2013 College Football Bowl Picks: Armed Forces Bowl, Music City Bowl, Alamo Bowl and Holiday Bowl Odds and Predictions – Free College Football Picks 12/30/2013: As 2013 comes to close, college football bowl season shifts into high gear. Monday features a four-game slate that includes two of the more recognizable non-BCS bowl in the Alamo Bowl and Holiday Bowl. The Armed Forces Bowl and Music City Bowl will serve as appetizers for the two main courses, and powerhouse programs like Texas and Oregon will be in action, along with Pac-12 South champ Arizona State. With that in mind, here is a closer look at the odds and my predictions for all four of Monday’s bowl matchups.
Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl: Middle Tennessee (8-4, 6-2 C-USA) vs. Navy Midshipmen (8-4)
This game is a battle between two teams that like to run the football, and while Middle Tennessee takes a more traditional approach, Navy is one of the most option-heavy teams in the country. The Midshipmen are also one of the best in the nation at running the ball, and they enter the bowl game with the second-best ground attack. More importantly, Navy’s offense as a whole has been more productive, and quarterback Keenan Reynolds is the best offensive player for either side in this matchup. He has already accounted for 37 touchdowns this year, including 29 on the ground. Navy has scored at least 34 points in five straight games, nearly knocking off a ranked Notre Dame team during the stretch. Meanwhile, Middle Tennessee’s ugliest loss this season came at the hands of a BYU squad that also utilizes the option and has a dual-threat QB. The Blue Raiders are in trouble in this one.
Prediction: Navy Midshipmen (-6) Cover the Spread
Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl: Ole Miss Rebels (7-5, 3-5 SEC) vs. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (7-5, 5-3 ACC)
Both Ole Miss and Georgia Tech have endured up-and-down seasons, and only one side will get to cap 2013 on a high note. The Rebels bring a top-25 passing attack led by quarterback Bo Wallace to the table while the Yellows Jackets bring a top-five rushing attack and top-25 scoring offense that relies heavily on the option. Georgia Tech really hasn’t had issues scoring all year, but stopping their stronger opponents from scoring has been a problem. The Yellow Jackets allowed 45 points to Miami, 38 to BYU, 55 to Clemson and 41 to Georgia. Meanwhile, the Rebels have had serious issues generating offense against stronger opponents, getting shutout by Alabama and managing just 10 points in back-to-back losses to Missouri and Mississippi State to end the year. Although both sides have obvious weaknesses, the tipping point could be the Rebels’ defense. Despite the team’s struggling offense, the Ole Miss defense was able to hold Alabama, Auburn, LSU and Missouri to 30 points or less. The Rebels’ defense has proven itself against the best in the country, and it should be able to hold its own against a Yellow Jackets’ offense that has been productive but is extremely one dimensional. More importantly, Wallace and the Ole Miss offense should be able to make enough plays to support the defense against a Georgia Tech defense that has been generous in big games.
Prediction: Ole Miss Rebels (-3) Cover the Spread
Valero Alamo Bowl: No. 10 Oregon Ducks (10-2, 7-2 Pac-12) vs. Texas Longhorns (8-4, 7-2 Big 12)
The mindset of both sides will mean everything in this matchup. Will Texas be extra motivated to send Mack Brown out on a high note? Will Oregon come out flat after dreams of a national title shot and then Rose Bowl berth both evaporated late in the year? The painful truth for the Longhorns is that the Ducks will have to come out completely lifeless not to come out on top in this one. After all, Texas has an average defense that gave up at least 30 points to every decent team on its schedule with the exception of Oklahoma. Now, the same unit has to try to contain an Oregon offense that ranks in the top 20 in passing, the top 10 in rushing and third in scoring. Quarterback Marcus Mariota, running back Byron Marshall and receiver De’Anthony Thomas are just a few of the speedy playmakers the Ducks have on offense, and at the end of the day, the Longhorns just don’t have the firepower to keep pace.
Prediction: Oregon Ducks (-10) Cover the Spread
National University Holiday Bowl: No. 14 Arizona State Sun Devils (10-3, 8-1 Pac-12) vs. Texas Tech Red Raiders (7-5, 4-5 Big 12)
This matchup figures to be somewhat of a shootout between the top-30 passing attack of the Sun Devils and the second-ranked passing attack of Texas Tech. However, Arizona State should have little trouble pulling away in the long run, even though both sides should put some points on the board. After all, the Sun Devils rank ninth in the country in points per game while the Red Raiders rank an abysmal 90th in points allowed. Texas Tech was completely exposed once it got into the meat of its schedule, dropping its final five games after a 7-0 start. During the slide, the Red Raiders have allowed 46.8 per game to opponents and haven’t held an opponent to less than 38 points during the stretch. Arizona State definitely has the weapons on offense to take advantage of the trainwreck that is the Texas Tech defense. This one could get ugly.
Prediction: Arizona State Sun Devils (-14) Cover the Spread
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