Posted on
12/19/2007 11:00:34 AM
NCAAF Betting – PapaJohns.com Bowl: Southern Miss +11 vs. Cincinnati -11
By Russell Edward
Southern Miss has stayed in most games this year thanks to their defense, as opposed to offense, but this bowl game against Cincinnati is one where they will not be able to shut down the offense of their opponent. The Bearcats offense is explosive and the Eagles can hope to merely slow down Cincinnati; they certainly will not be able to contain them. For the Eagles to stay within range of the ncaa football betting spread that has them pegged as eleven point underdogs, their offense will have to consistently put points on the board.
Southern Miss Golden Eagles +11 vs. Cincinnati Bearcats -11
The Eagles offense has weathered an injury-prone season, and the main thing it has going for it at this point is the ability to gain the line and get running back Damian Fletcher into the game early. Fletcher establishes the run by getting between the tackles and picking up tough yardage on a consistent basis. He is averaging 119.3 yards per game and has run in 15 scores so far this season. Against Cincy, however, the O-line is going to have its work cut out for them. The Bearcats have only allowed three 100-yard rushing days to opponents this year. Cincinnati’s run defense includes Terrill Byrd and Anthony Hoke, who have 29.5 tackles for losses between them.
Eagles quarterback Jeremy Young injured his ankle at the start of the season and has been inconsistent ever since. As his day goes, so goes the day of the Southern Miss offense. His day will be made all the tougher if Fletcher and the O-line are unable to set up the run early on, as the weight will then fall on his shoulders, and that has not been a recipe for success. Also inhibiting the passing game is the absence of Chris Johnson. The wideout, who has been Young’s go-to receiver, was placed on IR after a late-season knee injury. This all plays very well into the hands of the Cincinnati secondary and pass rush. No team has more than the 22 INTs recorded by the Bearcats and their 38 sacks this season
PapaJohns.com Bowl @ Legion Field: 1 PM EST, Saturday, December 22, 2007
Look for the Bearcats to take away the running game early, forcing Young to try to take control. The strong pass rush he will be facing will cause bad decisions leading to turnovers. Those, in turn, will lead to cash in your pocket if you have a bet on ncaa football odds with the BetUS sportsbook and put a play on the Bearcats to cover.
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