Read The Athletic’s latest college football bowl projections.
Bowl season officially starts on Friday with a doubleheader of games in the afternoon, followed by six games on Saturday. The first bowl game isn’t even in the U.S., with Miami Ohio and UAB facing off in the Bahamas Bowl.
Here’s a quick look at the odds, trends and staff picks (straight up) for all eight games kicking off this weekend. We have a full list of odds for all 41 games of bowl season all in one spot. We also have a pick ’em to see which teams our staff members think will win for every bowl game.
All odds are from BetMGM and update live.
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Friday, Dec. 16
Bahamas Bowl
11:30 a.m. ET on ESPN
- The under is 9-3 in Miami games this season.
- The over has hit in each of UAB’s last four games.
- The Blazers are 4-8 against the spread this season.
Cure Bowl
3 p.m. ET on ESPN
- This is the only top-25 matchup until Texas takes on Washington on Dec. 29.
- UTSA, which joined FBS in 2012, has not finished in the top 25 of either the Coaches or AP Poll.
- The same is true for Troy, which joined FBS in 2001.
- Troy is 10-3 against the spread this season.
Saturday, Dec. 17
Fenway Bowl
Cincinnati vs. Louisville
11 a.m. ET on ESPN
- Well, this is awkward: Cincinnati poached coach Scott Satterfield from Louisville after Luke Fickell left for Wisconsin.
- Former Louisville and New England Patriots WR Deion Branch is serving as Louisville’s interim coach before Jeff Brohm takes over.
- Satterfield has said he won’t be involved in bowl prep for either team.
- Tyler Scott, Cincinnati’s top WR this season, has opted out to prepare for the NFL Draft.
- Four of the Bearcats’ top six players in receiving yards won’t play.
- Neither will Louisville QB Malik Cunningham after totaling 20 TDs this season.
Las Vegas Bowl
Florida vs. Oregon State
2:30 p.m. ET on ESPN
- Florida QB Anthony Richardson has opted out to prepare for the draft, and Florida is starting third-string QB Jack Miller.
- Oregon State is the only unanimous pick among our staff for this weekend’s games.
- The Beavers are seeking the third 10-win season in program history.
LA Bowl
Washington State vs. Fresno State
3:30 p.m. ET on ABC
- Wazzu is without offensive coordinator Eric Morris, who took the head coaching job at North Texas, which also plays on Saturday.
- WSU defensive coordinator Brian Ward left for the same role with Arizona State earlier this month.
- QB Cameron Ward threw for more than 3,000 yards and had 28 total TDs this season.
- Fresno State QB Jake Haener, who began his career at Washington, has 66 career TD passes with 18 this season with just three interceptions.
LendingTree Bowl
Rice vs. Southern Miss
5:45 p.m. on ESPN
- Southern Miss is 8-3-1 against the spread this season.
- The over has hit in four of the last five USM games.
- Rice is making its first bowl game appearance since 2014.
New Mexico Bowl
7:30 p.m. on ABC
- BYU QB Jaren Hall is not expected to start due to injury.
- Freshman Cade Fennegan could start in Hall’s place.
- BYU is 4-8 against the spread this season.
- SMU, which had bowl games canceled due to COVID-19 related issues each of the last two years, hasn’t won a bowl game since 2012.
Frisco Bowl
9:15 p.m. on ESPN
- Boise State is 7-2 (and 6-3 against the spread) since Taylen Green took over at QB.
- North Texas fired Seth Littrell after a 44-44 record, including an 0-5 mark in bowls, over seven seasons.
- Boise State has made it to a bowl game for 21 straight years.
- The Broncos have had a winning record for 25 straight years.
(Photo of Cameron Ward: / USA Today)