2021 College Bowl Betting Odds

College football inspires a ton of passion, and that’s especially true when the stakes get high. The NCAAF regular season has plenty of those moments, and even more come our way with a packed postseason of bowl games.

A college football bowl game is the reward for a job well done during the regular season. There are more than three dozen of these games each season. They can be unpredictable, as some teams are up to the task and happy with their position, while others aren’t.

That’s just part of the intrigue, all of which is made even better by the fact that you can bet on it. The legal and regulated sports betting environment continues to grow across the U.S., and that includes Michigan, of course.

When college football bowl season rolls around, you’ll have plenty of games to choose from. You can stick to the marquee matchups, or dig even deeper for the games involving lesser-known programs.

Our complete college football bowl betting guide will walk through everything you need to know, including the best spots for you to get in the game legally and safely. We’ll also have some insight on the best bet types to make, as well as some tips you can use while breaking down the games. Let’s get to it.

Best Online Sportsbooks to Bet College Bowl Games

Can I bet on college sports in Michigan?

Yes. As sports betting has been legalized in Michigan, there have been questions about the legality of wagering on college sports. For example, in New Jersey, while a green light has been given to wagering on NCAA events, bettors are prohibited from placing wagers on games involving NJ teams.

Here in Michigan, it’s not an issue. Sports betting legislation was passed in 2019, and the official rollout took place the following year in person. Online gambling began in 2021.

Betting on college sports is allowed, including on schools located in the state. That’s great news for fans of Michigan and Michigan State, as well as all of the other programs that make their home here.

Latest odds on 2021 college bowl games

College bowl season attracts lots of betting interest, so it’s an active time for sportsbooks. The odds and lines for the games often move as a result. Staying on top of the movements is a key part of the handicapping process, and our live Michigan odds feed makes that a non-issue.

College bowl betting lines & odds explained

After college football bowl game matchups are announced, sportsbooks will release the betting lines for each contest to the public. Bettors quickly begin to weigh in, and action will stay strong right up until kickoff.

There are several different ways to bet on the games — each of which we’ll touch on in a bit — but the default listing for the game centers on the three bet types which attract the most wagers. Here’s what a random line might look like:

Team	Spread	Moneyline	Total
Oregon	+3.5 (-110)	+150	O 52.5 (-110)
Michigan	-3.5 (-110)	-130	U 52.5 (-110)

For this fictitious matchup between the Ducks and Wolverines, the game listing shows the team names and a series of numbers next to each of them. From left to right, these numbers represent the following: point spread, moneyline and total odds.

A glance at the line tells us that Michigan is a 3.5-point and the overall favorite, and that the game projects to have a decent amount of scoring — the bar is set at 52.5 points.

After the public begins weighing in, it’s not uncommon to see some movement in bowl game odds and lines. For example, a rush of point spread bets on Oregon plus the 3.5 points could lead the spread to be adjusted by a half-point or more. The odds attached to that bet could also shift based on the action.

The same concept applies to the moneyline and total. If we use the former as an example, a good amount of action on the Oregon side could lead the moneyline odds to be adjusted to something like this.

• Oregon +130
• Michigan -110

Oddsmakers have responded to the public’s assessment of the game by adjusting the odds. The Ducks’ side of the equation has been made less attractive, while the odds for Michigan have improved in terms of the potential return for successful bets.

What’s happening is a bid to even out the action a bit more to the sportsbooks’ liking. If they wind up too lopsided on a game, that opens up a greater liability on their end. Since the operators are for-profit entities, steps are taken to avoid these actions.

The movement in the college bowl odds and lines can tell you a lot about the public sentiment on a game, so it certainly bears watching. Also, keep in mind that the numbers aren’t necessarily the same at each sportsbook. As part of your handicapping process, take the time to check out the offerings at multiple operators to find the best prices on the games.

Most popular college bowl bets

For each game on the docket, you’ll have different options to consider. The main bet types will see tons of action, and clicking on the “more wagers” option in an app’s individual game listings will open up even more possibilities.

Here’s a rundown of the most popular bet types, starting with the big three.

Moneyline

The moneyline bet is perhaps the most straightforward wager you’ll come across. All you need to do is pick the winner out of the favorite and underdog, which are represented by negative and positive odds, respectively.

