USF and San Jose State went into this season with very different expectations.
Many believed USF would be a contender for the AAC Championship – maybe even make the College Football Playoff as a Group of Five team. However, the Bulls began the year with a brutal schedule. They lost four of their first six games after facing Alabama, Miami, Tulane, and Memphis.
USF did respond, though. The Bulls won four of their next five contests, with their only loss being against Navy during that stretch. That helped them get to 6-6 and earn bowl-eligibility for the second consecutive season under head coach Alex Golesh.
San Jose State, meanwhile, was going into its first season with Ken Niumatalolo as head coach. Some believed Niumatalolo would need some time to get established with the program before the Spartans would begin winning.
Instead, SJSU won five of its first seven contests with close road losses against Washington State and Colorado State.
The Spartans ended up with a 7-5 overall record, but they did close the regular season with a 34-31 victory over Stanford. Not bad for Niumatalolo’s first season at SJSU.
Now the Spartans will take on the Bulls in the Hawaii Bowl, with both teams hoping to use this season to build toward the future.
USF vs. SJSU Betting Odds
USF is a +1.5 college football betting odds underdog against San Jose State, with the Over/Under being 65.5.
The moneyline for USF is -120, while it’s +100 for San Jose State.
USF vs. SJSU On TV
The matchup between USF and San Jose State will be televised on ESPN.
The game will kick off at 8 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Dec. 24. The contest is taking place at Clarence TC Ching Athletics Complex in Honolulu, Hawaii.
USF vs. SJSU Prediction
I predict San Jose State will win and cover the spread at -1.5. I also project the game will go Over 65.5 total points.
A trip to Hawaii is tough for pretty much any team in the country. But that’s especially not an easy trip for South Florida, even if the Bulls have had plenty of time to travel and prepare.
I also think SJSU is playing better than some people might realize, despite the Spartans’ record down the stretch. In their previous four games, they beat Oregon State – by double digits – and Stanford while losing to Boise State and UNLV. Those last two teams were in the College Football Playoff rankings and made it to the Mountain West Championship.
SJSU will be without some players, like wide receiver Nick Nash as he prepares for the NFL Draft. But I still think the Spartans will end up winning by a touchdown in a high-scoring contest, as offense is a strength for both of these programs.
