Pac-12 faculty soccer bowl season finest bets

Geoff Schwartz

FOX Sports activities Betting Analyst

Welcome to the 2022 Bowl season! 

Over the following 4 weeks, we’ll be handled to 43 bowl video games, and all of it ends on January 9 with the Faculty Soccer Playoff nationwide championship. 

Bowl season is an unpredictable time for every workforce due to switch gamers, athletes who’ve opted out of enjoying and roster/teaching modifications. All of this undoubtedly impacts every squad’s motivation and preparation. So please bear in mind that this motion occurs each day, typically proper up till kickoff! Hold that in thoughts as you place your wagers. 

Now, with out additional ado, listed here are my finest bets for the 2022 faculty soccer bowl season (odds by way of FOX Wager).

Las Vegas Bowl
Florida vs. No. 14 Oregon State (2:30 p.m. ET Saturday, Dec. 17, ESPN)

The Las Vegas Bowl has historically been a spot the place a Pac-12 workforce has struggled. This sport used to function an underachieving Pac-12 squad, prefer it did in 2006. That yr, my Oregon Geese performed towards one of the best workforce within the Mountain West convention, a workforce that was uber motivated to beat a Pac-12 program. Nonetheless, with the Vegas Bowl affiliation altering after the pandemic, the benefit on this sport favors the Pac-12 college.

Oregon State is 9-3, and the Beavers are enjoying for his or her first 10-win season since 2006. There’s no higher alternative for them to make that occur than towards an SEC workforce. Simply take a look at their roster for the bowl sport. To date, nobody has opted to sit down, so you’ll be able to inform they need to win. Sure, Oregon State is coping with accidents at working again and cornerback, however in any other case, they’re a wholesome group.

Oregon State received 9 video games with its speeding assault and cross protection, and each are underrated nationally. The Beavers rank twelfth in speeding success price whereas the Gators protection is 98th in stopping the run. The Gators are even worse in short-yardage speeding protection. That Beavers offense ought to have its manner.

The Florida Gators 2022 marketing campaign, the primary beneath new coach Billy Napier, was up and down. That they had high quality wins towards Utah and South Carolina, however additionally they had brutal losses just like the one towards Vanderbilt. Moreover, the Gators will probably be lacking about 30 gamers for this sport due to opt-outs and transfers. In brief, Florida is a workforce waiting for the 2023 season.

Florida QB Anthony Richardson just isn’t enjoying on this sport, and he was the Gators third-leading rusher. As a substitute, Gators are beginning Jack Miller III, who’s making his first begin towards an imposing Beavers protection. Oregon State’s protection held USC and the Washington Huskies — two of one of the best offenses within the country- to 17 factors every. Florida’s solely likelihood to maneuver the ball on this sport will probably be on the bottom, the place the Beavers could be had. 

I’m going to take Oregon State to cowl this sport, even with the big variety of 10.5. It is prudent to both purchase the half level right down to 10 or wait till kickoff to see if this quantity drops off the ten.5. Both manner, the Beavers are extra motivated, more healthy and posses schematic benefits. Additionally, they stunk of their bowl sport final season, so I anticipate the alternative efficiency this time.

PICK: Oregon State (-10.5 at FOX Wager) to win by greater than 10.5 factors

Faculty Soccer Bowl Season: What is the future seem like for bowl video games

Joel Klatt breaks down what the way forward for faculty bowl season will seem like transferring ahead with the faculty soccer playoff growth on the horizon.

LA Bowl
Fresno State vs. Washington State (3:30 p.m. ET Saturday, Dec. 17, ABC)

The Pac-12 has had a robust season, and this ought to be one sport the place that exhibits.

The convention already has three groups with 10 wins, and one other three groups are hoping to get their tenth wins in bowl season. The Cougars weren’t a type of 10-win squads, however they did play a schedule stuffed with them. Wazzu performed 5 convention groups ranked within the high 22 of SP+, however they misplaced all of these video games.

Nonetheless, the Cougars are a workforce constructed with protection, and I hope that protection performs effectively towards Fresno State’s high-powered passing assault. Though they have been pressured to make use of a number of quarterbacks, the Bulldogs have been 18th in passing success price. Now they lastly have a wholesome starter in Jake Haener. 

The Bulldogs additionally achieved this success with out a high quality offensive line. That is the place the Cougars have an enormous benefit. Their defensive position ranks twenty second in havoc price. So they are going to carry it Saturday, even with out their finest defender on the roster in Daiyan Henley, who opted out. 

On the flip aspect, the Fresno Bulldogs’ protection doesn’t match up effectively towards the Cougars. Granted, Washington State’s offense was hit and miss this season behind Cam Ward, however Fresno State has not performed an offense ranked higher than 92nd in convention play! Ward is an excellent athlete, and he more and more used his legs to create performs because the season progressed. This will probably be a sport the place Cam ought to have monster numbers utilizing that technique. By default, the Cougars ought to have the ability to transfer the ball. 

I’ll take the Cougars to cowl, and I additionally consider they win outright. 

PICK: Washington State (+3 at FOX Wager) to lose by fewer than 3 factors (or win outright)

Geoff Schwartz performed eight seasons within the NFL for 5 completely different groups. He began at proper deal with for the College of Oregon for 3 seasons and was a second-team All-Pac-12 choice his senior yr. He’s an NFL analyst for FOX Sports activities. Observe him on Twitter @GeoffSchwartz.

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