You’ll be hard-pressed to find anyone who likes Marshall’s chances of pulling off a monumental upset in Monday’s Gasparilla Bowl showdown with UCF.
Not only is UCF steaming following a subpar season that culminated in the Knights failing to reach a New Year’s Six bowl game, they’ll also have a major crowd advantage with the game being played just 100 miles from their home digs in Orlando.
Gasparilla Bowl Betting Analysis
It’s one of the biggest spreads of any game during the 2019-20 bowl season – and there will still be a flood of action on the favoured Knights. But bettors take note: UCF is just 1-4 ATS in its past five games as a favourite of 14+ points, with its lone cover over that span coming by a scant three points. The Thundering Herd, on the other hand, are an impressive 5-2 ATS in their previous seven games when receiving 14 or more points.
UCF’s involvement in this game has resulted in a total sitting in the low-60s in the days before kickoff. The Knights have finished above the total in five of their previous six games following a straight-up victory, and are 11-4 O/U in their previous 15 vs. Conference USA opponents. The Thundering Herd are also trending in that direction, cashing the Over in four of their past five games against teams above .500 and six of their past eight as an underdog.
Central Florida Knights
Can the Knights overcome the sting of being excluded from the big-boy bowl games and finish strong? The talent is certainly there, led by quarterback Dillon Gabriel; he threw just two INTs over his final six games while surpassing the 270-yard plateau five times with 12 TD passes over that span. Turnovers will be key, as well: UCF has a plus-9 differential in its nine victories this season, and a minus-7 margin in its three defeats.
Marshall Thundering Herd
There’s something about bowl season that brings out the best in the Thundering Herd, who have won seven consecutive bowl appearances and 12 of their previous 13 postseason contests. And they have a legitimate shot at extending that streak despite being significant underdogs, as long as they can continue their strong turnover showing. Marshall is a perfect 8-0 on the season when finishing with two or fewer turnovers in a game.
Who Will Win UCF vs. Marshall?
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KNIGHTS
34 -
THUNDERING HERD
31
Score
Prediction
Line History
Sports Interaction customers are placing their bets on:
time | fav | line | total |
---|---|---|---|
Opening 9 Dec 12:01am | UCF | -17.5 -110 | O +61.5 -110 |
Closing 23 Dec 7:38pm | UCF | -15.5 -104 | O +59.5 -110 |
Injuries
Gabriel Davis (WR)
Adrian Killins Jr. (RB)
Brandon Wimbush (QB)
Adrian Killins Jr. (RB)
Adrian Killins Jr. (RB)
Greg McCrae (RB)
Brandon Wimbush (QB)
Brandon Moore (DB)
Darriel Mack Jr. (QB)
McKenzie Milton (QB)
Sheldon Evans (RB)
Talik Keaton (WR)
Talik Keaton (WR)
Tavin Richardson (WR)
Brandon Drayton (S)
Artie Henry (WR)
Obi Obialo (WR)
Jaquan Yulee (LB)
Injuries
player (position) | status | ats*current | o/u* | notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gabriel Davis (WR) | Out Mon | Personal - 23 / 12 / 19 | 1-0 | 0-1 | + - |
Davis will not play against Marshall in the Gasparilla Bowl as he will focus on training for the upcoming NFL draft. |
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Adrian Killins Jr. (RB) | Out Mon | Personal - 19 / 12 / 19 | 1-0 | 0-1 | + - |
Killins Jr. has declared for the upcoming NFL Draft, and will sit out the Gasparilla Bowl against Marshall. |
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Brandon Wimbush (QB) | Out Mon | Personal - 10 / 12 / 19 | 1-0 | 0-1 | + - |
Wimbush will not be available against Marshall in the Gasparilla Bowl as he will focus on training for the upcoming NFL Draft. |
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Adrian Killins Jr. (RB) | Prob Sat | Shoulder - 27 / 10 / 19 | 2-3 | 2-3 | + - |
Killins was lifted from the last game with a left shoulder injury, but he is expected to play Saturday against Houston. |
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Adrian Killins Jr. (RB) | Prob Sat | Ankle - 22 / 10 / 19 | 2-4 | 3-3 | + - |
Killins Jr. exited the previous game with an ankle ailment, but it is expected that he will play against Temple on Saturday. |
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Greg McCrae (RB) | Prob Sat | Knee - 21 / 10 / 19 | 2-4 | 3-3 | + - |
