college-football-picks – Page 2

LSU vs Purdue Cheez-It Citrus Bowl Prediction Game Preview

LSU vs Purdue game preview, prediction, and breakdown for the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl on Monday, January 2, 2023

LSU vs Purdue prediction, game preview, odds, how to watch. Cheez-It Citrus Bowl, Monday, January 2, 2023

LSU vs Purdue Cheez-It Citrus Bowl Prediction Game Preview

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LSU vs Purdue How To Watch

Date: Monday, January 2, 2023
Game Time: 1:00 ET
Venue: Camping World Stadium, Orlando, FL
How To Watch: ABC
Record: LSU (9-4), Purdue (8-5)
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LSU vs Purdue Cheez-It Citrus Bowl 5 Things To Know

Cheez-It Citrus Bowl Prediction, What’s Going To Happen, History

– For the second straight bowl game, LSU is playing a bunch of guys wearing the uniforms, but the main men are done. The team will hardly be a proper representation of the 2022 self.

It was a great first season under Brian Kelly with a win over Alabama and a trip to the SEC Championship, but if it seems like just about everyone has opted out, or is injured, or both, it’s because that’s the deal. From WR Kayshon Boutte, to dangerous pass rusher BJ Ojulari, to … this could go on for a while.

– Purdue is playing a bunch of guys wearing the uniforms, but plenty of the main men are done, including the head coach. Jeff Brohm made a lateral move to Louisville, but another Brohm – brother Brian – will coach in the bowl while new head coach Ryan Walters waits in the wings. The coaching, though, isn’t the issue.

QB Aidan O’Connell is out, so is top TE Payne Durham, so is star WR Charlies Jones, so is … this could go on for a while.

– Purdue has been okay in bowl games, but it’s usually the team that has the full complement of players. Last year it won a Music City Bowl thriller over Tennessee, and was 2-1 in bowls under Brohm and 4-2 going back to 2007.

– LSU has been wonderful in bowl games over the years. Again, last year’s team was a shadow of its normal self in a sad Texas Bowl loss to Kansas State, but before that it won three straight before that – two of them in the College Football Playoff including the national title. Before last year it was 5-1 since 2014 and 17-7 since 1989.

– The Citrus Bowl hasn’t been too bad lately, but ie’s on a bit of a rough run over the last decade. Last year’s 20-17 Kentucky win over Iowa was interesting, even if there weren’t a ton of fireworks. Three of the last five have been close, but nine of the last 13 were decided by double-digits.

CFN Experts Picks: Jan 2 Bowls

Why Purdue Will Win The Cheez-It Citrus Bowl

The passing game should still work.

Aidan O’Connell might be out, but Austin Burton is a big passer who’s just seasoned enough to be okay. He stepped in against Florida Atlantic and hit 72% of his passes for 166 yards and three scores, but he hasn’t done anything since with O’Connell leading the way to the Big Ten Championship.

The midrange passing game might not be quite as sharp, but it’ll keep things moving, the offensive line should be able to hold up, and for a team that throws like Purdue does, the running game is every bit as important.

The Boilermakers are 6-0 when running for more than 111 yards, and 2-5 when they don’t. The backs are still in place to mix things up a bit.

LSU is 0-3 when allowing more than 210 rushing yards and 9-1 when it gives up fewer. Purdue has to at least give it a try with 35 carries or so.

But …

Top 100 Bowl Players | Ranking Bowl Games So Far

Why LSU Will Win The Cheez-It Citrus Bowl

Jayden Daniels is supposed to give it a go.

The LSU quarterback is dinged up, but he’s coming back for the 2023 season and he should be able to play in this. In a game that’s missing a whole lot of key parts, having Daniels as a steadying factor might make all of the difference.

When the offense is moving, it’s great on third downs, there’s enough of a running game to balance things out, and when Daniels is in a groove, the passing attack can go off. It was in comeback/keep up mode, but the offense threw for over 500 yards against Georgia in the SEC Championship.

Oddly enough, Purdue wins when it gives up a ton of passing yards – it’s 6-2 when allowing 200 yards or more. It’s more about its own offense, and that’s where the LSU defense has to kick in.

As long as the defensive front can hold up against the run, and if the offensive line can give Daniels time …

Cheez-It Citrus Bowl Prediction, What’s Going To Happen, History

NEXT: What’s Going To Happen, LSU vs Purdue Prediction, Cheez-It Citrus Bowl History

Pages: 12

Illinois vs Mississippi State ReliaQuest Bowl Prediction Game Preview

Illinois vs Mississippi State game preview, prediction, and breakdown for the ReliaQuest Bowl on Monday, January 2, 2023

Illinois vs Mississippi State prediction, game preview, odds, how to watch. ReliaQuest Bowl, Monday, January 2, 2023

Illinois vs Mississippi State ReliaQuest Bowl Prediction Game Preview

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Illinois vs Mississippi State How To Watch

Date: Monday, January 2, 2023
Game Time: 12:00 ET
Venue: Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL
How To Watch: ESPN2
Record: Illinois (8-4), Mississippi State (8-4)
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Illinois vs Mississippi State ReliaQuest Bowl 5 Things To Know

ReliaQuest Bowl Prediction, What’s Going To Happen, History

– It’s the first game of 2023, and it’s the first game for Mississippi State without the late head coach Mike Leach. Overall this was a solid season under Leach with wins in three of the last four games – including a win over arch-rival Ole Miss – on the way to a good 2023 bowl game, but of course the season and this game will be remembered for Leach.

Nothing is going to immediately change under new head coach Zach Arnett. The Bulldogs are still going to throw the ball a bajillion times, the defense is going to be solid, and the team should be able to handle the Illinois style.

