Godaddy.com Bowl Predictions - Arkansas State vs Northern Illinois

• Thursday, January 5th, 2012

  By  Blade Armstrong

  

  Two teams with low profiles but sparkling records get together on Sunday night in the Godaddy.com Bowl as Arkansas State battles Northern Illinois. Each team has 10 wins on the season so this should be a very competitive game that will be televised on ESPN. You can make your Godaddy.com Bowl predictions right now at BetDSI Sportsbook.

  Arkansas State -1.5, total 63.5

  Two very hot teams meet on Sunday night as Arkansas State has won nine in a row while Northern Illinois has won eight straight. Each team has a potent offense as Northern Illinois averages 38.3 points per game while Arkansas State is averaging 33.5 points per game. It could be another high scoring bowl game on Sunday night. Northern Illinois scored 40 or more points in nine of their games led by quarterback Chandler Harnish who threw for 2,942 yards and rushed for 1,382 yards. Arkansas State has a duel threat quarterback as well in Ryan Aplin who threw for 3,235 yards with 18 touchdowns and ran for 605 yards and 9 touchdowns.

  The difference in the game could be Arkansas State’s defense. While Northern Illinois plays very little defense that is not the case with Arkansas State who was 14th best in the country in fewest points allowed led by Sun Belt defensive player of the year Brandon Joiner who had 12 sacks this season. Arkansas State will have to win without head coach Hugh Freeze who took the head coaching job at Mississippi. He will be replaced next season by Auburn offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn but assistant David Gunn will coach the team in the bowl game.

  Game Notes

  Northern Illinois is in a bowl game for the fourth straight year. They are 4-7 all-time in bowl games. This is only the second appearance for Arkansas State in a bowl game as they lost to Southern Miss back in 2005 in the New Orleans Bowl. Looking at a couple of college football betting trends, Arkansas State is 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games as a favorite while the Huskies are 5-14 ATS vs. a team with a winning record.

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