Several conferences have yet to see one of their teams play in a 2021-22 bowl game, which means there is still time for sports bettors to get in on conference bowl win totals. ACC, Big 12, and Big Ten teams begin their bowl game action next week, and FanDuel and DraftKings each have over/under odds on the number of bowl game wins these conferences will tally.
Here are the conference bowl win totals and odds for the ACC, Big 12, and Big Ten:
| Conference Bowl Wins | DraftKings (O/U) | FanDuel (O/U) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ACC (5.5) | +125 / -145 | +150 / -175 | ||
| Big 12 (3.5) | +125 / -145 | +125 / -145 | ||
| Big Ten (4.5) | -115 / -105 | -135 / +115 |
ACC (Bowl Win Total 5.5)
These are the bowl games ACC teams are playing in this season (spreads via DraftKings, current as of Tuesday, Dec. 21):
- Military Bowl: Boston College (-3) vs. East Carolina
- First Responder Bowl: Air Force vs. Louisville (-1.5)
- Holiday Bowl: UCLA vs. NC State (-1)
- Fenway Bowl: SMU vs. Virginia (-2)
- Pinstripe Bowl: Maryland vs. Virginia Tech (+3.5)
- Cheez-It Bowl: Clemson (-1) vs. Iowa State
- Duke’s Mayo Bowl: North Carolina (-9) vs. South Carolina
- Peach Bowl: Pitt (+2.5) vs. Michigan State
- Gator Bowl: Wake Forest (+4) vs. Texas A&M
- Sun Bowl: Washington State vs. Miami (-2.5)
If you take the ‘over’, the ACC needs to win six of the 10 bowl games it has teams playing in. Seven of the 10 ACC teams are favorites. However, in recent years, the ACC has not fared well in bowl games. Last year the conference was shut out, 0-6. The year before, the ACC had 11 teams play in bowl games, but only four won.
Over the last decade, the ACC has won more than 5.5 bowl games just twice.
Being favored is always a good sign, of course. But when the spread is as small, as it is in most of these games, bettors should expect competitive games. Factor in the number of teams whose best players have opted out, and the outlook gets even grayer. Most of these games could go either way, but we lean to at least six wins for the conference.
Our Pick: Over 5.5 (-145)
Big 12 (Bowl Win Total 3.5)
Teams from the Big 12 are playing in the following bowl games (spread via DraftKings):
- Liberty Bowl: Mississippi State vs. Texas Tech (+9.5)
- Guaranteed Rate Bowl: West Virginia (+5) vs. Minnesota
- Cheez-It Bowl: Clemson vs. Iowa State (+1)
- Alamo Bowl: Oregon vs. Oklahoma (-4.5)
- Fiesta Bowl: Oklahoma State (+2) vs. Notre Dame
- Sugar Bowl: Baylor (PK) vs. Ole Miss
- Texas Bowl: LSU vs. Kansas State (-2.5)
Bowl Season has generally been kind to the Big 12 over the last decade. Last season, Big 12 teams went undefeated. The year before, they went 1-5, but the previous three seasons saw the conference finish bowl season with a winning record (4-3, 5-3, and 4-2).
According to the point spreads, the ‘under’ is the right call. But Oklahoma State will give Notre Dame a run for its money. Not only because Bryan Kelly has moved on to LSU, but also because the Fighting Irish will be without their primary running back, Kyren Williams. Meanwhile, should Ole Miss QB Matt Corral change his mind and sit out, Baylor wins the Sugar Bowl.
Losing their starting running backs to draft prep could be more than Iowa State and West Virginia can overcome.
Our Pick: Under 3.5 (-145)
Big Ten (Bowl Win Total 4.5)
- Guaranteed Rate Bowl: West Virginia vs. Minnesota (-5)
- Pinstripes Bowl: Maryland (-3.5) vs. Virginia Tech
- Music City Bowl: Tennessee vs. Purdue (+4.5)
- Peach Bowl: Pitt vs. Michigan State (-2.5)
- Las Vegas Bowl: Wisconsin (-6.5) vs. Arizona State
- Outback Bowl: Georgia vs. Michigan (+8.5)
- Outback Bowl: Penn State (-2.5) vs. Arkansas
- Citrus Bowl: Iowa (+3) vs. Kentucky
- Rose Bowl: Utah vs. Ohio State (-6.5)
Go back a decade, and the Big Ten is sub-.500 in bowl games (41-45). However, if you look at the last four seasons, the conference has done well (19-12). With Big Ten teams favored in six of nine games and the total at 4.5, taking the ‘over’ looks like a winnable bet. However, Penn State will be in for a fight against Arkansas. Personnel losses (players and coaches) will hurt Michigan State, Iowa, and Purdue.
But they will hit West Virginia, Virginia Tech, and Pitt even more.
Our Pick: Over 4.5 (-115)
Also read: Many ways to bet CFP Championship Game
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