Gene Clemons presents College Football Bowl Picks and Betting Odds for Alabama-Michigan and more.

There were so many good bowl games before and after the new year that we gave these non-College Football Playoff bowl games their own article. Though if you want to read about the playoff games, we have them here. 

We'll preview four games here, with both spread bets and a couple parlays to make things interesting. Let's kick things off with a pair of College Football blue bloods in a New Year's Eve clash.

Check Out the Spread!

Gene's pick: Alabama -13 (-132 on Draftkings) vs. Michigan — ReliaQuest Bowl, Dec. 31

A lot of opt-outs in this game on both sides but the guy who has opted in is the reason why this spread gets wider and wider… and that is Jalen Milroe. The uber-talented quarterback has decided to play in this game and, don't forget, this team has players who lost to Michigan last season — whether they played for Bama or Washington and came to Tuscaloosa with the new regime, they will be looking for revenge. 

For Michigan, their best defensive players have all opted out. Their championship this season was beating Ohio State. They have already turned the page to 2025. I can't trust their motivation or ability to win this game. This one could get early ugly but Bama should win going away. 

Gene's pick: Buffalo -2 (-124 on DraftKings) vs. Liberty — Bahamas Bowl, Jan. 4

Liberty will be without starting quarterback Kaidon Salter and running back Quinton Cooley. That's 1,841 rushing yards and 20 rushing touchdowns missing — and that's before you talk about what Salter means as a passer. There's also a bunch of depth and linemen who are opting out, as well.  

Buffalo, meanwhile, will be fully loaded and coming off the end of the regular season when they were playing their best football. They recorded four straight wins to end the season. This should be another win for Buffalo as they are hopefully focused on ending their season on a high note. 

Parlay Party!

Gene's parlay: Texas State -13 and Over 59 pts vs North Texas (+222 on DraftKings) — First Responder Bowl, Jan. 3

This is a game that should be one-sided. North Texas is without their starting quarterback, top wide receiver, and top running back. Texas State should be at decent strength — but this game is all about offense. Both teams play with ridiculous pace and even with the opt outs, North Texas will come out and try to be who they are. Texas State is great against the run but they leak big plays and teams have taken advantage of it all season. Offensively, they should be able to exact their will against a poor North Texas defense. This is one of the 40-something to 20-something type of games and a great chance to double up on the books. 

Gene's parlay: Montana State -3.5 and Over 55.5 pts vs North Dakota State (+211 on FanDuel) — FCS Title Game, Jan. 6

This one is for FCS supremacy and could set up who will be the power going into the 2025 season. Both teams have dominating offensive lines, both have receivers who can make clutch catches, and running backs who can carry the mail like the Pony Express — but quarterback play will decide this game. 

Both teams have guys who have been starting for years and have legitimate dual-threat abilities. But while Cam Miller is a good athlete, Tommy Mellott is an elite athlete capable of taking it the distance from anywhere on the field. He will ultimately be the reason the Bobcats will win the national championship. It will not be easy. This will be a back and forth affair for much of the game, but Montana State will make one more play offensively and put the game out of reach. It will also be what brings the total over and allows you to hit that two-pick parlay.