One of the tightest lines on the 2018-19 college football bowl schedule pits the Boise State Broncos against the Boston College Eagles in the inaugural First Responder Bowl on Wednesday. Kickoff is slated for 1:30 p.m. ET from Cotton Bowl Stadium in Dallas. The forecast calls for rain and temperatures in the 60s, so weather could be a factor. The First Responder Bowl 2018 features two of the most electric playmakers in the country in record-setting quarterback Brett Rypien of Boise State and running back AJ Dillon of Boston College. The Broncos are 2.5-point sportsbook favorites in the latest Boise State vs. Boston College odds, down from an opener of -3.5 in most markets. The over-under for total points scored has dipped steadily after opening at 55 and currently stands at 51. Before locking in your Boise State vs. Boston College picks and 2018 First Responder Bowl predictions, check out what SportsLine expert Emory Hunt has to say.

Hunt is the founder and CEO of Football Gameplan, which has been supplying analysis of all levels of football since 2007. The former running back joined SportsLine in 2016 and has provided his followers with winning seasons in college and pro football.

Hunt is having another solid season for SportsLine members and enters the bowl season on an 11-6 run on his point-spread selections. What's more, he has had a keen eye for the tendencies of these two programs and boasts an impressive 11-4 record on against the spread picks involving these teams.

Two weekends ago, Hunt advised SportsLine members that Fresno State (+2.5) would upset Boise State in the MWC title game, with its physical defense making the difference. The result: the Bulldogs repeatedly got key stops, including in overtime, to earn the victory. Anyone who followed Hunt's advice pocketed another winner.

Now, Hunt has analyzed the 2018 First Responder Bowl odds from every possible angle and released another confident point-spread selection that is available only at SportsLine.

Hunt knows the Broncos have a decorated record of bowl success, highlighted by their memorable overtime win over Oklahoma in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl. They also have a history of being involved in some of the most entertaining bowl games ever, including last year's 38-28 win over Oregon in the Las Vegas Bowl. Boise State is 6-2 in bowl games this decade. 

Rypien will go down as one of the most accomplished quarterbacks in the program's history. He was named the MWC Offensive Player of the Year and has been invited to the East-West Shrine Game. Rypien is the active FBS leader in passing yards (13,581) and is the conference's all-time leader in passing yards, completions (1,036), and 300-yard passing games (21).

The Broncos will need a complete performance in order to cover the First Responder Bowl spread against a Boston College club that is similarly stellar on both sides of the ball.

The Eagles have an attack-oriented defense under defensive coordinator Jim Reid, and they've used that mentality to generate a number of big plays this year. Boston College forced 26 turnovers in 12 games this season and ranked 26th in the nation with 33 sacks. They can get to the quarterback in a hurry and swarm the ball if it's put on the ground.

Junior cornerback Hamp Cheevers is one of the nation's best, with seven interceptions this season and a fumble recovery. The Eagles were 6-2 this season in games where he was responsible for at least one takeaway.

Boston College is 2-1 against the spread this season as an underdog. The Eagles covered four FBS games in a row against NC State, Louisville, Miami (Fla.), and Virginia Tech, proving they can hang with any team.

We can tell you Hunt is leading toward the Over, but his much stronger play is on the side. He has scoured every aspect of this matchup and unearthed the critical x-factor that makes one side of the spread hit hard. He's only sharing what it is, and who to back, at SportsLine.

Who covers in the 2018 First Responder Bowl? And what critical x-factor makes one side of the spread a must-back? Visit SportsLine right now to see which side of the Boise State vs. Boston College spread you need to jump on, all from an accomplished handicapper who's hitting 73 percent of his picks involving these teams, and find out.