Spooky Express

COLLEGE FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME OHIO ST vs. OREGON Monday, Jan. 12, 8:30 p.m.ET ESPN It’s time for the college football national title game. This game is slated for Monday night at the AT+T Stadium, the home of the Dallas Cowboys. The two teams in this game are the champions of the Pac-12, against the winners of the Big-10. The Oregon Ducks will take on the Ohio State Buckeyes. Oregon comes into the game fresh off their blow-out win over the Florida State Seminoles last week. The Ducks won the Pac-12 title game over Arizona, who was their lone loss on the season. For Ohio State, they lost an early season game to Virginia Tech, and then went on to blow-out Wisconsin in the Big Ten title game. Oregon Hit With Suspension The Oregon Ducks found out one of their top receivers; Darren Carrington will miss the title game due to a failed drug test. Carrington was second on the team with 37 receptions and 4 touchdowns. Oregon’s bread and butter was their quarterback Marcus Mariota. The Heisman winner threw for 4,100+ yards and 40 touchdowns. The Oregon offense was second in the country with just over 47 points per game. The Ducks rushed for 241 yards per game, and passed for more than 310. The Ducks top running threat was Royce Freeman, who finished with 1,300+ yards and 18 touchdowns. Oregon scored 30 or more in every game this season, except for their loss to Arizona. Ohio State Poised to Win it All The Ohio State Buckeyes are down to their third straight quarterback. Cardale Jones is the third stringer, who has won both the Big Ten title game and a win over Alabama. Jones has completed 40 of 69 passes for 618 yards and 6 touchdowns. The top threat for the Ohio State offense has been running back Ezekial Elliott with 14 touchdowns from the run. Ohio State’s defense has been pretty solid this season; ranking 26th in the country, allowing 22.1 points per game. The Buckeyes have scored 42 points in three of their last four games, with their other being 59 in the Big Ten title game. Ohio State scored 31 or more points in all of their wins; and just 24 in their lone loss. PICK This should be a really fun football game. These two teams are both fun to watch, and should put on quite a show. When push comes to shove, the offense of Oregon is just too much for the Buckeyes. The total listed for this game is at 75, and we are not sure it will get that high. The Buckeyes will want to keep the score in the 30’s or under. We like Oregon to score early and get off to a good start. The Ducks come into the game as a touchdown favorite over Ohio State. We feel like Oregon is going to come away with the win in this game along with the fact that we played Oregon in some futures back in November posted at the forum, but the Buckeyes will find a way to keep it close, and possibly cover. Our final bet is truly up in the air. I think you have to take the points and make sure you grab a touchdown with Ohio State. But lets come back on game day and see if a Totals opportunity presents itself that may be a better bet. Oregon to win the National Championship in a close game. OHIO STATE BUCKEYES +7 Check back closer to game day for any changes to the spread and/or prediction here and at Spooky Express

GODADDY BOWL TOLEDO vs ARKANSAS STATE Sunday, Jan 4, 9:00 p.m. ET ESPN Update I think this one comes down to a field goal one way or the other. So what’s that mean? It means I’m rolling with the Red Wolves and getting four points in the matchup. It’s a pretty evenly matched game, and Arkansas State could definitely pull the upset when all is said and done. Play it safe though, and take the points. Ending a profitable but disappointing bowl season with Arkansas State to close it out in style in a low scoring game considering the total is so high. ARKANSAS STATE RED WOLVES +4 ARKANSAS STATE / TOLEDO UNDER 71 POINTS

BIRMINGHAM BOWL EAST CAROLINA vs FLORIDA Saturday, Jan. 3, 12:00 p.m. ET ESPN2 Update This is going to be a close game, and it’ll come down to the home stretch. I think that ECU gets the job done though, and I’ll happily take them getting this many points. Don’t be surprised to see the Pirates grab the win here, but in a worst-case scenario, I’m rolling with the Pirates with all of those points against a Gators’ team who is dealing with plenty of their own problems. Very tough game and really just a strong opinion but do also like the Over in a high scoring game. EAST CAROLINA +8 EAST CAROLINA / FLORIDA OVER 52 POINTS

