If we’d known at the start of the season that the 2017 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl would feature the Wyoming Cowboys and the Central Michigan Chippewas, we would have pegged the former as college football wagering favourites to win. Then again, our newly-developed clairvoyant skills would have allowed us to see that the Cowboys’ season didn’t quite go as expected. Meanwhile, the Chippewas will enter the game with the proverbial waves of momentum. Thus, we have ourselves a level playing field. So in our best Billy Zane voice: it’s a pick’em! A pick’em…
The 2017 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl
- Date: Friday, 22nd December
- Time: 4:05 PM
- Venue: Albertsons Stadium, Boise, ID
Sportsbook online odds from the best site to bet on college football:
Central Michigan PK (-110) 44½ (-110) -110
Wyoming PK (-110) 44½ (-110) -110
Central Michigan is winning and covering and going over and be-boppin’ and scattin’ like there’s no tomorrow
The Chippewas have been intractable in the final stretch of the season. Quarterback Shane Morris has thrown 14 touchdowns and just two picks, and CMU has averaged 41.2 points per game in their last five games. Meanwhile, running back Jonathan Ward has rushed for 625 yards and seven scores in the same period. On defense, the secondary, comprising senior safeties Josh Cox and Darwyn Kelly, senior corner Amari Coleman, and sophomore Sean Bunting, is tied for second nationally among FBS teams with 19 interceptions this season. Other standouts include punt returner Jarrod Davis, who returned a first-quarter kickoff 98 yards for the first touchdown of his career in the Chippewas’ 42-23 victory at Kent State, and defensive lineman Joe Ostman.
The Chippewas battle the Cowboys next Friday, December 22nd in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl. We caught up with Coach Bonamego to see how preparation for that game is going! #FireUpChips pic.twitter.com/E5xaq72m0U
— CMU Football (@CMU_Football) December 14, 2017
Central Michigan is 5-0 SU and ATS in their last five games, in which the total has gone over in each contest. The Chippewas are 4-0 ATS in their last four games after an outright win, and 4-0 ATS in their last four games after covering the college football wagering spread. Conversely, they are 1-5 ATS in their last six non-conference games.
Under, under, under. Would the fall never come to an end?
The Cowboys’ offense has averaged only 20.7 points per game in the last six games. And one was a 42-3 blowout of New Mexico. And the last two, both losses, started backup Nick Smith. Smith completed 53.6% of his passes with two touchdowns and two picks in those two games. Smith is ready, willing and able to start a third game if need be. However, incumbent Josh Allen hopes to play in the the 2017 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, provided he’s shoulder has healed. “We’re still getting better day by day,” he said. Hey, he uses the royal ‘we,’ just like we do!
The Cowboys’ non-scoring non-offense is largely responsible for their last six games going under the total. Additionally, Wyoming is 7-2 ATS in their last nine games overall, 6-2 ATS in their last eight after a straight-up loss, 1-4 ATS in their last five playing MAC teams, and 1-5 against the college football wagering spread in their last six Friday games.