Bowl season is here in college football, but college basketball is also in full swing. Let’s pick all 43 games if it were college hoops instead of football!
Myrtle Beach Bowl: Georgia Southern vs. Ohio
One of the easiest games to pick, the Georgia Southern Eagles are still winless, which gives the 5-2 Bobcats an easy edge. Creighton transfer Shareef Mitchell has commanded the Bobcats’ offense which has been great at holding onto the basketball. Ohio only turns the ball over 9.4 times per game.
Winner: Ohio
New Orleans Bowl: Jacksonville State vs. Louisiana
The Gamecocks are 4-5, but have won three of their last four and also made a late run in a 13-point loss to West Virginia. Kyky Tandy, a Xavier transfer, could take over this game. We also can’t discredit a Louisiana team with a win over Long Beach State and a 5-3 overall record. Kobe Julien is also a difference-maker, but I’ll side with the hotter team going in.
Winner: Jacksonville State
Cure Bowl: Miami (OH) vs. Appalachian State
Miami is coming off an impressive road win over Marshall, but App State’s recent win against Auburn is far more eye-popping. The Mountaineers are 7-2 with six wins in a row. Clearly, James Madison isn’t the only team to worry about in the Sun Belt.
Winner: Appalachian State
New Mexico Bowl: New Mexico State vs. Fresno State
Both teams have losing records in college basketball, but surprisingly, the Lobos haven’t been as much of a mess as expected, with a 4-6 record. Take that with a grain of salt, because three of those wins were against non-Division I opponents. Meanwhile, Fresno State already beat the Aggies by 5 earlier in the season, which gives us a pretty clear indication.
Winner: Fresno State
LA Bowl: UCLA vs. Boise State
No offense to any of the previous teams, but this is the first watchable game for the actual Bowl games, and for our college basketball make-believe games. I’m a bit surprised in the Broncos’ so-so start. Tyson Degenhart has led the way, but Max Rice has had a ridiculously cold start to the season, only making 19.4% of his threes. Meanwhile, UCLA came close to upsetting Marquette and Gonzaga in the Maui Invitational. However, the Bruins nearly lost to UC Riverside last time out. Because of that, I’m going with Boise State. The Broncos have a few more guys who can take over if they get hot.
Winner: Boise State
Independence Bowl: Cal vs. Texas Tech
It’s the Fardaws Aimaq Bowl! Unfortunately for him, the Red Raiders have had a better start to the season. Cal has just not been good at all, with a 3-5 record but did just take down a good Santa Clara squad by 15. Still, the Bears haven’t been finding wins despite their talent, and Texas Tech nearly outlasted Butler to get to a 6-1 start. While I’m not overly convinced by the Red Raiders yet, the backcourt of Pop Isaacs and Joe Toussaint has been one of the best in the Big 12 during non-conference play.
Winner: Texas Tech
Famous Toastery Bowl: Western Kentucky vs. Old Dominion
Don’t let the 3-4 record fool you. Old Dominion played Arkansas tough and got a pair of solid mid-major wins over Drexel and Radford. On the flip side, Western Kentucky is 6-3, but lost by 8 to Canisius and has three wins against non-DI opponents. Still, Purdue transfer Brandon Newman and former Indiana Hoosier Khristian Lander both have Power 6 experience. I’ll side with that in a fairly even matchup.
Winner: Western Kentucky
Frisco Bowl: UTSA vs. Marshall
One of the least compelling matchups, the teams have a combined 6-9 record in college basketball. Give Marshall some credit – the Thundering Herd have had a challenging schedule with two of their losses coming to Kentucky and Utah State. The Roadrunners haven’t exactly had a tough slate and lost to Minnesota by 26 points. Dan D’Antoni is a solid coach at the mid-major level, so I trust his ability to find a way to win. Marshall will need to shoot better from three – 26.9% on the season is hard to watch.
Winner: Marshall
Boca Raton Bowl: South Florida vs. Syracuse
Simply put, the 2-4 Bulls are no match for Judah Mintz and the Syracuse Orange. While this might be a good bowl game on the gridiron, it’s a different story on the basketball court. SU is still in search of a signature win but has handled business otherwise. As a young team, you can expect ‘Cuse to continue to improve as the season goes on, too.
Winner: Syracuse
Gasparilla Bowl: Georgia Tech vs. UCF
Two words: Miles Kelly. The Georgia Tech superstar had a hand in leading the Yellow Jackets to two ranked wins in a row in Mississippi State and Duke. While the Yellow Jackets are only 4-3, UCF hasn’t shown they can compete with quality teams. The Knights lost to Miami (Fla) by 16 and also fell to Stetson. They have 6 wins, but all against mid-majors, and two of them only came by 3 points.
