College football betting trends: Cincinnati, Georgia get edge

Friday

Cincinnati vs. Alabama (-13, 57½) (Cotton Bowl Classic, national semifinal): The Bearcats are on a 17-9 spread uptick and have covered five consecutive games as underdogs. Alabama is 8-7 ATS in its past 16 games and 5-8 ATS in its past 13 bowl/playoff games. The under is 8-5 in Crimson Tide games this season. Edge: Cincinnati and slight to under.

Georgia (-7½, 45½) vs. Michigan (Orange Bowl, national semifinal): The Bulldogs are 8-4 ATS vs. FBS foes this season and 4-2 straight up and ATS in their past six bowl/playoff games. The Wolverines are 12-1 straight up and 11-2 ATS this season and also 2-0 as underdogs. Michigan has lost and failed to cover its past four bowl games. The over is 6-3 in the Wolverines’ past nine games. Edge: Georgia.

Wake Forest (-15½, 62) vs. Rutgers (Gator Bowl): Rutgers coach Greg Schiano was 5-1 straight up and against the spread in bowl games during his first stint with the Scarlet Knights, and Rutgers is 7-2 ATS in its past nine bowl games. The Scarlet Knights are 2-7 straight up in their past nine games and 2-6 ATS in their past eight games. The under is 7-3 in the past 10 Rutgers games. The Demon Deacons are 4-5 ATS in their past nine games, but did cover their past four games as favorites. Wake Forest is 2-2-1 ATS in its past five bowl games. Edge: Slight to Wake Forest and under.

Central Michigan vs. Washington State (-7, 57½) (Sun Bowl): The Chippewas covered their past four games and five of their past six. Central Michigan coach Jim McElwain is 10-5 ATS in his past 15 games as an underdog and 2-2 straight up (1-3 ATS) in previous bowl games. Washington State closed with a rush, covering eight of its final nine games. Edge: Slight to Washington State.

Saturday

Penn State vs. Arkansas (-2, 48) (Outback Bowl): Arkansas coach Sam Pittman is 7-3-1 ATS this season and 14-6-1 ATS with the Razorbacks. The Nittany Lions are 2-5 straight up in their past seven games and 4-5 ATS in their past nine. Penn State is 4-2 ATS in its past six bowl games. The under is 9-3 in Penn State games this season. Edge: Arkansas and under.

Oklahoma State vs. Notre Dame (-2, 45½) (Fiesta Bowl): Cowboys coach Mike Gundy has covered his past five bowl games and is 10-5 ATS all time in bowls. Oklahoma State closed the season on a 9-1-1 spread surge, and six of its past nine games went under the total. The Fighting Irish won and covered their past seven games. Notre Dame is 5-5 ATS in its past 10 bowl/playoff games. Edge: Oklahoma State and slight to under.

Iowa vs. Kentucky (-3, 44½) (Citrus Bowl): The Wildcats have won three consecutive bowl games and are 3-1 ATS in their past four bowl games. Kentucky is 8-3 ATS against FBS teams this season and 17-10 ATS in its past 27 games against FBS foes. The Hawkeyes have dropped five of their past seven games ATS. Iowa is 4-4 ATS in its past eight games as the underdog. The Hawkeyes have covered their past three bowl games. Four of the past five Kentucky games have gone over the total, as have the past four Iowa games. Edge: Kentucky and over.

Utah vs. Ohio State (-4½, 64) (Rose Bowl): The Utes have won six straight and nine of their past 10 games. Utah coach Kyle Whittingham is 15-7 as an underdog since 2014 and 9-3 straight up in bowl games with Utah. Ohio State coach Ryan Day is 1-2 straight up and ATS in bowl/postseason games. The Buckeyes are 2-4 ATS in their past six bowl/playoff games. Edge: Utah.

Baylor vs. Mississippi (-1½, 56) (Sugar Bowl): The Bears covered eight of their past 11 and are 4-1 ATS as underdogs this season. Five of the past six Baylor games have gone under the total, including the past four. Mississippi’s past seven games have gone under, and the Rebels are 5-2 ATS in their past seven games. Mississippi coach Lane Kiffin is 3-0 straight up and ATS in bowl games. Edge: Under and slight to Mississippi.

Las Vegas handicapper Bruce Marshall is editor of The Gold Sheet (Goldsheet.com). He provides the Review-Journal with college football tech notes and trends. Follow @thegoldsheet on Twitter.