2019 Redbox Bowl Betting Odds

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2019 Redbox Bowl - California Golden Bears vs Illinois Fighting Illini

Although they are a classic “Pac 12 After Dark” type of program the California Golden Bears are emerging as one of the most consistent schools in all of college football. Head coach Justin Wilcox brought a much-needed emphasis on defense and that has propelled the Golden Bears to their second consecutive bowl game. By contrast Lovie Smith has had a harder lift as head coach of the Fighting Illini of Illinois and has needed four seasons to get this moribund program into a bowl game. Smith is also a defensive mastermind that has overcome a tough conference and the need for a vastly improved roster. The Illini and Bears meet in the Red Box Bowl at Levi’s Stadium in San Francisco.

2019 Redbox Bowl at a Glance

Date: Monday, December 30, 2019

Time: 4:00 p.m. ET

Venue: Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, California

TV: FOX

Matchup: California Golden Bears vs. Illinois Fighting Illini

Odds: California -6.5, total 42

2019 Red Box Bowl Game Preview

The Fighting Illini of Illinois enter the Red Box Bowl with a record of 6-6 straight up, 8-4 against the spread with 5-7 under the total. Overall national metrics have Illinois ranked 78th for scoring offense and 53rd for points allowed. Illinois shocked the country with its 24-23 home win over the Wisconsin Badgers as 28.5-point dogs and took off from there. It was a level of credibility for the program that has been lacking since the 2007 Rose Bowl season. Michigan transfer quarterback Brandon Peters threw for 1611 yards passing with 17 touchdowns. Running backs Reggie Corbin and Dre Brown each averaged over 4.9 yards per carry. Wide receiver Josh Imatorbhebhe caught 33 passes for 634 yards with 19.2 yards per catch and nine touchdowns.

The California Golden Bears are 7-5 straight up, 6-6 against the spread with 4-8 under the total. Cal’s signature win this year was a 20-19 lightning delayed payout at the Washington Huskies as 13.5-point dogs in the middle of the night. National metrics have the Golden Bears ranked 115th for scoring offense but 32nd for points allowed. California finished strong with wins at Stanford and UCLA to clinch a winning season and bowl bid.

2019 Red Box Bowl Format

The Red Box Bowl was founded in 2002 as the Diamond Foods San Francisco Bowl. It has also been known as the Diamond Walnut San Francisco Bowl, Emerald Bowl, Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl, Fight Hunger Bowl, and the Foster Farms Bowl. This is the second year of title sponsorship for Red Box. The payout is $2.2 million with conference ties ins with the Pac 12 and Big Ten.

Redbox Bowl Game Results

Only one game in the first 14 editions of this game was decided by less than seven points and that was the 2011 matchup between Illinois and UCLA. The Fighting Illini came away with a 20-14 victory. That’s changed recently, though.

The 2016 matchup between Utah and Indiana produced the second-closest bowl game to date with the Utes kicking a field goal with a little over a minute to play to squeeze out a 26-24 win in the Hoosiers’ first appearance in this gamw.

In 2017, Purdue and Arizona combined for the second-most points in Redbox Bowl history with the Boilermakers getting a late touchdown for the 38-35 victory. The teams combined for nearly 1,000 yards of offense. Arizona State and Navy established the record for most points in ASU’s 62-28 win in 2012.

Last year’s edition of the Redbox Bowl was the closest and lowest-scoring game in bowl history. No team had scored less than 10 points in this game before last year, when both Oregon and Michigan State finished in the single digits.

Most All-Time Wins at Redbox Bowl

UCLA, Maryland, Boston College and Navy have had the opportunity to win multiple bowl games, but only the Utes from Utah have achieved multiple wins here. The wins came in Utah’s only two visits, the first as a member of the MWC in 2005 and in 2016 representing the Pac-12.

Despite its affiliation with the Pac-12 and affinity for keeping teams close to home for attendance purposes, Boston College has appeared in the most bowl games, making three trips out to Northern California. UCLA has also appeared in three Redbox Bowl games and has yet to produce a victory.

Through 2013 the game was played at ATT Park, home of MLB’s San Francisco Giants, and required some odd configurations to the baseball-specific field. Both team benches were on the same side of the field separated by a barrier at mid-field.

Redbox, a company that delivers DVD and video game rentals through retail kiosks, purchased naming rights to the bowl in 2018, rebranding the game as the Redbox Bowl. It ended a food-related theme to the game that was around since its inception in 2002.

2019-20 College Bowl Games Betting Schedule

2019 NCAA Football Schedule

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