The South Florida Bulls and the San Jose State Spartans meet Tuesday in Hawaii Bowl college football action from Clarence TC Ching Athletics Complex. Here’s a San Jose State vs South Florida prediction. We will look at this from a betting perspective and determine the best San Jose State vs South Florida pick.
South Florida Bulls Betting Preview
South Florida got off to a rotten start this year, falling to Alabama, Miami, Tulane, and Memphis in their first six games. The Bulls closed on a 4-2 run though, beating UAB, Florida Atlantic, Charlotte, and Tulsa to eke into bowl eligibility territory.
In their last game on November 30 versus Rice, the Bulls came out of halftime with a 27-7 deficit. South Florida got better from there on 21 more points but still lost 35-28. Israel Carter threw for 93 yards and a pair of scores. Sean Atkins led the receivers on seven catches for 110 yards and a TD.
San Jose State Spartans Betting Preview
Over on the San Jose State side, they won their first three games but haven’t managed consecutive victories since then. The Spartans are 2-2 in their last four with wins over Oregon State and Stanford around losses to Boise State and UNLV to close out the regular season.
Matched up against Samford on November 29 in their last appearance, the Spartans were up 27-17 going into the final quarter and held on for the eventual win 34-31. Walker Eget posted 385 passing yards with four scores. Nick Nash caught two of those TDs among his eight grabs for a team-high 91 yards.
Why the San Jose State Spartans will win
- San Jose State has won four of its last five games against non-conference opponents.
- South Florida has lost 40 of its last 44 games as an underdog.
- San Jose State has covered the spread in seven of its last eight games against non-conference opponents.
- South Florida has failed to cover the spread in four of its last five games as an underdog.
Why the South Florida Bulls will win
- San Jose State has lost each of its last three December games as a favorite against non-AP-ranked teams.
- The underdog has won each of San Jose State’s last three Bowl games.
- San Jose State has failed to cover the spread in each of its last four games against non-conference opponents at neutral venues.
- South Florida has covered the spread in six of its last seven games against non-conference opponents.
- San Jose State has lost the first half in each of its last four games against non-conference opponents at neutral venues.
Total Points Facts
- Six of San Jose State’s last seven December games against non-AP-ranked teams have gone UNDER the total points line.
- Five of South Florida’s last six games against non-AP-ranked teams have gone OVER the total points line.
San Jose State vs South Florida Prediction
I’ll lean toward San Jose State. The Spartans had a little trouble putting away a struggling Stanford team in their last game but everything worked out okay. SJSU posted 443 total yards (385 passing) with 30 first downs with a couple of turnovers. On defense, the Spartans gave up 379 yards (252 passing) but also had three picks. It was the first time San Jose State had cracked the 24-point mark since October 5—a span of six games.
As for South Florida, they gave up 550 yards and 27 first downs to Rice in their last outing, losing by one score despite the Owls’ ugly 12 penalties for 93 yards. USF had a combined 122 points across their previous two games, and they’ve hit 35 or more in all six of their wins this season. Getting off to a good start will be key for the Bulls in this one. Ultimately I think San Jose State fends them off for the cover, though. It’ll be a fun matchup regardless.