College Football Bowl Predictions 2015-2016: Early Las Vegas Betting Odds And Picks Against The Spread

With the 2015-2016 college football regular season in the books, 80 of the 128 FBS teams have earned a chance to play another game. Forty bowl games are on the upcoming schedule, not including the national championship game that will be played between the winners of the Orange Bowl and the Cotton Bowl.

The first bowl game is set for Dec. 19, and the final day of games before the national title game is Jan. 2. Eight games are scheduled for New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, all of which feature two ranked teams.

Most of the games are expected to be competitive, and 15 contests feature a betting line of three points or less. But a few bowl games appear to be mismatches with eight teams favored by at least eight points.

Below are the complete betting lines for every bowl game, as well as early predictions against the spread. All point spreads and over/unders are courtesy of vegasinsider.com.

New Mexico Bowl: Arizona (-10) vs. New Mexico, 63

The Lobos have a chance to pull off the upset while essentially playing a home game. Arizona is banged up and they won’t have an easy time putting this game away.

Prediction ATS: New Mexico

Las Vegas Bowl: BYU (+2.5) vs. No.22 Utah, 54

The Utes have lost two of their last three games, and an injury has sidelined their starting running back and top playmaker, Devontae Booker. Utah’s offense hasn’t been the same since Booker went down, giving BYU a chance to steal a win.

Prediction ATS: BYU

Camellia Bowl: Ohio (+8) vs. Appalachian State, 55

Appalachian State was largely dominant against a weak schedule, ranking 13th in scoring defense and 19th in scoring offense. They’re on a three-game winning streak, while Ohio has been blown out by three teams outside of the Power Five conferences, and the Bobcats could lose big in their bowl game.

Prediction ATS: Appalachian State

Cure Bowl: San Jose State (-3.5) vs. Georgia State, 57

Georgia State ranks 73rd in yards allowed per carry, giving San Jose State star running back Tyler Ervin a chance to have a big day on the ground. Georgia State’s No.8 passing offense won’t have as much success as it usually does when it faces the nation’s No.2 pass defense.

Prediction ATS: San Jose State

New Orleans Bowl: Arkansas State (+1.5) vs. Louisiana Tech, 67

Arkansas State is on a roll, having won eight straight games and failing to score less than 40 points in just one of those contests. Louisiana Tech should be able to move the ball, but they could have difficulty keeping up with the Red Wolves.

Prediction ATS: Arkansas State

Miami Beach Bowl: Western Kentucky (-3) vs. South Florida, 66

The Bulls have been terrific since their 1-3 start, only losing to Navy. Playing in what might feel close to a home game in Miami, red-hot South Florida could upset Western Kentucky and their high-powered offense. The Hilltoppers are scoring 23 points per game against Power Five opponents, and 50.6 points per game against everyone else on their schedule.

Prediction ATS: South Florida

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl: Akron (+6.5) vs. Utah State, 48.5

Akron is on a four-game winning streak, but their offense has been abysmal at times. Utah State has had a few offensive explosions this season, and the Zips won’t be able to keep up if the Aggies’ offense is clicking.

Prediction ATS: Utah State

Boca Raton Bowl: Temple (-1) vs. Toledo, 53

Temple has lost three of their last six games after a 7-0 start, but they are still the better team in this game. They nearly beat Notre Dame and are coming off a loss to a good Houston team. The Owls should rebound with a strong defensive performance against Toledo.

Prediction ATS: Temple

Poinsettia Bowl: Boise State (-8.5) vs. Northern Illinois, 55

Boise State is looking to end a largely disappointing season on a high note, and they are in a good position to do so. The Broncos can score a lot of points, and Northern Illinois’ offense hasn’t been the same since quarterback Drew Hare went down for the season with an injury.

Prediction ATS: Boise State

GoDaddy Bowl: Georgia Southern (+7) vs. Bowling Green, 66

Bowling Green had a good regular season, but it’s hard to pick them with head coach Dino Babers heading to Syracuse and not coaching the bowl game. Georgia Southern will be very motivated to win their first bowl appearance and bounce back from a bad loss against rival Georgia State.

Prediction ATS: Georgia Southern

Bahamas Bowl: Middle Tennessee (+3) vs. Western Michigan, 60.5

With Corey Davis and Daniel Braverman becoming the first pair of Western Michigan receivers to total more than 1,100 yards in the same season, the Broncos should torch Middle Tennessee’s No.91 ranked pass defense.

Prediction ATS: Western Michigan

Hawaii Bowl: San Diego State (+1.5) vs. Cincinnati, 58

San Diego State hasn’t lost since Sept. 26, and they have a good chance to continue their winning streak in Hawaii. Their strength, the nation’s No.15 ranked rushing offense, should have plenty of success against Cincinnati‘s greatest weakness, the Bearcats’ rushing defense. Cincinnati ranks 106th in yards allowed per carry, something they won’t be able to overcome in their bowl game.

