The South Florida Bulls had an excellent regular season in 2016 with a 10-2 straight up and 8-4 against the spread record. The Bulls will try to end the season on a high note with a bowl win in the Birmingham Bowl against the South Carolina Gamecocks.
Birmingham Bowl odds: Taggart-less USF a double-digit favorite vs. South Carolina
The South Florida Bulls will try to convert as a big betting favorite against the South Carolina Gamecocks in the Birmingham Bowl.
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South Florida is a 10.5-point favorite in Birmingham, despite losing head coach Willie Taggart to Oregon, at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com. In their last 10 games as a double-digit favorite, the Bulls are 10-0 SU and 8-2 ATS.
The Bulls ranked seventh in the nation in scoring this season, racking up 43.6 points per game to blow most of their competition away. South Florida scored at least 30 points in all 12 of its games this season, and ended the year on a 4-0 SU and 3-1 ATS run in which it averaged 46 points per game. This unit will look to keep its production going against a solid South Carolina defense that allowed 24.8 points per game this season.
Thursday games have historically given the Bulls trouble as South Florida is just 1-10 SU and 2-9 ATS in its last 11 Thursday games. Conversely, South Carolina is 7-1 SU and 6-2 ATS in its last eight Thursday appearances.
Betting Line / Total: South Florida -10.5 / 62 Points
Trend: The total has gone under in five of South Carolina’s last seven games in the postseason.
Trend: The total has gone over in five of South Florida’s last six games.
While South Florida has one of the most exciting offenses in college football, South Carolina has one of the bleakest. Ranking 117th in the nation in total yards with 336 per game and 121st in scoring with 19.3 points per game, the Gamecocks have no chance of keeping up with the Bulls on offense. They will need an outstanding performance from the defense to have any chance at keeping this one close enough to steal. The Gamecocks are 7-0 SU in their last seven games against AAC opponents per the OddsShark College Football Database.
The Birmingham Bowl total is set at 62 points. The OVER is 5-1 in South Florida’s last six games.
Quinton Flowers is one of the best dual threat quarterbacks in the nation, and he could play his way into the Heisman conversation next year. Even if South Carolina’s defense is able to contain him early, Flowers and the Bulls will likely pull away late as the Gamecocks lack the weapons on offense to keep up.
South Florida Bulls vs. South Carolina Gamecocks
When: Thursday, Dec. 29, 2 p.m. ET
Where: Legion Field, Birmingham, Ala.
