This past Saturday saw the bowl season kick off with three games. The model went 1-2 for those three games, with the two losses occuring in the last minute of play in the game. Today there is just one bowl game, pitting Florida International University out of the SunBelt Conference against Marshall University from Conference USA.
This season the Florida International University Golden Panthers are 8-4 and the NCAA FBS production model's measure of their strength of schedule (SOS) was equal to 83.42. FIU's best win was against currently ranked #38 University of Central Florida, and their worst loss was against currently ranked #108 Duke. To date, the Golden Panthers are the #45 ranked team overall, with the #40 ranked offense and the #46 ranked defense.
Currently the Marshall Thundering Herd are 6-6 and the NCAA FBS production model's measure of their strength of schedule (SOS) was equal to 58.25. Marshall's best win was against currently ranked #32 University of Southern Mississippi, and their worst loss was against currently ranked #59 Ohio University. To date, the Thundering Herd are the #73 ranked team overall, with the #71 ranked offense and the #69 ranked defense.
The NCAA FBS production model ranks Florida International University better than Marshall, and hence expect Florida International University to win the Beef O'Brady's St. Petersburg Bowl today.