Best College Football Bets for Saturday, Dec. 16 | CFB Picks & Predictions

Bowl games start on Saturday, so we have games to bet around the country nearly every day. This is a luxury for us, and we take it very seriously at WSN. The massive matchups don’t start for a few days, but the board has much betting value. 

Every week on WSN, we break down the biggest college football games from a betting standpoint. Check back weekly for all the picks you need to know!

Jacksonville State vs. UL Lafayette 

• Date: Saturday, December 16

• Time: 2:15 pm EST

• Moneyline: Jax State (-360) | UL Lafayette (+280)

• Spread: Jax State -3 (-108) | UL Lafayette +3 (-112)

• Total: Over 59.5 (-110) | Under 59.5 (-110)

Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook. Bet $5 on any Moneyline and get $150 in Bonus Bets!

PICK: Jax State -3 (-110)

Jacksonville State enters the R-L Carriers New Orleans Bowl as a three-point favorite against Louisiana Lafayette. The one benefit for the Ragin Cajuns is that they’re at home, but Jax State has the more explosive team. 

They have competed against some quality opponents this season. They lost by 10 to South Carolina on the road and ended the season by narrowly losing to the second-ranked team in Conference USA, New Mexico State. 

Louisiana Lafayette has only won two of their past five games. They beat Louisiana Monroe to end the year and become bowl-eligible. However, their talent and coaching isn’t as good as the Gamecocks. 

Rich Rodriguez has done an excellent job establishing the run game. Jacksonville State will win on the line of scrimmage with senior running back Malik Jackson. He has 133 carries this season for 860 yards with seven touchdowns. This comes out to over six yards per carry. 

Jacksonville State isn’t the best downfield passing team, but if they can control the clock and the tempo in this game, they should cruise to a win. 

UCLA vs. Boise State

• Date: Saturday, December 16

• Time: 7:30 pm EST

• Moneyline: UCLA (-188) | Boise State (+155)

• Spread: UCLA -4.5 (-105) | Boise State +4.5 (-115)

• Total: Over 48.5 (-110) | Under 48.5 (-110)

Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook. Head over to FanDuel to bet on our picks.

PICK: Boise State +4.5 (-115)

UCLA opened as a slight favorite. This line has jumped rapidly to 4.5 in favor of the Bruins, and there is no denying UCLA is the better team. However, Boise State has some play being given 4.5 points. 

The Broncos are going to be good for years to come. They have talent throughout their offense but must overcome the loss of quarterback Taylen Green, who has left for Arkansas. 

He is coming off a game where he rushed for 90 yards with two touchdowns in the Mountain West Championship Game, so it will be a significant loss. However, I still like the Broncos in the trenches, and if they win here, they have a great chance to cover this number. 

The Broncos also have Ashton Jeanty, who has been fantastic running the ball. He is another sophomore who has averaged 6.2 yards per carry with 14 touchdowns. UCLA has one of the best defenses in the Pac-12, but they only scored 25 points per game in a conference where defense is limited. 

Freshman quarterback Dante Moore’s upside isn’t super high. He has turnover issues and an inability to get the ball downfield. The matchup is good for Boise State against a Power Five opponent, so I’ll take the points for a team known to compete hard. 

New Mexico State vs. Fresno State 

• Date: Saturday, December 16

• Time: 5:45 pm EST

• Moneyline: New Mexico State (-180) | Fresno State (+150)

• Spread: New Mexico State -3.5 (-105) | Fresno State +3 (-115)

• Total: Over 51.5 (-110) | Under 51.5 (-110)

Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook. Head over to FanDuel to place your bets at NCAA football games!

PICK: New Mexico State -3.5 (-105)

Imagine going 8-4 and having to play in the New Mexico Bowl against New Mexico State. This is the issue that Fresno State is dealing with coming into this matchup. The Aggies can use the same locker room and practice at their facility all week, so the process is simple. 

New Mexico State has played very well this season, entering this game at 10-4. They’re very physical and have the best playmaker in this game under center. Diego Pavia has thrown for nearly 3000 yards and rushed almost 900 yards. He has 32 total touchdowns on the season and is the do-all for this team.

Fresno State has a solid defense, but they struggled against the run a lot this season. They gave up nearly 170 yards on the ground per contest, which isn’t a recipe for success against the Aggies. New Mexico State can answer everything Fresno State does, and this should lead to a commanding victory on their home field.