McCrae has missed the last three games with a knee injury, but he is likely to suit up Saturday versus Tulane. |
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Brandon Wimbush (QB) | Prob Sat | Undisclosed - 11 / 09 / 19 | 4-7 | 6-5 | + - |
Wimbrush is likely to suit up Saturday against Stanford despite an unspecified injury. |
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Brandon Moore (DB) | Out indefinitely | Leg - 30 / 08 / 19 | - | - | + - |
Moore has been sidelined to a leg injury. A timeline for his return has yet to be established. |
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Darriel Mack Jr. (QB) | Ques Sat | Ankle - 06 / 08 / 19 | - | - | + - |
Mack Jr. is tending to a fractured ankle, and it is unknown if he will make his season debut Saturday against UConn. |
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McKenzie Milton (QB) | out for season | Knee - 06 / 08 / 19 | - | - | + - |
Milton will miss the entire 2019 season as he is in recovery for reconstructive surgery to repair nerve damage in right knee. |
player (position) | status | ats*current | o/u* | notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sheldon Evans (RB) | Out Mon | Undisclosed - 23 / 12 / 19 | 0-1 | 1-0 | + - |
Evans is dealing with an undisclosed injury and will not suit up against Central Florida in the Gasparilla Bowl. |
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Talik Keaton (WR) | Ques Mon | Undisclosed - 24 / 11 / 19 | 0-2 | 1-1 | + - |
Keaton has an unspecified injury, and it is unknown if he will face Central Florida in the Gasparilla Bowl. |
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Talik Keaton (WR) | Out Sat | Undisclosed - 23 / 11 / 19 | 1-2 | 1-2 | + - |
Keaton will not be a participant in Saturday's clash versus Charlotte due to an unspecified injury. |
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Tavin Richardson (WR) | Ques Mon | Undisclosed - 23 / 11 / 19 | 1-2 | 1-2 | + - |
Richardson is nursing an undefined injury, and it is undetermined if he will play against Central Florida in the Gasparilla Bowl. |
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Brandon Drayton (S) | Out indefinitely | Suspension - 23 / 10 / 19 | 3-3 | 3-3 | + - |
Drayton has been suspended for an undetermined length of time due to an off-field incident. |
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Artie Henry (WR) | out for season | Undisclosed - 29 / 09 / 19 | 3-6 | 5-4 | + - |
Henry is likely to miss the remainder of the season due to an unspecified injury. |
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Obi Obialo (WR) | Out indefinitely | Foot - 06 / 09 / 19 | - | - | + - |
Obialo has been sidelined with a foot injury, and there is currently no definitive timetable for his return. |
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Jaquan Yulee (LB) | out for season | Neck - 01 / 09 / 19 | - | - | + - |
Yulee had surgery to repair a broken neck and will miss the remainder of the season. |
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Line History
Sports Interaction customers are placing their bets on:
time fav line total Opening 9 Dec 12:01am UCF -17.5 -110 O +61.5 -110 Closing 23 Dec 7:38pm UCF -15.5 -104 O +59.5 -110 -
Injuries
Gabriel Davis (WR)
Out Mon Personal - 23 / 12 / 19Adrian Killins Jr. (RB)
Out Mon Personal - 19 / 12 / 19Brandon Wimbush (QB)
Out Mon Personal - 10 / 12 / 19Adrian Killins Jr. (RB)
Prob Sat Shoulder - 27 / 10 / 19Adrian Killins Jr. (RB)
Prob Sat Ankle - 22 / 10 / 19Greg McCrae (RB)
Prob Sat Knee - 21 / 10 / 19Brandon Wimbush (QB)
Prob Sat Undisclosed - 11 / 09 / 19Brandon Moore (DB)
Out indefinitely Leg - 30 / 08 / 19Darriel Mack Jr. (QB)
Ques Sat Ankle - 06 / 08 / 19McKenzie Milton (QB)
out for season Knee - 06 / 08 / 19Sheldon Evans (RB)
Out Mon Undisclosed - 23 / 12 / 19Talik Keaton (WR)
Ques Mon Undisclosed - 24 / 11 / 19Talik Keaton (WR)
Out Sat Undisclosed - 23 / 11 / 19Tavin Richardson (WR)
Ques Mon Undisclosed - 23 / 11 / 19Brandon Drayton (S)
Out indefinitely Suspension - 23 / 10 / 19Artie Henry (WR)
out for season Undisclosed - 29 / 09 / 19Obi Obialo (WR)
Out indefinitely Foot - 06 / 09 / 19Jaquan Yulee (LB)
out for season Neck - 01 / 09 / 19Injuries
player (position) status ats*current o/u* notes Gabriel Davis (WR) Out Mon Personal - 23 / 12 / 19 1-0 0-1 + - Davis will not play against Marshall in the Gasparilla Bowl as he will focus on training for the upcoming NFL draft.
