College Football: 2018 Allstate Sugar Bowl Odds And Prediction

NEW ORLEANS, LA – JANUARY 02: Head coach Bob Stoops and Baker Mayfield #6 of the Oklahoma Sooners hold the winner’s trophy after defeating the Auburn Tigers 35-19 during the Allstate Sugar Bowl at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on January 2, 2017 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) /

2018 Allstate Sugar Bowl Odds And Prediction

All is quiet on New Year’s Day. Unless you are a college football fan! Now we are down to the playoffs. I’m still not a fan of putting 2018 on there. This is for the 2017 season, right? Confusion aside, we are on to the last of a busy bowl season. The only thing after the Allstate Sugar Bowl is the National Championship game!

More from College Football Odds

For the rest of the bowl season, you will get my picks against the spread and point wagers just like I did all season long. I had a solid regular season, but I can make it look a whole lot better with a strong bowl season!

Just in case you missed any:
R+L Carriers New Mexico Bowl
Autonation Cure Bowl
Las Vegas Bowl
Gildan New Mexico Bowl
Raycom Camellia Bowl
Cheribundi Tart Cherry Boca Raton Bowl
DXL Frisco Bowl
Bad Boy Mowers Gasparilla Bowl
Bahamas Bowl
Famous Idaho Potato Bowl
Birmingham Bowl
Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl
Dollar General Bowl
Hawaii Bowl
Zaxby’s Heart Of Dallas Bowl
Quick Lane Bowl
Cactus Bowl
Walk On’s Independence Bowl
New Era Pinstripe Bowl
Foster Farms Bowl
Academy Sports And Outdoors Texas Bowl
Northrup Grumman Military Bowl
Camping World Bowl
Valero Alamo Bowl
San Diego County Credit Union Holiday Bowl
Belk Bowl
Hyundai Sun Bowl
Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl
Nova Home Loans Arizona Bowl
Goodyear Cotton Bowl
Taxslayer Gator Bowl
AutoZone Liberty Bowl
Playstation Fiesta Bowl
Capital One Orange Bowl
Outback Bowl
Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl
Overton’s Citrus Bowl
Northwestern Mutual Rose Bowl

CHARLOTTE, NC – DECEMBER 02: Kelly Bryant #2 of the Clemson Tigers reacts after scoring a touchdown against the Miami Hurricanes in the first quarter during the ACC Football Championship at Bank of America Stadium on December 2, 2017 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /

(4)Alabama(-2.5) vs. (1)Clemson at New Orleans, LA(1):

Alabama 11-1, 7-1 (3rd SEC):

Wins: vs. (3)Florida State(24-7), vs. Fresno State(41-10), vs. Colorado State(41-23), at Vanderbilt(59-0), vs. Mississippi(66-3), at Texas A&M(27-19), vs. Arkansas(41-9), vs. Tennessee(45-7), vs. (19)LSU(24-10), at (16)Mississippi State(31-24), vs. Mercer(56-0)

Losses: at (6)Auburn(14-26)

Record vs. bowl teams: 6-1

Alabama may have been a victim of the middle of the SEC being under average. If they had been left out of the playoff, that would have been why. However, something can be said for winning the games you should, and winning them by a suitable margin. Even number one Clemson lost to an unranked team. Something Alabama hasn’t done since cupcake week of 2007 when they lost to Louisiana-Monroe. Bama has won 73 straight against unranked teams since.

The Tide don’t quite have the running attack that they did last year, but this defense may be better. Quarterback Jalen Hurts is also better, though he didn’t put up huge numbers. He just didn’t have to. The defense carries this team as per usual, but Clemson has been able to get to them the last two years.

Clemson 12-1, 8-1 (1st ACC):

Wins: vs. Kent State(56-3), vs. (13)Auburn(14-6), at (14)Louisville(47-21), vs. Boston College(34-7), at (12)Virginia Tech(31-17), vs. Wake Forest(28-14), vs. Georgia Tech(24-10), at (20)North Carolina State(38-31), vs. Florida State(31-14), vs. Citadel(61-3), at (24)South Carolina(34-10), vs. (7)Miami(FL)(38-3)

Losses: at Syracuse(24-27)

Record vs. bowl teams: 9-0

As with Alabama, Clemson’s defense looks better than last year. As good as Kelly Bryant is though, he is not DeShaun Watson. The emergence of freshman Travis Etienne was the main reason that Clemson is ranked number 1. You could argue that Clemson would have beaten Syracuse if Bryant were able to stay in that game. You could also argue that Syracuse would have been a bowl team had the not lost their quarterback. In the grand scheme of things, it didn’t matter. Clemson is still back to where they want to be.

Prediction:

Well, kind of. I’m sure if you gave Dabo and Clemson the choice, they would choose not to play Alabama in the semis, or not at all. I’m sure they would rather play Ohio State. You may think that these two teams facing each other for the third straight year is boring. Well, if you think that, you didn’t watch the first two games.

This year should be just as exciting as the last two, but it wont be the same. I see this game as lower scoring because of the defenses and no playmaker like Watson. There could be fireworks in the Rose Bowl. This will be more like a slow burn.

I honestly don’t know where to go with this one. Alabama probably feels slighted as the four seed. Clemson isn’t used to having the target on their back. I guess I will go Bama because of the defense, but there is no way I would bet this game. It’s too close to call. I would be more inclined to bet the under at 47.

Pick: Alabama

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