2011 Alamo Bowl Washington vs Baylor Odds, Free Picks and Predictions on ESPN 12/29/11

Free College Football Bowl Picks and Spreads: Washington vs Baylor 2011 Alamo Bowl Vegas Odds, Free Picks, and Expert Predictions on ESPN 12/29/11: For the 15th-ranked Baylor Bears (9-3), a trip to any bowl game is something to be celebrated. When the trip comes on the heels of Baylor’s first Heisman Trophy and is being played close to campus, the atmosphere should be nothing short of electric. Now, Heisman-winning quarterback Robert Griffin III and the rest of the Bears just have to give their fans something to cheer about when they take on the Washington Huskies (7-5) in Thursday night’s Valero Alamo Bowl. While Baylor enters the matchup as a 10-point favorite and will look to cap its historic season with its first bowl win in nearly two decades, the Huskies will try to spoil what could be Griffin III’s final collegiate game.

Before jumping into the matchup, it’s worth looking back at the impressive season put together by Griffin III. After all, he was able to bring the Heisman Trophy to Baylor – a school that has been irrelevant for decades on the college football landscape. Griffin III finished just two yards shy of 4,000 passing, while completing more than 72 percent of his passes. He piled up 36 passing scores compared to just six interceptions, and he also ran for more than 600 yards and nine more scores. In short, Griffin III did it all for the Bears’ offense, and another big performance Thursday could put him among the first few players taken in the NFL draft.

There is a good chance he could pile up some serious numbers, considering the Huskies’ defense is giving up 33.3 points per game. Meanwhile, Baylor is seventh in the country in points per game, averaging 43.5. The Bears are also second in yards per game, averaging more than 570, while ranking fifth in passing yards and inside the top 20 in rushing. Washington is among the five worst teams in the nation at defending the pass, and it is hard to imagine the Huskies slowing down the Bears’ attack. Not only is Griffin III a dual threat, but receiver Kendall Wright had more than 1,500 yards and running back Terrance Ganaway topped 1,300 yards. If the Huskies are going to win, they are going to have to outscore Baylor.

Of course, there is a chance that could happen. The Bears’ defense was throughout the year, surrendering more than 35 points per game. Washington has the weapons to put up points as well. QB Keith Price enters the game with 29 touchdowns, and running back Chris Polk topped 1,300 yards and averaged more than five yards per carry. Polk will be particularly important because if he can run the ball and help the Huskies control the clock, Griffin III and the explosive Baylor offense will be on the sideline.

Breaking down the numbers, there should be a ton of points scored in this matchup. In a shootout scenario, the Bears have edge. They have more explosive offensive weapons, and most importantly, they have Griffin III. After spending the year torching every defense the Big 12 could throw at him, he should have no trouble shredding a horrible Washington unit. The Huskies will find some holes in the Bears’ defense as well, but over the course of four quarters, Baylor simply has too much firepower.

Prediction: Baylor Bears (-10) Cover the Spread

Free College Football Picks and NCAAF Predictions: Baylor -10 to cover the spread

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