College Football bowl game picks: Best bets for postseason

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Bowl Game season has arrived, and as college football’s best prepare to hit the field for their final minutes of postseason action, we’re here to share our favorite bowl game betting picks.

Let’s take a look at who made the cut:

Louisville vs. USC DIRECTV Holiday Bowl: Louisville -7.5 (-110 or better)

Louisville had an outside chance to make the College Football Playoff all the way until an ACC Championship Game loss to Florida State and has been a solid team all year, amassing 10 wins and only three losses.

The Cardinals allow just over 307 yards per game, which puts them 13th in college football. They also give up just 19.7 points per game, which ranks 21st. Their offense isn’t special but has enough juice to move the ball when the defense gives them a strong field position.

USC has no defense whatsoever and will be without star QB Caleb Williams, among others. Their fourth-ranked scoring offense is due for a huge step back without him, which will leave their defense (125th in points allowed - 34.9 PPG) exposed.

Wisconsin vs. LSU ReliaQuest Bowl: Wisconsin +10.5 (-105 or better)

Heisman winner Jayden Daniels appears as if he won’t suit up for this lower-tier bowl matchup since it doesn’t have much potential to raise his NFL Draft stock. If he does play, our opinion will change, but we like the Badgers without him in the lineup.

LSU’s second-string QB is Garrett Nussmeier, a third-year player with 174 career pass attempts (eight TDs, six INTs). He’s not a dual-threat like Daniels is, and such a sharp change of system will have resounding effects on the offense’s potency.

Wisconsin was not a great team but played in many tough, low-scoring games, including a 24-10 loss to Ohio State. Without Daniels, their defense should be able to slow down the tempo and help them keep within double-digits of the favorites.

Georgia vs. Florida State Capital One Orange Bowl: Florida State +14 (-110 or better)

Did the defending back-to-back national champions deserve to be left out of the CFP? Was Florida State robbed of a shot at the national title?

With both teams enraged by the committee’s decision to exclude them from the four-team finale, we expect to see a highly competitive matchup. Although the Seminoles looked awful on offense without QB Jordan Travis or backup Tate Rodemaker, the latter should be back.

FSU’s defense ranked sixth in average points allowed (15.9), just above Georgia’s (16.6). The Bulldogs, while strong on offense, are also not overpowering, and will find it difficult to dominate an enraged Seminoles squad.

Alabama vs. Michigan College Football Playoff semifinal: Michigan ML (-122 or better)

Nick Saban is 8-2 against top-ranked teams, which puts precedent firmly on the side of Alabama. QB Jalen Milroe has also been on fire in recent months, racking up 17 total touchdowns and only one interception over his last five games (including an SEC Championship over Georgia).

Despite that, the Crimson Tide do not have their signature defense of years past. They can get after the quarterback but are about to encounter one of the best offensive lines in the country in Michigan.

UM dominates time of possession, is great on third down, and averages 36.7 points per game (14th). That’s on top of giving up the fewest points per game (9.5) and having future NFL players all over the field. Give us Michigan for the first CFP win of Jim Harbaugh’s career.

Best CFB betting apps for bowl season

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Grant is a Virginia-based writer for Catena Media who graduated from Virginia Tech in 2021 with a degree in sports media & analytics. He has contributed to well-known publications such as Forbes, and appeared on the VSiN TV network. You can keep up with Grant's work here or by checking out his YouTube channel "The Sitch With Grant Mitchell.”