Parlays

The New Jersey Devils will be looking to put an end to their 3-game losing streak as they travel to Toronto to take on the Maple Leafs. The Leafs come into this game as winners of two of their last three games and their overall game appears to be trending in the right direction. Most notably has been the play of superstar Auston Matthews. In his last 2 games, he has 4 points and an impressive 14 shots on goal. He is starting to look like the 69-goal scorer that we saw from a few seasons ago. The powerplay that was the worst in the league seems to have figured some things out, they have scored three powerplay goals in their last two games. They may be without forward William Nylander which will be a big part of their offense missing, but I like their chances to get it done without him.

The Devils can’t seem to figure things out, even with the return of Jack Hughes. Their offense has been sluggish as they have only scored 5 goals in their last 3 games. On the year, they are averaging only 2.71 goals per game. The Leafs have been a very good home team this year with a record of 12-5-5 on home ice. Give me the home team in this one.

Devils vs Maple Leafs prediction: Leafs ML (-105) available at time of publishing. Playable at that number.

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The New York Islanders and Chicago Blackhawks clash for some Tuesday night action in the NHL. This is the first of two matchups this season, and both will be looking to return to the win column after coming off a multi-goal loss. To get you set for this matchup, here is our Islanders vs. Blackhawks prediction.

I expect Chicago to enter this game on home ice extremely hungry after an embarrassing 7-3 loss in their most recent game, but I don’t think it will be enough. New York has shown far more strength and consistency this year, led by first overall pick Matthew Schaefer and a great mix of young and old talent. There is a reason the Islanders have won seven more games than Chicago, and that is the major difference in roster capabilities. Blackhawks star Connor Bedard also remains out with injury, which has complicated things for Chicago who has just one win in seven games without him. For our Islanders vs. Blackhawks prediction, take New York on the money line on the road.

Islanders vs Blackhawks prediction: Islanders ML (-150) available at time of publishing. Playable to -175.

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The Philadelphia Flyers are Vancouver Canucks are set for a Tuesday night matchup at Rogers Arena. These teams met last week on December 22, with Philadelphia prevailing by a score of 5-2. While 7 total goals were scored to take that game over the total, Tuesday’s meeting could be a bit lower-scoring. Vancouver’s offense ceiling took a significant dive by trading away Quinn Hughes. While Zeev Buium and Marco Rossi are playing significant minutes, it’s tough to replace the production that Hughes would bring night-in and night-out. The Canucks rank 26th in the NHL in goals per game with 2.76, and could have some trouble getting things going offensively playing on back-to-back nights.

On the other side, the Flyers also rank in the bottom-third of the NHL in scoring, as their 2.89 goals per game ranks 21st in the league. Trevor Zegras paces Philadelphia with 37 points in 37 games, but finding consistent offense has still been a bit of an uphill battle for the Flyers. The power play hasn’t been effective, ranking 25th in the NHL with a conversion rate of 16.3%. Given the offensive question marks on each side, look to the under in this one.

Flyers vs Canucks prediction: Under 5.5 (-115) available at time of publishing. Playable at that number.

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The Seton Hall Pirates and the Marquette Golden Eagles get back into action on Tuesday night when they meet at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee. These teams are on completely opposite ends of the spectrum this year, as the Pirates are 11-2 SU and 8-5 ATS while the Golden Eagles are just 5-8 SU and 2-10-1 ATS. One of Seton Hall’s 2 losses came in its game against Villanova right before the break, as they scored just 0.89 points per possession, made 36% of its two-point attempts and connected on just 3 perimeter shots. Meanwhile, Marquette has lost 4 straight and 8 of its last 11. Its only wins are over teams outside KenPom’s top 200. 

Seton Hall has some quality road wins at Kansas State and Providence, so being the visitors in Milwaukee shouldn’t be an issue for the Pirates on Tuesday. This team loves to get to the rim, ranking 11th in percentage of near-proximity attempts (Haslametrics) and sitting more than 7% above Division 1 average in percentage of shots at the rim (CBB Analytics). Marquette has allowed its opponents to waltz to the rim this year, ranking 254th in rate of near-proximity attempts allowed and 5% above the Division 1 average in rim rate allowed. The Golden Eagles aren’t blocking shots either, so the Pirates may not meet much resistance in the paint. 

