Central Michigan - scary to back these guys I know but I do have a couple of angles here. Toledo has wrapped up the bowl bid and has nothing to play for in this game whereas CMich is still seeking their first FBS win of the year. It gives me hope they won't lay down. Toledo has failed to score 28 points or more 5 times this year and lost all of those games. The common denominator was consistent ... when they struggled rushing the ball, they struggled scoring. 112 vs miami fl, 137 vs fresno, 229 vs emu, 158 vs buffalo, and 167 vs niu. The Cmich rush defense gives up 4.28 yards per carry which is pretty solid, particularly when the opponents have had 505 rush attempts against them (they trail a lot obviously). While I suspect that Toledo exceeds 200 yards rushing in this game, we aren't talking about them winning, we are talking about them covering three scores. I think Cmich can slow them enough to stay in the game and I also think Toledo is weaker defensively than most years and maybe, just maybe, the offense can contribute a little. We have the added benefit of a meaningless Toledo game in the hotbed of point shaving.
Coastal - Team has lost by 16, 28 and 24 the last three weeks and is reeling. But that was against three of the better sunbelt conference foes that sbama lost to by 45, 24 and 35, respectively so maybe cut them some slack for those. S Bama season is over but Coastal still has a shot at bowl eligibility with a win, though it may not mean they actually get invited to a bowl so there is that. But with the addition of the Myrtle Beach Bowl next year, I think bowl eligibility could be on their minds here. Coastal Carolina runs a unique system on offense that is highly predicated on running from different formations and running in a multitude of ways from each formation. Someone called it a varied rushing attack early in the year and I think that explains it well. S bama is giving up over 5 yards per carry defensively, so no reason to think coastal cannot have success on offense. Unfortunately, the Coastal defense is abysmal so we will have to hope they eat clock, keep those guys rested on defense some and are more consistent due to their rushing attack vs the inconsistency of the SBama passing attack. Both teams with a lot of health issues at QB. Going with what I hope is the more motivated team, that finally gets a good match up and I think we have line value because their schedule had them playing three toughies in a row and they got slaughtered.