Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders versus Miami (Ohio) RedHawks GoDaddy.com Bowl Odds, Preview, and Predictions: Head football coach Rick Stockstill will lead the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders to Ladd Memorial Stadium in Mobile, AL to take on the Miami (Ohio) RedHawks in the GODADDY.com BOWL on ESPN Thursday night at 8:00 PM ET. The Blue Raiders enter the contest having won their last 3 games to become bowl eligible for the 2nd straight year at 6-6 3rd in the Sunbelt while the RedHawks have won their last 5 games following a 1-11 season last year to win the MAC Championship and come in at 9-4.
“What an outstanding accomplishment by these young men to overcome to adversity in which they were involved from going 1-11 to being 9-4 and winning a MAC championship,” said coach Michael Haywood, the 2010 conference coach of the year. “I’m so happy for them and all the adversity they have overcome and all the hard work they have done.” “We are playing a conference champion and a team that has really turned it around from a year ago,” Stockstill said. “They have some good wins this season and are very well coached in all phases of the game. I have not watched them on tape but I know it will be quite a challenge and we will have to play our best to compete with them.” Vegas odds makers have the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders a -2 point favorite at the Ladd Memorial Stadium against the Miami (Ohio) RedHawks.
The Redhawks winning streak most recently came 26-21 over Northern Illinois in the MAC Championship game to finish the season at 7-5 ATS. Quarterback Austin Boucher completed 29 of 46 passes for 322 yards and a touchdown but carried 9 times for -15 yards. Running back Thomas Merriweather carried the ball 11 times for 85 yards and 2 touchdowns. The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Miami (Ohio)’s last 5 games.
The Blue Raiders are coming off a 28-27 win on the road at FIU to finish the season at 4-7 ATS. Quarterback Dwight Dasher completed 14 of 23 passes for 244 yards a touchdown and a pick while rushing 13 times for an additional 57 yards. “One of our goals entering the season was to play in a bowl game and I am extremely proud of our team and coaching staff for accomplishing this,” coach Stockstill said. “It has been like a playoff the past three weeks and I am proud of how these guys have handled the situation. They have showed a lot of character and toughness.” Odds makers at JustBET have the over/under for the total score at 48 1/2 points combined of the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders and Miami (Ohio) RedHawks.
Note: Rich Fritz is a Blog Writer on NSAwins.com and not a pro handicapper. For expert NFL Football Predictions against the Vegas spreads please visit the NSAwins.com homepage for top predictions today from the National Sports Advisors.