Myrtle Beach Bowl Betting Odds: Marshall vs UConn

The Myrtle Beach Bowl between Connecticut and Marshall isn’t one many people will go out of their way to watch. That doesn’t mean it doesn’t offer some decent betting value, however, and sports bettors are more likely to watch this game than football fans. The Huskies probably don’t deserve to be here but they did what they needed to do and get a nice trip to the beach as a result. The Marshall players get a little vacation, as well.

Game Information

Thundering Herd Favored by Double Digits

The Myrtle Beach Bowl betting odds opened with Marshall favored by 10.5 points. The number has come down to Thundering Herd -10. The logic behind the line move makes sense. The Huskies allow 26.1 points and Marshall isn’t a high-scoring team. With points likely hard to come by you can see why people may be attracted to the underdog.

The total on the game has climbed slightly to 41 after the opening Myrtle Beach Bowl betting odds had the number at 40.5. Connecticut was 4-7-1 in totals this season, while the Thundering Herd was just 3-9. But this is the lowest total Marshall has played to this season. The Huskies had one game with a lower total.

The Myrtle Beach Bowl odds on the moneyline have held fairly steady and look to be settled in at Marshall -380. There may be slight movement leading up to game time but don’t look for any significant changes.

UConn Huskies

The Huskies may not be the worst team to be playing in a bowl game. But they’re awfully close. The Sagarin college football rankings have Bowling Green and New Mexico State rated lower and fittingly, those two teams are playing each other in the Quick Lane Bowl. Sagarin has Connecticut rated No. 133.

The Huskies don’t throw the ball often and Connecticut had just four players with 10 or more receptions. Aaron Turner led the team with 52 receptions but averaged just 8.9 yards per catch. UConn likes the short passing game but running the ball is the team’s preferred method of moving the football.

The Huskies run the ball 40 times a game and throw 20. The rushing attack is above average, gaining 196.2 yards per game and 4.9 yards per carry. Connecticut’s foes allowed 4.4 yards per carry on the season. The Huskies have four backs who get carries and the quarterbacks can run a little, as well.

Defensively, the Huskies allowed 26.1 points to teams that averaged 23.4 points but they did allow 100 points combined against Michigan and North Carolina State. The Huskies did allow 4.5 yards per carry to teams averaging 4.2 yards and they’ll get a tough test from a Marshall squad that also likes to keep the ball on the ground.

Marshall Thundering Herd

Marshall likes to run the ball as much as the Huskies, although they’re quite a bit better in the passing game. The Thundering Heard averaged 45.8 runs per game and 28.8 passes, so Marshall is getting off quite a few more plays per game than Connecticut. Marshall averaged more than 200 yards per game rushing and passing but just 24.2 points. That’s in part due to the kicking game being awful. A program like Marshall should be better than 8-of-15 on field goals for 30 yards or longer. That also affects the play calling when the Herd gets inside the red zone.

Marshall has a big-time player in Khalan Laborn who ran for 1,423 yards and 16 TDs of the team’s 19 rushing TDs on the season. QB Cam Fancher was second on the team with 456 yards. Fancher isn’t as good of a passer as Henry Colombi but he is a much better runner.

The Thundering Herd allowed just 2.8 yards per rush, something that has to concern the Huskies, who don’t throw very well. Marshall held teams to 4.6 yards per play during the season.

When making your Myrtle Beach Bowl predictions you have to talk about the Marshall defense. Marshall allowed just 16.2 points per game this season, holding teams to 10 fewer points than they averaged. The Thundering Herd allowed just 2.8 yards per rush, something that has to concern the Huskies, who don’t throw very well. Marshall held teams to 4.6 yards per play during the season and it’s the team’s defense that is the reason the Myrtle Beach Bowl betting odds have the Thundering Herd -10.

UConn Rushing Attack Against Marshall Run Defense

This game is going to come down to how well the Huskies can run the ball against Marshall’s run defense. If Connecticut struggles to move the ball on the ground this could wind up being one of the most lopsided college football bowl scores we see this season. Marshall’s numbers were posted against better competition than Connecticut saw this season. The Thundering Herd can wear down the Connecticut defense if the Huskies stop unit is on the field too long.

The Myrtle Beach Bowl betting odds of Huskies -10 might be a shade on the low side. Sagarin has Marshall roughly 13 points better than Connecticut and that’s probably a better reflection of the difference between the two teams than the point spread. If the Thundering Herd comes to play in this one, they should be the right side.

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