College Football Picks: Picking Bowl Winners

NEW ORLEANS BOWL - Troy vs. North Texas +6.5

CHRIS: Troy

Troy ranks 14th against the run, allowing 114.8 yards per game and 3.03 yards per carry, while North Texas will be without its top running back, Jeffrey Wilson (foot), and managed only 2.3 YPC in the CUSA championship against FAU without him.

GREG: Troy 



North Texas was little match for FAU in its conference championship and will have a tough time with Troy, which has an a higher upside as proven when it beat LSU earlier this season.

CURE BOWL - Western Kentucky vs. Georgia State -5

CHRIS: Western Kentucky

Georgia State struggles to stop the pass, and as Western Kentucky can't run (130th nationally, 66.0 YPG), I like Mike White and the Hilltoppers to pitch it around the yard and score plenty.

GREG: Western Kentucky


This is not the WKU team we've gotten used to the last five years, but Georgia State is nothing special either. In cases like these, just take the points.

LAS VEGAS BOWL - Boise State vs. Oregon -7.5

CHRIS: Oregon

Oregon went 6-1 with Justin Herbert under center, averaging 52.1 points, while Boise only faced one decent passing attack all year, allowing 47 points to Washington State, and doesn't have the offensive horses to keep up.

GREG: Oregon

In years past, Boise State would be out to prove something against a power-5 team, but we are passed that. Oddly enough, the Ducks might be more interested in playing this game as they only had a chance to play a few games with starting QB Justin Herbert this season.

NEW MEXICO BOWL - Marshall vs. Colorado State -5.5

CHRIS: Marshall

Both teams struggled down the stretch, going a combined 2-5 in November. I believe CSU is the better team, but both squads have quarterbacks capable of producing points, so I'll take the Herd plus the points.

GREG: Colorado State 



It's an interesting time we live in that a team can drop four of its five final games and still play in a bowl game. That team is Marshall and the Thundering Herd had zero wins against teams above .500 this season.

CAMELLIA BOWL - Middle Tennessee at Arkansas State -3.5

CHRIS: Arkansas State

Neither squad has an impressive win on its resume, and both have red-hot quarterbacks. Arkansas State gets the nod as the healthier squad, and also because Justice Hansen can beat you with his legs and arm.

GREG: Middle Tennessee State

Hard to find separation here, but MTSU played in a tougher conference and had one quality win over FIU this season. Arkansas State's best effort was probably a tough loss Week 1 at Nebraska.

BOCA RATON BOWL - Akron vs. Florida Atlantic -22.5

CHRIS: Florida Atlantic

The 100th-ranked rush defense against the sixth-ranked rush offense sets up the Owls to run away with this one, literally and figuratively.

GREG: Florida Atlantic

Akron's back-door cover against Toledo did nothing to change my perception of the Zips. Lane Kiffin and crew will make quick work of Akron.

FRISCO BOWL - Louisiana Tech vs. SMU -5

CHRIS: SMU

Louisiana Tech's six wins came against teams with a combined 21-49 record. I don't think Tech's beaten anyone with a pulse, and the Mustangs have plenty of offensive balance to score freely here.

GREG: SMU

Louisiana Tech is void of a quality win this season, while SMU topped North Texas early in the season. Lest you knock North Texas, the Mean Green finished atop its conference division, you know, the conference Louisiana Tech plays in.

GASPARILLA BOWL - Temple vs. Florida International +7

CHRIS: Florida International

Temple found its offense after an embarrassing Sept. 21 showing at USF, but FIU scored 104 points in its final two games. With neither having a dominant offensive or defensive unit, I'll take the points and the Panthers.

GREG: Florida International

Temple is likely the better team of the two, but the Owls have only three double-digit wins this season, all against teams with losing records.

BAHAMAS BOWL - UAB vs. Ohio -7.5

CHRIS: UAB

Ohio seems likely to be without top runner A.J. Ouellette due to a shoulder injury. Quarterback Nathan Rourke is the Bobcats' second leading rusher, but isn't great with his arm, completing only 54.4 percent of his passes. As such, I'll again role with the points as UAB caps an unlikely bowl appearance.

GREG: Ohio

Fraud alert is out on UAB this bowl season as the Blazers somehow avoided playing the top-three teams in their conference. Ohio lost its last two games after winning four consecutive, but the Bobcats were competitive in both.

POTATO BOWL - Central Michigan vs. Wyoming -1

CHRIS: Wyoming

Wyoming ranks 13th in scoring defense, allowing only 17.8 points. Assuming quarterback Josh Allen (shoulder) plays, I think the Cowboys can score enough to win regardless of the down season Allen produced.

GREG: Central Michigan

Wyoming QB Josh Allen is questionable and if he can't go, then it's CMU all the way. As most bowl pools require you pick the game prior to the first bowl game, the safe pick is CMU.

