Week 17 College Football Odds: Arkansas State Vs UCF

The deeper we go into bowl season, the more pressure there is on the teams involved to go out and get the win. This is not to say that the earlier games are totally meaningless, but there is something of a vacation feel about it all for both the teams and the fans. The AutoNation Cure Bowl takes place in Orlando, Florida this weekend, and you can bet that the folks from Arkansas will be making the trip to soak up some of that Florida sunshine. There is still some work to be done before everyone can totally relax, and the Arkansas State Red Wolves will be looking to finish their season strong versus a UCF Knights team playing in-state. Arkansas State will have a bit of a battle on their hands here, as they are coming into this one as a 5.5-point underdog. The Knights did not finish the season particularly well, which could well indicate that we might have an upset on our hands here.

A Closer Look At The Week 17 College Football Betting Odds: Red Wolves Vs Knights

When: Saturday, December 17 at 5:30 PM EST Where: Camping World Stadium, Orlando TV: CBSSN Live Stream: CBS Sports Network NCAAF Odds: TBA    

Why bet on the Arkansas State Red Wolves

It looked as though this might be a season to forget for the Arkansas State Red Wolves after a 0-4 start, but they started rolling, and have some serious momentum heading into this game, having won 7 of their last 8 games. This is a team that has been very good defensively, thanks in large part to their defensive unit being made up of seniors. This is a group that will want to end their college football careers on a high, so look for them to stand up tall versus a Knights offense that doesn’t really frighten a lot of people. Arkansas State were blown out in their last two bowl appearances, but I have a feeling that things are going to be a little different this time around.

Why bet on the UCF Knights

The UCF Knights have what can best be described as an anemic offense, but they have a defense, particularly in the secondary, that can shut down the Red Wolves. The pressure really is off for UCF in this one, as this season must already be considered a success. With a loss, they would finish 6-7, but that looks a whole lot better than the 0-12 record that they posted last year. A bowl win could be huge for this team, though, as you have to believe that finishing with a winning record could help them build some momentum heading into next year. The Knights have been a good bet this season, going 8-4 ATS, including being 5-2 ATS as a favorite.

Expert Pick and Final Score Prediction

I have always believed that the way a team finishes the regular season is an indicator of how they will perform in a bowl game. The Red Wolves finished strong, while the Knights limped home. I see this one as a potential upset in the making.

Arkansas State Red Wolves 17 UCF Knights 16