Free Picks: Bowl Games on 12/31 and 1/1, Plus the NFL Games for 1/2

If you are a football fan, the Friday and Saturday bowl games are almost heaven and the Sunday NFL games are crucial to several teams’ playoff chances. So sit back in your favorite chair, grab some snacks and beverages and enjoy the best weekend of the year for football. Here are our straight up win predictions and no point spreads are involved.

FRIDAY 12/31:

GATOR BOWL at JACKSONVILLE, FL: Rutgers 5-7 vs. No.17 Wake Forest 10-3 How can the Deacons lose this game? Wake Forest 52 Rutgers 24

SUN BOWL at EL PASO, TX: Washington State 7-5 vs. Central Michigan 8-4 Does either team even know who they are playing? Washington State 37 Central Michigan 35

COTTON BOWL at ARLINGTON, TX.: No.1 Alabama 12-1 vs. No.4 Cincinnati 13-0 The Crimson Tide are overwhelming favorites in this one against Cinderella story, Cincinnati. Can the Bearcats make a game of it? Everyone but an Alabama fan is rooting for them. Alabama 31 Cincinnati 21

ORANGE BOWL at MIAMI, FL: No.2 Michigan 12-1 vs. No.3 Georgia 12-1 The Wolverines are a 7.5 underdog and they are enjoying the doubters. This is a solid football team going up against a Georgia team that has trouble winning a big game. *Upset Special* Michigan 24 Georgia 20

SATURDAY 1/1 NEW YEAR’S DAY:

OUTBACK BOWL at TAMPA, FL: No.21 Arkansas 8-4 vs. Penn State 7-5 This should be a good game to start the day. Arkansas 24 Penn State 20

CITRUS BOWL at ORLANDO, FL: No.15 Iowa 10-3 vs. No.18 Kentucky 9-3 Another interesting and excellent matchup. Kentucky 24 Iowa 17

FIESTA BOWL at GLENDALE, AZ: No.9 Oklahoma State 11-2 vs. No.5 Notre Dame 11-1 Two really good teams. Notre Dame 23 Oklahoma State 20

ROSE BOWL at PASADENA, CA: No.11 Utah 10-3 vs. No.6 Ohio State Will the Buckeyes be motivated against a very good Utah team? Ohio State 34 Utah 28

SUGAR BOWL at NEW ORLEANS, LA: No.7 Baylor 11-2 vs. No.8 Mississippi 10-2 Talk about a very hard game to pick. This is a difficult matchup. Ole Miss 31 Baylor 27