We kick off the College Bowl season with our first match-up, the Hometown Lenders Bahamas Bowl between the Miami (OH) Redhawks and UAB Blazers. Both teams come into the match at a matching 6-6 mark.
Both teams qualified for the College Bowl season as they won their final games and became bowl eligible. As he has been all season, UAB's DeWayne McBride will be their critical player. The Blazers have leaned on McBride all season long as the back led College Football in rushing.
The betting odds and predictions are below:
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Miami (OH) Redhawks vs. UAB Blazers Details
Fixture: Miami (OH) Redhawks @ UAB Blazers
Date and Time: Friday, December 16, 11:30 am ET
Venue: Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium, Nassau, The Bahamas
Miami (OH) Redhawks vs. UAB Blazers Best Pick
The UAB Blazers should be able to win up front in the trenches. We know that Blazers want to establish the ground game and take pressure off their Quarterback Dylan Hopkins. Miami (OH) won't back down from the challenge, but they're not a formidable unit on defense.
Expect UAB to play this game as they did during the regular season. The ground-and-pound approach leads to few passing attempts. Take the Under on this one.
Dylan Hopkins, QB, UAB Blazers, 162.5 Passing Yards: Under
Miami (OH) Redhawks vs. UAB Blazers Final Prediction
Our first College Bowl game could be a fascinating match-up between two teams who came away with clutch victories in the final week of the season to make it here. The one constant coming into the game will be the rushing attack for the Blazers.
We keep harking back to it ad nauseam, but if UAB dominate the line of scrimmage and control the tempo, it will be a long afternoon for the Miami (OH) Redhawks. The Redhawks must open up the offense if they can stay with the Blazers.
WR Mac Hippenhammer is a dynamic playmaker on the outside for the Redhawks, and he will have to make some big plays in the passing game to keep the UAB defense honest. UAB are too strong in the trenches on both sides of the ball. The Blazers' physicality is too much for Miami (OH). I will take the Redhawks to cover. 10.5 points is too many to give in this one.
Miami (OH) Redhawks +10.5 (-110)
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