College Football Bowl Picks Part Two 2023 (December 27-January 1)

The first half of Bowl Season is over and we are into the 'bigger' Bowl Games as we make the run towards the College Football PlayOff.

Games will be added to this thread over the coming days.

Boston College Eagles vs SMU Mustangs Pick: Losses to two teams from the Big 12 had to be expected, but the SMU Mustangs (11-2) won nine games in a row to secure the American Athletic Conference. They were hoping that would have carried them into a 'bigger' Bowl Game, but the Mustangs have clearly refocused after initial disappointment on Selection Day.

Head Coach Rhett Lashlee is happy the Mustangs have an opportunity to showcase their talents to a wider audience, although they will be without Quarter Back Preston Stone. The Mustangs had to make do without their star player in the American Athletic Conference Championship Game too after Stone broke his leg, but Kevin Jennings showed he can help guide this team.

In reality the Mustangs will be leaning on their Defensive unit when facing the Boston College Eagles (6-6) who lost their last three games and are still chasing a winning record in 2023.

This Bowl Game is being played at famous Fenway Park and that should mean Boston College have plenty of fans in attendance, but they don't necessarily match up very well with the Mustangs Defensive unit.

An opportunity will be given to players that are going to be part of the team in 2024 as Boston College look to offer up some experience in a competitive environment. They have a dual-threat Quarter Back that can make things a little more awkward for the SMU Mustangs, although this is a Defensive Line that have been able to make enough plays to clamp down on the run.

It may mean we need to see more from Thomas Castellanos as a passer rather than his ability to move the chains with his legs, but the passing game has been inconsistent. There is also going to be an issue for the Quarter Back whenever he is in obvious passing situations as the Mustangs possess a pass rush that will be able to give the Boston College Offensive Line plenty of fits throughout this Bowl Game.

Interceptions have been an issue for Thomas Castellanos and it may give the Mustangs the momentum to turn short fields into big points.

The Mustangs will want to ease any pressure on Kevin Jennings at Quarter Back and they have been plenty balanced as an Offensive unit all season. While the end of the season saw SMU just have some issues in ripping off big gains on the ground, they are facing a Boston College Defensive Line that had been worn down and who struggled to stop anything.

As long as the Mustangs can get something going against this porous Defensive Line, it should mean Kevin Jennings can make enough plays through the air to push the chains forward. The Eagles Secondary have struggled, even while they have been having problems stopping the run, while the lack of pass rush pressure should be music to the ears of the SMU Quarter Back.

This should give the Mustangs the chance to win a first Bowl Game in over a decade and also end the season with a twelfth win to mach a school record.

Miami Hurricanes vs Rutgers Scarlet Knights Pick: There is one Bowl Game being played at the home of the Boston Red Sox and this is one taking place at famous Yankees Stadium. Playing in such an environment should bring out of the best of these two teams as they prepare to face one another in New York City.

The Miami Hurricanes (7-5) had a relatively disappointing season, but did secure a winning record by beating the Boston College Eagles to close out their regular season schedule. They have lost some key contributors to the Transfer Portal or to prepare for the NFL Draft, but that does mean an opportunity has been produced for those that may have a big impact in 2024.

Tyler Van Dyke has decided to leave the Hurricanes, which means they will have to play Rutgers Scarlet Knights (6-6) with some inexperience at a key position. However, it may also mean the game plan is pretty comfortable for the Hurricanes who will believe they can lean on this Offensive Line to run the ball right at the Scarlet Knights.

Rutgers Defensive Line struggled to clamp down on the run at the end of the season and keeping the team in third and manageable spots will give the Hurricanes a chance of winning this Bowl Game. This should make things a touch more comfortable for Jacurri Brown, who is the only Quarter Back of note for the Hurricanes now that Van Dyke has left and Emory Williams is injured.

Inexperience is a problem for Brown who had redshirted through the regular season, but his team can make it easier by running the ball well. Jacurri Brown may also pose a threat with his legs, while he should have time in the pocket to attack the Scarlet Knights Secondary.

Having a few more Bowl practices should aid Rutgers after a poor end to the season with four losses suffered in succession to miss out on guaranteeing a winning record. Motivation to secure that winning end to the 2023 season will push Rutgers forward, as will playing in this Stadium.

Offensively this is a big test for the Scarlet Knights who struggled to run the ball down the stretch.

They do look like they could match up poorly on this side of the ball, although Miami have to deal with the fact that some of their players may be thinking ahead to the NFL Draft or what the future holds for them. Even then, Rutgers may find it more challenging to move the ball with the same kind of consistency as the Miami Hurricanes could find and so the lean is backing the team from the ACC.

Rutgers will play hard and it should be close, as the layers anticipate, but the Hurricanes can come through.

Kansas State Wildcats vs NC State Wolfpack Pick: If these schools were featuring in a 'bigger' Bowl Game, the teams may have looked a lot more similar to those that participated in the regular season. Instead, the Kansas State Wildcats (8-4) and the NC State Wolfpack (9-3) are trying to round off successful seasons with a Bowl win despite losing a host of players to the Transfer Portal or those who have begun to focus on the NFL Draft.

In games like this one, motivation is one factor, but the other is trying to work out which of the teams will look the best on the field with inexperienced players coming in to fill in for those that helped compile solid records.

The Wolfpack will be turning back to Brennan Armstrong at Quarter Back after he lost his job to MJ Morris in the regular season. The latter has decided to leave the team so Armstrong may get the call to end the season as the starter in this Bowl Game.

An ideal approach to the game will be to ease the pressure on Brennan Armstrong and that is through a strong running game- the Wolfpack should be able to move the ball on the ground against this Wildcats Defensive Line and keeping Armstrong in third and manageable would be huge for the potential success of this team.

Experience should help Brennan Armstrong when he does drop back to throw, but this Wildcats Secondary has been stronger than the Defensive Line and so the Wolfpack approach should mean they have a solid Offensive outing.

It feels like Kansas State will also be able to move the ball very well on the ground and they will be looking to do the same, although the Offensive play-calling may be designed to give Avery Johnson a chance to show what he can do at Quarter Back. He was always going to be taking over from Will Howard, who has entered the Transfer Portal, but this is Johnson's first career start at Quarter Back and he has some big expectations to fulfil.

He will be tested by this NC State Defensive unit, even if one or two of the key contributors are not taking to the field, but Avery Johnson will be looking to show what he will be able to do in 2024 for this Wildcats team.

Turnovers are likely going to be very important to the outcome of this game, but the Wildcats may have a bit more consistency coming from their Quarter Back. That may sound strange considering the lack of experience that Avery Johnson has compared with Brennan Armstrong, but Johnson has a high ceiling and he can begin his College Football career as a starter with a successful outing.

Oklahoma Sooners vs Arizona Wildcats Pick: Things are going to be changing for both the Oklahoma Sooners (10-2) and Arizona Wildcats (9-3) in 2024 with both teams leaving their current Conferences.

It has been a solid 2023 for both teams, but the fans are likely going to be looking back at the year with a different slant.

The Sooners would have been expecting to push into the College Football PlayOff and they were on course to do that during the year, but back back losses to Kansas and Oklahoma State ended those hopes. Now a number of players have left the team, including Dillon Gabriel at Quarter Back who has transferred to the Oregon Ducks, and it does leave Oklahoma potentially vulnerable to the defeat.

On the other hand, Arizona fans will feel their young team massively overachieved this season and that means the majority of the players will stick together for another go in 2024. They will be moving into the Big 12 that Oklahoma are vacating, and this is a chance for the players to show what they could potentially achieve once they leave the Pac-12.

Noah Fifita has shown himself to be one of the best young Quarter Backs in College Football, although the challenges will be greater in 2024 now there is a lot more film of him on tape. It certainly helps that he is playing behind an Arizona Offensive Line that has opened up some big running lanes and they are almost certainly going to have success establishing the ground game against a much change Sooners Defensive unit.

It should make things more comfortable for Noah Fifita, who should be able to exploit the Sooners Secondary, and the Arizona Wildcats have a real chance to showcase their qualities.

The Offensive unit will always get the focus from fans, but the Wildcats have a solid Defensive unit that can only grow and improve even further going into the 2024 season.

They can certainly show their toughness at the Defensive Line where Arizona have been able to restrict teams and doing that against the Oklahoma Sooners will certainly make the Wildcats worthy favourites.

Oklahoma's Offensive Line will likely be missing a number of key starters with the NFL Draft the focus and that should help Arizona in clamping down on the run. The Sooners will always have talented younger players coming through, but it is a tough ask to fill in for some players that are going to be playing at the next level and especially in a one-off situation like they will be facing in this Bowl Game.

Jackson Arnold will be filling in at Quarter Back and there are some huge expectations on his shoulders- he will have some top Receivers lined up and Arnold has thrown a few times in the regular season.

However, if the Offensive Line is still working out how they can replace some of their top players, it may mean Jackson Arnold is under a bit more pressure than he would be hoping. He can still make some big throws against this Wildcats Secondary, but Arizona will feel they can bait the young Quarter Back into a mistake or two if they can control the line of scrimmage.

Two high-powered Offensive units, this has the makings of a very enjoyable Bowl Game, but the edge has to be given to the Wildcats and their superior experience that will take to the field. It may come down to which of these teams have the ball last to confirm a winner, but the feeling is that Arizona may want this a bit more and they can win and cover.

Friday 29th December

Kentucky Wildcats vs Clemson Tigers Pick: At the start of the 2023 season, the Clemson Tigers (8-4) would have expected to be involved in the College Football PlayOff picture. Instead they were not even able to earn a spot in the ACC Championship Game and the fans were not happy at times with the inconsistencies seen from a school that has prided themselves on being one of the top two or three teams in the nation in recent times.

Dabo Swinney even got into a heated discussion on a radio show with a Tigers fan about whether they were reaching their potential.

Motivation for this Bowl Game will be difficult to find, especially when you think Clemson would have been targeting a much bigger Bowl appearance and it is perhaps no surprise that a number of players have withdrawn. That is really going to impact the Tigers and the spread has narrowed accordingly.

It is the Defensive unit that have been hurt the most and the Kentucky Wildcats (7-5) can play without the pressure of needing to win this Bowl Game to secure a winning record. The Wildcats are also boosted by the fact that Devin Leary will start at Quarter Back and Ray Davis, who is tipped to enter the NFL, will begin at Running Back.

Teams have looked to clamp down on the run and force the Wildcats to beat them through the air, but the Tigers Defensive Line may struggle to do that against Ray Davis. The Tigers are missing key contributors at all three levels on this side of the ball and it should mean Davis is able to establish the run and keeping Devin Leary in third and manageable spots.

Devin Leary should have an opportunity to use play-action and try and attack this Clemson Secondary and the Wildcats may be able to move the chains, albeit with an idea to make sure they are winning the field position battle.

Clemson finished the season with four wins in a row and they have largely kept the Offensive unit intact for this Bowl Game, which will leaves them as favourites to win this one.

However, they will be facing a solid Kentucky Defensive unit that may match up pretty well with the Tigers on this side of the ball.

Everything begins with the Tigers being able to establish the run, but the Wildcats Defensive Line have played the run pretty well all season and that should at least give them a chance to stall drives. The Secondary have given up some big plays, so Cade Klubnik has an opportunity to end his season on a high, although he will have to be careful when it comes to throwing Interceptions.

You can understand the reason the Clemson Tigers are still favourites, but the Kentucky Wildcats could take advantage of the Tigers Defensive absentees to keep this one close. Bowl Games can be tough to read, but the line has come down from the open and backing the Wildcats with more than a Field Goal start looks the right play.

Iowa State Cyclones vs Memphis Tigers Pick: The Iowa State Cyclones (7-5) and Memphis Tigers (9-3) look like teams that will be highly motivated to finish the 2023 season on a high.

The two schools have become well accustomed to playing in Bowl Games in recent years and the future expansion of the College Football PlayOff is something that may be targeted by both the Cyclones and Tigers.

For now they will be looking to impose their own game plan on the other and the key looks to be the Iowa State Defensive unit as they look to clamp down on the Memphis Offense that has proven to be a big part of the Tigers success.

The Tigers have thrown the ball very well all season, but they have not faced a team like the Iowa State Cyclones too often. The Cyclones Defensive Line will be looking to clamp down on the run and try and force Memphis to become one-dimensional, while throwing into this Secondary comes with the danger of loading up on the turnover numbers.

Seth Henigan will be confident at Quarter Back, and his numbers give him every right to believe he can attack this Secondary, but Interceptions have been an issue.

Turning the ball over and losing those possessions will really hurt the Tigers who have been set as a considerable underdog and that is because they may find it very difficult to stop what is expected to be a balanced Iowa State Offense.

Even though the top Running Backs are no longer with the Cyclones, the Offensive Line have prided themselves on cracking open with lanes on the ground. That was proven in the final regular season game when Abu Sama III came into the starting line up at Running Back and put up 276 yards on the ground.

The Cyclones Offensive Line are expected to have their way with the Tigers Defensive Line and that should mean they in third and manageable situations for much of this Bowl Game. Abu Sama III might even be able to rip off some big gains on his own and pile up the numbers again, and that should help Rocco Becht at Quarter Back.

He will be well protected and Rocco Becht has to be given credit for looking after the ball when he has been asked to throw- that will be important against this Tigers Secondary that has allowed plenty of passing yards, but who have used Interceptions to turn the tide.

Much will depend on how well the Memphis Tigers can impose themselves on the Iowa State Defense, but even then it feels like the Cyclones have an edge.

Ultimately they may win the turnover battle and that can see the Cyclones pull clear for a big win and a cover of this Bowl Game.

Monday 1st January

Michigan Wolverines vs Alabama Crimson Tide Pick: The College Football PlayOff selection came with a lot of scrutiny and ultimately controversy when the final four teams were selected. Leaving out an unbeaten Power 5 Conference Champion will still be a talking point when the PlayOff begins, although the Florida State Seminoles blowout loss to the Georgia Bulldogs may have the Committee feeling justified in their final selection.

The Michigan Wolverines (13-0) will feel they have done more than enough to deserve their spot in the PlayOff for another season as an unbeaten Champion that has knocked off the likes of the Penn State Nittany Lions and Ohio State Buckeyes. A crushing win over the Iowa Hawkeyes secured the Big Ten Championship, but the Wolverines will still head to Pasadena knowing there is a lot to prove.

They will begin as narrow favourites against SEC Champions Alabama Crimson Tide (12-1) who forced their way into the top four with a win over the Georgia Bulldogs to take home a Conference Championship. Leaving out the SEC Champion was the big challenge that the Committee had been set when picking their final four teams for the PlayOffs, but they felt the Crimson Tide body of work, and health of the team, deserved a place in the top four.

Losing to the Texas Longhorns at home should have been difficult to overcome, but Alabama have put a strong winning run together and the loss was given a bit more importance after the Longhorns won the Big 12 Championship. Now Head Coach Nick Saban will have had plenty of time to put together a strong game plan to tackle the Wolverines and the layers are taking no real chances with this Rose Bowl PlayOff Semi Final.

They may not be the same Defensive unit of years gone by, but Alabama have improved as the season has gone on. This is going to be the challenge for the Michigan Wolverines Offensively, especially as Michigan struggled to really show off on this side of the ball as the competition intensified.

Running the ball with Blake Corum will be the main ambition of the Wolverines, but the line of scrimmage has not been controlled as well as Michigan would have expected. There has been some room against this Alabama Defensive Line, but not a lot, and so the pressure may be on JJ McCarthy at Quarter Back.

There was a point in the season when McCarthy had his name linked with the Heisman, but he has certainly been more of a game manager down the stretch. That may be all that Michigan expect from him in this College Football PlayOff, and especially if he is being asked to throw from third and long spots on the field, but it also means the numbers are not going to be very eye-catching.

Michigan will just want to make sure they are able to win the field battle and that means avoiding the turnovers that could be key to the entire outcome of the game.

The reality is this game is likely to be decided when Alabama have the ball.

After a rough start, Jalen Milroe has stepped up to become the Quarter Back that the Crimson Tide would have wanted and he has made some memorable plays, none more so than the pass that broke the Auburn Tigers at the end of the Iron Bowl.

The Crimson Tide's Offensive Line is big and strong, as has become common in Alabama, but the strength of the Michigan Defensive unit has been at the line of scrimmage. This is going to be a monumental battle with each team trying to impose their will on the other and will determine how this game plays out.

Getting in front of the chains would be huge, but Alabama have to be a little more confident in their Quarter Back making the plays through the air that may give the SEC Champions an edge.

The Wolverines pass rush will be a problem, but the Secondary have allowed one or two big plays to be made against them and Jalen Milroe is playing with the confidence to exploit any holes.

And for all of their successes in recent years, Michigan have struggled to really perform when it comes to the College Football PlayOff, which may indicate something against the Coaching with extra time to prepare. On the other hand, Alabama have been really good at making sure they get into the National Championship Game from this position and the feeling is that Nick Saban will out-think Jim Harbaugh in a big game.

Nothing will come easy for either Offensive unit, but Jalen Milroe may have a bit more than JJ McCarthy at Quarter Back and that can push Alabama through at the expense of Michigan.