After a slow start to bowl season it has picked up in a dramatic way. So once again we have had another winning bowl season. The totals have been atrocious but again they are only opinions and really dont make or break what we do. What has made this a fantastic bowl season has been the moneyline underdogs. We have hit so many and that possibly could turn this into one of the best ever if you possibly parlayed any of them. We posted them weeks ago with little understanding how they would create a snowball rolling downhill in a good way. Clemson, Boise State, Wisconsin, Michigan State, Ohio State all coming thru recently just maximizes the few games that are left. Here is the records for this year posted at BangtheBook and our website. SPOOKY 2014/2015 BOWL RECORD 20 WINS 16 LOSSES UNITS 63 UNITS WON 37 UNITS LOST SIDES 18 WINS 11 LOSSES UNITS (Each unit valued at 3x compared to total) 58 UNITS WON 26 UNITS LOST TOTALS 2 WINS 6 LOSSES UNITS 5 UNIT WON 12 UNITS LOST

TICKET CITY CACTUS BOWL WASHINGTON vs OKLAHOMA STATE Friday, Jan. 2, 10:15 p.m. ET ESPN Update Washington is the bet here, and I think they win this game by right around two touchdowns. Chris Petersen leads his team to a bowl game win in his first year with the Huskies, and does it in impressive fashion. Take the Huskies because I simply don’t believe that the Cowboys’ defense will be able to slow down the Huskies, nor will they be able to put up enough points to get the win either. One of the few games the points went against us from the time we played this early on. One of my stronger plays of the week, lets close off a tremendous week with another Pac 12 winners. WASHINGTON HUSKIES -5

VALERO ALAMO BOWL KANSAS STATE vs UCLA Friday, Jan. 2, 6:45 p.m. ET ESPN Update Kansas State is going to take this one, and I’ll happily take them as a money line underdog in this spot. It’s not going to be an easy game, but K-State is the more well-rounded and better team. I think their offense will get the job done and Lockett will prove to be a matchup disaster for the Bruins when all is said and done. Let’s roll with the Wildcats. No idea why the line is going in our favor and no idea why UCLA is now favored. We took KSU at pickem early and now have put them in our final leg of our round robin moneyline parlay. At this point if things work in our favor today we could have a 7 or 8 team moneyline parlay cashing 56 times in our round robin. So needless to say it could be like the lottery. It may even come down to playing UCLA and hedging some, but lets roll with the Wildcats since not everyone played the dogs as I posted weeks ago in a parlay. KANSAS STATE WILDCATS +3

Also making a smaller play on: IOWA HAWKEYES / TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS UNDER 53 POINTS

TAXSLAYER BOWL IOWA vs TENNESSEE Friday, Jan 2., 3:20 p.m. ET ESPN Update I love the Hawkeyes as another money line underdog here. I think they win this game outright and take it down by a touchdown or so. They’re a very talented team, and will be motivated heading into this one. Simply put, they are better than the Volunteers, and I believe that it shows. Take Iowa straight, or if you’re worried about the money line bet, then take them +3.5. The run game could be key for Iowa, and I just don’t think that the Volunteers are going to be able to get enough going offensive in order to knock off the Hawkeyes. Not sure how and why the line kept moving in the other direction but that happened with Clemson and Wisconsin to name a couple. So lets do it again, another moneyline dog and if you are like me and played any small round robins with these moneyline dogs this game is worth a ton. Roll Hawkeyes in a low scoring game. IOWA HAWKEYES +5

LOCKHEED MARTIN ARMED FORCES BOWL HOUSTON vs PITTSBURGH Friday, Jan. 2, 12:00 p.m. ET ESPN Update The Cougars take advantage with their strong defense and win this game by a field goal or more. I’d recommend taking the Cougars getting three points, but also will take them as a money line underdog as well. It’s a great spot here to get some good odds, and getting a field goal with Houston is just a nice added bonus. Not sure how it can get any better than New Years Day but here is another moneyline underdog and we are rolling with the Cougars. HOUSTON COUGARS +5

