Let the Bowl season begin
by Vincent Caraturo – Wannamakeabet Staff Writer
You have to love this time of year in college football. An array of bowl games everyday except Christmas from today till January 8th when the Championship game is played. Todays matchups don’t exactly wet your whistle but there is one game today I will play… the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers and the Georgia State Panthers.
This is not the greatest of games but Western Kentucky matches up really well with the Panthers. Georgia State had a solid year going 6-5 while the Hilltoppers went 6-6. Georgia State though was minus 6 yards being outgained on average and WKY was plus 26. The Hilltoppers can throw the ball all over the field as they are not much of a running team only averaging 2.1 a carry. They pass for 334 a game as there QB Mike White had a tremendous year throwing 24 TD’s and only 7 picks. The trouble is they are one dimensional and they give up an average of 4.5 on the ground. Georgia State averages 3.2 on the ground, not great numbers but they will have to try and run the ball to keep White off the field and control the clock. Georgia State averages throwing the ball for 270 a game but WKY gives up on average only 201 and a 57.5% completion rate. Georgia State’s pass defense gives up 242 a game in the air and that does not bode well against this type pass attack.
I believe Western Kentucky will score often and Georgia State’s offense will have to keep pace. I don’t believe that will happen. When you are a minus yardage team for the year and you are playing a team that has an aerial attack like this it’s a recipe for disaster. I am putting 500 units on Western Kentucky to cover the 7 points today and win the game. I say a 45-24 Western Kentucky win should start the bowl season right.