New Orleans Bowl Louisiana-Lafayette vs San Diego State NCAA Football Odds
The first day of the 2011 college bowl season finishes up as the San Diego State Aztecs and the Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns meet in the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl with on Saturday.
Bowl Game Title : R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl
Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin` Cajuns (8-4) at San Diego State Aztecs (8-4)
Date: Saturday, Dec. 17, 9 pm EST
Venue: Mercedes Benz Superdome in New Orleans
Betting Lines: from Bovada.lv:
Money Line: Odds
Spread: San Diego -5.5
Over/Under: 59
San Diego makes their second straight bowl appearance for the first time after finishing the regular season in fourth place in the heavily contested Mountain West division, while the Ragin’ Cajuns are making their first bowl appearance in 41 years after being the third place finisher in the Sun Belt under the guidance of first year head coach Mark Hudspeth.
After most polls ranked ULL somewhere around 114th or worse at the start of the season, the Cajuns have rode a solid passing game straight into mid December play.
Averaging 380 total yards per game, quarterback Blaine Gautier did most of the damage through the air, with 2,488 yards with 20 touchdowns and just five picks. Gautier was accurate as well, completing 192 of 304 passes for 63.2 percent, which is good, considering that most defenses where aware of the Cajuns’ pass first offense after Week 2.
But Gautier was also effective on the ground, racking up 464 yards on 109 carries with three touchdowns for second on the team. A nice compliment to running back Alonzo Harris who topped the team with 638 yards on 149 totes and eight TDs.
However, at 4.3 YPC, the rushing attack was no more than four yards and a cloud of dust, but did its job of forcing defenses to stack the box from time to time, allowing for the receiving corps do unleash its fury.
Led by Javone Lawson and his 54 receptions for 899 yards and six touchdowns, Harry Peoples with 647 yards on 53 catches with one TD, and Ladarius Green with 46 balls for 485 yards with seven trips to the end zone. The Cajuns’ air assault kept opposing secondary’s busy. [soliloquy id=”82219″]
In contrast, was the ULL defense that struggled at times to keep its opponents off the scoreboard, surrendering nearly 30 points on 393 yards per game with the D vulnerable against the pass.
That’s not good news as they face a San Diego team that is averaging 423 yards and nearly 30 PPG with a quarterback who completed 209 of 398 throws for 2,740 yards with 20 touchdowns and just eight interceptions.
Those numbers suggest that Ryan Lindley gives SDSU a solid threat in the air, allowing their running game that averaged over 194 yards, to inflict its damage behind offense weapon of choice–Ronnie Hillman.
Hillman led the MWC with 138 yards per game while rolling up 1,656 yards on 287 carries and 19 touchdowns. That’s over 5.5 yards per carry.
Unlike the Cajuns’, the San Diego State defense has played well against the pass, racking up 28 sacks and 14 interceptions. However, they have allowed just under 377 yards per game overall, most coming by way of the opposition rushing attack. But surrendering meager 24 points kept them in most games.
Matt’s Prediction : San Diego 34, Louisiana-Lafayette 23 —
While ULL ended the season with two consecutive losses, the Aztecs closed out the regular season by winning four of their last five games and appear to be playing their best football of the season.
This will be an interesting matchup with ULL trying to pass against a strong San Diego State secondary inside the controlled environment of the dome, and the Aztecs trying to advance the ball on decent Cajun’s front seven. San Diego, however, is the more balanced team, and I expect them win this one.
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One reply on “Louisiana-Lafayette vs. SDSU Preview & Free Predictions”
Amazingly enough Matt Martz writing and picks have gotten even shittier, who knew that was even possible?