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After feasting on the delicacy of BCS bowls since New Years Day, college football fans get the equivalent of a between-meal snack when the inaugural International Bowl kicks off in Toronto’s Rogers Centre between the Bronco’s of Western Michigan and the University of Cincinnati Bearcats of the Big East. The game starts at Noon (EST) Saturday, January 6th and will be televised by ESPN2 in the USA and TSN in Canada.

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Western Michigan finished the 2006 regular season with an 8-4 overall record and a 6-2 mark in the Mid-American Conference.  The eight wins are the most since the Broncos posted nine during the 2000 campaign. Western Michigan finished second in the MAC West Division.  The Broncos tied for the division championship in 1999 and 2000 but have not finished second since 1997.

Cincinnati ended the regular season with a 7-5 record and finished fourth in the BIG EAST Conference with a 4-3 slate.  Cincinnati won four of its last five contests, including a 30-11 upset of No. 7 Rutgers, while playing a schedule that included five top 10-ranked opponents and was rated the second most-difficult by the NCAA.

The International Bowl could come down to a defensive showdown of the two teams.  Western Michigan has the nation's fifth-ranked rushing defense and is No. 11 in total defense.  Cincinnati is rated No. 31 in total defense, 27th against the rush and 23rd in passing efficiency defense.

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Cincinnati is a touchdown favorite (-7.0-points) over Western Michigan with the total set at 41 ½ at most offshore sportsbooks. The Bearcats, finishing up their second season as a Big East member, have played the spoiler role this season by winning SU when they weren’t supposed to or by covering the betting line (ATS) when it wasn’t expected. Such was the case on Oct. 14 in the game at Louisville when the Bearcats covered the line (+25) and came near upsetting the eventual Big East Champions. Then on Nov. 14, the Bearcats defeated No. 9 Rutgers SU at Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati 30-11 and covering as a home underdog +5 ATS. On the season, the Bearcats played in 11 games listed on the betting board and covered seven of them ATS. The UNDER cashed in 6-of-11 contests the Bearcats played, however the OVER cashed the final three games Cincinnati played during the regular season.

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Western Michigan didn’t do anything special to get the attention of the betting public. They covered 7-of-11 games ATS and on total’s the OVER and UNDER broke even at 6-6. Western Michigan did cover five of its last seven games ATS.

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