MAACO Bowl Las Vegas: Boise State Broncos vs. Utah Utes Preview & Pick
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With their BSC Championship hopes dashed, the Boise State Broncos will try closing out their season with a win in the MAACO Bowl Las Vegas. They face off against the Utah Utes.
Broncos vs. Utes
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Date: Wednesday, December 22, 8:00 p.m. ET
Venue: Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas, NV
Broadcast: ESPN
Broncos vs. Utes lines from Bodog.com
Broncos: -17
Utes: +17
Total: 60.5
Bet Now @ Bodog.com
No. 10 Boise State (11-1, 8-4 ATS) is here after losing 34-31 at Nevada in the second-last week of the regular season. The loss cost the Broncos a shot at the BCS Championship game. They rebounded a week later to crush Utah State 50-14, though have dropped two straight against the spread.
The Broncos rely heavily on the pass. Kellen Moore has fired 33 touchdowns to just five interceptions this season, while completing 71 percent of his passes. Receivers Titus Young and Austin Pettis are both NFL prospects, but Moore will spread the ball around; five different Broncos have at least 23 receptions this year. Boise State averages about 200 rush yards per game, but the ground attack has suffered since losing blocking tight end Tommy Gallarda to a broken foot.
Run defense is a major area of concern right now. Boise State led the nation in fewest rush yards allowed for most of the year, but it allowed 269 yards to Nevada and 250 yards to Utah State. The Broncos remain effective against the pass, though. They led the country with 3.8 sacks per game—and Utah is fifth in the country in sacks allowed.
Speaking of Utah, the No. 20 Utes (10-2, 7-4-1 ATS) suffered just a two-week hiccup all year—they dropped two straight games in earlier November, losing to TCU and Notre Dame by a combined score of 75-10. The team won its last two games, but it’s pretty easy to question Utah’s quality of competition right now.
Jordan Wynn enjoyed a solid sophomore campaign under center for Utah. Unfortunately, he won’t be available for in Las Vegas; he had elbow surgery and is done for six months. There may not be much of a drop off. Terrance Cain takes over, and he played very well in two starts for the injured Wynn earlier this year. In fact, Cain is 9-1 as a starter for his career. The running game is solid, and it will get a big boost from Cain, who can run.
On the other side of the ball, Utah is an excellent defender against the run, allowing just 104 rush yards per game. Unfortunately, Boise State would prefer to wing it anyway, and the of the 26 touchdowns allowed by Utah this season, 18 have come through the air.
Utah may be ranked in the Top-25, but this is a tough mismatch for the team. The Utes played miserable down the stretch, getting blown out twice and needed rallies against inferior competition to win their final two. The Broncos have a brilliant passing game ready to exploit Utah’s soft secondary, and a ferocious pass rush to prevent Cain from making any big plays with his arm. The Broncos will run away with this one.
Gambling Trends:
UTAH are 7-1 ATS in their last 8 bowl games.
UTAH are 7-1 ATS in their last 8 Bowl games.
BOIST are 7-2 ATS in their last 9 bowl games.
BOIST are 7-2 ATS in their last 9 Bowl games.
Boise State vs. Utah pick: Broncos -17
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