College football picks and predictions Saturday: Hawaii Bowl, Cure Bowl
Part 1 of the Post Action College Bowl Guide. Part 2, picking the final 21 bowl games including the CFP semifinals, will run on Dec. 27.
In just one year, bowl season will feel even less significant.
With the arrival of the 12-team College Football Playoff, the remaining games will be stripped of several high-profile teams, further watering down bowls 41 this season, featuring 22 teams without a winning record whose stakes evaporated long ago.
It is an important step, signaling progress in a sport which couldnt find room for an undefeated ACC champion in a four-team playoff.
It is also inconsequential.
Bowls arent for the fans, who are invited to travel around the country to watch their schools play in empty stadiums. They are for awkward-sounding sponsors. They are for TV channels with time slots to fill. They are for us, for anyone with a sportsbook account.
That will never change. Hopefully.
Myrtle Beach
Ohio (+3.5) over Georgia Southern
The Eagles have lost four straight games, all coming against teams playing in a bowl. Their worst performances came earlier in the year against the best two defenses they faced (Wisconsin, James Madison). Now come the Bobcats, ranked fourth in the nation in total defense.
New Orleans
Jacksonville State (-2.5) over Louisiana
A de facto home game isnt enough to help the Cajuns, who went 2-5 against bowl teams, have lost three of their past four games, will be without starting quarterback Zeon Chriss and will try to stop Rich Rodriguezs third-ranked ground game with a defense allowing more than 167 yards rushing per game.
Cure
Miami (Ohio) (+6.5) over Appalachian State
The MAC champs are a live dog, owning the conferences best defense in two decades. The RedHawks havent given up more than 16 points in the past five games.
New Mexico
New Mexico State (-3.5) over Fresno State
The Aggies only loss in nearly three months came when quarterback Diego Pavia was knocked out with an injury. The physical, dual-threat who threw for three touchdowns in a blowout win at Auburn is expected to return for this game.
LA
Boise State (+4.5) over UCLA
Poor quarterback play has forced Chip Kelly to rely on his defense this season. That unit may struggle without defensive coordinator DAnton Lynn who jumped to USC against the Mountain West champs top-20 attack.
Independence
California (+3) over Texas Tech
The Golden Bears have won three straight games to reach their first bowl in four years. A coin-flip game features two of the nations best running backs in Techs Tahj Brooks and Cals Jaydn Ott, but the latter draws the far more favorable matchup against the nations 95th-ranked run defense.
Jaydn Ott Getty Images## Famous Toastery
Western Kentucky (+2) over Old Dominion
Take the points. All but two of the Monarchs games this season have been decided by one possession, including seven games by four points or fewer.
Frisco
Marshall (+13) over UTSA
The Roadrunners are making their fourth straight bowl appearance under fourth-year head coach Jeff Traylor. They have lost each game, failing to cover the spread each time.
Boca Raton
South Florida (+3) over Syracuse
The Orange are less than a month removed from firing their head coach. The Bulls are led by Alex Golesh, whose first year in charge produced more wins than the program had earned in the previous three seasons combined, thanks to freshman dual-threat Byrum Brown.
Gasparilla
Georgia Tech (+4.5) over UCF
Neither team performs as expected. The Knights are 2-6 against the spread as a favorite. The Yellow Jackets are 6-2 against the number as an underdog.
Birmingham
Duke (+7.5) over Troy
The Trojans will benefit from the absence of Dukes head coach and quarterback, but their offense isnt prepared for one of their toughest matchups of the season. Troy averaged 35.3 points against defenses ranked 77th or worse. It put up 18.4 points against the others.
Camellia
Arkansas State (-1) over N. Illinois
Even during his failed tenure at Tennessee, Butch Jones was ready for bowl season, winning his past four appearances. If this game is as close as the spread suggests, it could come down to the Red Wolves Dominic Zvada, who hasnt missed a kick of at least 40 yards since the season opener.
Butch Jones Getty Images## Armed Forces
James Madison (-2.5) over Air Force
The Dukes dont need new Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti on the sidelines. The nations top-ranked run defense is enough against the option attack of Air Force, which has lost four straight games.
Potato
Utah State (-1) over Georgia State
Come to bet against the Panthers, who have lost five straight games by an average of 23.2 points. Stay to see the final game of Aggies quarterback Levi Williams, who is skipping his senior season to begin Navy SEAL training.
68 Ventures
Eastern Michigan (+16) over South Alabama
Farewell, Lending Tree Bowl. We hardly knew ye. R.I.P. (2019-22).
Las Vegas
Utah (-6.5) over Northwestern
The Utes werent equipped to play in the toughest conference in the nation this season, but they went undefeated against teams ranked outside the top 20. Their 22nd-ranked defense should smother the Wildcats, who averaged just over 12 points in six games against top-35 defenses.
Hawaii
Coastal Carolina (+10) over San Jose State
Dont count out the Chanticleers, even without the departing Grayson McCall. Coastal Carolina which won six of its seven games against bowl teams and went 5-2 against the spread as an underdog this season won three of five games using backup quarterbacks, who will face the nations worst red-zone defense.
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Quick Lane
Bowling Green (+4) over Minnesota
The Gophers (5-7) good grades (academic progress rate) earned them the only bowl invitation for a sub-.500 team, but they dont belong here. That will be clear especially without quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis, who entered the transfer portal against the Falcons, who have won five of their past six games, played in this bowl last season and won at Minnesota in 2021.
First Responder
Rice (+4.5) over Texas State
JT Daniels disappointing six season-run at four different schools is officially over, with the former top-rated recruit retiring due to concussions. Rice can still air it out against the Bobcats defense, ranked 105th in passing yards allowed, 120th in completion percentage allowed and 114th in points allowed (33.8).
Guaranteed Rate
UNLV (+12.5) over Kansas
Excluding a seven-point effort against Michigan the nations top defense the Rebels have averaged nearly 37 points per game. UNLV (5-1 against the spread as an underdog) will have plenty of shots against the second-worst red-zone defense in the nation.
Best bets: Miami (OH), Duke, James Madison
This season: 103-98-4 (19-22-1)
2014-22 record: 1,150-1,082-25
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