The college football bowl season is now upon us. Between Saturday and January 9, there are a whopping 35 games scheduled over 24 days. The festivities begin today with three games, all on ESPN. Here are my picks for Saturday's games, with all point spreads courtesy of Odds Shark:
↵Gildan New Mexico Bowl: Temple Owls vs. Wyoming Cowboys
The two 8-4 teams seem fairly evenly matched, though the Owls are a seven-point favorite. Temple is led by running back Bernard Pierce, who ran for 1,381 yards and a school record 25 touchdowns. Since the point spread seems high, I'll take the points. The pick: Wyoming (+7)
Famous Idaho Potato Bowl: Ohio Bobcats vs. Utah State Aggies
The blue turf of Boise State will be on display in this one. Utah State has one bowl win in its history, while Ohio has none. The Aggies had a pair of close road losses earlier in the season (falling 42-38 at Auburn and 27-24 at BYU), so they get my pick. The pick: Utah State (-1.5)
R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl: San Diego State Aztecs vs. Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin Cajuns
Aztecs running back Ronnie Hillman averaged 138 yards per game on the ground in 2011, third in FBS behind Oregon's LaMichael James and Bobby Rainey of Western Kentucky. Facing a team from Louisiana in New Orleans is a tough task, but Louisiana-Lafayette lost to Arizona so I can't pick them. The pick: SDSU (-4)