Nittany Lions Wire Big Ten bowl picks
College football bowl season is well under way and the Big Ten is finally about to dip its toes in the postseason fun. A total of nine Big Ten teams are playing in bowl games this season, including Penn State in the Peach Bowl, and Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl as at-large options for the New Years Six bowl lineup and Michigan in the Rose Bowl for the College Football Playoff semifinal. Our staff here at Nittany Lions Wire gathered our thoughts and wanted to share our official predictions for each Big Ten bowl game. Our fabulous contributors Brad Wakai and Charlie Strella sent me their official thoughts and predictions for each game, and it does seem we have some similar thoughts on a number of these Big Ten bowl games.
Below are all of our predictions for each bowl game involving a Big Ten team starting with Northwestern’s appearance in the Las Vegas Bowl and all the way through Michigan’s College Football Playoff matchup with Alabama in the Rose Bowl.
Please note that we are not sharing our official Peach Bowl picks just yet. Instead, we offered some quick overview thoughts about Penn State’s matchup with Ole Miss and we will share our official predictions next week during our regular football week schedule.
Las Vegas Bowl: Northwestern (7-5) vs. Utah (8-4)
Date: Dec. 23
Charlie: This matchup should be interesting and tight. Both teams are pretty capable defensively, but Utah and Kyle Whittingham eventually pull away with a slightly more talented roster. Utah 24, Northwestern 17.
Brad: Northwestern was one of the most surprising teams in the Big Ten, finishing second in the West division with a record of 7-5. This feels like a good motivational spot for them compared to Utah, who has multiple opt-outs and transfers after not reaching their preseason goals.
Northwestern pulls the upset 24-20.
Kevin: I have to say I am amazed at how successful Northwestern was this season, so there is no way I’m about to write them off in this bowl game. Utah’s season was not what the Utes have come to expect but the defense is still strong enough. I’m going with Utah in Las Vegas in a low-scoring affair. Utah 20, Northwestern 13
QuickLane Bowl: Minnesota (5-7) vs. Bowling Green (7-5)
Date: Dec. 26
Brad: How motivated is Minnesota going to be in this one with both their starting and backup QBs in the transfer portal and their DC departing for another job? Bowling Green on the other hand would love to beat a Big Ten opponent and should treat this game as such. Talent might be too much to overcome but I think the MAC school wins a close one 27-24.
Charlie: Bowling Green was one of the better teams in the MAC this year but was overlooked by Toledo and Miami (OH). Minnesota, on the other hand, finished 5-7 and was lucky even to get a bowl invite. With their top two quarterbacks in the transfer portal, I am smelling an upset here in a low-scoring contest despite the possible Golden Gopher crowd advantage in Detriot. Bowling Green 17, Minnesota 14.
Kevin: Minnesota was the team I was most disappointed in this season, but I do think they will take advantage of the opportunity to play in a bowl game and end this year with a win. With the quarterback situation what it is, I think this is a big game for the run. Minnesota 23, Bowling Green 20
Pinstripe Bowl: Rutgers (6-6) vs. Miami (7-5)
Date: Dec. 28
Kevin: The progress of Rutgers continues to show this season, and now they get a chance to play close to home in the Pinstripe Bowl against Miami. How well does Miami play in the cold weather in December? Probably not well, which is what Rutgers will need for this win. I still think Miami pulls it out though despite a respectable effort from the Scarlet Knights. Miami 26, Rutgers 23
Brad: A New Jersey school playing at Yankee Stadium against a south Florida team in late December? This has advantage Rutgers written all over it. Factor in that Miami had tons of their stars leave or opt-out and this is a recipe for the Big Ten team to win. 21-17 Rutgers.
Charlie: Miami and Rutgers both have taken a significant blow from the transfer portal this month, and Miami lost starting quarterback Tyler Van Dyke to Wisconsin. Gavin Wimsatt will lead the Scarlet Knights into Yankee Stadium along with the Big Ten’s leading rusher, Kyle Monangai, who announced his return for next year. The return of Rutger’s top two offensive players, plus the added bonus of being so close to home, equals a win against the Hurricanes. Rutgers 24, Miami 21.
Cotton Bowl: Ohio State vs. Missouri
Date: Dec. 29
Charlie: A consolation prize for the perennial CFB Playoff contending Buckeyes while a huge opportunity for a somewhat surprising Missouri squad. I have a hard time saying Ohio State will be motivated to win this game. Does Marvin Harrison even play? I have my doubts. Kyle McCord is off to Syracuse, leaving Devin Brown the likely starter. Eli Drinkwitz says he expects everyone on his squad to be available, and they will be fired up to end their season with a bang. Pick: Missouri 27, Ohio State 24.
Brad: By the time this game rolls around, Ohio State might be fielding third-stringers and walk-ons to compete in this one. Meanwhile, Missouri had an incredible season and wants to finish things off strong. Tigers win 31-27.
Kevin: Ohio State missed out on the College Football Playoff and could be in some trouble against a high-scoring Missouri team led by Brady Cook. Ohio State will turn to Devin Brown at quarterback following the departure of Kyle McCord, but the big question is whether or not wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. even plays in the game before going to the NFL. I think Missouri gives Ohio State some real trouble and comes away with a big win for the program. Missouri 30, Ohio State 27
Peach Bowl: Penn State (10-2) vs. Ole Miss (10-2)
Date: Dec. 30
Kevin: We are going to dig into this game a little more deeply in the coming week leading up to the game so there will be no official prediction offered now. But we did want to share some quick thoughts on the matchup between Penn State and Ole Miss. And as of this moment, it looks like most of Penn State’s roster will be intact despite a number of key players declaring early for the NFL. Penn State’s offense obviously has to be consistent because the defense will slow down Ole Miss enough to keep things from getting out of hand.