– Illinois was one of the 2022 season’s best surprises. Under head coach Bret Bielema, the offense was tough up front, the defense was among the best in the country, and it all worked well enough to destroy Wisconsin – and end the Paul Chryst era – beat Iowa, and push Michigan to the brink. It was a rough finishing kick with losses to Michigan State and Purdue keeping it out of Big Ten Championship, but this season was just the beginning of a strong new era of Illinois football.

Here’s the problem. It’s missing some of its key stars. Chase Brown was as good as any running back in the country, Luke Ford was a terrific tight end, and the opt-out losses in the secondary against this passing team is devastating.

– This is the first bowl game for Illinois since losing the 2019 Redbox to Cal. The last bowl win was against UCLA in the 2011 Kraft Fight Hunger, and the program is a rough 2-4 in bowls since 1999’s blowout win over Virginia in the Micron PC. Bielema has been decent in bowls – he went 2-1 at Arkansas – but he was just 2-4 at Wisconsin with two straight Rose Bowl losses before leaving for the Hog gig.

– Mississippi State was terrific in bowls games for a long stretch – going 9-2 in 11 bowls from the 1999 Peach up to the end of the Dan Mullen era with a win over Louisville in the 2017 TaxSlayer. Under Joe Moorhead and Mike Leach, the Bulldogs went 1-3, getting rocked by Texas Tech 34-7 last year in the Liberty.

– It’s the inaugural ReliaQuest Bowl, but you probably know it better as the old Outback Bowl. It’s been SEC vs Big Ten after Wisconsin beat Duke in 1995 with the SEC going 16-10 and winning the last two. Last year’s 24-10 Arkansas win over Penn State was better than the final score, and the previous five were all decided by one score.

CFN Experts Picks: Jan 2 Bowls

Why Illinois Will Win The ReliaQuest Bowl

The defense really is that good.

It might be missing a few very, very important defensive backs – more on that in a moment – but the style and the D should still work. The Illini finished second in the nation in total defense behind Air Force, it was first in scoring defense allowing just 12.2 points per game, and most importantly in this, it’s No. 1 in the nation in passing efficiency defense.

The defense allowed fewer than 2,000 yards this season and just eight touchdowns, and it picked off 22 passes. No, the team didn’t face a slew of high-powered passing teams, but the losses mostly came against teams that could throw.

There’s one massive difference between what Indiana, Michigan State, and Purdue did in their three wins and what Mississippi State does – downfield passes.

The Bulldogs will throw it 50 times, but there’s no rushing yards, and there’s nothing happening when it comes to the deep shots. The passing game averages under ten yards per completion – the third-lowest in college football – meaning the Illini will allow short passes, and then have to make the tackle. They can do that.

However …

Top 100 Bowl Players | Ranking Bowl Games So Far

Why Mississippi State Will Win The ReliaQuest Bowl

CB Devon Witherspoon and S Sydney Brown. Those are two NFL starting defensive backs Illinois won’t have around, and it’s going to matter.

The Illini defense will hold its own. Mississippi State will have a hard time moving the chains, it’ll have to deal with a ton of third down moments, and Illinois is as good as anyone in the country at coming up with third down stops. But the new parts in the Illinois secondary will hurt just enough to allow Will Rogers and company to keep things moving.

Yes, Illinois, Michigan State, and Purdue were able to stretch the field a bit, but none of them were Tennessee when it came to winging it around. Illinois lost four games this year, going 0-3 when giving up 208 yards or more, and the fourth loss came to Michigan State, who completed 66% of its passes – the best completion day by anyone against Illinois.

Mississippi State was below 208 passing yards just once – it threw for 203 against Kentucky – and was only below 60% three times. It’s 8-1 when it hits 60% or more of its throws.

There’s that, and …

ReliaQuest Bowl Prediction, What’s Going To Happen, History

NEXT: What’s Going To Happen, Illinois vs Mississippi State Prediction, ReliaQuest Bowl History

Pages: 12

Penn State vs Utah Rose Bowl Prediction Game Preview

Penn State vs Utah game preview, prediction, and breakdown for the Rose Bowl on Monday, January 2, 2023

Penn State vs Utah prediction, game preview, odds, how to watch. Rose Bowl, Monday, January 2, 2023

Penn State vs Utah Rose Bowl Prediction Game Preview

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Penn State vs Utah How To Watch

Date: Monday, January 2, 2023
Game Time: 5:00 ET
Venue: Rose Bowl, Pasadena, CA
How To Watch: ESPN
Record: Penn State (10-2), Utah (10-3)
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Penn State vs Utah Rose Bowl 5 Things To Know

Rose Bowl Prediction, What’s Going To Happen, History

– Utah keeps on rolling. This might not be quite the team the 2021 version was, but it matched last year’s ten-win campaign, it won another Pac-12 Championship, and it’s going to another Rose Bowl.

It’s Utah. You know what you’re getting.

Great lines, great coaching, a smart style with a great combination of toughness and confidence – that’s Utah, and now it all has to come together to make this the program’s best season in the 12 years as a member of the Pac-12.

– Penn State is more about what’s coning than what this is. Sure, we’ve heard it all before about how Penn State has the talent, the upside, and the excitement to be on the verge of national championship-level status, but yeah, James Franklin might have that in place for 2023.

It’s a young team with a whole lot of superstar power about to make this one of Franklin’s best teams yet … potentially. Next year.

As is, the Nittany Lions are fantastic. They went 10-2 with the only blips coming against Ohio State and Michigan, but no one would buy into the idea that they might have one of the four best teams in college football.

They’re missing a few parts – not having star CB Joey Porter around hurts – but for the most part they should be fine.

– Utah has done a whole lot of big things over the years to prove it’s a big-time program. Utah – not USC, not Oregon, not UCLA – has become the power program in the Pac-12 over the last few years, but it doesn’t have one of these – at least it doesn’t have one as a Power Five program.

