College Football Bowl Trends 2012

College football bowl season presents unique handicapping challenges with teams from different conferences and different motivations clashing on neutral site fields after weeks of inactivity.

But despite all this uncertainty, betting on bowls is extremely popular and extremely profitable as it seems that savvy college football fans can identify major point spread edges.

We look at a few bowl trends on every 2012-2013 bowl game and provide a link to the preview and matchup report of each contest.

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Gildan New Mexico Bowl Odds, Sat., Dec. 15, 1:00 p.m. EST, ESPN
Nevada vs Arizona - Pac-12 vs. MWC, (Played in Albuquerque, NM)

Past 4 bowl games went OVER total

Arizona outscored 69-10 in past 2 bowl losses

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl Odds, Sat., Dec. 15, 4:30 p.m. EST, ESPN
Toledo vs Utah State - WAC vs. MAC, (Played in Boise, ID)

Toledo is 3-1 ATS past 4 bowl games

Utah State 1-5 SU in bowls since 1946

San Diego County CU Poinsettia Bowl Odds, Thu., Dec. 20, 8:00 p.m. EST, ESPN
BYU vs San Diego State - BYU vs. MWC, (Played in San Diego, CA)

Over-unders alternated past 7 seasons, UNDER is due

Mountain West Conf won past 6 bowl games

BYU won and covered 3 straight bowls

Beef O Brady's Bowl Odds, Fri., Dec. 21, 7:30 p.m. EST, ESPN
Central Florida vs Ball State - C-USA vs. Big East, (Played in St. Petersburg, FL)

(formerly St. Petersburg Bowl)

Favorites are 3-1 ATS in first 4

R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl Odds, Sat., Dec. 22, 12:00 p.m. EST, ESPN
East Carolina vs Louisiana-Lafayette - C-USA vs. Sun Belt, (Played in New Orleans, LA)

Past 7 New Orleans Bowls played OVER the total

Faves just 2-5 past 7 New Orleans Bowls

MAACO Las Vegas Bowl Odds, Sat., Dec. 22, 3:30 p.m. EST, ESPN
Washington vs Boise State - Pac-12 vs. MWC, (Played in Las Vegas, NV)

9 of past 13 Las Vegas Bowls played UNDER total

Boise State won and covered past 2 Las Vegas Bowls

Sheraton Hawaii Bowl Odds, Mon., Dec. 24, 8:00 p.m. EST, ESPN
Fresno State vs SMU - MWC vs. C-USA, (Played in Honolulu, HI)

OVER is 7-3 past 10 Hawaii Bowls

Underdogs 6-1 ATS past 7 Hawaii Bowls

Little Caesars Pizza Bowl Odds, Wed., Dec. 26, 7:30 p.m. EST, ESPN
Western Kentucky vs Central Michigan - Big Ten vs. MAC, (Played in Detroit, MI)

UNDER is 8-3 past 11 Little Caesar’s (Motor City) Bowls

Underdog 4-1 ATS past 5 games

Western Kentucky’s first ever bowl game

Military Bowl Odds, Thu., Dec. 27, 3:00 p.m. EST, ESPN
San Jose State vs Bowling Green - Army vs. ACC, (Played in Washington, DC)

All four prior bowls played OVER total

Favorites won all 4 prior meetings SU

Belk Bowl Odds, Thu., Dec. 27, 6:30 p.m. EST, ESPN
Cincinnati vs Duke - ACC vs. Big East, (Played in Charlotte, NC)

OVERs and UNDERs have alternated all 11 Belk Bowls (UNDER is due)

Cincinnati 2-7 ATS past 9 bowl games

Bridgepoint Education Holiday Bowl Odds, Thu., Dec. 27, 9:45 p.m. EST, ESPN
Baylor vs UCLA - Pac-12 vs. Big 12, (Played in San Diego, CA)

Favorites are 11-3 ATS past 14 Holiday Bowls

Past 4 Holiday Bowls played UNDER total

AdvoCare V100 Independence Bowl Odds, Fri., Dec. 28, 2:00 p.m. EST, ESPN
Ohio vs Louisiana-Monroe - ACC vs. SEC, (Played in Shreveport, LA)