Washington Huskies vs Texas Longhorns Pick: The Sugar Bowl features the last Pac-12 Champion, for now at least, and the Big 12 Champion and the Washington Huskies (13-0) have to be motivated having been set as a considerable underdog. That will bother the team, especially as they have continued to upset the odds, most notably when beating the Oregon Ducks in the regular season and in the Pac-12 Championship Game.

This is the situation for the Huskies again when facing the Texas Longhorns (12-1) who have overcome their one defeat to the Oklahoma Sooners to go on and win the Big 12 Championship in their last season in the Conference. Their win over the Alabama Crimson Tide on the road was always going to give the Longhorns an opportunity to earn their spot in the College Football PlayOff and many will feel a repeat of that game from the regular season will be played in the National Championship Game.

Both teams will be in the same SEC next season, but the Longhorns will make a mistake if they overlook Washington, who are better than the sum of their parts.

Michael Penix Jr leads the way for the Huskies and he was a Heisman Finalist so the Quarter Back will be tasked with leading Washington to the National Championship Game. Last year it was TCU from the Big 12 who upset their way into that Game, but Washington will certainly feel they can do that this time around.

Running the ball opens up the passing lanes for the Huskies, but running the ball against this Texas Defensive Line will be anything but easy. Both teams will feel they have the dominant unit at the line of scrimmage on this side of the ball, and it is certainly going to be very important in determining the outcome of the game.

Establishing the run will be key, but the Offensive Line will certainly feel they can still offer Michael Penix Jr time in the pocket to make his plays down the field. The protection should hold up for the Quarter Back and this Longhorns Secondary have had one or two holes exploited when teams have stepped back to throw.

However, Penix Jr is also going to have to be aware of the tendency of the Texas Defensive Backs to anticipate throws and jump in front of those passes. Turnovers are key in every American Football game, but it feels very important for the Huskies to avoid losing the turnover battle against this Longhorns team.

Earning extra possessions will certainly give the Longhorns a serious edge and they have certainly been good enough Offensively to challenge this Washington team. The Huskies have to be respected for the unbeaten record, but the Defensive unit have not been nearly as strong as their Offense.

Quinn Ewers is back at Quarter Back and Jonathan Brooks has been one of the top Running Backs in College Football and these two players have certainly provided Texas with the kind of balance that will make them tough to stop. Picking up short fields from turnovers will make it very tough to slow down the Longhorns and the feeling is that this could be a hard day in the office for the Huskies.

The Longhorns Offensive Line should dictate the terms at the line of scrimmage and Brooks will likely keep Texas in front of the chains.

This should mean Quinn Ewers has a bit more time in the pocket to attack this Washington Secondary that have allowed considerable yards through the air. Much like Texas, the Huskies have a Secondary that may bend, but will turn the ball over with aggressive play from the Defensive Backs and avoiding those will be very much on the mind of Ewers at Quarter Back.

You have to really believe that turnovers are going to dictate the outcome of this Sugar Bowl and decide which of these teams is able to play in the National Championship Game.

It is a big spread and opposing the Huskies in the Pac-12 Championship Game was not a very good idea as they dominated on the day.

However, Washington have been involved in a lot of tight wins and you have to believe that eventually that will catch up with them.

The Longhorns have the balance Offensively and the strength on the Defensive Line to earn enough of an edge to not only win this game, but cover as they look to earn a spot in the National Championship Game. It should be a lot of fun to watch on New Year's Day, but the Longhorns look the team to back in the Sugar Bowl.

MY PICKS: SMU Mustangs - 12.5 Points @ 1.85 William Hill (1 Unit)

Miami Hurricanes + 2.5 Points @ 1.91 Coral (1 Unit)

Kansas State Wildcats - 3 Points @ 1.86 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Arizona Wildcats - 2 Points @ 1.91 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Kentucky Wildcats + 4.5 Points @ 1.86 Bet Victor (1 Unit)

Iowa State Cyclones - 10.5 Points @ 1.95 Coral (1 Unit)

Alabama Crimson Tide + 2 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Texas Longhorns - 3.5 Points @ 1.85 Coral (1 Unit)

Bowl Part Two Update: 3-3, - 0.37 Units (6 Units Staked, - 6.17% Yield)

Bowl Part One: 4-6, - 2.71 Units (10 Units Staked, - 27.10% Yield)

Week 14: 3-3, - 0.31 Units (6 Units Staked, - 5.17% Yield)

Week 13: 8-5, + 1.90 Units (13 Units Staked, + 14.62% Yield)

Week 12: 6-4, + 1.25 Units (10 Units Staked, + 12.50% Yield)

Week 11: 5-6, - 1.48 Units (11 Units Staked, - 13.45% Yield)

Week 10: 5-8-1, - 4.40 Units (14 Units Staked, - 31.43% Yield)

Week 9: 3-7, - 4.27 Units (10 Units Staked, - 42.70% Yield)

Week 8: 3-6, - 3.44 Units (9 Units Staked, - 38.22% Yield)

Week 7: 4-7-1, - 3.47 Units (12 Units Staked, - 28.92% Yield)

Week 6: 5-6, - 1.63 Units (11 Units Staked, - 14.82% Yield)

Week 5: 6-3, + 2.64 Units (9 Units Staked, + 29.33% Yield)

Week 4: 3-5-2, - 2.33 Units (10 Units Staked, - 23.30% Yield)

Week 3: 4-7, - 3.33 Units (11 Units Staked, - 30.27% Yield)

College Football Bowl Picks Part One 2023 (December 16-26)

There was plenty of controversy attached to the final four teams selected to make the PlayOffs as the Committee decided to ignore a Power 5 Conference Champion that had put together an unbeaten season.

The Florida State Seminoles were sickened by that turn of events with the suggestion the PlayOff Committee chose to move past them on account of how they BELIEVE the Seminoles would perform rather than giving them a chance.

In previous years they have picked schools with injuries to Quarter Backs, but this time there were enough options that the Committee felt justified in picking unbeaten Michigan and Washington and adding the SEC and Big 12 Champions too. All of this will be a moot point at the end of next season with an expanded PlayOff format, but you can expect to hear much more about the final four selected if we do not get two very competitive Semi Final games.

It will also be interesting to see how Florida State get on when they face the Georgia Bulldogs, another team disappointed to be left out. The Bulldogs have even had a State Senator calling for that Bowl Game to be considered part of the College Football PlayOff, but we are where we are in 2023.

The Bowl Games are going be split in two threads as usual and the College Football PlayOff Picks will be in the second thread that covers the back half of Bowl season.

Picks will be added to this thread between now and Boxing Day.

Ohio Bobcats vs Georgia Southern Eagles Pick: They may feel a touch fortunate to have earned a Bowl opportunity after the Georgia Southern Eagles (6-6) produced a 0.500 season. They earned their sixth win relatively quickly, but the Eagles ended the regular season with four losses in a row and Georgia Southern were beaten in their Bowl Game last year.

They are facing the Ohio Bobcats (9-3) who only just missed out on playing in the MAC Championship Game having finished behind the Miami (Ohio) Redhawks within their Division.

The opening weekend of Bowl Games is not always an ideal position for teams with the limited preparation time they can put together on the field. That can have an impact on teams, while the Transfer Portal has opened and some teams will have key players leaving schools as they look ahead to the next step in their career.

It is going to have an impact on the Ohio State Bobcats and has been the main reason they opened as favourites, but go into the Bowl Game as the underdog. Kurtis Rourke has had a strong career as the Bobcats Quarter Back and he displayed dual-threat ability out of the position, but he has entered the Transfer Portal and that mean Parker Navarro is going to have start this Bowl Game.

He has had very limited experience on the field in 2023 and Navarro will not have an easy match up in this Bowl Game, although it is important to know that he can lean on the Ohio Defensive unit and so avoiding mistakes is important. The expectation is that Parker Navarro will be able to use his legs as much as his arm and that should see Ohio move the ball, although they will lack some consistency.

It has been something that the Bobcats have dealt with all season so anything that Parker Navarro can give the team will be making sure that he does not lose this Bowl Game.

Instead it could be the Bobcats Defensive unit that is able to step up and keep this game competitive against a Georgia Southern team that will be lacking some confidence.

Four losses in a row will do that and the Eagles may struggle to establish the run against this Ohio Defensive Line which has clamped down on the run all season.

They will lean on Davis Brin at Quarter Back after he transferred to the Eagles after spending four years with Tulsa and he has become a leader for Georgia Southern. He has thrown for over 3400 yards this season and 22 Touchdown passes, although Brin's criticism is that he has made too many mistakes.

He will earn his numbers in this Bowl Game, but throwing out of third and long situations will make it difficult for Davis Brin to avoid those mistakes. The Quarter Back will be facing a Ohio Secondary that have made plenty of big plays in the passing game, while the Bobcats will put some pressure on Brin when he steps back to throw out of obvious passing situations.

Losing the starting Quarter Back is blow, but the Ohio Bobcats are 25-13 against the spread as the underdog over the last several seasons. Having more than a Field Goal in their favour in this Bowl Game looks the right play to get Bowl Season underway.

Fresno State Bulldogs vs New Mexico State Aggies Pick: A 10-3 record was good enough to take the New Mexico State Aggies (10-4) into the Conference-USA Championship Game, but an injury to Quarter Back Diego Pavia contributed to the defeat against the Liberty Flames.

That loss ended a run of eight wins in a row and that includes the Aggies winning on the road at SEC Auburn Tigers.

Diego Pavia looks like he will be able to suit up for this Isleta New Mexico Bowl against the Fresno State Bulldogs (8-4) who were never as competitive as they would have liked in the Mountain West Conference. Three losses in a row to end the regular season meant the Bulldogs finished in the middle of the pack, although it was overall another good season for Fresno State with eight wins on the board.

The only negative may be that they were not able to secure at least one more win that would have given them a shot at winning double digit games when taking part in the Bowl Game.

Head Coach Jeff Tedford has left his role as he deals with health issues and there is some question about motivation for a team that may have been targeting a 'better' Bowl Game. The Bulldogs do have an opportunity to make some strong Offensive plays behind Quarter Back Mikey Keene who has over 2500 passing yards with 21 Touchdowns thrown.

Mikey Keene should be given some support from the running game against this Aggies Defensive Line, while there are one or two holes in the Secondary that can be exploited. Avoiding Interceptions will be important, but Keene should have a decent outing and that will give New Mexico State something to think about.

The pressure may be on the Bulldogs to keep up on the scoreboard with the expectation Diego Pavia is going to be on the field to lead the Aggies at Quarter Back.

As the season as wore on, Fresno State have found it more and more difficult to play the run and that is going to be a massive problem against this New Mexico State Offensive unit. Head Coach Jerry Kill has spoken of the toughness of his Quarter Back and that should mean Diego Pavia continues to offer a dual-threat out of the position, which can only aid the Aggies when it comes to establishing the run.

The expectation is that the Aggies will be able to rip off some big gains on the ground and that should help Diego Pavia in running play-action and attacking this Secondary. The Fresno State Secondary numbers have not been bad during the three game losing run, but that may have plenty to do with the fact they have not been able to slow the ground game rather than any real improvement in level of play compared to what we have seen overall.

The Bowl Game is going to feel like a home one for the Aggies, which should help too, and they have thrived as a favourite by going 12-3 against the spread in the last fifteen times they have been in that spot. Controlling the clock and perhaps picking up a turnover or two should give New Mexico State the edge in this Bowl Game and they can win and cover.

Boise State Broncos vs UCLA Bruins Pick: Andy Avalos was fired as Head Coach of the Boise State Broncos (8-5) the day after the team had moved back to 5-5. Spencer Danielson took over as Interim Head Coach, but the Interim tag was removed after the team won three more games in a row and won the Mountain West Conference Championship.

The removal of the previous Head Coach will lead to players leaving and the Broncos are going to be without Taylen Green, the starting Quarter Back who will be playing with Arkansas next season. He can be a dual-threat at the position, but Green has not been able to match his numbers from 2022 and the Quarter Back had 11 Touchdown passes and 9 Interceptions this year compared with 14 and 6 last season.

Boise State will likely be starting CJ Tiller at Quarter Back and this feels a big spot to throw in a Freshman who has not thrown a single pass in his College Football career. There are big hopes for Tiller in Boise State, but he will be facing a UCLA Bruins (7-5) Defensive unit that was key in getting the team into a Bowl Game.

The problem for CJ Tiller and the Broncos Offense is that they do not match up that well with the Bruins on this side of the ball. Having an experienced Quarter Back would perhaps help, although Boise State may be hoping the lack of tape around Tiller may just surprise the Bruins.

While the Boise State Broncos will be trying to establish the run, they are going to be running into a tough Bruins Defensive Line, albeit one missing Laiatu Latu who has begun to prepare for the upcoming NFL Draft. The Broncos have been strong at piling up the yards on the ground in their four game winning run, but UCLA have to be expected to sell out to defend up front and see if the inexperienced Tiller can beat them through the air.

CJ Tiller should be well protected and there are issues in the Bruins Secondary, but the Quarter Back may take a bit more time to allow routes to develop. That will see the pressure counting down on Tiller and you have to believe he will make one or two mistakes as he begins his College career.

They can make up for this one the other side of the ball where the Broncos Defensive unit have stood tall on their way to winning the Mountain West Conference.

There has to be a confidence that the Broncos can keep their team competitive against the UCLA Bruins who lost three of their last four games to end the regular season. Much like Boise State, UCLA have had issues at Quarter Back and Dante Moore has entered the Transfer Portal, which means Ethan Garbers will likely be given the start.

He does have more experience than CJ Tiller, but Ethan Garbers could also be throwing from third and long spots with the Broncos Defensive Line likely to clamp down on the run. Ethan Garbers will then be throwing into a Boise State Secondary that has played well down the stretch, while the Broncos pass rush is likely going to create some havoc in this game.

The Broncos are a very strong underdog to back in recent years and they are 7-3 against the spread in their last ten Bowl Games when given points.

With the Bruins at 0-4 against the spread in their last four as the favourite, taking the points looks the play in this LA Bowl Game.

Texas Tech Red Raiders vs California Golden Bears Pick: The Big 12 Conference will have a different feel in 2024 without the Texas Longhorns and Oklahoma Sooners who are moving onto the SEC. The Texas Tech Red Raiders (6-6) tried to play spoiler for the Longhorns in the final regular season game, but were blown out on the road and finished the season at 0.500 with one more opportunity to put a winning record on the board.

Next season could be one in which the Red Raiders target the very top of the Big 12 Conference and earning a spot in the expanded College Football PlayOff. Having Tahj Brooks agreeing to come back at Running Back is very important for the Red Raiders and they are the favourites in this Bowl Game when facing the California Golden Bears (6-6) who are also trying to win one more game to end the year with a winning record of their own.

It has been a bit of a streaky season for the Golden Bears who had lost four in a row and looked they were going to miss out on the Bowl Season, but California rallied to win three games in a row, including an upset of the UCLA Bruins in the final regular season game.

Fernando Mendoza has to be given a lot of credit for the way he has performed at Quarter Back in his first season with the team and he did end up with almost 1500 passing yards and 14 Touchdowns thrown. That's a good return from seven games and the three game winning run will certainly give Mendoza further confidence as he prepares to play his first Bowl Game.

Mistakes have been made, which cannot be a surprise considering the relative inexperience of the Quarter Back, but Mendoza may be able to lean on Jaydn Ott at Running Back to aid him in his bid to keep the chains moving. There are big ambitions held by Ott who had a strong year running the ball in 2023 and he should be able to have success against this Texas Tech Defensive Line that looked worn down towards the end of the regular season.

Keeping the team in third and manageable should make life that much more comfortable for Fernando Mendoza.

The Red Raiders will be leaning on their own big name Running Back Tahj Brooks as they look to end the season on a high after seeing the three game winning run snapped by the Texas Longhorns. It might be tougher for Brooks considering how well the California Defensive Line were performing at the end of the regular season and that may make things more difficult for Behren Morton at Quarter Back.

It has not been an eye-catching season from Behren Morton, but he has played well enough and the Quarter Back is going to be throwing against a Golden Bears Secondary that has had some holes. However, the Transfer Portal may mean Morton is without some of the key Receivers that the Red Raiders would have used through much of the season and so you do have to question whether they can have the kind of success that may have been expected.

The Quarter Back may also find himself under some pass rush pressure, which could lead to the mistakes and turnovers that may give the Golden Bears the edge.

Earning a winning season will be a motivation for both of these teams, but California seem to be quite convinced about their chances of earning the upset.

The Golden Bears are 30-16 against the spread in their last forty-six in that spot and being back in a Bowl Game for the first time in four years is clearly going to be inspiring California for a full effort.

Taking the points with the underdog in the Independence Bow looks to be the right side of this one.

Tuesday 19th December

Marshall Thundering Herd vs UTSA Roadrunners Pick: A win in their final regular season game has just about gotten the Marshall Thundering Herd (6-6) over the line to become Bowl eligible. However, it has been far from an ideal build up for this Bowl Game and they are a significant underdog when facing the UTSA Roadrunners (8-4).

The Roadrunners finished with a 7-1 record in the American Athletic Conference and that mean narrowly missing out on a place in the Championship Game.

No matter, UTSA comfortably earned Bowl eligibility and the players will be looking to write their names into school history by becoming the first to win a Bowl Game.