The Sugar Bowl win over Alabama came at the end of the 2008 season when Utah was still a Mountain West program.

In the Pac-12 it has a few Las Vegas Bowls, and a Foster Farms, and a Heart of Dallas, but the program that was 14-1 in bowl games from 1999 to 2017 is 0-for-its-last-3 in three big bowls including last year’s Rose Bowl.

Like Penn State, there are a few players missing, but not enough to be catastrophic. Tight end Dalton Kincaid is the one who matters.

– Penn State clunked in last year’s Outback Bowl loss to Arkansas, but it’s been okay under Franklin going 3-3 so far with wins in the Cotton and Fiesta, and a Rose Bowl loss to USC in an epic battle to end the 2016 season.

– GOOD LUCK hoping for this year’s Rose Bowl to be anywhere near as good as last year’s Ohio State 48-45 win over Utah. We won’t count the 2020 playoff game – that wasn’t played in Pasadena – so really, the last five true Rose Bowls have been amazing.

Last year’s was great, the Oregon 28-27 win over Wisconsin to kick off the 202 year was outstanding, the Ohio State 28-23 win over Washington was fun, and the 2018 54-48 Georgia double overtime win over Oklahoma ranks among the best bowl games ever – and certainly deserves to be in the team photo of best College Football Playoff games. Before that was the Penn State-USC thriller.

And we all deserved those games after what Christian McCaffrey and Stanford did to Iowa in the 2016 Rose.

CFN Experts Picks: Jan 2 Bowls

Why Penn State Will Win The Rose Bowl

The run defense should hold up.

This isn’t the USC defensive front the Utes are going against.

There was the outlier against Michigan, but that was it for bad moments for the Penn State defensive front. It allowed over 400 rushing yards to the Wolverines, held Minnesota to 165 in a blowout win, and stuffed Auburn allowing 119 rushing yards in a 41-12 road blasting.

No one else ran for more than 100 on this D, and now it’s rested. More than that, Michigan is the only team to average more than four yards per carry against the Nittany Lion defensive front.

Utah’s offensive line is phenomenal, and it’s great at keeping defenses out of the backfield, but now it’s dealing with the Big Ten’s best pass rush and the best D at generating tackles for loss.

On the flip side, Penn State got out of its running game in the two losses. It’s 9-0 when running for more than 111 yards, but …

Top 100 Bowl Players | Ranking Bowl Games So Far

Why Utah Will Win The Rose Bowl

The Utah defensive front is rested, too.

It got hammered on by Florida to start the season, and it couldn’t deal with UCLA. Those were two of the two losses, and there was a problem in the first meeting with USC. The Gators, Bruins, and Trojans, though, had quarterbacks who could take off. That’s not really Sean Clifford – he can run a little bit, but not really.

Everyone else had major problems running on the Ute defensive front the tallied fewer than 100 rushing yards seven times.

However, the real problem for the Nittany Lions might be control. As good as the running game is, and as terrific as the offense has been, it’s miserable on third downs.

In general they’re good at controlling the ball and the clock, but that’s going to be impossible to do against a Utah team that’s equal parts deliberate and explosive.

Few teams are able to dominate the clock like Utah can, with third down conversions coming at a 50% clip, and with the defense the best in the Pac-12 at coming up with third down stops.

Rose Bowl Prediction, What’s Going To Happen, History

NEXT: What’s Going To Happen, Penn State vs Utah Prediction, Rose Bowl History

Pages: 12

Michigan vs TCU College Football Playoff Vrbo Fiesta Bowl Prediction Game Preview

Michigan vs TCU game preview, prediction, and breakdown for the College Football Playoff Vrbo Fiesta Bowl on Saturday, December 31

Michigan vs TCU prediction, game preview, odds, how to watch. College Football Playoff Vrbo Fiesta Bowl, Saturday, December 31

Michigan vs TCU College Football Playoff Vrbo Fiesta Bowl Prediction Game Preview

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Michigan vs TCU How To Watch

Date: Saturday, December 31
Game Time: 4:00 ET
Venue: State Farm Stadium, Glendale, AZ
How To Watch: ESPN
Record: Michigan (13-0), TCU (12-1)
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Michigan vs TCU College Football Playoff Vrbo Fiesta Bowl 5 Things To Know

– Why Michigan will win. Why TCU will win
– College Football Playoff Vrbo Fiesta Bowl Prediction, What’s Going To Happen, History

– It didn’t seem like it was “just the beginning” for Michigan, as Jim Harbaugh suggested coming off a 34-11 pasting from Georgia in last year’s College Football Playoff semifinal.

Harbaugh was 50/50 on going to the NFL – and was probably the Minnesota Viking head coach if he wasn’t lowballed – Ohio State was going to be back to its normal unbeatable self, and the Michigan program was going to settle back into being very good, but hardly among the elite of the elite.

And then it not only did it again, it was even better in an undefeated season with a crazily consistent offensive style of play that held for a full 12 games on the way to winning a second straight Big Ten title.

Last year, the Wolverines had done enough. They broke through, exorcised the Buckeye demon, and proved it was possible to win massive things under Harbaugh.

Not this time. Just getting here won’t get it done like it does for …

– TCU was one of the massive pleasant surprises of the 2022 season. New coach, program coming off a mediocre year, some rebuilding to do, and a schedule that looked a tad too daunting – some genius actually predicted TCU was going to lose to Colorado to start the season … I sought out professional help after that.

But head coach Sonny Dykes put together something magical. QB Max Duggan took over early and morphed into Max Tebow, the team found every way possible to win close games and pull off comebacks, and even getting here despite losing the Big 12 Championship was a charmed moment for the program.