• USC                            +125
• Michigan State        -115

Point spread

For a spread wager, oddsmakers install several points that need to be accounted for. You can choose the favorite minus the points, or the underdog plus the number. Whichever side you pick has to cover the spread for a winning bet.

• Appalachian State      +2.5 (-110)
• Western Michigan       -2.5 (-110)

Point Totals

This wager is based on the total combined points scored in the contest by the two teams. Sportsbooks set a benchmark number upon the initial release of lines, and bettors then get to decide where they think the total will fall.

• Over                54.5 (-110)
• Under              54.5 (-110)

As mentioned, there are lots more bets to consider. Here are three other types of wagers that generate lots of action at the betting window.

Parlays

A parlay is a wager in which you include two or more outcomes on a single betting slip. The rewards can be high, but the risk also rises with each selection added. For example, you could place a parlay bet on three moneyline picks.

• Eastern Michigan         +170
• Wisconsin                      -122
• Georgia                           -194
• Total parlay odds of    +645

Same-game parlays are also becoming popular staples on more well-known Michigan sportsboook apps, but often with payouts somewhat reduced in comparison with traditional, multi-game parlays.

Prop bets

Props are often found under the “more wagers” link in the individual game listings. These are side bets on things that might happen during the game or benchmarks reached at its conclusion. Here are some examples of what you might come across.

• Which side will have more passing yards: Central Michigan or Louisville?
• Will there be a defensive or special teams TD in the game? Yes/No
• Total Ohio State rushing yards in the game: Over/Under 194.5

2021-22 college football bowl game schedule

The bowl game schedule is once again jam-packed. From the end of December through early January, we have 40 postseason contests to potentially look forward to. The exact dates and start times are still being finalized for select contests, but many dates, locations and TV networks are set.

Date	Game	Location	Time (ET)	TV
Dec. 17, 2021	Bahamas Bowl	Nassau, Bahamas	Noon	ESPN
Dec. 17	Cure Bowl	Orlando, Fla.	6 p.m.	ESPN2
Dec. 18	RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl	Boca Raton, Fla.	11 a.m.	ESPN
Dec. 18	Cricket Celebration Bowl	Atlanta	Noon	ABC
Dec. 18	New Mexico Bowl	Albuquerque, N.M.	2:15 p.m.	ESPN
Dec. 18	Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl	Shreveport, La.	3:30 p.m.	ABC
Dec. 18	LendingTree Bowl	Mobile, Ala.	5:45 p.m.	ESPN
Dec. 18	L.A. Bowl	Los Angeles	7:30 p.m.	ABC
Dec. 18	R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl	New Orleans	9:15 p.m.	ESPN
Dec. 20	Myrtle Beach Bowl	Conway, S.C.	2:30 p.m.	ESPN
Dec. 21	Famous Idaho Potato Bowl	Boise, Idaho	3:30 p.m.	ESPN
Dec. 21	Tropical Smoothie Cafe Frisco Bowl	Frisco, Texas	7:30 p.m.	ESPN
Dec. 22	Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl	Fort Worth, Texas	TBD	ESPN
Dec. 23	Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl	Tampa, Fla.	7 p.m.	ESPN
Dec. 24	Hawai'i Bowl	Honolulu	8 p.m.	ESPN
Dec. 25	Camellia Bowl	Montgomery, Ala.	2:30 p.m.	ESPN
Dec. 27	Quick Lane Bowl	Detroit	11 a.m.	ESPN
Dec. 27	Military Bowl (presented by Peraton)	Annapolis, Md.	2:30 p.m.	ESPN
Dec. 28	TicketSmarter Birmingham Bowl	Birmingham, Ala.	Noon	ESPN
Dec. 28	SERVPRO First Responder Bowl	University Park, Texas	3:15 p.m.	ESPN
Dec. 28	San Diego County Credit Union Holiday Bowl	San Diego	5 p.m.	Fox
Dec. 28	AutoZone Liberty Bowl	Memphis, Tenn.	6:45 p.m.	ESPN
Dec. 28	Guaranteed Rate Bowl	Phoenix	10:15 p.m.	ESPN
Dec. 29	Fenway Bowl	Boston	11 a.m.	ESPN
Dec. 29	New Era Pinstripe Bowl	New York City	2:15 p.m.	ESPN
Dec. 29	Cheez-It Bowl	Orlando, Fla.	5:45 p.m.	ESPN
Dec. 29	Valero Alamo Bowl	San Antonio	9:15 p.m.	ESPN
Dec. 30	Duke's Mayo Bowl	Charlotte, N.C.	11:30 a.m.	ESPN
Dec. 30	TransPerfect Music City Bowl	Nashville, Tenn.	3 p.m.	ESPN
Dec. 30	Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl	Atlanta	7 p.m.	ESPN
Dec. 30	SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl	Las Vegas	10:30 p.m.	ESPN
Dec. 31	TaxSlayer Gator Bowl	Jacksonville, Fla.	11 a.m.	ESPN
Dec. 31	Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl	El Paso, Texas	12:30 p.m.	CBS
Dec. 31	Capital One Orange Bowl (CFP Semifinal)	Miami Gardens, Fla.	3:30 p.m. or 7:30 p.m.	ESPN
Dec. 31	Goodyear Cotton Bowl (CFP Semifinal)	Arlington, Texas	3:30 p.m. or 7:30 p.m.	ESPN
Jan. 1, 2022	Outback Bowl	Tampa, Fla.	Noon	ESPN2
Jan. 1	Vrbo Citrus Bowl	Orlando, Fla.	1 p.m.	ABC
Jan. 1	PlayStation Fiesta Bowl	Glendale, Ariz.	1 p.m.	ESPN
Jan. 1	Rose Bowl	Pasadena, Calif.	5 p.m.	ESPN
Jan. 1	Allstate Sugar Bowl	New Orleans	8:45 p.m.	ESPN
Jan. 4	Texas Bowl	Houston	TBD	ESPN
Jan. 10	CFP National Championship (presented by AT&T)	Indianapolis	8 p.m.	ESPN
TBD	Redbox Bowl	San Francisco	TBD	TBD
TBD	Arizona Bowl	Tucson, Ariz.	TBD	CBS

