NCAA: 39 Quick Picks For 39 NCAA Football Bowl Games
By Larry Snyder
So it begins, 39 NCAA football bowl games involving 76 teams in 24 days to close out the college season.
Time to pour another cup of your grandmother’s Christmas punch and check in with the unofficial City Of Champions Sports 2014-2015 College Football Bowl Guide with my predictions.
R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl – Nevada Wolf Pack (7-5) Vs. Louisana-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns (8-4) at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans – Saturday, Dec. 20 at 11 a.m. ET on ESPN – Spread is Nevada -1 with the Over/Under at 61 – Winner: Nevada
Gildan New Mexico Bowl – Utah State Aggies (9-4) Vs. UTEP Miners (7-5) at University Stadium in Albuquerque, New Mexico – Saturday, Dec 20 at 2:20 p.m. ET on ESPN – Spread is Utah State -10 with the Over/Under at 46 – Winner: Utah State
Royal Purple Las Vegas Bowl – Utah Utes (8-4) Vs. Colorado State Rams (10-2) at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas – Saturday, Dec 20 at 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC – Spread is Utah -3 with the Over/Under at 57.5 – Winner: Utah
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Famous Idaho Potato Bowl – Western Michigan Broncos (8-4) Vs. Air Force Falcons (9-3) at Bronco Stadium in Boise, Idaho – Saturday, Dec 20 at 5:45 p.m. ET on ESPN – Spread is Air Force -1 with the Over/Under at 58 – Winner: Air Force
Raycom Media Camellia Bowl – South Alabama Jaguars (6-6) Vs. Bowling Green Falcons (7-6) at Cramton Bowl Stadium in Montgomery, Alabama – Saturday, Dec. 20 at 9:15 p.m. ET on ESPN – Spread is South Alabama -2.5 and the Over/Under at 53 – Winner: South Alabama
Miami Beach Bowl – BYU Cougars (8-4) Vs. Memphis Tigers (9-3) at Marlins Park in Miami – Monday, Dec. 22 at 2 p.m. ET on ESPN – Spread is Memphis -1.5 with the Over/Under at 53 – Winner: Memphis
Boca Raton Bowl – Marshall Thundering Herd (12-1) Vs. Northern Illinois Huskies (11-2) at FAU Stadium in Boca Raton, Florida – Tuesday, Dec. 23 at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN – Spread is Marshall -10 with the Over/Under at 67 – Winner: Marshall
San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl – Navy Midshipmen (7-5) Vs. San Diego State Aztecs (7-5) at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, Calif. – Tuesday, Dec. 23 at 9:30 p.m. ET on ESPN – Spread is San Diego -2.5 with the Over/Under at 54 – Winner: San Diego State
Popeyes Bahamas Bowl – Central Michigan Chippewas (7-5) Vs. Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (7-5) at Thomas A. Robinson Stadium in Nassau, Bahamas – Wednesday, Dec. 23 at Noon ET on ESPN – Spread is Western Kentucky -3 with the Over/Under at 66 – Winner: Western Kentucky
Sheraton Hawai’i Bowl – Fresno State Bulldogs (6-7) Vs. Rice Owls (7-5) at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu – Wednesday, Dec. 24 at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN – Spread is Rice -2 with the Over/Under at 59.5 – Winner: Fresno State
Zaxby’s Heart Of Dallas Bowl – Illinois Fighting Illini (6-6) Vs. Louisana Tech Bulldogs (8-5) at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas – Friday, Dec. 26 at 1 p.m. ET on ESPN – Spread is Louisana Tech -4 with the Over/Under at 57.5 – Winner: Louisana Tech
Quick Lane Bowl – Rutgers Scarlet Knights (7-5) Vs. North Carolina Tar Heels (6-6) at Ford Field in Detroit – Friday, Dec. 26 at 4:30 p.m. ET on ESPN – Spread is North Carolina -3 with the Over/Under at 66.5 – Winner: North Carolina