It’s not like TCU hasn’t been close. It was No. 3 in the penultimate 2014 College Football Playoff rankings and got pushed out in the final version. In the CFP era this is the fourth season in nine with 11 or more wins, it knows how to crank up the offense, and it can pull the “nobody believes in us” attitude.

– This is TCU’s first bowl appearance since winning the 2018 Cheez-It 10-7 in OT – unquestionably the ugliest-played event in the history of sporting contests. However, the program has won four of its last five and ten of its last 13. On the flip side …

– Michigan has been a bowl game disaster. It lost five straight and is 3-12 since winning the 2003 Outback over Florida. Even worse, the last three bowl appearances were brutal blowouts, and the team melted down in the 2018 Outback loss to South Carolina and 2016 loss to Florida State. This is the first time Michigan has ever faced TCU.

– No pressure or anything, Fiesta Bowl, but College Football Playoff semifinal or not, you’re supposed to be amazing. Last year’s Oklahoma State comeback win over Notre Dame was one of the wildest moments of the bowl season. The 2019 Clemson win over Ohio State in the CFP semifinal screwed up The entire university for a full year – OSU was out of its mind over the way that game ended.

LSU getting by UCF the year before that was fun, Penn State getting by Washington the year before that was fun, and in all, four of the last five Fiesta Bowls have been outstanding – they needed to be to make up for the 31-0 uggo of a Clemson College Football Playoff semifinal win over Ohio State in 2016.

– Why Michigan will win. Why TCU will win
– College Football Playoff Vrbo Fiesta Bowl Prediction, What’s Going To Happen, History
CFN Experts CFP, NY6, Dec 28-Jan 2

NEXT: Why Michigan will win the College Football Playoff Fiesta Bowl, why TCU will win the College Football Playoff Fiesta Bowl

Pages: 123

Georgia vs Ohio State College Football Playoff Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl Prediction Game Preview

Georgia vs Ohio State game preview, prediction, and breakdown for the College Football Playoff Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl on December 31, 2022

Georgia vs Ohio State prediction, game preview, odds, how to watch. College Football Playoff Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, December 31, 2022

Georgia vs Ohio State College Football Playoff Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl Prediction Game Preview

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Georgia vs Ohio State How To Watch

Date: December 31, 2022
Game Time: 8:00 ET
Venue: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA
How To Watch: ESPN
Record: Georgia (13-0), Ohio State (11-1)
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Georgia vs Ohio State College Football Playoff Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl 5 Things To Know

– Why Georgia will win the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, why Ohio State will win
– College Football Playoff Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl Prediction, What’s Going To Happen, History

– Georgia hasn’t exactly made greatness boring, but it’s not like this is a star-studded superpower with a slew of household names. It’s a rock-solid team that’s good at blocking and tackling and going about its business as it rolls towards what might just be a second straight national title. There’s one key difference from the 2021 version, though.

This one might run the table.

2022 Georgia had a perfect storm of positives to get here. Years of amazing recruiting built up the talent level, and it all matured enough to create a true Next Man Up system with future NFL stars replacing the NFL stars who left off of last year’s national champion team.

Combine that with a relatively down year by Alabama – and not having to face the Tide – a 44-year-old starting quarterback who knows what he’s doing (Stetson Bennett is actually 25), and all those new starters looking to prove the greatness of this team compared to last year, and this might be an even stronger run.

However …

CFN Experts CFP, NY6, Dec 28-Jan 2

– You let them in the door. The Buckeyes were out. All it would’ve taken was USC’s Caleb Williams not hurting his hamstring, or Clemson and/or Tennessee not gacking the moment against South Carolina, or Alabama’s Jahmyr Gibbs making the late grab against Tennessee, or any one of a number of things that could’ve happened to put someone else in the No. 4 spot in the College Football Playoff.

But they’re in. They’re in the tournament at the 4, just like 2019 Alabama, and just like 2014 Ohio State – both of those teams won two games and the national title.

The team rolled through the season despite a slew of injuries, and all was set up to be the No. 2 seed. All it had to do was beat Michigan, take down Purdue in the Big Ten Championship, and it would’ve played TCU not Georgia in the CFP first round.

You have to win two no matter what, so Ohio State might as well get the Georgia game out of the way now.

There are 3.5 teams going with the same NFL talent level – Georgia, Alabama, the USC offense, and Ohio State. Even with a few key guys out – RB TreyVeon Henderson is out with a foot injury, WR Jaxson Smith-Njigba is nursing his injured hamstring as he gets ready for the NFL – the guys are still there to hang position for position with the defending national champs.

– Ohio State has lived in the biggest bowls for the last 30 years. In the eight-year playoff era, it’s 7-3 in bowl games with the three losses all in the CFP. It won an epic Rose Bowl over Utah last year, lost the College Football Playoff National Championship to Alabama in 2020, and it’s in the Peach for first time ever.

– Georgia has been a bowl god under Kirby Smart. The program has gone 9-3 over the last 12 bowls going back to the Mark Richt era. It won its last four – including two last season – with the last two losses the national title agains Alabama to end the 2017 season and in a tough Sugar loss to Texas in 2018. This is the program’s seventh Peach appearance, and …

– This is just the second time these two have met. Georgia beat Ohio State 21-14 in the 1992 Citrus Bowl, but that’s been it for these two powerhouses.

Between playoff games and close battles that defined the narrative for the participating teams, almost all of the last several Peach Bowls have mattered.

Last year’s Michigan State win over Pitt was entertaining at the end, the Georgia win over Cincinnati in the 2020 season was good, the 2019 version – LSU blowing out Oklahoma – was interesting theater, and UCF made a whole program around the win over Auburn at the end of the 2017 season.

The first two Peach Bowls as part of the College Football Playoff were lousy. This one shouldn’t be.

