Is this the best time of the year? It might be. Today is the start of the bowl season Big Ten football as Boise State and Washington match up in the LA Bowl tonight at 7 p.m. central time. Then you’ll have to wait 13 days until the next big ten bowl game when Central Michigan and Northwestern go head to head.
FanDuel Sportsbook is providing all of the betting lines listed below.
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LA Bowl: SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, CA – Boise State vs. Washington
Date and Time: Saturday, December 13th at 8 p.m. EST
Location: SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, CA
TV: ABC
Odds: Washington -9.5
Washington started trending as one of the hottest teams in the country in the second half of the season starting with a convincing 42-25 win over #23 ranked Illinois. The loss to Wisconsin likely was more about Wisconsin starting to find itself and less about Washington.
Boise State’s Top 100 player left tackle has opted out of this game. Boise State and Washington both averaged right around 32-34 points per game but one did it in the Big Ten with limited possessions and the other did it in the Mountain West. Washington actually scored 40 or more points in three of their last five games against Big Ten competition.
Washington ended the season ranked #6 in offensive success rate. Like most of these games, it could be close but I expect Washington to put it away in the fourth quarter for a double digit win.
Pick: Washington -9.5
GameAbove Sports Bowl: Central Michigan vs. Northwestern
Date and Time: Friday, December 26th at 1 p.m. EST
Location: Ford Field in Detroit, MI
TV: ESPN
Odds: Northwestern -10.5
Northwestern is a program that makes the most of everything it has including playing in a high school sized football field as their home field in 2025. Northwestern ended the season 6-6 but it easily could have been 9-3. They are better than their record. Central Michigan on the other hand is 7-5 but played in the MAC.
To me this looks like the easiest bet of the bunch as I think Northwestern wins by 20. However, this is one of those games that could go sideways and they find themselves in a fight in the fourth quarter.
For what it is worth, Northwestern is 7-4-1 against the spread. I’ll go with Northwestern.
Pick: Northwestern -10.5
Rate Bowl: New Mexico vs. Minnesota
Date and Time: Friday, December 26th at 4:30 p.m. EST
Location: Chase Field in Phoenix, AZ
TV: ESPN
Odds: Minnesota -2.5
New Mexico goes 9-3 in the Mountain West and Minnesota goes 7-5 in the Big Ten.
I have tried to make it a priority to never pick against P.J. Fleck but I am going to go ahead and pick New Mexico with the extra 2.5 points. Both Minnesota and New Mexico play the same type of football. It’s a physical slow it down style.
What I would also like to note is that in 2025, New Mexico is 7-5 against the spread while Minnesota is 4-8.
I just feel like it could be a let down game for the Gophers. Can Fleck get his players up for a game against New Mexico?
Pick: New Mexico +2.5.
Pinstripe Bowl: Clemson vs. Penn State
Date and Time: Saturday, December 27th at 12 p.m. EST
Location: Yankee Stadium in New York City, NY
TV: ABC
Odds: Clemson -4.5
Officials of the Pinstripe Bowl are probably ecstatic about somehow landing Clemson and Penn State after having Nebraska and Boston College in 2024.
Penn State won the first three games and the last three games of their season to finish 6-6. Clemson finished 7-5 on the season with a big win over rival South Carolina. Two weeks prior they beat a good Louisville team 20-19.
The against the spread record for these teams are not going to help us much as Clemson is 5-7 against the spread and Penn State is 4-8.
As we always go back to which team is motivated, in one case Clemson has their coach Dabo Swinney and a disappointing 7-5 season. On the other hand Penn State players have an audition for their new head coach Matt Campbell. Both teams are talented but I’m going to go with Penn State because I can take the points. I can see Clemson winning by three.
Pick: Penn State +4.5
Music City Bowl: Tennessee vs. Illinois
Date and Time: Monday, December 29th at 5:30 p.m. EST
Location: Nissan Stadium in Nashville, TN
TV: ESPN
Odds: Tennessee -4.5
I thought the over/under season wins total for Illinois was the easiest bet in college football. It was set at 7.5 and I expected them to win 10 games. They ended up going 8-4. Tennessee also went 8-4 and their over/under preseason win total was 8.5. I’m not sure how relevant that is, but I thought it was interesting.
