College football picks, bowl games: Ohio State vs. Missouri, Notre Dame vs. Oregon State highlight best bets

Crucial factor anybody betting on college football ought to notice is that they do not know what’s going to occur. All you are able to do is arm your self with as a lot data as attainable to make an informed guess of what is prone to occur. After that, you hope for the most effective.

Then there’s Bowl Season, the place not even that is sufficient. There’s genuinely no strategy to understand how a bowl sport will play out as a result of there are too many elements you’ll want to contemplate that do not come into play through the common season. There are opt-outs, transfers and interim teaching staffs in play that make it practically unattainable to precisely handicap how a sport will unfold. On prime of all that, you even have to determine which workforce is motivated to be there.

Betting on bowl video games is way extra artwork than science, however we’re not portray between any traces right here. It is extra like a portray the place you dip the comb in paint and whip it on the canvas, letting the colour splatter the place it might. Jackson Pollack would’ve cherished betting on bowl video games.

Here is what I am making an attempt to say: Simply have enjoyable when betting on bowls. Do not overextend your self, considering you will have an edge. Danger as a lot as you want with a purpose to give your self one thing to root for whereas watching the sport, and take all the recommendation in my picks with a grain of salt. Now, let’s get to some featured picks for a loaded bowl slate this week. 

Odds by way of SportsLine consensus

Bowls of the Week

Cotton Bowl — No. 7 Ohio State vs. No. 9 Missouri (Friday): Like every postseason sport that includes top-10 groups that is not a Faculty Soccer Playoff sport, many key gamers can be absent. Ohio State misplaced its beginning quarterback to Syracuse and one in all its prime receivers to Penn State. Mizzou can be with out a few key gamers on protection. Then there are the gamers who might select to take a seat out on the Ohio State aspect however have not made an announcement but.

My intestine tells me that whereas gamers like Marvin Harrison Jr., TreVeyon Henderson and J.T. Tuimoloau might select to play, their brokers in all probability really feel in a different way. So I’ll function underneath the idea they will be sitting out. Even when they do play, how good will the Ohio State offense be? Kyle McCord may not have been a world-beater for the Buckeyes, however he nonetheless gained the beginning job. Based mostly on what we all know, there’s extra cause to belief the Missouri offense. Choose: Missouri +1 (-110)

Solar Bowl — No. 16 Notre Dame vs. No. 19 Oregon State (Friday): If you have not been retaining monitor, Oregon State misplaced coach Jonathan Smith to Michigan State. Then its beginning QB and backup QB entered the switch portal, as did a couple of different gamers. The Combating Irish have loads of gamers within the portal themselves, together with most of their prime receivers, whereas QB Sam Hartman is preparing for the NFL. So are all-world left deal with Joe Alt and main rusher Audric Estime.

It is considerably tough to think about both of these offenses having an important day realizing that, is not it? Sure, the whole for this one is low, and we’re a mistake or two from inexperienced QBs away from some defensive touchdowns, however frequent sense ought to win out as a rule. Choose: Beneath 41.5 (-108)

Lock of the Week

Alamo Bowl — No. 12 Oklahoma vs. No. 14 Arizona (Thursday): I’m calling on the Alamo Bowl to dwell as much as its superb previous. No bowl sport feels extra dependable for leisure and shenanigans than the Alamo Bowl. Since 2010, the Alamo Bowl has averaged 71.3 factors per sport in 13 video games. The profitable workforce has completed with not less than 40 factors in six of these video games and not less than 30 in 11 of them. The shedding workforce has averaged 27.9 factors.

Enter Arizona and Oklahoma, two groups able to placing up factors shortly. The Sooners will not have Dillon Gabriel, however of us in Norman are enthusiastic about Jackson Arnold for a cause. Then there’s Arizona and Noah Fifita, who’ve been one of the crucial entertaining groups to observe all season. Choose: Over 62 (-110)

Underdog of the Week

Fast Lane Bowl — Bowling Inexperienced vs. Minnesota (Tuesday): There’s been a rumor spreading throughout the web that Minnesota needed to pay QB Cole Kramer cash to return again and play on this sport. Starter Athan Kaliakmanis and third-stringer Drew Viotto left by way of the portal as Kramer was prepared to start out his post-college life. Now, whether or not you imagine the rumor or not (I am skeptical of the determine going round), the purpose is that Minnesota is not in an important spot getting into this sport. But, it is favored.

On paper, Minnesota is the higher workforce, even with its opt-outs, however how fired up is a 5-7 Gophers workforce enjoying a bowl sport in Detroit the day after Christmas? I’ll guess they don’t seem to be very excited. In the meantime, Bowling Inexperienced is actually at full energy and will get an opportunity to knock off a Huge Ten opponent. Choose: Bowling Inexperienced +3.5 (-110)

Vibe Test of the Week

Army Bowl — Virginia Tech vs. Tulane (Wednesday): If these groups had been enjoying in October, Tulane can be closely favored, and I would be telling you to take the Inexperienced Wave. But it surely’s not October — it is Bowl Season, Tulane has misplaced coach Willie Fritz and beginning QB Michael Pratt is preparing for the NFL. This workforce was enjoying within the Cotton Bowl final yr. If ever there was a candidate for a workforce not eager to be right here, this Tulane workforce checks the packing containers.

Then there’s Virginia Tech, which is in its second season underneath Brent Pry. The Hokies recovered from a 1-3 begin to the season to get to 6-6 and wish to construct momentum heading into the offseason. I’ve advised you bowls are extra artwork than science, but when there’s a science to it, it is this: When the 6-6 workforce is favored by double-digits in opposition to the 11-2 workforce, there is a cause for it. Choose: Virginia Tech -10.5 (-110)

Pastry Recreation of the Week

Pop-Tarts Bowl — No. 18 NC State vs. No. 25 Kansas State (Thursday): If each of those groups present up motivated to play, it might show to be top-of-the-line bowls we see this yr. I am optimistic they may. Kansas State will not have Will Howard at QB since he is within the switch portal, however the main cause he is within the portal is that he is not assured the beginning job in Manhattan, Kansas, subsequent season. Avery Johnson is the long run for Kansas State, and he’ll get the beginning right here. I do not know if we must always count on a lot of a drop-off from the Kansas State offense.

In fact, NC State has been a workforce that is defied expectations many of the season. Brennan Armstrong was benched for MJ Morris, just for Morris to choose out of the remainder of the season after 4 video games to protect a redshirt. It was the sort of state of affairs that would derail a season. As a substitute, the Wolfpack completed the yr with 5 straight wins. Regardless of that, the Wildcats are just a little higher, so I am siding with the felines within the newest battle of cats and canines. Choose: Kansas State -2.5 (-110)

Which college football picks are you able to make with confidence throughout bowl season? Visit SportsLine to see which teams will win and cover the spread — all from a proven computer model that has returned well over $2,000 in profit over the past seven-plus seasons — and discover out.