CollegeKingRex
CTG Regular
It's that time of year again...
Bowl season...
Evidently the big whales at Las Palmas are on the favorite here, because Ron is dealing 13 in a game where I see Scotty at Tradewinds is still using 11.5.
I'll gladly scoop up the 13 here with Northern Illinois in a game I made 10.
A year ago, Northern Illinois was two points away from a MAC championship and stayed home for the holidays. Three years ago, the Huskies were 10-2 but didn't get a bowl invitation. This season, NIU was a disappointing 7-5 but will be leaving tomorrow for next Tuesday's Poinsettia Bowl in San Diego (the best of the four MAC bowl destinations) and the challenge of meeting red-hot TCU.
Northern, which had its seventh straight winning season, is led by third-team All-America tailback Garrett Wolfe, and the Huskies will be as healthy as they have been since their opener at No. 1 Ohio State.
Wolfe is the top rusher in Division I-A with 1,900 yards and 18 touchdowns. He set NIU career records for rushing yards (5,136), touchdowns (57) and 100-yard rushing games (22). The Huskies are in their second bowl in three seasons. Wolfe, who is averaging 158.3 yards per game, will be facing a TCU defense that has allowed just 64.8 rushing yards per game (the fourth best run defense in the country and the No. 4 total defense).
TCU comes into the game on a seven-game winning streak and will be playing in its eighth bowl game in the last nine seasons. The Horned Frogs are a strong defensive team, with All-Mountain West selections in defensive ends Tommy Blake and Chase Ortiz, linebacker Jason Phillips and safety Marvin White.
TCU has been installed as almost a two-touchdown favorite. The Huskies have been big underdogs before a few times in the last few years, but that role hasn't seemed to bother them. While outclassed in the opener, they were certainly not intimidated.
Wolfe had 203 yards rushing on 33 carries and three touchdowns in the 31-10 win over Central Michigan in the home finale. The Huskies scored on their first three possessions and led 21-0 at the half.
Starting quarterback Phil Horvath blew out his knee in the middle of the second touchdown drive against CMU. Horvath was replaced by Dan Nicholson, who also piloted the offense in the season finale at Eastern Michigan. There isn't much known about Nicholson because he didn't play much this year, but he is 4-1 in his career as a starter.
The Horned Frogs, who are back in the AP poll at the bottom, have won seven straight and are enjoying their fourth 10-win season in the last five.
TCU's defense ranks in the Top 10 in Division I-A in run defense, scoring defense and total defense. The Frogs are playing in their eighth bowl game in nine seasons.
Down the stretch, TCU averaged well over 400 yds and 30 pts per game, as they blew thru the latter part of their MWC schedule after surprising (at the time) losses to BYU and Utah.
The success of double-digit dogs in bowls the last decade or so is well-documented. So of course, I've got that going for me. Expect a hungry effort for the Huskies to try to show everyone they underachieved during the regular season. Joe Novak will do a good job of getting his kids ready to play and this should be one that goes to the wire if Nicholson can manage the passing game.
Prediction: Texas Christian 27, Northern Illinois 20
The play: Northern plus 13 for a medium bet
Good luck. Will be back to respond Friday afternoon if anyone has questions....
:shake:
Bowl season...
Evidently the big whales at Las Palmas are on the favorite here, because Ron is dealing 13 in a game where I see Scotty at Tradewinds is still using 11.5.
I'll gladly scoop up the 13 here with Northern Illinois in a game I made 10.
A year ago, Northern Illinois was two points away from a MAC championship and stayed home for the holidays. Three years ago, the Huskies were 10-2 but didn't get a bowl invitation. This season, NIU was a disappointing 7-5 but will be leaving tomorrow for next Tuesday's Poinsettia Bowl in San Diego (the best of the four MAC bowl destinations) and the challenge of meeting red-hot TCU.
Northern, which had its seventh straight winning season, is led by third-team All-America tailback Garrett Wolfe, and the Huskies will be as healthy as they have been since their opener at No. 1 Ohio State.
Wolfe is the top rusher in Division I-A with 1,900 yards and 18 touchdowns. He set NIU career records for rushing yards (5,136), touchdowns (57) and 100-yard rushing games (22). The Huskies are in their second bowl in three seasons. Wolfe, who is averaging 158.3 yards per game, will be facing a TCU defense that has allowed just 64.8 rushing yards per game (the fourth best run defense in the country and the No. 4 total defense).
TCU comes into the game on a seven-game winning streak and will be playing in its eighth bowl game in the last nine seasons. The Horned Frogs are a strong defensive team, with All-Mountain West selections in defensive ends Tommy Blake and Chase Ortiz, linebacker Jason Phillips and safety Marvin White.
TCU has been installed as almost a two-touchdown favorite. The Huskies have been big underdogs before a few times in the last few years, but that role hasn't seemed to bother them. While outclassed in the opener, they were certainly not intimidated.
Wolfe had 203 yards rushing on 33 carries and three touchdowns in the 31-10 win over Central Michigan in the home finale. The Huskies scored on their first three possessions and led 21-0 at the half.
Starting quarterback Phil Horvath blew out his knee in the middle of the second touchdown drive against CMU. Horvath was replaced by Dan Nicholson, who also piloted the offense in the season finale at Eastern Michigan. There isn't much known about Nicholson because he didn't play much this year, but he is 4-1 in his career as a starter.
The Horned Frogs, who are back in the AP poll at the bottom, have won seven straight and are enjoying their fourth 10-win season in the last five.
TCU's defense ranks in the Top 10 in Division I-A in run defense, scoring defense and total defense. The Frogs are playing in their eighth bowl game in nine seasons.
Down the stretch, TCU averaged well over 400 yds and 30 pts per game, as they blew thru the latter part of their MWC schedule after surprising (at the time) losses to BYU and Utah.
The success of double-digit dogs in bowls the last decade or so is well-documented. So of course, I've got that going for me. Expect a hungry effort for the Huskies to try to show everyone they underachieved during the regular season. Joe Novak will do a good job of getting his kids ready to play and this should be one that goes to the wire if Nicholson can manage the passing game.
Prediction: Texas Christian 27, Northern Illinois 20
The play: Northern plus 13 for a medium bet
Good luck. Will be back to respond Friday afternoon if anyone has questions....
:shake:
