COLLEGE FOOTBALL BEST EARLY BETS BOWL WEEK 1

SATURDAY

BUCKLE UP LA BOWL

BOISE STATE VS WASHINGTON (-9, O/U: 53)

Boise State (9-4) won the Mountain West, so as a reward, they get to play the seventh-best team in the Big Ten in the first Bowl of the season two weeks before Christmas. They last played in the Mountain West Championship, beating UNLV 38-21. Maddux Madsen was 17 of 31 for 289 yards, three touchdowns, and no picks in the win. He scrambled four times for 10 yards and a score. Dylan Riley rushed 21 times for 75 yards. Chase Pery caught three passes for 96 yards. The Huskies (8-4) have fallen far since their lofty achievements of just two seasons ago. Now, they’ve earned a trip to the Buckle Up Bowl after falling to Oregon in their last game, 26-14. Demond Williams, Jr. was 15 of 30 for 129 yards, two TD,s and two interceptions in the loss. Adam Mohammed carried the ball 14 times for 105 yards. 

BEST BETS: Boise State +9, Over 53

The Broncos are consistently underestimated in these bowl games, and they consistently show up about once every two to three years. I think this is one of those years, and this spread is like the half dragon, half fairy protagonist of that Romantasy book your wife or girlfriend is secretly reading on their Kindle… too large. 

TUESDAY

SALUTE TO VETERANS BOWL

TROY VS JACKSONVILLE STATE (+3, O/U: 46.5)

It’s the Sun Belt versus Conference USA battle we’ve all had circled since the Bowl list came out. The Trojans (8-5) dropped the Sun Belt Championship, 31-14, to eventual College Football Playoff blowout victim James Madison.  Goose Crowder, a real person, was 15 of 34 for 196 yards, no touchdowns, and no interceptions. RaRa Thomas, who sounds like Scooby Doo, is trying to say his name, caught three passes for 82 yards. Jacksonville State (8-5) fell in a classic defense-heavy, slobber knocker, 19-15, to Kennesaw State. The man with the perfect comic book bad guy secret identity name, Caden Creel, was 12 of 21 for 96 yards, no TDs, and one pick. He rushed 18times for 112 yards and a touchdown. Cam Cook had 19 carries for 78 yards and a score. 35-26.

BEST BETS: Jacksonville State +3, Under 46.5

When these two teams make it interesting, they usually score points. The reason I like the Gamecocks isn’t their last game against Kennesaw State; it’s their previous game with KS, which they won 35-26. In three of Troy’s last five games, they scored 10, zero, and 14 points.

WEDNESDAY

STAFFDNA CURE BOWL

OLD DOMINION VS SOUTH FLORIDA (-6, O/U: 56)

What are we curing in the StaffDNA Cure Bow? Wednesday boredom apparently. Old Dominion (9-3) knocked off Georgia State in its final regular-season game, 27-10. Colton Joseph was 9 of 22 passing for 106 yards, no touchdowns, and an interception in the loss. He added 19 carries for 108 yards and a TD. Devin Roche rushed 21 times for 137 yards and two scores. The Bulls (9-3) obliterated Rice in their last time on the field, 52-3. Byrum Brown was 16 of 24 for 275 yards, four TDs, and no picks. He added 104 yards and a score on 15 carries. Keshaun Singleton caught six balls for 125 yards and two touchdowns. Mudia Reuben hauled in five balls for 90 yards and one TD. 

BEST BETS: South Florida -6.

This one looks like a solid blowout win for South Florida to me. I don’t think the Monarchs have the offense to keep up, so while I’m not picking it as a best bet, the under is probably safe. 

68 VENTURES BOWL 

LOUISIANA VS DELAWARE (+3.5, O/U: 58)

What’s 68 Ventures? No one knows, and, I think, more importantly, no one cares. The Rajun’ Cajuns (6-6) defeated UL Monroe in a shootout to end their 2025 campaign, 30-27 in overtime. Lunch Winfield, again a real person’s name, was 10 of 21 for 83 yards, no touchdowns, and no interceptions in the win. He added 36 yards on the ground. Bill Davis toted the ball 15 times for 126 yards and a TD. He also caught four passes for 33 yards. Delaware (6-6) put a beatdown on UTEP to end their season, 61-31. Skyler Locklear was 22 of 39 for 338 yards for four TDs, and five picks. Wondame Davis, Jr. caught three balls for 112 yards and a TD. Kenny Odom hauled in seven passes for 94 yards and a score. Josh Schuchts had four grabs for 87 yards and a touchdown.

