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2017 Camellia Bowl Betting Preview: Middle Tennessee vs. Arkansas St.

2017 Camellia Bowl Betting Preview: Middle Tennessee vs. Arkansas St.

Written by on December 14, 2017

NCAAF News and Betting Previews| Xbet.ag
It took all 12 weeks of the 2017 college football regular season for Middle Tennessee State to gain bowl eligibility, but in that last week, they delivered a rout of Old Dominion, and that gave them their sixth win of the season. They prepare to face Arkansas State, who finished the season at 7-4 but finished the season on a sour note, watching a two-game winning streak end with a loss to Troy. These programs know each other well from their time together in the Sun Belt Conference (2001-2012). Let’s take a look at the 2017 Camellia Bowl and the latest NCAAF lines for this matchup from the first weekend of bowl season.

2017 Camellia Bowl Betting Preview: Middle Tennessee vs. Arkansas State

When: Saturday, December 16, 2017, 8:00pm ET Where: Cramton Bowl, Montgomery, AL TV: ESPN Radio: 107.9 FM (Arkansas State) / 89.5 (Middle Tennessee) Live Stream: WatchESPN Camellia Bowl Odds: Arkansas State (-4), O/U 64

Weather Forecast

  • Partly Cloudy: 4°C/40°F
  • Humidity: 84%
  • Precipitation: 4%
  • Cloud Cover: 37%
  • Wind: 2 mph S

Why should you bet on the Blue Raiders?

Middle Tennessee State almost didn’t make a bowl game, even with six wins, because there were three more teams eligible for bowls than there were bowl slots, even with the new DXL Frisco Bowl bringing the number of games to 40. But then three teams from the SEC ended up playing in New Year’s Six bowl games, which meant that there were not enough teams from the SEC to fill their obligations in the lower tier, and all of a sudden Middle Tennessee had an invite to Montgomery. Obviously, a 6-6 team is going to show some inconsistency over the course of the season, and that’s certainly been Middle Tennessee this year. This is a team that played three Power Five schools in their nonconference slate and beat Syracuse on the road — but got drilled by Vanderbilt at home and Minnesota on the road. Their defense has worn down over the season, as they permitted 59 points in their two games leading into that rout of Old Dominion. They can score points, but can they outscore Arkansas State?

Why should you put your money on the Red Wolves?

Arkansas State appears in their seventh consecutive bowl when they head to Montgomery. Last year they dismantled Central Florida in the AutoNation Cure Bowl, 31-13. They have won the Sun Belt title in five of the last seven years, winning 59 games over that stretch, the best stretch in the program’s history. Their loss to Troy in the season finale was a disappointment, bu tit is also important to remember that Troy went to LSU and beat the Tigers at their own Homecoming. Quarterback Justice Hansen leads a powerful offense, and he rightly earned Sun Belt Conference Offensive Player of the Year honors. Nineteen Red Wolves made it onto the All-Sun Belt Conference Team. Javon Rolland-Jones, a senior defensive end, was named Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year. The Red Wolves can move the ball quickly up and down the field, scoring points in bunches. If Middle Tennessee is not prepared on defense, they will get torched in a hurry. Arkansas State has covered the spread in 14 of their last 20 games overall. Can they hold the line against Middle Tennessee? If so, then they should be able to hold off this team that just crept into the bowl schedule at the last minute.

Latest Camellia Bowl Betting Trends

  • Blue Raiders are 2-4 ATS in their last 6 games
  • Blue Raiders are 1-4 SU in their last 5 games when playing Arkansas State
  • The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Middle Tennessee’s last 12 games
  • Red Wolves are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games when playing Middle Tennessee
  • Red Wolves are 6-2 SU in their last 8 games
  • The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Arkansas State’s last 6 games

Expert Camellia Bowl Betting Pick and Final Prediction

Arkansas State has a three-game winning streak going against the Blue Raiders — but the last time they met was back in 2012. Middle Tennessee State has failed to cover the spread in each of their last four bowl games and in each of their last four games played on a neutral field. Arkansas State has built some program stability and has experience in postseason games, while Middle Tennessee will be glad to be there. In some cases that gives teams a nothing-to-lose attitude, but I see the experience of the Red Wolves paying off. I predict a final score of Arkansas State 31, Middle Tennessee 20.  
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