Bahamas Bowl
Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders (6-6) vs. Toledo Rockets (7-5), Nassau, noon, ESPN
Toledo -10 – O/U 50
The bowl season kicks off with a forgettable matchup in an unforgettable locale. If you’re going play in a lower-rung bowl game, you might as well play it in paradise. Toledo and Middle Tennessee will escape winter temporarily and face off in tiny Thomas Robinson Stadium, and both fans in attendance should see a lot of offense. Neither defense has been especially strong at shutting down the opposition, though the Rockets have had more success than the Blue Raiders. Middle Tennessee’s strong suit has been in generating turnovers, snagging a total of 31 this season. The problem for them? Toledo is the best team in the country at not giving away the football. The Rockets have only had seven turnovers in 12 games, so if Middle Tennessee’s chances rest on Toledo giveaways, the Raiders chances don’t look very strong unless they can keep the game to within one touchdown. All of Toledo’s wins were by at least 10 points, but four of their five losses were by three or fewer points. Four out of Middle Tennessee’s six losses, meanwhile, were by two or more touchdowns. Make that five out of seven after this game. Toledo’s combination of efficiency by quarterback Dequan Finn and running back Bryant Koback should pace the Rockets to close to 40 points, while the Toledo defense will slow down the Raider offense, which has no real playmakers and mainly survives as a committee.
Prediction: Toledo 38-20
Result: Middle Tennessee 31-24
Record:
Bowl season: SU – 0-1; ATS – 0-1-0; O/U – 1-0-0
Overall: SU – 594-183; ATS – 369-322-6; O/U – 334-351-12
Copyright © 2021 by Doug DeBolt.