– Why Georgia will win the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, why Ohio State will win
– College Football Playoff Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl Prediction, What’s Going To Happen, History

NEXT: Why Georgia & Ohio State Will Win The College Football Playoff Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl

Pages: 123

Kentucky vs Iowa TransPerfect Music City Bowl Prediction Game Preview

Kentucky vs Iowa game preview, prediction, and breakdown for the TransPerfect Music City Bowl on Saturday, December 31

Kentucky vs Iowa prediction, game preview, odds, how to watch. TransPerfect Music City Bowl, Saturday, December 31

Kentucky vs Iowa TransPerfect Music City Bowl Prediction Game Preview

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Kentucky vs Iowa How To Watch

Date: Saturday, December 31
Game Time: 12:00 ET
Venue: Nissan Stadium, Nashville, TN
How To Watch: ABC
Record: Kentucky (7-5), Iowa (7-5)
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Kentucky vs Iowa TransPerfect Music City Bowl 5 Things To Know

TransPerfect Music City Bowl Prediction, What’s Going To Happen, History

– Two teams with a bunch of players wearing Iowa and Kentucky uniforms will run onto the field, and a game of football will be played. After that, good luck trying to figure out what this is going to be.

Kentucky won’t have its top guys in the backfield – QB Will Levis is getting ready to possibly be the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft, and heart-and-soul RB Chris Rodriguez isn’t going to play, either. It goes on from there with the depth taking a hit along with a few parts on the defensive side.

Iowa is trying to figure out its offense, too, without one of its normal quarterbacks expected to be around for an offense that wasn’t exactly rocking and rolling to begin with.

There are enough regular starters for both teams to make this interesting, but it’s going to be a bit rocky, especially because …

– Iowa had the second-worst offense in college football. There wasn’t any passing game, scoring was like pulling teeth, and there’s a rumor the attack converted on a third down. Even so, the defense was fantastic – a slew of the main men are supposed to be around – and the O managed to not screw it up over a five-game winning streak in the second half of the year.

Kentucky’s offense wasn’t a whole lot better thanks to a ragged offensive line, the defense couldn’t generate a pass rush, and yet it all worked in a Kentucky sort of way to get here. That’s not a knock because …

– Kentucky has been great in bowl games under Mark Stoops. UK lost four straight bowls – with Stoops dropping his first two – and then came the run of four great performances in bowl wins over the last four years. That includes last season’s 20-17 Citrus Bowl win over …

– Iowa was a disaster in bowls from 2011 to 2016, and then it all turned with three nice wins highlighted by a 49-24 whacking of USC in the 2019 Holiday Bowl. Last year’s bowl loss to Kentucky was tough, but it was a good fight.

– When the Music City Bowl hits, it’s cranks up a home run. Purdue’s 48-45 overtime win over Tennessee last year might have been the best bowl of the season. Throwing out the canceled 2020 bowl, 13 of the last 17 Music City Bowls have been decided by eight points or fewer. Considering how these two teams play, this should be low scoring, too.

CFN Experts CFP, NY6, Dec 28-Jan 2

Why Kentucky Will Win The TransPerfect Music City Bowl

Really, this Iowa offense is just that stagnant.

It was only able to hit 200 yards passing twice, the overall attack never came up with 400 yards, and it only got to 300 three times. It’s not a stretch to suggest it’ll only take a few scores for Kentucky to put this away.

As is there’s no Iowa passing game, at least there’s nothing deep. Now it’s throwing out an untested option in Joey Labas as he tries to do something to get the chains moving.

But the Iowa O is the Iowa O. It’s the defensive side that has to own this game, and it starts with needing to come up with takeaways. Kentucky had issues over the first half of the season with giveaways, but it only turned it over twice in the last four games.

And the Wildcats can play a little defense, too. It hasn’t allowed 200 passing yards in any of the last four games, and Iowa doesn’t have the running game to make up for it.

However …

Top 100 Bowl Players | Ranking Bowl Games So Far

Why Iowa Will Win The TransPerfect Music City Bowl

Really, the Kentucky offense is just that stagnant.

Will Levis is being panned as a possible top pick in the NFL Draft, but that’s partly because he didn’t get a chance to show what he could do behind an offensive line that was the worst in the SEC in sacks allowed.

That’s where the Iowa defense comes in. If all goes according to plan, a slew of key stars from the nation’s fourth-best D and sixth-best scoring defense. As is UK couldn’t get the attack moving. It’s supposed to rock without Levis and Rodriguez? Not really.

And no, the Iowa offense isn’t going to come out and hang 50 on the board. However, there won’t be anything big coming from the Kentucky pass rush and defensive front.

UK is 7-0 when allowing fewer than 165 rushing yards, and 0-5 when allowing that many or more. However …

TransPerfect Music City Bowl Prediction, What’s Going To Happen, History

NEXT: What’s Going To Happen, Kentucky vs Iowa Prediction, TransPerfect Music City Bowl History

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Alabama vs Kansas State Allstate Sugar Bowl Prediction Game Preview

Alabama vs Kansas State game preview, prediction, and breakdown for the Allstate Sugar Bowl on Saturday, December 31

Alabama vs Kansas State prediction, game preview, odds, how to watch. Allstate Sugar Bowl, Saturday, December 31

Alabama vs Kansas State Allstate Sugar Bowl Prediction Game Preview

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Alabama vs Kansas State How To Watch

Date: Saturday, December 31
Game Time: 12:00 ET
Venue: Caesars Superdome, New Orleans, LA
How To Watch: ESPN
Record: Alabama (10-2), Kansas State (10-3)
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Alabama vs Kansas State Allstate Sugar Bowl 5 Things To Know

Allstate Sugar Bowl Prediction, What’s Going To Happen, History

– By any normal standards it’s been a wonderful football season for Alabama. It blew out its arch rival Auburn, won ten games, made it to the Sugar Bowl, and came up with a thrilling win over Texas on the road. The two losses were this close to going the other way – losing on walk-offs at Tennessee and LSU – and …

It was a total disaster. Starting with losing the College Football Playoff National Championship to Georgia, 2022 has been a rough year for the Tide – at least by its own unreasonable-yet-attainable standards. But it just came up with a massive recruiting class, there’s a ton of big-time talent coming back, and now there’s a shot at closing out the calendar year with something big.