They will have to respect the fact that the Thundering Herd's Defensive Line were playing at a solid level to close out the regular season, although UTSA will also be confident in what their own Offensive Line brings to the field. That battle at the line of scrimmage will be key, if only to ensure Frank Harris is given time at the Quarter Back position to make his plays down the field.

It will be an emotional evening for Frank Harris and his top Receiving option, Joshua Cephus, as the senior players call time on their College career. These two should be able to produce a big game for the Roadrunners against a struggling Marshall Secondary and that will certainly give UTSA confidence that they can complete what has been a successful time for the school.

Covering the spread will not be easy, but UTSA might be catching Marshall at a good time with the Thundering Herd losing their starting Quarter Back to the Transfer Portal. Cam Fancher had 11 Touchdown passes with 11 Interceptions, but his decision to move on has been met with some controversy, and mainly out of Head Coach Charles Huff's comments.

Charles Huff said Fancher has been 'miserable' and received plenty of pushback for that.

He will be hoping that Cole Pennington can help change the headlines- the son of Chad Pennington threw 6 Interceptions when playing relief of the starting Quarter Back and he has yet to throw a Touchdown pass, which means it could be a tough day for the Thundering Herd when it comes to moving the chains.

They would love to lean on a running game and hope Rasheen Ali can get something going on the ground, but it has not been easy to do that against this UTSA Defensive Line. Add in the fact they are not likely to give Cole Pennington that much respect and the Roadrunners may choose to sell out to stop the run and see if the inexperienced Quarter Back can do something special.

Throwing against this Secondary will be challenging for Pennington and Interceptions will likely give UTSA an opportunity to create short fields and, ultimately, pull clear of the Thundering Herd.

Bowl Games can be tough to call, but UTSA can make history with a win and a cover in this one.

Friday 22nd December

UCF Knights vs Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Pick: A first season in a Power 5 Conference has come with some ups and downs for the UCF Knights (6-6), but they still have an opportunity to put a winning record on the board.

With the Big 12 Conference shaking up next year, the Knights have made it clear that the target in 2024 is putting together a strong season that will end with a place in the expanded PlayOff format.

Building momentum with a Bowl win is the aim as the Knights prepare to face the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (6-6) who lost two of their last three regular season games. Those defeats to the Clemson Tigers and Georgia Bulldogs will not have dented the confidence as the Yellow Jackets who have made themselves Bowl eligible for the first time since 2018.

It should mean they are plenty motivated, and the Yellow Jackets will feel they can do enough Offensively to remain competitive.

Much will depend on the Offensive Line being able to establish the run and the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets should be able to do that, even against a Knights Defensive Line that performed pretty well down the stretch. Keeping things moving on the ground and controlling the clock and the rhythm of this Bowl Game, while also keeping Haynes King out of pressurised situatuons.

The Quarter Back will have some success, but throwing against this Knights Secondary has been a tough task for many Quarter Backs this season. It should be a challenge for Haynes King, who has to be aware of the turnover creating ability of this Knights Defensive unit.

While the Knights Defensive Line showed some toughness to clamp down on the run down the stretch, it has been a problem for the Yellow Jackets Defensive Line all season. It is going to be a real surprise if Georgia Tech are able to do much better in this Bowl Game against a UCF Offensive Line that has really enjoyed being able to get into their run blocking, while having a dual-threat Quarter Back makes it that much tougher to slow down UCF.

John Rhys Plumlee admits he is not at full health after dealing with injury through the season, but he should be playing in front of the chains. Enough has been displayed to believe he can make one or two decent plays in the passing game, while Plumlee has looked after the ball much more effectively than Haynes King.

In September 2022, UCF were able to get the better of Georgia Tech and they ended up pulling away for a 17 point win- this one is expected to be closer, but the UCF Knights might have the superior balance Offensively and are likely to be a little more consistent running the ball as they earn a Bowl win and a winning record for the 2023 season.

Saturday 23rd December

Northern Illinois Huskies vs Arkansas State Red Wolves Pick: Two teams with the same 6-6 record meet in this Bowl Game and there should be plenty of motivation for both the Northern Illinois Huskies and Arkansas State Red Wolves as they try and produce a winning season.

Neither of these schools can really say they have had a lot of success in Bowl Games and that should give the players further motivation.

It is especially the case for the Northern Illinois Huskies who have not won a Bowl Game since knocking off the Red Wolves back in 2011. They have lost seven Bowl Games since that last victory and the Huskies come into this game as the underdog.

They are being given enough points to be considered competitive and the feeling is that the Huskies can make those points count even in a losing effort.

Rocky Lombardi is a veteran College Football Quarter Back and he continues to lead the way for the Northern Illinois Huskies. However, Lombardi's primary role may be making sure he hands the ball to Antario Brown at Running Back and the Huskies will be looking to lean on Brown and the Offensive Line.

Both have been operating very successfully at the end of the regular season and they are facing an Arkansas State Defensive Line which has had some significant difficulties in clamping down on the run. Antario Brown will be looking to keep the Huskies in front of the chains, which should only make things easier for a veteran like Lombardi at Quarter Back.

The key for the underdog is not to force the game to rest on Rocky Lombardi's arm, although there are one or two holes in the Red Wolves Secondary that can be exploited.

Northern Illinois will feel they can move the ball on the ground, but that task may be tougher when the Arkansas State Red Wolves have the ball.

The Huskies ended the regular season with the Defensive Line playing the run about as well as they have this season and they will certainly be looking to force the Red Wolves to become a little one-dimensional with the play-calling.

Arkansas State will be confident in the ability of their young Quarter Back, Jaylen Raynor who has won Freshman of the Year in the Sun Belt Conference. However, this could be a tough day to make consistent plays if the team are not able to run the ball as well as they would like, which would leave Jaylen Raynor throwing into a Huskies Secondary that have played well in recent games.

He is clearly a capable Quarter Back and will still have some solid numbers, but the lack of balance could be evident and it may see the Northern Illinois Huskies continue their dominance of the series with Arkansas State.

Taking the points with the underdog looks to be the play in what should be a competitive Bowl Game.

Air Force Falcons vs James Madison Dukes Pick: If they had remained unbeaten, James Madison Dukes (11-1) might have been given the opportunity to impress in a 'bigger' Bowl Game than the Armed Forces Bowl. Regardless, this is the first time the Dukes will be taking part in a Bowl Game and that has to provide plenty of motivation alone, especially as they were not going to eligible at the start of the season due to NCAA rules regarding former FCS schools moving into the FBS.

They are facing the Air Force Falcons (8-4) who were another team looking like they may have been invited into a much more glamorous Bowl Game than this one when they opened the season with eight straight wins. Four losses in a row to end the regular season ended those hopes, although the Falcons will know the importance of playing in the Armed Forces Bowl.

The Falcons beat the Baylor Bears in this Bowl last year, but they are the underdog against James Madison.

One of the main reasons for that is that Air Force look like they match up pretty poorly on the Offensive side of the ball with this Dukes Defensive unit.

The Falcons want to run the ball over and over again, and Zac Larrier is asked to manage the game at Quarter Back. The extra preparation time should help James Madison, while the Dukes Defensive Line have been stout up front and been able to clamp down on the run.

At the same time, the Dukes Secondary have not played the pass nearly as well as the Defensive Line have played the run, but Air Force are not built to take advantage and that should give the narrow favourite an opportunity.

James Madison have struggled to run the ball effectively on the other side of the ball and they will be relying on Quarter Back Jordan McCloud to move the chains. He has entered the Transfer Portal, but McCloud is expected to start this Bowl Game as he has yet to tip his hat as to where he will be playing in 2024.

This looks a good chance for Jordan McCloud to sign off as a Dukes player in the right way and he should be able to attack this Air Force Secondary with plenty of confidence.

Pressure around the Quarter Back from the Falcons pass rush and a ball-hawking team that may give up big yards, but who will turn the ball over, makes this a more competitive game. Jordan McCloud will have to be aware of the situations as they develop, but he should have enough success to give the Dukes the edge.

A few of the Dukes players might be leaving in the Transfer Portal, but they would love to sign off with another history making performance. That motivation will be hard to shift and James Madison may to just enough to win this Bowl Game and cover the relatively small number as the favourite.

Northwestern Wildcats vs Utah Utes Pick: Winning records have already been secured for the 2023 season, but winning a Bowl Game would place a neat bow for a number of players that may be departing at the end of the year.

The Utah Utes (8-4) will enter the game as the favourites against the Northwestern Wildcats (7-5).

It had been touch and go whether the Wildcats would be able to produce the kick needed that would take them into Bowl eligibility, but four wins in their last five games helped them not only secure that place, but also ensured a winning season. They will know they are going to be tested on the Offensive side of the ball against this Utah Defensive unit, if only for the poor match up Northwestern have, but the confidence of the finish makes them dangerous.

