2016 College Football Bowl Game Picks & Predictions: Liberty Bowl, Sun Bowl, Music City Bowl & Arizona Bowl: There are five bowl games on tap Friday, Dec. 30, and while the headliner is the showdown between Michigan and Florida State in the Orange Bowl, let’s first take a look at the other four games on tap. After all, there are a couple of other ranked teams in action Friday and six teams from Power Five conferences.
AutoZone Liberty Bowl: Georgia vs. TCU
It was a disappointing season for both the Georgia Bulldogs, who finished 7-5, and TCU Horned Frogs, who finished 6-6. On the plus side, one of these teams can at least end the year on a high note by grabbing a bowl win.
Scoring points has been an issue for both teams, and TCU dropped four of its final six games, scoring 10 points or less three times in that span. Meanwhile, the Bulldogs cracked the 30-point mark just three times all year.
With points likely being tough to come by, I like Georgia to come out on top. First-year coach and former Alabama defensive coordinator Kirby Smart has had a lot of time to figure out how to slow an already shaky TCU offense, and the Bulldogs have allowed an opponent to crack 30 points just three times all year.
Prediction: Georgia Bulldogs (+1.5) Cover the Spread
Hyundai Sun Bowl: No. 18 Stanford vs. North Carolina
Two of the better NFL prospects will be on display in this one as the Stanford Cardinal take on the North Carolina Tar Heels. North Carolina quarterback Mitch Trubisky could end up being the No. 1 overall pick, and Stanford running back Christian McCaffrey is a safe bet for the first round, as well.
A couple of ugly losses early in the year put Stanford and McCaffrey on the backburner, but last year’s Heisman finalist is hitting his stride. He has rushed for at least 135 yards in each of the last five games, topping 200 yards in his last two. It is no coincidence that Stanford has won all five games.
Meanwhile, North Carolina lost two of its last three games, and despite a solid offense, the Tar Heels defense has been shredded by the run most of the year. That is bad news with McCaffrey on top of his game, and I expect Stanford to run by North Carolina.
Prediction: Stanford Cardinal (-3) Cover the Spread
Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl: Nebraska vs. No. 21 Tennessee
There was a point during the season that both the Tennessee Volunteers and Nebraska Cornhuskers were ranked in the top 10. However, Nebraska lost three of its last five and Tennessee lost four of its last seven to fade out of contention in their respective conferences.
Needless to say, consistency isn’t the strength of either team. However, Nebraska has been struggling on offense for a while, failing to crack 30 points in each of their last seven games and being outscored 125-30 in their three losses in that span. An injury to quarterback Tommy Armstrong isn’t going to help the cause either.
Despite their up-and-down play, Tennessee can score. They rank 24th in the country in scoring, and quarterback Joshua Dobbs is a dual-threat playmaker. The Volunteers rarely play to their talent level, but they simply have too much offensive firepower for the Cornhuskers.
Prediction: Colorado Buffaloes (-6.5) Cover the Spread
Nova Home Loans Arizona Bowl: South Alabama vs. Air Force
Neither of these teams garnered a lot of attention during the year, but both sides have some decent victories. South Alabama Jaguars owning wins over Mississippi State and San Diego State, and the Air Force Falcons knocking off Navy and Boise State.
Air Force should have the edge on offense thanks to its option-based rushing attack, but the Falcons have been suspect on the defensive end. Meanwhile, the Jaguars have found a way to hang close in almost every game.
Five of South Alabama’s six losses have come by 10 points or less. On the flip side, four of the Falcons’ last five wins have come by 10 points or less. With that in mind, I’ll take the Jaguars and nearly two touchdowns.
Prediction: South Alabama Jaguars (+13.5) Cover the Spread
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