Winner: Georgia Tech
Birmingham Bowl: Troy vs. Duke
No reason to get cute here. Troy is 4-4 with losses to Ohio, Oregon State, Sam Houston, and Eastern Kentucky. Duke has had an iffy start, but can still reach the Final Four if all goes well. The Blue Devils are no match for the Trojans.
Winner: Duke
Camellia Bowl: Arkansas State vs. Northern Illinois
Arkansas State is 2-7 but has played a trio of Power 6 teams. So has Northern Illinois, at least if you count DePaul, who they took down by 10. An arguably bigger win was one over App State by 13 points. David Coit has been a point guard to watch in the MAC and Arkansas State’s 14.8 turnovers per game isn’t exactly the way to win ball games.
Winner: Northern Illinois
Armed Forces Bowl: James Madison vs. Air Force
In case you didn’t know by now, James Madison is really, really good in college football, and maybe even better in college basketball. The Dukes went 11-1 in the regular season on the field, and are 8-0 in basketball, with a signature win over Michigan State. I’d be remiss if I didn’t bring up the fact that the Falcons are 7-2 and have two players averaging over 18 PPG. Still, there’s no reason to pick against a team that hasn’t lost heading into the second week of December.
Winner: James Madison
Idaho Potato Bowl: Georgia State vs. Utah State
Georgia State has been a middle-of-the-pack team in mid-major college basketball, and that won’t cut it against Utah State. The biggest difference here is how the two squads match up. The Panthers have a good, experienced guard in Dwon Odom, but lack much of a post presence. Meanwhile, Great Osobor is a dominant paint presence, averaging over 20 PPG and nearly 10 RPG. The Aggies also move the ball well, averaging over 18 APG as a team.
Winner: Utah State
68 Ventures Bowl: South Alabama vs. Eastern Michigan
One of the most even matchups we could get, the Jaguars and Eagles are both playing well so far. However, you can’t overlook an Eastern Michigan loss – by 43 – to FAU. Even worse? South Alabama’s 56-point loss to Alabama. These teams better be lucky they aren’t playing Power 6 competition. Overall, neither team moves the ball well, but EMU has been a good three-point shooting team at 36.7%.
Winner: Eastern Michigan
Las Vegas Bowl: Utah vs. Northwestern
If I’m looking for a sleeper team in March Madness, I’m looking no further than Utah. Branden Carlson is a problem inside, Gabe Madsen can take over games when asked, and the Utes might have the best trio of bigs, with Keba Keita and Lawson Lovering. However, one player can make the difference, and for me, it’s Boo Buie. The Wildcats’ superstar just knocked off Zach Edey and Purdue, so I’m sure he can lead Northwestern to a win over the Utes.
Winner: Northwestern
Hawaii Bowl: Coastal Carolina vs. San Jose State
Tim Miles coaching a bowl game? Someone give a wellness check to our dear Twitter friend Tony Patelis. I also like San Jose State’s chances, against a Chanticleers team with only two wins over DI schools to this point in the season. The Spartans have lost three in a row, but have a good shooting team and can pick and choose on offense with four players averaging at least 12.8 PPG.
Winner: San Jose State
Quick Lane Bowl: Bowling Green vs. Minnesota
Quick note here: the Golden Gophers went 5-7 and got in a bowl game, while Navy and Army, who play on Saturday, are both 5-6. One of them will go 6-6 and not get an extra game. I’m not complaining, but it is a flaw. What’s not a flaw is Dawson Garcia’s game. He’s turning into a superstar in Minnesota and has a sniper of a sidekick in Cam Christie. The Gophers freshman is 17-for-36 from three on the year. That’s a great weapon to have.
Winner: Minnesota
First Responder Bowl: Texas State vs. Rice
Neither team will be making the NCAA Tournament or NIT, so props to their football teams for providing good seasons. My best measurement would be the fact that both teams played Texas, but they also both loss by nearly the same amount of points. Rice has more potential, as the Owls are averaging 5 more assists per game than the Bobcats, so that’s my decision here.
Winner: Rice
Guaranteed Rate Bowl: Kansas vs. UNLV
Maybe if this game had been played in 1990, would UNLV have a chance. Unfortunately for the Rebels, this is 2023, and Kansas is a Final Four contender. I don’t think I have to do much more explaining.
