Bowl season continues to inch closer to the College Football Playoff on January 1st, 2024. Next up? The Quick Lane Bowl, the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl, and the Guaranteed Rate Bowl. All three are taking place on December 26th, and we’ve got picks to help you build an Underdog Fantasy College Football Pick’em entry.
Underdog Fantasy College Football 12/26 Bowl Games Higher / Lower Picks
The best value plays on each of these games come on the quarterbacks scheduled to start. We’ve got at least one offense you need to fade and two offenses you’ll want to ride in today’s bowl games.
Quick Lane Bowl: Minnesota vs. Bowling Green
Cole Kramer Lower 158.5 passing yards
Minnesota Golden Gophers quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis has entered the transfer portal and won’t be suiting up for the Quick Lane Bowl. Enter Cole Kramer at quarterback. Kramer is a redshirt senior who has thrown 14 passes in his career. He’s only completed eight of them to his own receivers. He’s also tossed a pair of interceptions.
Kramer has more than three times the number of rushing attempts over the last four years than passing attempts. For his career, he’s run the ball 44 times for 195 yards. He picked up a pair of touchdowns in 2021.
Kramer was unable to unseat Kaliakmanis this year and Tanner Morgan over the past few years. He’s making his first career start, and it sounds like this is his last hurrah as a college quarterback.
Based on the limited data available, Kramer isn’t very accurate and is known a lot more for his legs than his arm. He sounds like a Golden Gophers quarterback. Look to fade his passing yards total in the Quick Lane Bowl and go lower in your Underdog Fantasy College Football Pick’em.
If you’re looking for other fades to pair with Kramer, look at any of his receivers. Daniel Jackson receptions total is a 5.0. Look to go lower.
SERVPRO First Responder Bowl: Rice vs. Texas State
A.J Padgett Higher 226.5 passing yards
The Texas State Bobcats have the 106th-ranked pass defense in the nation and averaged 254.1 passing yards this year. They also managed a 66.2% completion rate against. That’s 124th in the nation.
The Rice Owls plan to start redshirt Freshman A.J. Padgett at quarterback. Padgett has made three starts this year, and he’s looked capable. He’s thrown for 636 yards this year with a 7:3 TD-to-INT ratio and a 63.5% completion rate.
The last time we saw Padgett, he threw for 255 yards against Florida Atlantic in the Rice season finale. Padgett gets one of the worst pass defenses in the nation in a ‘prove it’ game for 2024.
He’s going to light up the Bobcats. Look to go higher on passing yards in your Underdog Fantasy College Football pick’em entry. You can also consider going higher on his 1.5 passing TDs.
Guaranteed Rate Bowl: Kansas vs. UNLV
Jason Bean Higher 223.5 passing yards
Jason Bean is finally graduating, and the Guaranteed Rate Bowl will be his final game as a quarterback at the college level. He’s scheduled to start and should play the entire game barring disaster. Jalon Daniels will return for the 2024 season, and true freshman Cole Ballard is one of the few names behind Bean on the depth chart for this game.
KU’s coaching staff may look to give Ballard a series or two, but it would take a lot to see Ballard come in to relieve Bean.
The UNLV Rebels have the 83rd-ranked pass defense in the nation and have averaged 239.4 passing yards this year. The Rebels should have their full compliment available for the Guaranteed Rate Bowl for the most part. They’ve had a few defensive backs enter the transfer portal, but none appear to be key players.
In three of Bean’s last four starts, he’s cleared 224 yards passing with ease. Bean should be able to move the ball through the air against the Rebs pass defense. You’ll want to go higher on his passing yards total in an Underdog Fantasy College Football Pick’em entry.
Do you need even more betting tips for the college football bowl season? Check out The College Experience to get picks on every game from Colby, NC Nick and Patty C. Listen to the show, take our expert advice, and let it ride!
