College Football Bowl Blitz: Picks and Previews for December 27

There are four bowl games on Wednesday, December 27, with the action kicking off at 2:00 and continuing through a 9:00 p.m. (EST) kickoff for the TaxAct Texas Bowl between Texas A&M and Oklahoma State.

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Military Bowl – Virginia Tech (-10.5) vs. Tulane – 2:00 p.m. on ESPN

The Virginia Tech Hokies are more than ten-point favorites in the Military Bowl as the Tulane Green Wave begins life without Willie Fritz. Fritz has departed to lead the Houston Cougars, and all-time passing leader Michael Pratt is sitting out the contest. Pratt is not the only absence for the ranked Green Wave. They won’t have a couple of starting offensive linemen, star wideouts Jha’Quan Jackson or Chris Brazzell, or their top-two defenders in Darius Hodges or Jarius Monroe. The best part of the attack remaining is tailback Makhi Hughes. Offensive coordinator Slade Nagle will serve as the interim coach for Tulane, and he knows how to get Hughes involved. Still, with so many vital parts of this team gone and the program in transition, can they compete against Virginia Tech? The Hokies are coming off a 55-17 rivalry game win over Virginia, and the entirety of the offense, plus a few key defensive players, have already announced they are returning for the 2024 season and will be playing in this bowl game. This game matters more to Virginia Tech, and they have more critical players involved. The Hokies at -10.5 are the pick.

A pair of 8-4 teams meet in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl on Wednesday evening. The Tar Heels will be without three of their top four players as Drake Maye, linebacker Cedric Gray, and wide receiver Tez Walker are sitting this one out and preparing for the NFL Draft. West Virginia is mostly intact roster-wise and, on paper, has more motivation to close this season strong with a win. A nine-win season would be a terrific accomplishment for head coach Neal Brown and the Mountaineers. The key to the game will be how well WVU can limit running back Omarion Hampton. The All-ACC tailback is a force, and West Virginia was ranked 49th nationally in rush defense during the regular season. Hampton has had monster games, with the Tar Heels still losing. North Carolina comes into the game without star players and in poor form, losing four of their final six contests. West Virginia makes sense to get the win and cover the 6.5-point spread.

The Louisville Cardinals are looking to finish Jeff Brohm‘s first season with a bang, capturing the Holiday Bowl and ending with 11 wins. USC is transitioning, with a new defensive coordinator after firing Alex Grinch and several players headed to the NFL Draft or the transfer portal as they enter the Big Ten. Miller Moss will be starting at quarterback for USC, and several freshmen will be getting a lot of snaps to prepare for the 2024 campaign. Players like pass-catcher Duce Robinson are earning rave reviews in bowl preparation, and Lincoln Riley is capable of scheming players open. The biggest question is whether or not USC’s defense can provide any resistance against Louisville’s offense. The Cardinals will be without starting running back Jawhar Jordan and star wideout Jamari Thrash, who are both headed to the NFL, and 11 different Louisville players have entered the transfer portal. This has become a question of which team has better program depth. 

TaxAct Texas Bowl – Texas A&M (-1.5) vs. Oklahoma State – 9:00 p.m. on ESPN

As expected when there is a coaching change, the Texas A&M roster is in total flux, with at least 12 key players entering the transfer portal or headed to the NFL Draft. Players like Max Johnson, Evan Stewart, Jake Johnson, and Ainias Smith are all out, plus the defense has been hit hard by defections. Oklahoma State’s star running back, Ollie Gordon, is the key to this game. Gordon can take over the game, but first, he has to be on the field. His status is not officially known, but the current expectation is that he will play, which is the assumption we are rolling with. Gordon will likely get 25-plus carries and have a real chance to run for north of 150 yards. His presence allows Alan Bowman a chance to throw against stacked boxes with single coverage and limited safety help. This game means more to Oklahoma State as Texas A&M is squarely focused on the 2024 season and building under new coach Mike Elko. The Oklahoma State Cowboys are the pick to win outright. 

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