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Humanitarian Bowl odds for the Bowling Green vs. Idaho game opened at Bowling Green -1. The line has since shifted to Idaho -1 at Sportsbook.com
The Bowling Green-Idaho matchup in the Humanitarian Bowl is expected to produce a lot of points. Idaho was a 1-point favorite for most of the time leading up to the game, but late action has pushed Bowling Green into the chalk role. At last check, 57% of the betting action at Sportsbook.com was on the Bowling Green Falcons.
Idaho's first winning season since 1999 was a tail of two separate campaigns. The first part of the season has the folks from Moscow going nuts as the Vandals were 6-1 SU and 7-0 ATS, making bettors unbelievably pleased. When the schedule peaked, the defense wore down and Idaho allowed 50 points per game in finishing 1-4 and 0-5 ATS. The passing game was special all season in finishing 12th nationally.
Bowling Green also finished 7-5 SU and ATS during the regular season, having the almost complete opposite year. The Falcons began 1-4 (2-3 ATS) and had a soaring finish with 6-1 SU and 5-2 ATS to close. The Bowling Green pass offense was even better in ranking 8th overall and the defense forced 11 turnovers is 4-0 SU and ATS close of regular season.
Other reasons to watch are some of the players involved. Bowling Green has receiver Freddy Barnes, who is five catches away from setting the NCAA record with 143 receptions in the season. Barring injury, this is the closest thing to a lock in this contest, since Barnes averages over 10 catches a game for a team that is 8-1 ATS away from home after the first month of the season over the last two years.
Idaho doesn't have a star exactly, just a number of players to keep an eye. Junior quarterback Nathan Enderle has a strong arm and leads a down the field passing game that averaged 9.5 yards per attempt, better than two yards more than what opponents allowed. The Vandals have a trio of running backs and they will be important if Idaho is to win, since the defense can't stay on the field for long (allow 35.5 PPG) and Coach Robb Akey doesn't want one-dimensional attack. Though Idaho can be expected to be pumped up for a rare bowl appearance, they've shown an inclination of having a tough time turning negatives around with a 3-12 ATS record after two or more consecutive straight up losses the last few years.
Bowling Green has been a streaky bowl team at 4-4, losing their first three then winning their next four, before being dismantled by Tulsa 63-7 in GMAC Bowl in 2008. The Falcons are 1-5 and 2-4 ATS vs. other postseason participants.
This is Idaho's second-ever bowl experience as part of the FBS universities. They played in this very game 11 years ago and pulled one the bigger outright upsets in downing Southern Miss 42-35 as 17.5-point dogs. This is first time a MAC squad has played in this bowl and the underdog has covered four of last five.
Sportsbook.com has Bowling Green as a one-point choice after opening as a single digit underdog. The Falcons are 6-0 ATS on the road vs. poor passing defenses allowing completion percentage of 58 percent or worse. Presuming the line holds, Idaho is 9-4 ATS as an underdog and 9-2 ATS after surrendering 450 or more yards in next game, though unfamiliar territory with this much time off for a bowl experience.
Carrie Stroup, Gambling911.com Senior Reporter
