It’s the most wonderful time of the year! No, not the holidays. Well, yes, the holidays too, but more importantly, the 2023-24 college football bowl season.
Regular-season football has flown by but the excitement has only escalated with 43 college football bowl games featured this year. For some, a CFP run is at stake while others may be looking to end their season on a high note by hoisting a bowl trophy.
Bowl games are scheduled to start Saturday, December 16, and continue through to the National Championship game on Monday, January 8.
Things To Look Out For In Bowl Game Bets
Here are some tips and college football bowl betting trends to help steer your wagers in the right direction!
Players Not Playing In Bowl Games
Before placing a bet, check our college football injury report on a specific game’s matchup page to make sure there haven’t been any recent injuries to key players. For example, the No. 5 Florida State Seminoles will be without starting QB Jordan Travis, who seriously injured his leg against North Alabama, for the Orange Bowl battle against the SEC's No. 6 Georgia Bulldogs.
players in the transfer portal
Once the portal opened on December 4th, it was absolute madness. We've seen plenty of notable names, especially quarterbacks, put their names into the transfer portal. Impactful players like Ohio State's Kyle McCord, Kansas State's Will Howard and Oregon State's DJ Uiagalelei all announced they have entered their names.
For example, the Cotton Bowl opened with the Buckeyes as 6.5-point favorites but once the news about McCord broke, that line significantly shifted to have Missouri as 2-point favorites now. So, ensure you follow along with the names in the portal!
Coaches Leaving, Players Opting Out
Handicapping bowl games can be tough this time of year because of changes in personnel and players opting to sit. If a coach has had a great season, he may end up being snagged by another school. Perhaps the departure of an assistant coach doesn’t have a direct impact but now is the time of year we see hires and fires. How do coaching changes impact the players? It’s something to consider.
It’s also the time of year that players opt to sit out of bowl games if they plan to make a run at getting picked up in the NFL draft. For example, the USC Trojans' Heisman-winning quarterback, Caleb Williams, has declared for the 2024 NFL Draft and will skip the Holiday Bowl. Familiar names from the past who’ve done this include LSU’s Leonard Fournette and Stanford’s Christian McCaffrey. Keep a lookout as the game you’re targeting approaches.
travel
Most bowl games are played at neutral sites which requires both teams to travel ahead of kick-off. However, more often than not, the travel is much easier for one side. For example, the 2023 Orange Bowl will be played in the Hard Rock Stadium in Florida which isn't a far trip for the Florida State Seminoles compared to the Georgia Bulldogs.
Suspensions
It happens. It’s something you definitely don’t handicap for, so just do a quick search beforehand to confirm that no sudden suspensions have occurred. For example, Oregon State's RB Damien Martinez, who gained over 1,000 rushing yards and nine touchdowns, has been suspended for the Sun Bowl after being arrested for driving under the influence of intoxicants.
Past seasons saw four Nevada players issued suspensions after a fight following a loss to UNLV, while players from Alabama and Clemson were dealt one-year suspensions after failing a drug test.
College Football Bowl Guide Betting Trends
As always, college football bowl trends aren’t a be-all and end-all of information but CFB bowl trends can help you finalize a play or at least help keep you off a game. Here are some college football bowl trends to consider before placing your bets.
| Team | Wins |
|---|---|
| Wisconsin | 15 |
| Georgia | 15 |
| Iowa | 14 |
| LSU | 14 |
| Marshall | 14 |
| Oregon | 14 |
| Florida State | 13 |
| Boise State | 13 |
| Nebraska | 12 |
| Clemson | 12 |
| Team | Losses |
