Welcome to bowl season, sports betting family. Despite a controversial decision from the College Football Playoff committee, the sport is now more popular than ever. The best part is that we don't have to wait very long for the bowl games to kick off.
I've found some nice edges on Saturday afternoon's Boise State vs Washington game, which kicks off at 8:00 Eastern Time on ABC. I've broken down all aspects of this matchup and came up with an early best bet to hopefully help build your bankroll.
Good luck and enjoy the action! This should be a sensational battle at SoFi Stadium. Let's get into it!
Online sportsbooks opened this line at Washington -8.5 once the bowl matchups were announced last Sunday. Surprisingly, the current number is bouncing between Washington -8 and -9.5, depending on which sportsbook you check. It's hard to say where the sharp money is going because of the vast disparity of odds in the market as of Tuesday afternoon.
As for the game total, there's been no major moves to report on so far. The line opened at 51.5, and almost every sportsbook in the US is still dealing that same number. With the strength of these two elite offenses, I wouldn't be surprised if some Over money showed up in the market before kickoff.
After a few head-scratching losses, Boise State found its rhythm late in the season by winning three straight. Maddux Madsen worked his way back from injury to lead the Broncos to a 9-4 record. The 5'10" junior threw for 2283 yards and 18 TDs, which is pretty impressive when you consider that he missed a month's worth of action.
Boise State had some nice offensive outings, but overall, they ranked just 47th in yards per rush and 64th in yards per pass. The Broncos offense is a lot more dangerous when RB Dylan Riley gets rolling. The 5'10" sophomore led the team in rushing yardage (1091) and rushing TDs (10).
The Broncos' defense really struggled against the run (116th in yards per rush allowed) this season, and it was kind of shocking to watch. That being said, this secondary is elite, and they have the ability to neutralize Washington's receiving corps.
The Huskies' balanced offense was a key reason for their success this season. UW ranked 11th in completion percentage, mainly thanks to an efficient young QB and a group of reliable receivers. Denzel Boston led the team with 755 receiving yards and 10 TDs, but rumor has it he may opt out to focus on the NFL Draft.
If Boston doesn't play, Washington will ask Dezmen Roebuck to play a more prominent role on the offense. The sensational freshman hauled in 41 receptions for 554 yards and 6 TDs this season. Tight End Decker DeGraaf is also a receiving threat over the middle for the Huskies.
I've been more than a bit impressed with UW's defense this season. The Huskies have three defensive backs (Tacario Davis, Alex McLaughlin, and Makell Esteen) with 2 INTs each. However, this units struggles to get pressure on opposing QBs, so Madsen could burn them deep on occasion.
Boise State won yet another Mountain West title by whipping UNLV for the 2nd time. Maddux Madsen is a beast, but this is a HUGE step up in class for the Broncos, and it ain't gonna be on their smurf turf either. We saw Boise get throttled when they played teams like USF and Notre Dame earlier this season.
Meanwhile, UW quietly ran one of the most efficient offenses in the nation. The Huskies rank 22nd in yards per play, and Desmond Williams Jr proved to be a nightmare for opposing defenses. The 5'11" sophomore threw for 2850 yards and was responsible for 27 total TDs this season.
I know a lot of folks are worried that RB Jonah Coleman will opt out for UW, but even if he does, Adam Mohammed should have a field day running behind this excellent O-line. He actually forced more missed tackles than Coleman this year.
I also don't think Boise will be able to score very much on this UW defense. The Huskies have been stout all year long, as they rank 19th vs the run and 20th vs the pass. Let's lay the number with Washington to kick off bowl season. Best of luck, my friends.