A high-scoring contest is widely expected when the high-powered SMU Mustangs and Florida Atlantic Owls collide Saturday in the 2019 Boca Raton Bowl. The Owls will enjoy a true home-field advantage because the game is being played at FAU Football Stadium in Boca Raton, Fla. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET. The Conference USA champion Owls (10-3) seek their second Boca Raton Bowl victory in the past three seasons.

Florida Atlantic and SMU (10-2) each average more than 35 points per game, and their matchup has prompted one of the highest over-under totals of the bowl season. After opening as 3.5-point favorites, the Mustangs are now seven-point favorites and the over-under for total points scored is 64 in the latest FAU vs. SMU odds. Before making any SMU vs. Florida Atlantic picks, make sure to see the college football predictions from SportsLine college football expert Emory Hunt.

Hunt is enjoying an incomparable 2019 college football season for SportsLine members. He's 97-58 on his college football picks against-the-spread, returning a whopping $3,396 to $100 bettors. A former Division I running back, he knows the game from a playing and coaching perspective. Hunt founded Football Gameplan in 2007 and has been producing high-level analysis ever since. 

SportsLine's top college football analyst also has had a keen sense for the trajectories of these programs, posting a strong 7-1 record on against-the-spread picks on games involving the Mustangs or Owls over the past two seasons. Anyone who has followed him is way up.

Now, Hunt has zeroed in on SMU vs. FAU from every angle and released another confident against the spread pick that he's only sharing over at SportsLine. Here are the college football odds and trends for SMU vs. Florida Atlantic in the Boca Raton Bowl:

  • SMU vs. FAU spread: SMU -7
  • SMU vs. FAU over-under: 64 points
  • SMU vs. FAU money line: SMU -274, Florida Atlantic +222
  • SMU: Mustangs have covered in four straight non-conference games.
  • FAU: Owls are 4-0 ATS against opponents with winning records.

Hunt has considered that the line has moved significantly in SMU's favor following reports that FAU is expected to be without multiple starters due to suspension. Tight end Harrison Bryant, who put up a huge 65-1,004-7 receiving line this year, could reportedly also sit this game as he deals with an illness. FAU hasn't confirmed any of the absences. 

The Mustangs' high-powered offense is set up to have success against an FAU defense that has been vulnerable against the pass. The Owls allowed at least 200 passing yards in their first seven games and at least 190 in all but two contests. Five-win Ball State threw for 303 yards and three touchdowns against the Owls in a 41-31 Week 3 loss.

Quarterback Shane Buechele has thrown for at least 200 yards in every game except for the season finale against Tulane. In that contest, he went 15-for-27 for 180 yards and three touchdowns. The Mustangs also have enough balance to give Florida Atlantic trouble with their ground game. Senior running back Xavier Jones ran for 1,249 yards and 21 scores. 

Even so, the high-powered Mustangs aren't assured of covering the Florida Atlantic vs. SMU spread against an FAU club that will be determined to make the most of a bowl game on its home turf.

Following a somewhat uneven freshman season, quarterback Chris Robison has made great strides and appears to be a program cornerstone moving forward. The sophomore has thrown for two or more touchdowns in seven games and leads a passing attack that is putting up 279 yards per contest. He also has improved his pocket presence as he has taken just four sacks in the past five games. 

We can tell you Hunt is leaning over the total, but his much stronger play is on the spread. He's found a critical x-factor that makes one side of the spread hit hard. He's sharing what it is, and who to back, only at SportsLine. 

Who wins SMU vs. Florida Atlantic in the 2019 Boca Raton Bowl? And what critical x-factor makes one side of the spread a must-back? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the SMU vs. Florida Atlantic spread you should be all over Saturday, all from the expert who's 7-1 on picks involving these teams.