With the conference championship slate over, the college football playoff bracket is set. Those who were unable to be selected to the first ever 12 team college football playoff have been selected to their bowl matchup against another bowl eligible team. Below I will give you some of my plays regarding these bowl matchups. It’s important to note the transfer portal is open, and some players have already entered the portal and will sit for their bowl matchup. This will have a heavy impact on bowl spreads. Let’s get into it.
Cure Bowl: Jacksonville State +2.5 vs Ohio
This is one of those games where I will take advantage of the fact that a big piece of Ohio’s program is leaving. Former Ohio head coach Tim Albin has left the team to take the Charlotte head coaching position. Jacksonville State won the CUSA championship easily, and they are dogs against an Ohio team who lost their program leader. Because of this I like the points for Jax State, and would contemplate taking their moneyline as well.
Rate Bowl: Kansas State -6.5 vs Rutgers
Rutgers has done enough to make a bowl game for the second year in a row. They won the games they needed to in their fairly easy non-conference and beat the below average Big 10 teams they faced. Kansas State played a tougher schedule and has beat teams better than Rutgers by more than 7 points. Rutgers also lost their stud defensive coordinator Joe Harasymiak to a head coaching position at UMass, while Kansas State is locked in after being in Big 12 championship contention all year.
Armed Forces Bowl: Oklahoma -8.5 vs Navy
Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me! I will not be taking Navy again against a big powerful 4-5 star loaded football team. Navy faced a team like that in Notre Dame and it was ugly, I have a feeling it will be similar in this one with Oklahoma. Oklahoma has a big strong defense and a defensive minded head coach to shut down the option.
ReliaQuest Bowl: Alabama -10 vs Michigan
I will be completely honest right here, the fact that Michigan got matched up in this bowl with Alabama is beyond me. I get it, Michigan beat Ohio State on the road. But let’s look at their resume the entire year, Alabama should wipe the floor with this Michigan team. Alabama is pissed and coming with a vengeance that they could not make it into the college football playoffs, I expect them to finish strong in year 1 of the DeBoer era.
Frisco Bowl: Memphis -3 vs West Virginia
I am strictly taking this game because Memphis is extremely good in bowl games dating back to when Ryan Silverfield took over the Tigers program. West Virginia also fired their coach Neal Brown, so their performance should be very questionable.