Bears vs Bruins NCAA Football Spread/Handicapping
The Holiday Bowl has a history of playing host to high-scoring football games, and it wouldn’t surprise anybody if that same trend played out Thursday, Dec. 27 between the Baylor Bears and the UCLA Bruins. These two teams combined for 79.2 points per game in the regular season, but the bigger story is that they allowed a combined 64.1. If you like offensive football, tune in for this one.
Baylor Bears (7-5) vs. No. 17 UCLA Bruins (9-4)
Thursday December 27, 2012
Qualcomm Stadium, SAN DIEGO, CALIF.
9:45 PM ET
Moneyline: from GTBets.eu
Spread: UCLA -1
O/U: 79.5
ATS Matchup Stats | Gambling Insight!
Check out our in-house Handicapper!!! Buy Razor Ray’s Picks Today!
Baylor Bears
Heading into the postseason, the Baylor Bears have one of the highest-octane offenses in the country. They score 44.1 points per game, they rush for 225.5 yards per game and they pass for an incredible 353.3 yards per game. Their defense is horrible, which means they have to be able to outscore their opponents, but if any team in the country can keep up, it’s this one.
Senior quarterback Nick Florence was given the unrealistic assignment of replacing Robert Griffin III this season, but he stepped in nicely and tossed for 4,121 yards and 31 touchdowns. Wide receiver Terrance Williams made his job easy for him, as he scored 12 touchdowns and caught the ball for a school-record 1,764 yards. The two of them will look to attack a UCLA defense that was just 94th in the country in passing defense.
CLICK TO GRAB OUR Expert CFB Picks for 2012 NCAA FOOTBALL Betting!
Defensively, this team is going to struggle. They are going up against one of the nation’s top runners in Johnathan Franklin, yet their front line was just 89th in the country in terms of stopping the ground game. They were 117th in the nation in points allowed, as they nearly gave up 40 points per game to their opponents.
Baylor is going to win or lose this game with their offensive attack, but any production they can get on defense is going to be a welcomed, and maybe even surprising, addition to their performance against the Bruins.
UCLA Bruins
For the second year in a row, the UCLA Bruins made it to the Pac-12 championship game, and for the second year in a row, they were disappointed with missing a shot at the Rose Bowl. [soliloquy id=”82219″] They may not have reached their ultimate goal this time around, but an outright win of the Pac-12 South title was a great way to conclude their season, and now they’re looking for the icing on the cake in the Bridgepoint Education Holiday Bowl.
UCLA’s offense wasn’t quite as accomplished as Baylor’s this season, but their defense was easily superior, meaning things should balance out quite nicely in this one.
The Bruins are the 17th-ranked team in the country, and they are led by running back Johnathan Franklin, quarterback Brett Hundley and receiver Joseph Fauria. Their offensive attack was good enough to score 35.1 points per game.
This game is going to come down to who can make more defensive stops—if any—and at this point you have to believe that it’s going to be the Bruins. UCLA’s defense wasn’t spectacular this year, as they ranked just 55th in points allowed, but while this game may go down to the wire, one big stop from the Bears might just be enough to capture the title of Holiday Bowl champions.
Trends
• Bears are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games following a S.U. win.
• Bears are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games following a ATS win.
• Bears are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games after accumulating more than 200 yards rushing in their previous game.
• Bruins are 4-1 ATS vs. a team with a winning record.
• Bruins are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games on grass.
• Bruins are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 games following a S.U. loss.
Score Prediction: UCLA 48 – Baylor 41
