College Football Playoff and bowl game first quick-thought predictions. early lines, and analysis before starting the deep dive into the matchups.
College Football Playoff, Bowl Game First Thought Predictions, Analysis
The real work and deep dives into all of the bowl games are coming over the next few weeks. With the matchups just released, here’s the first-thought, off-the-top-of-the-head, knee-jerk reactions, predictions, and analysis.
This can and will all change with opt-outs, injury updates, coaching changes, and all the other parts of the fun. But we’re here. It’s bowl game time.
Always go with your first answer.
Before yelling at me too much, how did I do last season with this in the same sort of sleep-deprived, unsound-mind-and-body state? 26-11, but I horribly whiffed on the national championship call.
I picked Georgia to beat Alabama 34-17. Georgia beat Alabama 33-18. I’ll try to do better this year.
Happy bowl season everyone.
All times Eastern
HomeTown Lenders Bahamas Bowl
UAB vs Miami University
Friday, December 16, 2022
11:30 am, ESPN
No Research Instant Analysis: I’m actually likely going to love the Blazers more than I probably should. Trent Dilfer isn’t starting his coaching debut yet, Miami University has a sound team, and the Bahamas Bowl always seems to go against conventional wisdom. The Blazers can score and the RedHawks struggle to put points on the board.
No Research Bowl Prediction: UAB 27, Miami University 20
Early Bowl Line Guess: UAB -10.5
Actual Line: UAB -10.5
Duluth Trading Cure Bowl
Troy vs UTSA
Friday, December 16, 2022
3:00, ESPN
No Research Instant Analysis: This NEVER works like it’s supposed to. Two conference champions should put on a great show, especially if the Troy offense rolls like it did at the end of the season on the way to the Sun Belt title. UTSA games are always high-flying, but the Troy D might keep this from being a back-and-forth blast.
No Research Bowl Prediction: UTSA 34, Troy 30
Early Bowl Line Guess: UTSA -2.5
Actual Line: Troy -2.5
2022-2023 Bowl First Thought Analysis
Bahamas: UAB-MU | Cure: UTSA-Troy
Fenway: UC-UofL | Celeb: JSU-NC Central
New Mexico: SMU-BYU | LA: Wazzu-Fresno
LendingTree: Rice-USM | Vegas: UF-Oregon St
Frisco: UNT-Boise | Myrtle: Marshall-UConn
Potato: EMU-SJSU | Boca: Libery-Toledo
NO: WKU-USA | Armed Forces: AF-Baylor
Ind: La-Houston | Gasparilla: WF-Missouri
Hawaii: SDSU-MT | Quick: NMSU-BGSU
Camellia: GaSo-UB | 1st Resp: Memphis-USU
Birm: Coastal-ECU | GuarRate: Wisc-Ok St
Military: UCF-Duke | Libery: KU-Arkansas
Holiday: Oregon-UNC | Texas: TTech-Ole Miss
Pinstripe: Minn-Syr | Cheez-It: FSU-OU
Alamo: Texas-UW | Mayo: MD-NC St
Sun: UCLA-Pitt | Gator: ND-USC
Arizona: Ohio-Wyoming | Music: Iowa-UK
ReliaQuest: Ill-Miss St | Citrus: LSU-Purdue
Orange: Tenn-Clemson | Sugar: Bama-K-State
Cotton: USC-Tulane | Rose: Penn St-Utah
CFP Fiesta: UM-TCU CFP Peach: UGA-OSU
CFP Nat’l Champ | Bowl Schedule, Game Times
