The clock is ticking down the final 72 hours until New Year’s Day, when college football pairs up the top teams in the nation to settle the final rankings. Known as the New Year’s Six Bowl Games, the Peach, Orange, Cotton, Rose, Sugar, and Fiesta Bowls are filled with programs that have been selected by the College Football Playoff Committee.
This will be the final year of the four-team playoff format. Next year, a twelve-team CFP bracket will be installed, and all New Year’s Six Bowl Games will be a part of the playoffs. The six games will make up the quarterfinals and semifinals, with the CFP National Championship Game being hosted by a neutral NFL stadium.
Betting on College Football bowl games doesn’t have to wait until the day of the game. Often, betting early can be advantageous because it locks in the odds that are offered that day.
NCAAF betting lines tend to shift as wagers are submitted for each team. For instance, if you see a point spread that seems much too large, take action on it because other gamblers may see it the same way. Once too many bets come in for one side or the other, the spread will shift until balance is restored.
Here are the New Year’s 6 Bowl Game betting lines for next Monday that have been posted at Bovada Sportsbook (Bovada LV Review).
Peach Bowl Betting Line
Mississippi Rebels vs. Penn State Nittany Lions
- Spread: Miss +5.0, Penn State -5.0
- Moneyline: Miss +160, Penn State -185
- Over/Under: U48.5
If this matchup doesn’t feel important, it’s because it isn’t. Two 2-loss teams in a January 1 bowl game merely presents an opportunity for a team to avoid a three-loss season. College football betting sites are favoring the Nittany Lions by 5 points. We’re leaning towards the Rebels covering the spread.
Orange Bowl Betting Line
Georgia Bulldogs vs. Florida State Seminoles
- Spread: Georgia -19.5, FSU +19.5
- Moneyline: Georgia -1200, FSU +700
- Over/Under: 44.5
The NCAA and CFP should examine this game and research how to avoid a situation like this in the future. Once the CFP Selection Committee made the erroneous decision to include two one-loss teams over the undefeated ACC Champions, Florida State University was selected to play in a meaningless Orange Bowl game against the Georgia Bulldogs.
Anyone with legit NFL Draft potential for 2024 on the Seminoles roster has opted out of the game, resulting in a lopsided 19.5-point spread in favor of Georgia. If we had to bet on this dud, we’d wager on the Bulldogs covering. We advise avoiding this game from a betting perspective. Shame on you, CFP.
Cotton Bowl Betting Line
Missouri Tigers vs Ohio State Buckeyes
- Spread: Missouri +3.0, OSU -3.0
- Moneyline: Missouri +125, OSU -145
- Over/Under: 49.0
Once again, another two-loss SEC program has been shoe-horned into New Year’s Day against a team that has as much right as Texas to be in the playoffs. Ohio State’s lone loss is to the number one Michigan Wolverines on the final day of the regular season.
Texas lost to the Oklahoma Sooners. How does that equate to a loss to Michigan? It doesn’t. Again, shame on you, CFP Selection Committee.
Fiesta Bowl Betting Line
Liberty Flames vs. Oregon Ducks
- Spread: Liberty +16.5, Oregon -16.5
- Moneyline: Liberty +500, Oregon -750
- Over/Under: 43.5
Liberty ended up going undefeated and capturing the Conference USA Championship. That win has earned them the right to play in the Fiesta Bowl against the Oregon Ducks, who are favored by -16.5.
Sugar Bowl Betting Line
Alabama Crimson Tide vs. Michigan Wolverines
- Spread: ALA +2.0, Michigan -2.0
- Moneyline: ALA -105, Michigan -115
- Over/Under: 44.5
The College Football Playoffs begin in the Sugar Bowl when Michigan and Alabama fight for a chance to go to the National Championship Game. Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh is seeking his first title, and the betting odds suggest they’ll go all the way if they can get beyond the Crimson Tide.
Rose Bowl Betting Line
Texas Longhorns vs. Washington Huskies
- Spread: TX -4.0, WAS +4.0
- Moneyline: TX -175, WAS +150
- Over/Under: 63.0
If we haven’t stated it enough already, the Longhorns have no business in the CFP. The Committee probably assumed that if FSU were elevated to the third-ranked team, they may actually have a shot at beating Washington. The CFP had no interest in that prospect after TCU was trounced in the final game last year.
Good karma necessitates that the Huskies blow out the Longhorns, but the oddsmakers see it differently and have favored Texas by four points.