Running the ball against this Utah Defensive Line will be very difficult, especially as Northwestern have not been able to do that with a lot of consistency anyway. That means it will be up to Quarter Back Ben Bryant to make the plays with his arm, but he has been successful doing that and has guided the Wildcats very well.

He should have more time to make throws down the field and the Utah Secondary were guilty of giving up huge yardage through the air. Ben Bryant has to avoid the Interceptions that have perhaps been a bit of a problem for him, but this Utes team have not been turning the ball over in the air while allowing almost 300 yards per game and it should mean Northwestern have opportunities.

If this was a usual regular season game, Utah would feel they have the balanced Offensive unit that could really make things awkward for the Wildcats.

Quarter Back Bryson Barnes has entered the Transfer Portal, but will play, while other players have decided they are going to join the NFL Draft and will perhaps be looking to focus on that rather than this Bowl Game. Even then, Utah should be able to establish the run to make things a little more comfortable for Barnes, who will have a chance to make big plays into a Secondary that gave up almost 250 passing yards per game as the season wound down.

However, the Wildcats might bend, but they have been aggressive in their coverage and it has led to Interceptions and Barnes might end up being forced into a mistake or two, which can be critical to the outcome of this Bowl Game.

These two teams have had contrasting results in recent Bowl Games- Northwestern have won four in a row, while Utah have lost four in a row. It was the Wildcats who came out on top in December 2018 in the Holiday Bowl against the Utah Utes, while the latter also had an inconsistent conclusion to the regular season.

With players thinking to what is ahead, the underdog Wildcats may be able to make enough plays through the air to keep this one close. Winning the turnover battle will be important, but Northwestern can do that and make sure the points they are being given are made to count.

Tuesday 26th December

Minnesota Golden Gophers vs Bowling Green Falcons Pick: The only team that finished the regular season with a losing record and who have been invited into a Bowl Game is the Minnesota Golden Gophers (5-7). They are not going to apologise for being given this opportunity though and the Golden Gophers will enter the Bowl as the favourite.

They are facing the Bowling Green Falcons (7-5) who have already secured a winning season, but who would love to round 2023 off with a Bowl victory.

In recent years, Bowling Green have struggled to do that so there is a big motivation for the players involved as the school looks for a first post-season victory since 2014. Things have been a lot different for the Minnesota Golden Gophers who have won six Bowl Games in a row, including all four under Head Coach PJ Fleck who is now only a couple more appearances away from taking Minnesota to a school record tying of seven Bowl Games.

The Head Coach is one that clearly gets the best out of his players and those additional Bowl practices have certainly paid off.

However, the unexpected Bowl invite has meant a few players are not going to be involved for the Golden Gophers, including starting Quarter Back Athan Kaliakmanis who has entered the Transfer Portal. It has given Cole Kramer an opportunity to finish his College career with a start in a Bowl Game, although the lack of time in competitive action this season will be a slight concern.

This is a level down from the Conference schedule, but the Golden Gophers may still find it challenging Offensively against this Falcons Defensive unit. It all begins up front where the Defensive Line have been playing very well to end the season and clamping down on the run, which is a problem for Minnesota's Offensive Line who have not been opening big holes on the ground this season.

This will mean Cole Kramer is being asked to do a bit more, which in turn may expose some of the lack of experience of playing in the regular season in competitive environments. The Quarter Back will not be able to hold the ball for too long whenever he drops back to throw, while the Bowling Green Secondary have been very good at turning the ball over without giving up huge yards through the air.

Minnesota should still have some success, but they are not expected to blow past Bowling Green and that should make the points being given to the underdog look all the more appealing.

Terion Stewart may have a real chance to make his mark on this Bowl Game with the Running Back attacking a Minnesota Defensive Line that was worn down at the end of the regular season. For most of 2023 it has been tough for the Golden Gophers to contain the run, but they were allowing huge gains to be picked up at the end of the regular season and this may allow Stewart to keep the Falcons in third and manageable spots.

It should make life a bit more comfortable for Connor Bazelak at Quarter Back, although the key will be to ensure he avoids turning the ball over and offering up short fields for the Golden Gophers.

The Minnesota Secondary have decent numbers, but that is also partly down to the fact that teams have been able to run the ball right at them and pick up big plays. A lack of a pass rush should mean Bazelak has time time the pocket that has not always been there for him this season and the Falcons can keep this one close.

Bowling Green actually beat Minnesota on the road in September 2021 so they should not be intimidated by the challenge, even if the Golden Gophers have been very impressive in Bowl Games in recent years.

With the points being given to them, the Falcons can make enough Offensive plays to keep this one close, even if they do come up short at the end.

MY PICKS: Ohio Bobcats + 3.5 Points @ 1.72 Bet Victor (1 Unit)

New Mexico State Aggies - 3.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Boise State Broncos + 5.5 Points @ 1.91 Coral (1 Unit)

California Golden Bears + 3.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

UTSA Roadrunners - 11.5 Points @ 1.83 Bet Victor (1 Unit)

UCF Knights - 4.5 Points @ 1.83 Paddy Power (1 Unit)

Northern Illinois Huskies + 3 Points @ 1.91 Coral (1 Unit)

James Madison Dukes - 1.5 Points @ 2.00 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Northwestern Wildcats + 6.5 Points @ 1.83 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Bowling Green Falcons + 3.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Bowl Part One Update: 4-5, - 1.71 Units (9 Units Staked, - 19% Yield)

Week 14: 3-3, - 0.31 Units (6 Units Staked, - 5.17% Yield)

Week 13: 8-5, + 1.90 Units (13 Units Staked, + 14.62% Yield)

Week 12: 6-4, + 1.25 Units (10 Units Staked, + 12.50% Yield)

Week 11: 5-6, - 1.48 Units (11 Units Staked, - 13.45% Yield)

Week 10: 5-8-1, - 4.40 Units (14 Units Staked, - 31.43% Yield)

Week 9: 3-7, - 4.27 Units (10 Units Staked, - 42.70% Yield)

Week 8: 3-6, - 3.44 Units (9 Units Staked, - 38.22% Yield)

Week 7: 4-7-1, - 3.47 Units (12 Units Staked, - 28.92% Yield)

Week 6: 5-6, - 1.63 Units (11 Units Staked, - 14.82% Yield)

Week 5: 6-3, + 2.64 Units (9 Units Staked, + 29.33% Yield)

Week 4: 3-5-2, - 2.33 Units (10 Units Staked, - 23.30% Yield)

Week 3: 4-7, - 3.33 Units (11 Units Staked, - 30.27% Yield)

College Football Bowl Picks 2022 Part Two (December 28-January 2)

The Bowl Season is well underway and there have been some quality post-season games for the fans and players to enjoy.

However, now the main events are fast approaching with the big New Year's Eve Bowl Games as well as the two College Football PlayOff Semi Final outings to line up the contenders for the National Championship, which will be decided next month.

Picks from the remaining Bowl Games will be added to this thread, Part Two, over the days ahead.

Wednesday 28th December

Oregon Ducks vs North Carolina Tar Heels Pick: There has been some big news for both of these schools ahead of this Bowl Game and that is both starting Quarter Backs are going to be returning in 2023. Things could change in the weeks ahead, but the Oregon Ducks (9-3) and North Carolina Tar Heels (9-4) will be feeling pretty good even if their 2022 seasons did not end in the manner they would have wanted.

At one stage both teams might have been thinking about the College Football PlayOffs, but Oregon lost two of their last three to fail to even make the Pac-12 Championship Game. The North Carolina Tar Heels were able to make the ACC Championship Game, but they were blown out by the Clemson Tigers and will want to erase that from the mind very quickly in order to compete in this Holiday Bowl.

The defeat to the Tigers actually means North Carolina dropped their last three games, but keeping hold of Drake Maye is really big for the school, despite the suggestions from Head Coach Mack Brown that other schools were enticing Maye to leave via the transfer portal. Drake Maye had a huge season at Quarter Back for the Tar Heels and returning will give North Carolina every chance to at least match the nine wins secured in 2022, although the first thought will be to reach ten wins.

North Carolina have not won at least ten games since 2015, but they will be confident behind Drake Maye- they will also be helped if the Offensive Line can break out some holes to put them of the chains and give their Quarter Back a bit more time to make his plays. The Tar Heels will also be aided by the relatively weak pass rush generated by the Oregon Ducks all season and Drake Maye and the Tar Heels can move the chains against a Ducks Defensive unit that have had issues making stops this year.

The Oregon Ducks will feel pretty good themselves though and have heard positive news from Bo Nix who transferred from the Auburn Tigers and has thrown for almost 3500 yards with 27 Touchdowns.

After their Head Coach left to take over in Miami, the Oregon Ducks are searching for back to back winning years of ten games. Dan Lanning is in his first Head Coaching role, but has shown he can take this team forward and having the starting Quarter Back returning in 2023 will raise expectations.

