Miami Beach Bowl 2016: Central Michigan vs. Tulsa TV Info, Time and Odds
College football fans hungry for more after a strong opening weekend to bowl season will see a heavy dosage of scoring in the 2016 Miami Beach Bowl when the Tulsa Golden Hurricane and Central Michigan Chippewas get together.
Tulsa, 9-3, boasts one of the nation's most impressive offenses, a unit posting video game-esque numbers while running wild on the American Athletic Conference.
Though just 6-6, Central Michigan also knows a thing or two about stuffing the stat sheet and has a wealth of hungry seniors looking to go out with a bang.
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This game is a great way for bowl season to keep marching along, especially with the allure of so much scoring. Here's everything to know about Monday's marquee matchup.
Miami Beach Bowl 2016
Date: Monday, Dec. 19
Time (ET): 2:30 p.m. ET
Location: Marlins Park in Miami
Watch: ESPN
Live Stream: WatchESPN
Tickets: ScoreBig.com
Over/Under: 67.5
Spread: Tulsa (-13)
Team Injury Reports
| Amari Coleman | DB | Questionable |
| Devon Spalding | RB | Questionable |
| Eric Cooper | WR | Out for Season |
| Jesse Kroll | WR | Out for Season |
| Romello Ross | RB | Out for Season |
| Keanu Hill | CB | Questionable |
| Chad President | QB | Out Indefinitely |
| Jake Hanks | DE | Out for Season |
Injury reports courtesy of USA Today.
Going Out on a High Note
Central Michigan senior quarterback Cooper Rush wants his guys to leave the college game with a win.
It's a fair desire, seeing as Rush's team has now qualified for three consecutive bowls, yet lost two in a row.
"We got to win," Rush said, according to Brandon Folsom of the Detroit Free Press. "Our seniors have to go out with a win, and everyone else has to have a good taste in their mouth coming into the offseason next year."
Rush, who has 23 touchdowns to 13 interceptions this year, will need to be on his game to match Tulsa's offense. He's shown up big in important games plenty of times this year, including a September upset of then-No. 22 Oklahoma State when he tossed four touchdowns.
The Chippewas will likely need a similar performance considering few defenses in the nation can slow Tulsa. The ground game behind Rush only averages 3.7 yards per carry, and other than Corey Willis (68 catches, 1,024 yards, nine touchdowns), the passing game doesn't feature many weapons.
Still, the motivation to end careers on a high note isn't something to underestimate. Las Vegas doesn't like Central Michigan's chances much, but the games are played for a reason.
Chasing History
Where to start when it comes to the Tulsa offense?
Quarterback Dane Evans has thrown for 3,044 yards with 27 touchdowns to 12 interceptions. Impressive, but that's just the beginning.
Look at the numbers running backs James Flanders and D'Angelo Brewer have posted this year:
| James Flanders | 241 | 1529 | 6.3 | 17 |
| D'Angelo Brewer | 247 | 1320 | 5.3 | 7 |
Oh, and don't forget the numbers by wideouts Keevan Lucas and Josh Atkinson:
| Keevan Lucas | 74 | 1108 | 12 |
| Josh Atkinson | 66 | 927 | 7 |
This silly output has Tulsa looking to become the first FBS team with a 3,000-yard passer and two backs and receivers at more than 1,000 yards. Considering head coach Philip Montgomery used to serve as Baylor's offensive coordinator, maybe this isn't much of a shocker.
It's not as if Tulsa has simply beat up on an easy schedule, either. The team has won all three of its overtime contests this year and came within seven points of downing then-No. 13 Houston on the road in October.
Though the defense hasn't done the Golden Hurricane any favors this year, the offense more than compensates. A loss to Ohio State, a ranked Houston team and a two-point upset on the road against Navy is all that separates the team from a much bigger bowl.
It's simply up to the offense to go out and drive the point home Monday.
Prediction
Though a great story, Central Michigan doesn't have the firepower to run with Tulsa.
Las Vegas seems to agree with this notion, sporting one of the biggest lines bowl season has seen to date. And considering seven teams scored at least 27 points on Central Michigan this year, it seems likely the Golden Hurricane will scream past the number.
Barring an unprecedented collapse Tulsa didn't show all year outside of a game against Ohio State, the Golden Hurricane will hop out ahead and never look back.
Here, bettors shouldn't fear the over much.
Prediction: Tulsa 45, Central Michigan 28
Statistics courtesy of ESPN.com unless otherwise specified. All betting information courtesy of OddsShark.
Follow Chris Roling (@Chris_Roling) on Twitter.
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