For the first time in over a decade, the Miami Hurricanes will be playing in a major bowl. Although it ended with a thud, it’s been a dream season for the Hurricanes, who will get to enjoy the sun and the surf in a home game in the Orange Bowl. The Wisconsin Badgers will be their opponent and will enjoy getting away from the chill in Madison. These teams haven’t met since they squared off in the Champs Sports Bowl back in 2009, a game that the Badgers won 20-14.
Watch the Orange Bowl live on Saturday, December 30, 2017, at 8 p.m. ET at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. This game will be broadcast on ESPN.
College Football Opening Odds at BookMaker.eu
Wisconsin -6.5
Miami +6.5
Over/Under
Odds Analysis
The Badgers were one of just two teams to get through the regular season undefeated, but were an underdog to Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship Game. Wisconsin would have made the College Football Playoff had it managed to knock off Ohio State, but the Badgers couldn’t get the job done so they have to settle for a trip to Miami instead. On the year, Wisconsin was 8-5 ATS and the under had cashed in each of its last three games.
Miami looked like it was a team of destiny after back-to-back wins over Virginia Tech and Notre Dame, but the Hurricanes looked completely lost on the offensive end in their last two games. The Canes lost to Pittsburgh by 10 points on the road in their regular season finale and then got soundly thumped by Clemson in the ACC Championship Game.
Matchup to Watch
Neither quarterback has been particularly impressive this season, and neither coach is going to have a lot of faith in their starter after each one’s performance in the conference title game.
Alex Hornibrook hadn’t been asked to do much for the Badgers all season and was unable to find much success against the Buckeyes. Hornibrook has had his struggles all throughout Big Ten play and threw for 13 touchdowns and 14 interceptions in conference play. He has yet to throw for over 260 yards this season and is not a mobile threat either.
Mobility is the main thing that Malik Rosier has going for him at this point. Rosier has completed 50 percent or less of his passes in four of his last six games and he has thrown eight interceptions during that time frame. He has been able to move the chains with his legs against slower defenses and may try to do that against Wisconsin.
Player to Watch
Wisconsin has had a lot of success running the ball with Jonathan Taylor against most defenses this season and Miami has had mixed results against the run. The Hurricanes front seven came up big against Clemson and Notre Dame, but was gashed by Florida State and Georgia Tech earlier in the year.
Taylor might be a freshman, but he is a bruiser and Paul Chryst isn’t afraid to ride him. He already has 1,847 yards on the ground this season and has found the end zone 13 times. Taylor didn’t have much luck against Ohio State, but did have a great performance against Michigan two weeks prior.
Free ATS Pick
This line doesn’t make much sense to me. Miami has not looked good over its last two games, but these Hurricanes look completely different at home. The Hurricanes smashed both Notre Dame and Virginia Tech behind a lively home crowd and you can be sure their fans will come see this team play their first important bowl game in over a decade.
Not only do I think Miami pulls off the upset, I think the Canes get the reverse cover here too. Rosier will be able to find some lanes running and the defense will come up big in a Miami win.
College Football Odds: Miami 31, Wisconsin 23
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