On the other end of the floor, Marquette is a poor shooting team and relies on scoring around the rim like Seton Hall. Unfortunately for the Eagles, the Pirates are much better defensively at the rim. In fact, Seton Hall is top-15 in near-proximity shooting percentage allowed, 16th in two-point defense, and 1st nationally in block rate. 

It’s worth mentioning, one of Marquette’s starters in Zaide Lowery left the program over the holiday break. The Golden Eagles could potentially use that as a rallying point, but until I see improved play on the court, I can only bet against Marquette.

Seton Hall vs Marquette prediction: Seton Hall Pirates -2 (-105) at the time of publishing. Playable to -3. 

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The Irish are quickly turning into one of the most popular underdogs on the board — and that alone should raise alarms. Popularity does not equal value. In fact it often points the other way. Stanford, very simply, should be getting more respect here. Add eight points to two defeats and they are undefeated. The Cardinal are a complete team and they play at an elite level at home. The Irish haven’t really had a lot of experience when the rubber has hit the road and they are not stepping into a place with a pulse when they head to Palo Alto. Stanford’s length in the frontcourt and perimeter spacing give them real matchup advantages against an Irish team that struggles to generate consistent offense when forced out of rhythm.

More importantly, the number itself signals intent. If Notre Dame were the live side, the line would be much closer to a pick’em — especially given how heavily the public is lining up behind the Irish. Instead, the books are willing to invite Notre Dame money. That’s usually a clue. In a game where market perception and team quality diverge, we’ll trust the side being priced correctly rather than the side being cheered for. Laying the points with Stanford is the sharp play in this matchup.

Notre Dame vs Stanford prediction: Cardinal -5.5 (-110) available at time of publishing. Playable to -6.

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It’s a Big East showdown as the Butler Bulldogs make their way to Omaha Nebraska to take on the Creighton Blue Jays. The Bulldogs enter this matchup with a 10-3 record and are 1-1 in Big East play this season. The Blue Jays sit at 8-5 overall and are a perfect 2-0 in conference action. Creighton appears to have found its groove, winning three straight games while averaging 91.3 points per game and holding opponents to just 63 points during that stretch. Butler is coming off back-to-back wins as well, but they narrowly escaped against Northwestern, despite shooting 38% from the floor. 

Offensively, Butler holds a slight edge, averaging 86.4 points per game compared to Creighton’s 78.5. Leading the Bulldogs is Michael Ajayi who is averaging 16.6 points, 12.2 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game and the Blue Jays are going to need to find a way to slow him down if they want to win this matchup. The Blue Jays just have one player averaging double digits this season, Josh Dix, who is averaging 12.2 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game. Home-court advantage could be a major factor here. Butler is 0-2 on the road this season, while Creighton has been dominant at home with a 6-1 record. This should be a competitive matchup, and you could make a case for either side, but Creighton’s recent form and strong play at home gives them the edge. Taking everything into consideration, look for the Blue Jays to take care of business on their home court against their Big East rivals.

Butler vs Creighton prediction: Creighton -5.5 (-110) available at time of publishing. Playable at that number.

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The market is giving us a short home ‘dog with Memphis, but in reality this is a game that can go either way. Philadelphia sits at 16–14, Memphis at 15–17, so there’s no massive performance gap to account for. That makes grabbing the home dog at plus money the prudent play before we go any further.

The Grizzlies’ profile is heavily skewed by the early-season stretch without Morant—recent form has been much stronger than the full-season record suggests. In other words, this isn’t the same Memphis team we saw back in November. But because the Grizzlies stubbed their toe against the Wizards, the market is quick to react and think otherwise. That allows us to buy low on Memphis who will also get the benefit of a raucous FedEx Forum crowd behind them. The total is sitting in the low 230’s, which hints at a possession-heavy game and plenty of volatility. In such an environment, taking the home dog at a plus price is the smart option. It can only be Memphis or nothing for this bettor.

