The MAC champion Bowling Green Falcons will face the Pittsburgh Panthers in the 2013 Little Caesar’s Pizza Bowl. It is the first meeting of the two teams since 2008, when Bowling Green defeated Pitt 27-17.
This is the sixth consecutive bowl appearance for the Panthers and the third in six years for the Falcons.
For updated lines and totals on all of this year's bowl games head over to the college football betting boards at Sportsbook and Sportsbook today.
Little Caesar’s Pizza Bowl
Thursday, December 26 @ 6:00pm ET
Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan
Team: Bowling Green Falcons
Conference: Mid-American
Records: 7-5 SU, 6-6 ATS, 4-8 OU
Team: Pittsburgh Panthers
Conference: Atlantic Coast
Records: 9-3 SU, 6-6 ATS, 8-4 OU
Sportsbook Spread / Total (from Sportsbook)
Bowling Green -5.5 / 50 Points
[Little Caesar’s Pizza Bowl Matchup Stats | Bowling Green vs. Pittsburgh Betting Preview]
Little Caesar’s Pizza Bowl Betting Trends: Underdogs are 5-1 ATS in the past six Little Caesar’s Pizza Bowl games, while nine of the past 12 have finished UNDER the total . . . The UNDER is 6-1 in the last seven bowl games in which the Panthers have appeared.
The Bowling Green Falcons hope to cap a successful 10-3 SU season with a win over the Pittsburgh Panthers in the Little Caesar’s Pizza Bowl. Pitt has been invited to a bowl game for the sixth straight year, despite stumbling to an ordinary 6-6 SU record and disappointing 4-7-1 record ATS. The Falcons are riding high on a five-game winning streak SU and ATS, giving up only two TDs in their final four regular season games en route to a 47-27 upset victory over Northern Illinois in the Mid-American Conference Championship Game. Bowling Green dominates the Panthers in every statistical category. The Falcons have given up less than 15 points per game, compared to 27.17 for Pittsburgh. The UNDER has been king for both clubs this season, with the Falcons going 5-7 OU, while Pitt has posted a 4-9 OU record.
Little Sportsbook Pizza Bowl History (teams, score, spread, ATS Sportsbook, SU Sportsbook)
1997 | Motor City Bowl | Mississippi | 34 | Marshall | 31 | 1 | MISS | MISS |
1998 | Motor City Bowl | Marshall | 48 | Louisville | 29 | -3.5 | MARSHL | MARSHL |
1999 | Motor City Bowl | BYU | 3 | Marshall | 21 | -2 | MARSHL | MARSHL |
2000 | Motor City Bowl | Cincinnati | 14 | Marshall | 25 | 3.5 | MARSHL | MARSHL |
2001 | Motor City Bowl | Cincinnati | 16 | Toledo | 23 | -5 | TOLEDO | TOLEDO |
2002 | Motor City Bowl | Boston College | 51 | Toledo | 25 | 4 | BOST.C | BOST.C |
2003 | Motor City Bowl | Northwestern | 24 | Bowling Green | 28 | -7.5 | NWESTN | BGREEN |
2004 | Motor City Bowl | Connecticut | 39 | Toledo | 10 | -3 | CONN | CONN |
2005 | Motor City Bowl | Akron | 31 | Memphis | 38 | -4 | MEMPHS | MEMPHS |
2006 | Motor City Bowl | Middle Tennessee | 14 | Central Michigan | 31 | -9 | CMICH | CMICH |
2007 | Motor City Bowl | Central Michigan | 48 | Purdue | 51 | -8 | CMICH | PURDUE |
2008 | Motor City Bowl | Florida Atlantic | 24 | Central Michigan | 21 | -7 | FLAATL | FLAATL |
2009 | Little Sportsbook Pizza Bowl | Ohio | 17 | Marshall | 21 | 3 | MARSHL | MARSHL |
2010 | Little Sportsbook Pizza Bowl | Florida International | 34 | Toledo | 32 | 2.5 | TOLEDO | FLAINT |
2011 | Little Sportsbook Pizza Bowl | Western Michigan | 32 | Purdue | 37 | -1.5 | PURDUE | PURDUE |
2012 | Little Sportsbook Pizza Bowl | Central Michigan | 24 | Western Kentucky | 21 | -7 | CMICH | CMICH |
2013 | Little Sportsbook Pizza Bowl | Bowling Green | 27 | Pittsburgh | 30 | 6.5 | PIT | PIT |
---ARCHIVED ARTICLES---------------------------------------------------------
Western Kentucky and Central Michigan were both barely over .500 on the season, but the Hilltoppers have at least made some money for their supporters on the college football betting odds heading into the Little Sportsbook Bowl on December 26.