|---|---|
| West Virginia | 17 |
| Michigan | 15 |
| Clemson | 14 |
| Virginia Tech | 13 |
| Kansas State | 13 |
| Miami | 13 |
| Oklahoma | 13 |
| Auburn | 13 |
| Louisville | 13 |
| Texas A&M | 13 |
More College Football Bowl Betting Trends
| Team | OVERS |
|---|---|
| Michigan | 16 |
| Florida | 15 |
| West Virginia | 13 |
| Virginia Tech | 13 |
| Florida State | 13 |
| USC | 13 |
| Texas Tech | 11 |
| North Carolina State | 11 |
| Virginia | 10 |
| Tennessee | 10 |
| Team | UNDERS |
|---|---|
| Clemson | 19 |
| Wisconsin | 15 |
| Ohio State | 15 |
| Oklahoma State | 15 |
| Georgia | 14 |
| Miami | 14 |
| Texas | 14 |
| Virginia Tech | 13 |
| Oklahoma | 12 |
| Arkansas | 12 |
College Football Bowl Betting Trends Last 5 Seasons
| Bowl Game | Favorite SU | Favorite ATS | OVER Record |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bahamas Bowl | 3-2 (60.0%) | 2-3 (40.0%) | 2-3 (40.0%) |
| Cure Bowl | 2-3 (40.0%) | 0-5 (0.0%) | 2-3 (40.0%) |
| Boca Raton Bowl | 3-2 (60.0%) | 2-3 (40.0%) | 2-3 (40.0%) |
| New Mexico Bowl | 2-3 (40.0%) | 1-4 (20.0%) | 2-3 (40.0%) |
| Independence Bowl | 2-3 (40.0%) | 2-3 (40.0%) | 2-3 (40.0%) |
| LendingTree Bowl | 4-1 (80.0%) | 3-2 (60.0%) | 4-1 (80.0%) |
| New Orleans Bowl | 4-1 (80.0%) | 3-2 (60.0%) | 4-1 (80.0%) |
| Famous Idaho Potato Bowl | 2-3 (40.0%) | 2-3 (40.0%) | 4-1 (80.0%) |
| Armed Forces Bowl | 4-1 (80.0%) | 3-2 (60.0%) | 3-2 (60.0%) |
| Gasparilla Bowl | 3-2 (60.0%) | 3-2 (60.0%) | 2-3 (40.0%) |
| Hawaii Bowl | 1-4 (20.0%) | 1-4 (20.0%) | 3-2 (60.0%) |
| Camellia Bowl | 2-3 (40.0%) | 2-3 (40.0%) | 2-3 (40.0%) |
| Quick Lane Bowl | 3-2 (60.0%) | 2-3 (40.0%) | 2-3 (40.0%) |
| Military Bowl | 5-0 (100.0%) | 4-1 (80.0%) | 4-1 (80.0%) |
| Birmingham Bowl | 3-2 (60.0%) | 3-2 (60.0%) | 2-2-1 (50.0%) |
| First Responder Bowl | 5-0 (100.0%) | 3-1-1 (60.0%) | 2-2-1 (50.0%) |
| Liberty Bowl | 3-2 (60.0%) | 2-3 (40.0%) | 3-2 (60.0%) |
| Holiday Bowl | 2-3 (40.0%) | 1-4 (20.0%) | 4-1 (80.0%) |
| Guaranteed Rate Bowl | 5-0 (100.0%) | 5-0 (100.0%) | 1-4 (20.0%) |
| Pinstripe Bowl | 4-1 (80.0%) | 3-2 (60.0%) | 2-3 (40.0%) |
| Cheez-It Bowl | 5-0 (100.0%) | 4-1 (80.0%) | 1-3-1 (20.0%) |
| Alamo Bowl | 3-2 (60.0%) | 3-2 (60.0%) | 3-2 (60.0%) |
| Mayo Bowl | 2-3 (40.0%) | 2-3 (40.0%) | 3-2 (60.0%) |
| Music City Bowl | 2-3 (40.0%) | 2-3 (40.0%) | 3-2 (60.0%) |
| Peach Bowl | 4-1 (80.0%) | 2-3 (40.0%) | 3-2 (60.0%) |
| Las Vegas Bowl | 4-1 (80.0%) | 3-2 (60.0%) | 0-5 (0.0%) |
| Orange Bowl | 4-1 (80.0%) | 4-1 (80.0%) | 1-4 (20.0%) |
| Cotton Bowl | 3-2 (60.0%) | 3-2 (60.0%) | 3-2 (60.0%) |
| Gator Bowl | 5-0 (100.0%) | 2-3 (40.0%) | 2-3 (40.0%) |
| Sun Bowl | 4-1 (80.0%) | 2-3 (40.0%) | 2-3 (40.0%) |
| Arizona Bowl | 4-1 (80.0%) | 2-3 (40.0%) | 1-3-1 (20.0%) |
| Outback Bowl | 2-3 (40.0%) | 2-3 (40.0%) | 4-1 (80.0%) |
| Citrus Bowl | 5-0 (100.0%) | 4-0-1 (80.0%) | 2-3 (40.0%) |
| Fiesta Bowl | 4-1 (80.0%) | 4-1 (80.0%) | 2-3 (40.0%) |
| Rose Bowl | 4-1 (80.0%) | 2-3 (40.0%) | 3-2 (60.0%) |
| Sugar Bowl | 2-3 (40.0%) | 2-3 (40.0%) | 3-2 (60.0%) |
| Texas Bowl | 2-3 (40.0%) | 1-4 (20.0%) | 1-4 (20.0%) |
| Championship Game | 4-1 (80.0%) | 4-1 (80.0%) | 4-1 (80.0%) |
Myrtle Beach Bowl only goes back to 2020
Frisco Bowl only goes back to 2017
Best College Bowl Betting Guide Tips
There are a million ways to handicap bowl games, but make sure to also look at the weather. Not every game is in a sunny place like Florida or the Bahamas (though they should be). You could also consider motivation as a factor. Although there is no metric for motivation, you could go off the simple idea that this is a college football team’s first bowl and they’ll give it everything they’ve got.
And remember, the books are required to put a line on every single game but that does not mean you have to place a bet on every single game. Be selective and always remember to practice bankroll management. Football is almost over – let’s not go crazy with these last games of the college football season.
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