2024 CFB Sides: 28-16 (+10.4 units)
2024 CFB Props: 9-2 (+6.8 units)
It was a fantastic start to bowl season for our college football best bets, as we ended up with a 5-1 record last week. We cashed tickets on Notre Dame, Penn State, Sam Houston State, and James Madison.
We also cashed a nice prop ticket on Anthony Tyus of the Ohio Bobcats. Our lone loser was on Tulane, as they just couldn't get anything going against Florida. Overall, though, it was a great week.
Need a little action for the day after Christmas? We've got you covered with our breakdown for Pittsburgh vs. Toledo below. Enjoy the game and good luck, sports betting amigos!
Oddsmakers opened the GameAbove Sports Bowl at Pittsburgh -9, but that number was almost immediately bet down to Pittsburgh -7. The line movement toward Toledo may be because of the questionable health of Pitt starting QB Eli Holstein, who hurt his ankle against Louisville on November 23rd.
There's been only a small amount of movement on the total for this game. The line opened at 52 and a little bit of Under money has pushed it down to 51 at most online sportsbooks. There are a few 50.5s out there for investors who want to bet on the Over.
The season started with a bang for Pitt, as they rattled off seven straight victories. However, injuries and some bad luck forced the Panthers into a five-game skid to end the year. Injuries to both Eli Holstein and Dez Reid definitely didn't help matters.
When healthy, both Holstein and Reid were the centerpieces of Pat Narduzzi's offense. Holstein threw for 2225 yards and 17 touchdowns. Reid led the team in rushing with 797 yards and 4 touchdowns. Even still, Pitt ranked just 85th in yards per play on offense in 2024.
Pitt's defense was electric against the run this season, as they ranked 11th in yards per rush allowed. The secondary struggled at times but a lot of that was masked by the Panthers' excellent pass rush (11th in sack rate).
The Rockets just narrowly missed making the MAC Championship Game, but they still had a respectable season going 7-5. Toledo didn't have a high-flying offense, but its defense was one of the best in the conference. It'll be interesting to see how they perform against a Power Four school.
Toledo ranked outside the Top 70 in both yards per rush and yards per pass. However, Tucker Gleason put up some solid stats as he threw for 2457 yards and 22 TDs. His favorite target was Jerjuan Newton, who racked up 949 receiving yards and 11 TDs.
I like getting a touchdown in a game where two of Pitt's best offensive players may not even play. Leading wideout Konata Mumpfield has already opted out and the health of Eli Holstein remains up in the air. Even if Holstein plays, I look for Toledo to be the more motivated team.
Sure, Pitt has a lot more talent than Toledo, but will they really care about this second-rate bowl game? Narduzzi even said that the Panthers had aspirations of a 10-win season just a few weeks ago. Give me the points here with the Rockets! Good luck!
Prediction: Pitt 28 - Toledo 24