Daily tips for December 25

What’s on today

What’s on today? Well, Melbourne, Australia is going to experience a perfect Christmas Day – temperature is expected to be 31ºC as I’m going to eat turkey & Christmas pudding, drink red wine, smoke cigars and slip off into a coma sometime around 4pm – Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays to you all and, as always, GL punters!

College Football for December 25

Sheraton Hawaii Bowl: Boise State Broncos (8-4, 6-2 MW) v Oregon State Beavers (6-6, 4-5 Pac-12), Aloha Stadium, Honolulu, HI, Wednesday, December 25, 6am

The temperature may claw its way to 0ºC in Boise today meaning the Broncos of Idaho definitely drew the long straw in earning a spot in the Hawaii Bowl, where the mercury will reach 27ºC by game time. That said, it’s likely to be wet and windy for this intriguing contest. It’s a time of flux for Boise State. After turning the program into a BCS buster, Chris Petersen left to become the new coach in Washington. Although the school announced the hiring of former Broncos assistant and Arkansas State coach Bryan Harsin to replace Petersen next season, linebackers coach Bob Gregory will lead the team here. Boise State went 92-12 and won a pair of BCS bowl games in eight seasons under Peterson. Boise State has won four straight bowl games, but failed to reach the 10-win mark for the first time since 2005 – the year before Petersen took over. QB Joe Southwick, who missed four games with a broken ankle, returned in the regular-season finale. Grant Hedrick stepped up with 15 TD passes and five interceptions in Southwick’s absence, and will start here.

Oregon State is 5-2 in the postseason under coach Mike Riley, but has dropped two straight since defeating Pittsburgh in the 2008 Sun Bowl. Sean Mannion (4403 passing yards, second nationally) and Brandin Cooks (Pac-12 record 120 receptions for an FBS-high 1670 receiving yards) make the Beavers exciting to watch. Oregon State averaged 43.8 points during a six-game win streak, but has seen that mark fall to 21 per game during a five-game skid. The Boise State passing game may also be in for a test since Oregon State allows an average of 235.0 yards through the air, while ranking second in the Pac-12 with 19 interceptions. Cornerbacks Steven Nelson and Rashaad Reynolds have six each to tie Arizona State's Robert Nelson for the league lead. One positive to come out of the team’s November 29 setback against Oregon was the success of the FBS’ 120th-ranked rushing attack, which generated 231 yards – nearly double the team’s previous season high. The ‘over’ is 4-1 in Boise State's last five neutral site games while the ‘over’ is 4-1 in Oregon State's last five non-conference games.

Confirmed bet

Oregon State v Boise State +3 (two units @ $1.87) LOSE (38-23)

Lean

Oregon State v Boise State +65.5 $1.91 LOSE (38-23)

• Selections are listed in three categories – 1) Suggested (likely bet but yet to be finalised); 2) Confirmed (locked in at the price listed); and 3) Leans (tips, but not recommended bets); all times quoted are Australian Eastern Daylight Time (AEDT); prices with thanks to Centrebet (except where markets are not available), correct at time of publication – for most people gambling is an exciting and fun recreational pursuit. For others it can become a problem with devastating consequences for them, their families and friends. We want you to enjoy your gambling experience. We want you to stay in control of your gambling and not allow your gambling to control you.