Memphis vs West Virginia Frisco Bowl Prediction | College Football Best Bets
Grant White
Host · Writer
It’s the most magical time of the year. Bowl season! We are officially into the college football postseason, with two bowl games on Saturday. Scooter’s Coffee Frisco Bowl is one of six games on the docket before we get to the first round of the College Football Playoff. Tuesday’s contest pits the 25th-ranked Memphis Tigers against the high-octane West Virginia Mountaineers. While West Virginia limped into bowl season with a 6-6 record, the Tigers only had two blemishes on their record. Still, most of Memphis’ schedule was made up of inferior opponents, casting doubt on their ability to contend with a Power Four opponent. As such, the Tigers haven’t earned their stripes as favorites in the Frisco Bowl.
Where to Watch Memphis vs West Virginia
- Location: Toyota Stadium (Frisco, TX)
- Time: Tuesday, December 17 at 7:00 p.m. ET | Where to Watch: ESPN
- Spread: Memphis -4.5 | Moneyline: Memphis -188 | Total: 58.5
Memphis vs West Virginia Frisco Bowl Bet ATS: West Virginia +4.5
West Virginia’s defensive woes are well-documented. Still, their prolific offense has kept the Mountaineers in games. This season, they averaged 380.3 yards per game, translating that ample production to 26.6 points per game. Further, we’ve seen an uptick in the Mountaineers’ metrics over the season’s final few weeks. Across its last three games, West Virginia is averaging 413.3 yards per game, with a slight uptick in scoring to 27.0 points per game. We anticipate a more robust scoring effort against the Tigers as output catches up with production. Moreover, increased scoring has helped the Mountaineers cover the spread in three of their last five. Conversely, Memphis has covered the number just twice over their previous six contests. Here’s another interesting tidbit. The last four times the Mountaineers have covered as underdogs have resulted in a straight-up win. While we like West Virginia’s chances of staying with +4.5, the best value could lie in backing them straight up on the moneyline.
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Memphis vs West Virginia Frisco Bowl Best Bet Total: Over 58.5
Led by Seth Henigan, Memphis has established itself as one of the top offenses in the country. Some of that shine wears off when adjusted for opponent, but the Tigers have unleashed an unrelenting attack all season. They rank in the top 15 in scoring and total offense, putting up respective benchmarks of 34.7 points and 448.9 yards per game against FBS opponents. However, they’ve consistently needed that production to offset some defensive shortcomings. Opponents are averaging a hefty 371.1 yards per game against the Tigers, with most coming through the air. Memphis’ average of 263.8 passing yards allowed per game is the 16th-highest total among FBS schools. More concerningly, that has increased to 295.7 over their last three. West Virginia’s Garrett Greene has excelled as a dual-threat quarterback, but we’ve also seen him thrive in high-volume passing games. The senior is coming off a 265-yard effort in which he completed 29 of 39 passes against the Texas Tech Red Raiders. Surely, he can replicate that success against an ineffective Tigers’ secondary. Two efficient offenses and lackluster defenses support that this one is sailing over 58.5 points.
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Memphis vs West Virginia Frisco Bowl Best Player Props
West Virginia Mountaineers Hudson Clement Over 54.5 Receiving Yards
Hudson Clement has solidified his position as one of the premier pass-catchers for the Mountaineers. The sophomore has taken on an increased workload over the latter stages of the campaign, totaling 192 receiving yards on 12 catches across his last three outings. That upward trajectory carries him into a favorable matchup against a porous secondary. As we saw in Week 14, Memphis is prone to giving up yards in big chunks. The Tulane Green Wave had four receivers eclipse 22 receiving yards on a single catch, with two pass-catchers surpassing 93 yards throughout the contest. The previous week, the lowly UAB Blazers had three receivers exceeding 68 yards, with all three players hauling in receptions for more than 21 yards. Those concerning trends go back to the start of the season and are reflected in the Tigers’ defensive metrics. That’s a well-used blueprint that Hudson and Greene can wield to their advantage. Ultimately, we predict that Hudson will eclipse 54.5 receiving yards in the Frisco Bowl.
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