The bowl season continues this afternoon with a Independence Bowl clash between the Big 12′s Missouri Tigers and the ACC’s North Carolina Tar Heels. The game between the two BCS schools is scheduled for a 5:00pm ET kickoff at Independence Stadium in Shreveport, Louisiana; it will be broadcast live on ESPN. College football odds makers have Missouri listed as a -6 against the spread favorite and the game total set at 52.5 points. Before making your 2011 College Football Picks on today’s game get the latest Missouri vs North Carolina Spread available now.
Missouri’s final season in the Big 12 got off to a rough start with back-to-back losses against Oklahoma and Kansas State to open the conference slate, but the Tigers still found their way to a winning record, after closing out the season with three consecutive wins.
Following a narrow 39-42 loss at Baylor, Gary Pinkel’s squad knocked off Texas, Texas Tech, and arch rival Kansas to secure a 7-5 overall mark and a 5-4 tally in league play. The solid finish helped the Tigers wrap up the fifth spot in the 10 team Big 12 and earn a seventh consecutive bowl appearance.
Missouri, which is led by sophomore quarterback James Franklin and a defense that ranked 44th in the nation in points per game allowed, has lost its last two postseason games, falling 13-35 to Navy in the 2009 Texas Bowl and 24-27 to Iowa in last year’s Insight Bowl.
North Carolina enters today’s contest with the same 7-5 record, but it lacks the momentum of the Tigers after dropping four of its last six games. The Tar Heels, however, did well to finish above the break even point considering the circumstances their season started under.
Schools officials elected to fire head coach Butch Davis shortly before the season’s start and move defensive coordinator Everett Withers into the position in an interim capacity. Withers, who will be replaced by former Southern Miss head coach Larry Fedora after today’s bowl, did an admirable holding the team together following Davis dismissal, even guiding it to a 5-1 record through six games.
North Carolina, which usually features one of the nation’s more stingy defenses, finds itself matched with the Tigers in that department this season as both teams are giving up an average of 23.5 points per contest. The Tar Heels are far inferior on the offensive side of the ball, though, averaging 396.6 yards per game to Missouri’s 472.4.
The Tar Heels, which are making their fourth consecutive bowl appearance, snapped a two game bowl skid last year with a 30-27 double overtime victory against Tennessee in the Music City Bowl.
College Football Betting Trend: The Under is 9-1 in Missouri’s last 10 games as a favorite with a total between 51.5 and 54. Missouri went 7-3 straight up and 4-6 against the spread in those same 10 games.
Reno Gold crushed the bookies with his College Football Odds ATS and Totals picks from day-one of the 2011 College Football Season, hitting on 99 of 143 for an unprecedented 69% average. The good news for college football bettors is – RENO’S PICKS ARE FREE – unlike most self proclaimed experts who charge subscribers big bucks. Be sure to check up on Reno Gold’s picks throughout the 2011-12 Bowl Season including the 2012 BCS Championship Game on January 9th. and Strike Gold with Reno Gold. Check daily for Reno Gold’s opinion on all the top bowl games each week for free, and sign up to get Free NCAAF Picks now!
Missouri vs North Carolina 2011 Independence Bowl Game Spreads: Provided by BetOnline.com
Missouri Tigers -6 (-110), Over 52.5 (-110), -240 (Moneyline)
North Carolina Tar Heels +6 (-110), Under 52.5 (-110), +200 (Moneyline)