ALLSTATE SUGAR BOWL #1 ALABAMA vs #4 OHIO STATE Thursday, Jan. 1, 8:30 p.m. ET ESPN Update Ohio State keeps this game close. They are well-coached, are loaded with talent, and simply aren’t getting enough love in this game. I think that Ohio State shows up big, and actually slows down the Alabama offense. While the Bama defense will be a tough test for the Buckeyes, they’ll utilize that talented run game and control the clock. I think Alabama could win this game, but it won’t be by 10+ points. What even surprised me is how strong this selection was and how much the system leaned on the Big Ten. And it wasnt wrong. The line has been coming down but we took this weeks ago at plus 10 and honestly Im adding to it now. Not sure if the moneyline dog will come into play but why not start the new year off with a bang. Down goes the SEC. OHIO STATE BUCKEYES +10

ROSE BOWL #2 OREGON vs #3 FLORIDA STATE Thursday, Jan. 1, 5:00 p.m. ET ESPN Update Let’s start by saying that you can’t say enough about a team finishing back-to-back seasons undefeated. This doesn’t mean that they are the best team on the field, though. I think Oregon wins this game without a question, and while I don’t love laying the big number, I’d prefer to tease it down or buy points to get this to a touchdown or an even number. Take the odds and make the bet, but I expect to see the Ducks get the job done and move to the first ever CFB Playoff Championship Game. Come back closer to gametime since we may have an opinion on the total. Personally this has been the quietest bowl season for me with totals. Usually they either are great or horrible. They are only opinions and tonight I kind of like the Over as well but very small opinion. Back to the game, such a good game and tough game to call. Sticking with Oregon if only because I am a Pac 12 fan (FIGHT ON) and we have some futures on Oregon to win the National Championship. Thats enough of a reason. OREGON DUCKS -7

BUFFALO WILD WINGS CITRUS BOWL MISSOURI vs MINNESOTA Thursday, Jan. 1, 1:00 p.m. ET ABC Update What a brutal game to call. These two sides seem to be pretty evenly matched, and while I wouldn’t be surprised to see either team walk away with the win, I think it’s going to really come down to the wire. Since I think this one ends up being a close game, I’m going to take the Golden Gophers to cover the spread in a game that could end up coming down to a late field goal from Missouri, or possibly a late field goal from Minnesota. Great game to watch, let’s roll with the Gophers! And once again lets see how the Big Ten does in these bowl games so definitely check back closer to game time for a final decision. The only time I really had an issue is when one team is picked to win and another to cover the points with the bowl system. Had some ups and downs but the strongest plays have worked out this bowl season. Back to this game, I am going with what I believe is the team that will win the game. Head likes it a lot, numbers not so much. So going to buy down a little. MISSOURI TIGERS -3

GOODYEAR COTTON BOWL MICHIGAN STATE vs BAYLOR Thursday, Jan. 1, 12:30 p.m. ET ESPN Update Let’s not overlook the Spartans here, because this is an incredibly talented team. In fact, the Bears are getting the love here because of their strong year, which is rightfully earned, but I think the Spartans get the job done and win this game by close to a touchdown. Without crunching numbers I would think that this is all about Baylor but the numbers say otherwise. And who am I too argue. This is another great spot for a money line underdog, but I’ll take Michigan State and the points. I do want to see how the Big Ten is doing leading up to this game but its a go. As mentioned with the other posts the numbers aligned and showed the Big Ten is solid and the SEC is not all that. So rolling with Michigan State and really like this game. I going big on this and interested to see how it plays out. MICHIGAN STATE SPARTANS +3

OUTBACK BOWL AUBURN vs WISCONSIN Thursday, Jan. 1, 12:00 p.m. ET ESPN2 Update I actually believe that the wrong side is favored here. The Badgers are undervalued here after that brutal loss to the Buckeyes, and I think they win this game by more than a touchdown and shock both the SEC and the Auburn Tigers. It’s a major upset, but taking the Badgers on the money line can pay off nicely, but either way, stick with the Badgers and the points in a worst case. As stated on other reviews I do want to see how the Big Ten does in some of these bowl games but this looks like one of those games where everyone zigs and Spooky zags. As it turned out the way it looked is the way it played out. SEC no big deal, Big Ten for real. Rolling with Wisconsin especially since they are giving us so many points. Even worth a shot on the moneyline. WISCONSIN BADGERS +8

