Some of the bowl season feels like a slog, but there’s going to be plenty of excitement on Saturday when the Fresno State Bulldogs and Arizona State Sun Devils face off in the Las Vegas Bowl. The Bulldogs are the second-best Group of Five team in the country, and they will want to prove themselves against the Sun Devils. However, the more fun aspect of this game is the location. There is always a great announcing crew as everyone wants to get in on the action in Sin City, and one of the most fun games you can play at home is betting on which player was out a little too late the night before.
BookMaker is the only place to bet all 41 college football bowl games this season. BookMaker has the best lines for bettors, and your stocking might be a little bit fuller if you play here. The College Football Playoff National Championship will take place on Monday, January 7, 2019 at 8 p.m. ET at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
NCAA Football Betting at BookMaker.eu
Fresno State -4.5
Arizona State +4.5
Total 53
Odds Analysis
The most interesting coaching move of last offseason was Arizona State’s decision to fire Todd Graham and replace him with Herm Edwards. Edwards formerly coached the Kansas City Chiefs and the New York Jets, but he had not coached at the collegiate level in almost three decades. He hadn’t even coached at the professional level over the last decade, spending his weeks on the small screen instead.
That decision was met with a lot of laughter, but Edwards wasn’t the abject disaster many thought he would be. Arizona State finished 7-5, the same record the school finished with last season, and the Sun Devils did pull off upset wins over Michigan State and Utah. They even beat both Los Angeles schools for the first time in a while, but the Sun Devils went just 1-3 against the PAC 12 North.
Speaking of coaching hires, Fresno State’s decision to hire Jeff Tedford two years ago is looking like one of the best moves in recent memory. He turned around the program in his first year, leading the Bulldogs to 10 wins in 2017 despite going 1-11 the year before. Tedford was even better this season, leading Fresno State to a 11-2 record and a MWC title.
Fresno State’s only two losses this year came on the road. The Bulldogs lost by seven points to both Minnesota and Boise State, but they avenged the latter loss in the MWC Championship Game and also picked up nice road wins over UCLA and Nevada.
Player to Watch
Marcus McMaryion is not asked to do a ton in Fresno State’s offense, but he put up some great numbers this season. Fresno State was largely unable to run the ball effectively, so McMaryion was tasked with moving the ball through the air. He was extremely efficient, completing nearly 70 percent of his passes and averaged 8.7 yards per throw. McMaryion tossed just three interceptions on the season and his ability to make solid decisions was key. He could have a big day against an Arizona State defense that struggled to stop opponents.
Matchup to Watch
Arizona State was able to move the ball pretty well over the course of the season. Manny Wilkins put up good numbers through the air, and Eno Benjamin ran for over 1,500 yards and 15 touchdowns on the ground. However, Wilkins won’t have his best receiver available for this game as N’Keal Harry has announced he will sit out the bowl game in order to focus on getting ready for the 2019 NFL Draft. Harry was by far the most talented receiver on the roster, and not having him will hurt.
The Sun Devils will also be facing one of the best defenses they have seen this year. Fresno State had the ninth-best defense in the country according to S&P+, and the Bulldogs did not allow any team to score more than 27 points this season. They have been very difficult to run on, and that will present Arizona State with all sorts of problems.
Live Betting Preview
There’s always a bit of danger betting the Las Vegas Bowl as one team may decide to treat the entire week leading up to the game as a celebration, while the other focuses on the task at hand. However, assuming both teams are properly motivated, Fresno State is the better team and should secure the cover.
NCAA Football Odds: Fresno State 31, Arizona State 20
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