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NCAA Football

UCF vs. Baylor Fiesta Bowl Betting Predictions & Preview

Central Florida vs Baylor NCAA Football Handicapping

The 15th-ranked Central Florida Knights will battle the sixth-ranked Baylor Bears in the Fiesta Bowl on New Year’s Day.

2014 Fiesta Bowl
15 Central Florida Knights (11-1) vs. 6 Baylor Bears (11-1)
Date: Wednesday, January 1, 2014
Time: 8:30 PM ET
Venue: University of Phoenix Stadium
City: Glendale, Arizona
O/U Odds: 69.5
Spread: Baylor -16.5
Money Line: North Texas -245, UNLV +205
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Central Florida quietly put up a strong season in winning the AAC in its first year of existence, while Baylor capped off a strong regular season by winning the Big 12 title.

The Bears surely had their sights set a little higher than the Fiesta Bowl entering this season, and certainly through nine games, though don’t expect motivation to be a factor for them as making a BCS bowl is still one of the high moments in the history of the program.

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As for the Knights, making a BCS bowl game is the highest point in the history of the program, period, as the school has endured some difficult times dating back to their time as an FCS school, and taking the long journey to where they are today.
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The Knights made plenty of noise this season, showing up in a big way to their two biggest games of the year, putting a scare in South Carolina before falling by just a field goal, then dashing Louisville’s hopes for a BCS bid with a come from behind victory.

As for Baylor, their biggest game of the year was arguably the final one in which they defeated Texas to claim the Big 12 title, although they’ll surely be looking back to a date with Oklahoma State in Stillwater in which they simply didn’t show up as where their year went wrong.

Interestingly enough, with as good as Baylor’s offense has been this season, it’s the Knights who will bring the top pro prospect into this game, as quarterback Blake Bortles has skyrocketed into the top 5 in many mock drafts in recent weeks. Bortles’s strong play has been supplemented by running back Storm Johnson, who accounted for 14 total touchdowns this season.

Meanwhile, Baylor may be without one of its top weapons on offense in big play threat Tevin Reese as he nurses a wrist injury, although they will have running back Lache Seastrunk back in action. He returned to play in their final two games before the break, running for 172 yards against TCU and Texas.

Central Florida is getting no respect this bowl season after backing into the BCS. Baylor has made a habit of beating up on lesser teams, but the Knights enter as one of the most underrated teams in the country and should be able to at least keep pace. Both sides should be able to get their points in this one.

The Knights are 5-1 ATS in their last six games versus opponents with a winning record, and 5-0 ATS in their last five non-conference games.

The over is 8-1 in Baylor’s last nine non-conference games.

The play: Central Florida +16.5, Over 69.5

By Gino Bottero

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