Quarterback Tyree Jackson is Buffalo’s key player to watch. The junior was the MAC’s offensive player of the year and after he threw for 27 touchdowns and ran for another seven.
The Buffalo Bulls have never won a bowl game in the football program’s history. The Troy Trojans are seeking their fourth straight postseason win when they play Buffalo in Mobile in the 2018 Dollar General Bowl. Despite the history of the two teams, oddsmakers see this game as matchup close to a coin flip.
Betting Analysis
Line History
Sports Interaction customers are placing their bets on:
| time | fav | line | total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Opening 3 Dec 3:06pm | BUFF | -3 -110 | O +53.5 -110 |
| Closing 22 Dec 11:33pm | BUFF | -2.5 -115 | O +51.5 -110 |
The Bulls ended the 2017 campaign on a three-game win streak and carried the momentum into 2018. Buffalo won nine of its first 10 games this season and finished the year a solid 9-4 against the spread.
Buffalo total bettors were treated to a 9-4 Over mark – including 8-2 run in the middle of the season. The Bulls are 0-5 ATS in their five neutral site games and they’re 0-2 straight up in their only two previous bowl game appearances.
The Trojans have a long history of knocking off schools from Power 5 conferences in early non-conference tilts. This season was no different. Troy edged Nebraska 24-19 as a 13-point road underdog in mid September.
The team finished second to Appalachian State in the Sun Belt but still won nine of its 12 games and went 8-3-1 against the spread.
Sports Interaction opened the spread for this game with the Bulls giving three points. The number has dropped to Troy +2 as the game date edges closer. The real movement has been on the total. They opened with an Over/Under of 53.5, and it’s dropped all the way to 49 – or, in other words, a 4.5-point move.
Buffalo Bulls
It’s no small feat for a program like Buffalo to win 10 of 13 in the regular season. It’s the Bulls’ most successful campaign since they joined Division I-A in 1999.
Quarterback Tyree Jackson is Buffalo’s key player to watch. The junior was the MAC’s offensive player of the year and after he threw for 27 touchdowns and ran for another seven. Only 11 other players in the country accounted for more TDs for their team this past season.
Buffalo scored 44 or more points in three of its last five games and Over went 4-1 during that tail end of the campaign.
Troy Trojans
The Trojans own one of the best defences in the country. Their stopper unit finished 26th in fewest points allowed (22.5 points per game) and 28th in total yards allowed.
Troy got to nine wins without great quarterback play. The team’s main offensive threat comes in the backfield. Tailback B.J. Smith ran for 1090 yards and collected 12 touchdowns on 198 carries this season.
Injuries
Khalil Hodge (LB)
Anthony Johnson (WR)
Kevin Marks (RB)
Cameron Lewis (CB)
Sidney Davis (WR)
B.J. Smith (RB)
Kirk Kelley (OL)
Damion Willis (WR)
Tray Eafford (WR)
Cedarius Rookard (S)
Deondre Douglas (WR)
Marcus Jones (CB)
Tron Folsom (LB)
Kaleb Barker (QB)
Injuries
| player (position) | status | ats*current | o/u* | notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Khalil Hodge (LB) | Ques Tues | Suspension - 31 / 10 / 18 | 3-2 | 4-1 | + - |
|
Hodge is suspended for the first half of Tuesday's game against Kent State and it is uncertain if he will play in the second half. |
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| Anthony Johnson (WR) | Prob Sat | Hamstring - 30 / 09 / 18 | - | - | + - |
|
Johnson missed the previous game dealing with a hamstring injury but it is expected he will be available on Saturday against Akron. |
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| Kevin Marks (RB) | Ques Sat | Ankle - 30 / 09 / 18 | - | - | + - |
|
Marks has an ankle injury and it is uncertain if he will play against Central Michigan on Saturday. |
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| Cameron Lewis (CB) | Ques Sat | Leg - 24 / 09 / 18 | - | - | + - |
|
Lewis missed the last two games with a leg injury and it is uncertain if he will play on Saturday against Akron. |
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| player (position) | status | ats*current | o/u* | notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sidney Davis (WR) | Ques Sat | Undisclosed - 21 / 11 / 18 | 1-1 | 0-2 | + - |
|
Davis is battling an unspecified injury and it is unclear if he will be available for Saturday's game against Appalachian State. |
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| B.J. Smith (RB) | Prob Sat | Undisclosed - 21 / 11 / 18 | 1-1 | 0-2 | + - |
|
Smith has an undefined injury but it is likely he will suit up against Appalachian State on Saturday. |
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| Kirk Kelley (OL) | Ques Sat | Undisclosed - 19 / 11 / 18 | 1-1 | 0-2 | + - |
|
Kelley is nursing an injury to an unlisted location and it is uncertain if he will be available Saturday against Appalachian State. |
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| Damion Willis (WR) | Ques Sat | Undisclosed - 19 / 11 / 18 | 1-1 | 0-2 | + - |
|
