When you think of a Pinstripe Bowl free total pick and one side is the Iowa Hawkeyes, your immediate lean has to be towards the ‘under’ 44.5 that is listed today. The under gets considerable sway when you consider the opponent on the other side of the field is the Boston College Eagles, a synonymous running team. While bowl games will always be unpredictable, Wednesday afternoon’s tilt might not be the defensive slobberknocker we’re all expecting.
Boston College isn’t a traditional powerhouse, but they are good football team. Smoked Florida State, beat Louisville. It would arguably be Iowa’s 2nd best win of of the season.
— Jack W (@JackHawkWalters) December 27, 2017
Does ‘D’ Reign Supreme Leading to an ‘Under’ Play?
Iowa (7-5) boasts one of the better defenses in the country, finishing the regular season ranking 34th in total yards allowed (356.2) and an impressive 18th in points given up (19.9). The Hawks are just 50th in passing yards allowed per game (213+) and 40th versus the run (143). This is an Iowa team that allowed 17 points or less in seven of 12 games this season.
So where does BC’s defense stack up in terms of an ‘under’ play for the Pinstripe Bowl free total pick? The Eagles aren’t too bad on that side of the ball, ranking 35th in points allowed (22.5) and are especially stellar versus the pass surrendering less than 200 yards through the air per game. The Eagles allowed just 60 combined points over their past five games of the season,
Any Factors Out There Pointing Towards an ‘Over?’
While these two teams are both definitely defensive minded, that doesn’t mean their offenses can’t put up points at any given time. both squads feature 1,000 yard rushers with Freshman AJ Dillon going for 1432 and 13 TD on the ground while Iowa features Akrum Wadley who ran for 1,000 for the second straight year. BC actually owns the 24th best rushing attack in the country, which should keep the chains moving. The quarterback position is another strong point for both teams leading towards an over. Nathan Stanley has 25TD against just 6 INT and threw for 5 and 0 versus Ohio State. Darius Wade will be starting his third game in a row under center for the injured Anthony Brown, coming off a 248 yard performance to close out the regular season vs Syracuse.
These teams can score points when they want to. Wade has led the BC offense to 81 points in his two starts since taking over at quarterback. Iowa put up 55+ points in two of the last four games of the season. Both teams average more than 26 points per game, the big question is if their defenses can let the other teams loose. If so, it bodes well for an ‘over’ in the Pinstripe Bowl free total pick.
AJ Dillon vs Josey Jewell makes the Pinstripe Bowl worth watching later today. Can’t wait to watch those two
— Joe Broback (@joebroback) December 27, 2017
Pinstripe Bowl Free Total Pick – Betting
Almost all the significant trends are favoring an ‘under’ in this contest. Some of those include:
- Under is 5-1 in Iowa’s last six non-conference games
- Under is 9-3 in Iowa’s last 12 neutral site games
- Under is 5-2 in Eagles last 7 vs Big Ten
- Under is 4-1-1 in Eagles last 6 following a SU win
Nearly 60% of the bets are coming in on the ‘under’ but honestly that seems like the wrong play in this contest. Both offenses can run the ball at will, and have the passing attack to take advantage of a crowded line of scrimmage. Defenses can be a little lackadaisical after not playing for a month and that should lead to points on both sides of the ball for the Pinstripe Bowl free total pick.
Pick: Iowa Hawkeyes / Boston College Eagles ‘Over’ 44.5