BIRMINGHAM BOWL - Texas Tech vs. South Florida -2.5

CHRIS: South Florida

Bulls' quarterback Quinton Flowers will be the best player on the field. Points should come freely on both sides, but Flowers puts up huge numbers and pushes his team to a win.

GREG: South Florida

The only thing Texas Tech has going in its favor is its conference. USF had the better season, will be closer to home and likely has more motivation.

ARMED FORCES BOWL - San Diego State vs. Army +6.5

CHRIS: San Diego State

Army has given up 200-plus yards rushing five times and allows 4.96 yards per carry. That's not good news when you're set to face San Diego State running back Rashaad Penny, who ran for 2,207 yards, 19 touchdowns and 7.4 YPC.

GREG: San Diego State

Often when teams have stars who are under the radar, they shine in bowl games. Enter Rashaad Penny, who might be the best running back in the nation.

DOLLAR GENERAL BOWL - Appalachian State vs. Toledo -8

CHRIS: Toledo

This one worries me a bit, as the Mountaineers duo of RB Jalin Moore and QB Taylor Lamb can keep this competitive. But I think the Rockets have too much firepower and balance on offense and eventually stretch this into a double-digit win.

GREG: Appalachian State

Toledo is on a roll entering bowl season, but sometimes the layoff between games can halt any momentum gained toward the end of the season. Appalachian State should be able to hang within this rather large number.

HAWAII BOWL - Fresno State vs. Houston -2.5

CHRIS: Fresno State

A growing theme in this column is when in doubt, take the points. Scoring figures to be at a premium with Fresno ranking ninth in points allowed and Houston 39th. As such, I'll start with a nearly three-point cushion.

GREG: Houston

The Bulldogs nearly won their conference this season, but it was a down year for the Mountain West. Houston has wins over Arizona and USF this season, which trumps Fresno State's 1-1 record against Boise State.

DALLAS BOWL - Utah vs. West Virginia +7

CHRIS: Utah

The Utes limped to the finish, but they boast a sound run defense while West Virginia quarterback Chris Chugunov hasn't shown the ability to put up points with his arm.

GREG: West Virginia

Utah lost six of its last eight games and is a seven-point favorite because WVU is without its starting QB. WVU did put up 31 at Oklahoma with a backup QB, however, and the extra practice time can only help.

QUICK LANE BOWL - Duke vs. Northern Illinois +4.5

CHRIS: Northern Illinois

The Huskies have been competitive in every game, with their four loses being to bowl teams in Boston College, Central Michigan, Toledo and San Diego State by a total 26 points. Duke has struggled to score consistently, and I expect that to continue against NIU's 25th-ranked scoring defense.

GREG: Northern Illinois

Duke needed to win its final two games to become bowl eligible after losing six consecutive during the season. NIU played BC and SDSU tough and won at Nebraska.

CACTUS BOWL - Kansas State vs. UCLA +2.5

CHRIS: Kansas State

The Wildcats' 129th-ranked pass defense against the Bruins 129th-ranked run defense. Feels like a coin flip, but UCLA didn't win one game outside Los Angeles.

GREG: Kansas State

Josh Rosen sure looks the part, but he still makes a lot of mistakes and the Bruins defense is suspect. Kansas State showed a lot of grit, winning both games after QB Jesse Ertz went down.

INDEPENDENCE BOWL - Southern Mississippi vs. Florida State -15

CHRIS: Southern Mississippi

It's tough to gauge the Noles motivation level. They looked fired up in a 32-point win over Louisiana Monroe to earn this bowl bid. But motivated will they be in Shreveport? The Golden Eagles have offensive balance, and should score enough to keep this under two touchdowns.

GREG: Florida State

FSU played like dogs all season and the Noles are 15-point favorites, how bad is Southern Miss? Pretty bad. The Golden Eagles beat terrible teams to become bowl eligible and lost to decent ones, even bad ones, including Tennessee … by 14 points!

PINSTRIPE BOWL - Iowa vs. Boston College +3

CHRIS: Boston College

Iowa failed to stop solid rushing attacks in Penn State and Wisconsin, and while the Eagles aren't on that level, AJ Dillon will come at the Hawkeyes 30-plus times. The Eagles haven't allowed more than 17 points in their last five games.

GREG: Iowa

Part of me thinks that Iowa left everything it had on the field after facing Ohio State. Then again, the Hawkeyes have had a month off and it's not like B.C. is anything special.

FOSTER FARMS BOWL - Arizona vs. Purdue +3.5

CHRIS: Arizona

It's hard to have faith in a Purdue team that lost to Rutgers and Nebraska, but found a way to win at Iowa. Arizona averaged 42.1 points over its final eight games, and I like Khalil Tate to keep that pace going.

