With eight ATS victories over their 12 games this season South Carolina will get some attention on the college football betting lines on January 1 as they take on the Big Ten's Michigan Wolverines in the Outback Bowl in Tampa.
For updated lines and totals on all of this year's bowl games head over to the college football betting boards at 5Dimes, , and BetOnline today.
Outback Bowl
Tuesday, January 1 @ 1:00pm ET
Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida
Team: South Carolina Gamecocks
Conference: Southeastern
Records: 10-2 SU, 8-4 ATS, 7-4 OU
Team: Michigan Wolverines
Conference: Big Ten
Records: 8-4 SU, 5-7 ATS, 6-6 OU
Opening Spread / Total (from BetOnline)
South Carolina -4 / 48 Points
Outback Bowl Betting Trends: Michigan is 3-6-1 ATS in past 10 bowl games . . . Eight of past 11 Outback Bowls played OVER the total.
Outback Bowl History
Data includes original name of bowl, current name, teams, point spread of the second listed team, SU winner and ATS winner.
| 1995 | Outback Bowl | Penn State | 43 | Auburn | 14 | 3 | PENNST | PENNST |
| 1996 | Outback Bowl | Alabama | 17 | Michigan | 14 | 1 | ALAB | ALAB |
| 1997 | Outback Bowl | Wisconsin | 6 | Georgia | 33 | -8.5 | GEORGI | GEORGI |
| 1998 | Outback Bowl | Kentucky | 14 | Penn State | 26 | -8.5 | PENNST | PENNST |
| 1999 | Outback Bowl | Georgia | 28 | Purdue | 25 | 5.5 | PURDUE | GEORGI |
| 2000 | Outback Bowl | South Carolina | 24 | Ohio State | 7 | -6.5 | S.CARO | S.CARO |
| 2001 | Outback Bowl | Ohio State | 28 | South Carolina | 31 | 0 | S.CARO | S.CARO |
| 2002 | Outback Bowl | Florida | 30 | Michigan | 38 | -1.5 | MICH | MICH |
| 2003 | Outback Bowl | Iowa | 37 | Florida | 17 | -4 | IOWA | IOWA |
| 2004 | Outback Bowl | Wisconsin | 21 | Georgia | 24 | -7 | WISCSN | GEORGI |
| 2005 | Outback Bowl | Iowa | 24 | Florida | 31 | 1 | FLA | FLA |
| 2006 | Outback Bowl | Penn State | 20 | Tennessee | 10 | -4 | PENNST | PENNST |
| 2007 | Outback Bowl | Wisconsin | 17 | Tennessee | 21 | -2.5 | TENN | TENN |
| 2008 | Outback Bowl | Iowa | 31 | South Carolina | 10 | 3.5 | IOWA | IOWA |
| 2009 | Outback Bowl | Northwestern | 35 | Auburn | 38 | -9 | NWESTN | AUBRN |
| 2010 | Outback Bowl | Penn State | 24 | Florida | 37 | -7 | FLA | FLA |
| 2011 | Outback Bowl | Michigan State | 33 | Georgia | 30 | -2.5 | MICHST | MICHST |
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Since 1993, the Michigan State Spartans are just 2-9 SU in 11 bowl appearances; the Georgia Bulldogs are 11-4 SU in 15 bowl appearances over that same time span.
For lines and totals on all of this year's bowl games head over to the college football betting board at 5Dimes today.
Outback Bowl
Monday, January 2 @ 1:00pm ET
Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida
Team: Michigan State Spartans
Conference: Big Ten
Records: 10-3 SU, 9-4 ATS, 6-6 OU
Team: Georgia Bulldogs
Conference: Southeastern
Records: 10-3 SU, 8-5 ATS, 6-7 OU
Spread / Total (from 5Dimes)
Georgia -3.5 / 50 Points
Two very good teams that fell just short in their respective conference championship games take the field in this year’s Outback Bowl in the Michigan State Spartans and Georgia Bulldogs. Michigan State is looking for its first bowl win since 2001.
After starting off the season 0-2 SU and ATS, the Georgia Bulldogs won 10 straight (8-2 ATS) before losing to LSU in the SEC Championship. The Bulldogs were the underdog in all three of their losses but were 10-0 SU and 8-2 ATS as a favorite. Michigan State finished the year with an impressive 9-4 ATS record, highlighted by outright wins over then-undefeated Michigan and then-undefeated Wisconsin in back-to-back weeks.
Sophomore Aaron Murray was one of the best quarterbacks in the SEC this season. Murray finished the year with 2,861 passing yards and 33 touchdowns with just 12 interceptions.
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Legendary Penn State coach Joe Paterno will be leading his 7-point underdog Nittany Lions into the Outback Bowl against a Florida Gators team that struggled down the stretch, but that still has the edge with college football betting faithful.
Outback Bowl
Saturday, January 1 @ 1:00pm ET
Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida
Team: Penn State Nittany Lions
Conference: Big Ten Conference
Records: 7-5 SU, 5-6 ATS, 6-5 OU
Team: Florida Gators
Conference: Southeastern Conference
Records: 7-5 SU, 4-6-1 ATS, 6-5 OU
Spread / Total (from )
Florida -7 / 48 Points
Florida averages 356.8 yards per game, 100 less than it had a season ago when Tim Tebow was the Gators' quarterback. John Brantley is the new Gators QB, and he has thrown for 2,020 yards and nine TDs this season - not Tebow-like numbers, but he can get the job done.
The Gators will need to gain yardage off the ground, and Jeff Demps is the go-to guy with 571 yards and three touchdowns. Florida needs to be persistent in its rushing attack against the Nittany Lions, who struggle against the run.
ADVERTISEMENT: As of Dec. 29, fully 86% of the OddsShark.com community was picking Penn State to cover the Outback Bowl point spread. The best line of +7.5 was at 5Dimes as well.
If Florida can execute its rushing game and keep the ball out of the hands of a good Penn State running game it should be a good wager against the Outback Bowl odds.
Penn State will have to get the ball into the hands of running backs Evan Royster and Silas Redd if they want a 25th postseason victory for the historic school.
The ground game averages 150 yards per game and over four yards per carry. When Royster rushes for more than 100 yards, the Lions are contenders with anyone.
It could all come down to special teams in this bowl game, as the kick returners of Florida are capable of big punt returns and can score from anywhere. Penn State knows it needs its kicker to get the ball into the end zone if it stands any chance of erasing the NCAAF odds they face against the Gators.
