New Year's Six Predictions: Picks & Odds for College Football's Biggest Bowl Games

Fans gather outside of the stadium prior to the 2023 Rose Bowl Game as we make our New Year's Six predictions — Fans gather outside of the stadium prior to the 2026 Rose Bowl Game between the Penn State Nittany Lions and the Utah Utes at Rose Bowl Stadium on January 02, 2026 in Pasadena, California. Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images via AFP.

Our experts have compiled their top picks for the New Year’s Six games, featuring the best college football odds for the most exciting weekend of the season.

Throughout December, we have been monitoring the odds for college bowl games. The culmination of bowl season will be the six biggest games of the NCAAF season, spread out over three days this weekend. Our team of betting experts has compiled their top predictions and picks for the New Year’s Six games in college football.

The marquee six-game slate began with Ohio State and Missouri on Friday, with the College Football Playoff matchups between Michigan and Alabama, as well as Washington and Texas, set to conclude the action on New Year’s Day. The championship odds for college football will be set late on Monday night.

Predictions for the New Year’s Six games in 2026-24

Liberty will face off against Oregon in the Fiesta Bowl on January 1st at 1 p.m. ET.

Prediction for Liberty vs. Oregon: Oregon is favored by 16.5 points (-110 odds on bet365) with a 4-star rating.

As of now, there are no betting options for Oregon QB Bo Nix. However, we anticipate that his passing yards and passing touchdowns props will be set at a high level, especially given that Oregon’s Over 42.5 is priced at -110. With this in mind, we suggest betting on the Ducks to cover the spread.

The Flames have been impressive, scoring an average of 40.8 points per game, but they have yet to encounter a defense as strong as Oregon’s. Despite some key players opting out, the Ducks are expected to easily handle Liberty QB Kaidon Salter and secure a victory by nearly four touchdowns. This prediction comes from Green Finnian.

The Rose Bowl matchup between Alabama and Michigan is scheduled to take place on January 1st at 5 p.m. Eastern Time.

Prediction for Alabama vs. Michigan: Alabama is favored by 1.5 points with -105 odds on FanDuel, receiving a five-star rating.

We need to discuss the obvious issue at hand: Alabama is improving, but Michigan has not been performing at the same level since analyst Connor Stalions, who was linked to the sign-stealing scandal, resigned. It is unclear whether this drop in performance is due to the scandal or the negative impact it has had on the team, but the results are evident.

Ignoring Harbaugh’s track record in bowl games is difficult. Michigan has only won one out of its last 10 ATS bowl games, while Alabama, led by Nick Saban, has won at least one postseason game for eight consecutive years and 12 out of the last 14. Additionally, Alabama has an impressive 13-2 ATS record in its last 15 games with extended preparation time.

Alabama has navigated through one of the most challenging schedules in the nation and boasts the most skilled team in the country, led by a standout quarterback who is now performing at an elite level. Additionally, the team has not been considered an underdog against a non-SEC opponent in 15 years.

So far, I have only given one bowl game bet a five-star rating: West Virginia -6.5 versus North Carolina (WVU won by 20). I believe this bet also deserves a five-star endorsement. This seems like a great value opportunity on the Crimson Tide, and I will definitely be capitalizing on it. – Selection made by Morgan Xaviero.

Sugar Bowl on January 1st at 8:45 p.m. ET: Texas vs. Washington

Prediction for Texas vs. Washington: Washington +4.5 (-115 on FanDuel) with a four-star rating.

The Longhorns’ defensive line, led by Byron Murphy and T’Vondre Sweat, is considered the strongest unit on the field. With their potential as future pros, they are expected to make significant plays during the game. If Texas emerges victorious in this matchup, one of them is likely to be instrumental in their success.

However, the Washington offensive line has become one of the top units in the country, excelling in both pass protection and the run game. This has been instrumental in freeing up their leading rusher, Dillon Johnson, who accumulated 1,113 yards and 14 touchdowns, averaging 136.6 yards per game in his final five games.

While Sarkisian deserves credit for Texas’ improvement, facing a DeBoer-coached team with a month to prepare is intimidating. I see value in betting on the moneyline (+158 at bet365) and taking the spread of +4.5 at FanDuel. – Prediction by Morgan Xaviero.

On December 29 at 8 p.m. ET, Missouri will face off against Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl.

Prediction for Missouri vs. Ohio State: Missouri will cover the spread with a +2 point advantage, with odds of -110 available through bet365.