For updated lines and totals on all of this year's bowl games head over to the college football betting boards at Sportsbook, Sportsbook, and Sportsbook today.
Little Sportsbook Bowl
Wednesday, December 26 @ 7:30pm ET
Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan
Team: Western Kentucky Hilltoppers
Conference: Sun Belt
Records: 7-5 SU, 8-4 ATS, 7-4 OU
Team: Central Michigan Chippewas
Conference: Mid-American
Records: 6-6 SU, 5-7 ATS, 7-3-1 OU
Sportsbook Spread / Total (from Sportsbook)
Western Kentucky -7 / 58.5 Points
[Little Sportsbook Bowl Matchup Stats]
Little Caesar's Bowl Betting Trends: UNDER is 8-3 in past 11 Little Caesar’s (Motor City) Bowls . . . Underdog is 4-1 ATS in past five games . . . Western Kentucky’s first ever bowl game.
-------------------------------
The Western Michigan Broncos will be looking for their first bowl win in school history in the Little Sportsbook Bowl as they are currently 0-4 SU in four all-time bowl appearances.
For lines and totals on all of this year's bowl games head over to the college football betting board at Sportsbook today.
Little Sportsbook Bowl
Tuesday, December 27 @ 4:30pm ET
Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan
Team: Western Michigan Broncos
Conference: Mid-American
Records: 7-5 SU, 8-4 ATS, 7-5 OU
Team: Purdue Boilermakers
Conference: Big Ten
Records: 6-6 SU, 5-6-1 ATS, 6-3-3 OU
Spread / Total (from Sportsbook)
Purdue -2.5 / 60 Points
[Little Sportsbook Bowl Matchup Stats]
Thanks to a surprising upset win over Ohio State late in the season, the Purdue Boilermakers earned bowl eligibility at 6-6 and will take on the Western Michigan Broncos. Western Michigan is making just its fifth bowl appearance all-time, and is 0-4 SU in the previous four.
Western Michigan’s high-powered offense led the Broncos to a solid 7-5 SU and 8-4 ATS campaign. The Broncos finished eighth in the nation in passing with 328.8 passing yards per game and 18th in the nation in scoring with 35.6 points per game. Purdue didn’t have a great year statistically, but managed to earn bowl eligibility without beating a single team over .500. Illinois and Ohio State both finished 6-6; Purdue’s other four wins came against teams with three or less wins.
Western Michigan’s Jordan White finished the regular season with more catches and receiving yards than any other wide receiver in the country. White had 127 catches for 1,646 yards and 16 touchdowns.
-------------------------------
The Toledo Rockets are heading to the postseason for the first time in five years and they'll face the Florida International Panthers, who will be small 1.5-point underdogs in their first ever appearance in a bowl game.
Little Sportsbook Bowl
Sunday, December 26 @ 8:30pm ET
Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan
Team: Toledo Rockets
Conference: Mid-American Conference
Records: 8-4 SU, 7-5 ATS, 7-5 OU
Team: Florida International Golden Panthers
Conference: Sun Belt Conference
Records: 6-6 SU, 6-6 ATS, 5-7 OU
Spread / Total (from Sportsbook)
Toledo -1.5 / 56 Points
[Little Sportsbook Bowl Matchup Stats]
Toledo came back under second-year coach Tim Beckman to finish second in the West Division of the Mid-American Conference, after the team racked up 16 losses in the past three seasons. Three of the team’s losses during the year also came against teams playing in bowl games.
The Rockets finished the college football betting season with a 5-1 SU record, and covered the spread in three of their last four games. The small 1.5-point spread on the Little Sportsbook Bowl odds should draw attention from college football betting loyalists.
Terrance Owens has fit in nicely since the injury to starting QB Austin Dantin in October, throwing 12 touchdowns and just two interceptions. Turnovers can cost any team and it comes down to the big game; Toledo was atop the nation with 33 forced turnovers. If the Golden Panthers can hang on to the ball, they have a chance.
A share of the Sun Belt Conference propelled Florida International into the postseason for the first time in the school's history in FBS play. The Golden Panthers and Toledo split their last two head-to-head, with the Rockets taking a 41-31 victory last season.
En route to a six-win season the Golden Panthers averaged 38 points a game in winning four of their final five contests. The offense will depend on junior running back Darriet Perry, who rushed for 707 yards and 14 scores, while sophomore Darrian Mallary (669 yards rushing and two touchdowns) completes the running game.
With an output of 73 points in their last encounter, and the NCAAF odds set for 56 on the totals line for this bowl game, it could make for a smart wager for OVER bettors.