Big Ten bowl game staff picks

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As the holiday season continues, so does the bowl season. And the Big Ten is about to hit the ground running with its bowl activity. The Big Ten will play the bulk of its bowl games after Christmas and up through New Year’s while three of its members are playing in the College Football Playoff. So how will the Big Ten fare this bowl season?

According to our staff predictions, it could be a pretty good bowl season for the most part. But a couple of matchups wiht SEC teams could be tricky.

Here is who we are picking in each Big Ten bowl game this bowl season, excluding the College Football Playoff. Be sure to check out our full Big Ten bowl tracker for updated results and more info for each Big Ten postseason matchup.

LA BOWL: Washington vs. Boise State

Christopher: I like this matchup because it is specifically a fascinating QB duel. Both Demond Williams Jr. and Maddux Madsen are two of the best in the nation and have helped revolutionize their respective teams. Still, I think that Washington just has more talent offensively, and Demon Williams can create out of structure a little bit better. Besides, with no Ashton Jeanty to fall back on, Madsen won’t be able to rely on a solid run game.

GameAbove Sports Bowl: Northwestern vs. Central Michigan

Rate Bowl: Minnesota vs. New Mexico

Music City Bowl: Illinois vs. Tennessee

Alamo Bowl: USC vs. TCU

ReliaQuest Bowl: Iowa vs. Vanderbilt

Sam: This will be a fun bowl game between two solid teams who couldn’t quite get over the hump against the Big Ten and SEC elites. I like Vanderbilt in this game if quarterback Diego Pavia plays. The Heisman finalist is a big difference-maker for the Commodores and will make enough plays to pull out a low-scoring game.

Citrus Bowl: Michigan vs. Texas

Christopher: Perhaps the best bowl game between the two best conferences, this is a rematch of last year’s embarrassing home loss for the Wolverines. Still, while Bryce Underwood is a better QB than Davis Warren was, Texas’ improvements over the past four games have been monumental, especially for the growth of Arch Manning. Even with several opt-outs on both sides of the ball for the Longhorns, I fully expect Arch Manning and Co. to dominate and set a precedent for 2026.

Andrew: Some thought this game could’ve been a College Football Playoff matchup entering the season. Now things have changed drastically, and it’s clear Texas has the clear advantage. Despite this, Bryce Underwood, barring an entrance into the transfer portal, seemingly played better when interim coach Biff Poggi was at the helm. Poggi will be the coach again, after coaching two games during the season during Sherrone Moore’s suspension. However, the Longhorns will be too much for Underwood and company, as Texas will take the game, 35-17. 

Las Vegas Bowl: Nebraska vs. Utah

Andrew: Both of these teams could be a shell of themselves by game time. Multiple Nebraska players have already announced they’ll enter the portal and with Utah coach Kyle Whittingham announcing his retirement, the Utes could also see some change to what their team was in the regular season. However, these teams should still match up well, and Matt Rhule will lead his team to a victory in a 31-21 win over Utah.

This article originally appeared on Nittany Lions Wire: Big Ten bowl game staff predictions

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