Top college football bowl picks, best bets for Friday, Dec. 26

SportsLine's model and experts reveal their Friday college football bowl picks and best bets for December 26

By Owen OBrien

Dec 25, 2025 at 3:12 pm ET • 3 min read

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The presents have been cleared out from under the tree, and now college football bowl season has some more gifts to deliver with a trio of college football bowl games on Friday, Dec. 26. Northwestern takes on Central Michigan at 1 p.m. ET in the GameAbove Sports Bowl to begin the Friday college football action. Then, Minnesota squares off with New Mexico at 4:30 p.m. ET in the Rate Bowl, followed by UTSA vs. Florida International in the First Responder Bowl at 8 p.m. ET.

Northwestern, Minnesota and UTSA are all favored in the latest college football odds, and the SportsLine projection model is backing all three favorites in its Friday college football best bets. Before locking in your college football picks, be sure to check out the top college football betting picks from SportsLine's advanced computer model and team of college football experts.

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The model simulates every FBS game 10,000 times, and it is 31-19 on its top-rated college football money-line picks since the beginning of the 2024 season.

College football best bets for Friday, Dec. 26 (odds subject to change):

Northwestern (-10.5) vs. Central Michigan
Minnesota (-2.5) vs. New Mexico
UTSA (-5.5) vs. FIU

Combining the model's three picks into a Friday college football parlay would result in a payout of +609 (risk $100 to win $609). Bet it now at Caesars Sportsbook:

Northwestern (-10.5) vs. Central Michigan

Northwestern should have a significant talent advantage as a Big Ten school going up against a MAC program, despite a 6-6 record this season. Five of the Wildcats' six losses came in Big Ten play, though, and Central Michigan's one Big Ten matchup this season certainly didn't go well for the Chippewas. Central Michigan lost to Michigan, 63-3, in September. Northwestern was significantly more competitive in its matchup against the Wolverines this season, losing 24-22 in November. Central Michigan is coming off a 21-3 loss to Toledo in its final MAC game as well. The model projects Northwestern to win in 54% of simulations. Back Northwestern at BetMGM, where new users receive up to $1,500 in bonus bets if your first bet loses:

Minnesota (-2.5) vs. New Mexico

Minnesota closed its season with a 17-7 win over Wisconsin to finish 7-5, including 5-4 in the Big Ten. New Mexico went 9-3, but the competition in the Mountain West doesn't compare to the Big Ten as a whole. Even though New Mexico went 6-2 in the Mountain West, four of those six wins came in one-score games. The Gophers should have the talent advantage, and they've been unbeatable in bowl games under head coach P.J. Fleck. Literally unbeatable. Minnesota is 6-0 in bowl games over Fleck's first eight years as head coach, and that's a trend the model expects to continue on Friday. The model projects Minnesota to win in 63% of simulations. Back Minnesota at FanDuel, where new users get $250 in bonus bets with a winning $5 wager:

UTSA (-5.5) vs. FIU

UTSA has a top-20 offense in college football this season, ranking 19th at 32.5 points per game this season. The Roadrunners' offense is orchestrated by a familiar last name for football fans, with Owen McCown as the team's QB1. McCown is the son of Josh McCown, who had a 16-year NFL career at quarterback. Owen McCown threw for 2,700 yards, but he wasn't a one-man show. Running back Robert Henry Jr. rushed for 1,045 yards on 6.9 yards per rush, which ranked ninth in college football. Meanwhile, Florida International is allowing 29.5 ppg this season, which ranks 90th in the nation. The model projects UTSA to cover in 60% of simulations. Bet UTSA at FanDuel, where new users get $250 in bonus bets with a winning $5 wager: