The Marshall Thundering Herd seek their eighth consecutive bowl victory when they square off against the UCF Knights on Monday in the 2019 Gasparilla Bowl. Kickoff from Raymond James Stadium in Tampa is set for 2:30 p.m. ET. Marshall (8-4) extended its streak last year with a 38-20 victory over South Florida in this game. The Thundering Herd, who have covered the spread in each of their last seven bowl appearances, are 12-3 overall in these contests and haven't lost one since falling to Cincinnati in the 2004 Fort Worth Bowl. UCF (9-3), which is 4-0 against the spread in its last four against Conference-USA teams, is looking to extend its winning streak against Marshall to nine games.
The Knights are 15.5-point favorites, down two from the opener, while the over-under is 59 in the latest Central Florida vs. Marshall odds after the total opened at 61.5. You'll want to see the latest college football predictions from the SportsLine Projection Model before entering any UCF vs. Marshall picks.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every FBS college football game 10,000 times. Over the past four-plus years, the proprietary computer model has generated a stunning profit of almost $4,000 for $100 players on its top-rated college football picks against the spread. It also went a sizzling 8-2 on all picks against the spread during Championship Week. Anyone who has followed it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has analyzed UCF vs. Marshall from every angle. We can tell you it's leaning under, but it also says one side of the spread hits in well over 50 percent of simulations. You can go to SportsLine to see that pick. Now, here are several college football odds and trends for UCF vs. Marshall:
- UCF vs. Marshall spread: Knights -15.5
- UCF vs. Marshall over-under: 59 points
- UCF vs. Marshall money line: Knights -691, Thundering Herd +482
- UCF: RB Adrian Killins Jr. is averaging 7.2 yards per carry
- MAR: RB Brenden Knox has exactly half of the team's 488 rushing attempts
The model knows the Knights have registered 40 victories over the last four seasons, the highest four-year total in school history. With a win over Marshall, they will have their first stretch of three consecutive seasons with double-digits in wins. UCF has recorded both a rushing and passing touchdown in 38 straight games, the longest active streak in the nation.
Quarterback Dillon Gabriel has thrown for 3,393 yards this season, a school record for a freshman and the fifth-most on the Knights' all-time single-season list. Gabriel has thrown 27 touchdowns, the fourth-most in a campaign by a Knight, while his 15.28 yards per completion rank fifth in the country. He has made at least one scoring toss in each of his first 12 games, the longest such streak in school history.
Despite their strong ground attack, the Knights are not guaranteed to cover the UCF vs. Marshall spread in Monday's Gasparilla Bowl 2019.
The Thundering Herd thrive when their ground game is clicking, as they are 7-1 straight-up when amassing at least 170 yards. Knox, who earned Conference-USA's MVP honors, has rushed for 1,284 yards and 11 touchdowns during his sophomore season. Marshall is hoping the running back will help it improve to 4-0 in this event, as it also was victorious when it was known as the Beef 'O' Brady's Bowl in 2011 and the St. Petersburg Bowl four years later.
Marshall's defense boasts a pair of players that reached triple-digit tackles this season. Junior Tavante Beckett led Conference-USA with 114, while fellow linebacker Omari Cobb notched 107 during his senior campaign. Sophomore quarterback Isaiah Green threw for 2,265 yards while also running for 281 and four touchdowns.
So who wins Marshall vs. UCF in the Gasparilla Bowl 2019? And which side of the spread can you bank on in well over 50 percent of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Marshall vs. UCF spread to jump on Monday, all from the advanced model that is up almost $4,000 on its top-rated college football picks, and find out.
