Bowl season continues with the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl. The Eastern Michigan Eagles (8-4) face the San Jose State Spartans (7-4) on Tuesday. Action kicks off at 3:30 p.m. ET. Below we continue our college football odds series with an Eastern Michigan-San Jose State prediction.
Eastern Michigan is 8-4 and finished second in the MAC West Division. The Eagles notably beat Arizona State and Western Michigan during the regular season. Eastern Michigan is 6-5-1 against the spread while 50% of their games went over.
San Jose State is 7-4 and finished second in the MW West Division. The Spartans notably beat Western Michigan and kept things close with Auburn during the regular season. San Jose State is 4-7 against the spread while 60% of their games went under.
Here are the Eastern Michigan-San Jose State college football odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
College Football Odds: Eastern Michigan-San Jose State Odds
Eastern Michigan Eagles: +3.5 (-105)
San Jose State Spartans: -3.5 (-115)
Over: 53.5 (-102)
Under: 53.5 (-120)
Why Eastern Michigan Could Cover The Spread
Eastern Michigan is a balanced team that became bowl eligible by going 5-1 in one-possession games. The Eagles don't do anything particularly well as they rank just 64th in scoring and 94th in total offense. They are similarly average on defense where they rank 89th in points allowed and 55th in total defense. Eastern Michigan will have to travel nearly 2,000 miles to get to Boise State's campus: the home of the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.
The Eagles may not have a potent offense, but they do a good job taking care of the ball (55th in turnovers) and possess a strong run game. While they rank just 76th in rush offense, senior running back Samson Evans was one of the best backs in the MAC. The 6-foot, 218-pound bruiser ran for 1,084 on 4.8 yards per carry. He ranked 19th in the country with 13 rushing touchdowns — the second year in a row he scored 13 times. Evans notably torched Arizona State in their earlier matchup, rushing 36 times for 258 yards and a touchdown. He's coming off a strong game against Central Michigan in which he rushed for 135 yards and a score. Evans will have his work cut out for him against a San Jose State defense that ranks 27th in the country in rushing defense.
If Eastern Michigan is going to cover, they're going to need to bring it on defense. While they allow a fair amount of points, they have a stingy secondary that ranks 40th in passing yards allowed. The Spartans love to throw the ball — making this the deciding matchup in Tuesday's game. They are coming off their best game of the season when they allowed just 68 passing yards to Central Michigan. Their strong secondary is something to keep in mind when making an Eastern Michigan-San Jose State prediction.
Why San Jose State Could Cover The Spread
San Jose State put together a solid season thanks in large part to their elite defense. The Spartans ranked 24th in points allowed and 27th in total defense. They struggled somewhat on offense, however, ranking 73rd in scoring and 96th in total offense. The Spartans will have the added advantage of staying relatively close to home as they have to travel under 700 miles to get to Boise State's campus.
San Jose State may not have stellar offensive numbers, but they have a clear identity on that side of the ball. They do a great job at limiting mistakes, ranking first in the country with only six turnovers this season. The Spartans love to throw the ball as they rank 33rd in both passing attempts per game and passing yards per game. They're led by junior quarterback Chevan Cordeiro. Cordeiro threw for 2,885 yards (36th) and 20 touchdowns (42nd) while throwing just four interceptions (11th). The Hawaii transfer has been playing well of late as he threw nine touchdowns across his last three games.
Cordeiro's favorite target is perhaps the Spartans' best player, Elijah Cooks. The Nevada transfer has been excellent this season and was named to the All-Mountain West First Team for his efforts. For the season, Cooks caught 63 passes (32nd) for 983 yards (28th) and 10 touchdowns (12th). He's a big-bodied receiver who excels in the red zone. Eastern Michigan does have a stellar pass defense, but a receiver of Cooks' caliber should remain productive. He's coming off a monster game against Hawaii in which he caught 10 passes for 121 yards and two touchdowns. Cooks and the Spartans' passing attack and worth keeping in mind before making an Eastern Michigan-San Jose State prediction.
Final Eastern Michigan-San Jose State Prediction & Pick
With neither team possessing a strong offense, I like the under here.
Final Eastern Michigan-San Jose State Prediction & Pick: Under 53.5 (-120)
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