The Western Michigan Broncos (7-5 SU, 5-6-1 ATS) will try to win their first bowl game under coach Tim Lester in the 2021 Quick Lane Bowl against the Nevada Wolfpack (8-4 SU, 8-3-1 ATS). However, the Broncos will not face that team at its full strength. Western Michigan will face a team that will be missing most of its coaching staff and about 15-20 players (op-outs and transfers).
Consequently, the Broncos went from being 6.5-point underdogs to 6.5-point favorites for Monday’s game, which will kick off at 11 a.m. ET. As an alternative to the common sports betting markets like the point spread, moneyline, and total, FanDuel also offers several intriguing player prop bets to consider as game time approaches.
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Rushing Props
Nevada RB Toa Taua rushing yards O/U 60.5 (-111/-115)
Taua averaged 11 carries and 58.7 yards per game, but he did go for 61+ in his last two games (77 and 69 yards) and had two 100+ yard games earlier in the season. During the regular season, the Wolfpack were more of a passing team with two-time Mountain West Offensive POY Carson Strong at quarterback, but he is sitting out the bowl game.
With the mass exodus of players and coaches, it would not be shocking to see Nevada run early and often in this game and reward Taua, who is a senior, with a hefty workload in his final game.
Western Michigan RB La’Darius Jefferson rushing yards O/U 96.5 (-115/-111)
Jefferson averaged a respectable 4.5 yards a carry but gained 97+ yards just twice in 12 games. He averaged 7.0 and 7.2 yards per carry in Western Michigan’s last two regular-season games but only got 10 and 12 carries. Sean Tyler is the Broncos’ starter, but against Nevada’s depleted 96th ranked run defense, the Broncos will probably run the ball enough for both to have a big day.
La’Darius Jefferson rushing touchdowns O/U 0.5 (-170/+132)
Jefferson recorded a touchdown in just one game during the last month of the regular season. However, he scored 10 and had at least one in each of the first seven games. He will probably see more carries against Nevada’s weak run defense than his season average (15.4), which could easily translate into at least one touchdown.
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Receiving Props
Western Michigan WR Skyy Moore receiving yards O/U 117.5 (-113/-113)
Moore was the team’s No. 1 receiver during the season. He averaged 114.2 yards per game, but that number got padded in the last two games when he gained 181 and 206 yards with 12 receptions in each game. With the team’s No. 2 receiver entering the transfer portal, he will likely see an increased workload making it likely he gains 118+ yards.
Skyy Moore receiving touchdowns O/U 0.5 (-245/+186)
Like his yards per game average, he padded his touchdown stats in the regular-season finale with four against Northern Illinois. He recorded a touchdown in five of 11 games. Assuming Western Michigan tries to take advantage of Nevada’s poor run defense, he might not see the ball come his way too often in the red zone.
So, unless he breaks a play open for a long gain, he may not see the end zone.
Passing Props
Western Michigan QB Kaleb Eleby passing yards O/U 256.5 (-113/-113)
Eleby is a talented young quarterback who averaged 259.5 yards per game this year. While he will be done his No. 2 receiver in this game, his Nos. 1 and 3 receivers are good enough to pick up the slack. Factor in the state of the Nevada team, and it is not hard to see him matching his season average.
Nevada QB Nate Cox passing yards O/U 258.5 (-113/-113)
Carson Strong, a three-year starter for Nevada, averaged 348.8 yards a game this season. Cox has 168 career passing yards in his two seasons with the Wolfpack. This season, he is 14 for 20 for 158 yards and one touchdown across three appearances. With most of the coaching staff gone and the team’s five best wide receivers not playing, there is no reason to think he can come close to 200 yards, let alone 258.5.
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