Bronco Mendenhall was seen as an odd hire and fit at Virginia. On the whole the Mormon from BYU was considered a foreigner upon arrival. However, Mendenhall has quickly improved the Cavaliers. Most important of all Virginia has been one of the most profitable teams to bet on College Football with. South Carolina has been stuck in low gear under head coach Will Muschamp. To be exact they are good enough for minor bowls but not a serious SEC contender. In the same way Muschamp’s reputation for having weak offensive team has remained at Carolina.
Belk Bowl
South Carolina Gamecocks vs. Virginia Cavaliers
Date and Time: Saturday, December 29, 2018, noon ET
Location: Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina
Bet on College Football Odds at SBG:
| Team | Spread | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Carolina | -5 (-110) | 54½ (-110) |  |
| Virginia | +5 (-110) | 54½ (-110) | |
| |||
Belk Bowl TV Coverage: ABC
Virginia Cavaliers
Virginia was among the most profitable teams to bet on College Football with. To be exact the Cavaliers were 7-5 straight up, 8-4 vs. the odds, and 7-5 over the total. By contrast UVA did lose some value at the end of the season. The Cavaliers paid in just one of their final four games. Additionally, Virginia had a disappointing end to their regular season. Consider as an illustration their 31-34 loss at arch rival Virginia Tech in which they blew a late lead. Still, everyone agrees that Mendenhall has the program on the upswing.
South Carolina Gamecocks
South Carolina has a sportsbook record of 7-5 both straight up and against the spread with 7-5 over the total. Encompassing that record is the strong finish by the Gamecocks. Carolina paid out in four of their final five games of the season. And four of their last five matchups went over the total. Moreover South Carolina finished tied for fourth with Mizzou in the SEC East Division.
Stats to Consider
In comparison to most Will Muschamp teams the Gamecocks offense did show improvement. South Carolina ranked 38th in the country for scoring offense. Counter to that was a defense that ranked 92nd in the nation. The end result were metrics that were far different than the Muschamp image. Comparable to Virginia is a different look. The Cavaliers ranked 84th in the nation for total offense but 25th for total defense.
Team vs. Team
South Carolina has been a subpar betting value laying points on the road. To show the Gamecocks have covered just three of their last eight as an away chalk. Four of their last seven in that situation have gone over the total. On the other hand, Virginia has been in the black as a road dog. The Cavaliers have paid in five of their last eight getting points away from home. Four of their last six in that place have gone over the total.
Matchup to Watch
Virginia’s offense may not rank high but it does have assets. Embracing that is quarterback Bryce Perkins and his 22 touchdown passes. Running back Jordan Ellis ran for 920 yards and nine touchdowns. Counter to that is South Carolina quarterback Jake Bentley with 27 touchdown passes. Of great concern is the defensive differences of the teams. Virginia holds the Bet on College Football matchup advantage there.
Belk Bowl Bet on College Football Picks
Owing to their strong defense does Virginia rate the call.
Belk Bowl Bet on College Football Pick: Virginia Cavaliers
Belk Bowl Bet on College Football Score Prediction: Virginia 27, South Carolina 17
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