Bodog Beat

The Missouri Tigers came within an eyelash of making the national championship game last year. (Wikimedia Images)

This year, they’re 9-4 SU (5-7 ATS), No. 25 in the AP poll and riding a two-game losing slump into the Alamo Bowl versus the underrated No. 22 Northwestern Wildcats (9-3 SU, 6-5 ATS).

The Tigers are massive 13-point favorites (-105) in San Antonio. But as impressive as QB Chase Daniel (37 TDs, 15 INTs) may be, this is a pedestrian defense we’re talking about here. Missouri is No. 100 in the FBS with 414.2 yards allowed per game – such is life in the Big 12 – while Northwestern’s defense is No. 51 at 343 yards per game.

The college football betting public is still on Missouri’s side by about a 2:1 ratio. The under, however, is 7-4 for Northwestern this year and 4-1 in the last five games. These are the dog days of the bowl season.