College Football Betting Picks: Against The Spread: Bowl Games January 2025

by Mike Marteny

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Mike's CFB betting picks against the spread for the last bowl games of the 2024-2025 college football season, January 2 through January 10, 2025.

We are down to our last handful of bowls. Due to the postponement of the Sugar Bowl, Georgia and Notre Dame will play tonight. I will add the line to the second semifinal once we know who will face Penn State.

I closed out the regular season strong, going 8-2 in Championship Week and the Army/Navy game. The bowls have been hit-and-miss, but these things can happen when teams have half of their starters from the team that got them to said bowl out of action. It's not pretty, but it's life in college football in 2024 and now into 2025.

These picks are for entertainment purposes only. Don't bet more than you can afford. This is supposed to be for fun and excitement. I may be under .500 on the season, but I'm having a blast and am still up some real money.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2025:

CFB Betting Picks for January 2025 Bowl Games (1/2 Through 1/10/2025)

I will pick every college football game every week. It's not a top 5. Not a top 10. All of them. Big deal, right? Lots of people make picks. Well, I do them all against the spread. I take the odds of each game, average them out at all the Vegas casinos, and round to the nearest half. There will be no ties here. Ties are for the other (European) football.

Duke vs. (14) Mississippi (-17.5) at Jacksonville

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 3

This is too many. SEC teams are tripping over themselves and dropping like flies. Give me Duke. I don't think the Blue Devils win outright, but this is a solid defense.

North Texas vs. Texas State (-13.5) at Dallas, TX *UPDATE*

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 1

Jordan McCloud vs Texas teams in 2024
873 pass yards
8td/2 int
Get ready #beattony #slapcUNT

— BradJacksonSupafan (@catsupafan) December 8, 2024

I'm pumping the brakes on this line. Jordan McCloud is expected to play "limited snaps" if at all, choosing instead to showcase his talents at the Shrine Bowl in front of more scouts (I don't blame him). If this is the case, which seems likely, I'm lowering the bet. I can't take UNT with that defense, but I don't have to bet this either.

Minnesota (-9.5) vs. Virginia Tech at Charlotte

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 2

This line jumped with all of the opt-outs for Tech. Malachi Thomas, Jaylin Lane, and Da'Quan Felton are all sitting out. Even if Kyron Drones does play (doubtful), that's a lot to overcome against a tough Minnesota defense that should have an intact offense. I'll take the Gophers.

Buffalo (-2.5) vs. Liberty at Nassau, Bahamas

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 3

Buffalo gets to leave a cold and snowy city for the freaking Bahamas. That's a win no matter what happens on the field. For what it's worth, I think they take the win on the field as well.

(7) Notre Dame (-1.5) vs. (6) Penn State at Miami

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 2

Drew Allar hasn't looked great in either playoff game, but he hasn't turned the ball over either. Notre Dame thrives on creating chaos, but Allar seems to do just fine in chaotic circumstances. I still like Penn State here, but I'm not going heavily either way.

(8) Ohio State (-6.5) vs. (5) Texas at Jerry World

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 2

Just because the zebras gave the game to the SEC team doesn't mean that they are the inferior team, especially in what amounts to a home game. Give me Texas. I feel more confident in a Texas outright win than the Buckeyes winning by a touchdown.

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