Prediction ATS: San Diego State

St. Petersburg Bowl: Connecticut (+4.5) vs. Marshall, 43

UConn has scored 13 points or less in three of their last five games, and they’ll have trouble moving the ball against the country’s No.14 scoring defense.

Prediction ATS: Marshall

Sun Bowl: Miami (+2.5) vs. Washington State, 63

Washington State had won six of their last seven games before quarterback Luke Faulk got injured, and their one loss came against Stanford, who nearly earned a College Football Playoff berth. The quarterback should be good to go against Miami, giving the Cougars the edge.

Prediction ATS: Washington State

Heart of Dallas Bowl: Washington (-8.5) vs. Southern Mississippi, 56.5

With the Pac-12’s best defense, Washington should be able to limit quarterback Nick Mullens, who threw for 36 touchdown passes this season. The Huskies are tied for 21st in the nation with 15 interceptions, and they can take advantage of a few mistakes by Mullens and potentially win big.

Prediction ATS: Washington

Pinstripe Bowl: Indiana (-2.5) vs. Duke, 66

Both teams struggled down the stretch. Indiana was only able to break their six-game losing streak after facing two of the worst teams in the Power Five conferences, and Duke had a four-game losing streak before they beat one of the ACC’s worst teams. But the Hoosiers lost to two of the nation’s best teams by only one score, and they’ve played much better over their last four games.

Prediction ATS: Indiana

Independence Bowl: Tulsa (+13.5) vs. Virginia Tech, 60.5

This could be one of the most one-sided games on the bowl schedule. The Hokies won’t lose in Frank Beamer’s last game as the team’s head coach, and all of Tulsa’s six losses have come by at least 13 points.

Prediction ATS: Virginia Tech

Foster Farms Bowl: UCLA (-6.5) vs. Nebraska, 60

The Cornhuskers don’t deserve to be in a bowl game with a 5-7 record, but they are being underestimated because of that. Nebraska has played well in big games, barely losing to Iowa, Northwestern and Wisconsin, while upsetting Michigan State. UCLA was blown out in the de facto Pac-12 South title game, and they could be upset in their final game of 2015.

Prediction ATS: Nebraska

Military Bowl: Pittsburgh (+4) vs. No.21 Navy, 56

Navy is the better team, and they won’t have as long of a lay off as Pittsburgh because of the Army-Navy game. Pittsburgh will have trouble winning on Navy’s home field, and they are 0-3 against teams currently ranked in the final College Football Playoff Rankings.

Prediction ATS: Navy

Quick Lane Bowl: Central Michigan (+5.5) vs. Minnesota, 49

Central Michigan nearly came back from a 35-point deficit to win their bowl game last season, and they have a good chance to win this year. They’ll be playing in their home state, pitting the nation’s No.21 defense against Minnesota’s offense, which ranks just 105th in the country.

Prediction ATS: Central Michigan

Armed Forces Bowl: California (-7) vs. Air Force, 63

With so much time to get ready for Air Force’s triple-option, California will be well prepared for the nation’s No.3 rushing attack. The Golden Bears should be able to limit it enough, allowing quarterback Jared Goff and the California offense to score enough points to win and cover the spread.

Prediction ATS; California

Russell Athletic Bowl: No.10 North Carolina (+3) vs. No.17 Baylor

Baylor has the nation’s No.1 offense, but injuries at the quarterback position led to struggles at the end of the season. The status of quarterback Jarrett Stidham is uncertain, and even if he does play, North Carolina can upset the Bears, who have scored just 31 total points in regulation in their last two games.

Prediction ATS: North Carolina

Arizona Bowl: Nevada (+3) vs. Colorado State, 54

It’s a matchup of two teams from the Mountain West. Colorado State is the better team, ranking higher both defensively and offensively.

Prediction ATS: Colorado State

Texas Bowl: LSU (-7) vs. Texas Tech, 73

Texas Tech allowed 405 rushing yards in their worst loss this season, and they could easily surrender more than 200 yards to Leonard Fournette. The Red Raiders will score their share of points, but it could be difficult for them to keep it within a touchdown.

Prediction ATS: LSU

Birmingham Bowl: Auburn (-2.5) vs. Memphis, 63.5

Auburn fell wildly short of expectations this season, failing to rank in the top 84 in total offense or defense. Memphis will win if Paxton Lynch has a big game, and the quarterback should find success against the nation’s No.76 pass defense.

Prediction ATS: Memphis

Belk Bowl: NC State (+5.5) vs. Mississippi State, 59

Dak Prescott is averaging 343 passing yards in his last six games, and he continues to take care of the football with just four interceptions on the season. That might be too much for NC State to handle, and the Wolfpack will need a few big plays from quarterback Jacoby Brissett.

