Did you really think I wouldn't back my Canes? Now simply deciding whether to call in a favor or two and get tickets. If it wasn't on a Monday night I might. Wish it was on a Saturday night. I'm surprised at this number especially playing on UM's pseudo-home field -- although I'm sure it will be half Indiana fans on Jan. 19. Miami's defense is so good, and Indiana's equally so, that there may not be 20 total points scored. So heck yeah I'm taking 8.5 to where now in theory a two-point conversion can't beat me.

Indiana has burned me quite often this year so maybe I should just pass, but it's so hard to beat a really good team twice in one season in this sport. Ask Georgia. Or Alabama (vs. Georgia in the SEC title game). In four of the five total College Football Playoff rematches, the team that lost the earlier matchup came out on top. Indiana can win by 4, though, that's fine by me.

Thanks to my cohort Jeff Hochman for alerting me these lines became active. I went and looked earlier and they weren't. I would probably root for Ole Miss in almost any other circumstance with all those players have dealt with and now some assistants might have to leave for LSU during the playoff!? That ain't right man. And I think Lane Kiffin keeps getting bonuses with their wins. So wrong. Obviously biased but Ole Miss is not as good as Ohio State or probably Texas A&M and the U handled both. I wish the Bears could get Rueben Bain Jr. as that dude is a wrecking ball. Although Michael Irvin needs to tone it down a notch on the sidelines. Take a Xanax.

I agree with Thomas Casale completely (neutral site now, remember). Granted, I have undervalued Indiana. Its just hard, you know, to take the Hoosiers seriously, especially having spent way too much of my life in that state (mostly Terre Haute -- yep, a girl.). It smells like stale shoes in Hoosier land. Anyone who thinks the Bears are moving to NW Indiana is delirious, by the way. I'll bet my life savings on that. IU coach Curt Cignetti might be a witch. One of the greatest coaching accomplishments in Indiana (if not NCAA) history other than Norman Dale and Hickory. But purely on five-star future NFL talent this is not close. That doesn't always matter, but a TD loss works just fine for me.

I like this quite a bit, and we obviously don't have to worry about opt-out silliness or the like. I believe Texas Tech is crazy overrated. And the Red Raiders will have been off for about a month. Certainly a good team but let's just say I wish Miami had drawn them in this round instead of Ohio State. Believe a major positive that Oregon got to play in Round 1 as long as didn't suffer major injuries -- and it apparently did not. Ducks QB Dante Moore has been lights out of late and might have played himself into being the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 draft. Wideout Evan Stewart, who has missed the season injured, might even return.

Curious what the books would do with this game with the utterly stunning Sherrone Moore news (spread rose 2), although there had been some rumors something was going on behind the scenes in Ann Arbor. But wow. I would think a mass player exodus is coming for U-M and that's the only reason I will play this game now. I will honestly be surprised if star freshman QB Bryce Underwood plays on New Year's Eve, for an example. Lot of chatter he's on the way to LSU. There is no chatter that Arch Manning won't play for Texas. Otherwise, don't expect to see bowl picks from me until hours before the game unless I get concrete evidence of a QB out or the like.

Arizona State has been smashed by defections led by QB Sam Leavitt (missed a few late games injured), leading rusher Raleek Brown (186-1141-4), leading receiver Jordyn Tyson (61-711-8) both starting offensive tackles and both starting cornerbacks among them. Duke has not been hit nearly as hard, with starting QB Darian Mensah already announcing his return for next year and set to play. Note this Sun Bowl game is on CBS and it's Gary Danielson's last call before retiring.

Miami has been hit much, much harder via defections and/or injuries with its best defender in linebacker Corban Hondru and No. 1 wideout Kam Perry (42-966-6) among those out. Fresno State isn't in too bad of shape on paper anyways. First-year FBS coaches want to win bowl games to impress boosters and get $$. And Fresno is in that spot under Matt Entz, who formerly led FCS powerhouse North Dakota State (stopped at USC as an assistant along the way).

I truly do not like college football right now. It's utterly ridiculous how many guys can just leave in the midst of a season. Look, everyone deserves a raise or whatnot but does no one believe in loyalty? I am as loyal as they come (still have grade school buddies) so would never leave my teammates like that. But also didn't get paid to play college sports, so hopefully not sounding like a "get off my lawn" type. It seems like Clemson is less devastated by defections and its QB will play. Really all this is. And clearly the program cares about bowls having won a postseason game in an NCAA-record 14 straight seasons (includes ACC title game). And no coaching change there at least.

I'll be watching "A Christmas Story" loop at around kickoff; shots at "Red Ryder" and we go until we can't. May not make the first one these days. Hawaii was dominant at home this season. It's a really interesting matchup in that both QBs are local lefties (Tua) and both coaches played QB at Hawaii -- interim Cal coach Nick Rolovich (Justin Wilcox was fired) backed up Timmy Chang at UH but then got a head coaching job there first. I have not been playing bowl games because I have no clue who is playing or the motivation. This feels like the Battle for Honolulu bragging rights, so I think we should get some quality football. Half unit as both teams have lost guys.

Bit of a funny/sad story as mentioned in the newsletter. Biggest Bears regular-season game in a decade tonight. And yet I will be at a staging of "A Christmas Story" on ice or roller skates or mud or some craziness because someone clearly doesn't know me ... or sports. So I'm gonna play games in that entire show window as an excuse to go to the lobby and sit at the bar (there better be one). Sorry "gotta work". Have I mentioned I love this job? Gets me out of so much. Like the Curb episode where Larry uses his mother's death to get out of everything. I see Emory Hunt is on the Cats; will punch up to 3. True home game.

I generally make plays with my brain and not heart .. but will make an exception for this one. I honestly believe Miami is one of the top-five most talented teams in the country if Mario Cristobal would just get out of his own way sometimes. At a neutral site, I'd crush this. But it's not. Obviously weather forecasts are tricky this far out. It looks rather nice in College Station down the road. Cold and I'm not doing this. Because the Canes are like the Dolphins. Fish out of water so to speak.

Man, this hurts me and I'm only doing a half-unit. So proud of Western, its best team since the Fighting Flecks of 2016. And I told myself, and perhaps I talk to myself way too much, that I bet I get an alumni/donation letter now. Sure enough Tuesday. I'm sure my $25 will find the next five-star QB. Or one-star and his lunch at Pizza Hut. It's basically the hook why I am playing this. WMU might be slightly better, but KSU has been pretty darn impressive. No apparent major opt-outs or transfers on either side. Western by a late field goal and life is good.

Troy is missing apparently its leading rusher and four starting offensive linemen due to injury, opt-outs, etc. And the Trojans can't stop the run, allowing 183.2 YPG. Thanks to the nation's leading rusher in Cam Cook and dual-threat QB Caden Creel, Jax State is fourth nationally in rushing. Half unit. Both the AL.com guys previewing the game like the Gamecocks.

I have gone a bit back and forth on this. If .. IF Ohio State cares at all after finally beating Michigan, then I believe the Nuts stomp the Jimmy Chitwoods. That said, I might take IU + the first quarter points. Just think five-star talent wins out eventually. But I also have Blockbuster stock so what do I know ...