PREMIUM
Rogers' Friday Bowl Total MASSACRE >> SIZZLING 9-2 Bowl Run!
(NCAAF) Stanford vs. North Carolina,
Total: 54.00 | -107.00 Under
Result: Loss
Total: 54.00 | -107.00 Under
Result: Loss
The set-up: North Carolina went 8-4 and heads to El Paso for a Sun Bowl meeting with 9-3 Stanford.The biggest storyline heading into the game was Stanford RB Christian McCaffrey announcing on Twitter that he will sit out the Sun Bowl to focus on his NFL draft preparation (will this be trend). Stanford comes in with momentum (on a five-game winning streak) while North Carolina lost two of its final three, beating only the The Citadel.
North Carolina: Junior QB Mitch Trubisky is an emerging NFL prospect who threw for 3,468 yards while completing 68.9% with 28 TD passes and just four INTs. The running game is below average, gaining 148.2 YPG (99th). Overall, North Carolina averages 33.1 PPG (40th) and its defense holds opponents to 24.9 PPG (45th). The season was a roller-coaster, with wins over Florida State, Miami and Pittsburgh but it ended with disappointing late-season losses to Duke and North Carolina State. "We weren't able to overcome all the emotions we created for ourselves," coach Larry Fedora told reporters. "There were a few games down the stretch that we didn't play up to our capability. We didn't make the ordinary plays that we needed to make.
Stanford: Head coach David Shaw watched his offense struggle early in the season and replaced senior QB Ryan Burns with sophomore Keller Chryst, who provided an immediate spark and led the Cardinal to five straight wins while throwing nine TDs and one interception. McCaffrey leads the nation with 2,327 all-purpose yards and has posted 1,603 rushing yards but with his 'boycott,' it creates an opportunity for promising sophomore Bryce Love, who has run for 664 yards on 7.4 YPC. Love had 160 all-purpose yards and scored the winning touchdown in a 17-10 win at Notre Dame in October, when McCaffrey was out with an injury. According to Shaw, love is "a physical, explosive runner. He's not a small back by any stretch of the imagination. He runs through tackles and he's tough. For a guy who's under six foot, he can push the pile and drive his legs." Stanford's defense allows 20.2 PPG (17th) on 365.6 YPC (36th).
The pick:North Carolina has really been shown up in its last two bowl appearnces, losing 40-21 to Rutgers in 2014 and 49-38 to Baylor, last year. Carolina has not ben physical enough and it showed signs of wearing down defensively in losing to both Duke (allowed 467 yards) and NC St (492 yards in two of its last three games (41-7 win over The Citadel hardly counts). Stanford loves to play smashmouth FB and Chyrst has brought another dimension to the offense with his solid play. Led by Trubisky, the North Carolina offense will give Stanford's D all it can handle. The Over is an 8* play.
North Carolina: Junior QB Mitch Trubisky is an emerging NFL prospect who threw for 3,468 yards while completing 68.9% with 28 TD passes and just four INTs. The running game is below average, gaining 148.2 YPG (99th). Overall, North Carolina averages 33.1 PPG (40th) and its defense holds opponents to 24.9 PPG (45th). The season was a roller-coaster, with wins over Florida State, Miami and Pittsburgh but it ended with disappointing late-season losses to Duke and North Carolina State. "We weren't able to overcome all the emotions we created for ourselves," coach Larry Fedora told reporters. "There were a few games down the stretch that we didn't play up to our capability. We didn't make the ordinary plays that we needed to make.
Stanford: Head coach David Shaw watched his offense struggle early in the season and replaced senior QB Ryan Burns with sophomore Keller Chryst, who provided an immediate spark and led the Cardinal to five straight wins while throwing nine TDs and one interception. McCaffrey leads the nation with 2,327 all-purpose yards and has posted 1,603 rushing yards but with his 'boycott,' it creates an opportunity for promising sophomore Bryce Love, who has run for 664 yards on 7.4 YPC. Love had 160 all-purpose yards and scored the winning touchdown in a 17-10 win at Notre Dame in October, when McCaffrey was out with an injury. According to Shaw, love is "a physical, explosive runner. He's not a small back by any stretch of the imagination. He runs through tackles and he's tough. For a guy who's under six foot, he can push the pile and drive his legs." Stanford's defense allows 20.2 PPG (17th) on 365.6 YPC (36th).
The pick:North Carolina has really been shown up in its last two bowl appearnces, losing 40-21 to Rutgers in 2014 and 49-38 to Baylor, last year. Carolina has not ben physical enough and it showed signs of wearing down defensively in losing to both Duke (allowed 467 yards) and NC St (492 yards in two of its last three games (41-7 win over The Citadel hardly counts). Stanford loves to play smashmouth FB and Chyrst has brought another dimension to the offense with his solid play. Led by Trubisky, the North Carolina offense will give Stanford's D all it can handle. The Over is an 8* play.
