College Football Betting Picks: Against The Spread: New Years Eve 2024 And New Years Day 2025

by Mike Marteny

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Mike's CFB betting picks against the spread for New Year's Eve 2024 and New Year's Day 2025. Who will win the bowl games and the college football quarterfinal games of the new year?

We have five games on New Year's Eve before the final three quarterfinals of the expanded playoff on New Year's Day. That's a lot of (supposed) quality football games. Five of the eight matchups feature a ranked team against another ranked team. What more can we ask for (besides a revert to a four-team playoff)?

I closed 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 say bowl out of action. It's not pretty, but it's life in college football in 2024.

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 New Year's Eve And New Year's Day

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.

(11) Alabama (-11.5) vs. Michigan at Tampa

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 2

There is too much play in this line for my liking. It's down to -10.5 at Bally's but is still up at -13.5 on almost all online betting sites. If you're on the side of Alabama, bet in person. If you're leaning toward Michigan, betting online will get you some free points. Who says no to that?

Alabama should win this game. Alabama also should have beaten Vanderbilt and Oklahoma. Give me Michigan. I think the defense can keep it within 10 points or so.

Louisville (-2.5) vs. Washington at El Paso, TX

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 4

Washington didn't win a road game this year. Louisville rolls!

(15) South Carolina (-10.5) vs. (20) Illinois

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 4

#Gamecocks issue their bowl depth chart minus RB Rocket Sanders and DE Kyle Kennard who are NFL bound
https://t.co/bnJkhGMAGQ
December 27, 2024 pic.twitter.com/Vc99N5k6xX

— SportsTalk Media Network (@SportsTalkposts) December 27, 2024

The loss of Sanders will hurt, but the LaNorris Sellers Heisman campaign begins here. Gamecocks roll!

Baylor (-3.5) vs. LSU at Houston

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 3

Baylor was one of the hottest teams down the stretch and will have a full offense at their disposal in this game. I'll take the Bears.

(6) Penn State (-10.5) vs. (3) Boise State at Glendale, AZ

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 3

The seeding is out of whack. That's all we've heard so far. There's no way that Boise is the third-best team in the country, right? RIGHT? We finally get to find out if those complaints merit or if Ashton Jeanty deserved the Heisman. This stays close. Give me Boise.

@BroncoSportsFB Boise State has never lost a Fiesta Bowl! Let's keep the streak alive

— wait, you guys have followers? (@DuganMack) December 30, 2024

(5) Texas (-12.5) vs. (4) Arizona State at Atlanta

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 2

I think this line is a touch high. Texas wins but doesn't cover.

(8) Ohio State (-2.5) vs. (1) Oregon

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 4

I don't get this line at all. This is another away game for Ohio State against Oregon. Do we really think Ohio State is better now than they were in that first meeting? I don't. Beating the pants off of Tennessee without their starting RB for most of the game doesn't make up for that inexplicable home loss to Michigan. I still like the Ducks.

(7) Notre Dame vs. (2) Georgia (-1.5) at New Orleans

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 4

Gunner Stockton broke Deshaun Watson's Georgia high school record for career total touchdowns. He broke Trevor Lawrence's Georgia HS record for career passing TDs.
... and then the crazy part: he waited three years for his turn. Who knows what's next, but what a showing today pic.twitter.com/zU7SlmOrVu

— Justin Felder (@Justin_FOX5) December 8, 2024

Gunner Stockton's story is similar to so many of the Georgia quarterbacks under Kirby Smart. His turn comes a little earlier than expected, but he's more prepared than most even if he doesn't have a lot of experience. I still like Georgia here.

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