GREG: Arizona

I don't like the way the Cats finished, but Kahlil Tate and company showed a nice upside this season, beating WSU and UCLA by double-digits. Purdue beat a Missouri team in disarray early in the season and an Iowa team in the midst of a hangover, the week after its huge win over OSU.

TEXAS BOWL - Texas vs. Missouri -3

CHRIS: Missouri

Texas boasts the nation's 108th-ranked pass defense and has multiple players opting not to play. Missouri counters with six consecutive wins, scoring at least 45 points in each, and the nation's 14th-ranked passing attack.

GREG: Texas

It's a tale of two seasons for the Tigers as they were terrible early in the season and great late in the season. The problem is the second half of the season was the soft part of their schedule. Texas hung tough with a lot of strong teams this season and beat a couple decent ones.

MILITARY BOWL - Virginia vs. Navy -4

CHRIS: Virginia

Virginia faired well against Georgia Tech's option offense earlier this year, allowing 4.23 yards per carry. Their offense has been wildly inconsistent, but I like the motivation factor for the Cavaliers, who are playing their first bowl game since 2011.

GREG: Virginia

Navy didn't post a single impressive win all season and struggled down the stretch. Virginia struggled down the stretch as well, but much of that was due to the competition.

CAMPING WORLD BOWL - Virginia Tech vs. Oklahoma State -6

CHRIS: Oklahoma State

Virginia Tech hasn't scored more than 24 points in its last five games and has struggled to stop deep balls all season, allowing 24 passes of 25-plus yards. The Hokies won't score enough to keep up with Oklahoma State.

GREG: Virginia Tech

The Cowboys have plenty of offense, but almost no defense. The Hokies don't have a great offense, but an average offense can put up a lot of points on OSU.

HOLIDAY BOWL - Washington State vs. Michigan State +3

CHRIS: Michigan State

The Cougars' offense rarely fairs well against good, physical defenses. See the Apple Cup against Washington. I expect the Spartans to beat up Luke Falk and company en route to a straight-up win.

GREG: Michigan State

Not a huge fan of either of these teams, but Minnesota had no trouble locking down the gimmick offense of WSU last bowl season, and MSU should follow suit. A month to prepare for a gimmick should be plenty for a decent coaching staff.

ALAMO BOWL - Stanford vs. TCU -2.5

CHRIS: Stanford

TCU struggled to score down the stretch, averaging only 23.3 points in its final six games. Bryce Love's ankle should be fully healthy, and ready to exploit a Horned Frogs' rush defense that allowed 174 yards or more in three of its final four games.

GREG: Stanford

TCU's win over Oklahoma State early in the season artificially inflated its resume. Looking back, it wasn't a great season for the Horned Frogs. Perhaps I'm just sour over the stank they left after their two games against Oklahoma.

BELK BOWL - Wake Forest vs. Texas A&M +3

CHRIS: Wake Forest

On pure talent, the wrong team is probably favored. But A&M has had trouble scoring and likely is looking forward to starting the Jimbo Fisher era, while Wake has scored at least 30 in four of its last five.

GREG: Texas A&M

Wake Forest has the better resume, but I'm going with my gut. Neither team plays much defense; hoping the Aggies have the ball last.

SUN BOWL - North Carolina State vs. Arizona State +6.5

CHRIS: North Carolina State

The difference could be up front, as the teams rank 50th and 51st in rushing offense, but the Wolfpack rank 28th against the run while the Wildcats are 82nd. Nyheim Hines will get his, as will the always diverse Jaylen Samuel as the better team wins comfortably.

GREG: Arizona State

The Wolfpack came into the season with some hype, but didn't live up to the billing. ASU was an afterthought entering the season, but picked up two big wins against Oregon (with Herbert) and Washington.

MUSIC CITY BOWL - Kentucky vs. Northwestern -7.5

CHRIS: Northwestern

These teams are going in opposite directions entering bowl season. Northwestern carries that momentum through, bringing a balanced offense and a ninth-ranked run defense that will force Kentucky to be more one-dimensional than it is capable.

GREG: Northwestern

UK faced only two ranked teams this season and lost both. Northwestern struggled to put teams away early in the season, but hit its stride over the past month and enters on a seven-game winning streak.

ARIZONA BOWL - New Mexico State vs. Utah State +3.5

CHRIS: New Mexico State

Utah State has been a bit inconsistent offensively despite averaging 31.0 points overall. New Mexico State can sling it, ranking fourth in passing offense at 352.6 yards per game, while the Aggies pass defense stats are a bit inflated due to playing two option teams.

GREG: Utah State

This is just a terrible game. Two teams that shouldn't be bowling. With no means of separating the two, I'll take the points.