Bitcoin St. Petersburg Bowl – North Carolina State Wolfpack (7-5) Vs. UCF Knights (9-3) at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida – Friday, Dec. 26 at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN – Spread is UCF -3 with the Over/Under at 49.5 – Winner: North Carolina State
Military Bowl presented by Northrop Grumman – Cincinnati Bearcats (9-3) Vs. Virginia Tech Hokies (6-6) at Navy Memorial Stadium in Annapolis, Maryland – Saturday, Dec. 27 at 1 p.m. ET on ESPN – Spread is Cincinnati -3.5 with the Over/Under at 51 – Winner: Cincinnati
Hyundai Sun Bowl – Arizona State Sun Devils (9-3) Vs. Duke Blue Devils (9-3) at Sun Bowl in El Paso, Texas – Saturday, Dec. 27 at 2 p.m. ET on CBS – Spread is Arizona State -9 with the Over/Under at 65 – Winner: Arizona State
Duck Commander Independence Bowl – Miami Hurricanes (6-6) Vs. South Carolina Gamecocks (6-6) at Independence Stadium in Shreveport, Louisana – Saturday, Dec. 27 at 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC – Spread is Even with the Over/Under at 61 – Winner: Miami
New Era Pinstripe Bowl – Boston College Eagles (7-5) Vs. Penn State Nittany Lions (6-6) at Yankee Stadium in Bronx, New York – Saturday, Dec. 27 at 4:40 p.m. ET on ESPN – Spread is Boston College -2.5 with the Over/Under at 40 – Winner: Boston College
National University Holiday Bowl – Nebraska Cornhuskers (9-3) Vs. USC Trojans (8-4) at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego – Saturday, Dec. 27 at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN – Spread is USC -4 with the Over/Under at 61.5 – Winner: USC
AutoZone Liberty Bowl – Texas A&M Aggies (7-5) Vs. West Virginia Mountaineers (7-5) at the Liberty Bowl in Memphis, Tennessee – Monday, Dec. 29 at 2 p.m. ET on ESPN – Spread is West Virginia -3.5 with the Over/Under at 67 – Winner: West Virginia
Russell Athletic Bowl – Oklahoma Sooners (8-4) Vs. Clemson Tigers (9-3) at the Florida Citrus Bowl in Orlando – Monday, Dec. 29 at 5:30 p.m. on ESPN – Spread is Even with the Over/Under at 53 – Winner: Oklahoma
AdvoCare V100 Texas Bowl – Arkansas Razorbacks (6-6) Vs. Texas Longhorns (6-6) at NRG Stadium in Houston – Monday, Dec. 29 at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN – Spread is Arkansas -5 with the Over/Under at 45.5 – Winner: Arkansas
Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl – Notre Dame Fighting Irish (7-5) Vs. LSU Tigers (8-4) at LP Field in Nashville, Tennessee – Tuesday, Dec. 30 at 3 p.m. ET on ESPN – Spread is LSU -7.5 with the Over/Under at 52 – Winner: LSU
Belk Bowl – Georgia Bulldogs (9-3) Vs. Louisville Cardinals (9-3) at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina – Tuesday, Dec. 30 at 6:30 p.m. ET on ESPN – Spread is Georgia -7 with the Over/Under at 56.5 – Winner: Georgia
Foster Farms Bowl – Maryland Terrapins (7-5) Vs. Stanford Cardinal (7-5) at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif. – Tuesday, Dec. 30 at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN – Spread is Stanford -13 with the Over/Under at 47.5 – Winner: Maryland
Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl – Old Miss Rebels (9-3) Vs. TCU Horned Frogs (11-1) at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta – Wednesday, Dec. 31 at 12:30 p.m. on ESPN – Spread is TCU -3 with the Over/Under at 56.5 – Winner: TCU
VIZIO Fiesta Bowl – Boise State Broncos (11-2) Vs. Arizona Wildcats (10-3) at Cardinals Stadium in Glendale, Arizona – Wednesday, Dec. 31 at 4 p.m. ET on ESPN – Spread is Arizona -4 with the Over/Under at 68 – Winner: Arizona
