Bowl picks and predictions: Outback, Cotton, Rose and Sugar make for a fun day
Against the spread picks, odds, lines and previews for the last day of the 2016-17 bowl season
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2 min read
Thirty-six down, four to go.
With the vast majority of the 2016-17 bowl season in the books, the final day of bowls is upon us, and it just so happens to feature four of the best games on the entire slate. Monday will kick off with the Outback Bowl and Cotton Bowl going on simultaneously before the Rose Bowl and Sugar Bowl put four of college football's top 14 teams head-to-head.
Let's get to it. All times Eastern
Outback Bowl: No. 17 Florida vs. Iowa
How to watch (1 p.m., ABC) | Prediction | SportsLine game forecast
While the Gators are looking to avoid ending their season on a three-game losing streak for the second consecutive year, the Hawkeyes are hoping to continue a rebound from a rough 5-4 start with their fourth straight win. With Tampa just hours away from Gainesville, Florida should have the advantage in the stands, and though UF's defense is banged up, it has been one of the nation's best units most of the season. That's not to say Iowa's defense isn't stout as it's held six teams this season to 13 points or less.
Cotton Bowl: No. 8 Wisconsin vs. No. 15 W. Michigan
How to watch (1 p.m., ESPN) | Prediction | SportsLine game forecast
Wisconsin was placed in the Cotton Bowl after falling to Penn State in the Big Ten Championship Game, its third loss of the season to a ranked team. The Badgers are 1-3 againt currently ranked opponents this season with their lone win a 16-14 victory over LSU in Week 1, but the Broncos are not your regular old ranked team. Western Michigan, out of the MAC, was one of only two FBS teams to run the table in the regular season (Alabama), and it boasts two road wins over Power Five opponents in Northwestern and Illinois.
Rose Bowl: No. 5 Penn State vs. No. 9 USC
How to watch (5 p.m., ESPN) | Prediction | SportsLine game forecast
The Nittany Lions feel jilted that their tremendous play late in the season did not earn the team a trip to the College Football Playoff, but Penn State vs. USC is probably the most anticipated non-playoff game of the bowl season. Penn State won its final nine games of the season, taking down Ohio State and Wisconsin along the way, and has scored 38 or more points in its last six games. The Trojans bounced back from an awful 1-3 start to win eight straight to close the season. They have scored 36 or more points in five of their last six games with the lone exception being a 26-13 road takedown of playoff semifinal loser Washington. Expect lots of points and tons of fun early Monday evening.
Sugar Bowl: No. 7 Oklahoma vs. No. 14 Auburn
How to watch (8:30 p.m., ESPN) | Prediction | SportsLine game forecast
The Sooners had a rough start to the season with losses in two of their first three games, but Oklahoma ran the table from there by outscoring the point-happy Big 12 and going undefeated against conference opponents. The Tigers had an up-and-down season, winning six straight games in the middle of the year between a 1-2 start and 1-2 finish. Auburn went 4-2 against the SEC West but lost against its best competition and dropped a game 13-7 to Georgia.
Expert Picks
Against the Spread
 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Outback: FLA -2.5 | ||||||||
| Cotton: WISC -7.5 | ||||||||
| Rose: USC -7.5 | ||||||||
| Sugar: OKLA -4.5 |
