Heart of Dallas Bowl
Cotton Bowl Stadium - Dallas, TX
Kickoff: Saturday, 2:20 p.m. ET
Line: Washington -9, Total: 54.5

Southern Mississippi seeks its third 10-win season in school history when it faces Washington on Saturday in the Heart of Dallas Bowl.

The Golden Eagles were a combined 4-32 in the three seasons prior to 2015, but scored 40.6 PPG and allowed only 24.2 PPG during this breakout campaign. The Huskies have won two straight contests by a combined score of 97 to 17, and are trying to secure a sixth straight winning season. These two schools are meeting for the first time ever on Saturday and each has strong reasons for bettors to get on board with. Southern Miss is 16-4 ATS since 1992 after gaining at least 475 YPG in a three-game stretch, and its opponent is 0-9 ATS in non-home games off a blowout win at home by 28+ points in this same timeframe. But Washington is 8-1 ATS as a favorite of 3.5 to 10 points since 2013, and any team (USM) after allowing 37+ points facing an opponent with two straight wins by 28+ points are just 23-60 ATS (28%) over the past 10 seasons. The only significant injury for either team is Huskies No. 2 RB Dwayne Washington, who is questionable with a leg injury.

Can Washington roll to a third straight win by double-digits? For the answer, connect to College Football Best Bets for all the StatFox Experts picks throughout the bowl season. The experts are heating up with a combined 57% ATS (55-42) success rate in the past month of college football Best Bets, highlighted by StatFox Scott’s robust 63% ATS mark (20-12) during this run. Also during this timeframe that started Nov. 19, StatFox Brian has a strong 60% ATS record (12-8) in college football Best Bets and StatFox Gary is a profitable 58% ATS (7-5) since Week 13.

Southern Mississippi's offense can hurt you in many ways, scoring 40.6 PPG on 520 total YPG this season, which includes 47.3 PPG over the past three contests. The Eagles are an excellent passing team at 328 YPG on 8.7 YPA, but they can also chew up yards on the ground with 192 rushing YPG on 5.3 YPC. There is a ton of talent in the skill positions with QB Nick Mullens (63% completions, 4,145 pass yds, 8.6 YPA, 36 TD, 12 INT) and WRs Michael Thomas (1,201 rec yds, 19.4 avg, 12 TD) and Casey Martin (855 rec yds, 7 TD) getting the job done through the air. Before Mullens' horrible performance at Western Kentucky in the MWC Championship Game (15-of-30, 181 yds, 1 TD, 3 INT), he had thrown for at least 265 yards in all 12 starts this season. The ground game is handled nicely by a pair of 1,000-yards rushers in 210-pound RB Jalen Richard (1,098 rush yds, 5.9 YPC, 14 TD) and speedy 195-pound RB Ito Smith (1,088 rush yds, 7.0 YPC, 8 TD). Richard has five games of 110+ rushing yards this year while Smith has rushed for 399 yards (7.7 YPC) and 5 TD over the past three games. The Southern Miss defense has been adequate this year in holding teams to 24.2 PPG on 364 total YPG, but has surrendered 33.3 PPG and 421 total YPG in the past three contests. Although opponents throw for 223 YPG against the Eagles (including a hefty 409 passing YPG in the past two games), they do so on just 54% completions and 6.3 YPA. Southern Miss also allows 141 rushing YPG on 4.0 YPC this season, and has forced a respectable 23 turnovers.

Washington's offense has at least three giveaways on four occasions this year, but has also been turnover-free in three of the past six games. The team has averaged 29.5 PPG and 388 total YPG this season, including 38.0 PPG on 491 total YPG over the past three games, but in three grass-surface contests, it has scored only 16.0 PPG. The Huskies run the football 36 times per game and throw it nearly as much with 30 passing attempts per contest. Freshman RB Myles Gaskin (1,121 rush yds, 5.6 YPC, 10 TD) is electric, and has run for more than 100 yards in six of the past eight contests. If teams choose to stack the box, freshman WR Jake Browning (63% completions, 2,671 pass yds, 16 TD, 10 INT) has the ability to put up big numbers like he did against Utah State (368 yds, 3 TD), Arizona (263 yds, 4 TD) and Oregon State (211 yds, 4 TD). But he has also failed to throw a touchdown pass in four of 11 contests this year, and has only 6 TD and 5 INT over his past four contests. Browning's favorite receiver is senior WR Jaydon Mickens (50 rec, 597 yds, 2 TD) who is finishing his collegiate career on a high note with 17 catches for 240 yards in his past three games. The Huskies boast a strong defensive unit that limits opponents to 17.7 PPG and 350 total YPG, which includes 14.7 PPG and 324 total YPG over the past three contests. The front seven is especially fierce in allowing just 134 rushing YPG on 3.5 YPC, while the passing defense gives up 216 YPG on 6.5 YPA. There are plenty of playmakers on this unit, as the Huskies have an impressive 27 takeaways this season, including 16 forced turnovers during the past five games.