Past 2 Independence Bowls played UNDER the total

Favorites are 8-1 ATS past 9 games (incl 6 in a row)

UL-Monroe never played in bowl game

Russell Athletic Bowl Odds, Fri., Dec. 28, 5:30 p.m. EST, ESPN
Rutgers vs Virginia tech - Big East vs. ACC, (Played in Orlando, FL)

(formerly Champs Sports Bowl)

UNDER is 6-1 past 7 Champs Sports Bowls

ACC schools 8-1 SU past 9 Champs Sports Bowls

Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas Odds, Fri., Dec. 28, 9:00 p.m. EST, ESPN
Minnesota vs Texas Tech - Big 12 vs. Big Ten, (Played in Houston, TX)

Favorites are 8-1-2 ATS past 11 Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas

Texas Tech 1-5 ATS past 6 bowl games

Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl Odds, Sat., Dec. 29, 11:45 a.m. EST, ESPN
Rice vs Air Force - C-USA vs. MWC, (Played in Fort Worth, TX)

Air Force 7-2 ATS past 9 bowl games

Underdogs have covered past 4 Armed Forces Bowls

New Era Pinstripe Bowl Odds, Sat., Dec. 29, 3:15 p.m. EST, ESPN
West Virginia vs Syracuse - Big 12 vs. Big East, (Played in Bronx, NY)

Big East 2-0 SU & ATS vs Big 12 in bowl history so far

Syracuse 3-1 ATS past 4 bowl games

Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl Odds, Sat., Dec. 29, 4:00 p.m. EST, ESPN2
Navy vs Arizona State - Navy vs. Pac-12, (Played in San Francisco, CA)

Sun Devils 0-4 ATS past 4 bowl games

Navy 5-2 ATS past 7 bowl games

Past 5 games played well UNDER the total

Valero Alamo Bowl Odds, Sat., Dec. 29, 6:45 p.m. EST, ESPN
Texas vs Oregon State - Pac-12 vs. Big 12, (Played in San Antonio, TX)

Favorites 4-1 ATS past 5 Alamo Bowls

Oregon State  5-1 ATS past 6 bowl games

Texas 11-1 SU past 12 bowl games

Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl Odds, Sat., Dec. 29, 10:15 p.m. EST, ESPN
TCU vs Michigan State - Big 12 vs. Big Ten, (Played in Tempe, AZ)

OVER is 11-3 past 14 Insight Bowls (Buffalo Wild Wings)

Big 12 schools 5-1 SU past 6 vs Big Ten schools

TCU 0-4-1 ATS past 5 bowl games

Music City Bowl Odds, Mon., Dec. 31, 12:00 p.m. EST, ESPN
NC State vs Vanderbilt - SEC vs. ACC, (Played in Nashville, TN)

8 of the past 11 Music City Bowls played UNDER

NC State 6-1-1 ATS past 8 bowl games

Hyundai Sun Bowl Odds, Sat., Dec. 31, 2:00 p.m. EST, CBS
USC vs Georgia Tech - ACC vs. Pac-12, (Played in El Paso, TX)

9 of past 11 Sun Bowls have played OVER the total

Georgia Tech 2-7 ATS past 9 bowl games

USC 7-1 ATS past 8 bowl games

AutoZone Liberty Bowl Odds, Sat., Dec. 31, 3:30 p.m. EST, ESPN
Iowa State vs Tulsa - C-USA vs. SEC, (Played in Memphis, TN)

Favorites just 1-7 ATS past 8 Liberty Bowls

Chick-fil-A Bowl Odds, Mon., Dec. 31, 7:30 p.m. EST, ESPN
LSU vs Clemson - ACC vs. SEC, (Played in Atlanta, GA)

LSU 5-1-1 ATS past 7 bowl games

Clemson 1-7 ATS past 8 bowl games

Heart of Dallas Bowl Odds, Tue., Jan. 1, 12:00 p.m. EST, ESPNU
Purdue vs Oklahoma State - Big 12 vs. Big Ten, (Played in Dallas, TX)