Willis missed the last game for undisclosed reasons and his status is unknown for the Dollar General Bowl against Buffalo. |
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| Tray Eafford (WR) | Ques Sat | Shoulder - 11 / 11 / 18 | 2-1 | 1-2 | + - |
|
Eafford has a shoulder injury and it is unclear if he will play Saturday against Texas State. |
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| Cedarius Rookard (S) | Ques Sat | Hip - 04 / 11 / 18 | 3-1 | 1-3 | + - |
|
Rookard has a hip injury and it is unclear if he will play against Georgia Southern on Saturday. |
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| Deondre Douglas (WR) | Prob Sat | Foot - 30 / 10 / 18 | 4-1 | 2-3 | + - |
|
Douglas has missed the last two games nursing a foot injury but it is likely he will suit up Saturday against Texas State. |
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| Marcus Jones (CB) | Ques Sat | Collarbone - 30 / 10 / 18 | 4-1 | 2-3 | + - |
|
Jones has missed the last two games due to a collarbone injury and it is unknown if he will be available Saturday against Texas State. |
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| Tron Folsom (LB) | Ques Tues | Shoulder - 07 / 10 / 18 | 5-2 | 4-4 | + - |
|
Folsom missed the last game with a shoulder injury and it is unclear if he will play Tuesday against South Alabama. |
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| Kaleb Barker (QB) | out for season | Knee - 04 / 10 / 18 | - | - | + - |
|
Barker is expected to miss the remainder of the season due to a torn ACL. |
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Bulls vs. Trojans Prediction
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Line History
Sports Interaction customers are placing their bets on:
time fav line total Opening 3 Dec 3:06pm BUFF -3 -110 O +53.5 -110 Closing 22 Dec 11:33pm BUFF -2.5 -115 O +51.5 -110 -
Injuries
Khalil Hodge (LB)
Ques Tues Suspension - 31 / 10 / 18Anthony Johnson (WR)
Prob Sat Hamstring - 30 / 09 / 18Kevin Marks (RB)
Ques Sat Ankle - 30 / 09 / 18Cameron Lewis (CB)
Ques Sat Leg - 24 / 09 / 18Sidney Davis (WR)
Ques Sat Undisclosed - 21 / 11 / 18B.J. Smith (RB)
Prob Sat Undisclosed - 21 / 11 / 18Kirk Kelley (OL)
Ques Sat Undisclosed - 19 / 11 / 18Damion Willis (WR)
Ques Sat Undisclosed - 19 / 11 / 18Tray Eafford (WR)
Ques Sat Shoulder - 11 / 11 / 18Cedarius Rookard (S)
Ques Sat Hip - 04 / 11 / 18Deondre Douglas (WR)
Prob Sat Foot - 30 / 10 / 18Marcus Jones (CB)
Ques Sat Collarbone - 30 / 10 / 18Tron Folsom (LB)
Ques Tues Shoulder - 07 / 10 / 18Kaleb Barker (QB)
out for season Knee - 04 / 10 / 18Injuries
player (position) status ats*current o/u* notes Khalil Hodge (LB) Ques Tues Suspension - 31 / 10 / 18 3-2 4-1 + - Hodge is suspended for the first half of Tuesday's game against Kent State and it is uncertain if he will play in the second half.
Anthony Johnson (WR) Prob Sat Hamstring - 30 / 09 / 18 - - + - Johnson missed the previous game dealing with a hamstring injury but it is expected he will be available on Saturday against Akron.
Kevin Marks (RB) Ques Sat Ankle - 30 / 09 / 18 - - + - Marks has an ankle injury and it is uncertain if he will play against Central Michigan on Saturday.
Cameron Lewis (CB) Ques Sat Leg - 24 / 09 / 18 - - + - Lewis missed the last two games with a leg injury and it is uncertain if he will play on Saturday against Akron.
player (position) status ats*current o/u* notes Sidney Davis (WR) Ques Sat Undisclosed - 21 / 11 / 18 1-1 0-2 + - Davis is battling an unspecified injury and it is unclear if he will be available for Saturday's game against Appalachian State.
B.J. Smith (RB) Prob Sat Undisclosed - 21 / 11 / 18 1-1 0-2 + - Smith has an undefined injury but it is likely he will suit up against Appalachian State on Saturday.
Kirk Kelley (OL) Ques Sat Undisclosed - 19 / 11 / 18 1-1 0-2 + - Kelley is nursing an injury to an unlisted location and it is uncertain if he will be available Saturday against Appalachian State.
Damion Willis (WR) Ques Sat Undisclosed - 19 / 11 / 18 1-1 0-2 + - Willis missed the last game for undisclosed reasons and his status is unknown for the Dollar General Bowl against Buffalo.
Tray Eafford (WR) Ques Sat Shoulder - 11 / 11 / 18 2-1 1-2 + - Eafford has a shoulder injury and it is unclear if he will play Saturday against Texas State.
Cedarius Rookard (S) Ques Sat Hip - 04 / 11 / 18 3-1 1-3 + - Rookard has a hip injury and it is unclear if he will play against Georgia Southern on Saturday.
Deondre Douglas (WR) Prob Sat Foot - 30 / 10 / 18 4-1 2-3 + - Douglas has missed the last two games nursing a foot injury but it is likely he will suit up Saturday against Texas State.
Marcus Jones (CB) Ques Sat Collarbone - 30 / 10 / 18 4-1 2-3 + - Jones has missed the last two games due to a collarbone injury and it is unknown if he will be available Saturday against Texas State.
Tron Folsom (LB) Ques Tues Shoulder - 07 / 10 / 18 5-2 4-4 + - Folsom missed the last game with a shoulder injury and it is unclear if he will play Tuesday against South Alabama.
Kaleb Barker (QB) out for season Knee - 04 / 10 / 18 - - + - Barker is expected to miss the remainder of the season due to a torn ACL.