Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Pete Fiutak

5 Best College Football Bowl Predictions Against The Spread December 16-19 Games

5 best predictions for this the early bowls. What are the best bets and picks for the bowl games from December 16th through the 19th?  


5 Best College Football Bowl Predictions December 16-19 Games

Expert Picks
Bowls Dec 16-19 | Dec 20-27 | NFL Week 15
Contact/Follow @ColFootballNews & @PeteFiutak

Results So Far: 74-63-1

Bowl games require a completely different skill set when it comes to figuring out the best picks against the spread and the slightly off point totals.

Especially this year, it’s like trying to figure out NFL preseason games. Who’s playing, who’s going to try, who has the most interest?

And every time you think you have a game that closely represents a big regular season showdown, something always goes wrong.

But there’s a flip side to that. Figure out where the public is leaning based on what happened during the regular season, and combine that with the always-massive overreaction to even the slightest bit of injury or opt-out news, and there’s a chance to clean up.

I’m not going to lie, though. This bowl season is going to be rough. As I always advise, never, ever parlay, and that goes triple for these games.

That doesn’t mean I can’t have a 3-for-5 day at the plate for the first ten bowls of the season.

Merry bowling, everyone.

Because this first one is probably rolling by the time you get to this, go ahead and apply all of this to the second half lines in …

Click on each game for the game preview

5. HomeTown Lenders Bahamas Bowl: UAB vs Miami University

Friday, December 16, 11:30 am, ESPN 
POINT TOTAL 
45
PICK Over

Here’s where this might get tricky – Miami University is missing way too many offensive players off a team that didn’t exactly light it up during the regular season.

There are a few ways to look at all the opt-outs, transfers and injuries in these games. Either it’s going to be a disaster without no offensive continuity, or coaches are just going to throw everything at the wall and see what sticks.

Or, one team is about to get obliterated.

Miami might not have a strong enough O line or passing game, and UAB doesn’t have its new head coach Trent Dilfer quite yet. However, the Blazers are relatively intact, they like outgoing head coach Bryant Vincent enough to play hard for him.

If this UAB offense gets rolling, it’s more than capable of handling at least 30 of the 45 points on the total by itself even against a good RedHawk D. It’s going to be up to Miami University’s offense – held together by duct tape and a few prayers – to help just a little bit.

30ish to 15ish will get this done. In the first seven Bahamas Bowls, four went over 45, last year’s hit it, and one came close at 44, and one got to 40.

Now, if this doesn’t work and you think I’m even more of an idiot by the time you get to this piece, it’s bowl season. Shake it off – there are always more bowls on the way.

NEXT: College Football Pick Against the Spread No. 4: SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.