Foster Farms Bowl Betting: Indiana vs. Utah Odds, Analysis and Pick

Stretching back to last century, the Utah Utes are 12-1 in their last 13 bowl games and 3-0 both straight up and against the spread over their last three bowls. Utah shoots for more of the same when it meets up with Indiana in the Foster Farms Bowl December 28 at 8:30 p.m. ET at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California.

Foster Farms Bowl point spread: The Utes opened as 6.5-point favorites, according to sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark (view line updates and matchup report).

College football pick, via OddsShark computer: 34.0-28.2 Utes (view college football picks on every game).

Why the Indiana Hoosiers can cover the spread

Indiana started 3-1 this year and struggled through the early part of its Big Ten slate, but it won three of its last five games including a 26-24 victory over Purdue in the finale to achieve bowl eligibility for the second straight season. The Hoosiers outgained the Boilermakers that day by two yards and outrushed them by 110 yards. So Indiana outgained and outrushed four of its last five opponents.

Earlier this year, the Hoosiers gave Ohio State, a College Football Playoff qualifier, a good game and covered easily as four-touchdown underdogs. They also gave Nebraska, eventual Big Ten champion Penn State and Michigan good battles in defeats.

On the season, Indiana ranks 54th in the country in total offense, averaging 433 yards per game, and a respectable 41st in total defense, allowing 373 yards per game.

Why the Utah Utes can cover the spread

Utah started 7-1 this season with wins over BYU and USC. And while the Utes lost three of their last four games to fall out of contention in the Pac-12, two of those losses came by a combined 12 points against the two teams that played in the Pac-12 Championship Game, Washington and Colorado.

Utah fell in its season finale to the Buffaloes 27-22. The Utes pulled to within four points at 20-16 early in the fourth quarter and had the ball but gave up a Colorado touchdown on a fumble return and couldn't quite recover. On the day, Utah outrushed the Buffaloes 179 yards to 108; it was the seventh time in their last eight games the Utes outrushed their opponents.

On the season, Utah ranks 58th in total offense at 427 yards per game and 52nd in total defense at 386 yards per game.

Smart pick

Indiana is playing through a coaching change, following the sudden resignation of Kevin Wilson, and that can be a tough thing for a team to do at this point in the season. But the Hoosiers promoted from within, so they retain a good degree of continuity. Also, IU gave some good teams some trouble this year. The smart play here at online betting sites is the Hoosiers plus the points.

Betting trends

Utah is 4-1 ATS in its last five games.

Indiana is 1-4 SU in its last five games against teams with winning records.

Indiana is 1-5 ATS in its last six games after a win.

All college football lines and betting trends courtesy of Bleacher Report’s official odds partner, OddsShark. All quotes gathered firsthand unless otherwise noted. Check out Twitter for injury and line-movement updates and the OddsShark YouTube page for picks and analysis, or download the free odds tracker app.