CAPITAL ONE ORANGE BOWL #7 MISSISSIPPI STATE vs #12 GEORGIA TECH Wednesday, Dec. 31, 8:00 p.m. ET ESPN Update The Bulldogs are seven-point favorites, but they’ll get the job done. I’m projecting them to win by double-digits, so I wouldn’t lay more than around a touchdown. Mississippi State’s body of work, paired with their incredible defense could make all the difference in the end. Prescott is going to lead the way and make a statement to the country while doing so. Like this game and think we should take advantage of the number coming all the way down. You can get Missisissippi State -3 at GTBets when signing up with Spooky promo code. Cant pass that up. MISSISSIPPI STATE BULLDOGS -3 (buy pt at GTBets and Spooky)

VIZIO FIESTA BOWL BOISE STATE vs ARIZONA Wednesday, Dec. 31, 4:00 p.m. ET ESPN Update The Wildcats come in as four point favorites, but I think the underdog is the bet here. Not only that, but I think that the Broncos get the job done in impressive fashion. This is another game that has me thinking. I like the Pac 12 and I could see Arizona blowing out Boise State but on the other hand the numbers show Boise State as a big play. So lets roll with the numbers and I’d recommend taking this team as the underdog, but also taking them straight up on the money line and giving yourself a shot at getting a nice return on your bet. BOISE STATE BRONCOS +4

CHICK-FIL-A PEACH BOWL OLE MISS vs TCU Wednesday, Dec. 31, 12:30 p.m. ET ESPN Update TCU comes into this game as a small favorite, and they’re going to get the job done. I wouldn’t worry too much about the spread and would recommend just taking them on the money line. With that said, if you want to lay the three points, I see them winning by more than three, but it could be a close one. Look for the Horned Frogs to silence any critics and make a statement with this bowl game, with Boykin leading the charge and having one heck of a finish to 2014. Not the strongest play in the sense of numbers but I'm really a fan of TCU and not as much with Ole Miss. I played this early and often on the moneyline and adding the total since I think it will go over the number rather easily. gl TCU HORNED FROGS PK (moneyline) TCU HORNED FROGS / MISSISSIPPI OVER 54 POINTS

FOSTER FARMS BOWL MARYLAND vs STANFORD Tuesday, Dec. 30, 10:00 p.m.ET ESPN Update The Cardinal comes in as two touchdown favorites, but I just don’t think it’s enough. Stanford is just a far better team, and I have a ton of faith in them, especially coming off of that win against UCLA. This is one of the best bets of the bowl season, and I think they win by multiple touchdowns (more than two obviously). Expect this game to turn into a blowout for Stanford. Absolutely love this game and only reason its not as strong as Arkansas is the fear of some kind of back door laying all these points. Lets roll with the Cardinal big time. STANFORD CARDINAL -13

[TABLE=class: cms_table_forum] [TR=class: cms_table_even] [TD=class: cms_table_forumpost-post] FRANKLIN AMERICAN MORTGAGE MUSIC CITY BOWL NOTRE DAME vs LSU Tuesday, Dec. 30, 3:00 p.m. ET ESPN Update The Tigers come in with questions, but not nearly as many as the Irish have. Not only has the quarterback position been an issue for Notre Dame, but they are dealing with plenty of injuries as well. Simply put, the Tigers’ defense is going to cause major issues for Notre Dame, and I think they’ll do more than enough to win this game by double digits. It’s going to be a fun one to watch, but take the Tigers laying the touchdown in a rather high scoring game by the Tigers. Posted this a while back and nothing has changed. Got LSU way back when and rolling with the Over as listed last week. GL LSU TIGERS -6 LSU TIGERS / NOTRE DAME OVER 51 POINTS [/TD] [/TR] [TR=class: cms_table_even] [TD=class: cms_table_quoterow-left] [/TD] [TD=class: cms_table_quoterow] [/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE]

ADVOCARE TEXAS BOWL ARKANSAS vs TEXAS Monday, Dec. 29, 9:00 p.m. ET ESPN Update The Razorbacks are less than a touchdown favorite, and I think they win this game by two touchdowns without much of a problem. While we talked about the Longhorns’ defense, we can’t overlook the fact that the Razorbacks average 32 points per game and give up just 20.3 points per game. This is a talented SEC team who really caught a few bad breaks, and lost every single one of their games by seven or fewer points, with the lone exception being their opening game. Arkansas gets it done and does it in impressive fashion. One of my favorite plays this entire bowl season. I am all in on this game so lets root them on to make up for some tough beats this bowl season. Arkansas Razorbacks -5

