1. Empty Bowl Project

After missing out on bowl season a year ago the Illinois Fighting Illini and the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs will both make their return to the postseason this year when they meet up in the Heart of Dallas Bowl at the Cotton Bowl. Illinois’ last trip to a bowl game was the 2011 Fight Hunger Bowl, when they edged UCLA 20-14 as a 3-point favorite on the betting lines at the sportsbooks. Louisiana Tech’s last bowl invite was the 2011 Poinsettia Bowl, when they lost to TCU 31-24 as a 9.5-point underdog. The Bulldogs are the Heart of Dallas Bowl betting favorite. For updated lines and totals on all of this year's bowl games head over to the college football betting boards at and today. Heart of Dallas Bowl Wednesday, December 26 @ 12:00pm ET Cotton Bowl, Dallas, Texas Team: Illinois Fighting Illini Conference: Big Ten Records: 6-6 SU, 5-7 ATS, 7-5 OU Team: Louisiana Tech Bulldogs Conference: C-USA Records: 8-5 SU, 10-3 ATS, 7-5-1 OU Opening Spread / Total (from ) Louisiana Tech -6 / 61.5 Points Heart of Dallas Bowl Betting Trends: Louisiana Tech 10-3 ATS this season. OVER and UNDER results have alternated all four editions of game, OVER is due if trend continues.

The Fighting Illini inched their way into a bowl game by winning their last two games of the regular season. Illinois booked their bowl tickets with a 47-33 upset win over Northwestern as a 7-point road underdog in their regular season finale. With that win Illinois improved to 3-5 SU and 4-4 ATS as the underdog on the season.

Empty Bowl Project

While the Illini picked it up down the stretch the Bulldogs stumbled a bit, losing two of their final three games. Louisiana Tech was still a solid 6-2 SU and ATS in their last eight games, however. Four of the Bulldogs' five losses came on the road this season, but they were 3-1 ATS in those four losses. The Bulldogs and Fighting Illini last met up in September 2012 in Illinois.

The Illini were a 3-point favorite in that matchup, but didn’t come close to covering the spread in a 52-24 Louisiana Tech upset victory. AS SEEN ON.

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