Team Over Bowl Football

NCAA Football Betting Lines

Shreveport, LA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - James Franklin ran for two touchdowns and threw for another, leading Missouri to a 41-24 win over North Carolina in Monday's Independence Bowl. Franklin finished with 142 yards on the ground and 132 through the air for the Tigers (8-5), who used 31 straight first-half points to grab a decisive advantage. They recorded four straight wins to close the season, their last in the Big 12 before a move to the SEC.

 

North Carolina scored on its opening drive, capitalizing on Sean Tapley's kickoff return to midfield with Renner's 22-yard touchdown pass to Dwight Jones.

 

T.J. Moe brought the ensuing kick out to his own 42, then tossed a touchdown pass to Wes Kemp six plays later. The 40-yard strike came on a halfback pass and initiated the game-deciding run.

 

Giovani Bernard's fumble at the UNC 40 was converted into Franklin's eight- yard TD strike to Jerell Jackson and an interception by Zaviar Gooden resulted in Kendial Lawrence's nine-yard scoring run.

 

The teams traded touchdowns in the third quarter, as Renner hit Boyd for a 44- yard score and Franklin crossed the goal line from two yards out the ensuing drive.

 

Game Notes

 

This game marks Louisville's 16th postseason appearance. The Cardinals are 7-7-1 in bowl games all-time.

 

Much like the Cardinals, Tom O'Brien's Wolfpack needed a strong second half of the season to reach the postseason. NC State had just four wins heading into November, but won three of its last four games to close out the year, including a marquee win over Clemson (37-13). The team finished in the middle of the pack in the ACC at 4-4.

 

The Cardinals are a young team, especially on the offensive side of the football and it showed at times this season in terms of consistency. Louisville finished the regular season averaging a modest 21.8 ppg on just 328.2 yards of total offense.

Wwgoto NCAA Football Betting Blog

<< LA Russa Of Move Run

<< ST. Louis On Shot Side

<< Toronto Points Salvage Wrap From Predators

<< Games Helps Concussion On Crosby

<< Games Leads Win Against Square

Limiting Opponents In State Home >>

Tour From Yani Chevron >>

Cup Adds Feet Into Woods >>

Game Leads Bryant Against Closing >>

Warriors Helps Sixers On Utah >>

Big 12 Conference betting odds

Work left to do: Texas Tech, Oklahoma State, Kansas State

Texas joins Texas A&M and Kansas as locks after getting league win No. 11. Texas Tech greatly helped its own hopes and crippled OK State's with the two-point win Saturday. Is K-State the last reasonable hopeful? Could be an elimination match in Stillwater on Tuesday, at least for the Cowboys.

Work left to do:

Texas Tech [18-11 (7-7), RPI: 44, SOS: 12] A critical two-point win over OK State leaves the Red Raiders with Baylor and at Iowa State left. Get both and the Red Raiders likely are good to go. Get one and there could be some interesting comparisons with a K-State team that could finish two or three games "ahead" of them in the standings but doesn't have any of the quality wins Texas Tech has. Not a lot in nonconference play (against Arkansas in Little Rock being the best win, by far) to lean on.

Oklahoma State [18-9 (5-8), RPI: 50, SOS: 35] Still without a road win, the Cowboys now need to win two on the road just to get to .500 in conference play. It's hard to recall a team (OK, other than Clemson) falling so precipitously from lock status to almost certainly out of the NCAAs at this point. There are wins to be had in the last three, including a very big home game against K-State on Tuesday, but this team is reeling. Can you tell the pressure to win is getting to them with the way the final possession played out at Texas Tech? There are some good nonconference performances to lean on, specifically beating Missouri State and Syracuse on neutral floors and Pitt in OK City, but if the Pokes don't right this very, very soon, that won't be enough.

Kansas State [20-9 (9-5), RPI: 56, SOS: 96] It pays to be in the Big 12 North. The nine league wins are Colorado (twice), Missouri (twice), Iowa State (twice), Baylor, Nebraska and (a good one against) Texas. That helps explain the middling computer profile. The win over USC is nice, but the nonconference leaves a lot to be desired. The game at OK State in Stillwater on Tuesday is huge, as it could KO the Cowboys and leave K-State with a home date against Oklahoma with which to work.