76ers vs Grizzlies prediction: Grizzlies ML (+100) available at time of publishing. Playable at that number.

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Detroit is 24–8 with a top-tier offense built around Cade Cunningham’s playmaking and Jalen Duren’s hyper-efficient finishing at the rim. Los Angeles counters with Luka Dončić, who leads the league in scoring at 33.7 points per game, plus LeBron James still playing at an All-Star level. That’s a lot of offensive firepower on both sides of the floor.

Pistons games have gone over in 17 of 30 contests, while Lakers games have sailed past the total in 19 of 30. This is pivotal because defensively, neither side is airtight. Detroit’s youth shows in transition and rotation lapses; the Lakers, meanwhile, lean heavily on outscoring opponents rather than consistently getting stops, especially when Dončić is asked to carry such a heavy offensive load. Expect both teams to target mismatches early and pushing tempo after misses. This has all the makings of a game that can easily go over and be characterized by a series of flurries and runs. Clearing 231 is not a tall order on Tuedsay.

Pistons vs Lakers prediction: Over 231 (-110) available at time of publishing. Playable at that number.

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The Kings didn’t have to travel a lot after their last game, which was a 125-101 loss to the Lakers. Now they face the other team in LA the Clippers, as they try to win just their 4th game in 18 outings on the road. It’s always fun to watch Russell Westbrook go after his former teams, but I’m afraid that’s the only highlight we’re seeing from Kings games these days. This team has been decimated with injuries, with Zach LaVine, Keegan Murray and Domantas Sabonis all being out. But even at full strength chemistry has been a major problem and it won’t be too long until major moves are made.

The same could be said about the Clippers who have vastly underperformed this season, but unlike the Kings they are starting to wake up. I just hope it’s not too late for Kawhi Leonard and his teammates. LA just won its 4th game in a row, they’ve taken down the Lakers, Rockets, Blazers and Pistons in a span of just 8 days. Kawhi just dropped a career high 55 points, I don’t think even the most optimistic Clipper fan saw this coming. The injury to Ivica Zubac is proving to be a blessing in disguise. His replacement Brook Lopez has the ability to stretch the floor with his three-point shooting and that’s exactly what’s transformed this Clipper team into a winner all of a sudden.

For a team that’s just 10-21 SU on the season, covering a double-digit spread might sound big, but the way these Clippers have played lately I’m more than happy to back them here. All 4 wins during this streak have been by double-digits, the good run should continue vs a Kings team that’s only 1-6 SU in 7 road games. Back LA to win by margin in this one.

Kings vs Clippers prediction: Clippers -10 (-110) available at time of publishing. Playable at that number.

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Iowa’s recent bowl history includes more SEC opponents than not, and much of the same is true this year when the Hawkeyes meet the Vanderbilt Commodores in the ReliaQuest Bowl on New Year’s Eve at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa. Iowa finished the season 8-4 with losses to Iowa State, Indiana, Oregon, and USC. Meanwhile, Vanderbilt finished just outside of the College Football Playoff at 10-2, losing at Alabama and Texas. This game represents a strength-on-strength battle when Vanderbilt’s offense goes up against Iowa’s defense, but also a weakness-on-weakness battle when the Hawkeyes go up against the ‘Dores defense. 

Vanderbilt stud TE Eli Stowers will not play in this game, which will be a big loss for the ‘Dores. However, assuming everyone else plays, which is expected as of Monday morning, Vanderbilt still should have plenty in the tank offensively. Heisman-hopeful QB Diego Pavia is expected to be under center in what figures to be his final collegiate game, and he will be surrounded by capable playmakers at Vanderbilt’s skill positions in RB Sedrick Alexander, WR Tre Richadson, and WR Junior Sherrill. It is Alexander that I believe will be the catalyst for Vanderbilt’s success in this game, as Iowa’s weakest defensive attributes are on the ground. For reference, Iowa is outside the top 50 in PPA per rush and rushing success rate allowed this season, and it was even worse down the stretch – as Hawkeyes are 83rd in PPA per rush and 75th in rushing success rate allowed since Week 9. Furthermore, they haven’t generated a ton of havoc in that stretch, which should give Pavia more time to operate as the maestro of this offense – a unit that finished the season 1st in PPA per play, 2nd in success rate, and 5th in points per quality drive outside of garbage time. 

