At the beginning of the season South Florida bolted out of the gate to post seven straight wins. But the Bulls ended the season with five consecutive losses. As a result of this tale of two seasons gamblers are justifiably confused about which team will show up for the Bad Boys Gasparilla Bowl. Meanwhile the Marshall Thundering Herd were a steady team on the field. Balanced against that was consistently poor NCAA Football wagering value all season. Under the leadership of head coach Doc Holliday, the Herd has emerged as a consistent bowl team.
GASPARILLA BOWL
Marshall Thundering Herd vs. South Florida Bulls
Date and Time: Thursday, December 20, 2018, 8 p.m.
Location: Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida
Betting on NCAA Football Odds at SBG:
| Team | Spread | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marshall | -2½ (-115) | 55½ (-110) |  |
| South Florida | +2½ (-105) | 55½ (-110) | |
| |||
Bad Boys Gasparilla Bowl TV Coverage: ESPN
Marshall Thundering Herd
Marshall has a betting on NCAA Football record of 8-4 straight up but just 4-8 vs. the line with 8-4 over the total. Extending that record was a failure to pay in four of their final five games. Marshall finished third in the East Division of Conference USA. Defense is the bedrock foundation of the Thundering Herd. As an example, Marshall ranked 23rd in the country for total defense. Contrarily the offense was sluggish much of the season. The Herd ranked just 77th in the country for scoring.
South Florida Bulls
South Florida has an offshore bookmaker record of 7-5 straight up, 4-8 against the spread, and 5-7 under the total. As a result, the Bulls finished fourth in the East Division of the American Athletic Conference. Of great concern is that terrible stretch run of five consecutive losses. Immediately responsible for the bad finish was a defense that ranked 103rd overall nationally. It follows that an offense that ranked 64th in the country for scoring provided inadequate cover. Head coach Charlie Strong is reputed to be a great defensive coach. Thus, the disappointment with this unfulfilling season.
Team vs. Team
Marshall has not been profitable as a road favorite. As an example, the Thundering Herd has paid in just two of their last eight games getting points on the road. Six of Marshall’s last nine games in that role have gone under the total. Counter to that is the good value shown by South Florida as a home dog. USF has lost just two of their last seven games vs. the odds getting points at home. Five of their last six in that role have gone over the total.
Matchup to Watch
Although the ending was bad South Florida does bring betting on NCAA Football strengths to this matchup. Most important of all is that they played a much tougher level of competition. Further Marshall lacks the offensive firepower to fully exploit the weak USF defense. Additionally, Bulls running back Jordan Cronkrite could be the difference maker. Cronkite rans for 1095 yards, 6.3 yards per carry and nine touchdowns.
Bad Boy Mowers Gasparilla Bowl Betting on NCAA Football Picks
While neither team was reliable on the board USF is best in this situation as home dog.
Bad Boy Mowers Gasparilla Bowl Betting on NCAA Football Pick: South Florida Bulls
Bad Boy Mowers Gasparilla Bowl Betting on NCAA Football Score Prediction: South Florida 21, Marshall 17
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