Oddsmakers Adjust to Will Grier’s Absence in the Camping World Bowl

Oddsmakers Adjust to Will Grier’s Absence in the Camping World Bowl article feature image
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Ben Queen-USA TODAY Sports. Pictured: Will Grier

  • West Virginia QB Will Grier will be sitting out this year's Camping World Bowl against Syracuse.
  • After opening at -7.5, West Virginia is now down to just -1.5 due to the news.

When the West Virginia Mountaineers take on Syracuse in the Camping World Bowl on December 28, they'll be without their starting quarterback.

Will Grier announced Saturday that he'll be sitting out what would be his final game in a West Virginia uniform. He'll join standout left tackle Yodny Cajuste on the sidelines, another Mountaineer looking to protect his NFL future.

Grier had an outstanding year (3,864 yards, 37 TD) and at one point in early October was listed at just 4-1 to win this year's Heisman. As you'd expect, taking that caliber player away from a game has its effects on betting lines.

When the matchup was first announced, West Virginia was given a 7.5-point edge over the Orange. Some early sharp money brought the line down to a touchdown, but it remained unchanged for several days.


>> All odds as of 12:30 p.m. ET Saturday. Download The Action Network App to get real-time college football odds and track your bets.


On Friday, rumors began circling of Dana Holgorsen's potential decision to play Grier for only a small portion of the game — perhaps just a quarter. That's when the line began to fall. By late afternoon, West Virginia was already down to -4.

Following the official announcement Saturday, however, that line movement has continued. The Mountaineers are now just a 1.5-point favorite.

The spread hasn't been the only bet affected by Grier's decision, though. As oddsmakers have taken about six points off the West Virginia line, they've done the same with the total. After opening at 74, the over/under is now down to 68.



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