On the other side of the ball, Vanderbilt is nowhere near the same level of efficiency defensively as it is offensively. However, Iowa hardly poses a threat when it has the ball. The Hawkeyes are 95th in yards per play and 121st in total offense this season, as well as outside the top 50 PPA per play and success rate since Week 9. The strongest part of this offense is its run game, which just so happens to be the best attribute of Vanderbilt’s defense. The Commodores are top-15 in rushing yards allowed per game, and they are top-35 in PPA per rush outside of garbage time since Week 9. 

So long as Pavia and Alexander play, I trust Vanderbilt’s offense way more than Iowa’s, even if the Commodores struggle defensively. Look for Pavia and the ‘Dores to play with a chip on their shoulders in a win and cover over Iowa. 

Iowa vs Vanderbilt prediction: Commodores -4 (-110) at the time of publishing. Playable at that number or better. 

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Texas is being priced here as though it is should have been in the College Football Playoff — but that makes sense, the Wolverines are in a transition period from a coaching perspective. But a closer look suggests the Longhorns may be riding perception more than reality. Michigan enters this matchup as mentioned surrounded by noise: the coaching turmoil, the fallout from Sherron Moore’s firing, and the Ohio State loss. Texas meanwhile has gripes about not making the CFP.

But semantics inside, what has Texas truly done to justify laying this kind of number? Yes, the ‘Horns own top-10 wins over Oklahoma, Vanderbilt and Texas A&M — but each comes with context. Oklahoma’s offense was compromised and its flaws obvious all season. John Mateer was also banged up in the Red River matchup. Texas A&M largely beat itself in Austin. And Vanderbilt? The ‘Dores nearly erased a 24-point deficit in the DKR. Meanwhile, Texas also needed overtime to escape both Mississippi State and Kentucky — 2 losing teams — and lost to a 4-win Florida side in Gainesville in addition to getting dismantled by Georgia. That résumé hardly screams “trustworthy favorite laying more than a touchdown.” Michigan still plays elite defense, controls the trenches and is a physical bunch. That profile travels — especially as an underdog. The Wolverines don’t need to win outright to be in position here; they simply need to play their brand of football. With Texas likely overpriced and Michigan undervalued, the points are a steal.

Michigan vs Texas prediction: Michigan +7.5 (-110) available at time of publishing. Playable to +7.

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The College Football Playoff resumes on Wednesday after a much-too-long break between the first round and the second round. There will only be one CFP matchup on New Year’s Eve before the final 3 quarterfinal games are played on New Year’s Day, and that lone matchup pits the 11-2 Miami Hurricanes and the 12-1 Ohio State Buckeyes. The Hurricanes come into this playoff matchup on the heels of a 10-3 first-round win over Texas A&M in College Station, but they were outgained, had 9 fewer first downs, and converted just 25% of their third downs. The keys to victory were the 3 turnovers they forced and the 6.3 yards per rush they averaged against the Aggies defense. 

At 87th nationally in giveaways per game, the Aggies were very much turnover-prone this year. Ohio State is a completely different animal, as the Buckeyes average just 0.7 giveaways per game – good for 4th nationally. Much of that is due to OSU QB Julian Sayin’s ball security, as the first-year starter has just 6 interceptions on 6 turnover-worthy plays. Compare that to TAMU QB Marcel Reed, who finished the year with 12 interceptions and 22 turnover-worthy plays – tied for 3rd-most nationally. Considering Sayin finished the season with no more than 1 turnover-worth play in any game, it’s hard to imagine Miami capitalizing on turnovers like it did against Texas A&M. 

