Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Sports Betting:

Vegas Play of the Day: Boise State vs. Baylor

Maaco Las Vegas Bowl

Associated Press

Boise State quarterback quarterback Joe Southwick looks for an open man under pressure during first half of the Maaco Bowl against Washington, Saturday, Dec. 22, 2012, in Las Vegas.

We’ve entered the third season of the annual South Point-lined Play of the Day competition, effective July 1.

Starting bankrolls have reset to $10,000, with the maximum bet being to win $1,000 and the minimum wager $300. Ray Brewer won the 2015-2016 season, after Taylor Bern prevailed in 2014-2015. Bern stepped away in the middle of the 2016-2017 season with a 16-12 record and $13,317 bankroll, with Mike Grimala taking his place.

Boise State Broncos minus-7 vs. Baylor Bears, $990 to win $900:

Two teams with national brands will face off in the Motel 6 Cactus Bowl after disappointing ends to the season for both Boise State and Baylor.

Like most of the bowls thus far, there is little intrigue to this matchup. But from a betting perspective, it’s far more interesting. I think this line is way off the mark, with Baylor getting far more credit than it deserves due to its success in past years under Art Briles.

Actually, the Bears likely wouldn’t be in a bowl at all if it weren’t for their embarrassingly easy nonconference schedule (including wins over Northwestern State, Southern Methodist University and Rice) that led to a 6-0 start. Since then, Baylor has gone 0-6 straight up and 1-5 against the spread. Baylor has only one win over a quality opponent this season, and that was against Oklahoma State in September.

The Bears are already without quarterback Seth Russell, who was lost for the season in a Nov. 12 loss to Oklahoma, and will also be missing the school’s all-time leading rusher, Shock Linwood, who will sit the game out to prepare for the NFL.

Meanwhile, Boise State has proven to always show well in bowl games. The Broncos are 7-1 in their last eight bowls, including a 55-7 shellacking of Northern Illinois in last year’s Poinsettia Bowl.

I expect sophomore quarterback Brett Rypien to torch Baylor’s 84th ranked defense that allows 434 yards and 30 points per game, and running back Jeremy McNichols should run wild on the Bears’ 96th ranked rush defense.

The Broncos cover the 7 points with ease in another impressive postseason showing.

Current Standings: Keefer (30-22-2, $11,011), Brewer (21-17-1, $10,645), Grimala (2-2, $10,000), Granger (4-7, $7,540)

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