The overall numbers have shown that it will be possible for Bo Nix to hand the ball off and have the Ducks Offensive Line create running lanes, but down the stretch the North Carolina Defensive Line did stiffen up. That may have been at the detriment of defending the pass and I do think Nix will have plenty of time to attack this Secondary, even if the Tar Heels are stronger against the run than most would anticipate.

Bo Nix has looked to be a little more careful with the ball than Drake Maye and that could determine the outcome of the Holiday Bowl.

However, I do think this is a huge amount of points to be giving to the underdog with a Quarter Back like the one they have.

Both teams have disappointing recent trends to look at, and both Oregon and North Carolina have not always produced their best in Bowl Games. My feeling is that this could be a high-octane game though with plenty of successes for two of the Quarter Backs that are going to be leading the way in 2023 and I think Drake Maye can at least keep this one close.

Thursday 29th December

Syracuse Orange vs Minnesota Golden Gophers Pick: A rare winning season has already been secured by the Syracuse Orange (7-5), but that has meant some key performers have decided to skip the Bowl Game. They last played in a Bowl Game in 2018 and won that one, but this is going to be a tough test for a streaky Syracuse team that have been a little inconsistent all season.

A strong start was followed by a number of setbacks and the Syracuse Orange are a significant underdog against the Minnesota Golden Gophers (8-4) who continue to play hard under Head Coach PJ Fleck. Another win on Thursday will give Minnesota a chance to match the nine wins secured in 2021 and the Golden Gophers have won all three Bowl Games played under their current Head Coach.

There was also a stronger end to the season for the Golden Gophers compared with the Orange after Minnesota won four of their last five games to finish clear of the 0.500 mark for the season.

And unlike Syracuse, Minnesota could have their top Running Back available for this game and could also be boosted by Tanner Morgan's return at Quarter Back. I am sure he will be getting some reps to prepare for this game, but PJ Fleck has been happy with the performance of Athan Kaliakamanis in relief of Morgan and may feel he deserves to play this Bowl Game in order to be even stronger in 2023.

Ultimately the Quarter Back position is there to manage the game for the Golden Gophers who will be looking to pound the rock through Mohamed Ibrahim, a player who has bounced back from a serious injury to produce big numbers from the Running Back position. Controlling the line of scrimmage will be huge for Minnesota as they prepare to face an Orange Defensive Line that has found a way to clamp down on the run up front, but the feeling is that Ibrahim and the Golden Gophers will give their Quarter Back a chance.

Being able to play with fakes should give either Tanner Morgan or Athan Kaliakmanis an opportunity against this Syracuse Secondary that has allowed some big passing numbers.

With the Golden Gophers likely having some success moving the ball, the challenge will be on the Syracuse Offensive unit to at least keep their team competitive. Sean Tucker would have been the player they would have liked to have relied on the most, but the Running Back has opted out and I do think Syracuse will not find it easy to run the ball against this Minnesota Defensive Line.

Now they are going in without Tucker, Syracuse may have to rely on the arm of Quarter Back Garrett Shrader who has over 2300 passing yards and 17 Touchdowns this season. The Offensive Line has struggled to protect Shrader down the stretch, but I am not sure the Golden Gophers pass rush will have the consistency to put him under pressure.

Instead they will rely on their strong Defensive play at the line of scrimmage to force the Orange to convert from third and long spots, which could mean mistakes being made when in obvious passing spots.

Despite the lack of pressure being created by Minnesota up front, the Secondary have played hard down the stretch and I do think the Golden Gophers can win and cover.

Syracuse ended the season having failed to cover in their last five games and they are 2-6 against the spread in the last eight when facing a team with a winning record.

It has been a different end to the season for Minnesota who have dominated the majority of the opponents played down the stretch. This is a big spread for a team that relies on the run to cover, but I think they can win at the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball and that ultimately will put the Golden Gophers in a position to secure a big win.

Friday 30th December

Pittsburgh Panthers vs UCLA Bruins Pick: Things have changed in College Football over the years and players have decided they cannot afford to risk their futures by playing in extra games at this level that could be a detriment to a professional career. I completely understand the thought process, especially when schools that aim for the PlayOffs fall short of those goals, and I think Head Coaches have to adjust rather than complain.

A team like the Pittsburgh Panthers (8-4) have been hit hard with players deciding they are going to opt-out of the Sun Bowl.

After finishing with eleven wins in 2021 that included winning the ACC Championship, the Panthers ended 2022 behind the North Carolina Tar Heels in the Coastal Division. In five of the eight years that Pat Narduzzi has been the Head Coach of Pittsburgh the team have finished with at least eight wins and they have already hit that mark this season.

Successes in Bowl Games have been much harder to come by for Pittsburgh in recent years and they are going to be without key players on both sides of the ball in this one. Starting Quarter Back Kedon Slovis has already transferred to the BYU Cougars, while the leading rusher and inspirational Defensive Tackle Calijah Kancey has also declared unavailability.

It is going to be difficult for Pittsburgh to find the consistency they need with these kind of absences and they are facing a UCLA Bruins (9-3) team who could easily have pushed their way into the College Football PlayOff conversation if not for two tight, late losses.

Head Coach Chip Kelly may have been under some pressure after three difficult seasons to open his tenure in Los Angeles, but the Bruins won eight games in 2021 and have already surpassed that win total. They are going to be motivated to try and win a tenth game for the first time since 2014, while the team have not had the same kind of opt-outs as their opponent because the Bruins are going to be playing a first Bowl Game since 2017.

Even Dorian Thompson-Robinson has suggested he is leaning towards playing despite the fact that he has not tethered his future to the Bruins. That underlines how important it is to many of the players here to not only compete, but look to win the game and end the season with plenty of momentum to take into the New Year.

On paper it is a tough challenge to move the ball against the Panthers Defensive unit, but the absences that will overshadow the game from their perspective may offer one or two more avenues for the Bruins to exploit. They will certainly feel they can establish the run against a Panthers Defensive Line that does not have Kancey clogging things up and that should open the passing lanes for Thompson-Robinson or whoever Chip Kelly chooses to run the Offensive unit.

I don't want to discount the chances of the Pittsburgh Panthers completely- Nick Patti is getting the start at Quarter Back and the senior does not have a lot of experience despite the four years spent with the team. However, there are some vulnerabilities in the UCLA Secondary that could give Patti an opportunity to have a strong showing for the Panthers and at least give them a chance to keep this one close.

So while I don't think it will be a blowout, I also cannot ignore how poorly Pittsburgh have played in Bowl Games in recent years. They are 1-5 against the spread in their last six post-season games and now Pittsburgh have to deal with a highly motivated UCLA team who should have more consistency in their overall play.

A couple of late mistakes may see UCLA just do enough to pull clear of this number and give Chip Kelly his first Bowl win since his time with the Oregon Ducks.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs South Carolina Gamecocks Pick: A strong end to the regular season shows what the South Carolina Gamecocks (8-4) could achieve under Head Coach Shane Beamer who led the team to seven wins in his first season. That ended with a Bowl win and the Gamecocks will be hoping to upset the odds in the Gator Bowl against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish (8-4).

It has been an up and down season for the Fighting Irish, and there will be a genuine disappointment that the run of five years with at least ten wins is coming to a close regardless of how this Bowl Game goes down.

Finding the consistency in the play has been difficult and the Fighting Irish have been hit with a number of opt-outs on both sides of the ball, which is not a massive surprise. Instead of playing in the College Football PlayOff, which would have been the aim back in August, the key performers for Notre Dame do not want to risk their NFL Draft prospects by playing in this relatively 'low-key' Bowl Game.

The same cannot be said for South Carolina and Quarter Back Spencer Rattler has announced that he 'owes' the Coaching staff this Bowl Game. He did not really reach the levels expected in his time with Oklahoma and the Gamecocks, but a strong end to the season has Rattler considering whether he wants to enter the NFL Draft.

That is a decision for another day, but the appearance of Spencer Rattler certainly gives the Gamecocks every chance of earning the upset in the Gator Bowl. If this was a regular season game, you would suggest the Notre Dame Defensive unit would give South Carolina a lot of issues, but the opt-outs and the potential lack of motivation from some players may just offer Rattler the chance to finish the season with a flourish.

South Carolina will be missing some key players through their team, which lessens some of the enthusiasm for backing them, but Notre Dame are going to be without their main starting Quarter Back from the regular season. Drew Pyne has entered the transfer portal and rumoured to be heading to Arizona State and that means Tyler Buchner will be restored to the line up having lost the starting job in the regular season.

The Fighting Irish Offensive Line will feel they can still do enough to put Tyler Buchner in front of the chains by opening up running lanes, but I do have to question the motivation of the favourites considering the underachieving nature of the season.

