Outkick Bets: The First Bowl Game

THE BAHAMAS BOWL, TOLEDO (-10) VS. MIDDLE TENNESSEE STATE

Friday marks the beginning of the bowl season and it is day two of twenty consecutive days of football. We get an early start in Nassau for the 7th edition of the Bahamas Bowl. Middle Tennessee State and Toledo are both returning for their second try in paradise. Both teams are also searching for their first win in the bowl.

Toledo is the best defensive team in the MAC. As much as that might not seem like a thing, the Rockets are 27th nationally in scoring defense and the second-best defensive squad in the MAC is Central Michigan which ranks 67th in the nation. I love this defense in this spot. I normally hate double-digit spreads in bowls but this looks like a real mismatch. Toledo has won three straight and four-of-five by double-digits. Middle has only covered once in four games as a double-digit underdog.

Middle Tennessee rolls in with the 100th ranked offense in terms of yardage and just 54th in points scored with 29.8 per game. Middle had to win two of its last three to get here so it’s a much welcome trip for the Blue Raiders to ready for next year. It’s also an interesting note in this bowl’s history which has always featured a Conference USA vs. MAC team: in the games that have been won by double-digits (2015, 2017 & 2019) it’s been the MAC doing the damage. All this point to me to another MAC solid win to start our merry season. Toledo -10.