The Buckeyes’ defense is expected to be at full capacity, posing a daunting challenge for their opponents. Despite ranking second in scoring and fourth in EPA/play, Ohio State will face a Missouri offense that is not far behind, ranking 17th in EPA/play and excelling in creating big plays while minimizing errors.

Ryan Day’s team may have more overall talent, even with some players opting out, but Eliah Drinkwitz’s team showed they can compete with top teams like Georgia and LSU. They also won their other 10 games by an average of 15 points. I’m betting on the team with more experience, continuity, and motivation to come out on top. This pick is made by Morgan Xaviero.

The Peach Bowl matchup between Ole Miss and Penn State is scheduled for December 30th at noon Eastern Time.

Prediction for Ole Miss vs. Penn State: Total points scored will be under 48.5, with odds of -110 on FanDuel.

Despite the success of QB Jaxson Dart and the Rebels’ offense, they have only faced one top-10 scoring defense this season. In that matchup, they were limited to 17 points against the Georgia Bulldogs. The second toughest defense they played was the Alabama Crimson Tide, where they managed to score only 10 points.

Green Finnian believes that despite the high-scoring potential of both offenses, the defenses in this matchup are superior. Oddsmakers are hesitant to increase the point total, suggesting that they anticipate a low-scoring game.

The Orange Bowl matchup between Georgia and Florida State will take place on December 30th at 4 p.m. Eastern Time.

Prediction for Georgia vs. Florida State: Florida State team total predicted to be under 12.5 points, with odds of -105 on DraftKings.

I am avoiding getting involved in the point spread, which started at Georgia -14 and has gone as high as -20 on our top sports betting sites. However, the Seminoles have lost too many key players from their once dominant defense for me to feel confident in betting the full game Under.

Instead of focusing on the depleted Florida State offense, I prefer to target their defense, which is still considered one of the most formidable in college football, even though it may not be as dominant as it has been in the past.

I am cautious of a potential backdoor cover in any bowl game where both teams may have questionable motivations, and this game is no exception. Therefore, I am giving this a three-star rating.

If Georgia’s defense approaches this game with even a bit of seriousness, it wouldn’t be surprising to see QB Brock Glenn and his team score less than 7.5 points. This pick was recommended by Morgan Xaviero and is available at +195 odds on DraftKings.

Editor’s note: Prepare for the debut of sports betting in Vermont with our top Vermont sportsbook promotions, and don’t forget to download the finest Vermont sports betting apps! Must be 21+ and located in VT. If you have a gambling problem, please call 1-800-GAMBLER.

These are our top recommended college football betting sites.

Use the Caesars promo code SBRBONUS1000 and check out our Caesars review.
Use the BetMGM Bonus Code SBRBONUS and check out our BetMGM Review.
Use the bet365 Bonus Code SBRBONUS and check out our bet365 Review.
BetRivers Promo Code: SBRBONUS | Check out our BetRivers Review
Check out our FanDuel Review and use our exclusive FanDuel Promo Code
Get the DraftKings Promo Code and check out our DraftKings Review.

21 or older. If you have a gambling problem, please call 1-800-GAMBLER. Bonuses cannot be used in Ontario.

Top Sports Betting Websites | Top Bonus Offers (United States only)

Written By:
Evans Santiago

Esten is the Senior Publishing Editor for UnderscoregReview.com. He has been in the sports betting industry since the legalization of mobile sports betting in New Jersey, and with UnderscoregReview prior to the launch of sports betting in Ontario. Esten’s previous stops include the USA TODAY network, including GolfWeek. He previously worked in the fantasy sports industry, with FNTSY Sports Network, theScore, and USA TODAY. Esten graduated from the College of Sports Media with a diploma in Radio and Television Sports Broadcasting after acquiring a degree in Biological Sciences from the University of Guelph. He has appeared on FNTSY Sports Network, VSiN, and VSiN’s Long Shots podcast, where he correctly called Will Zalatoris as the winner of the 2026 FedEx St. Jude Championship. Esten is a big proponent of the entertainment side of sports betting and loves to dip his toes into the novelty and alt-markets while chasing long shots with reduced wagers on golf outrights and futures markets. He’s also been known to sprinkle some lunch money on touchdown-scorer parlays with two notable hits still funding his bankroll. Esten looks at sports betting much like golf and advises beginner bettors to compete against themselves rather than being concerned with what others may or may not be doing based on social media claims.