COTTON BOWL - USC vs. Ohio State -7

CHRIS: USC

I find Sam Darnold and the Trojans offense to be a significant upgrade over Ohio State's J.T. Barrett-led attack. The Trojans should be healthy following some time off, and I believe they'll be more motivated having not been in the playoff discussion than Ohio State will be for simply being left out.

GREG: USC

Will Ohio State be out to prove something or will the Buckeyes still be reeling from missing out on the playoff? Either way, the Trojans are good enough to keep this game close.

TAXSLAYER BOWL - Louisville vs. Mississippi State +6.5

CHRIS: Louisville

The Cardinals' defense isn't great, but it is good enough to slow a freshman quarterback in Keytaon Thompson while Lamar Jackson goes out in style.

GREG: Louisville

Last season at this time, Louisville was in a tailspin, but the Cardinals have managed to keep a steady head this season and look to be in good form. MSU will have a tough time adjusting without starting QB Nick Fitzgerald.

LIBERTY BOWL - Iowa State vs. Memphis -3.5

CHRIS: Memphis

I know it plays in the Big 12, but Iowa State has allowed five teams to throw for at least 293 yards. Memphis has topped that number in all but three games to date, and averaged 63.7 points in its final three games. The Cyclones might not be able to keep pace.

GREG: Iowa State

Memphis lost a heartbreaker to UCF in its conference championship and might have a hard time getting back on track. That or the Tigers are incapable of playing defense. Either reason works.

FIESTA BOWL - Washington vs. Penn State -2.5

CHRIS: Washington +2.5

Washington boasts the nation's top rush defense, allowing only 93.3 yards per game and 2.63 yards per carry. The Huskies will slow Saquon Barkley enough, and Penn State will struggle to find other creative offensive plays without former offensive coordinator Joe Morehead.

GREG: Penn State

Penn State could have easily gone in the tank after its championship hopes were dashed, but the Nittany Lions finished strong and bring some momentum into this game. PSU lost two games by a total of four points this season.

ORANGE BOWL - Wisconsin vs. Miami +6.5

CHRIS: Wisconsin

Miami is without its top-three offensive playmakers, and the last two weeks of the season showed the type of quarterback Malik Rosier really is.

GREG: Wisconsin

With some teams I'd be worried about their state of mind after narrowly missing out on the playoff, but something tells me the Badgers will be fine. Miami is simply a different team away from home.

OUTBACK BOWL - Michigan vs. South Carolina +8

CHRIS: Michigan

A big number for a limited Wolverines offense, but South Carolina put up only 10 points on top defenses in Georgia and Clemson, and given the time Michigan has to prepare, the Gamecocks aren't going to scratch the scoreboard often.

GREG: South Carolina

I didn't catch much Gamecocks action this season, but I saw plenty of Michigan and I can't fathom how that team is favored by eight points against anyone but the dregs of the Big Ten.

PEACH BOWL - UCF vs. Auburn -9.5

CHRIS: Central Florida

The emotion of Scott Frost and his staff sticking around versus the disappointment from Auburn falling to Georgia in the SEC championship should keep this closer than 9.5 points. A motivated Tigers team however could win this going away.

GREG: Auburn

The only thing in question will be the condition of the Tigers. If they are mentally and physically ready to go, this shouldn't be much of a game as UCF has absolutely no defense.

CITRUS BOWL - Notre Dame vs. LSU -3

CHRIS: LSU

LSU's only loss after September was to Alabama, while Notre Dame allowed 226.3 rushing yards over its final four games. Derrius Guice is healthy, and I expect him to physically beat up the Irish.

GREG: LSU

LSU has simply been a different team since losing to Troy. The Tigers won six of their last seven (three against ranked teams) and lost only once, against Alabama.

ROSE BOWL - Georgia vs. Oklahoma +1.5

CHRIS: Georgia

I like Nick Chubb and Sony Michel to wear down the Sooners defense and keep the OU offense sidelined. The Georgia defense gets enough stops to advance.

GREG: Georgia

Baker Mayfield, meet a defense, I know, you haven't seen one of these in a while. Georgia offense, meet a def … yeah, well, no resistance here, just have at it.

SUGAR BOWL - Alabama vs. Clemson +2.5

CHRIS: Clemson

This is all about the Tigers' defense, specifically up front. Clemson is maybe the only team in the country that can out-physical Alabama, while I like Kelly Bryant to make a few big plays downfield to win a low-scoring game.

GREG: Clemson

By all accounts, Alabama nearly got left out of the playoff, yet it's favored against the No. 1 team in the country? I don't get the uproar as OSU would have been a TD underdog. Whatever the case, Clemson is the most complete team in the country and, somehow, as the No. 1 team in the country, the Tigers will get to have a chip on their shoulder as the underdog.

CHRIS - Last Week: 3-2; Season: 39-36-2

GREG - Last Week: 4-2; Season: 41-31