College Football Betting Guide: Odds, Trends & Picks For Jan. 2 Bowl Games

College Football Betting Lines, Odds & Picks For Jan. 2 Bowl Games

College football bowl season wraps up Jan. 2 with four games, and BetQL is your source for NCAAF best bets, live college football public bets, live NCAAF sharp data, college football line movement and historical betting trends in addition to our NCAAF articles that cover the sport from top to bottom. Scroll down to see all the best bets and key betting trends for the upcoming bowl game matchups.

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Reliaquest Bowl: No. 24 Mississippi State vs. Illinois

ATS Record: Mississippi State 6-5-1, Illinois 8-4

O/U Record: Mississippi State 7-5, Illinois 4-7-1

The Bulldogs will surely be the sentimental favorites in this game as they take the field for the first time since the passing of head coach Mike Leach. MSU also finished the season strong, winning three of its last four games, including victories over Auburn and Ole Miss.

However, Illinois presents some problems after an impressive season. Until a three-game losing streak late in the season, Illinois looked destined for a spot in the Big Ten Championship game. After three straight losses in close games, the Illini blew out Northwestern to close out the regular season on a high note. They also allowed the fewest points in the country this year, conceding just 12.3 points per game. Even the six bowl teams they faced averaged just 14.3 points per game, so the Illinois defense might be able to slow down the Mississippi State air-raid offense.

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Cotton Bowl: No. 14 Tulane vs. No. 6 USC

ATS Record: Tulane 11-2, USC 8-5

O/U Record: Tulane 7-6, USC 10-3

This is undoubtedly the biggest bowl game that Tulane has played since the 1939 Sugar Bowl. It’ll also be the Green Wave’s first game against USC since 1946. Willie Fritz and his team have earned their way to the Cotton Bowl. Among Tulane’s 11 wins this year are victories over Big 12 champ Kansas State and six other bowl-eligible teams.

Of course, USC has Heisman winner Caleb Williams and might have a point to prove after losing in the Pac-12 Championship. Don’t forget the Trojans are undefeated this season against teams other than Utah, and 6-1 ATS when favored by 12 points or fewer or listed as an underdog.

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Citrus Bowl: Purdue vs. No. 16 LSU

ATS Record: Purdue 5-8, LSU 7-6

O/U Record: Purdue 7-5-1, LSU 7-6

Both of these teams lost their conference championship games, so each will want to bounce back with a win. In fact, LSU is in danger of losing three in a row and has lost three of its last four games ATS. The Tigers also lost three games SU this season when favored.

As for the Boilermakers, they finished strong by winning their last three regular-season games to claim the Big Ten West, only to run out of steam in the second half of the Big Ten title game against Michigan. To their credit, they did go 3-4 SU as an underdog this year. However, starting quarterback Aidan O’Connell is one of several Purdue players who will skip this bowl game. The Boilermakers will also have an interim coach after Jeff Brohm left for Louisville, so this is not a program that will be at full strength on Jan. 2.

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Rose Bowl: No. 7 Utah vs. No. 9 Penn State

ATS Record: Utah 8-5, Penn State 8-3-1

O/U Record: Utah 7-6, Penn State 8-4

After claiming their second straight Pac-12 title, the Utes will have a second chance to win the Rose Bowl after losing to Ohio State last year, 48-45. Under Kyle Whittingham, Utah is 11-4 in bowl games, although they are currently on a three-game bowl losing streak. In fact, two of those three losses came against Big Ten teams, making Utah 1-3 in bowl games against current Big Ten programs.

Meanwhile, James Franklin’s Nittany Lions won four in a row to finish out the season, winning by an average margin of 31.3 points in that stretch. Under Franklin, Penn State is 14-1 ATS when coming off at least two consecutive wins of 10 points or more. However, the Nittany Lions are just 3-4 in bowl games under Franklin. They have also lost their last two trips to the Rose Bowl, last winning in Pasadena after the 1994 season.

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MORE BOWL GUIDES: DEC. 16-17 | DEC. 19-24 | DEC. 26-28 | DEC. 29-31 | CFP GAMES

BetQL subscribers can see more betting trends and all of our best bets with star ratings for every game. Take advantage of BetQL's free trial and see all of this week's best college football bets, plus what the model is projecting for every NFL, NBA, NHL and college basketball game! Start your free trial today!