Cal NCAA Football

Cal Failing to Cover The Spread

In an intriguing matchup of offensive styles, Cal and Air Force will clash in the Armed Forces Bowl on December 29. Cal has imploded during the second half of the year with the Golden Bears going 2-5 SU and ATS to close out their regular season.

Shark Bites
  • The UNDER is 7-2 in Cal’s past nine games.
  • Air Force is 6-2 SU in their last eight games following a loss.
  • Air Force’s 42 rushing touchdowns are fourth in the nation.

Cal has one of the best quarterbacks in the country in Jared Goff. The junior, who is likely off to the NFL next season, has thrown for 4,252 yards and 37 touchdowns this season. But it will be interesting to see how Cal plays in this game with reports surfacing that coach Sonny Dykes wants out of his contract.

Air Force has not received a ton of publicity this season, but this is a team that is coming off an appearance in the Mountain West Championship game and brought Michigan State to the brink earlier in the season. The option offense has the Falcons ranked third in rushing yards per game with Jacobi Owens leading the way.

Sportsbook Odds & Computer Pick

Odds makers at Sportsbook had the Air Force Falcons as 6.5-point underdogs in the matchup, while the betting total had not been set at press time (check Sportsbook for the latest on the over under).

Handicapping prediction models run by the computers at Odds Shark pick a 43-29 result in favor of the Falcons. View the computer score prediction and who will win the pick on the moneyline for all upcoming NCAAF matchups here.

California Golden Bears vs Air Force Falcons Matchup

Team Betting Records & Power Rankings

Air Force will face the 7-5 California Golden Bears, who own a 5-7 ATS mark on the season. In totals betting, the Air Force Falcons are 9-4 so far this season while the Golden Bears are 4-8. Stay Informed: follow us on Twitter for odds specials, betting line moves and Air Force vs California injuries news.

The Air Force Falcons sit at No. 44 in the current College Football Power Rankings here at Odds Shark, while the California Golden Bears are at No. 59 on that chart.

Statistical Matchup

The game also pits Air Force's No. 39-ranked offense, averaging 33.62 PPG, against a California defense that ranks No. 89 this week at 30.25 PPG. The Air Force aerial game is averaging 130.62 yards per game, less than the California Golden Bears secondary allows through the air, 251.83 YPG per game.

In comparing defenses, the California Golden Bears own the league's No. 118-rated front 7 in terms of stopping the run, allowing 261.5 yards per game when on the road. Air Force, on the other hand, rates No. 2 this week in generating rushing yards at home.

Recent Outings Betting Recap

Jared Goff's 542-yard performance through the air was enough last time out, as California earned a 48-46 win over Arizona State on Saturday at California Memorial Stadium.

Jacobi Owens tore up the turf for 156 rushing yards in the latest Falcons game, a 27-24 loss to the Aztecs at Falcon Stadium.

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