It’s one of the biggest errors in the bowl game odds that John Martin has found all season, and his clients cashed in yet again with his play last night on Rice. If you missed any of his bowl picks to date, you will most regret your decision to sit out on this one as Rice covered the spread with ease. Let’s take a look at why Martin was so high on this team:
5 Unit December Bowl GAME OF THE YEAR on Rice -2.5
Rice is 6-0 SU & 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games overall. The Owls are aiming for their first 10-win season since 1949 tonight, and Western Michigan is not about to get in their way. First off, this game is played in Houston, Texas where Rice will clearly have the home-field advantage. The Rice campus is located in Houston. What more could they ask for? Also the Owls are going for their first bowl victory since 1954. Now that’s a drought that is destined to come to an end tonight. Rice has been a team of destiny all season, winning 6 straight games to end the season. The Owls are led by QB Chase Clement and WR Jarrett Dillard. Clement threw for 3,812 passing yards (Ranked 6th Nationally) and threw 41 touchdowns (Ranked 4th Nationally). Dillard snagged 79 catches for 1,224 yards and 19 touchdowns (Ranked 1st Nationally). But Dillard found a reliable tight end that makes this offense virtually unstoppable. TE James Casey set a Conference-USA single-season record with 104 catches this year, which ranked 2nd in the country. The Owls score 41.6 points/game this season, while Western Michigan is managing a respectable 29.8 points/game. The Broncos have a solid offense, but it’s nothing compared to the unit that Rice will put on the field Tuesday. Both Clement and Dillard are seniors, and they are going to want their names down on the Rice record books as the first team to win a bowl game since 1954, and the first 10-win team in school history since 1949. This team has more motivational factors to win this game than any team I have seen in December thus far, and that’s why Rice has earned the label as my December Bowl GAME OF THE YEAR. Also, Rice is 8-2 ATS (80%) in their last 10 games with a total set of 63 points or higher. The Owls thrive in a shootout, which is precisely what this will be. Cash in with Rice as the favorite.