It should not be an issue for South Carolina who may feel they are being underrated again having upset the Tennessee Volunteers and Clemson Tigers in their final two games, ruining the chances of either making the College Football PlayOff at the same time.

Motivation is always the hardest angle to factor into any Bowl Game pick, but in this case I think the Gamecocks will play harder for their Head Coach and having a starting Quarter Back leading the way could be the difference.

Saturday 31st December

Alabama Crimson Tide vs Kansas State Wildcats Pick: Back in August, it would have been seen as a huge disappointment for the Alabama Crimson Tide (10-2) to miss out on the College Football PlayOff. You have to place their participation in the Sugar Bowl into that context and it would be foolish to ignore the chances of players lacking motivation, but Nick Saban and those involved are speaking about this Bowl with plenty of respect.

For starters it is a positive way to end any season even if the Crimson Tide will look back at 2022 with some regret, while the decision made by Bryce Young to Quarter Back the team has to give all those left plenty of motivation to perform at their best.

It also helps that this is a pretty big Bowl Game against the Big 12 Champions Kansas State Wildcats (10-3) who upset the TCU Horned Frogs in the Championship Game, although ultimately it did not cost TCU a place in the College Football PlayOff.

Kansas State are clearly motivated by the chance to earn the upset and they have not had the same number of opt-outs as Alabama, but the Crimson Tide have to be considered a team with plenty of depth to make up for the absentees.

Both teams will be looking to run the ball and try and keep their Quarter Back in front of the chains and this is arguably more important for Kansas State than Alabama. Adrian Martinez is back for the Wildcats at Quarter Back as he concludes his College career, and he can offer a dual-threat out of the position, but he will not want to have to sit in the pocket and try and make plays from third and long against this Alabama Secondary.

Being in third and long would also encourage Alabama to unleash the pass rush at Adrian Martinez and converting those spots will not be easy for Kansas State. They may feel they can have some success running the ball considering the issues the Alabama Defensive Line had to close out the season, but this is a tough test for the Big 12 Champions.

Losing key Offensive Linemen may just give Alabama some pause for thought when it comes to running the ball, but I do think they can plug in enough players to keep themselves pounding the rock with success. Stopping the run has been challenging for Kansas State all season and they will rarely have faced the kind of talent Alabama bring to the field and so it should be better news for Bryce Young compared with Adrian Martinez.

The Quarter Back has played well and I think Young has a strong day throwing the ball, even with some of the inexperience he will be dealing with on the outside. Short, quick passes should keep the chains moving and I do think the Crimson Tide can win this game and ensure another season with at least eleven wins produced.

You never want to dismiss the chances of Kansas State who thrive on the underdog role, but Alabama crushed Michigan in their last Bowl Game that did not act as a College Football PlayOff Semi Final. With Bryce Young leading the way, I think there is every chance that Alabama can win this one going away and I will back them to cover the handicap.

TCU Horned Frogs vs Michigan Wolverines Pick: They may not have won the Big 12 Championship, but the TCU Horned Frogs (12-1) deserve their spot in the College Football PlayOff. That doesn't take anything away from the fact that they are probably the weakest of the four teams left, but the Horned Frogs can play with some freedom as most expect them to be beaten on Saturday.

They face the Big Ten Champions the Michigan Wolverines (13-0) who have won the Conference for a second season in a row. They were blown out in the College Football PlayOff Semi Final last year, but that experience will not have been lost on the Wolverines and they should be much better this time around.

They have not always been an easy team to read, but the Wolverines have dominated some of the tougher teams on the schedule. In particular, the crushing win over the Ohio State Buckeyes shows the kind of power that the Wolverines have and they are certainly the toughest opponent the TCU Horned Frogs will have seen this season.

Some have suggested the team with the most similarity that the Horned Frogs would have seen is the Kansas State Wildcats and those were close games. However, most will follow up the first suggestion by offering the fact that Michigan are much stronger and faster than the Kansas State athletes and ultimately they could have too much for the Big 12 team.

You know what you are going to get from the Wolverines- they are going to want to run the ball behind a very good Offensive Line and even without Blake Corum the Wolverines are confident they will be able to do that. They didn't need Blake Corum to thump their most recent opponents and Donovan Edwards should be able to rip off some big gains in this game.

JJ McCarthy is not asked to do too much from the Quarter Back position and he should be kept in third and manageable spots through much of this game. It is an encouraging position for a Quarter Back who has been very careful with where he throws the ball and I do think the Michigan Wolverines will find plenty of balance Offensively, which makes them very dangerous.

The Horned Frogs will feel they can have success when they have the ball and Max Duggan has raised his stock ahead of his move into the NFL Draft. The story has been one of surprise for much of the season, although it could be that much more difficult for Duggan if the TCU Offensive Line is not able to win at the line of scrimmage and keep the team in front of the chains.

Max Duggan has shown he can take the Horned Frogs on his back, and there have been some holes in the Michigan Secondary which have been exploited down the stretch. The Quarter Back has been well protected and given time he should have some success, although it is hard to ignore the fact that this Wolverines team is of a level that TCU would not have faced too often.

Michigan's blow out loss in the College Football PlayOff last season should give them the experience to pull clear in this one and these Semi Final games have rarely been close in recent seasons. Jim Harbaugh can underline his reputation as a strong Head Coach by taking Michigan to the National Championship Game for the first time and I like the Wolverines to pull clear in the second half by turning the ball over a couple of times to cover.

Ohio State Buckeyes vs Georgia Bulldogs Pick: When they were beaten by the Michigan Wolverines in their final regular season game, especially the manner in which they were beaten, some would have felt the Ohio State Buckeyes (11-1) had missed their chance of returning to the College Football PlayOff. However, other results ended up in favour of the Buckeyes and they have been invited into the final four with a genuine chance of redemption.

Beating the defending Champions Georgia Bulldogs (13-0) would be a massive form of redemption and a genuine upset. The Bulldogs are an unbeaten SEC Champion and they have now won fifteen games in a row, while Head Coach Kirby Smart has shown himself to be one of the top Coaches in College Football.

After blowing out the LSU Tigers in the SEC Championship Game, the Georgia Bulldogs are the favourites to win back to back National Championships, but they cannot overlook the Buckeyes.

As poor as they were against the Michigan Wolverines, this is a Buckeyes Offensive unit that can pile up some big yards and they may have learnt plenty from the defeat to put to good use in this big game.

Unfortunately for the Buckeyes, they are going to need to be a lot better if they are going to find a way to move the ball against the Georgia Bulldogs who have a Defensive unit that has grown in each passing week. A big part of this game on this side of the ball is going to be the line of scrimmage as the Bulldogs Defensive Line looks to clamp down on the run as they have for much of the season and force the Ohio State Buckeyes to take to the air.

The Buckeyes have to be confident in their Offensive Line, but they were held to a number someway below the season average in the loss to the Michigan Wolverines. Moving the ball against this Georgia team will be tough and that does put more pressure on CJ Stroud at Quarter Back.

Passing lanes had opened up against Georgia in their last three games, but a lot of that was down to the fact they had big leads in games and teams were forced to throw. Playing soft coverage makes the numbers look worse than they actually are and Stroud may have negotiate a strong pass rush and a Secondary that can make plays to turn the ball over through the air.

Instead of looking to win a shoot out, the Buckeyes may need to lean on their own Defensive unit and hope they are able to contain the Georgia Bulldogs.

Ultimately this could come down to the line of scrimmage again where the Georgia Offensive Line have been dominant all season- down the stretch the Buckeyes Defensive Line did show signs of wear and tear and I think that will give the Bulldogs a big edge in the overall game.

Stetson Bennett is not going to be asked to win the game from the Quarter Back position and being in third and manageable is huge for him. He has been well protected by the Offensive Line and the Georgia ability to run the ball will also cool down the powerful Ohio State pass rush, while Stetson Bennett has done enough to keep the chains moving when he has been asked to do so.

The Georgia Bulldogs are 8-2 against the spread in their last ten Bowl Games and they covered in both PlayOff games last season.

I've already mentioned the fact that these recent Semi Final PlayOff games have ended in blowouts more often than not and I think the Georgia Bulldogs will show a dominance at the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball that allows them to win and cover.

MY PICKS: North Carolina Tar Heels + 13.5 Points @ 1.85 Bet Victor (1 Unit)

Minnesota Golden Gophers - 10.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet Victor (1 Unit)

UCLA Bruins - 5.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

South Carolina Gamecocks + 2.5 Points @ 1.85 Bet Victor (1 Unit)

Alabama Crimson Tide - 6.5 Points @ 1.75 Bet Victor (1 Unit)

Michigan Wolverines - 7.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Georgia Bulldogs -  6 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)