It’s also difficult to envision Miami RB Mark Fletcher Jr. having as much success on the ground against the Buckeyes as he did against the Aggies. For reference, Fletcher averaged just over 10 yards per carry and accounted for 172 of Miami’s 278 total yards. He attacked the weakness of Texas A&M’s defense (104th in PPA per rush this season) I mentioned in my Miami-Texas A&M preview, which ultimately was the reason – along with Reed’s turnover propensity – we played Miami plus the points. This time around, Fletcher and Miami will face an Ohio State run defense that is 5th in rush yards allowed per game and 6th in yards per attempt this season, not to mention being 1st nationally in scoring and total defense. Moreover, the Buckeyes are 10th in PPA per rush and 18th in standard downs PPA allowed since Week 9, so they are in great form coming into this game. Without a reliable run game, more pressure will be thrust onto Carson Beck’s shoulders, which isn’t very settling for Miami given Beck’s hit-or-miss play against above-average defenses.

On the other side of the ball, Miami grades very well. The Hurricanes are top-12 in yards per play, scoring, and total defense, but they showed some deficiencies against capable offenses like Louisville and Texas A&M. Ohio State has the best offense of any that Miami has seen to this point, even if the Buckeyes are outside the top 15 in scoring and total offense due to their slow pace of play. Since Week 9, the Bucks are top-10 in PPA per play, success rate, and points scored per quality drive, and they are notably good on passing downs, which has been an area of weakness for Miami’s defense. 

Miami has star power similar to that of Ohio State, but for my money, the Buckeyes are the more complete team with a more reliable head coach, and they are better than the Hurricanes in almost every aspect on both sides of the ball. Look for OSU to suffocate Miami in a win and cover to advance to the semifinals. 

Miami vs Ohio State prediction: Buckeyes -9 (-110) at the time of publishing. Playable to -9.5.

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The opening round of the College Football Playoff is behind us, and there are now just 8 teams remaining in the pursuit of a National Championship. Earlier this month, the 5th-seeded Oregon Ducks made quick work of James Madison to advance to this round, while the 4th-seeded Texas Tech Red Raiders had a bye in the opening round following a 12-1 season and a routine victory in the Big 12 title game. Which of these teams will come out on top in the Orange Bowl on New Year’s Day and advance to the semifinals? It’s almost time to find out. 

Given that this is the shortest spread on the board for the CFP quarterfinal round, this has the feeling of a game that should come down to the wire. Therefore, it’s hard to find a ton of clear advantages for either side in Thursday’s game. However, Oregon has a few edges that it should be able to exploit in this matchup. For starters, the Ducks have the better quarterback in the game, and Dante Moore should also be getting back 2 of his top 3 wide receivers in Dakorien Moore and Gary Bryant Jr. for this matchup. The jury is still out on if Evan Stewart is going to suit up on Thursday, but considering that Stewart hasn’t played for the entire season to this point, his absence isn’t anything new for Will Stein’s offense. With Moore and Bryant Jr. joining the dynamic and explosive Malik Benson in the lineup, this gives the Ducks a formidable trio of targets on the outside, to go along with All-American tight end Kenyon Sadiq at the tight end spot. Oregon is expected to have its top 3 running backs available for this matchup as well, so it’s hard not to be confident in the Ducks’ ability to manufacture offense in this one, even against an excellent Red Raiders defense. 

While Joey McGuire’s defense has been one of the top 5 units in the sport this season, Texas Tech’s issue in this game could be its offense. The Red Raiders certainly have a good offense — albeit one that has been the beneficiary of a somewhat weak schedule of opposing defenses — but there have been clear limitations for this group both on the ground and inside the red zone this season. After all, Texas Tech is just 50th in rushing success rate and 28th in points per drive on offense. In a game that is projected to be close throughout, just one or two failed red zone trips could decide the outcome. With that in mind, I can only side with Oregon to knock off the Red Raiders and advance to the College Football Playoff semifinals.

Oregon vs Texas Tech prediction: Oregon ML (-125) available at time of publishing. Playable to -135.

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The opening round of the College Football Playoff is behind us, and there are now just 8 teams remaining in the pursuit of a National Championship. Earlier this month, the 9th-seeded Alabama Crimson Tide rallied from a 17-0 deficit against Oklahoma to knock off the Sooners and advance to the quarterfinal round, while the top-seeded Indiana Hoosiers had a bye in the opening round following an undefeated regular season and a victory in the Big Ten title game. Which of these teams will come out on top in the Rose Bowl on New Year’s Day and advance to the semifinals? It’s almost time to find out. 

Heading into the season, I was very high on Alabama’s chances of capturing a national championship given all of the talent on the roster and the upside of what this team could be. However, the Crimson Tide have not exactly been the team I thought they would be prior to the campaign. With that in mind, it’s hard to ignore the value that we’re getting on Indiana to win Thursday’s contest by only a touchdown in a game where the Hoosiers should hold plenty of advantages. Not only do the Hoosiers have Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza on their side, but Indiana’s extremely balanced offense (2nd in success rate, 2nd in EPA per play, 3rd in points per drive) should see consistent success against an Alabama defense that has struggled at points against teams with strong passing attacks. The Crimson Tide are also operating at a significant disadvantage on special teams in this game, and that is certainly a factor that could rear its ugly head on Thursday. 

While the Alabama defense can be inconsistent, it’s still a solid unit across the board all things considered. However, the Crimson Tide have more questions on offense, if you can believe that. After all, Kalen DeBoer’s team has not been able to effectively run the ball all season long, and those struggles continued into their matchup with Oklahoma a few weeks ago. Jam Miller has been banged up, and even if he does end up playing in this one, it’s far from a guarantee that Alabama will suddenly see success on the ground against an Indiana defense that is 3rd in rushing success rate allowed and 2nd in opponent EPA per rush. Ty Simpson has struggled when pressured this season and the Hoosiers secondary just performed well against Ohio State’s outstanding trio of wide receivers, so I wouldn’t expect them to be intimidated by the Crimson Tide wideouts. Ultimately, I can only look toward laying the points with the top-ranked team in the nation.

Alabama vs Indiana prediction: Indiana -6.5 (-120) available at time of publishing. Playable to Indiana -7

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The Ole Miss Rebels meet the Georgia Bulldogs in the Sugar Bowl in a rematch from a regular season matchup that saw the Bulldogs come away with an 8-point win in Athens. While the Ole Miss offense found a ton of success in the first meeting, being one of only three team to score more than 20 points against the Bulldogs in 2025, I expect a different outcome this time around. The Georgia defense has been on an absolute tear; the Bulldogs allowed just 7.25 points per game in their last four games and rank top-25 in EPA/rush, EPA/dropback and quality drive rate allowed. 

On the other side of the ball, the Rebels’ defense has had its moments, but also its fair share of struggles. Georgia remains one of the most well-rounded teams in the country, also holding top-25 marks in all three aforementioned categories on offense. Ole Miss QB Trinidad Chambliss and company looked the part in round one against an inferior Tulane squad, but this is a different level. I’ll lean on the coaching of Kirby Smart and the playoff experience on this UGA roster in a rematch while the Rebels are without Lane Kiffin. I’ve got Georgia covering on Thursday.

Ole Miss vs Georgia prediction: Georgia -6.5 (-110) available at time of publishing. Playable at that number or better.

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At first glance, this number feels justified. Louisiana Tech has the better record, has been far kinder to bettors, and enters this matchup riding a bit of momentum. Coastal Carolina, meanwhile, looks like a team in free fall — 3 straight losses, the last 2 coming by blowout margins win which the Chanticleers surrendered more than 50 points in each. On paper, it’s easy to understand why the Bulldogs are laying this kind of tag. But dig a layer deeper, and the confidence behind Louisiana Tech quickly erodes. The Bulldogs are being asked to do something they have repeatedly failed to do this season: handle the role of favorite. This is a team that has lost 3 of its last 4 games outright when laying points, beginning with a flat performance against Kennesaw State that exposed its limitations. Louisiana Tech’s recent success has come almost exclusively as an underdog, where expectations are lower and pressure is minimal. Asking the Bulldogs to suddenly flip that script and win by margin is a dangerous proposition.

