Welcome to Bowl Season, college football lovers. We won our best bet on the Washington Huskies to get the bowl festivities started off on the right foot. They easily took care of business against Boise State last Saturday in the LA Bowl.
Let's head on over to Friday, December 19, for the Myrtle Beach Bowl down in lovely South Carolina. We have a Conference USA vs MAC matchup for this one, with Kennesaw State doing battle with Western Michigan.
I've got a best bet on this game below that'll hopefully build your bankroll. Good luck and enjoy the game! Let's get into the details.
GAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL 1-800-GAMBLER, (800) 327-5050 or visit gamblinghelplinema.org (MA). Call 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY). Please Gamble Responsibly. 888-789-7777/visit ccpg.org (CT), or visit www.mdgamblinghelp.org (MD). 21+ and present in most states. (18+ DC/KY/NH/WY). Void in ONT/OR/NH. Eligibility restrictions apply. On behalf of Boot Hill Casino & Resort (KS). Pass-thru of per wager tax may apply in IL. 1 per new customer. Must register new account to receive reward Token. Must select Token BEFORE placing min. $5 bet to receive $200 in Bonus Bets if your bet wins. Min. -500 odds req. Token and Bonus Bets are single-use and non-withdrawable. Token expires 1/11/26. Bonus Bets expire in 7 days (168 hours). Stake removed from payout. Terms: sportsbook.draftkings.com/promos. Ends 1/4/26 at 11:59 PM ET. Sponsored by DK.
Online sportsbooks opened this line at Western Michigan -3 back when the bowl odds were released. Oddly enough, that's still where we sit as of Wednesday morning at a few books. However, some shops are offering Western Michigan -3.5, so do your due diligence.
As for the game total, there's been a little bit of Over money in the market so far. The line opened at 47.5, but most shops are now offering 48.5. As always, be sure to shop around for the best price before pulling the trigger on any bet.
It's been quite a season for the Owls, as they took home the Conference USA title by defeating Jacksonville State earlier this month. That's a tremendous accomplishment for a team that's only been in the FBS for two seasons. QB Amari Odom was a key to Kennesaw State's success, as he threw for 2385 yards and 18 TDs.
Odom was a big reason why the Owls ranked 18th in yards per pass this season. He loves to hook up with star wideout Gabriel Benyard as often as he can. Benyard led the team with 898 receiving yards and 9 TD receptions.
Kennesaw State's defense struggled in a few areas, but they did a fabulous job of ratcheting things up once their opponents got into the red zone. The Owls ranked 20th in red zone defense this season and a respectable 41st in sack rate. Elijah Hill led the way with 9 sacks.
Western Michigan took home the MAC title after taking down Miami Ohio back on December 6th. That win was sweet for the Broncos, especially since Miami Ohio beat them back in late October.
QB Broc Lowry isn't a prolific passer, but he leads the team in both rushing yardage and rushing touchdowns. When Lowry does drop back, he likes to look for WR Talique Williams, who racked up 478 receiving yards and 2 TDs.
The Broncos' defense is one of the best in the country. They rank 12th in sack rate, mainly thanks to Nadame Tucker's 14.5 sacks. There's a chance Tucker may opt out of this bowl game, but we don't know his status as of Wednesday morning.
11:00 AM ET on Friday, December 19
I don't play a lot of totals, so we'll be playing this one a little smaller than normal. However, I think this is a great spot to play the Under. For one, the freaking game starts at 11 AM Eastern Time. Do we really think both of these offenses are going to be fully awake for an early kickoff time after enjoying a full week of bowl festivities?
My main reason for the play, though, has to do with the Western Michigan defense. I know the MAC is nothing special, but the Broncos had the most dominant defense in that conference. They ranked a very impressive 13th in points per game allowed (18.6) and 22nd in yards per play allowed (4.8).
Another reason for the Under comes because of the weather forecast. They're expecting winds in the 15 to 25 mph range, so both teams' passing games could be affected a little bit. I went on vacation to Myrtle Beach for Thanksgiving Break, and let me tell you, that wind was whipping. This game was 21-17 written all over it. Good luck, sports betting compadres!