How do college football teams qualify for bowl games?

An invite to a bowl game is a reward for a job well done. As such, teams have to hit a certain mark to gain eligibility. For a standard NCAAF season in which teams play a 12-game schedule, they must at least have as many wins as losses.

Thus, six wins is the magic number. A record of 6-6 normally gets it done. Also, teams just can’t rack up wins against lower levels of competition and call it day. In general, just one win over an FCS school counts towards bowl eligibility.

Beyond the bowls, there’s also the matter of the College Football Playoff, which involves the four best teams in the nation as judged by the CFP selection committee. The semifinal matchups take place at two of the marquee bowl games, while the final is a standalone contest.

Polls are a big part of NCAA football, from the preseason throughout the regular season, and it’s the same story for the playoffs. At about the midway point of the regular season, the CFP poll starts getting released weekly.

When the final poll comes out after conference championship games, the top four squads qualify for the CFP. This poll also has a bearing on the teams that wind up playing in the New Year’s Six Bowls, which are the biggest of the bunch on the postseason menu.

What are the best college football bowl game matchups?

Although each bowl game on the docket is special in its own right, some just carry more cache than the others. That’s especially true these days, as two of the biggest bowls also serve double duty as CFP games.

The most highly-anticipated bowl games are known as the New Year’s Six. Each has a special legacy that has spanned decades. Let’s take a quick look.

Sugar Bowl

The Sugar Bowl is held annually at Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans. The game traces its roots back to 1935, which makes it one of the oldest bowl games still going strong today. In the last edition, Ohio State took down Clemson by a score of 49-28 in a College Football Playoff semifinal game.

Last appearance by local team: 2012 — Michigan 23, Virginia Tech 20

Fiesta Bowl

The Fiesta Bowl first came our way in 1971 and currently makes its home at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, taking over for Sun Devil Stadium in 2006. The last edition saw Iowa State take down Oregon 34-17.

Last appearance by local team: 1986 — Michigan 27, Nebraska 23

Orange Bowl

The Orange Bowl is also one of the oldest traditions on the menu, with the inaugural game taking place back in 1935. The current venue is Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. Last season, Texas A&M defeated North Carolina by a score of 41-27.

Last appearance by local team: 2016 — Florida State 33, Michigan 32

Peach Bowl

The Peach Bowl has been held annually in Atlanta since 1968. Mercedes-Benz Stadium serves as the current venue, taking over for the Georgia Dome in 2016. At the last one, Georgia beat Cincinnati 24-21.

