Top College Bowl Betting Picks of the Week – December 31st Edition

It’s almost time to turn the calendar to 2019, which in college football season means that it’s time for a couple of days of nonstop bowl games featuring the best teams that did not qualify for the College Football Playoff. New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day offer bowl games from lunchtime all the way until late at night, and we’ve picked three for your NCAAF betting consideration.

Top College Bowl Betting Picks of the Week – December 31st Edition

The #CFBPlayoff #NationalChampionship game is set @LevisStadium. No.1 @AlabamaFTBL vs. No. 2 @ClemsonFB Who will take home the trophy on January 7?#RollTide // #ALLIN pic.twitter.com/U0vQw11vIP

— College Football Playoff (@CFBPlayoff) December 30, 2018

Monday, December 31

San Diego County Credit Union Holiday Bowl (SDCCU Stadium, San Diego)

• Northwestern (+7) vs Utah (7:00pm ET, FS1)

Northwestern has won three of four bowl games and made it all the way to the Big Ten Championship game this year, losing to Ohio State. The Wildcats won seven of eight down the stretch in the regular season before losing to the Buckeyes by 21 points in the conference title game. They’re looking for their fourth win with nine or more victories in the last seven seasons. They face a Utah team that is almost an automatic win with coach Kyle Whittingham at the helm. For Utah, Chase Hansen has had 114 tackles and five sacks this year, and Whittingham has developed a talent for preparing for games in bowl season, winning 11 of the 12 games he has coached with Utah, going back to the 2004 Fiesta Bowl, when he served as co-head coach with Urban Meyer. Utah does have a high-flying offense, but Northwestern just kept beating teams that they shouldn’t have, all year long. College Bowl Betting Prediction: Northwestern 27, Utah 23

Tuesday, January 1

Outback Bowl (Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL)

• Mississippi State (-7) vs Iowa (12:00pm ET, ESPN2)

This is Iowa’s sixth Outback Bowl since 2003. This version of the Hawkeyes bring a suffocating pass defense, permitting just under 187 yards per game. Cornerback Amani Hooker picked off four passes this year, good for second in the Big Ten, and his 11 passes defended were seventh in the conference. Iowa won five of seven bowl games between 2003 and 2010 but have dropped five of six since then, with three losses coming against SEC foes. Mississippi State looks to get nine victories in Joe Moorhead’s first season leading the team, not a bad result given the Bulldogs’ membership in the gauntlet known as the SEC West. Senior defensive end Montez Sweat and junior defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons will deliver their swan songs for Mississippi State in this game, as they are both likely to head to the professional ranks after this season. College Bowl Betting Prediction: Mississippi State 23, Iowa 17

PlayStation Fiesta Bowl (State Farm Stadium, Glendale, AZ)

• LSU (-7) vs UCF (1:00pm ET, ESPN)

UCF looks to finish another season 14-0, with another New Year’s Six bowl game victory over an SEC team. They knocked off Auburn, 34-27, in the Peach Bowl last year, and then declared themselves national champions after the end of the season. Their prospects got tougher when quarterback McKenzie Milton suffered a significant leg injury, but redshirt freshman Darriel Mack Jr. came on to win the AAC Championship game against Memphis, throwing for 348 yards and two scores and running for four more touchdowns. If they can win this, they would be the first FBS team to ring up two consecutive unbeaten seasons in 23 years, when Nebraska did it. LSU could get to double figures in wins for the first time since 2013 in a victory here. The problem for LSU is that they have a hard time moving the ball at times, and if their defense has lapses and UCF can get a lead, it could be tough for the Tigers to play catch-up. Given the fact that UCF will likely have Mack at the helm again, it’s going to be hard for UCF to pull off another New Year’s surprise. College Bowl Betting Prediction: LSU 30, UCF 20