2020 has brought a lot of oddities to college football and the world at large, and we’ll add this one to the long-running list. The New Mexico Bowl, typically played in Albuquerque, will now take place in Frisco, TX, due to intercollegiate athletics travel restrictions.
For Houston, it’s been as rocky of a season as anyone in the nation, as they’ve had eight games postponed or canceled due to COVID-19 issues both internally and outside of the program.
On the Rainbow Warriors’ side, first-year head coach Todd Graham has been lucky enough to avoid any kind of scheduling issues this season. However, they instead will be in search of a new home field for 2021, as Aloha Stadium is shutting its doors due to the financial hardships of the pandemic.
Let’s take a closer look at the final game for two teams looking to put 2020 in the rearview.
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Details
Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook.
- Opening Lines: Houston -11.5, O/U 61.5
- Current Line: Houston -10.5
- O/U: 59.5
- Location: Toyota Stadium, Frisco, TX
- Start Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
- Television: ESPN
- Last Meeting: December 26, 2003- Hawaii 54, Houston 48
Overview
For just the third time in program history, the Rainbow Warriors will visit the mainland for a bowl game. Graham will look to end it with a bang in his native Texas.
As with most teams, Hawaii’s efficiency has landed square on the shoulders of quarterback Chevan Cordeiro, who has 1,946 passing yards, 11 touchdowns, and six interceptions on the season. His rushing attack (450 yards, seven touchdowns), however, has often been the difference-maker for the Rainbow Warriors, who have averaged 33.8 points in their four wins. Sacked 26 times in eight games, their ability to keep him upright could very well tell the story in this one, as it has all season.
On the defensive side of the ball, Hawaii’s defense — specifically its secondary — has been as strong this season as it’s been in years. Through eight games, they are giving up just 191 yards per game through the air. Their nine interceptions lead the Mountain West.
For the Cougars, any shot of building momentum was dashed this season. The team was forced to deal with one setback after another, as a nation-high eight games were adjusted due to COVID-19. Through the seven games they did play, junior quarterback Clayton Tune threw for 1,832 yards and 13 touchdowns to go along with 269 yards and five touchdowns on the ground.
While the Houston defense trended below conference averages almost across the board, it excelled at getting to the quarterback, averaging over three sacks per game. Unfortunately for the Cougars, however, they’ll be without two major catalysts of that success in linebacker Grant Stuard and defensive lineman Payton Turner (team-high five sacks). Both seniors are sitting this one out.
Trends
- The under is 4-1 in Hawaii’s last five games.
- Houston is 4-1 ATS in its last five games following an ATS loss.
- Hawaii is 1-4 ATS in its last five December games.
Bottom Line
With both offenses featuring dual-threat quarterbacks and just decent backfield options, both will likely live and die with what their gunslinger can do. Yet having played just once since mid-November, Houston was likely already resigned to the fact its season was over. I find it hard to see the Cougars getting up for this one.
In addition, the absence of two studs in Turner and Stuard should provide the final nail in the coffin for a Houston team looking to put this season behind them sooner rather than later.
Pick: Hawaii Rainbow Warriors +10.5
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TJ Perun is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from TJ, check out his archive and follow him @JohnnyCovers.