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Andrew Rogers
Sun Bowl Spread: Stanford vs. Pittsburgh Odds, Prediction
It’s hard to imagine a team with Bryce Love on the roster at risk of getting demolished on the ground – but with Love out of action and Stanford’s offensive line in tatters, the run game will be a critical aspect for both teams as the Cardinal take on the Pittsburgh Panthers in Monday’s Sun Bowl in El Paso, Texas. Stanford comes in on a three-game winning streak despite its O-line struggles, while Pitt scored just 13 total points in season-ending losses to Miami and Clemson.
Sun Bowl Betting Analysis
While the Panthers are getting nearly a touchdown in this one, both teams come in as hot cover options. Stanford has gone 7-2 ATS in its previous nine bowl games and has been a near-lock in late-season contests over the past several years, covering 10 in of its last 11 December outings. Pitt, meanwhile, has covered in six of its past eight games overall and has also been red-hot in December, going 9-4 ATS in its last 13 games played in the month.
The teams diverge, however, when it comes to totals trends, with the Sun Bowl number set at 52. The Cardinal have exceeded the total in seven of their previous eight games played at neutral locations, and are 4-1 O/U in their past five games, surpassing the number by seven or more points three times in that span. The Panthers, on the other hand, have 18 unders and one push in their previous 26 games dating back to the end of 2016.
Stanford Cardinal
With Love – Stanford’s electrifying but oft-injured rushing threat – opting to sit this one out in order to preserve himself ahead of the NFL Draft, the Cardinal will be hard-pressed to improve upon a ragged rush attack that produced just 108.3 yards per game, good for 122nd in the country. On the plus side, Stanford comes in as one of the most dangerous red-zone teams in the nation, scoring on 90.7 percent of its trips (ranking 13th overall).
Pittsburgh Panthers
The Panthers find themselves exactly where fans and bettors thought Stanford would wind up this season – near the national leaders in rushing yards per game (229.5, 18th). And success on the ground will be pivotal for a Pitt team that averaged just 142.2 yards through the air, better than only nine other Division I programs. The Panthers were also one of the most undisciplined teams in the country, averaging 69.46 penalty yards per game (109th).
