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

SUNDAY 1/2 in the NFL:

Buffalo 30 Atlanta 16: The Bills are one step closer to winning the AFC East and the Falcons are out of the playoff hunt.

New. England 27 Jacksonville 10: The Patriots stop the bleeding and clinch the playoffs.

Kansas City 31 Cincinnati 23: The Chiefs keep winning and the Bengals lose a chance to clinch the AFC North.

LA Rams 21 Baltimore 17: Rams clinch the NFC West and the Ravens are almost dead.

Tennessee 20 Miami 19: The Titans clinch the AFC South and the Dolphins playoff chances are in critical condition.

Chicago 21 NY Giants 14: Who cares??

Philadelphia 23 Washington 21: The Eagles barely hold off the Football Team.

Tampa Bay 34 NY Jets 14: Easy win for the Bucs.

LA Chargers 27 Denver 17: Chargers stay alive in the playoff hunt

San Francisco 27 Houston 13: The Niners get a win they have to have.

Dallas 30 Arizona 24: The Cowboys keep the Cardinals losing.

Indianapolis 17 Las Vegas 16: Somehow the Colts win this game.

New Orleans 16 Carolina 10: Saints get a win with their defense.

Seattle 20 Detroit 17

Green Bay 24 Minnesota 20: The end of the line for the Vikings

MONDAY NIGHT SPECIAL 1/3:

Cleveland 20 Pittsburgh 17: Why am I picking the Browns? I have no answer.