2018 NCAA College Football Bowl Week 1 Picks

NCAA College Football Bowl Week 1 Picks - Late Games

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Bowl Week 1 Early Games

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NCAA Bowl Week 1 Late Games

All times Eastern

R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl
9:00 pm Middle Tennessee (8-5) vs. Appalachian State (10-2) (-7, 50) - With a 3-0 mark in heir last three bowl appearances, the Mountaineers of Appalachian State have a tradition of winning which will be on display when they meed the Blue Raiders in New Orleans. This is another game that could become a mismatch, as Appalachian State has a scoring differential that is 17.2 points per game higher than that of Middle Tennessee.

The only games the Mountaineers lost this season were a 45-38 loss at Penn State on opening weekend and a late October, 34-14 defeat at Georgia Southern. They've won five straight, including a season-ending, 30-19 win over Louisiana-Lafayette and may be in another class than the Blue Raiders.

Coin Flip: Appalachian State

PREDICTION: Mountaineers 34 Blue Raiders 21

Tuesday, December 18

Cheribundi Boca Raton Bowl
7:00 pm UAB (10-3) (-2 1/2, 43) vs. Northern Illinois (8-5) - For a Tuesday night, this is a pretty good game. Champions of Conference USA, the UAB Blazers went 7-1 in conference play, losing their final game of the regular season to Middle Tennessee, 27-3, but came back to win the championship game a week later, 27-25.

The Blazers feature a balanced attack that can get a little pass-happy at times, and a stout defense. During a mid-season stretch of six straight wins, the Blazers allowed just 38 points, including two shutouts.

A perennial powerhouse in the Mid-American, the Huskies were just 8-5, but three of those losses were out of conference, to Iowa, Florida State and Utah. The won the conference title with a 30-29 win over the University of Buffalo and were 6-2 in conference play. Their rush attack is formidable, but they are susceptible to errors on both offense and defense. No matter their weaknesses, they will contend well against the Blazers in what should be a close, energetic contest.

Coin Flip: UAB

PREDICTION: Blazers 24 Huskies 18

Wednesday, December 19

CXL Frisco Bowl
8:00 pm San Diego State (7-5) vs. Ohio (8-4) (-3, 54) - The Ohio Bobcats were the 10th-highest scoring team in the nation, averaging a stunning 41.2 points per game. They are a complete offense, capable of running or passing, though usually it's a combination via the run-pass option attack. Of their four losses, all of them were by four points or fewer, except a week two, 45-31, defeat at Virginia. Their 6-2 record in the Mid-Americas conference wasn't good enough to reach the championship game, though they banged up one of the contestants, Buffalo, 52-17, in the penultimate game of the regular season. They are an offensive fore with which to reckon.

San Diego State stumbled through the latter stages of the season, losing four of five after a 6-1 start. Most of their losses were close calls, other than a 23-14 defeat to eventual Mountain West champion, Fresno State. The Aztecs won't run anybody out of the stadium offensively, but their defense ranked #29, allowing 21.8 points per game. The issue for San Diego State is an inconsistent offense, which, if the Bobcats get going early, could spell disaster. Depending on whether the Aztecs are well-prepared on offense, this game could be tight or a blowout for Ohio. The Bobcats deserve a solid edge here.

Coin Flip: San Diego State

PREDICTION: Bobcats 27 Aztecs 21

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