Capital One Orange Bowl – Mississippi State Bulldogs (10-2) Vs. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (10-3) at Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida – Wednesday, Dec. 31 at 8 p.m. on ESPN – Spread is Mississippi State -7 with the Over/Under at 61.5 – Winner: Mississippi State
Outback Bowl – Auburn Tigers (8-4) Vs. Wisconsin Badgers (10-3) at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida – Thursday, Jan. 1 at Noon ET on ESPN2 – Spread is Auburn -6.5 with the Over/Under at 63 – Winner: Auburn
Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic – Michigan State Spartans (10-2) Vs. Baylor Bears (11-1) at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas – Thursday, Jan. 1 at 12:30 p.m. ET on ESPN – Spread is Baylor -1.5 with the Over/Under at 71.5 – Winner: Baylor
Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl – Missouri Tigers (10-3) Vs. Minnesota Golden Gophers (8-4) at Florida Citrus Bowl in Orlando – Thursday, Jan. 1 at 1 p.m. ET on ABC – Spread is Missouri -6.5 with the Over/Under at 47.5 – Winner: Missouri
Rose Bowl Game Presented by Northwestern Mutual – Oregon Ducks (12-1) Vs. Florida State Seminoles (13-0) at Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. – Thursday, Jan. 1 at 5 p.m. ET on ESPN – Spread is Oregon -8.5 with the Over/Under at 72 – Winner: Oregon
Allstate Sugar Bowl – Alabama Crimson Tide (12-1) Vs. Ohio State Buckeyes (12-1) at Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans – Friday, Jan. 2 at 8:30 p.m. ET on ESPN – Spread is Alabama -9 with the Over/Under at 58.5 – Winner: Alabama
Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl – Houston Cougars (7-5) Vs. Pitt Panthers (6-6) at Amon Carter Stadium in Fort Worth, Texas – Friday, Jan. 2 at Noon ET on ESPN – Spread is Pitt -2 with the Over/Under at 53.5 – Winner: Pittsburgh
TaxSlayer Bowl – Iowa Hawkeyes (7-5) Vs. Tennessee Volunteers (6-6) at EverBank Field in Jacksonville, Florida – Friday, Jan. 2 at 3:20 p.m. ET on ESPN – Spread is Tennessee -3 with the Over/Under at 51 – Winner: Tennessee
Valero Alamo Bowl – Kansas State Wildcats (9-3) Vs UCLA Bruins (9-3) at Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas – Friday, Jan. 2 at 6:45 p.m. on ESPN – Spread is Kansas State -2.5 with the Over/Under at 59.5 – Winner: Kansas State
TicketCity Cactus Bowl – Washington Huskies (8-5) Vs. Oklahoma State Cowboys (6-6) at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona – Friday, Jan. 2 at 10:15 p.m. on ESPN – Spread is Washington -5 with the Over/Under at 56.5 – Winner: Washington
Birmingham Bowl – East Carolina Pirates (8-4) Vs. Florida Gators (6-5) at Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama – Saturday, Jan. 3 at Noon ET on ESPN – Spread is Florida -7 with the Over/Under at 56 – Winner: East Carolina
GoDaddy Bowl – Toledo Rockets (8-4) Vs. Arkansas State Red Wolves (7-5) at Ladd-Peebles Stadium in Mobile, Alabama – Sunday, Jan. 4 at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN – Spread is Toledo -1 with the Over/Under at 67 – Winner: Toledo
BONUS PICK: College Football Playoff National Championship Presented By AT&T – Based on my prior picks, this game should feature Alabama and Oregon on Monday, Jan. 12 at 8:30 p.m. The game will be played at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas and broadcast on ESPN. My final prediction is Alabama 34 and Oregon 27.
For the record, the odds on the games are from OddsShark.com as of early Friday, Dec. 19 and are for entertainment purposes only. Let the games begin!