Favored team has won both prior games (formerly TicketCity Bowl)

Oklahoma State scored at least 33 pts in 9 of past 10 bowl games

Purdue 2-6 ATS past 8 bowl games

TaxSlayer.com Gator Bowl Odds, Tue., Jan. 1, 12:00 p.m. EST, ESPN2
Mississippi State vs Northwestern - Big Ten vs. SEC, (Played in Jacksonville, FL)

Northwestern 3-1 ATS past 4 bowl games

Mississippi State 5-1 ATS past 6 bowl games

Capital One Bowl Odds, Tue., Jan. 1, 1:00 p.m. EST, ESPN
Georgia vs Nebraska - SEC vs. Big Ten, (Played in Orlando, FL)

4 of past 5 Capital One Bowls played UNDER total

Outback Bowl Odds, Tue., Jan. 1, 1:00 p.m. EST, ABC
South Carolina vs Michigan - Big Ten vs. SEC, (Played in Tampa, FL)

Michigan 3-6-1 ATS past 10 bowl games

8 of past 11 Outback Bowls played OVER total

Rose Bowl Odds, Tue., Jan. 1, 5:00 p.m. EST, ESPN
Wisconsin vs Stanford - BCS/Big Ten vs. BCS/Pac-12, (Played in Pasadena, CA)

Stanford 3-0 ATS past 3 bowl games

Wisconsin 1-4 SU past 5 bowl games

Discover Orange Bowl Odds, Tue., Jan. 1, 8:30 p.m. EST, ESPN
Northern Illinois vs Florida State - BCS/ACC vs. BCS At-Large, (Played in Miami, FL)

Underdogs are 7-2 ATS past 9 Orange Bowls

UNDER is 5-1 past 6 Orange Bowls

Florida State 8-0-1 ATS past 9 bowl games

Allstate Sugar Bowl Odds, Wed., Jan. 2, 8:30 p.m. EST, ESPN
Louisville vs Florida - BCS/SEC vs. BCS At-Large, (Played in New Orleans, LA)

UNDER is 7-3 past 10 Sugar Bowls

Faves are 4-1-1 ATS past 6 Sugar Bowls

Tostitos Fiesta Bowl Odds, Thu., Jan. 3, 8:30 p.m. EST, ESPN
Oregon vs Kansas State - BCS/Big 12 vs. BCS At-Large, (Played in Glendale, AZ)

Underdogs 5-1 ATS past 6 Fiesta Bowls

Kansas State 1-6 ATS past 7 bowl games

AT&T Cotton Bowl Odds, Fri., Jan. 4, 8:00 p.m. EST, FOX
Texas A&M vs Oklahoma - Big 12 vs. SEC, (Played in Arlington, TX)

UNDER is 8-3 past 11 Cotton Bowls

Texas A&M 2-7 ATS past 9 bowl games

BBVA Compass Bowl Odds, Sat., Jan. 5, 1:00 p.m. EST, ESPN
Pittsburgh vs Mississippi - SEC vs. Big East, (Played in Birmingham, AL)

(formerly PapaJohns Bowl)

All 6 Compass Bowls played UNDER total

Big East is 5-1 SU in Compass Bowls

Ole Miss 6-1-1 ATS past 8 bowl games

GoDaddy.com Bowl Odds, Sun., Jan. 6, 9:00 p.m. EST, ESPN
Kent State vs Arkansas State - Sun Belt vs. MAC, (Played in Mobile, AL)

Favorites are 7-1-2 ATS past 8 GMAC Bowls

5 of past 7 GoDaddy.com Bowls played UNDER the total

BCS National Championship Game Odds, Mon., Jan. 7, 8:30 p.m. EST, ESPN
Notre Dame vs Alabama - BCS No. 1 vs. BCS No. 2, (Played in Miami, FL)

BCS CHAMPIONSHIP GAME – DOLPHIN STADIUM – MIAMI, FL

Favorite is 4-1 ATS past 5 BCS title games

SEC won & covered all 6 BCS title games

Alabama won and covered 4 straight bowl games

Notre Dame is 2-8 ATS past 10 bowl games