Adrian Killins Jr. (RB) Out Mon Personal - 19 / 12 / 19 1-0 0-1 + - Killins Jr. has declared for the upcoming NFL Draft, and will sit out the Gasparilla Bowl against Marshall.
Brandon Wimbush (QB) Out Mon Personal - 10 / 12 / 19 1-0 0-1 + - Wimbush will not be available against Marshall in the Gasparilla Bowl as he will focus on training for the upcoming NFL Draft.
Adrian Killins Jr. (RB) Prob Sat Shoulder - 27 / 10 / 19 2-3 2-3 + - Killins was lifted from the last game with a left shoulder injury, but he is expected to play Saturday against Houston.
Adrian Killins Jr. (RB) Prob Sat Ankle - 22 / 10 / 19 2-4 3-3 + - Killins Jr. exited the previous game with an ankle ailment, but it is expected that he will play against Temple on Saturday.
Greg McCrae (RB) Prob Sat Knee - 21 / 10 / 19 2-4 3-3 + - McCrae has missed the last three games with a knee injury, but he is likely to suit up Saturday versus Tulane.
Brandon Wimbush (QB) Prob Sat Undisclosed - 11 / 09 / 19 4-7 6-5 + - Wimbrush is likely to suit up Saturday against Stanford despite an unspecified injury.
Brandon Moore (DB) Out indefinitely Leg - 30 / 08 / 19 - - + - Moore has been sidelined to a leg injury. A timeline for his return has yet to be established.
Darriel Mack Jr. (QB) Ques Sat Ankle - 06 / 08 / 19 - - + - Mack Jr. is tending to a fractured ankle, and it is unknown if he will make his season debut Saturday against UConn.
McKenzie Milton (QB) out for season Knee - 06 / 08 / 19 - - + - Milton will miss the entire 2019 season as he is in recovery for reconstructive surgery to repair nerve damage in right knee.
player (position) status ats*current o/u* notes Sheldon Evans (RB) Out Mon Undisclosed - 23 / 12 / 19 0-1 1-0 + - Evans is dealing with an undisclosed injury and will not suit up against Central Florida in the Gasparilla Bowl.
Talik Keaton (WR) Ques Mon Undisclosed - 24 / 11 / 19 0-2 1-1 + - Keaton has an unspecified injury, and it is unknown if he will face Central Florida in the Gasparilla Bowl.
Talik Keaton (WR) Out Sat Undisclosed - 23 / 11 / 19 1-2 1-2 + - Keaton will not be a participant in Saturday's clash versus Charlotte due to an unspecified injury.
Tavin Richardson (WR) Ques Mon Undisclosed - 23 / 11 / 19 1-2 1-2 + - Richardson is nursing an undefined injury, and it is undetermined if he will play against Central Florida in the Gasparilla Bowl.
Brandon Drayton (S) Out indefinitely Suspension - 23 / 10 / 19 3-3 3-3 + - Drayton has been suspended for an undetermined length of time due to an off-field incident.
Artie Henry (WR) out for season Undisclosed - 29 / 09 / 19 3-6 5-4 + - Henry is likely to miss the remainder of the season due to an unspecified injury.
Obi Obialo (WR) Out indefinitely Foot - 06 / 09 / 19 - - + - Obialo has been sidelined with a foot injury, and there is currently no definitive timetable for his return.
Jaquan Yulee (LB) out for season Neck - 01 / 09 / 19 - - + - Yulee had surgery to repair a broken neck and will miss the remainder of the season.