The 2018-19 college football bowl season is in full swing, but Saturday hits us with the first day filled with top-tier games to feast on starting at noon and likely ending near midnight. Ten of the nation's best teams will be in action throughout the day with the Peach Bowl kicking things off and the College Football Playoff semifinals serving as the main event in the evening.
In between, we have the always-exciting Belk Bowl and the Arizona Bowl, which will air live nationally on CBS Sports Network. That means there's basically no time during your day on Saturday where college football will not be on. And really, what more could you ask for from a weekend?
Our CBS Sports college football experts have picked every game -- against the spread and straight up -- on Saturday's slate. Check out their picks below and be sure to head over to our Ultimate College Football Bowl Guide for expert picks, analysis and stats on every remaining game on the slate.
All times Eastern
Peach Bowl -- No. 7 Michigan (-6) vs. No. 10 Florida -- noon on ESPN: Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh's offense works well inside its comfort zone. But when teams force the Wolverines to play catchup or go point-for-point, they struggle. Luckily for Harbaugh, Florida's offense won't be able to force Patterson to win with his arm. The Gators will get a heavy dose of Evans, Patterson will work off play-action and the Wolverines defense will make it hard for Franks to get anything going. Pick: Michigan -6 -- Barrett Sallee
Belk Bowl -- South Carolina (-4.5) vs. Virginia -- 12:30 p.m. on ABC: South Carolina without Samuel is not a team to be trusted offensively. When Samuel hasn't been climbing up the SEC all-time lists, the threat of him has been enough to open up the field for Jake Bentley to find Edwards. With Samuel sitting out the bowl game, Virginia finds itself on more of a level playing field against a (slightly) more talented Gamecocks team. Virginia's Bryce Perkins-led offense is plodding and methodical, but it's found success against the weaker defenses on its schedule. It should be a great game, and why not? You can't spell "Best Bowl" without "It's The Belk Bowl." Pick: Virginia +4.5 -- Chip Patterson
Arizona Bowl -- Nevada vs. Arkansas State (-1.5) -- 1:15 p.m. on CBS Sports Network: The casual college football viewer may not have high expectations for this game with so many other huge matchups in store on the same day -- but don't sleep on this one. The Arizona Bowl could have a high ceiling -- the type of game that sneaks up on you and turns out to be a lot of fun. Hansen gives Arkansas State an edge and the Red Wolves will want to send him out on the right note. Plus, ASU has been a good team against the spread. Pick: Arkansas State -1.5 -- Ben Kercheval
Cotton Bowl -- No. 2 Clemson (-12) vs. No. 3 Notre Dame -- 4 p.m. on ESPN: It feels like everybody is writing off Notre Dame in this game, and I understand why. While both teams are similar, it feels like Clemson's just a little better at nearly every spot. When you add that all up, the Tigers should be favored, but I don't think they should be favored by this much. The Notre Dame defense will do enough to keep the Irish in this game and cover this spread, even if I believe Clemson's more likely to win. Pick: Notre Dame (+12) -- Tom Fornelli
Orange Bowl -- No. 1 Alabama (-14) vs. No. 4 Oklahoma -- 8 p.m. on ESPN: Alabama's defense is excellent, especially up front, but the Sooners have talent in the trenches as well with an award-winning offensive line. That will absolutely be a battle to watch as it will dictate what each offense can or can't do. But what about Oklahoma's defense? That group will play with something to prove, but can it make enough key stops to give the offense a realistic shot to win? Both teams can score quickly, so covering is completely within reach for either side even though the spread is two touchdowns. In the end, the Tide will have too much defense, but the Sooners can certainly score enough to keep within striking distance. Pick: Oklahoma (+14) -- Ben Kercheval
