College football betting trends: Edges for bowl games

Bruce Marshall is a handicapper for CBS Sportsline. He provides the Las Vegas Review-Journal with college football notes and trends for bowl games.

Friday

Central Michigan vs. Northwestern (-10, 43), GameAbove Sports Bowl: Central Michigan is on a 5-1 run against the spread. Northwestern has won and covered five straight bowls. Edge: Northwestern and slight to over.

New Mexico vs. Minnesota (-1½, 43½), Rate Bowl: New Mexico is on a 4-1 ATS run overall and is 4-1 ATS as an underdog. The Lobos are also on under runs of 3-0 and 5-1. The Golden Gophers have won and covered eight straight bowls, though they were 4-7-1 ATS this season and 1-4 ATS away from home. Edge: Minnesota and slight to under.

Florida International vs. Texas-San Antonio (-5½, 59½), First Responder Bowl: Florida International won and covered its past four and was 4-2 ATS away from home. UTSA has won and covered in bowls the past two seasons and is on a 6-1 over run. Edge: Over and slight to UTSA.

Saturday

Pitt (-10½, 53½) vs. East Carolina, Military Bowl: The Panthers are on a 2-5 spread slide in bowls. Pitt is on a 10-4 over run overall. The Pirates have won and covered their past two bowls and are on a 4-1 ATS run as underdogs. East Carolina is on a 5-1 over run. Edge: East Carolina and over.

Penn State vs. Clemson (-3, 48½), Pinstripe Bowl: Penn State is on a 4-4 ATS run in bowls and playoff games and on an 8-2 over run overall. Clemson is on an 0-3 spread skid in bowls and playoff games. The Tigers are on a 3-1 spread surge and 4-0 under run. Edge: Slight to Clemson and over.

UConn vs. Army (-9½, 44), Fenway Bowl: Interim Gordon Sammis will coach the Huskies in Boston after Jim Mora left for Colorado State. The Huskies are on a 6-2 ATS run overall and 4-1-1 ATS run as underdogs. Army is on a 4-2 ATS run in bowls and 7-2 under run overall. Edge: Under and slight to Army.

Georgia Tech vs. BYU (-4, 56), Pop-Tarts Bowl: BYU is on a 4-1 ATS run in bowls, including three straight. Georgia Tech is on a 4-5 spread skid overall and 4-1 over run. The Yellow Jackets are on ATS runs of 5-0 and 17-6 as underdogs. The Cougars are 9-4 ATS this season. Edge: Georgia Tech and slight to over.

Miami-Ohio vs. Fresno State (-5½, 41½), Arizona Bowl: The RedHawks roughed up another Mountain West foe (Colorado State) 43-17 in last year’s Arizona Bowl to run their spread record to 6-0 in bowls. The Bulldogs had a five-bowl win streak end last year and are on a 6-2 under run overall. Edge: Slight to Miami-Ohio and under.

North Texas (-5½, 53½) vs. San Diego State, New Mexico Bowl: The Mean Green have lost seven straight bowls, though they’ve won and covered six of their past seven games overall and are on a 9-3 over run. The Aztecs have won and covered eight of 10 overall, and they’re on under runs of 6-0 and 8-2. Edge: Slight to San Diego State.

Virginia vs. Missouri (-3½, 45), Gator Bowl: The Cavaliers are on a 3-4 spread skid and an 8-0 under streak. The Tigers are on a 3-1 ATS run in bowls and 6-2 under run overall. Edge: Under and Missouri.

LSU vs. Houston (-2½, 41½), Texas Bowl: Frank Wilson is the interim coach for the Tigers. Brian Kelly had won and covered bowls the past three seasons for LSU. The Tigers are on a 2-6 spread slide overall and 4-0 under run, and they’re 4-0 ATS as underdogs. Houston went 8-4 ATS this season and is on a 7-4 over run. Edge: Houston and slight to under.

Monday

Georgia Southern (-7, 59½) vs. Appalachian State, Birmingham Bowl: Georgia Southern (+5) won and covered a 25-23 game over Appalachian State this season, though it has lost and failed to cover bowls the past three years for coach Clay Helton, who is 0-7 ATS in his career in bowls. The Mountaineers are 3-2 ATS as underdogs. Edge: Slight to Appalachian State.

Coastal Carolina vs. Louisiana Tech (-9, 51½), Independence Bowl: The Chanticleers were walloped in their past three games by a combined 155-57. They’re on over streaks of 6-0 and 8-1. The Bulldogs went 8-4 ATS and are on a 4-2 over run. Edge: Over and Louisiana Tech.

Tennessee (-2½, 61½) vs. Illinois, Music City Bowl: The Volunteers are on a 2-7 spread slide and 12-4 over run. The Fighting Illini are on under runs of 4-0 and 5-1, and they’re on an 11-4-1 ATS uptick. Edge: Slight to Illinois and under.

USC (-6½, 55½) vs. TCU, Alamo Bowl: The Trojans are on ATS skids of 0-3 and 1-4 overall and are 1-4 ATS away from home. TCU is on a 10-5-1 ATS run, though it’s 3-6 ATS as an underdog. Edge: Slight to TCU.