By Larry Rupp
The highly anticipated college football bowl season is finally here, and there are games almost every day until the national championship game on Jan. 10. But it’s fair to say certain matchups rise above the rest.
The New Year’s Six is a commonly used term to describe the top bowl games in any given season, and includes games played on or around New Year’s Day. It includes the two college football playoff semifinals as well as four marquee matchups between teams that are ranked within the top 15.
With that in mind, here are three bets to target when focusing on the New Year’s Six bowls, with all odds according to DraftKings Sportsbook.
Moneyline Bet: Ole Miss Rebels (-110) in the Sugar Bowl
#CFBPlayoff 𝐍𝐄𝐖 𝐘𝐄𝐀𝐑'𝐒 𝐒𝐈𝐗
— Southeastern Conference (@SEC) December 5, 2021
8️⃣ @OleMissFB 🆚 Baylor
📍 @SugarBowlNola pic.twitter.com/HY35du9tlS
The No. 8 Ole Miss Rebels take on the No. 6 Baylor Bears in the 2021 Allstate Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1. Both teams enter this matchup on hot streaks: Baylor knocked off Oklahoma State to win the Big 12 Championship, and Ole Miss won its last four games to finish 10-2 in the tough SEC.
The oddsmakers have made this game a pure pick ‘em. Each team has odds set at -110 on the moneyline, yet all signs point to the Rebels coming out on top. Baylor has not played an offense that can light up the scoreboard as much as coach Lane Kiffin’s squad can. Ole Miss has scored at least 27 points in every game this season and has put up at least 50 three different times.
Baylor thrives on taking advantage of takeaways on defense. That will be hard to do against an Ole Miss squad that has turned the ball over just nine times all season. Throw in the fact that they are 6-1-1 against the spread (ATS) in their last eight bowl games, and the Rebels look like a steal at this price.
Spread Bet: Ohio State Buckeyes -6.5 (-115) in the Rose Bowl
The 108th #RoseBowl Game will feature No. 6 @OhioStateFB vs. No. 11 @Utah_Football!#GoBucks #GoUtes pic.twitter.com/DCgVo4YplK
— Rose Bowl Game (@rosebowlgame) December 5, 2021
The Rose Bowl pits the No. 10 Utah Utes against the No. 7 Ohio State Buckeyes and will kick off on Jan. 1. Utah is on a mission to prove that they truly belong on the big stage after constantly being underestimated in the weak Pac-12. On the other side, Ohio State will look to end the year on a high note after just barely missing the College Football Playoff.
Grabbing the Buckeyes at anything under a touchdown seems too good to pass up here. Ohio State has won by at least a touchdown in five of their last six bowl victories. This game has shootout written all over it with a point total set at 67 points, and coach Ryan Day’s squad averages the most points per game in the country (45.5). It’s always best to target the offense that is not afraid to keep its foot on the pedal.
Buckeyes’ quarterback CJ Stroud finished fourth in the Heisman Trophy voting and has an arsenal full of offensive weapons in front of him. Look for the dangerous wide receiver duo of Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave to wreak havoc on the Utes’ secondary, especially late in the game.
Total Bet: Pittsburgh/Michigan State Under 57 (-105) in the Peach Bowl
𝐖𝐄'𝐕𝐄 𝐆𝐎𝐓 𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐓𝐄𝐀𝐌𝐒 🙌
— Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl (@CFAPeachBowl) December 5, 2021
#12 @Pitt_FB vs #10 @MSU_Football 🏈#CFAPeachBowl pic.twitter.com/zr5OU5neqJ
Two of the most surprising teams in college football meet in the 2021 Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl, as the No. 13 Pittsburgh Panthers take on the No. 11 Michigan State Spartans on Dec. 30. It’s easy to see two teams averaging more than 31 points per game and think that the over is a lock. However, the biggest story here lies in who will actually be on the field.
Each team will be missing its best offensive player as both quarterback Kenny Pickett and running back Kenneth Walker have decided to skip the game in advance of the upcoming 2022 NFL Draft. The likelihood of each of these teams scoring in the high 20s drops much lower because of that. After all, the Panthers and Spartans own two of the most underrated defenses in all of college football. They have combined to give up just 24.4 points per game despite facing difficult competition.
Look for both offenses to get off to a slow start in this one as each unit attempts to gel together without their respective star. The lack of scoring in the first half will lead to the under 57 cashing here with ease.
Picture Credit: Flickr
