Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl Preview

The Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl will be tonight (Dec. 29) at 10:30 p.m. ET.  The game will take place from Sun Devil’s Stadium in Tempe, Arizona and will pit TCU (7-5) against Michigan State (6-6).

Those of you who expecting a wild shoot out like many of the bowl games have been up to this point may be disappointed in this game.  This will be a battle between two of the a team who is ranked fourth in the nation for defense in Michigan State and a team that led the Big 12 in defense in TCU.  Both these teams worse losses of the season were by less than 14 points.  This is going to be a defensive battle from start to finish that will keep some of those soaring offensive stats normally seen in college bowl games in check.

TCU’s key for victory will like in quarterback Trevone Boykin.  Boykin took over the starting QB job about midway through the season.  When TCU averages better than eight yards a pass they are 6-0.  When they average less they are 1-5.  If Boykin can get the pass game going they will likely win this game.

Getting the pass game going is going to be difficult, though, as TCU will need to establish a run game as well to open things up for the pass game.  Michigan State only allowed five rushing touchdowns over the season, the second fewest in the entire nation.  They are also one of the best run defenses in the NCAA.  If they can stop the run in this game it will make establishing a pass game for TCU tough.  This is Michigan’s State’s key to victory.

This one is going to be a close game with a low score, compared to college football standards.  Even the odds for this game are close.  TCU are currently the favorites to win this game with a -2 point spread.  The money line to bet on TCU is at -130 compared to Michigan State’s +110 money line.  The over/under for this game is at 40 points.  You can catch the game on ESPN.