Bowl Game Pick 'Em: The Writers Pick The Bowls

Bowl Game Pick 'Em: The Writers Pick The Bowls

This article is part of our Bowl Game Pick 'Em series.

Bowl season is here! As is tradition, we polled our college football staff for their picks against the spread for every game. 

Maybe it's because we had 12 writers, but there was no game that carried a consensus among the group. The closest teams to being unanimous picks were LSU and SMU with 11 picks and San Diego State carrying 10 votes. 

Only two teams -- Alabama and Clemson -- had multiple writers pick them as their best bet.

The writers are split on their national title picks, too. LSU carried half the field while Clemson and Ohio State had three backers apiece. 

• Picks are against the spread (except the national championship).
Best Bets are in bold.
Losers are noted as such.
Pushes are italicized.

Happy Bowling, everyone.

FavoriteSpreadUnderdogJohn M. Chris B.Chris M.Greg V.Nick G.
Buffalo-6.5CharlotteCHABUFCHACHABUF
Utah State-6.5Kent StateKENTUSTUSTUSTKENT
San Diego State-3.5Central MichiganSDSUSDSUSDSUSDSUSDSU
Georgia Southern-4.5LibertyGSUGSUGSUGSUGSU
SMU-3.5FAUSMUSMUSMUSMUSMU
Arkansas State-2.5FIUARKARKARKFIUARK
Washington-3.5Boise StateBSUBSUBSUWASWAS
Appalachian State-16.5UABUABAPPAPPUABAPP
Central Florida-17.5MarshallUCFUCFUCFMARMAR
BYU-2HawaiiBYUHAWHAWHAWBYU
Miami (FL)-6.5Louisiana TechLTMIALTLTMIA
Pittsburgh-11Eastern MichiganPITEMUPITPITEMU
North Carolina -4.5TempleUNCUNCTEMTEMUNC
Michigan State-4.5Wake ForestWFWFWFWFMSU
Texas A&M-7Oklahoma StateTAMTAMTAMOKSTOKST
Iowa-2USCIAIAUSCUSCUSC
Air Force-2.5Washington StateAFAFAFWSUAF
Notre Dame-3.5Iowa StateNDNDNDIASTND
Penn State-6.5MemphisPSUPSUPSUMEMPSU
LSU-13OklahomaLSULSULSULSULSU
Clemson-2Ohio StateCLMCLMOSUCLMOSU
Western Kentucky-3.5Western MichiganWKUWKUWKUWKUWMU
California -6.5IlinoisILLCALCALCALILL
Mississippi State-3.5LouisvilleLOUMSTLOULOUMST
Florida-14.5VirginiaUFUFUF
 
UFUF
Virginia Tech-2.5KentuckyUKVTVTVTVT
Arizona State-4Florida StateFSUFSUASUASUASU
Navy-2.5Kansas StateNVYNVYKSUNVYKSU
Wyoming-7Georgia StateWYOWYOWYOGASTWYO
Utah-7TexasUTAUTAUTAUTAUTA
Alabama-7MichiganALAALAALAALAALA
Auburn -7.5MinnesotaAUBAUBAUBMINAUB
Wisconsin-2.5OregonOREOREWISWISWIS
Georgia-7.5BaylorBAYUGAUGABAYUGA
Cincinnati-7Boston CollegeCINCINCINCINCIN
Tennessee-1.5IndianaINDUTINDINDUT
Ohio-7.5NevadaOHNEVNEVNEVOH
Tulane -7Southern MissTULSMSTULSMSTUL
Louisiana-14Miami (OH)ULULMOHULMOH
        
