The mid-December contest is interesting because these teams are pretty unfamiliar with each other. Arkansas State has a high-powered offense and it remains to be seen if Middle Tennessee State can keep it in check. The Red Wolves are the favorites in this game although not by an overwhelming margin, so an upset by the Blue Raiders certainly isn’t out of the question.
Bowl season is fun because it brings together unique matchups and it will be intriguing to see how these smaller programs stack up.
This bowl game matchup will take place on Saturday, December 16, 2017, at 8 p.m. ET at the Cramton Bowl in Montgomery, Alabama.
College Football Odds at BookMaker.eu
Middle Tennessee State +3.5
Arkansas State -3.5
Over/Under 62.5
Odds Analysis
Arkansas State is a small favorite but is getting the majority of the action, as more than 83 percent of the money is on the Red Wolves to cover. The scoring total is up there and the betting public believes this will even be more of a shootout than the oddsmakers project, with more than 94 percent of the action banging the ‘“over.” Middle Tennessee will have to score and give up much more than usual for it to hit, but the bettors seem confident.
Key Stat
Three. That’’s the number of games Arkansas State lost by one possession in the 2017 regular season. The Red Wolves finished it 7-4, but with a little bit more luck they could have really had a tremendous season.
Arkansas State hung around against Nebraska early in the season and lost to Troy by a touchdown when they scored with 17 points in the season finale. The Red Wolves also lost by five points to South Alabama, as SMU was the only team to rout Arkansas State during the season.
As a result, the Red Wolves finished the regular season with an average point-differential of plus-14, which is a solid figure. Contrast that to Middle Tennessee State, which scored about as many points as it gave up in 2017.
Player To Watch
Ty Lee -- The Blue Raiders didn’t have a lot of impressive offensive numbers this season, except for that of one player. Lee was a monster at wide receiver on the year. He hauled in 74 passes for 915 yards and five touchdowns during the regular season.
Those are solid numbers in and of themselves, but even moreso considering Middle Tennessee State only averaged 252.7 passing yards per game. He has had at least 70 receiving yards in each of his past five games, highlighted by a six catch, 121-yard, touchdown performance three weeks ago against Charlotte.
If the Blue Raiders have a shot at winning this game, Lee will need to come up big.
Free ATS Pick
While Middle Tennessee State has some nice pieces, Arkansas State is the superior team. This spread is not high enough as the Red Wolves should be able to take control early on and pick up a victory by at least a touchdown.
While some of the earlier bowl games don’t get as much attention as the later ones, they are good opportunities to make some money for bettors. Arkansas State is the easy choice against the spread. The “under” is the pick as the Blue Raiders will struggle to keep up their end of the bargain on the offensive side of the field.
College Football Odds: Arkansas State 34, Middle Tennessee State 27
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