Frisco Bowl: Limiting fastbreak key for UNLV against Ohio













  By Stephen Vilardo, SuperWest Sports

tThere are stories here and then there is the Frisco Bowl.

If it weren’t for the University of Michigan saying, “Hold my beer,” this Bobcat training situation could be one of the most intriguing in the country.

On December 1, Brian Smith was placed on leave for an “indeterminate period of time.”

Then, on December 17, he was fired for “serious professional misconduct” following an administrative review.

The school later stated that Smith was fired for having an extramarital affair with a college student and violating the school’s no-alcohol policy by drinking bourbon with his assistant after games.

So, there’s a little drama off the field, but what’s going to happen on the field?

Here I preview the matchup between UNLV and Ohio and give my picks straight up, against the spread and over/under.

UNLV Rebels vs. Ohio Bobcats

Tuesday December 23
6:00 p.m. Pacific Time, ESPN
Ford Center at The Star, Frisco, TX
Wes Durham, Steve Addazzio and Dana Boyle

Line: UNLV –4.5
Total points: 62.5

YouNLV has struggled in some games this season against quality opponents, especially when the opponent has a capable running game.

The Bobcats certainly have a capable running attack, as they have rushed for 228.75 yards per game this season, the 12th-best mark nationally. In its eight wins, Ohio rushed for an average of 261.4 yards, while falling to an average of 163.5 yards in the four games it lost.

Stopping the run has been a problem for the Rebels this season, and it has hurt them badly in their three losses, in which they allowed 198.7 yards on the ground.

On offense, UNLV will need to stay balanced and the Rebels have done a good job all season.

Ohio has been stingy on defense, limiting its opponents to just 358 yards of offense. In most games this season, the Bobcats have done a good job of taking something away from the opponent and making them one-dimensional.

Parker Navarro & Sieh Bangura — QB Parker Navarro hands off to RB Sieh Bangura | Gregorio Payán/AP

In the four games they lost this season they failed to take anything. The only exception was against Western Michigan, when the Broncos only threw for 126 but managed over 200 yards on the ground.

I don’t think Ohio can stop the rebels and make them one dimensional. I also don’t think the Rebels can stop the Bobcats’ running attack.

If that ends up being the case, it favors UNLV. If Ohio can control the pace, they will have the advantage.

This one has a lot of yards and a lot of points. Give me the Rebels in a 41-36 shootout.

Overall winner: UNLV
Against the spread: UNLV
Total: On

writes on various topics for SuperWest sports, including statistics and records, college sports, and motorsports. He also founded and directs the Sports and Entertainment Research Center (SERC).

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