Record  23-1620-1920-1917-2221-18
National Champion  LSUCLMLSULSULSU
FavoriteSpreadUnderdogJohn E.Jesse S.Ed K.Chris BenzineHank B. Nick WhalenJeff E.
Buffalo-6.5CharlotteBUFBUFBUFCHACHACHABUF
Utah State-6.5Kent StateUSTUSTUSTUSTUSTUSTUST
San Diego State-3.5Central MichiganCMUSDSUCMUCMUSDSUSDSUSDSU
Georgia Southern-4.5LibertyGSULIBLIBLIBGSUGSULIB
SMU-3.5FAUSMUSMUFAUSMUSMUSMUSMU
Arkansas State-2.5FIUFIUFIUARKFIUARKARKFIU
Washington-3.5Boise StateBSUWASBSUWASBSUWASWAS
Appalachian State-16.5UABAPPAPPUABAPPAPPAPPAPP
Central Florida-17.5MarshallUCFMARMARUCFUCFUCFMAR
BYU-2HawaiiBYUBYUHAWBYUHAWHAWHAW
Miami (FL)-6.5Louisiana TechLTLTLTLTLTMIALT
Pittsburgh-11Eastern MichiganPITEMUEMUEMUPITPITEMU
North Carolina -4.5TempleUNCTEMUNCTEMUNCTEMUNC
Michigan State-4.5Wake ForestMSUWFMSUWFWFMSUMSU
Texas A&M-7Oklahoma StateTAMOKSTOKSTTAMTAMOKSTOKST
Iowa-2USCIAIAIAUSCIAUSCUSC
Air Force-2.5Washington StateWSUWSUWSUAFAFWSUAF
Notre Dame-3.5Iowa StateNDIASTNDNDNDNDISU
Penn State-6.5MemphisPSUMEMPSUPSUMEMPSUPSU
LSU-13OklahomaLSULSUOULSULSULSULSU
Clemson-2Ohio StateOSUCLMOSUOSUCLMCLM CLM
Western Kentucky-3.5Western MichiganWKUWKUWMUWMUWKUWKUWMU
California -6.5IlinoisILLCALILLILLCALILLILL
Mississippi State-3.5LouisvilleLOUMSTLOULOUMSTMSTMST
Florida-14.5VirginiaUFUFUVAUFUFUFUF
Virginia Tech-2.5KentuckyUKUKUKVTVTVTVT
Arizona State-4Florida StateASUASUASUASUASUASUFSU
Navy-2.5Kansas StateNVYKSUNVYNVYKSUKSUNVY
Wyoming-7Georgia StateWYOWYOGASTWYOGASTWYOWYO
Utah-7TexasUTAUTAUTAUTATEXTEXUTA
Alabama-7MichiganALAALAUMUMUMALAALA
Auburn -7.5MinnesotaAUBAUBMINAUBAUBAUBAUB
Wisconsin-2.5OregonOREWISOREWISWISOREORE
Georgia-7.5BaylorUGAUGAUGABAYBAYUGABAY
Cincinnati-7Boston CollegeBCCINCINCINCINCINBC
Tennessee-1.5IndianaINDINDINDINDINDUTIND
Ohio-7.5NevadaOHNEVNEVOHNEVNEVNEV
Tulane -7Southern MissTULSMSTULTULTULSMSSMS
Louisiana-14Miami (OH)ULULMOHULULULUL
Record  20-1918-2127-1218-2117-2218-2120-19
          
National Champion  OSULSUOSUOSUCLMLSUCLM

The Players

John McKechnie: College Football Editor

Chris Bennett: Covers the ACC, writes the College Capper

Chris Morgan: Covers C-USA, writes the DFS Primer

Greg Vara: Writes the College Capper

Nick Grays: Covers the Big 12

John Earley: College Football Breaking News Writer

Jesse Siegel: Covers the SEC

Ed Kensik: Covers Notre Dame

Chris Benzine: Covers the Big 10, writes the Fanduel Main Slate Breakdowns

Hank Bowman: College Football Breaking News Writer

Nick Whalen: Hosts the RotoWire College Football Podcast 

Jeff Edgerton: Covers ACC and Mountain West, writes DFS Breakdowns

RotoWire Community
Join Our Subscriber-Only College Football Chat
Chat with our writers and other RotoWire College Football fans for all the pre-game info and in-game banter.
Join The Discussion
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
John McKechnie
John is the 2016 and 2021 FSWA College Writer of the Year winner. He is a Maryland native and graduate of the University of Georgia. He's been writing for RotoWire since 2014.
College Football DFS: Thursday Bowl Slate Picks for DraftKings and FanDuel
College Football DFS: Thursday Bowl Slate Picks for DraftKings and FanDuel
Rate Bowl Picks, Predictions and Odds: Rutgers vs. Kansas State
Rate Bowl Picks, Predictions and Odds: Rutgers vs. Kansas State
College Football DFS: Monday Bowl Slate Picks for DraftKings and FanDuel
College Football DFS: Monday Bowl Slate Picks for DraftKings and FanDuel
Ohio State vs. Tennessee Picks for the College Football Playoff First Round
Ohio State vs. Tennessee Picks for the College Football Playoff First Round
Texas vs. Clemson: CFP Picks, Predictions and Odds for the First Round
Texas vs. Clemson: CFP Picks, Predictions and Odds for the First Round
Penn State vs. SMU: Picks, Predictions and Odds for CFP First Round
Penn State vs. SMU: Picks, Predictions and Odds for CFP First Round