Brad: More analysis will come at Nittany Lions Wire, but both teams seem to be motivated. Ole Miss wants the program’s first-ever 11-win season and Penn State has multiple players entering their names into the NFL Draft playing in this game. That should make for a good matchup.
Charlie: Should be one of the best non-NY6 bowl matchups. One of the top offenses in the country against one of the best defenses. Penn State’s defense will present one of Ole Miss’s tougher tests this season and vice versa. Coming off a total domination of Michigan State on Black Friday and with many starters returning, the Nittany Lions will be looking to punctuate another strong season. A blowout either way is unlikely, but it will be a fascinating matchup, to say the least.
Music City Bowl: Maryland (7-5) vs. Auburn (6-6)
Date: Dec. 30
Brad: This will be a battle of depth after both Maryland and Auburn are dealing with transfer portal entrants and opt-outs. Conventional wisdom would say that the SEC school has better backup talent and should allow Auburn to roll 31-17.
Charlie: I definitely forecast a high-scoring affair in this one. Auburn was a Jalen Milroe miracle throw away from knocking Alabama out of the playoff, but they should be able to move the ball against a middling Terps defense. Taulia Tagovailoa will not play in his last collegiate game, and this one might come down to who has the ball last. Auburn 31, Maryland 27.
Kevin: I have to say I liked Maryland’s chances in this game a lot more before Taulia Tagovailoa made the decision to skip the bowl game. That puts the Terrapins in a bit of a bind on offense, and I’m not sure Maryland has enough to stop an Auburn team that improved this season.
ReliaQuest Bowl: Wisconsin (7-5) vs. LSU (9-3)
Date: Jan. 1, 2024
Charlie: A more exciting matchup in theory than it will be in real life. The Badgers will be down to almost zero-skill position players after top wide receivers Chimere Dike and Sylar Bell transferred, and star running back Braelon Allen is off to the NFL. Luke Fickell will have his team motivated to pull off the upset against Jayden Daniels-less LSU, but even without the Heisman Trophy winner, the Tigers will take care of the Badgers. LSU 34, Wisconsin 21.
Brad: LSU won’t have the Heisman winner Jayden Daniels and Wisconsin is dealing with tons of opt-outs and transfers. Which of the coaches can have their teams ready to play in this one. LSU just has better talent and will win 35-21.
Kevin: Not going to lie, I’m kind of bummed we don’t get to see Jayden Daniels in this one for LSU. The Heisman Trophy winner is opting out of the game. And Wisconsin is missing key players like Braelon Allen. I’ll still take LSU and their offense to figure something out enough to provide some distance against Wisconsin. I’m not sure this one will be too pretty for the Badgers. LSU 26, Wisconsin 16
Citrus Bowl: Iowa (10-3) vs. Tennessee (8-4)
Date: Jan. 1, 2024
Charlie: Whose ready to watch that ever-so-interesting Iowa Hawkeye offense? Not me, unless they figured it out over the last few weeks. The Vols are a talented team, but the Iowa defense is no joke. I could see Tennessee losing a low-scoring game, but I don’t trust Deacon Hill and the Kaweyes to score much. A close and low-scoring game, as all Iowa games usually are, but I think the Vols have enough. Tennessee 21, Iowa 10.
Brad: Talk about a difference in styles. Iowa can’t score and Tennessee can’t stop anyone. Which one will prevail? It’s hard to project that any offense will come from Iowa, but facing a defense that is missing tons of talent, they could actually move the ball and pull off the upset 20-17.
Kevin: Everything tells me Tennessee is the pick in this game but Iowa somehow pulls an Iowa and scores a defensive touchdown, gets great special teams and wins this game despite not accumulating more than 275 yards of offense and scoring just 20 points. Iowa 20, Tennessee 16
Rose Bowl (College Football Playoff): Michigan vs. Alabama
Date: Jan. 1, 2024
Kevin: What kind of luck does Michigan have that they finally ascend to the top spot in the college football rankings and get to go to the Rose Bowl in a year with so much controversy surrounding the program, only to face an Alabama team that has finally hit its stride in the semifinal round of the College Football Playoff. Alabama’s Jalen Milroe should have some tough moments against this Michigan defense, but the Crimson Tide will bring an end to Michigan’s third straight playoff appearance. But this one is going to be good. Alabama 32, Michigan 30
Brad: This game should be awesome. After Alabama looked lost following their defeat against Texas, they rebounded to the tune of an SEC Championship win and another spot in the CFP. Michigan has not looked the same as last season, but could be affected positively by the layoff. Still, Bama wins 27-24.
Charlie: I have never been a JJ McCarthy believer, and knowing Nick Saban will make him throw the ball gives me even more concern. The last time he was forced to throw the ball was against Maryland, and McCarthy threw a pick in the red zone. Do that against this Crimson Tide squad, and you will be in trouble. A terrific coaching matchup will be on full display, and in the Grandaddy of them all, it will be one heck of a sight, but for me, it comes down to the quarterback. In a tight game, I trust Jalen Milroe more than I do JJ McCarthy. Alabama 28, Michigan 21.
