Final Bowl Week betting primer
Ole Miss takes on Baylor. Ohio State is set to battle Utah. Michigan State will play Pitt. We have quite the final week of bowl games and Nick Bromberg has your best bets to wrap up 2021.
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Video transcript
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NICK BROMBERG: Welcome to "Yahoo Sportsbook Daily." It is Wednesday, December 29, 2021, and I am your betting guide, Nick Bromberg, here to take you in to 2022 with a bunch of college bowl games. Let's get started.
Today, we have the Cheez-It Bowl and the Alamo Bowl. Let's get started with the Cheez-It Bowl. Clemson and Iowa State-- you could have told me this would be a New Year Six Bowl game at the beginning of the year, and I would have believed you. Clemson favored by 1 and 1/2 points. The total here just 44.5 70% of the bets, 60% of the money is on Clemson. Tigers just 4 and 8 against the spread this year-- 4 overs, 7 unders, and a push. Iowa State is 5 and 7 against the spread and split 6 and 6 overs and unders.
Iowa State running back Breece Hall not going to play in the Cheez-It Bowl. He is heading to the NFL draft. Clemson, meanwhile, without offensive coordinator Tony Elliott-- he's the new coach at Virginia-- and defensive coordinator Brent Venables. He's the new coach at Oklahoma. I think this game goes over 44.5 even without Hall and Tony Elliott.
In the Alamo Bowl, we've got a tantalizing match-up on paper, Oregon and Oklahoma. It may not turn out to be like that on the field. Sooners favored by 6.5 points. Total here-- 60.5. 85% of the bets, 60% of the money is on Oklahoma. Oregon-- 5 and 8 against the spread, 6 overs, 7 unders. Oklahoma-- 5, 6 and 1 against the spread, 7 overs and 5 unders. Oregon is missing a ton of players for this game, including potential number-one pick Kayvon Thibodeaux. Oklahoma missing a few players as well, but not nearly as many as the Ducks. Give me the Sooners minus 6.5 points.
On Thursday, got a fun Music City Bowl match-up here, Tennessee and Purdue. Vols favored by 6. Total here-- 64.5 points. Tennessee is getting a bunch of the money, 80% of the bets and the money. Vols 5 and 7 against the spread, 9 overs and 3 unders. Purdue 7 and 5 against the spread. Flip-flop that, pretty much, on the total. Just four overs, eight unders this year. Boilermakers without star wide receiver David Bell or star defensive end George Karlaftis. Give me the under 64.5 points here.
And in the Peach Bowl, the greatest argument for playoff expansion on Thursday night, Michigan State and Pitt. Michigan State favored by 2 and 1/2 points. Total here-- 55.5. If this was an expanded playoff game, we would get to see Kenneth Walker III and Kenny Pickett. Instead, they are both understandably prepping for the NFL draft. 70% of the bets and 80% of the money here is on Michigan State. With both star players out of this game, I don't think tendencies mean much here. I'm going to go under 55.5 with Pitt breaking in a new quarterback and Michigan State needing to find somebody to tote the rock that's not named Walker.
On Saturday, we've got the Outback Bowl, Arkansas and Penn State. The Hogs favored by a point and a half. The total here is just 48. 70% of the bets and 90% of the money is on the Hogs. Penn State without star wide receiver Jahan Dotson and three key defensive players-- Brandon Smith, Ellis Brooks, and Jaquan Brisker. They have all opted out to prep for the draft. Nittany Lions-- 7 and 5 against the spread, just 3 overs this year. Arkansas-- 7, 4, and 1 against the spread, 7 overs, 5 unders. Give me the Hogs minus 1 and 1/2 points.
The Fiesta Bowl-- Notre Dame and Oklahoma State. Total here-- 45.5. The Fighting Irish favored by 2.5 in Marcus Freeman's first game as head coach. Oklahoma State-- 9, 3, and 1 against the spread. Just 4 overs, 8 hunters, and a push. Notre Dame-- 9 and 3 against the spread, split evenly over and under this year at 6 and 6. 70% of the bets, 90% of the money is on the Irish, who are missing Kyle Hamilton and Kyren Williams in this game. I like the under 45.5.
We're going to keep the under theme going here in the Citrus Bowl. Kentucky and Iowa are going to be a slow-paced, running-the-football type of game. Wildcats favored here by 3. Total is lower at 44.5 points. Iowa running back Tyler Goodson is not playing. He's heading to the NFL. 60% of the bets, 80% of the money on the Wildcats. Iowa-- 7 and 6 against the spread with 6 overs and 7 unders. Kentucky-- 8 and 4 against the spread this year, 8 overs, 4 unders. I'm going with a fifth Kentucky under, under 44.5 points. I think the first team to 20 wins this football game.
And two New Year's Six bowls. Ohio State and Utah in the Rose Bowl. Buckeyes are favored by 4.5 points here. Total is 64. They're getting 60% of the bets and the money. Ohio State-- 6, 5, and 1 against the spread this year, 7 overs, 5 unders. Utah-- 6 and 7 against the spread this year, 8 overs, 5 unders. Remember, Ohio State without star wide receivers Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave. Also, defensive lineman Haskell Garrett is not playing in this one. Give me Utah plus 4.5. I also would not be surprised to see the Utes win this game straight up.
And in the New Year's nightcap, the Sugar Bowl. It's Baylor and Ole Miss. Ole Miss favored by 1 in this game. Total here is 55. 75% of the bets and 60% of the money is on the Rebels. I like Ole Miss to cover this one pretty easily in a game that I think may also go over. Give me Ole Miss and Matt Corral having a fantastic last game as a Rebel. Ole Miss covers the 1 point.
So to recap, today, give me the over 44.5 in the Cheez-It Bowl, Oklahoma to cover 6.5 against Oregon in the Alamo Bowl. On Thursday, under 64.5 in the Music City Bowl and under 55.5 in the Peach Bowl. And on Saturday, Arkansas minus 1.5 against Penn State in the Outback Bowl, under 45.5 in the Fiesta Bowl, under 44.5 in the Citrus Bowl, Utah plus 4.5 against Ohio State in the Rose Bowl, and Ole Miss minus 1 in the Sugar Bowl.
As always, you can follow me over on Twitter at NickBromberg. and? Please follow all of our content over at Yahoo Sportsbook. And please, when you create a BetMGM account and place your first bet, risk-free, up to $1,000, if that bet loses, you get it back up to $1,000 added back into your account in free bets. Must be 21 and over in Arizona, Colorado, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming only. Terms and conditions apply. Go to BetMGM.com/Yahoo to get started or use promo code Yahoo when making your first deposit. Minty Bets will be back tomorrow to preview the Saturday NFL slate. Remember-- no Thursday Tonight Football this week on the next episode of Yahoo Sportsbook Daily. Until then, goodbye, and good luck.
