Bowl Game Betting: VA Tech and Stanford To Make Fireworks
Monday, January 03, 2011
by BetUS.com
Those people who like to play against the college football betting odds know that both the Virginia Tech Hokies and the Stanford Cardinal can produce plenty of fireworks.
On Monday night these teams will meet up in the Orange Bowl, kicking off at 8:20 PM ET at Sun Life Stadium (natural turf) in Miami Gardens, FL. In the bowl game betting odds that have been posted on this game, Stanford is a 3.5-point favorite, with the total on the game posted at 58 points.
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Orange Bowl
- Virginia Tech Hokies (11-2 SU, 10-2 ATS) vs. Stanford Cardinal (11-1 SU, 7-3-1 ATS)
Live at Sun Life Stadium
Miami Gardens, FL
Monday, January 3 -- 8:20 PM ET
TV: ESPN
College Football Betting Odds:
Stanford -3.5
Virginia Tech +3.5
Total 58
Let me tell you the thing that grabbed me right away - in the category of "yards per point," Stanford and Virginia Tech are precisely even in terms of offense (11.6) and defense (18.3). They are also incredibly comparable in the yards per pass gained and allowed, along with the yards per rush gained.
If there is anything that signifies a difference that might be used by those betting the bowl game odds, it is the difference between the yards per rush allowed, because the Hokies have allowed almost a half a yard more per attempt.
We illustrate these similarities not for the purposes of recitation, but to show you that the determinants of winning and losing here are going to come more from some of the intangibles, and also some of the cross-comparisons that are often unavoidable when you have teams from different conferences meeting each other at the conclusion of a season.
Here are some of the trends as they might impact our decision relative to the bowl game betting odds:
· Virginia Tech has won its last eleven games SU
· Virginia Tech has covered ten of its last eleven games
· Virginia Tech has played five of its last six games UNDER the total
· Stanford is 4-0-1 ATS in its last five games
· Stanford has won its last seven games SU
· Stanford has played five of its last eight games OVER the total
Frankly, I would have never predicted that Virginia Tech would have bounced back from two losses at the start of its season to register eleven straight wins. In each of those games it seemed like a mission, as if this Hokie squad wanted to cover the number in college football odds so as to exceed expectations.
We're not going to tell you that they beat a bunch of ranked teams, but their work was done rather handily.
Certainly the way Stanford ran through its schedule is admirable. Andrew Luck, who ranked sixth in the nation in passing efficiency, directs an offense that has scored 53 touchdowns from scrimmage, and scored 40 points or more five different times, and went 4-0-1 ATS in the last five game sin the college football odds.
Luck is widely-regarded as the best QB prospect that might be available in the draft, and he's thrown touchdown passes to ten different receivers. He's got a go-to running back in Stepfan Taylor, although he is not quite the threat Toby Gerhart was.
And this offensive line has to be ranked right up there with the best in the country. Defensively they have proven to be more than adequate for most of their slate, although Oregon made them look like children, riddling the stop unit for over 600 yards and 52 points.
We mention that because Oregon was not only the best team Stanford faced, it was the only team that had less than five losses. We didn't put much stock in what the Pac-10 could do this season, and no, we don't count Nebraska's complete laydown against Washington for all that much.
Virginia tech comes with a big offensive line of its own, a backfield that doesn't have to sweat Ryan Williams' bothersome hamstring or David Wilson's first-quarter suspension, because they have Darren Evans back there and can have a fresh back in place at all times.
Tyrod Taylor has made strides as a passer, and he's like another running back as well. Coach Frank Beamer has had loads of bowl experience (although he's 8-9 ATS in the college football odds), while Stanford last won a bowl game in 1996.
Virginia Tech is on top of the college football ranking sin turnover margin (+18), and with 12 giveaways,.they shouldn't be expected to give Stanford many easy chances.
The Hokies also possess enough secondary speed to give Luck as big a challenge as he's had all year. They allow just 51% completions, picked off 22 passes and feature All-America cornerback Jayron Hosley. In a game where there is not a lot of differences between the teams, we give Virginia Tech some of the little edges, and taking points in the college football odds seals the deal.
JAY'S PLAY: VIRGINIA TECH +3.5 **
(Graded on a scale of 1-4 stars)
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andrew luck - bowl game betting - darren evans - jayron hosley - orange bowl - stanford cardinal - stepfan taylor - tyrod taylor - virginia tech hokies
