2022 First Responder Bowl Odds - Memphis vs. Utah State Betting

First Responder Bowl Odds - Memphis vs. Utah State

Utah State snapped a three-game winning streak in the regular season finale loss to the Boise State Broncos but still qualified for a bowl game, overcoming multiple injuries at quarterback. The Aggies ranked 104th in yards per play against FBS opponents during the regular season. Calvin Tyler Jr. exceeded 1,000 rushing yards in the regular season finale and finished with 1,043 yards on the season to go along with seven touchdowns on the ground. Memphis got off to a 4-1 start to the season turned out to be huge for their chances at extending their bowl streak to eight games. This will be the Tigers’ 14th bowl appearance, and the strength of this group was a rushing defense that ranked No. 23 when the regular season ended in yards per rush attempt against FBS opponents.

2021 First Responder Bowl at a Glance

Date: Tuesday, December 27, 2022

Time (ET) / TV: 3:15 PM / ESPN

Venue: Gerald J Ford Stadium, Dallas, Texas

Matchup: Memphis Tigers vs. Utah State Aggies

College Football Betting Lines

Utah State Aggies +7.5

Memphis Tigers -7.5

Total: 62.5

First Responder Bowl Preview

Last game, the Memphis Tigers lost 34-31 against the SMU Mustangs as 4-point road dogs. The game went under the total of 68.5. Memphis has a record of 6-6 straight up, 6-6 against the spread, and 8-4 over/under the total. Memphis ranks 41st for total offense, 22nd for passing, 82nd for rushing, and 22nd for scoring. Defensively they rank 63rd overall, 98th against the pass, 26th against the rush, and 75th for points allowed. Also, Memphis ranks 62nd for fewest turnovers lost and 23rd for takeaways.

Last game, the Utah State Aggies lost 42-23 against the Boise State Broncos as 16.5-point road dogs. The game went over the total of 51.5. Utah State has a record of 6-6 straight up, 4-8 against the spread, and 5-7 over/under the total. Utah State ranks 92nd for total offense, 105th for passing, 58th for rushing and 101st for scoring. Defensively they rank 84th overall, 25th against the pass, 119th against the rush, and 103rd for points allowed. Also, Utah State ranks 44th for fewest turnovers lost and 52nd for takeaways.

First Responder Bowl Prediction

In this situation, Memphis is laying too many points for a team that has struggled to hold leads.

First Responder Bowl Format

The First Responder Bowl, formerly known as the Heart of Dallas Bowl, began in 2011, and the matchup has conference tie-ins with the ACC, AAC, Big 12, and CUSA. The game occurs at Gerald J. Ford Stadium in University Park, Texas.

First Responder Bowl Past Results

In the first eight First Responder Bowls, the winning team scored 30-plus points and eclipsed 40 or more in three of them. In 2017, Utah cruised past West Virginia 30-14. It was the fifth consecutive bowl win for the Utes and the 14th victory in the past 15 bowl appearances since 1999. The 2018 installment between Boise State and Boston College was canceled because of the threat of severe weather.

Western Kentucky -3 rallied past Western Michigan for a 23-20 win in the 2019 edition, and bettors wagering on either side likely earned a push while the 'under' (56) was never in doubt.

In 2020, a heavily-favored Louisiana posted a 31-24 victory, but UTSA grabbed the cover as a 14-point underdog as the total ended up a push at most books. Louisiana used its bowl win as a springboard to the 2021 Sun Belt Conference championship. And Ragin Cajun head coach Billy Napier was rewarded for building Louisiana into a consistent winner by getting the Florida Gators job. Meanwhile, UTSA won the 2021 CUSA championship in the greatest season in program history. In the 2020 First Responder Bowl, Louisiana running back Elijah Mitchell won Most Valuable Player honors. Mitchell ran for 127 yards and a touchdown while catching two passes for 45 yards.

The game went off on Dec. 28, 2021, despite the COVID-19 global pandemic, and Air Force -1 posted an impressive 31-28 win over Louisville, a Power 5 team, after using a surprising blend of passing and rushing. Normally the Falcons are a heavy ground-based attack. The favorite cashed for the first time since Utah's victory in 2017.

The most lopsided game in this bowl’s history was Oklahoma State’s 58-14 beatdown of Purdue at the end of the 2012 season. The Cowboys were 16-point favorites per the college football betting odds, and they had no trouble covering the number. They were up 45-0 before taking their foot off the gas pedal, allowing the Boilermakers to score a pair of consolation touchdowns.

Most All-Time Wins

We’ve only seen one school play in this bowl game more than once. North Texas defeated UNLV in this game in 2013, but the Mean Green were unable to beat Army in 2016.

The most lopsided game in this bowl’s history was Oklahoma State’s 58-14 beatdown of Purdue at the end of the 2012 season. The Cowboys were 16-point favorites per the college football betting odds, and they had no trouble covering the number. They were up 45-0 before taking their foot off the gas pedal, allowing the Boilermakers to score a pair of consolation touchdowns.

Boston College and Boise State were supposed to play in the 2018 version of this game. However, that game was called by severe weather in the first quarter. It became the first bowl game cancelled since 1941.

2022-23 College Football Bowl Games

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