Our best bets for the post-Christmas slate of college football bowl games

As much as I like taking the underdog in these types of matchups, Pittsburgh's defense should be the best unit on the field by far in this game. I don't see how Eastern Michigan is going to be able to score enough points in this one.

The Panthers held Penn State to 17 points early in the year, among other impressive performances. Having lost their last two games of the season, a win in this spot would be a good way to cap off a successful season for Pitt.

This should be a solid, if random, matchup for casual viewers of bowl season football.

Temple had an impressive upset of Memphis and an inexplicable loss to Buffalo, bookending what has been a wildly variant season.

North Carolina is riding high with freshman quarterback Sam Howell, who threw 35 touchdowns to just seven interceptions this season. He could very well turn the Tar Heels into something more than ACC also-rans in 2020.

This is a coin-flip game for my money, so I'll take Temple and the points. But don't be too surprised if North Carolina comes out hot and runs away with things early.

It was a rough season for Sparty this year, with a brutal five-game stretch through October and into November that saw Michigan State lose to the likes of Ohio State, Michigan, and even lowly Illinois.

The Spartans were able to rally to win their final two games of the year and reach bowl eligibility. This is a proud program that will be looking to show fans, boosters, and recruits that this was simply a down year rather than the start of a trend, and a statement win could go a long way in sending that message.

While their 7-5 record might not show it, I believe Texas A&M has the goods this year. Their losses have been some of the most competitive of any teams, keeping things within a touchdown with Auburn and Georgia, and a defensive unit that held Clemson to just 24 points at home.

If the Aggies get up for this game, their pedigree should shine through.

This should be a wild game. USC had a disappointing season while Iowa arguably punched above their weight — far from an uncommon occurrence for the Hawkeyes.

My bit of armchair psychology for this game is that Iowa often gets left out of the Big Ten-Pac 12 postseason rivalry fun and might be a bit more motivated to show up for this game. That said, this line feels somewhat suspicious, as I initially expected the Trojans to be favored. Proceed with caution.

Last year's Cheez-It Bowl was an infamous disaster, with TCU and Cal throwing six interceptions in the first half and nine through the entirety of the game. TCU ultimately prevailed in the cursed game 10-7 in overtime.

While each year is different, I'm convinced this game is cursed. But if any team can keep their wits about them amidst a chaotic battle filled with turnovers, it'll be Air Force.

This is another tough game to pick, mostly because Penn State has been something of an enigma this season, earning solid wins against Michigan and Iowa, but getting pushed to the brink against Pittsburgh and Buffalo early in the year.

Memphis was just one win shy of an undefeated record and a New Year's Six bowl game, making their motivation something of a wild card heading into this matchup.

If the best version of Penn State shows up, the Nittany Lions could run away with this one. But if they start slow, things could get dicey fast. It might be best to watch the first few drives and make a live bet instead.

This line feels suspicious. Notre Dame finished the year 10-2 with their only losses coming against ranked opponents Georgia and Michigan.

Iowa State made something of a habit out of bothering the powerhouse Big 12 schools this season, beating Texas outright and pushing Oklahoma and Baylor to the brink in tight games. Still, I figured heading into this game that they'd be underdogs by at least a touchdown.

I'd stay away from betting any big money on this one, but if you feel the need for action, I'd suggest taking the side that Vegas seems to be tempting you to go against — after all, it's more fun to root against Notre Dame.

Barring a disaster, LSU is going to roll in this game.

While it might not feel great to lay such a huge number in a game that pits two of the best teams in the country against each other, it's worth noting that since the start of the college football playoff, more semifinal games have been decided by a three-touchdown margin than have ended within a score.

Sometimes there's just not four teams on the same level, and this year, LSU, Clemson, and Ohio State have been a step above the competition. Unless the Oklahoma defense plays its best game in literal years, the Sooners don't stand a chance.

Unstoppable force, meet immovable object.

Both of these teams have flexed their muscles down the stretch, with Ohio State mowing down their Big Ten competition and Clemson essentially winning by 45 points a game for the final two months of the season.

The Buckeyes and Tigers have both shown an impressive ability to score quickly, taking 14-0 leads early in the first quarter to ensure victory was never a doubt many weeks this year.

This game should not be that. On both sides of the ball, both of these teams will be facing the toughest competition they've gone up against all year.

Buckeyes quarterback Justin Fields should prove to be the X-factor here — if he can continue producing and the Ohio State offensive line and hold strong, the Buckeyes will have a strong chance of taking the game.

Still, I'm backing Clemson and trusting Dabo Swinney and his players to prove their championship pedigree after a year of insisting they were still the best team in the country, to set up a Tigers vs. Tigers national title game.