Yes, the Bulldogs have won 2 straight games — and yes, they did so as slight underdogs. But that’s exactly the issue — those results have inflated their market perception without changing the underlying profile of the team. Louisiana Tech remains volatile, inconsistent and unreliable when forced to dictate play. That’s the definition of a false favorite. Coastal Carolina, on the other hand, enters this game with nothing to lose. The Chants’ recent results have completely removed them from the betting radar, which is precisely why the number has ballooned to this range. This game doesn’t require Coastal to be the better team –only competitive. With Louisiana Tech’s history of failing to capitalize as the chalk, 9 points is simply too much to give in a matchup filled with volatility and uncertainty.

Coastal Carolina vs Louisiana Tech prediction: Coastal Carolina +9 (-105) available at time of publishing. Playable at that number.

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Bowl games often come down to one simple question: who actually wants to be there? And in this matchup, that question hangs squarely over Tennessee. The Volunteers entered the season with playoff aspirations after last year’s run, but those hopes were extinguished in November with a damaging home loss to Oklahoma. Since then, Tennessee’s resume has been padded with wins over New Mexico State and a Florida team that is in complete turmoil. The season ended on a sour note as well, with the Vols losing at home to Vanderbilt — a game where effort and urgency clearly favored the underdog. A spot that Vandy made the most of while Tennessee was left with even more question marks.

Illinois, meanwhile, views this game very differently. Despite sitting inside the Top 10 in the early going of the regular season, the Illini were never built for a Big Ten title run this season. That much was proven when one draws Indiana, Ohio State, and a road trip to Washington on the schedule and looked non-competitve in none of those contests. Still, Illinois has shown that they can compete physically and punch above their weight in the right spot. A bowl matchup against a brand-name SEC opponent that may already be thinking about 2026 is exactly the kind of opportunity for that to happen. Illinois plays a style of football that can neutralize Tennessee’s biggest strength – their offense. By controlling the line of scrimmage, shortening the game, and keeping possessions limited, the Illini can keep the Vols’ explosive offense on the sideline. That is also key against a Tennessee defense allowing nearly 29 points per game. The Illini may not only be able to mitigate the Volunteers’ offense but can also build a lead to cut their defensive line loose, which loves to get into the backfield and disrupt things. With Illinois priced inside a field goal as an underdog, the number suggests this game is a tenable assignment for Illinois. If motivation matters — and in bowl season it always does — the Illini hold those cards, too. Illinois outright.

Tennessee vs Illinois prediction: Illinois ML (+115) available at time of publishing. Playable at that number.

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Bowl season keeps rolling along on Tuesday, and arguably the most fascinating game on the card comes in the form of the Alamo Bowl between the USC Trojans and TCU Horned Frogs. Both of these teams are going to be missing a ton of players heading into this game, which makes this a pretty difficult handicap on paper. On the TCU side of things, quarterback Josh Hoover is out, along with wide receiver Jordan Dwyer and running back Kevorian Barnes. That eliminates a lot of the potential for offense for the Horned Frogs, even against a USC defense that is going to be down a considerable number of pieces of its own. Furthermore, offensive coordinator Kendal Briles is not going to be on the sidelines for this game, so it’s hard to see TCU mustering up a ton of offense in this one.

On the other side of the ball, USC is going to have quarterback Jayden Maiava in this game, as the veteran has re-signed with the Trojans for another season. However, Lincoln Riley’s team is dealing with a ton of roster turnover and will be without some of their best players on Tuesday, including the wide receiver duo of Makai Lemon and Ja’Kobi Lane. With that in mind, we can expect Riley to lean on his ground game against a TCU defense that hasn’t exactly put up stellar metrics in that department this season. Given the fact that USC’s offense should be a bit more limited than usual and the TCU offense is down multiple key pieces in this game, the under is the only way I can look on Tuesday.

USC vs TCU prediction: Under 55.5 (-110) available at time of publishing. Playable at that number.

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