2009 St. Petersburg Bowl Central Florida vs. Rutgers Picks & Predictions

Last Updated on December 19, 2009 12:00 pm by drew

St. Petersburg Pick

Two sets of Knights meet on the football field Saturday when Rutgers and Central Florida collide in the 2009

St. Petersburg Bowl at 8PM ET from Tropicana Field.

Bet The St. Petersburg Bowl

Central Florida is 8-4 this season and 9-2 against the point spread. The Golden Knights have won three straight games to end the year and covered in their last four.

Rutgers is also 8- on the season and is 5-7 against the spread. The Scarlet Knights have lost and failed to cover in two of their last three games.
Oddsmakers from online sports book SBGGLOBAL have made Rutgers 2.5-point favorites over
Central Florida on Saturday night. The over/under total for this game has been established at 44.5.

UCF is scoring 26.3 points per-game in an offensive heavy Conference

USA. The Golden Knights  have struggled to move the ball on the ground, totaling just 1,665 yards rushing this season, despite having a 1,000-yard rusher in Brynn Harvey.
Rutgers has a solid defense, holding opponents to 17.4 points per-game. The Scarlet Knights have three defensive touchdowns on the year.

Rutgers has a balanced offense that is scoring 27.5 points per-game. The Golden Knights have the top defense in Conference

USA, holding opponents to 20.7 points and 348.1 yards per-game. UCF has one of the best rushing defenses in the nation, giving up just 990 yards rushing in 12 games this year.

This game looks as if it will be a defensive struggle, so making this pick is not easy.
Rutgers has under-performed in high-profile games this season while UCF has been competitive with each opponent it has faced. You have to look that the trends and notice that the Golden Knights are 9-2 against the spread this year while
Rutgers is just 5-7. For that reason, we suggest a pick of
Central Florida with the points and the under.

Our St. Petersburg Bowl Free Pick for this matchup is:
CENTRAL FLORIDA +2.5 and UNDER 44.5.
College Football Bowl Season Betting Trends
UCF is 9-2 ATS (+6.8 Units) in all games this season.

UCF is 9-2 ATS (+6.8 Units) in all lined games this season.

UCF is 9-1 ATS (+7.9 Units) when playing on a Saturday this season.

Central Florida is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games

Central Florida is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games

Rutgers is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games

Rutgers is 15-4 SU in its last 19 games

Central Florida

6-0 ATS Away off SU win

9-2 ATS this season

Rutgers

6-1 Under on turf

20-7 Under vs. non-conference

Bowl Season College Football Injury Report
UCF

No significant injuries.

RUTGERS

[DE] 09/04/2009 – Gary Watts out for season ( Knee ) 

[RB] 09/10/2009 – Mason Robinson out for season ( Knee ) 

[RB] 11/16/2009 – Kordell Young out for season ( Knee ) 

[WR] 12/08/2009 – Tim Brown is downgraded to "?" Saturday vs.
Central Florida ( Ankle ) 

[DL] 12/11/2009 – Justin Francis "?" Saturday vs. Central Florida ( Leg ) 
St. Petersburg Bowl Odds
Central Florida Knights +2.5 Over 44.5 (+120)

Rutgers Scarlet Knights -2.5 Under 44.5 (-140)
Bet The St. Petersburg Bowl
Posted: 12/19/09 12:00PM ET