Last appearance by local team: 2018 — Florida 41, Michigan 15

Rose Bowl

Known as ‘The Granddaddy of Them All,’ the Rose Bowl has been held annually since 1916. The appropriately named Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, generally serves as the location. Last time out, Alabama defeated Notre Dame 31-14 in a College Football Playoff semifinal game that was moved to Arlington, Texas, because of protocols related to the coronavirus pandemic.

Last appearance by local team: 2014 — Michigan State 24, Stanford 20

Cotton Bowl

Held annually at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, the Cotton Bowl has a history that spans back to 1937. The Cotton Bowl Stadium in Dallas was the previous home until 2009. Oklahoma beat Florida 55-20 in the last contest.

Last appearance by local team: 2017 — Wisconsin 24, Western Michigan 16

College football bowl game betting strategy

You can apply many of the same tenets you would use for handicapping the NCAAF regular season to bowl games. You want to examine the matchup in full detail, as well as performance against any common opponents during the season.

Also, there are a few specific things you’ll want to keep a close eye on as you break down the bowl games.

• Carefully study line moves: This is a key point you should be hitting anyway, but it’s particularly notable in bowl games. From the time the initial lines are released until kickoff, it could be a couple of weeks. The lines can move dramatically over that time frame, so be sure to at least see where they opened, compared with the current numbers.
• Monitor player news: This is another part of the normal checklist that becomes even more important come bowl season. It’s not uncommon for players to bow out of bowl games to avoid injuries that could affect their NFL Draft stock. When it’s a key contributor, the gameplan and overall performance can be altered, so keep an eye out.
• Gauge overall team motivation: For these games, you need to have a good handle on how the program entered the season. Is the bowl game they’ve been invited to a significant accomplishment, or a letdown compared with where they wanted to be? This little tidbit can prove to be quite valuable, as some teams will simply be more up for the game at hand than others.

Biggest bowl game rivalries for Michigan teams

The two biggest programs here at home, Michigan and Michigan State, have quite the storied records for bowl season. The Wolverines check in with a mark of 21-27 in 48 postseason games, while it’s 13-16 for the Spartans through 29 bowls.

The two programs have had some memorable games over the years, but some have naturally stood out more than others. They’ve also both faced off with other major programs at times. Let’s take a look.

Michigan Wolverines bowl game rivals

Alabama

• 4 Bowls: 2-2
• Last: 2020 Citrus Bowl — Alabama 35, Michigan 16

Florida

• 4 Bowls: 3-1
• Last: 2018 Peach Bowl — Florida 41, Michigan 15

USC

• 8 Bowls: 2-6
• Last: 2007 Rose Bowl — USC 32, Michigan 18

Michigan State Spartans bowl game rivals

Alabama

• 2 Bowls: 0-2
• Last: 2015 Cotton Bowl — Alabama 38, Michigan State 0

Georgia

• 3 Bowls: 1-2
• Last: 2012 Outback Bowl — Michigan State 33, Georgia 30

UCLA

• 3 Bowls: 2-1
• Last: 1966 Rose Bowl — UCLA 14, Michigan State 12

History of college football in Michigan

The roots of college football in the state of Michigan go back to the late 1800s. Although the two marquee programs capture much of the attention, there’s a trio of smaller schools that have quite the following as well. Here are some of the key details on each.

Michigan Wolverines

• Established: 1879
• Stadium: Michigan Stadium
• Location: Ann Arbor
• Record: 964-350-36
• Bowl game record: 21-27
• National titles: 11, last in 1997
• Conference titles: 42, last in 2004

Michigan State Spartans

• Established: 1896
• Stadium: Spartan Stadium
• Location: East Lansing
• Record: 710-470-44
• Bowl game record: 13-16
• National titles: Six – last in 1966
• Conference titles: 11 – last in 2015

Eastern Michigan Eagles

• Established: 1891
• Stadium: Rynearson Stadium
• Location: Ypsilanti
• Record: 433-534-47
• Bowl game record: 1-3
• Conference Titles: 10, last in 1987

Central Michigan Chippewas

• Established: 1896
• Stadium: Kelly/Shorts Stadium
• Location: Mount Pleasant
• Record: 630-431-36
• Bowl game record: 3-9
• Conference titles: 16, last in 2009

Western Michigan Broncos

• Established: 1906
• Stadium: Waldo Stadium
• Location: Kalamazoo
• Record: 576-458-24
• Bowl game record: 1-9
• Conference titles: Four, last in 2016

AP Photo/Jae C. Hong