The Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders (7-5) will take on the San Diego State Aztecs (7-5) in the EasyPost Hawaii Bowl, with most online sportsbooks having the Aztecs as 6.5-point favorites.
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Can the Blue Raiders pull off the upset and come away with back-to-back bowl wins for the first time in school history? Let’s preview the Blue Raiders-Aztecs 2022 Hawaii Bowl.
Hawaii Bowl Game Info
Who: Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders vs. San Diego State Aztecs
When: Saturday, Dec. 24 at 8 p.m. CST
Where: Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex, Honolulu, Hawaii
TV: The Hawaii Bowl will be aired on ESPN
Middle Tennessee vs. San Diego State Odds and Betting Trends
| TEAM | POINT SPREAD | MONEYLINE | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|
| Middle Tennessee | +6.5 (-110) | +200 | Over 48.5 (-110) |
| San Diego State | -6.5 (-110) | -250 | Under 48.5 (-110) |
When odds initially came out for the 2022 Hawaii Bowl, San Diego State opened as 3.5-point favorites.
As of Friday afternoon, you can still get Middle Tennessee State at +7 on Caesars Sportsbook, so it’s worth checking out a couple of different operators to make sure you’re getting the best odds. You can also find the best moneyline price on DraftKings Sportsbook at +220, and a 49.5-point total on FanDuel Sportsbook.
Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders Betting Trends
- 5-6-1 against the spread (ATS)
- Middle Tennessee State has been the underdog in eight games this year, going 4-4 ATS
- The Blue Raiders have been double-digit underdogs three times, winning two of those games outright — Colorado State and Miami
- The Over has barely edged out the under, going 6-5-1
- As underdogs, the over/under record is 4-4
San Diego State Aztecs Betting Trends
- The Aztecs have performed slightly worse ATS compared to MTSU, going 5-7
- San Diego State has been the favorite in six games this year, going 2-4 ATS
- The Aztecs’ over/under record is 5-7
- As favorites, the Over has hit in two of six games (2-4)
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Blue Raiders vs. Aztecs Hawaii Bowl Preview
The Blue Raiders went into Week 11 at 4-5 and proceeded to rattle off three straight wins to save their season and become bowl eligible.
Offensively, MTSU has posted 29.2 points per game, tied for 59th in the FBS. Led by QB Chase Cunningham, the Blue Raiders averaged just over 267 passing yards per game this season, good for 32nd out of 131. The run game has been a different story, however, ranking 103rd in the country at 123.1 yards per game.
On the other side of the ball, the Blue Raiders have allowed the 50th-most points per game at 28.1. The run defense has held up well all year, allowing the 26th-fewest rushing yards per game. Passing offenses have given the Blue Raiders trouble all year, as the team allows the third-most passing yards per game.
The San Diego Aztecs were off to a rocky start after going 2-3 in their first five games. This start meant the Aztecs had already lost more games in the first five weeks than they did in all of 2021. Their season turned around after quarterback, turned safety, turned quarterback again, Jalen Mayden took over as signal caller. Mayden was a four-star quarterback recruit who had transferred to San Diego State from Mississippi State and had been playing safety up until Braxton Burmeister was injured.
For the Aztecs, the offense is posting 21.3 points per game, 170.9 passing yards per game, and 150.8 rushing yards per game, which ranks 110th, 119th, and 68th, respectively. As shaky as the offense has been, San Diego State’s defense has been as reliable as they come. The Aztecs have allowed 20.2 points per game, 206.6 passing yards per game, and 128.8 rushing yards per game, ranking 21st, 35th, and 36th.
Pick: Considering how these teams match up, I think we see more of a defensive battle in the 2022 Hawai’i Bowl. Give me the Under with the Aztecs’ defense keeping Cunningham in check.