Prediction ATS: Mississippi State

Music City Bowl: Texas A&M (-2.5) vs. Louisville, 48

Louisville has won five of their last six games, and they’ve played very well defensively during that stretch, aside from their loss to Pittsburgh. Texas A&M quarterback Kyle Allen has been inconsistent this season, and the Cardinals might force him to make a few key mistakes that will be the difference in the game.

Prediction ATS: Louisville

Holiday Bowl: No.25 USC (-3) vs. Wisconsin, 51.5

USC has played well in the second half of the season, losing to only top-15 opponents and getting impressive wins against UCLA and Utah. Wisconsin hasn’t beaten any ranked opponents they’ve faced, and their offense won’t be good enough to top Cody Kessler and the Trojans.

Prediction ATS: USC

Peach Bowl: No.18 Houston (+7) vs. No.9 Florida State, 53

Houston might not beat Florida State, but this betting line is too high, considering how good the Cougars have been this season. They are a three-point loss away from being undefeated, and they have quality wins against Navy and Temple.

Prediction ATS: Houston

Orange Bowl- CFP Semifinal: No.4 Oklahoma (-3.5) vs. No.1 Clemson, 65.5

The ACC might not be the best conference in college football, but Clemson has met every challenge thrown their way, beating three top-10 teams. Even though the Tigers haven’t lost, they won’t feel any added pressure of having to stay unbeaten because they are underdogs. Led by the best quarterback in the nation, Clemson should be headed to the national title game.

Prediction ATS: Clemson

Cotton Bowl- CFP Semifinal: No.3 Michigan State (+9.5) vs. No.2 Alabama, 47

The Crimson Tide might be the best team in college football, but they are giving the Spartans too many points. With a terrific defense and one of the country’s best quarterbacks, Michigan State should keep this close until the end. The Spartans rank seventh against the run, giving them a chance to limit Derrick Henry at least somewhat and remain competitive.

Prediction ATS: Michigan State

Outback Bowl: Northwestern (+9) vs. Tennessee, 45

Tennessee finished the season strong as they got healthy, but they have a five-game winning streak against weak competition. Northwestern is ranked 10 spots higher in the CFP Poll for a reason, and their No.7 scoring defense gives them a good chance to not only cover the spread, but win outright.

Prediction ATS: Northwestern

Citrus Bowl: No.14 Michigan (-4) vs. No.19 Florida, 41

The Gators’ offense has been hard to watch with Treon Harris at the helm, especially in the last few weeks. Michigan's loss to Ohio State was a blip on the radar, and their No.4 ranked defense should return to the field with a vengeance.

Prediction ATS: Michigan

Fiesta Bowl: No.8 Notre Dame (+6.5) vs. No.7 Ohio State, 53.5

Notre Dame has done a decent job against a few top running backs this season, and they could do a better job against Ezekiel Elliott than most have in 2015. Ohio State might pull out the win, but DeShone Kizer and the Fighting Irish have a chance to upset the preseason No.1 team.

Prediction ATS: Notre Dame

Rose Bowl: No.6 Stanford (-6.5) vs. No.5 Iowa, 55.5

Even though they came up short in the Big Ten Championship Game, Iowa proved the naysayers wrong by nearly defeating Michigan State. Allowing just 18.5 points per game, the Hawkeyes have a chance to neutralize Stanford’s high-powered offense and possibly steal a victory.

Prediction ATS: Iowa

Sugar Bowl: No.16 Oklahoma State (+7) vs. No.12 Ole Miss, 68.5

Oklahoma State won their first 10 games, but they’ve lost two straight contests handily against top-17 opponents. Ole Miss’ offense could have a field day against the Cowboys, who have surrendered at least 45 points in three of their last five games.

Prediction ATS: Ole Miss

TaxSlayer Bowl: Penn State (+6.5) vs. Georgia, 43

The Nittany Lions suffered their five losses against four top-20 teams and Temple, but they’ve taken care of business against the rest of their schedule. Georgia’s offense could struggle against Penn State, having failed to reach the 30-point mark in their last six games.

Prediction ATS: Penn State

Liberty Bowl: Kansas State (+11) vs. Arkansas, 62.5

Kansas State was lucky to make a bowl game after having a six-game losing streak, and Arkansas is better than every team the Wildcats have beaten in their current three-game winning streak. The Razorbacks can put up points in a hurry, and this game could be over by the end of the third quarter.

Prediction ATS: Arkansas

Alamo Bowl: Oregon (PK) vs. TCU, 73.5

The Ducks have won six games in a row, but that might not mean as much when they play for the first time in over a month. TCU could get star wide receiver Josh Doctson back from injury, and the Horned Frogs will show why they were once considered to be a top national title contender.

Prediction ATS: TCU

Cactus Bowl: West Virginia (+1) vs. Arizona State, 65

It’s basically a home game for Arizona State. Their No.25th-ranked offense will find ways to score against West Virginia, who has allowed nearly 41 points per game in their five losses.

Prediction ATS: Arizona State