The stars are here – the NFL guys are supposed to play in this. Bama isn’t 100% operational – a slew of parts are in the transfer portal – but the starting 22 will be fine. The same goes for …

– Kansas State gets almost everyone of note back. The Big 12 champion won ten games, held on to take down TCU in the conference title game, beat its rival Kansas, and now it gets a shot to do something massive with a Sugar Bowl win over Bama.

It’s a rock-solid team that doesn’t beat itself, plays a hard-nosed brand of defense – the D was the best in the Big 12 – and owns the turnover battle. It’s hardly going to freak out just because it’s playing Alabama.

– This is the third bowl appearance for the Wildcats under head coach Chris Klieman. Last year’s team walked over a depleted LSU in a sad Texas Bowl, and the 2019 version couldn’t get past Navy in the Liberty. However, the program has won three of its last four bowls.

– How’s this for a bowl run for Alabama? Since closing out the 1975 season with a Sugar Bowl win over Penn State, it’s 34-14 with the last three losses coming in the College Football Playoff National Championship. How do you know your program is doing well? This is Alabama’s 15th bowl/national championship game in nine years of the CFP era.

– Can we get a good Sugar Bowl? The Ohio State College Football Playoff win over Alabama in 2014 was exciting, and the Texas win over Georgia at the end of the 2018 season was interesting – even though the Bulldogs didn’t seem to wake up until it was too late.

Eight of the last ten, though, have been decided by double-digits, including last year’s depressing- it took on a different tone after QB Matt Corral was injured – Baylor 21-7 win over Ole Miss.

CFN Experts CFP, NY6, Dec 28-Jan 2

Why Alabama Will Win The Allstate Sugar Bowl

Alabama has its guys.

If everything goes according to plan, QB Bryce Young and Edge rusher Will Anderson will be out there. Most of the main skill parts will be there, the defense has a little something to prove, and the team – sort of like the 35-16 win over Michigan in the 2020 Citrus – should show up and flex a little muscle.

It starts by holding up on the defensive front.

Kansas State can throw just fine with Will Howard at quarterback, but it really gets rolling when it controls games with the rushing attack, going 7-0 when coming up with 199 yards or more.

The Tide might have their problems defensively, but only five teams were able to get past 80 yards on the ground. With the time off to rest up and prepare, this group will be swarming all over Deuce Vaughn and …

Top 100 Bowl Players | Ranking Bowl Games So Far

Why Kansas State Will Win The Allstate Sugar Bowl

Kansas State doesn’t get enough appreciation for its offensive balance.

The defense is strong, the offense can keep things moving, and it’s Kansas State, the special teams are solid. Most impressively, 2,737 yards passing, 2,725 yards rushing, and Bama has to prepare for all of it.

This isn’t exactly a vintage Crimson Tide defense.

It’s very, very good – and elite by most normal standards – but Auburn was able to run way too easily on it, Hendon Hooker almost won the Heisman as he carried Tennessee to a win, and LSU averaged over five yards per carry in its victory. The offense should be able to mix it up, the offensive line will hold its own, and the time of possession will matter.

On the other side, Alabama might have Bryce Young, and the offense is deadly no matter what, but it doesn’t have the high-end wide receivers to make the K-State secondary sweat.

Basically, Kansas State has to be Kansas State. It has to win the turnover battle, penalties won’t be a problem, and it should be its normal frustrating self with the defense holding up just fine on third downs.

Allstate Sugar Bowl Prediction, What’s Going To Happen, History

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Ohio vs Wyoming Barstool Sports Arizona Bowl Prediction Game Preview

Ohio vs Wyoming game preview, prediction, and breakdown for the Barstool Sports Arizona Bowl on Friday, December 30

Ohio vs Wyoming prediction, game preview, odds, how to watch. Barstool Sports Arizona Bowl, Friday, December 30

Ohio vs Wyoming Barstool Sports Arizona Bowl Prediction Game Preview

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Ohio vs Wyoming How To Watch

Date: Friday, December 30
Game Time: 4:30 ET
Venue: Arizona Stadium, Tucson, AZ
How To Watch: Barstool Sports
Record: Ohio (7-5), Ohio (9-4)
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Ohio vs Wyoming Barstool Sports Arizona Bowl 5 Things To Know

Barstool Sports Arizona Bowl Prediction, What’s Going To Happen, History

– Ohio started 2-3, lost star QB Kurtis Rourke late in the year, and didn’t show much of a defense for a bulk of the season. But everything flipped under head coach Tim Albin, the team went on a seven-game winning streak to get to the MAC Championship. Losing 17-7 to Toledo in the title game wasn’t fun, but the team remains relatively intact. On the flip side …

– Wyoming is very much NOT bringing its normal 2022 self into this. It’s missing almost all of its key running backs and top target Joshua Cobbs, but it should still be able to run its style of play. It’s going to pound, and play defense, and try to keep the score low.

– It’s the fifth bowl appearance for the Cowboys under head coach Craig Bohl. He lost the first one in the 2016 Poinsettia to BYU, but reeled off three straight since including two over MAC teams and an Arizona Bowl over Georgia State.

