Bowl Total of the Week (Rogers' 10* NCAAF) >> 3-0 Bowl Record This Week!
(NCAAF) Ohio vs. Troy,
Total: 49.00 | -104.00 Under
Result: Win
The set-up: The Dollar General Bowl in Mobile, Alabama features two teams that ended the season with close losses to miss out on conference championships. Ohio U. (8-5) played Western Michigan tough in the MAC title game before losing 29-23, while Troy was upset 28-24 by Georgia Southern to miss out on a share of the Sun Belt crown Both will get a chance here, to remove that bitter taste from their mouths.

Ohio U: Frank Solich is in his 12th season with the Bobcats and this marks the eighth time he's led his team into a bowl game. That's quite an accomplishment considering that in Ohio U history (prior to Solich's arrival), the Bobcats had been to just two bowls. This is not a great team but Ohio U. was the MAC's best defensive team in 2016. Since allowing 56 points to Texas State in triple overtime in the season opener, the Bobcats have held every opponent to fewer than 30 points and will enter this game allowing just 22.2 2 PPG (26th in the nation) and that's after allowing those 56 points in the opener. Senior DL Tarell Basham was the MAC's Defensive Player of the Year, leading the conference with 11.5 sacks and is the school's career leader with 29.5. Senior LB Blair Brown had a conference-high 116 tackles (13.5 for loss), and MAC Freshman of the Year Javon Hagan had 50 tackles and led the team with five forced fumbles and three interceptions. The offense averages a modest 26.5 PPG, 218.0 YPG passing and 174.8 YPG on the ground.

Troy: The Trojans come in 9-3 but without a win here, the season will be considered a real disappointment. Troy was 8-1 (only loss came 30-24 against Clemson!) and entered the AP's top-25 for the first the loss at Ga. Southern, as a seven-point road favorite.Troy led the Sun Belt in scoring (34.2 PPG), passing (263.1 YPG) and total offense (439.1 YPG) with 49 touchdowns. Junior RB Jordan Chunn (1,232 yards rushing and a conference-best 13 TDs) is Troy's best 'weapon' with QB Silvers completing 64.4% for 2,951 yards with 22 TDs and nine INTs. Troy's defense allows just 22.0 PPG (23rd).

The pick: These are two good defensive teams but the reasonably low over/number on the game makes the over very tempting. Ohio has not had much success in bowl games under Solich and in the team's last five bowl appearances, those finals have averaged 58.4 PPG. Troy QB Bandon Silvers can spread the field and find open receivers against a defense that did not see this style much. The Over is a 10* play.