This article is part of our College Football Picks series.
College Football Bowl Game Bets: Duluth Trading Cure Bowl Troy vs. UTSA Picks: Odds, Best Bets, and Predictions
Friday is the first day of bowl season, and we're already getting one of the games I am most excited about. Troy and UTSA both enter this game ranked. They both went 11-2 and won their conferences, the Sun Belt and Conference USA respectively. The Roadrunners only losses were to Houston and Texas, while the Trojans lost to Ole Miss and Appalachian State, the latter on a Hail Mary. Whichever team wins this game is going to end the season ranked, and it is going to finish with the best season in school history. How can you not be hyped for that, even if it's the Cure Bowl?
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Troy vs. UTSA Odds for the Duluth Trading Cure Bowl
Spread: UTSA -1.5 (FanDuel Sportsbook)
Total: 55.5 (FanDuel Sportsbook)
Moneyline: UTSA -111, Troy -108 (FanDuel Sportsbook)
No give in this line, as it's nearly a pick 'em, which tracks to me. You can't even get on the plus side of a moneyline with either squad. Is this game as neck-and-neck as the FanDuel oddsmakers believe?
Troy vs. UTSA Betting Picks This Week
These are the two best Group of Five teams outside of the AAC, in my opinion. Troy ranks 37th in SP+, while UTSA ranks 46th (and shout out to South Alabama, which actually ranks 33rd and is in the best convo as well). In this game, strength will meet strength and weakness will meet weakness. The Roadrunners rank 15th in offensive SP+, while the Trojans rank 10th defensively. Flip things around, and it will be UTSA's 92nd-ranked defense versus Troy's 101st-ranked offense. If only we could watch the UTSA offense versus the Troy defense all game long.
Obviously, players will be missing from the Cure Bowl, and the Roadrunners don't have De'Corian Clark at receiver. However, they have Frank Harris, who I would call the best Group of Five quarterback full stop, throwing the ball to Zakhari Franklin still, and Kevorian Barnes broke through at running back as the season went on. I consider this a true tossup, so if I am looking for the best bet, I am looking at what is available to me. Thus, I look at that Troy moneyline. If you grab that point-and-a-half, it's at -114. So why not just kick the 1.5 points to the curb, grab the Trojans straight up, and try and squeeze a few more bucks out of this game?
Cure Bowl Best Bets for Troy vs. UTSA: Troy Trojans moneyline at FanDuel Sportsbook
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Duluth Trading Cure Bowl Prediction
I have covered Conference USA for years here at Rotowire, so I am more well-versed in the UTSA Roadrunners, but I also don't want to let that bias me because I see the numbers guys like Harris have put up week in and week out. Troy is ranked higher in SP+, and it also had the more impressive season, as it was one Hail Mary away from a one-loss season, with that loss coming on the road to an above-average SEC team. Of course, I could also see the Roadrunners winning as well! That's why this game is so exciting! This is a true toss-up, so my most-confident prediction is that this is going to be a fun game to watch. Sure, that may make me sound like Marge Simpson at the track wanting to bet that all the horses will have a good time, but it's how I feel. Check out the Cure Bowl on Friday if you can!
