College Football Bowl Games Picks & Predictions: Tuesday (New Year’s Eve)

by BettingPros Staff |
Dec 30, 2024

Gear up for another awesome weekend of college football action with BettingPros! Weâ€™ll have you covered with all of our top picks for the week along with our projected spreads and totals to help guide your college football bets. Below are our top picks and predictions for New Yearâ€™s Eve college football bowl games.

Top College Football Bowl Games Odds & Picks: New Yearâ€™s Eve

Alabama vs. Michigan

The Crimson Tide didnâ€™t look great to end the season, falling to Oklahoma 24-3, then closing out the year with a closer-than-expected win over Auburn. But with Jalen Milroe under center, they are clearly the better team in this matchup. The Wolverines ended the regular season with a 13-10 win at Ohio State. Was that game a sign of things turning for the Wolverines or the Buckeyes being unable to get over the hump against their rival? I think it was the latter. Four of the Wolverinesâ€™ five losses were by at least 10 points, and they were terrible away from home this season. Milroe and the Crimson Tide are still angry they were left out of the playoff. With enough players suiting up, they will dominate an inferior Big Ten opponent.

Pick: Alabama -14.5 (-110)

-Phil Wood

Louisville vs. Washington

The biggest storyline entering this game is how well the Cardinals will be able to play without starting quarterback Tyler Shough. Shough, who threw for 3,195 yards and 23 touchdowns, has opted out of this contest. Will the presence of leading rusher Isaac Brown be enough to lead the Cardinals against a defense that allowed 158.4 rushing yards per game this year? While Brown could have a huge day, Iâ€™m still backing the Huskies here. The Cardinalsâ€™ defense really struggled at times this season, and while the Huskiesâ€™ offense isnâ€™t that good, most of the starters are playing in this game. In what should be a low-scoring game, look for the fuller team to exit Tuesdayâ€™s matchup with a win.

Pick: Washington ML (+EVEN)

-Phil Wood

South Carolina vs. Illinois

South Carolina ended the season on a six-game winning streak, which includes three wins against ranked teams. They have been a tough defense all season, and the biggest test for Illinois offense will be the offensive line trying to stop a Gamecocks defensive front that was fifth in the nation with 3.3 sacks per game. The South Carolina offense will have their offensive leader in this game and next year, as LaNorris Sellers has committed to staying in Columbia. The redshirt freshman passed for 2,274 yards, rushed for 655, and had 24 total touchdowns. We talked about how the Illinois' offensive line needs to contain that pass rush from South Carolina; they might struggle as their 2.7 sacks allowed per game was 107th. Luke Altmyer is not much of a mobile quarterback, and they do not give him run-design plays, but if he does get flushed out, he will tuck and run. He hasn't always been successful in gaining positive yards, as he does have three games where he finished with negative rushing yards. The running tandem of Aidan Laughery and Josh McCray will need to open things up, but the Gamecocks were 15th in rushing yards allowed. South Carolina does not have EDGE Kyle Kennard, and his 11.5 sacks downgrade their defense, but they still have a few other players that hold it down, and the Fighting Illini will struggle to get points.

Pick: South Carolina -9.5 (-110)

-John Supowitz

Baylor vs. LSU

At the Texas Bowl, the LSU Tigers will face former defensive coordinator Dave Aranda and his Baylor Bears. Aranda coached at LSU from 2016 to 2019 and helped lead LSU to a national championship in 2019, which led him to Baylor. After going 12-2 in 2021, Aranda and Baylor haven't been the same. That said, Baylor finished 8-4 this season and is on a six-game winning streak heading into this game. Ultimately, Baylor doesn't have many players in the portal and doesn't have any major opt-outs. Meanwhile, that's not the case for LSU. The Tigers are entirely rebuilding in the transfer portal, leading many players to transfer. In addition, LSU has multiple opt-outs, many injuries, and an offensive line that looks nothing like it did to start the season. Garrett Nussmeier will still start as quarterback, but LSU is significantly depleted outside that. Take Aranda and the Bears at -3.5.

Pick: Baylor -3.5 (-110)

-Jason Radowitz

Penn State vs. Boise State

After winning the Mountain West Championship, the Boise State Broncos earned a first-round bye in the College Football Playoff. They're led by Ashton Jeanty, who rushed for nearly 2,500 yards and 29 touchdowns on the season. However, Maddux Madsen hasn't gotten enough credit for his play. The Boise State quarterback has thrown for 22 touchdowns and only three interceptions. That said, Madsen completed just 42.5% of his passes against Oregon in that Week 2 game and ultimately played the worst game of the season despite Boise State losing just 37-34. Penn State will disrupt Madsen, the most challenging defense Jeanty and Boise State will play all year. Meanwhile, Penn State has many weapons on offense, such as two star running backs and Tyler Warren, a tight end who can play many positions. Upset stories are fun. But it's unlikely to happen at the Fiesta Bowl. Take Penn State at -11.

Pick: Penn State -11 (-110)