Betting the college football bowl slate is a more difficult chore than wagering on the regular season. From the transfer portal to opt outs for the NFL Draft to lingering injuries to a lack of motivation, there are plenty of hurdles to betting successfully on bowls.
NBC Sports analysts Vaughn Dalzell, Drew Dinsick, and Erik Froton took a look and gave their initial thoughts on each of the nine bowls involving the Big Ten.
Las Vegas Bowl
Utah (-275) vs. Northwestern (+220)
Spread: Utes -6.5 | O/U: 41.5
Dalzell (@VmoneySports): Utah is on its 4th string QB (at least) and Northwestern turns to its backup in what should be a sloppy game. Utah owns a Top 15 rushing and third-down defense, while Northwestern has a Top 30 pass defense.
Play: Game Total UNDER 41.5
Dinsick (@whale_capper): I took Northwestern +7.5 as Utah is at least on their 4th quarterback and potentially 5th.
Play: Northwestern +7.5
Froton (@CFFroton): These two schools play good defense but more pertinent is the fact that each will be without their starting quarterbacks. For Utah, they will be starting their 4th or possibly 5th string quarterback.
Play: Game Total UNDER 41.5
Quick Lane Bowl
Minnesota (-185) vs. Bowling Green (+150)
Spread: Golden Gophers -4 | O/U: 38.5
Dalzell: Minnesota lost its starting QB to the transfer portal, so P.J. Fleck will lean on his defense against former Indiana and Missouri QB Connor Bazelak. The Bowling Green defense is strong as well, holding five of seven teams to 19 or fewer points in its wins.
Play: Game Total UNDER 38.5
Froton: Bowling Green comes into this one having won five of their last six, so we know which team is coming into this one with some momentum. Meanwhile, Minnesota lost their last four and they are terrible on offense.
Play: Bowling Green +4 and Game Total UNDER 38.5
Read More: Complete College Football Bowl Game Schedule
Pinstripe Bowl
Rutgers (+110) vs. Miami (-130)
Spread: Hurricanes -3.5 | O/U: 41.5
Froton: Van Dyke and a handful of the Canes’ top skill position players have either entered the portal or opted out of this game. Rutgers’ defense under Greg Schiano is sound led by a particularly good pass defense.
Play: Game Total UNDER 41.5 (with a lean to Rutgers +3.5)
Dalzell: QB Tyler Van Dyke hit the transfer portal for Miami and Rutgers’ has one of the worst passing five offenses behind Gavin Wimsatt, so expect a defensive grind and chess match between Greg Schiano and Mario Cristobal.
Play: Game Total UNDER 41.5
Dinsick: Rutgers will absolutely be super-charged up for this game. Yankee Stadium should be filled with fans and alum for the Scarlet Knights. In addition, fading Miami in bowls has been on an insanely profitable run the past 15 years or so.
Play: Rutgers +3.5
Peach Bowl
Penn State (-165) vs. Ole Miss (+140)
Spread: Nittany Lions -3.5 | O/U: 49.5
Froton: I do have questions about who will opt out of the game from that stout Penn State defense. I have not played this game yet, but I do think Penn State will have enough to win this game and cover the spread.
Play: Penn State -3.5
Bet the Edge is your source for the day in sports betting. Get all of Jay Croucher and Drew Dinsick’s insight weekdays at 6AM ET right here or wherever you get your podcasts.
Music City Bowl
Maryland (+105) vs. Auburn (-125)
Spread: Tigers -2.5 | O/U: 50.5
Froton: Auburn has been terrible throwing the ball all season. In reviewing their season, there just is not a quality win to point to. Maryland brings an underrated defense into this bowl game and while the team struggled midseason for a handful of weeks, they won two of their last three and played as well as anyone against Michigan.
Play: Maryland +2.5
Cotton Bowl
Ohio State (+100) vs. Missouri (-120)
Spread: Tigers -1 | O/U: 49.5
Dinsick: I got Missouri at a better number (Mizzou +3) but know that most if not all of the best Buckeyes will be sitting this one out…and maybe Ryan Day will have departed as well by then. Either way, go Tigers.
Play: Missouri -1
Froton: With this one it begins with a look at the motivation factor. It is one of the biggest games in school history for Missouri. Ohio State will likely be without the majority of their starters at the skill positions. I got Missouri +2.5 but I like them to win outright. Huge game for that program.
Play: Missouri -1
Dalzell: This is the Super Bowl for Missouri. The Tigers were 6-6 in each of the past two seasons, losing to Wake Forest and Army in Bowl Games. Ohio State is down its starting QB (portal) with plenty of others expected to opt out of the bowl to prepare for the NFL Draft or enter the transfer portal. Mizzou has all the motivation.
Play: Missouri -1
ReliaQuest Bowl
LSU (-400) vs. Wisconsin (+310)
Spread: Tigers -10.5 | O/U: 55.5
Froton: First of all, I would not play if I were Jayden Daniels. That aside, we still expect LSU to move the ball on offense…and allow Wisconsin to do the same. The Badgers suffered some horrible losses in this first year under Luke Fickell. I like the OVER because the LSU pass defense is so bad and I think Nussmeier will be able to move the ball for the Tigers against this Wisconsin defense.
Play: LSU -10.5 and Game Total OVER 55.5
Bet the Edge is your source for the day in sports betting. Get all of Jay Croucher and Drew Dinsick’s insight weekdays at 6AM ET right here or wherever you get your podcasts.
Citrus Bowl
Iowa (+260) vs. Tennessee (-350)
Spread: Volunteers -7.5 | O/U: 35.5
Dalzell: Deacon Hill versus Joe Milton will be one to remember as both offenses will struggle. If the Hawkeyes win, it’s because Tennessee can’t score more than two touchdowns and if Tennessee wins, Iowa shouldn’t score more than two touchdowns.
Play: Game Total UNDER 35.5
Froton: This is not last year’s Tennessee offense with Hendon Hooker. We all know what Iowa’s offense has looked like this season. Combine the two and there is no way I can do anything but take the Game Total UNDER. I grabbed it at 36.5 but no way you can do anything but take the UNDER.
Play: Game Total UNDER 35.5
Rose Bowl
Michigan (-115) vs. Alabama (-105)
Spread: Wolverines -1 | O/U: 45.5
Dalzell: This could be one of, if not the most epic game of the College Football season. I trust J.J. McCarthy and Michigan’s defense more than Jalen Milroe and Alabama’s defense. I saw Nick Saban lose a title in person versus Georgia in 2021 and people don’t forget. Jim Harbaugh gets his first ring and goes through Nick Saban in doing so.
Play: Michigan -1
Froton: This is one of the true Games of the Year. I would have loved to get three points with Alabama but did not. I lean Michigan but expect points.
Play: Game Total OVER 45.5 (with a lean to Michigan)
Have fun betting any or all of the nine Big Ten Bowl games but be smart and do your homework. As the team mentioned, know who is playing and who is sitting out. Also, try and gauge just how motivated a particular school is to be on the field in said bowl.
Enjoy the games and enjoy the sweat.
*odds courtesy of BetMGM