Everything indicates that Tennessee is going to win this game by simply outscoring Illinois. I do not expect Illinois to be able to keep up with Tennessee.
With that said, I think Bret Bielema is a shrewd head coach and I can see him conjuring up a game plan which will frustrate Tennessee. Think of last year’s bowl game against South Carolina and how mad he made Shane Beamer last year.
I would love to see it. However, I think Tennessee is too good and likely wins going away.
Pick: Tennessee -4.5
Alamo Bowl: #16 USC vs. TCU
Date and Time: Tuesday, December 30th at 9 p.m. EST
Location: Alamodome in San Antonio, TX
TV: ESPN
Odds: USC -5.5
Remember when everybody thought North Carolina was going to be a great team and then week one happened and TCU blew them out 48-14. Then we thought maybe TCU was real good but then a few weeks later we learned that North Carolina is just real bad.
TCU ended the season 8-4 and had a win over #23 Houston. USC on the other hand ended their season 9-3 with their three losses to #23 Illinois, #13 Notre Dame and #7 Oregon.
USC will be without their stud wide receiver, Makai Lemon, and TCU will essentially have a home game in San Antonio compared to any fans from USC.
However, I think USC has more to prove in this game as they could have their first 10 win season since 2022 and Lincoln Riley has a top recruiting class coming in next season it appears that he has things going in the right direction. I see a 10 point win by USC.
Pick: USC -5.5
ReliaQuest Bowl: #23 Iowa vs. #14 Vanderbilt
Date and Time: Wednesday, December 31st at 12 p.m. EST
Location: Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, FL
TV: ESPN
Odds: Vanderbilt -6.5
This is probably the game I’m most interested in watching this bowl season. A tale of two different styles and I have a feeling Iowa’s grind it out and waiting for you to make a mistake mentality is going to be a lot for Vanderbilt to handle.
Vanderbilt will likely have their runner-up Heisman trophy winner at quarterback in Diego Pavia. Or will he opt out to get ready for the NFL draft? I have a feeling he will want to play. If he has a good showing against Iowa’s sixth ranked defense then that should be good for his draft stock.
However, I think 6.5 points is too much to pick Vanderbilt. I’m not sure if Iowa can find a way to win this game but I don’t think they lose by seven or more.
Pick: Iowa +6.5
Citrus Bowl: #13 Texas vs. #18 Michigan
Date and Time: Wednesday, December 31st at 3 p.m. EST
Location: Camping World Stadium in Orlando, FL
TV: ABC
Odds: Texas -7.5
I think this could be a blowout. There is so much turmoil surrounding the Michigan football program that I don’t know if there will be much of a showing for the Wolverines. You go from finishing a the season by winning five of six games to now seeing your head coach wearing an orange suit being arraigned in court.
Texas also has some motivation as well to show they are a good team after going 9-3 with one bad loss to Florida but the other two losses were to Ohio State and Georgia.
I would probably take Texas -14.
Pick: Texas -7.5
Las Vegas Bowl: Nebraska vs. #15 Utah
Date and Time: Wednesday, December 31st at 3:30 p.m. EST
Location: Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, NV
TV: ESPN
Odds: Utah -16.5
Utah favored by 16.5 is the biggest line of the Big Ten Bowl season. Now we get to add the fact that Utah’s head coach Kyle Whittingham has announced that this will be his last game.
Great. Awesome.
If Nebraska can slow down the run then they have a chance to keep it close. Apparently there is a whole new crew coaching the defensive line this bowl season and that crew includes the head coach Matt Rhule. Rhule and interim defensive coordinator Phil Snow essentially came out and said missed assignments and effort had more to do with the last two games against Penn State and Iowa than any scheme issues.
So apparently they are focusing on effort for this bowl. Maybe that will be enough to make a difference but I still expect Utah to win the game. But I’m a homer so I’ll take Nebraska and the points.
Pick: Nebraska +16.5