Winner: Kansas
Military Bowl: Virginia Tech vs. Tulane
Tulane has started the season hot, and it shouldn’t be a surprise. Kevin Cross has been putting up numbers in NOLA for three years now and isn’t about to stop. Will it be enough to contend with a Virginia Tech team primed to finish near the top in the ACC? I’m actually going to pick the upset. The Hokies have had a rough start to the season, with losses to Auburn and FAU by a combined 51 points. VTech’s wins over Iowa State and Boise State show the potential, but I’m not sure who is stopping Cross from dropping a 20/5/5 game.
Winner: Tulane
Duke’s Mayo Bowl: North Carolina vs. West Virginia
West Virginia has been a mess, and the latest example was a 17-point loss to Pitt. While Jesse Edwards should know how to play Armando Bacot, it probably wouldn’t matter. The Tar Heels are clearly the better team, especially if Cormac Ryan can finally get going. Once he turns it on, watch out.
Winner: North Carolina
Holiday Bowl: Louisville vs. USC
The Cardinals have been much improved over last year’s train wreck, but a win over USC – with the potential of Bronny James making his return – would be asking too much. Boogie Ellis and Isaiah Collier might be the best one-two scoring punch in the Pac-12, if not the entire country.
Winner: USC
Texas Bowl: Texas A&M vs. Oklahoma State
Mike Boynton’s leash at OK State is running very short, while Buzz Williams is turning the Aggies into an SEC powerhouse right before our eyes. Wade Taylor IV is an All-American candidate and if the Aggies can ever find a way to shoot a little better from deep as a team, they could be a legitimate Final Four sleeper team.
Winner: Texas A&M
Fenway Bowl: SMU vs. Boston College
Both squads are playing well with SMU falling by 2 to Dayton and 8 to Wisconsin. The Eagles almost won against NC State and have a dominant post player in Quinten Post. While he can be a matchup nightmare for teams without a good big man, SMU also has a few scoring stars in Zhuric Phelps and Chuck Harris. Post is great, but the Mustangs just have a bit more which should help them pull away in a tight one.
Winner: SMU
Pinstripe Bowl: Rutgers vs. Miami (Fla)
Unfortunately for Rutgers, Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper will not be able to suit up for Rutgers in this game. However, Wooga Poplar, Norchad Omier, Nijel Pack, and Matthew Cleveland will all be on the court for the Hurricanes, who have the Final Four in reach again.
Winner: Miami (Fla)
Pop-Tarts Bowl: NC State vs. Kansas State
NC State’s record might be solid, but their play on the court doesn’t match it. The ‘Pack have wins over BC and Vanderbilt but lost to better competition in games that weren’t exactly close. On the flip side is a K State team that just took down Villanova and has a star forward in Arthur Kaluma. Tylor Perry and Cam Carter have also been exceptional as the Wildcats are one of the top teams in a loaded Big 12.
Winner: Kansas State
Alamo Bowl: Arizona vs. Oklahoma
Can undefeated Oklahoma take down the number-one team in the country? While the Sooners have wins against Iowa, USC, and Providence, Zona is another story. The Wildcats are averaging over 90 PPG, 21 APG, and nearly 50 RPG. They do it all and have been the best team in college basketball, bar-none.
Winner: Arizona
Gator Bowl: Clemson vs. Kentucky
This is a surprisingly difficult pick because Clemson is 8-0 and sort of proved themselves with a rivalry win over previously undefeated South Carolina. Meanwhile, Kentucky almost knocked off Kansas and dismantled Miami (Fla), but also lost to UNC Wilmington. UK is a Final Four contender, but I’m siding with Clemson’s experience at this point in time.
Winner: Clemson
Sun Bowl: Oregon State vs. Notre Dame
This should be a fun bowl game to watch, but in college basketball, it’s two of the worst Power 6 teams. The Beavers have lost by at least 21 points to all three of the Power 6 teams they’ve played this year. Notre Dame beat Oklahoma State, if that’s worth anything at all, but also lost to a decent, but not outstanding Western Carolina team. I’d rather pick both teams to lose to be quite honest, but if I had to choose, I’d take Jordan Pope and Oregon State. After all, the Irish aren’t even scoring 65 PPG.
Winner: Oregon State
Liberty Bowl: Memphis vs. Iowa State
I wish this could be a game in college basketball. It seems like the Tigers and Cyclones would be an awesome 8-9-seed game in the NCAA Tournament. And right now, it’s an even matchup. The Tigers have a few signature wins already, and the Cyclones are still searching for one. While I think they’re capable, I’m trusting the team that’s already done if a few times, at Missouri and against Arkansas.
