With five college football bowl games sprinkled through the day, this New Year’s Eve was made for diehard fans.
The action begins at noon ET with the ReliaQuest Bowl, which pits No. 11 Alabama against defending champion Michigan. Three more bowls fill the afternoon, including a battle between No. 14 South Carolina and No. 21 Illinois in the Citrus Bowl, before the first College Football Playoff quarterfinal kicks off on prime time. No. 5 Penn State, which handled SMU in the first round, will take on No. 8 Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl.
It’s a day worth leaving that TV on. Here’s everything to know about the five college football games on New Year’s Eve.
The Alabama Crimson Tide are favorites to defeat the Michigan Wolverines, according to the BetMGM college football odds.
USA TODAY: Alabama is unanimous pick
The Washington Huskies are favorites to defeat the Louisville Cardinals, according to the BetMGM college football odds.
USA TODAY Sports: Majority pick Louisville
The South Carolina Gamecocks are favorites to defeat the Illinois Fighting Illini, according to the BetMGM college football odds.
USA TODAY: South Carolina is unanimous pick
The Baylor Bears are favorites to defeat the LSU Tigers, according to the BetMGM college football odds.
USA TODAY: LSU is unanimous pick
The Penn State Nittany Lions are favorites to defeat the Boise State Broncos, according to the BetMGM college football odds.
Paul Myerberg writes: “Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty will enter the quarterfinals 131 yards shy of Barry Sanders’ single-season record of 2,628 rushing yards. He’ll face a brick wall in Penn State, which ranks ninth in yards allowed on the ground per game and third in rushing touchdowns allowed. Any chance the Broncos have of advancing to the semifinals demands another big game from Jeanty, and it’s hard to say for certain he’ll find creases against the Nittany Lions’ front. If Penn State can slow him down, that would put all the pressure Boise State quarterback Maddux Madden and his receivers to execute at a level not been seen this season.”
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