South Florida Will Dominate Old Dominion

Old Dominion vs. South Florida, 5:00 ET

I am genuinely curious: Do you prefer Bowl Games between teams that are evenly matched, but ultimately the game itself doesn’t really matter? Or, do you prefer the games that are between big schools and mid-tier programs that might matter? I’m mostly thinking of the fact that James Madison plays Oregon, and Tulane takes on Ole Miss. Is that really a better game than Old Dominion vs. South Florida? I’m not entirely sure, but regardless, I’m betting on this one. 

Old Dominion put together a strong campaign this season, and aside from two losses to College Football Playoff teams, they looked good in almost every game. They were 9-3 overall, with the biggest question mark on their schedule coming against Marshall. They were on the road, which has proven time and time again to be an issue for College Teams (and professional teams, if we are being honest). They dropped that game against Marshall 48-24. Marshall was not a good team, and they just dominated Old Dominion in that game. Perhaps they were looking ahead as the next game was against James Madison, who creamed the Monarchs with a final of 63-27. Those two losses were sandwiched by nice winning streaks. The other loss that Old Dominion suffered was in their season opener on the road against Indiana, which many consider the best team in the country. They held their own in that game, losing 27-14. Outside of those three games, there really aren’t any overly impressive wins to speak of. They beat Troy at home, and Appalachian State, and also took down Virginia Tech on the road, but none of those teams are ranked; they are just solid programs.

Sep 13, 2025; Blacksburg, Virginia, USA;  Old Dominion Monarchs running back Devin Roche (3) runs for a touchdown during the fourth quarter at Lane Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Bishop-Imagn Images

South Florida also ended the season at 9-3, but they had a tougher schedule than Old Dominion. Their first three games of the season were against ranked opponents. In the season opener, they dropped Boise State 34-7, in an easy victory. The following week, they eclipsed a… weird Florida team. I really don’t know how else to describe the Gators this season. They beat them 18-16 in that one that took place on the road. Week 3 saw them face Miami and the Hurricanes killed them 49-12. After that, it was fairly smooth sailing against decent teams – they demolished a North Texas team that was putting up numbers on virtually everyone. They lost on the road to Memphis and at Navy for their other two losses of the season. They certainly started the season on a high note, but couldn’t quite finish it out. 

South Florida is likely the better team of the two, but are there any major lineup changes here? There doesn’t seem to be any major opt-out, but before you place a bet, make sure you verify lineups. For me, this one seems like sharps feel like South Florida is going to miss a key player or two. I think they will be fine. I’ll take South Florida to cover the -3. 

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