RUSSELL ATHLETIC BOWL OKLAHOMA vs CLEMSON Monday, Dec. 29, 5:30 p.m. ET ESPN Update This game is actually sitting right around a pick currently, but has moved both towards the Tigers and away from the Tigers. Regardless, I think Clemson gets the job done. They’ll win this one by a touchdown, and as long as that line stays with Clemson as an underdog, their defense is going to be too much for Oklahoma. I’m rolling with the Stoudt, the improved offense and a ridiculous defensive unit headed up by former Sooner, Brent Venables. I am not sure what I am missing in this game. I have this as a Clemson victory and the line keeps moving the other way. Great for us but still not sold on Clemson. Again with all the tough breaks this bowl season I will be waiting for some stronger plays to pull the trigger. CLEMSON TIGERS +7

AUTOZONE LIBERTY BOWL TEXAS A&M vs WEST VIRGINIA Monday, Dec. 29, 2:00 p.m. ET ESPN Update It’s your call here, if you want to take West Virginia on the money line to play it safe, then do it to it, but I don’t think it will end up mattering. West Virginia is the better team and I think they win this game by double digits when all is said and done. They have a very strong pass game, and a run game that compliments it well. This team will also be able to slow down the Aggies’ offense, making them a strong bet. Obviously there is a change in quarterback but the numbers are the numbers. Had some really tough losses this bowl season so going easy and taking the moneyline as recommended earlier. WEST VIRGINIA MOUNTAINEERS PK (moneyline)

GODADDY BOWL TOLEDO vs ARKANSAS STATE Sunday, Jan 4, 9:00 p.m. ET ESPN In our final bowl game before the CFB Playoff Championship, we get a matchup on Sunday, January 4th at 9:00pm EST between the Toledo Rockets and the Arkansas State Red Wolves in the GoDaddy Bowl. The Rockets come into this game with an 8-4 record, while going 7-1 in MAC play, while the Red Wolves went 7-5 this year with a 5-3 Sun Belt record. This has the potential to be a great matchup, and should be a close one down to the finish. Toledo comes in as a small favorite of four points currently, and that line should definitely be on the move as we get closer to game day. Tolendo Got Hot Near End of Year The Rockets had a slow start to the season, going 1-2 early and losing to two tough teams in Missouri and Cincinnati. They won five of their next six games though, and finished off the year by winning two in a row as well. The Rockets have had some strong wins, but were just short of finishing with a 10-win session, losing by seven to Iowa State and three to Northern Illinois. This team has a strong offense, as they average 239.8 yards passing per game and 247.3 yards per game rushing, which is 18th best in the nation. They also score the ball very well, averaging 34.4 points per game. Sophomore Kareem Hunt could be the man to watch, as he has rushed for 1,360 yards and 11 touchdowns this season. Arkansas State Offense Can Score As for the Red Wolves, their offense is definitely worth talking about as well. They run the ball incredibly well, averaging 229 yards per game, and score an average of 36.1 points per game, which is 22nd in the nation. It’s just a combination of a great two-headed monster in the running game in running back Michael Gordon, who has rushed for 1,064 yards and 13 touchdowns, while quarterback Fredi Knighten has rushed for 775 yards and 11 touchdowns. Knighten has also had a strong year through the air, putting up 2,874 yards and 19 touchdowns. Expect the offensive rushing attack to be all-in during the 2014 GoDaddy Bowl. PICK I think this one comes down to a field goal one way or the other. So what’s that mean? It means I’m rolling with the Red Wolves and getting four points in the matchup. It’s a pretty evenly matched game, and Arkansas State could definitely pull the upset when all is said and done. Play it safe though, and take the points. Arkansas State Red Wolves Check back closer to game day for any changes to the spread and/or prediction here and at The Spooky Express.

