NCAAF Best Bets: 3 Saturday Night Picks for the Las Vegas Bowl, Hawaii Bowl & More
Isaiah Vazquez/Getty Images. Pictured: The Coastal Carolina Chanticleers.
NCAAF Best Bets for Saturday Night
| Game | Time (ET) | Pick |
|---|---|---|
| 7 p.m. | ||
| 7:30 p.m. | ||
| 10:30 p.m. | ||
Specific betting recommendations come from the sportsbook offering preferred odds as of writing. Always shop for the best price using our NCAAF Odds page, which automatically surfaces the best lines for every game. | ||
Saturday's college football bowl slate rolls on, as we turn our attention to tonight's bowl games.
Our staff came through with three best bets for Saturday night: South Alabama vs. Eastern Michigan in the 68 Ventures Bowl, Utah vs. Northwestern in the Las Vegas Bowl and Coastal Carolina vs. San Jose State in the Hawaii Bowl.
Read on for all three of our best bets for Saturday night's college football bowl games below — and be sure to check out out top picks for Saturday's noon games as well.
68 Ventures Bowl: South Alabama vs. Eastern Michigan
I usually like my bowl games wild, high-scoring and full of chaos.
Unfortunately, this game features Eastern Michigan, so I don’t see much scoring on the horizon.
The Eagles have struggled on offense, ranking 119th in Success Rate, 125th in Explosiveness, 123rd in Havoc Allowed and 79th in Points per Opportunity — an unfortunate offensive split.
EMU doesn't just struggle to score, but it also plays at a snail's pace, ranking 122nd in seconds per play. Expect the Eagles to keep this game close by running the ball and milking the clock.
South Alabama isn’t the king of tempo offense, either. While faster, it ranks 60th in seconds per play. Average, but not fast enough to compensate for EMU’s lack of snaps.
The Eagles defense has held its own, especially when its back is against the wall, ranking 40th in Points per Opportunity Allowed.
South Alabama should easily move the ball, but the Jags could struggle to score against a defense that steps up under pressure.
That'll be enough to get the under home.
Pick: Under 45.5
Use our BetMGM bonus code for bonus bets before making your South Alabama vs Eastern Michigan pick.
Las Vegas Bowl: Utah vs. Northwestern
Utah quarterbacks Bryson Barnes and Nate Johnson are in the transfer portal, but Barnes will still start in this game.
Unfortunately for the Utes, they haven't run the ball well with Cam Rising out, ranking sub-70th nationally in Rush Success Rate and EPA per Rush behind a bad offensive line that ranks 78th in Line Yards and 94th in Stuff Rate Allowed.
Conversely, Northwestern's front seven is its strength, ranking 46th nationally in EPA per Rush Allowed.
The Wildcats got stronger down the stretch, allowing almost zero explosive rushes over the season's final four games.
Northwestern was in shambles after the hazing scandal before the season, but the Wildcats rallied behind David Braun, winning four of their final five to miraculously reach bowl eligibility. I expect the 'Cats to be highly motivated for this game, especially since only one starter hit the portal.
The Wildcats couldn't move the ball much this year, but they've done one thing well: finish drives. The Wildcats rank 27th nationally in Finishing Drives and 16th in red-zone scoring percentage.
Meanwhile, while Utah's defense is excellent, the Utes are without three starters in the front seven and both starting safeties.
Between Utah's quarterback situation and Northwestern's motivational advantages, there's plenty of value with the Wildcats in this one.
Pick: Northwestern +6.5 (Play to +3.5)
Hawaii Bowl: Coastal Carolina vs. San Jose State
By John Feltman
The market is giving us an early Christmas gift with this number.
The Spartans will be without several key offensive pieces, including stud left tackle Fernando Carmona.
Handicapping bowl season is about handicapping motivation, and I think Coastal is fired up for this bowl. Conversely, I don't think the Spartans are excited about traveling to Hawaii for the second time in a month.
Even if Grayson McCall doesn’t play, Coastal could still move the ball behind third-string quarterback Ethan Vasko. It’s also unconfirmed that many of its players who went into the portal will be unavailable for this game.
The spread continues to fall as sharp money hits Coastal, so I have a sneaky suspicion that the Chanticleers will have more players available than previously thought.
I think the Chants will be motivated while the Spartans are asleep at the wheel, and I'll happily grab the 10 points while it's available.
Pick: Coastal Carolina +10 (Play to +8.5)
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