NCAAF: BIG 12 BIAS IN COTTON BOWL
The Texas Tech Red Raiders out of the Big 12 are getting plenty of support from bettors as they face the Mississippi Rebels in Friday’s Cotton Bowl.
The Red Raiders are 4 ½-point favorites and 80% of bettors are backing them.
Texas Tech flirted with the #1 national ranking this season and its only blemish came at Oklahoma. Still, the Red Raiders are the annual team left outside of the BCS looking in, thanks to a crowded Big 12 South Division field.
On Friday, Coach Mike Leach’s team will try to finish off its special season with a resounding win over Ole Miss.
With quarterback Graham Harrell at the controls, Texas Tech was #1 in passing offense, with a 5-4-1 ATS record. Texas Tech is 10-20-1 in bowl games, with a 5-11-1 ATS record. They have not covered their last three bowl games and are 2-8 ATS when favored.
Ole Miss lost four games, but none by more than a touchdown and could have been 10-2 easily. For the season, the Rebels finished 8-3 ATS and are 11-1 against the spread in road games vs. passing teams averaging 250 or more passing yards over the last three seasons.
Mississippi is 19-12 and 7-3-1 ATS in bowl games, including 4-2 ATS as underdogs.
Normally played as the early kickoff on New Year’s Day, this year’s Cotton Bowl is moved back one day. It’s probably best too, as teams have played as if they’ve been hungover, going Under the Total in 11 of the last 13 series games.
Top ATS Trend
• OLE MISS is 11-1 ATS (+9.9 Units) in road games vs. good passing teams averaging 250 or more passing yards/game. since 1992. The average score was OLE MISS 21.3, OPPONENT 26.3 – (Rating = 3*)
Top Totals Trend
• TEXAS TECH is 6-0 OVER (+6.0 Units) vs. good passing teams averaging 8 or more passing yards/att. this season. The average score was TEXAS TECH 45.7, OPPONENT 33.0 – (Rating = 2*)
Recent OLE MISS Bowl Game Trends
* OLE MISS is 6-1 SU & 5-1-1 ATS in its L7 bowl games.
* OLE MISS is 4-0 SU & 3-0-1 ATS in its L4 bowl games vs. Big 12 teams.
* The underdog is 4-1 SU & 4-0-1 ATS in OLE MISS’s L5 bowl games.
Recent TEXAS TECH Bowl Game Trends
* TEXAS TECH is 2-1 SU but 0-3 ATS in its L3 bowl games, all as favorites.
* Underdogs boast a 7-3 SU & 8-2 ATS record in L10 TEXAS TECH bowl games.
* TEXAS TECH is 0-3 ATS in its L3 January bowl games.