– Ohio has also won three straight bowl games, but it hasn’t been in one since 2019. It was 2-8 all-time in bowls before this recent stretch – it’s a big deal for the program beyond just shooting for a ten-win season.

– The 2021 version was canceled – Boise State had to bow out against Central Michigan thanks to COVID issues. The previous two were rough – San Jose State wasn’t itself in a blowout against Ball State in 2020 due to COVID, and Wyoming whacked Georgia State 38-17 in 2019. Before that, three of the first four were outstanding with two overtime thrillers and a great inaugural meeting when Nevada hung on two beat Colorado State.

CFN Experts CFP, NY6, Dec 28-Jan 2

Why Ohio Will Win The Barstool Sports Arizona Bowl

Again, most of the normal pieces are there.

Kurtis Rourke went down with his knee injury in the middle of November, but if there’s any sort of a silver lining, it allowed back CJ Harris to get meaningful time running the attack. He’s big, he can run – he rumbled for three scores in the win over Bowling Green – and he’s got a whole lot of help from the other skill parts.

On the flip side, Wyoming’s missing parts are going to hurt. Ohio’s defense needs as much help as it can get, but its biggest issue is against teams that can throw – that’s not how UW rolls. It’s a running team, but Ohio is 8-0 when allowing fewer than 160 yards.

The Cowboys have only run for that many or more five times this season.

Top 100 Bowl Players | Ranking Bowl Games So Far

Why Wyoming Will Win The Barstool Sports Arizona Bowl

In Wyoming’s perfect world it runs the ball a gajillion times, controls the clock and the game with its style and defense, and wins 20-12.

It’s 7-0 this season when running 35 times or more and 0-5 when it doesn’t. Ohio is 6-0 when teams run fewer than 32 times, and 2-4 when opposing offenses run that much or more.

But it’s not like Wyoming can’t throw, and it’s going to give it a try against the nation’s second-worst pass defense. Everyone but Northern Illinois and Toledo threw for 229 yards or more against the Bobcat secondary, and the only reason those two didn’t was because they ran for well over 230 yards.

This is where QB Andrew Peasley comes in. He can run, and he might need to. For all of the problems, the offensive line is fine, the pass protection is there, and the team wins when Peasley is even slightly strong.

Wyoming is 5-1 when he throws for at least 140 yards.

Barstool Sports Arizona Bowl Prediction, What’s Going To Happen, History

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Maryland vs NC State Duke’s Mayo Bowl Prediction Game Preview

Maryland vs NC State game preview, prediction, and breakdown for the Duke’s Mayo Bowl on Friday, December 30

Maryland vs NC State prediction, game preview, odds, how to watch. Duke’s Mayo Bowl, Friday, December 30

Maryland vs NC State Duke’s Mayo Bowl Prediction Game Preview

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Maryland vs NC State How To Watch

Date: Friday, December 30
Game Time: 12:00 ET
Venue: Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC
How To Watch: ESPN
Record: Maryland (7-5), NC State (8-4)
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Maryland vs NC State Duke’s Mayo Bowl 5 Things To Know

Duke’s Mayo Bowl Prediction, What’s Going To Happen, History

– Maryland did what it was supposed to do. It beat the mediocre teams, pushed a few of the good ones – it gave Michigan a fight – and dropped a 50/50 game to Purdue on the way to a 7-5 run. That’s not a knock in any way – head coach Mike Locksley has the program turned around and back in bowl games on a regular basis.

The offense has a terrific passing game and a style that can crank up the points and yards in a hurry, but it’s going to take a heavy lift with almost all of the star receivers getting ready for the NFL. On the plus side, veteran Taulia Tagovailoa is around. NC State is a different story.

– NC State is also losing a ton or receivers to a variety of issues. The quarterback situation isn’t exactly a mess, but it’s a bit of a question mark with injuries hitting the group hard. If the Wolfpack can hold with the current opt-out situation and a slew of their better defenders are playing, the team should be okay.

No matter what, this will be a bit of a rough end to what was supposed to be a monster season. Everything was fine starting out 4-0 – that’s not quite true; the O wasn’t smooth – and then star QB Devin Leary was hurt in the middle of the season, tough late losses to Boston College and Louisville hurt, and it didn’t turn out to be the run to the ACC title game it was supposed to be. However, beating North Carolina in the regular season finale helped.

– NC State could use a great bowl performance. Last year’s Holiday Bowl against UCLA was dropped, and the team lost its previous two bowls, both in the Gator. Overall, though, NC State has been good over the last 20 years going going 8-5 since losing the 2001 Tangerine to Pitt.

– Maryland was lousy in bowls with three losses in a row before last year’s team broke the run. It was a scrimmage against a gutted Virginia Tech, but it was a 54-10 fun way to end the 2021 season. Overall, though, the Terps have gone 8-5-1 since 1983.

– It’s been one of the ACC’s home bowls since it was the Continental Tire back in 2002, but the conference has dropped the last three. The final scores might not have been great, but the games were interesting. Even so, eight of the last ten Belk/Duke’s Mayo Bowls have been decided by 11 points or more.

CFN Experts CFP, NY6, Dec 28-Jan 2

Why Maryland Will Win The Duke’s Mayo Bowl

NC State is trying to piece it all together.

Offensive coordinator Tim Beck is the new Coastal Carolina head coach, the quarterback situation is a potential mess depending on who can actually go, and again, there’s a chance the defense could be dealing with a slew of late personnel losses.

No matter what, this isn’t a Wolfpack team that’s going to push the ball down the field enough to worry about, and the running game is hit-or-miss – to be kind about it.

State has to deal win on its run defense and keeping the score low. Maryland has to try getting out to a hot start with any sort of points early on. If it does that and the Wolfpack O has to push to come back, it’ll get out of its comfort zone in a big way.

