Boca Raton Bowl Total Pick
Two 10-win teams will collide in the 2019 Boca Raton Bowl this Saturday at 3:30PM ET. Will the points pile up quickly for SMU and Florida Atlantic?
Game Snapshot & Odds
Cheribundi Boca Raton Bowl
211 SMU vs. 212 Florida Atlantic
Saturday, December 21, 2019
3:30PM ET – FAU Football Stadium
TV: ABC
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Public Betting Trends
According to the latest oddsmakers, SMU is the slight favorite int his game, even though its essentially a road game. The Mustangs are getting odds of -3 points at FAU. The over/under total is listed at 70 points. The public betting currently has 79 percent going on SMU as the road favorite. This information is subject to change, however, so be sure to check out our NCAAF Public Betting Page for updated figures on the game.
Mustangs putting up the points
SMU alternated wins and losses over its last five games of the season, but is coming off a 37-20 win over Tulane in its season finale. The Mustangs are 10-2 on the season, 7-5 against the spread and 9-3 with the over.
SMU had one of the best offenses in the nation this season, as the Mustangs averaged 43 points and 495.3 yards per game. Defensively, SMU gave up some points, allowing 31.8 points and 438.7 yards per contest. Shane Buechele led the SMU offense with 3,626 passing yards and 33 touchdowns. James Proche was his top receiver with 102 catches for 1,139 yards and 14 touchdowns. Xavier Jones leads the ground attack with 1,249 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns.
FAU loses coach
Florida Atlantic won its last six games, including a 49-6 win over UAB in the Conference USA title game on Dec. 7. However, the success eventually led to head coach Lane Kiffin leaving for Ole Miss. Defensive coordinator Glenn Spencer will be the head coach in this game. FAU is 10-3 on the season, 9-4 against the spread and 6-6-1 with the over/under total.
Like SMU, the Owls had a pretty solid offense this year as well. FAU averaged 35.2 points and 443 yards per game this season. Defensively, FAU gave up just 22.3 points and 370.3 yards per game. Quarterback Chris Robison has thrown for 3,396 yards and 26 touchdowns this year to lead the offense. Tight end Harrison Bryant was his top receiver with 65 catches for 1,004 yards and seven scores. On the ground, Malcolm Davidson led the way with 711 yards and nine touchdowns. Akileis Leroy is leading the defense with 101 tackles, 7.5 sacks and three interceptions.
College Football Betting Trends
SMU
The Mustangs have hit the under in five straight bowl games, but have hit the over in six straight non-conference games.
Florida Atlantic
The Owls are 5-1-1 with the over in their last seven games as an underdog, but the under in eight of their last 11 games on grass.
Prediction:
There is a lot of offensive potential for this game, but the total is also being set pretty high. FAU comes into this game having scored at least 34 points in six straight and I think they will be motivated to put on a show with Kiffin leaving. Kiffin is getting a lot of credit for their success, so the players should have a chip on their shoulder. They will need points to win, as SMU is going to find ways to score. FAU may have a good defense, but SMU’s offense hasn’t been stopped by many. They have scored at least 34 in nine of their last 10 games. I think this is going to be the shootout we hope it will be.
Boca Raton Bowl Prediction: SMU/Florida Atlantic Over 70