The Miami (Ohio) Redhawks (6-6) and UAB Blazers (6-6) kick off bowl season down in the Bahamas as they tangle in the 8th edition of the Bahamas Bowl.
The contest is the first of 43 bowl games to be contested throughout the rest of December and early January, giving college football fans and student/athletes alike a taste of the postseason.
Redhawks make their 14th overall bowl appearance and third in a row, all under the tutelage of coach Chuck Martin.
The Blazers, on the other hand, have qualified for six straight bowls, missing the 2020 Gasparilla Bowl due to COVID-19. All time, the Blazers are 2-3 in bowls.
Following the retirement of longtime coach Bill Clark, UAB turned to interim leader Bryan Vincent who will lead the team before NFL Super Bowl-winning quarterback Trent Dilfer takes the reins of the UAB program for the 2023 season.
In this piece, we will give you all you need to know when it comes to Miami vs. UAB betting analysis. In doing so, we will take a closer look at the Miami Redhawks football team as well as UAB Blazers football players and see how college football injuries may have an impact on the matchup.
Last Game Records
The Redhawks downed Ball State to get their all-important sixth win and clinch a bowl berth. Miami emerged victorious in three of its last four to punch its bowl ticket.
The Blazers lost four of their last six to limp into the Bahamas Bowl. Last time out, UAB went to Ruston, LA., and downed Louisiana Tech to ensure the continuation of its bowl streak.
Matchup Information
Miami Redhawks vs. UAB Blazers Betting Analysis
When looking at NCAAF odds, the Blazers are an 11-point favorite, and the game total is 44. This is the only game on the NCAAF scheduled for December 1, and the contest has an 11:30 a.m. EST start time.
Inside the Redhawks
As a program, while it has not returned to its dominance during the Ben Roethlisberger days, it has been competitive in the MAC, residing in the middle to the top of the MAC East in NCAAF standings.
After somewhat lopsided losses to Kentucky and Cincinnati, the Redhawks went to Evanston and beat Northwestern.
After a loss to bitter rival Ohio University and with their bowl fate and season at a crossroads, the team won its last two at Northern Illinois and, as mentioned, over the Cardinals.
Offensively, the team ranks towards the bottom in both total yards and passing yards but has had some success on the ground, ranking 113th nationally and 8th in the league.
Where Martin’s team has made a living is on the defensive side of things, ranking first in the league in fewest rushing yards against and are 7th against the pass.
A sure candidate for the all-MAC team, fifth year receiver Mac Hippenhammer has caught 19 passes in the past three games, eclipsing 100 yards on two occasions. A huge part of the Miami vs. UAB betting analysis hinges on if UAB Blazers can contain Hippenhammer.
Inside the Blazers
Considered by many to be a favorite to win Conference USA, or at least its Eastern Division, the Blazers were seemingly impacted when their coach Bill Clark announced his retirement.
While the veteran made the news public in the summer, the school didn’t have enough time to search for a replacement and appointed Bryant Vincent as its interim leader.
Favored in each of its first six contests, the Blazers went 4/2 SU in the span, losing at Liberty and at Rice. Then, the wheels seemed to come off as the team, bitten by the injury bug, dropped three in a row, all one-score games, to put their bowl streak in jeopardy.
Offensively, Blazers rank 4th in total offense in NCAA while leading the league in rushing yards per game, some 43 yards more than the closest competitor.
Blazers rush it for 243 yards a game and are led by junior DeWayne McBride, C/USA’s Offensive Player of the Year, who has run for 1,710 yards and 19 touchdowns thus far.
Those stats make McBride college football’s leading rusher both in terms of yards and rushing TDs and will present a gargantuan challenge to the Redhawks defense.
Updates
Very few injuries in the contest as neither team has any players listed on the injury report and no players, including McBride.
Miami (Ohio) vs. UAB Betting Preview
The key to the game will come down to whether the Redhawks will be able to contain McBride. The strength of the Redhawk D is stopping the run, but they’ve never faced a player of McBride’s caliber.
In studying past Bahamas Bowls, the winning team, with one exception, has scored 31 or more points, indicating that this should be a shootout and the game will go over.
In their last four bowls, UAB is 2/2 SU and 2/2 against the number. The Redhawks are 2/1 SU in bowls under Martin and 3/0 ATS, nearly winning as a 14-point dog at the St. Petersburg Bowl in 2016 and losing by ten as a 14-point dog to Louisiana in the Lending Tree Bowl in 2019.
Miami (Ohio) vs. UAB Betting Prediction
Given Miami’s record ATS in bowl games, we are hesitant to play the 11 with UAB as the Redhawks have shown a history in the postseason under Chuck Martin to play up to their level of competition and prepare well for Bowls.
As such, as a result of a thorough and complete Miami vs. UAB betting analysis, we are taking the Redhawks and the 11 points.
We also love the over in this game, as the previous seven versions of this game have averaged a combined 6.8 points per game among the two teams. So, take the over here.
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