Top 100 Bowl Players | Ranking Bowl Games So Far

Why NC State Will Win The Duke’s Mayo Bowl

The Terps are missing the wide receiver weapons to make the O go.

Tagovailoa will keep throwing no matter what, but he won’t have Rakim Jarrett, Dontay Demus, Jacob Copeland or TE CJ Dippre to throw to. Leading receiver Jeshaun Jones should play, but the offense needs more considering what NC State does against the run.

Maryland is 7-0 when running for 130 yards or more and 0-5 when it doesn’t. NC State comes into this 11th in the nation against the run allowing just 103 yards per game. The D allowed 130 or more just four times, and it’s going to load up and dare Tagovailoa to force throws to Jones.

The Wolfpack defense is terrific on third downs, the pass rush should sit in the backfield against the leaky Terp line, and …

Duke’s Mayo Bowl Prediction, What’s Going To Happen, History

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Notre Dame vs South Carolina TaxSlayer Gator Bowl Prediction Game Preview

Notre Dame vs South Carolina prediction, TaxSlayer Gator Bowl game preview, odds how to watch Friday, December 30

Notre Dame vs South Carolina prediction, game preview, odds, how to watch. TaxSlayer Gator Bowl, Friday, December 30

Notre Dame vs South Carolina TaxSlayer Gator Bowl Prediction Game Preview

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Notre Dame vs South Carolina How To Watch

Date: Friday, December 30
Game Time: 3:30 ET
Venue: TIAA Bank Stadium, Jacksonville, FL
How To Watch: ESPN
Record: Notre Dame (8-4), South Carolina (8-4)
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Notre Dame vs South Carolina TaxSlayer Gator Bowl 5 Things To Know

TaxSlayer Gator Bowl Prediction, What’s Going To Happen, History

– Notre Dame’s season started bad, got weird, and closes strong before the loss to USC. Call it the Marcus Freeman growing pain campaign. The team was able to figure it out rocked eventual ACC champion Clemson, and it got a nice bowl even though it lost to Marshall and Stanford along the way. After all the weird moments, getting to nine wins and closing out with a bowl would be terrific. There’s a problem, though …

The Irish are losing way too many important players. The pass rush took a major hit through the transfer portal and opt-outs, losing TE Michael Mayer to the NFL is big, and the quarterback situation is potentially a mess. On the flip side …

– Spencer Rattler is still in place for South Carolina. But who will he throw to? Star WR Josh Vann is questionable, a ton of tight ends are gone, and lowing RB Marshawn Lloyd to the transfer portal is tough. Throw in the losses in the secondary, and both teams will be throwing way too many unknown starters out there.

No matter what, it was an outstanding season for the Gamecocks. The ruined Clemson’s hope for the College Football Playoff. They ruined Tennessee’s hope for the College Football Playoff. They won seven of their last nine, had a tremendous passing game, but again, someone has to catch the ball.

– South Carolina head coach Shane Beamer won last year’s Duke’s Mayo Bowl over North Carolina. That made it six bowl wins in the last eight tries for the program going back to 2010. This doesn’t matter that much one way or another to take away from the season, but beating the Fighting Irish would still be a big deal.

– Notre Dame started going to bowl games in 1925. It took a while off and went back in 1970, and it’s been a mixed bag ever since – to be nice.

After beating Texas A&M in the Cotton Bowl at the end of the 1993 season, the Irish are just 6-15 in bowls including losing the last two, three of the last four, and four of the last six. After the way they collapsed in the Fiesta last year against Oklahoma State, winning this would be a huge deal for Freeman.

– The historic game that started in 1946 has been hit-or-miss lately. Rutgers was a late fill-in last year, and it showed in an ugly 38-10 loss to Wake Forest. Texas A&M annihilated NC State in 2018.

Between those two games, the Tennessee 23-22 win over Indiana at the end of the 2019 season and Kentucky’s 23-21 win over NC State at the end of the 2020 campaign were two of the best bowls of the respective seasons.

CFN Experts CFP, NY6, Dec 28-Jan 2

Why Notre Dame Will Win The TaxSlayer Gator Bowl

The Notre Dame personnel losses are huge, but South Carolina’s should be a tad more crippling if this turns into a low-scoring defensive battle.

Yes, the quarterback situation is a bit sketchy, and yes, losing Mayer and a few receivers is a problem, but the running game should still work.

Keep this extremely simple. Line up and pound away with an offense that got better and stronger on the ground as the season wore on, and try to control the clock throughout. The Irish weren’t always great at pounding away – Navy and USC were able to hold up just fine – but good things happened when the O line got into a groove.

They were 6-0 when running for over 150 yards and 7-1 when running for over 130. The South Carolina run defense hasn’t been bad and it shouldn’t be that big of a problem, but it got run on by Florida and Arkansas in losses and is 2-3 when allowing over 200 yards.

However …

Top 100 Bowl Players | Ranking Bowl Games So Far

Why South Carolina Will Win The TaxSlayer Gator Bowl

The Gamecocks will be able to load up against the run.

As is the Notre Dame passing game was hardly cranking up big things, and it can all but forget about anything amazing in this through the air. South Carolina won’t have to do anything funky in the secondary, and its lack of any sort of a pass rush or playmaking ability in the backfield won’t be a problem here.

Offensively, Spencer Rattler has to simply be careful.

Again, a slew of parts might be missing, but there’s a huge advantage at quarterback The Gamecock attack bakes at least two turnovers into the cake every game out, but the Notre Dame defense is hit-or-miss on takeaways. It destroyed Boston College with five of them, but it only forced multiple turnovers three times this season.

Rattler has to be the best offensive player on the field, and he’s got to make everyone around him better.

TaxSlayer Gator Bowl Prediction, What’s Going To Happen, History

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