Winner: Memphis
Cotton Bowl: Missouri vs. Ohio State
Never doubt Dennis Gate, but don’t underestimate this Ohio State team. The Buckeyes are 8-1 with their only loss coming to Texas A&M by just 7. Bruce Thornton and Roddy Gayle Jr. have both taken the sophomore leaps needed to draw looks by the NBA. Minnesota transfer Jamison Battle may finally make an NCAA Tournament run.
Winner: Ohio State
Peach Bowl: Ole Miss vs. Penn State
Losing Micah Shrewsberry hasn’t been kind to Penn State, but hiring Chris Beard has worked out tremendously for the Rebels. While Ace Baldwin, Qudus Wahab, and Kanye Clary could keep this game close, why doubt an 8-0 team? Bruce Pearl may wish he utilized Allen Flanigan more at Auburn because he’s turned into a star with his new SEC team.
Winner: Ole Miss
Music City Bowl: Auburn vs. Maryland
If there’s one thing I will never do, it’s not to doubt Kevin Willard’s coaching abilities. With that being said, Maryland hasn’t looked too great, and Auburn has looked like a contender to win the SEC. Sure, a loss to App State doesn’t move the needle in a positive direction, but nearly beating Baylor shows what this Tigers team is capable of.
Winner: Auburn
Orange Bowl: Georgia vs. Florida State
Georgia actually already won at Florida State by two points in a very weird game. Jalen DeLoach and Russel Tchewa combined to go 0-for-2 for 0 points and 1 assist. They played a combined 35 minutes, starting the game, and somehow the Bulldogs won. While it’s not likely that will happen again in a rematch, I also wouldn’t count on FSU shooting as poorly as 34.4% from the field again. Plus, Leonard Hamilton’s coaching abilities should be a reliable difference here.
Winner: Florida State
Arizona Bowl: Toledo vs. Wyoming
No Grahm Ike for Wyoming and no RayJ Dennis for Toledo. It’s a different era at both programs! Instead, Wyoming has a guy named Sam Griffin, who is 21-for-42 from downtown this year. Even more impressive is how both teams are averaging over 75 PPG and shooting over 40% from three. I want to say Griffin is the x-factor, but truthfully, both teams have some lights-out shooters. Toledo has lost four of their last five, so because of that, I’m inclined to take the Cowboys, but this pick wasn’t easy.
Winner: Wyoming
ReliaQuest Bowl: Wisconsin vs. LSU
Getting into our New Year’s Day bowls, the Badgers are clearly the more talented and team between these two. LSU is a young team and plays sporadic under Matt McMahon. Meanwhile, the Badgers have as much chemistry as anyone, which was evident in their upset win over Marquette.
Winner: Wisconsin
Fiesta Bowl: Liberty vs. Oregon
A Darius McGhee Liberty team may have been the pick last year, and while Kyle Rode is also very talented, it’s just not the same Flames team with a flamethrower of that status. Oregon is still trying to figure things out and has also been riddled by injuries. A healthy Oregon team wins this game, but I’m feeling fun with this pick.
Winner: Liberty
Citrus Bowl: Iowa vs. Tennessee
Fran McCaffery and Rick Barnes would give us one of the most well-coached games we could get in 2024. It’s truly offense versus defense, as these teams couldn’t be more polar opposites. However, if needed, the Vols can score, which we saw in their 92-point effort in a loss to UNC. If needed, I’m not sure if the Hawkeyes can defend, which seals in my pick.
Winner: Tennessee
Rose Bowl: Alabama vs. Michigan
It might not be the Grandaddy of them all in the basketball court, but it would still be an intriguing matchup. The Wolverines have played better than I would have thought heading into the season, but the Crimson Tide have more talent on their roster. Mark Sears and Aaron Estrada can score on just about anyone and Grant Nelson is also a very talented player, showing no signs of needing an adjustment period coming from the mid-major ranks.
Winner: Alabama
Sugar Bowl: Texas vs. Washington
I’m starting to lose trust in Texas. The Longhorns didn’t look great against UConn and didn’t even look like they should be on the same court against Marquette. Washington has also lost a few games, but has looked better in losses, coming up just short against San Diego State and Colorado State. Max Abmas will score points, but Keion Brooks Jr. and Sahvir Wheeler will make plays.
Winner: Washington
National Championship: Alabama vs. Washington
Will this be the actual championship in college basketball? Most likely not, but there could be worse matchups. There’s just something about this Washington team, but the two-headed monster of Estrada-Sears is just so hard to defend. Congrats, Nate Oats, you’ve gained a step on Nick Saban.
Winner: Alabama