Upset Picks for College Football Bowl Season: Your Guide to the Best Underdog Bets

Henry John

Last Updated: January 1, 0001 12:00 AM EST • 2 min 37 sec read. Twitter link Google News Link

Michael Penix Jr. of the Washington Huskies passes as we look at the best Heisman Trophy odds — Michael Penix Jr. of the Washington Huskies passes against the Oregon State Beavers at Husky Stadium on Nov. 04, 2022 in Seattle, Washington. Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images via AFP.

With College Football Bowl Season on the way, it's time to look at upset picks. Oklahoma State Cowboys head coach Mike Gundy's team is an underdog against a Wisconsin Badgers unit in the midst of a coaching transition. Who else can beat the favorite? Read on for our best college football upset picks for bowl season.

College Football Bowl Season quickly approaches. Bowl games are some of the toughest matchups for bettors to handicap. There are several added variables to consider, including motivation, NFL draftee opt-outs and early transfer portal entrants.

When it comes to upset picks, Bowl Season doesn’t yield the same long shot odds as the regular season. However, bowl matchups' relatively even natures only increase the chance to nail a plus-money underdog or two.

Here are some of our top College Football Bowl Season upset picks (odds via PointsBet and Caesars Sportsbook).

Check out our college football bowl season schedule and picks!

College Football 2022 Bowl Game Upset Picks

Florida (+315 via PointsBet)
Oklahoma State (+130 via Caesars)
Washington (+195 via PointsBet)

Bowl Season College Football Upset Picks

Florida (+315) vs. Oregon State

On the surface, it seems the Oregon State Beavers' run-heavy offense is poised for success in the Las Vegas Bowl matchup against the Florida Gators. After all, the Gators were one of college football's poorer run defenses this season, allowing 179.5 yards per game.

Even so, OSU likely has a tougher time against an SEC opponent. Given how lackluster the Beavers’ aerial attack is since quarterback Ben Gulbranson took over for injured Chance Nolan, expect Florida to stack the box against the run defensively.

Speaking of quarterbacks, Florida is without Anthony Richardson's services in the Vegas Bowl after he declared for the NFL Draft. Redshirt freshman Jack Miller is the new probable starter. This may not be a bad thing as Florida head coach Billy Napier continues to build for the future.

Despite the market moving in reaction to UF's quarterback situation, it’s hard to view Oregon State as a total lock to win. The Beavers lost last year’s bowl game as seven-point favorites to Utah State. As a program, OSU’s last bowl victory came all the way back in 2013.

Oklahoma State (+130) vs. Wisconsin

This year’s Guaranteed Rate Bowl features a pair of teams whose starting QBs already joined the transfer portal. While the Cowboys will be without Spencer Sanders, the Badgers lose Graham Mertz when the two sides go head-to-head in Phoenix.

In addition to QB, Wisconsin is in a full-blown transition. The Badgers recently hired head coach Luke Fickell after firing Paul Chryst during the regular season. It’s anyone’s guess what this bowl game roster looks like.

Meanwhile, Oklahoma State knows who its head coach is for the bowl game and the foreseeable future. What’s more, Gundy-coached teams have a track record of being incredibly successful as betting underdogs.

The Guaranteed Rate Bowl doesn’t take place until December 27, something that should also benefit the Cowboys. After being ravaged by injuries and falling out of the Big 12 title race, OSU gets a few key pieces back for the postseason.

Washington (+195) vs. Texas

There’s no denying the Alamo Bowl will be a road game for the Washington Huskies. Bank on Texas Longhorns fans packing the Alamodome as Texas returns to the postseason for the first time since 2020. Yet, bettors can’t help but give the 12th-ranked Huskies a shot at the upset.

Washington's football program got huge news earlier this week when QB Michael Penix Jr. announced he'd skip the NFL Draft and return in 2023. With Penix operating the offense, Washington is more than capable of scoring on what's been a markedly inconsistent Texas defense.

On the other side of the ball, Washington’s defensive ability to limit Longhorns running back Bijan Robinson looms large. Of course, Texas signal caller Quinn Ewers and the Longhorns' passing attack can do damage against a porous Huskies' secondary. Is it enough to keep pace with Penix and Co. on the scoreboard?

Where to Bet on College Football Bowl Season Upset Picks

Here are our top-rated sportsbooks:

College Football Bowl Season upset picks made 12/7/2022 at 3:57 p.m. ET

Written By:
Henry John

Henry’s passion for sports dates all the way back to childhood and has ultimately led to a full-fledged career as an analyst and content creator. After getting his start penning fantasy football articles, he forrayed into the betting side of the business in early 2019. His love for sports and statistics proved to be an ideal match with the dedicated research and strategy that handicapping requires. Henry currently specializes in betting analysis and picks for college football, college basketball, and NASCAR. He counts NFL, WNBA, and NBA player props as additional leagues/markets of interest. Henry graduated from SUNY Buffalo in 2021 with a Communication Studies degree and a Psychology minor. A native of the Finger Lakes region in Upstate New York, he and his pup, Harold, have since relocated to Laramie, Wyoming. Thanks to his professional goals within the sports betting industry, there has been a whole lot of steam on the odds for a move to Las Vegas in 2023! Most of Henry’s free time is spent on outdoor adventures, playing chess, snowboarding, or reading a good book. He is also a competitive powerlifter and aspires to qualify for the USAPL Nationals meet within the next 2-3 years.