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UTSA vs Marshall Frisco Bowl Prediction & Best Bets: Will Fantastic Frank Fire the Roadrunners to a First Bowl Win?

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UTSA vs Marshall 2023 Frisco Bowl Prediction, Odds & Best Bets 12/19/2023 cover

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Over the last four seasons, Jeff Traylor has led UTSA to a place as one of the most successful programs in college football’s Group of Five. But one thing remains missing from his and the Roadrunners’ resumes: a bowl victory. Will that box be ticked off with a Frisco Bowl win over Marshall (9:00 pm ET, ESPN)?

The Roadrunners are 38-14 under Traylor and won back-to-back Conference USA championships in 2021 and 2022 before departing for the American Athletic Conference this season.

After going 1-3 in non-conference play with losses to Houston, Army, and Tennessee, the Roadrunners won seven straight in conference play and were in contention to reach the conference championship game until a loss at Tulane in the regular season finale.

Though they missed out on a chance at a third straight conference title, it has been another successful season for UTSA (8-4, 7-1 American).

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All that remains is picking up the program’s first bowl win in five appearances, following losses in the 2016 New Mexico Bowl (to New Mexico), 2020 First Responder Bowl (to Louisiana), 2021 Frisco Bowl (to San Diego State), and 2022 Cure Bowl (to Troy).

While there is no such thing as easy, this profiles as the most favorable bowl matchup that the Roadrunners have had, as their four previous bowl opponents had a combined record of 43-9.

Marshall (6-6, 3-5 Sun Belt) started 4-0 and opened conference play with a win over Old Dominion, but things fell apart from there, as they dropped five straight and won only two of their final six games.

But the Thundering Herd secured a seventh straight bowl trip with a win over Arkansas State in their regular season finale, and they have the opportunity to end a disappointing season on a bright note.

UTSA vs Marshall Odds

Odds are courtesy of BetOnline. If you’re interested in trying them out, we recommend checking out our BetOnline review.

Spread

UTSA -12 (-115)
Marshall +12 (-105)

Over/Under

Over 51.5 (-108)
Under 51.5 (-112)

Moneyline

UTSA -550
Marshall +430

Frank Harris UTSA football — UTSA QB Frank Harris

2023 Season Results for UTSA

at Houston: lost 17-14
vs Texas State: won 20-13
vs Army: lost 37-29
at Tennessee: lost 45-14
at Temple: won 49-34
vs UAB: won 41-20
at FAU: won 36-10
vs East Carolina: won 41-27
at North Texas: won 37-29
vs Rice: won 34-14
vs South Florida: won 49-21
at Tulane: lost 29-16

2023 Season Results for Marshall

vs Albany: won 21-17
at East Carolina: won 31-13
vs Virginia Tech: won 24-17
vs Old Dominion: won 41-35
at North Carolina State: lost 48-41
at Georgia State: lost 41-24
vs James Madison: lost 20-9
at Coastal Carolina: lost 34-6
at Appalachian State: lost 31-9
vs Georgia Southern: won 38-33
at South Alabama: lost 28-0
vs Arkansas State: won 35-21

Top Players for UTSA

QB Frank Harris: 2,829 total yards, 22 TD, 8 INT
WR Joshua Cephus: 82 catches, 1,049 yards, 9 TD
CB Kam Alexander: 33 tackles, INT, 13 passes defended

Top Players for Marshall

RB Rasheen Ali: 1,043 rushing yards, 213 receiving yards, 15 total TD
DL Owen Porter: 57 tackles, 15 TFL, 5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles
DB Micah Abraham: 31 tackles, 3 INT, 13 passes defended

UTSA vs Marshall Prediction and Best Bets

Prediction: UTSA to win

After a strong start to the season, Marshall’s only wins were against Georgia Southern, who lost five straight to end the season, and Arkansas State, who blew hot and cold over the course of the season.

The win over Arkansas State featured a masterpiece by quarterback Cam Fancher, who had an up and down season but finished with an almighty flourish.

However, Fancher hit the transfer portal after the regular season ended, which means that Cole Pennington–son of former Marshall star and NFL QB Chad Pennington–will draw the start.

In three games this season, Pennington, a redshirt freshman, has completed a respectable 62% of his passes, but he has zero touchdowns and six interceptions.

UTSA’s defense will be without star LB Trey Moore, who is in the portal, which is a big blow. But it’s still hard to see Pennington having a lot of success, given his struggles to this point. As such, even a big game by Ali might not be enough, especially with what the Roadrunners can do on offense.

This will be the final collegiate game for seventh-year UTSA QB Frank Harris, who has accounted for over 14,000 total yards and 121 total touchdowns.

Harris missed two games this season but still put up strong numbers, and he and the other seniors on the squad will be looking to add one more memorable moment to a long list of them. Look for them to do just that in resounding fashion.

Best Bets: UTSA -12 & Frank Harris Over 28.5 Rushing Yards (Both Lines at BetOnline – Bet These Lines & Get a 100% Bonus on Your First Cryptocurrency Deposit)

Harris has 11,858 passing yards and 92 touchdown passes in his career, but he is also a very accomplished runner, compiling 2,143 yards and 28 touchdowns on 4.7 yards per attempt.

Marshall doesn’t defend the run very well, ranking 78th in the FBS entering the Frisco Bowl. Harris has run for 29 or more yards 31 times in 53 career games, including three times in his last four games. RBs Kevorian Barnes and Robert Henry should be able to find running room throughout the night, and so should Harris.

Where to Bet on UTSA vs Marshall and Other College Football Games

Most top online sportsbooks offer a wide variety of college football odds throughout the season, including on the two CFP semifinal matchups between Michigan and Alabama and Washington and Texas.

In addition to being able to make weekly college football picks all the way from Week Zero to the College Football Playoff National Championship, you can also bet on Heisman Trophy odds, conference championship odds, win totals, and much more.

There are plenty of sports betting sites you can choose from that are good for college football betting. Below are some of the books that we highly recommend:

If you don’t have an account at a book on this list, check out our reviews to help you determine if it is worth your interest and your betting funds.

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UTSA vs Marshall Frisco Bowl Prediction & Best Bets: Will Fantastic Frank Fire the Roadrunners to a First Bowl Win?