BIRMINGHAM BOWL EAST CAROLINA vs FLORIDA Saturday, Jan. 3, 12:00 p.m. ET ESPN2 Enter the lone game on Saturday, January 3rd, which features two interesting teams in the East Carolina Pirates against the Florida Gators. The Pirates had a very strong year, going 8-4 with a 5-3 conference record, and they lost some heartbreakers, including a last-second hail mary loss to the Central Florida Knights. For the Gators, they’ve decided to fire Will Muschamp, as the team ended the year with a 6-5 record and a 4-4 SEC record. This game will kickoff at 12:00pm EST, and will be aired on ESPN. East Carolina Dynamic Duo Leads the Way The Pirates are led by their one-two punch of Shane Carden at quarterback and Justin Hardy at wide out. These two are major game changers, and should be in for a big day here. They average 37.2 points per game, and are 3rd nationally in passing yards per game at 367.3. Carden has been the man to watch, while throwing for 4,309 yards and 28 touchdowns. Hardy on the other hand has caught an impressive 110 passes for 1,334 yards and nine touchdowns on the season. Expect the Pirates to throw it early and often, and do everything they can to try to hit the Gators right in the mouth. Florida Up / Down All Year As for Florida, it’s been an up and down year. They started out 2-0, but dropped three of the next four, and then went 3-2 down the home stretch. Their final loss of the season was the toughest of them all, losing to the Florida State Seminoles in a tough one, 24-19. It’s just been one of those years for the Gators, and while they’ve rushed for 189.5 yards per game, they haven’t really blown us away offensively. The real reason why they were able to grab those key wins was thanks to a strong defense, which ave up only 21.2 points per game, which was 24th nationally. It’s going to be a new-look Gators team in 2015, but for now we’re all wondering what to expect in this bowl game. PICK This is going to be a close game, and it’ll come down to the home stretch. I think that ECU gets the job done though, and I’ll happily take them getting this many points. Don’t be surprised to see the Pirates grab the win here, but in a worst-case scenario, I’m rolling with the Pirates with all of those points against a Gators’ team who is dealing with plenty of their own problems. East Carolina Pirate Check back closer to game day for any changes to the spread and/or prediction here and at The Spooky Express.

TICKET CITY CACTUS BOWL WASHINGTON vs OKLAHOMA STATE Friday, Jan. 2, 10:15 p.m. ET ESPN Chris Petersen is known for having some major success in bowl games, and he’s hoping it can continue with the Washington Huskies in the 2014 TicketCity Cactus Bowl. The 8-5 Huskies will be up against the Oklahoma State Cowboys, who finished the year at 6-6 overall with a 4-5 Big 12 record. While the Huskies finished up at 4-5 in the Pac-12, they suffer dome tough losses against very talented teams. This game should be a great one to watch, and has a current spread that favors Washington by less than a touchdown at this point. This game will kickoff at 10:15pm EST on Friday, January 2nd, and will be the final game before Saturday’s action. Washington Went Through Some Tough Losses As previously mentioned, the Huskies had some very tough losses this year, dropping games to Stanford, Oregon, Arizona State, UCLA and Arizona, all teams who are bowl-bound and were ranked at the time that the Huskies faced them. The Huskies have been a strong rushing team, averaging 195.3 yards per game, and they’ve shown the ability to knock off the teams who they are flat out better than this year. They lost some tough ones, but also won the games they needed to in order to earn bowl eligibility. Oklahoma State Struggles on Defense Now for those Cowboys, who started the year out with a close 37-31 loss to one of the top teams in the country in Florida State. Confidence was high as the team started the year out 5-1, reeling off five straight after that game, but then things took a major swing downwards. The Cowboys lost five games in a row before beating a tough Oklahoma team in their final game to become bowl eligible. They haven’t been great defensively, which has been their major downfall, as they allow 32 points per game, while scoring only 27.4 per game. Look for them to either figure out their offense, or struggle in this matchup against the Huskies. PICK Washington is the bet here, and I think they win this game by right around two touchdowns. Chris Petersen leads his team to a bowl game win in his first year with the Huskies, and does it in impressive fashion. Take the Huskies because I simply don’t believe that the Cowboys’ defense will be able to slow down the Huskies, nor will they be able to put up enough points to get the win either. Washington Huskies Check back closer to game day for any changes to the spread and/or prediction here and at The Spooky Express.