Bowl Week action includes one of the most consistently successful Group of Five programs in the country going up against a program that used to have that status and could be in the process of making a return to prominence. The Arkansas State Red Wolves will be attending their eighth consecutive bowl game after making just one for their entire history before that. The Nevada Wolf Pack is back in a bowl game after missing out the past two years. From 2005 through 2015 they made a bowl every season but one. Both Nevada and Arkansas State feature two of the better passing attacks in the country
The Arizona Bowl will go down Saturday, December 29, 2018, at 12:15 p.m. ET at Arizona Stadium, Tucson, Arizona. The game can be seen on CBSSN.
NCAA Football Betting at BookMaker.eu
Arkansas State Red Wolves -1.5
Nevada Wolf Pack +1.5
Over/Under 57.5
Live Betting Odds Analysis
The line reflects that lack of public focus on either team. Hard core college football fans and gamblers are familiar with both teams but the general betting public and casual fans are not. This could make for fluid live betting.
Arkansas State Red Wolves Season Review
The Arkansas State Red Wolves finished the season 8-4 straight up and against the spread with a 4-8 mark under the total. The Red Wolves closed strong with four consecutive wins and covers while all four games also went under the total. Arkansas State finished in second place behind Louisiana Lafayette in the West Division of the Sun Belt Conference.
Nevada Wolf Pack Season Review
The Nevada Wolf Pack finished with a record of 7-5 straight up, 6-6 against the spread and 5-7 under the total. Nevada also showed improvement down the stretch with four wins and three payouts in their final five games. The Wolf Pack finished in second place behind Fresno State in the West Division of the Mountain West Conference.
Team Metrics
Nevada rated 40th in the nation for total offense and 50th for total defense. Their passing attack ranked an impressive 20th in the country. Balanced against that is a pass defense that rated 85th in the nation.
Arkansas State ranked 20th in the nation for total offense and had the nation’s 23rd ranked passing offense. The Red Wolves defense ranked 48th overall but 12th in the country against the pass. However, Arkansas State ranked 99th against the rush.
Arkansas State Players to Watch
Quarterback Justice Hansen triggers the Arkansas State attack. Hansen passed for a 155.6 rating with a 67% completion rate and 3172 yards with 27 touchdown passes and just six interceptions. Hansen averaged 8.2 yards per pass. Balancing out the attack are running backs Marcel Murray and Warren Wand. Murray ran for 793 yards with 5.8 yards per carry and seven touchdowns while Wand ran for 652 yards with 5.3 yards per carry and four touchdowns.
Nevada Players to Watch
Nevada quarterback Ty Gangi posted a 61% completion rate with 3131 yards passing and 23 touchdown passes to go with 11 interceptions. Gangi had a 138.6 rating with 7.7 yards per pass. Running back Toa Taua kept defenses honest with 816 yards rushing and 5.2 yards per carry with six touchdowns. Wide receiver McLane Mannix had 50 catches good for 17.5 yards per reception and seven touchdowns.
The Coaches
Blake Anderson is in his fifth season at Arkansas State and has ended the “one and done” aspect of the program in which he began as the fifth coach in five seasons for the Red Wolves.
Jay Norvell is in his second season at Nevada and rebounded nicely from a 3-9 rookie campaign last year.
Free Live Betting ATS Pick
Nevada plays in the more competitive Mountain West Conference and that is the deciding factor in taking the underdog Wolf Pack with all else looking even.
NCAA Football Odds: Nevada Wolf Pack +1.5
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