Many college football fans and detractors argue that there are too many bowl games. It’s a sentiment I’ll never agree with, but I understand why they feel that way. Although I love all bowling games as if they were my children, some of the previous games are not so inspiring. They’ll do the trick if you’re home on a Tuesday afternoon and looking for something to watch.
Even if you feel like it, though, you have to admit that we’re entering the sweet spot of bowl season. The build-up to the finish begins this week with multiple matches each day and the Power Five conferences in full swing. While the college football The playoff semi-finals don’t happen until Saturday night, there are plenty of games to finish before the hand, so might as well bet on them.
All odds courtesy of Caesars Sportsbook.
games of the week
No. 6 Tennessee vs. No. 7 Clemson
Featured game | Clemson Tigers vs. Tennessee Volunteers
Orange Bowl — Friday, December 12, 30: The first New Year’s Six Bowl kicks off Friday night in Miami with two orange teams. This is the most orange Orange Bowl possible, as Clemson’s brighter orange clashes with the creamier Tennessee orange. I hope both teams come out in all orange uniforms to make things fun and confusing.
What I don’t expect is as many points as the total suggests. Neither team will have their starting quarterback. If you’re a Clemson fan, you’re thrilled. Tigers fans have been claimed Cade Klubnik most of the season, and now they have it. Vols fans aren’t quite so pleased. Joe Milton replaces the injured Hendon Hooker, who was having one of the best seasons of any player in the country. I don’t expect either offense to flourish. Clemson’s offensive problems run much deeper than DJ Uiagalelei and will not be solved by him absence. And Milton has one of the strongest arms you’ve ever seen. It’s just not very accurate, and accuracy is very important in attacking Tennessee. Tennessee 28, Clemson 27 | Less than 63.5
No. 1 2 Washington vs. No. 20 Texas
Featured Game | Washington Huskies vs. Texas Longhorns
Alamo Bowl – Thursday, December 12, 29: Texas is a $200,000 sports car with your mom’s 2014 Subaru Outback engine. It’ll get you wherever you need to go, but while it feels like it should go a lot faster, there’s an ominous vibration throughout the cabin once you start climbing toward 80 mph. For some reason, Longhorns are never the sum of their parts and are too often overpriced in the market. This is another example.
With the winner of Doak Walker Bijan Robinson and fellow running back Roshon Johnson By retiring, the Longhorns will be left without their best player and a key contributor. linebacker DeMarvion overcame sits the game, too. Meanwhile, Washington fires quarterback Michael Penix, and he’s considered a Heisman candidate for next season. Given Texas’ consistent underperformance and lack of key players, it’s hard to trust the Horns as favorites here, isn’t it? Washington 38, Texas 35 | Washington +3
Lock of the week
No. 13 state of florida vs. Oklahoma
Featured Game | Florida State Seminoles vs. Florida State Seminoles Oklahoma Sooners
Cheez-It Bowl — Thursday, December 12, 29: There will be a big bandwagon in Florida State this offseason full of people telling you the Seminoles will win the ACC next season and could reach the college football playoffs. I won’t say I’ll be the one leading the bandwagon, but I’ll be on it, and I’ll be loud. It’s a program that’s headed in the right direction and is poised to take advantage of an ACC without a dominant program heading into next season.
Oklahoma had a tough year in their first season under coach Brent Venables. Like the Seminoles, I expect the Sooners to be better next year…but not in this game. Florida State is the much better team, and that should become apparent in 60 minutes. It won’t be a blast, but I don’t expect the Sooners to have much of a chance to win either. Florida State 38, Oklahoma 24 | Florida State -9.5
During the week
No. 15 Oregon vs. North Carolina
Featured Game | North Carolina Tar Heels vs. Oregon Ducks
Holiday Bowl — Wednesday, December 12, 28: There are questions about North Carolina’s offense heading into this game because offensive coordinator Phil Longo left to fill the same position on Luke Fickell’s staff at Wisconsin. I’m not worried because the Tar Heels will face an Oregon defense that’s been horrible all season and will miss their best cornerback. Plus, no matter what the Heels lost on offense with their point guard, they gave it all back with the players who will miss a defense that has been one of the worst in the nation all season.
It’s something from Oregon and Bo Nix will benefit from it, even if their offensive coordinator Kenny Dillingham is now the head coach of Arizona State. It’s hard to imagine many defensive saves in this game, and I don’t want to. As long as these two teams play the same way they’ve played all season, it’ll be easy to cash in. Oregon 48, North Carolina 34 | Over 75
Sub of the week
Minnesota vs. Syracuse
Featured Game | Minnesota Golden Gophers vs. Syracuse Orange
Pinstripe Bowl – Thursday 12 December 29: You might remember Syracuse as the team that started the year 6-0 and climbed to No. 1. 14 in the AP Top 25 before the ground fell below. The Orange fell five times in a row before ending the regular season with a win. In truth, Syracuse has never been as good as their 6-0 start suggested, or as bad as their five-game losing streak. It’s a perfectly OK team. He will be diminished in this bowl game, however. lead gravedigger Sean Tuckerthe team’s most reliable offensive piece, retired.
It’s not good for Syracuse’s offense, but it’s good for unders. Minnesota’s offense likes to run the ball and is never in a rush to start the next game. Minnesota is the strongest team in this game, but asking the Gophers to cover 10 points is a bit much, especially in what should be a low scoring affair. The underside is the way to go. Minnesota 24, Syracuse 14 | Under 42
Cart of the week
Ohio vs. Wyoming
Featured Game | Wyoming Cowboys vs. Wyoming Cowboys Ohio Bobcats
Arizona Bowl – Friday, December 12, 30: If you don’t want to follow me here, don’t. It’s a numbers game, you see, but it’s also a loyalty game. Ohio was so good to me in the 2022 season. A rough start to the season for the Bobcats had a huge impact on how they were viewed in the market. As a MAC program rarely in the spotlight, it took far too long for the market to catch up to the fact that this Bobcats team was much better than expected. I realized it, though, and was a happy passenger for the ride of eight consecutive covers (averaging 14.2 points).
Unfortunately, the market finally took off. There’s not as much value in Ohio as in October and November, but there’s still meat on the bone. I wouldn’t have included him in The Six Pack if it was regular season and we had 60 games to choose from. For bowl week, however, that’s enough. After all the Bobcats have done for me in 2022, it’s the least I can give back. Ohio 23, Wyoming 17 | Ohio-1
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