Armed Forces Bowl 2015, California vs Air Force preview, predictions, odds and live stream info
California vs. Air Force
The Armed Forces Bowl is the first bowl on the schedule on Tuesday, and it features an exciting match-up between the California Golden Bears and the Air Force Falcons. Both teams have had successful seasons in their respective conferences and are looking to finish the year strong with a win in Texas.
It’s going to be the last game in college for California quarterback Jared Goff. Goff is expected to be one of the top quarterbacks taken in the draft in 2016, and it will be the final time that he puts on the California uniform. He will look to put on his best performance before embarking on his NFL career.
Details for Tuesday’s game are below.
Date: Tuesday, December 29
Time: 2:00 p.m. ET
Location: Fort Worth, TX
Stadium: Amon G. Carter Stadium
TV Info: ESPN
Live Stream: WatchESPN App
Keys to Victory
Air Force isn’t really a force in the air, as they rarely air it out. They prefer to hand the ball off and let the triple option roll on the ground. If they are going to beat California on Tuesday, Air Force is going to have to hit big plays in the air, and those plays are going to have to be set up by a successful triple option.
For California, winning the game is going to come down to Goff finding his receivers and making passes. In the final regular season game against the Arizona State Sun Devils, Goff absolutely came alive in the second half and looked like a top quarterback. He can put the ball in the right spots and he has to do that against Air Force.
For Air Force, they’re going to be facing a quarterback on defense with a caliber of level they haven’t played this year. To have a shot against the Golden Bears, they are going to have to remain sharp and focused. Goff is going to get his yards, but they have to limit the big plays.
California defensively can’t afford to get burned by the triple option. We’ve already seen one Pac-12 team in Arizona struggle with the triple option this bowl season, and California has to be prepared for an unfamiliar look on the ground by Air Force.
Betting Odds
Point Spread: California -7
Moneyline: California -105
O/U: 68
Prediction
Jared Goff is going to shine in the spotlight one last time. He’s going to the NFL and is going to be one of the most talked about rookies next season at the quarterback spot. Air Force just can’t compete with him when he is on and that’s why California is a big favorite. Goff throws five-plus touchdowns on the day to lead the Golden Bears to a big win in Texas.
Pick: California 52, Air Force 17