Wednesday Bowls Tip Sheet and Tech Trends

Birmingham Bowl, Dec 30
Memphis is 9-3 this year, 19-6 last two years, after being 12-48 in previous five years, but they lost Fuente to Va Tech; they've got best QB on field in senior Lynch. Tigers won bowl LY over BYU in OT; they're 2-0 as underdogs this year. Auburn lost 34-31 each of last two bowl games; four of their last five bowls were decided by exactly three points. Malzahn is 0-2 in bowl games. SEC teams won/covered this bowl as favorites last three years. AAC squads are 1-5 in bowls this year, 2-9 last two years; they covered once in last six games as a bowl underdog.

Belk Bowl, Charlotte
NC State figures to have crowd edge with game in Charlotte, but SEC teams are 24-15-1 as bowl favorites last six years. In last four years, SEC teams are 7-3 vs ACC in bowl games. Last three years, ACC teams are 11-15 SU in bowls. NC State won three of last four bowls; Doeren is 2-0 in bowls. Wolfpack has senior QB who used to play at Florida, so SEC foe won't scare him. Prescott is a senior QB who is 18-7 last two years. Bulldogs are 3-2 in last five bowls, but were favored in all five games. NC State is 0-4 vs spread as an underdog this year, losing all four games by 11+ points.

Music City Bowl, Nashville
Extreme weirdness for Texas A&M, with top two QBs bolting out of school since regular season ended; #3 QB Hubenak was JC QB LY who is 12-27/92 in cameo action TY. Louisville is 7-2 in its last nine games after an 0-3 start; they're 1-5 vs bowl teams this year, four of its last six games were by 7 or less points. Aggies scored 42.8 ppg, in winning last four bowl games; they're 3-4 last seven games after a 5-0 start, giving up 230+ YR in those games. Sumlin is 4-1 in bowls overall. SEC teams won this bowl three of last four years; favorites covered four of last six. Petrino is 4-4 in bowls; Cardinals are 3-2 in last five bowls.

Holiday Bowl, San Diego
Pac-12 teams are 5-1 in bowls this year (4-2 vs spread); last three years, they're 14-10-1 as bowl favorites. USC won four of last five bowls, scoring 45 in last two. Last four years, Big 14 teams are 15-7-2 vs spread as bowl underdogs. Last three years, Pac-12 teams are 3-2 vs Big 14 in bowls. Trojan coach Helton won bowl game as interim coach in '13; USC won five of last seven games after a 3-3 start- they allowed 41+ points in last three losses. Wisconsin is on third coach in four years; they're 1-4 in last five bowls, winning in OT LY. Favorites are 13-11 vs spread in bowls; over is 16-8.