BEST BETS: Over 58

Both these teams can score points against inferior defenses, and I’ve got to tell you, both these teams have inferior defenses. Should be a fun one for 68 Ventures, a company I refuse to learn anything about.

THURSDAY

XBOX BOWL

MISSOURI STATE VS ARKANSAS STATE (+1.5, O/U: 56.5)

The irony of two teams playing in the Xbox Bowl that no one playing NCAA Football 26 on the Xbox would pick as their team is not lost on me. Missouri State (7-5) limps into the game room on a two-game losing streak, falling 42-20 to Louisiana Tech in their last action. Jacob Clark was 17 of 31 for 294 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception in the loss. Shomari Lawrence rushed 13 times for 84 yards and a score. Jeron Aksren caught one 75-yard TD pass. The Red Wolves (6-6) survived their finale against Appalachian State, 30-29. Jaylen Raynor was 32 of 47 for 363 yards, three TD,s and a pick. Kenyon Clay rushed 14 times for 52 yards and a score. Chauncy Cobb caught five passes for 117 yards. Corey Rucker had 10 grabs for 90 yards and two touchdowns.

BEST BETS: Over 56.5

Like the previous bowl, these teams can put up pinball scores against bad defenses and both field subpar D-units. While this wouldn’t be a game you’d play on purpose on your Xbox, it might look like one. 

FRIDAY

MYRTLE BEACH BOWL

KENNESAW STATE VS WESTERN MICHIGAN (-3.5, O/U: 49.5)

Much like the cast of the first Magic Mike movie, the goal was to get to Myrtle Beach, and these two teams made that dream real to the tune of Ginuwine’s Pony. The Owls (10-3) won three straight to end their regular season, taking down Jacksonville State in a surprising defensive struggle, 19-15. Amari Odom was 16 of 32 for 246 yards, one touchdown, and no interceptions in the win. Coleman Bennett rushed 17 times for 82 yards and a TD. Christian Moss caught five passes for 75 yards. Western Michigan (9-4) too comes in on a heater, winning five straight and knocking off Miami (OH) at the end, 23-13. Broc Lowry, the name of the protagonist in your wife or girlfriend’s smutty Hockey novel (this has been a very literary picks article) was 8 of 13 for 111 yards, no TDs, and no picks in the win. He added 23 carries for 65 yards. Jalen Buckley rushed 19 times for 193 yards and two scores. 

BEST BETS: Over 49.5

I’m loving these totals in these throw-away bowls. The fact that both these teams played in relatively low-scoring season-enders seems to have lulled everyone to sleep. It’s time to wake up.

UNION HOME MORTGAGE GASPARILLA BOWL

MEMPHIS VS NC STATE (-6, O/U: 58.5)

At one point, Memphis (8-4) was rolling and was even in the College Football Playoff rankings. Since then, they’ve lost three straight, including an embarrassing defeat at the hands of Navy, 28-17. Brendon Lewis was 19 of 36 for 172 yards, two touchdowns, and a pick in the loss. He added 10 carries for 36 yards. Cortez Braham, Jr. caught four passes for 65 yards and a TD. The Wolfpack (7-5) put a solid beating on Jordon Hudson’s boyfriend’s team, North Carolina, 42-19, to wrap up the regular season. CJ Bailey was 21 of 30 for 201 yards, two TDs, and no interceptions in the victory. He added eight rushes for 65 yards. Wesley Grimes had five receptions for 61 yards and a score.

BEST BETS: Over 58.5

The only teams that have slowed NC State down over the last two months are Miami, which is in the CF Playoff, and Notre Dame, which whined about missing the playoff, cried, and took their ball home because they were afraid of getting beaten by the Stormin’ Mormons of BYU. Memphis, even in its losing streak, has scored 27 or more twice and still managed 17 against Navy. It should be another fun game to set the stage for the College Football Playoff beginning this same day.

Follow Adam Greene on Blue Sky @AdamGreene13, threads @adam.greene and Twitter @TheFirstMan