Before the playoffs next week, Best Bets picks the Mizzou-Iowa game and other fun match ups.
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Well, Best Bets survived the first round of the playoffs going 2-1 (3-3 overall) thanks to a predictable Penn State blowout and a Barry Odom-less UNLV win over Cal. On the season, Best Bets sits at a healthy 31-22 (51-48-2 overall) and we aren’t slowing down as bowl season progresses. We’ll pick the Mizzou-Iowa game as well as prognosticate a few other fun bowl match-ups before the playoffs pick back up next week.
Best Bets
TransPerfect Music City Bowl: Mizzou (-3) vs. Iowa
Opt outs are always a concern around bowl season and it looks like Mizzou is doing better in that department then Iowa. While the Tigers are down Luther Burden and Armand Membou, Iowa is down their start running back in Kaleb Johnson, who put up 1,500 yards on the ground this year, as well as starting quarterback Cade McNamara, who is transferring. The Tigers were the better team on paper all year even without those losses so I’ll take Mizzou by more than three points in a pretty ugly, low scoring game.
Birmingham Bowl: Georgia Tech vs. Vanderbilt (+2.5)
Vanderbilt limped to the finish line after shocking the world earlier in the season. That said, they got a boost this week when they learned that Diego Pavia would be returning next year. Georgia Tech had a break-through year this year as well, but have lost some key defensive players to the portal. I think Vandy will win by a small margin, so give me the Commodores to cover. This will be a “dog in ‘em” game as both Pavia and GT QB Haynes King got that dog in ‘em. It should be fun to watch.
AutoZone Liberty Bowl: Texas Tech (+2) vs. Arkansas
No team in the SEC, and probably the country last I looked, has lost as much in the portal as Arkansas has this year. Texas Tech did lose their star freshman receiver to the portal, but they have a lot more players playing in this game, which makes it surprising to me that they are underdogs. I’d have probably picked the Red Raiders to win even without the mass exodus from Fayetteville so I definitely will take Tech and the points here.
Worth a look
SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl: USC vs. Texas A&M (-3.5)
USC is coming off another underwhelming and disappointing season under Lincoln Riley while Texas A&M seems to have a much brighter future. Sure, they once again only went 8-4 this season, but that was against a gauntlet of SEC teams rather than whatever it was that USC played. Give me the Aggies to slow down the Trojans offense and score enough points to win by at least a touchdown.
Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl: Miami (OH) vs. Colorado State (+3)
This line is a bit odd to me in that yes, Miami had a better record than the Rams, but they played in a much, much weaker MAC over CSU’s schedule in the Mountain West. I like what Jay Norvell is slowly building in Fort Collins so I’m going to take the Rams as a vibes pick over a team who feasted on weak schedule.
Pop Tarts Bowl: Iowa State vs. Miami FL (-3)
I was hesitant to pick this game one way or another until I heard news on whether Cam Ward would opt in or out of the game. Well it sounds like Ward WILL play in the prestigious Pop Tarts Bowl so in that case I’m going to pick the Hurricanes to beat the Cyclones in an absolute shoot out. Buckle up because I think that this will be one of the most fun post season games of the year. After the weak playoff games we just watched, I think that’s almost certainly assured.
It’s the most wonderful time of the year! That’s Best Bets for this week. Happy holidays to everyone and here’s to some fun football to end 2024!
That’s all we got for this week. I can’t wait to watch these playoff games! We’ll see you then. All odds are provided by FanDuel. Which SEC teams will you be taking this week against the spread?
Odds/lines subject to change. T&Cs apply. See https://sportsbook.fanduel.com for details.