Boise State has long been one of the powers in the Group of 5, which has meant the Broncos have regularly made trips into the bowl season. The Broncos have been one of the most consistent bets in the nation in terms of bowl games, as they are 6-2 ATS in their past eight. They will play in a bowl game for the 14th consecutive season when they take on the Baylor Bears in the Cactus Bowl.
- Boise State is 18-1 SU in its last 19 games after losing as a favorite.
- Baylor is 0-6 SU and 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games.
- The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Baylor's last 5 games against teams with winning records.
Boise State’s offense is loaded with game-changing talent. Quarterback Brett Rypien has been stellar this season, throwing for over 3300 yards with 23 touchdowns and just six interceptions. Wide receivers Thomas Sperbeck and Cedrick Wilson have both eclipsed 1000 yards and nine touchdowns. However, the offensive centerpiece has been running back Jeremy McNichols. The junior, who many said deserved Heisman buzz, was fifth in the nation in rushing yards and third in rushing touchdowns.
Defensively, the Broncos are best when they can play with the lead and force their opponents to throw the ball. Boise State’s secondary features a pair of corners in Jonathan Moxey and Tyler Horton who are hard to pass on and have a knack for batting down balls. However, Boise State has struggled to stop the run, yielding an average of 179.8 rushing yards per game.
The season began with so much promise for Baylor with a 6-0 start despite plenty of off-the-field issues plaguing the program. However, the Bears closed out the regular season with six straight losses and now find themselves looking at a losing record for the first time since 2009. When quarterback Seth Russell was lost for the season due to a gruesome ankle injury, freshman Zach Smith was given the reins and it hasn’t always been pretty. Since inheriting the starting job, Smith has completed 57 percent of his passes with nine touchdowns and six interceptions.
You’d be perfectly reasonable to question just how much Baylor cares about this game. The Bears hired Matt Rhule, a former defensive player who has always stressed defense as a coach, meaning the bulk of the staff is likely gone. Most of the team’s scholarship players and commitments have already fled. Plus, Rhule will almost certainly try to fill out the system with some recruits he scouted at Temple.
Baylor Bears vs Boise State Broncos Matchup
Team Betting Records & Power Rankings
The Boise State Broncos sport a record of 10-2 and 4-8 ATS heading into this betting matchup, while the Baylor Bears sit at 6-6 and 3-9 ATS on the season. The over under totals records are 5-7 for the Broncos and 4-8 for the Bears. Stay Informed: follow us on Twitter for odds specials, betting line moves and Boise State vs Baylor injuries news.
It's a betting matchup between the No. 16-rated Boise State Broncos and the No. 67-ranked Baylor Bears, according to the NCAA College Football Power Rankings here at Odds Shark.
Statistical Matchup
The game also pits Boise State's No. 28-ranked offense, averaging 35.58 PPG, against a Baylor defense that ranks No. 81 this week at 30.42 PPG. The Boise State aerial game is averaging 297.75 yards per game, more than the Baylor Bears secondary allows through the air, 223.92 YPG per game.
Defensively, the Baylor Bears feature the league's No. 94-rated road run defense, allowing 225.33 yards per game. Boise State, meanwhile, ranks No. 51 in rushing offense at home.
- Baylor is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games
- Baylor is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games
- The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Baylor's last 12 games
- Boise State is 1-6 ATS in its last 7 games
- Boise State is 12-2 SU in its last 14 games
