Louisiana vs Delaware Prediction, Picks, Injuries & Ventures Bowl Spread

• Louisiana is a 2.5-point favorite over Delaware tonight in the Ventures Bowl
• The Ragin’ Cajuns rank 108th in scoring defense and 116th in yards allowed per game
• See my Louisiana vs Delaware prediction, picks, injuries and Ventures Bowl spread below

It’s Day 7 of 23 straight days of college football, and we’ve got two more Bowl Games to sweat. Our focus is on the nightcap, where Louisiana (6-6) squares off with Delaware (6-6) in the Ventures Bowl.

Online sportsbooks are siding with the Ragin’ Cajuns ahead of this matchup in the college football odds, but I think that’s a mistake, and I’ll explain why below.

The action is set for 8:30 pm ET from Hancock Whitney Stadium, in Mobile, AL, with ESPN providing the broadcast coverage.

Here are my Louisiana vs Delaware predictions and picks, along with the key injuries and Ventures Bowl spread.

Louisiana vs Delaware Prediction and Picks

The Blue Hens are making their first Bowl appearance in their debut FBS campaign, and I believe they’re live to not only cover, but win outright.

Let’s start with what’s working in their favor. Offensively, Delaware is in a smash spot against a poor Ragin’ Cajuns defense. Louisiana ranks 108th in points allowed and 116th in yards surrendered per game, and 119th in success rate. They’re extremely vulnerable on the ground and through the air, and I expect a big night from Blue Hens QB Nick Minicucci.

Louisiana Defensive Stats

Delaware throws the ball at the nation’s eighth highest clip, and rack up the fourth most passing yards per game. Minicucci has cleared 300 yards in four of his last five starts, and is fresh off leading the Blue Hens to a 61-31 drubbing of UTEP in their season finale.

On the ground, Louisiana ranks 122nd in rushing yards allowed per game, which sets up nicely for Delaware lead back Jo Silver. The senior has produced a career high in rushing yards and carries this season, and is also a very capable weapon as a receiver out of the backfield.

The Blue Hens rank significantly higher than the Ragin’ Cajuns in scoring and total offense, as well as yards per play.

Defensively, Delaware doesn’t grade out exceptionally well, but their most glaring weakness is their susceptibility to big plays. They are bottom-10 in explosive plays allowed, but that shouldn’t be an issue versus Louisiana. The Ragin’ Cajuns rarely generate chunk gains, and average only 4.6 yards per carry, and 6.3 yards per throw.

With advantages for the Blue Hens on both sides of the ball, you might be wondering why Louisiana is favored. The truth is, the Ragin’ Cajuns are being propped up on pedigree and an extremely soft schedule.

This is a team that won 10 games last year and a Sun Belt Conference championship. A lot can change in a year, however, and to judge them off their current four-game winning streak would be a huge mistake.

Louisiana has beaten only one team ranked inside the top-84 in the country this season (Texas State). Their other five wins have come against teams ranked 97th or worse, and only one of their FBS victories was by more than 3 points.

They faced two teams that either cracked the CFP bracket or were in contention at some point, and they lost both matchups by a combined 52 points. In short, this team isn’t nearly as strong as even their .500 record suggests, and QB Lunch Winfield has more turnover-worthy plays this season (8) than big-time throws (6).

Louisiana vs Delaware Injuries

This is one of the few Bowl games without any notable names in the college football opt outs tracker. The Ragin’ Cajuns should be as close to full strength as any Bowl team this year, while Delaware is dealing with a few minor injuries to its skill position corps.

The biggest potential absence is wide receiver Ja’Carree Kelly, who’s currently questionable with an undisclosed injury. He’s racked up the fourth most receiving yards on the team, but just a single TD. If he does sit, the Blue Hens have a trio of receivers with more production and who are more explosive that they can rely on.

Louisiana vs Delaware Ventures Bowl Spread

The best place to bet Delaware currently is DraftKings, who are offering a +2.5 line at -112 odds. If you like the other side, Bet365 is half a point lower than the market, hanging a -2 spread on Louisiana.

Total-wise, the number varies between 60.5 and 61.5, and it should be noted that the over has hit in five straight Ragin’ Cajuns games.

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Odds as of Dec. 17 at consensus college football betting apps. Make sure you claim the Bet365 promo code to bet on College Football Bowl Games.

Per the college football public betting trends, Delaware is definitely the sharp side of the spread, with the Blue Hens garnering 58% of the ATS bets and 74% of the betting handle.