 3 of their last 4 games
• Florida: 22-1 SU in their last 23 games
• Florida: 3-5-1 ATS in their last 9games
• Florida: The total has gone UNDER in their 3 of last 5 games

So many interesting subplots have emerged as we enter the 2009 Sugar Bowl. How will Cincinnati respond as they’ve lost their head coach Brian Kelly? And will Tim Tebow go out a winner in his final college game? According to the bowl game betting odds, most people believe that the answer to the second question is yes.

For Cincinnati, the toughest question for them isn’t about their physical ability, but about their mental strength, as they prepare for their first game in three years without Coach Brian Kelly. On the field, everything was easy for the Bearcats this year, as they went 12-0 and won their second straight Big East Championship.

On offense, they’re led by one of the most dynamic passing duos in college football, quarterback Tony Pike (2350 yards and 23 touchdowns), and wide receiver Mardy Gilyard, who finished the season with 80 catches for 1150 yards. The two, are a big reason why Cincinnati finished with the sixth ranked scoring offense (39 points per game), and the sixth ranked total offense (464 yards per game) in college football.

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However, at times, as good as the offense was, they had to bail out a struggling defense. Having lost 10 starters from a year ago, the defense finished the year ranked 25th in college football, only allowing 20 points per game. However, they did give up a lot of yardage, an average of 350 per game. This Florida offense will be one of the most explosive that they’ve faced all year.

Speaking of Florida, for a group of seniors that won two National Championships in their careers, will they go out with one more victory, in what amounts to be a semi-meaningless Sugar Bowl? Leading the way of course is Tebow, the 2007 Heisman Trophy winner, and one of the greatest players in college football history. Tebow led his team in passing as well as rushing, accounting for 31 total touchdowns. His top receiver is actually his tight end, 1st Team All-American Aaron Hernandez.

However, if the Gators are to win this game, their defense will need to rebound from an abysmal showing in the SEC Championship game against Alabama, when they gave up 32 points. On the year however, they did have college football’s No. 3 scoring defense, and No. 3 passing defense, a key to stopping Cincinnati and Pike.

Going into this game, it isn’t necessarily about which team is more talented, both teams are a combined 24-1 on the season. More importantly, with Cincinnati working with a new coach, and Florida not playing for a championship, it’s which team will want this one more?

While I think Florida ultimately wins this game straight up, I like Cincinnati in the college football betting odds. This group isn’t going to feel sorry for itself because they lost their coach, and instead come out to show everyone that they don’t need Kelly to win.

Because of it, I’m taking Cincinnati, the underdog based on the bowl game point spread, in this one.

Aaron’s Pick: Cincinnati +11

College Bowl Betting – UCLA vs. Temple in the Eagle Bank Bowl

Eagle Bank Bowl

UCLA Bruins (6-6 SU, 6-6 ATS) vs. Temple Owls (9-3 SU, 8-3 ATS)

Tuesday, December 29: – 4:30 p.m.

College Bowl Betting Odds: UCLA -4, Total Points 46

Here are some betting trends which may impact this game:

Temple: 9-1 SU in their last 10 games
Temple: 8-3 ATS in their last 9 games
Temple: The total has gone OVER in 5 of their last 5 games

UCLA: 3-6 SU in their last 9 games
UCLA: 3-6 ATS in their last 9 games
UCLA: The total has gone UNDER in 5 of their last 6 games

One of the most underrated team’s in college football this season will take the field looking for respect in the Eagle Bank Bowl, when the Temple Owls face off against the UCLA Bruins.

Temple is in the midst of a resurgence under fourth year coach Al Golden, and is in its first bowl game in decades, following a nine win season. The Owls lost to Ohio to end the season, but had a nine game winning streak before that.

Temple is led by the power running of Bernard Pierce. The freshman went for over 1000 yards this year and 15 touchdowns, even tallying two 250 yard games. Because of a shin injury however, Pierce is questionable, and in his place very well could step Matt Brown, who had to start the last three games in Pierce’s absence. Brown himself rushed for over 100 yards in two of his three starts.

On defense, Temple doesn’t try to fool you, and runs a traditional 4-3 set. They are experienced and led by linebacker Elijah Joseph. The Owls have the 19th ranked run defense in college football, giving up just 108 yards per game.

As for UCLA, they stumble into this game with a 6-6 mark, and wouldn’t even be here, if it wasn’t for a loss by Army to Navy on the final day of the season.

The Bruins don’t have much of a running game to speak of, and will rely heavily on the arm of quarterback Kevin Prince. Prince, who missed several games with a broken jaw, had a freshman year he’d probably like to forget, throwing just six touchdowns and seven interceptions. The Bruins were abysmal all season at putting points on the board, averaging just 21 per game, good for 99th in college football.

If there’s any hope for UCLA in this game, its with a stout defense, which gave up just 338 yards per game (Ranked 39th). Their best players are along the defensive line and at linebacker, including junior Reggie Carter, a future first day NFL Draft pick.

Sometimes in bowl games you need to throw out the records, and look beyond them. This is one of those cases. For Temple, this is their first bowl since 1979, and everyone on the team, school, and in the stands is thrilled to be a part of it.

On the other hand, UCLA backed into this game, only after Army lost. They are traveling across country for a game that doesn’t matter to them. Because of it, I like Temple in this week’s college football betting odds. They’re hungrier and happier, a good combination during bowl season.

Aaron’s Pick: Temple +4

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