Arizona Bowl Betting Odds: Ohio vs Wyoming

Bobcats Remain Slim Favorites

Two of the lowest-rated teams to be playing in bowl games will square off in the Arizona Bowl when Wyoming faces Ohio. The Sagarin college football rankings have Ohio at No. 75 and the Cowboys at No. 108. With neither team being exceptionally strong, it could very well turn out to be a decent game. The teams have contrasting styles, so it will be interesting to see which one can adjust better

Game Information

Ohio (9-4) vs Wyoming (7-5)

Date & Time & Streaming:
Location: Arizona Stadium (Tucson, Arizona)

WYOWyoming Cowboys Attracting Early Money

The Arizona Bowl betting odds opened Ohio -3 and the line now has Ohio as 1-point favorites. On paper, the Bobcats look to be the better of the two teams but they could have serious motivation issues here. The Bobcats lost in the MAC title game for a spot in the Boca Raton Bowl. Now, they travel to Tucson, which is a nice city, but not quite the Florida beaches. The Bobcats were 9-4 ATS this season. The Cowboys were 6-6 against the college football odds, going 4-3 ATS as an underdog and 2-3 when favored.

The Arizona Bowl betting odds on the total opened at 43.5 and the numbers has come down slightly to 43. The Cowboys went 5-7 in totals, with Ohio posting a 7-5-1 record.

The Ohio vs Wyoming odds saw the Bobcats open -160 and the line is now down to -120, which is expected with the spread dropping.

Who Will Carry the Ball for Cowboys?

When you face the Wyoming Cowboys you know you’re going to see a steady dose of the run. The Cowboys ran the ball 37 times per game and passed 22.8 times. There’s just one small problem for Wyoming here – all four running backs who had carries during the regular season are expected to miss the game. Leading rusher Titus Swen was kicked off the team and entered the transfer portal. Dawaiian McNeely and D. Q. James are both injured. Fourth-string running back and projected starter Joey Braasch was a late addition to the transfer portal. Wyoming coach Craig Bohl said the team “will be in great shape” at running back but said he won’t divulge why. The Cowboys are No. 37 in the country in rushing and need to move the ball on the ground.

The passing game isn’t pretty. Quarterback Andrew Peasley is a better runner than thrower. He threw for 1,388 yards on the season and added 330 yards on the ground. The team’s top receiver, Joshua Cobbs, entered the transfer portal. So the Cowboys could be hurting a bit offensively.

Wyoming defense is average at best, allowing 23.4 points per game to teams that averaged 23.5. Wyoming is decent against the run and pass.

The Wyoming defense is average at best, allowing 23.4 points per game to teams that averaged 23.5. Wyoming is decent against the run and pass. But the defense also has felt the effects of the transfer portal. Defensive end Oluwaseyi Omotosho and cornerback Cam Stone, the team’s interception leader, also entered the portal.

OHIOOhio Bobcats Look to Harris Again

One reason the Arizona Bowl betting odds are fairly low is that Ohio starting quarterback Kurtis Rourke is going to miss this game after being injured last month. Backup CJ Harris is a decent runner but not a great thrower. Rourke threw for 25 TDs and four interceptions. Harris has one touchdown and one interception in his two starts, while completing 50% of his passes. There’s a big drop-off between the two.

Ohio is a fairly average rushing team and the running game is helped by defenses respecting the pass. Sieh Bangura led the Bobcats with 940 yards and 12 TDs. There’s a decent drop-off to the other running backs. Without Rourke, Ohio will need some success on the ground.

The Ohio defense isn’t going to put fear into many offensive coordinators. The Bobcats allowed 28.4 points to teams that averaged 27.9 and they weren’t good against the pass or the run. Teams may have run more against Ohio but the Bobcats allowed 293.7 passing yards per game, so that’s where teams would attack.

Who Wants the Game More?

This is another one of the games that may simply come down to motivation, which is a great talent equalizer during bowl season. It’s hard to imagine Ohio being ready to give its best effort in this one, another possible reason the Arizona Bowl betting odds have dropped. Still, the Bobcats have a chance for a 10-win season, which is likely what the coaching staff is using to motivate the players.

A lot of the value on the Cowboys has disappeared after the Arizona Bowl betting odds have dropped to the current number. But the line has also moved for a reason. With serious questions regarding how Ohio is going to approach the game, the Cowboys appear to be the side to take.

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