Bowl season is here. Each qualifying team now knows its postseason destination. Lines have been set for each matchup, but before you begin placing bets on each bowl game, there are a few things you should know.
The team you saw during the regular season will not always look the same during bowl season. There have already been several coaches who took different jobs (ex: Mike Elko from Duke to Texas A&M) and players who hit the transfer portal (ex: Oklahoma QB Dillon Gabriel).
Entering the transfer portal doesn't disqualify one from playing in their school's bowl game. However, a large portion of those players will decide against playing in the postseason as they look elsewhere. There are also opt-outs, who are individuals who have already stated they will not play for any number of reasons (ex: USC QB Caleb Williams) — usually due to the NFL Draft.
All three of the examples listed above represent personnel who were crucial to their programs and who will undoubtedly influence the lines for their respective bowl games.
Therefore, before you lock in those bowl bets, it's important to do some research on who is in and who is out. We'll do our best to track live transfers, opt-outs, injuries and more in this article so that you're caught up with the latest team news across the country.
Below are the odds (courtesy of Caesars Sportsbook, the official odds partner of Bet.NOLA.com, as of Saturday, Dec. 30, 2023) for every remaining bowl matchup, as well as important information regarding each team's roster:
ReliaQuest Bowl (LSU vs. Wisconsin)
Time/TV: Monday, Jan. 1, at 11 a.m. (ESPN2)
Spread: LSU -10
Over/Under: 56
Moneyline: LSU -365, Wisconsin +285
LSU: OC Mike Denbrock (left for Notre Dame), QB Jayden Daniels (opt-out), WR Malik Nabers (potential opt-out: playing), WR Brian Thomas Jr. (potential opt-out: playing), G Marlon Martinez (transfer portal), DT Mekhi Wingo (injury: playing), CB Zy Alexander (injury: out), CB Laterrance Welch (transfer portal), CB Duce Chestnut (coach's decision: out), CB Denver Harris (transfer portal)
Wisconsin: RB Braelon Allen (opt-out), RB Jackson Acker (injury: questionable), RB Chez Mellusi (injury: out), WR Chimere Dike (transfer portal), WR Skyler Bell (transfer portal), WR Bryson Green (injury: questionable), C Tanor Bortolini (opt-out), OL Trey Wedig (transfer portal), DL Rodas Johnson (transfer portal), DE Darian Varner (transfer portal), LB Jordan Turner (transfer portal), CB Alexander Smith (injury: out), CB Jason Maitre (opt-out)
Citrus Bowl (Iowa vs. Tennessee)
Time/TV: Monday, Jan. 1, at noon (ABC)
Spread: Tennessee -6
Over/Under: 35.5
Moneyline: Tennessee -225, Iowa +185
Iowa: QB Cade McNamara (injury: out), QB Spencer Petras (transfer portal), WR Diante Vines (transfer portal), RT Gennings Dunker (injury: questionable), TE Erick All (injury: out), TE Luke Lachey (injury: questionable), CB/PR Cooper DeJean (injury: out)
Tennessee: QB Joe Milton (opt-out), RB Jaylen Wright (opt-out), RB Jabari Small (opt-out), WR Bru McCoy (injury: out), WR Dont'e Thorton (injury: out), LG Addison Nichols (transfer portal), LG Andrej Karic (injury: questionable), RG Javontez Spraggins (injury: questionable), DE Roman Harrison (injury: questionable), DE Tyler Baron (transfer portal), DL Omarr Norman-Lott (injury: questionable), EDGE Tyler Baron (transfer portal), LB Arion Carter (injury: out), CB Kamal Hadden (injury: out), CB Warren Burrell (transfer portal), CB Brandon Turnage (transfer portal), CB Doneiko Slaughter (transfer portal), CB Tamarion McDonald (transfer portal), S Wesley Walker (transfer portal)
Fiesta Bowl (Liberty vs. Oregon)
Time/TV: Monday, Jan. 1, at noon (ESPN)
Spread: Oregon -17 (-115)
Over/Under: 68
Moneyline: Oregon -800, Liberty +550
Liberty: QB Johnathan Bennett (transfer portal), DE Bryan Whitehead II (transfer portal), DL Tysheik Galloway (transfer portal), DL Kendy Charles (transfer portal), LB Jerome Jolly Jr. (injury: questionable), DB Preston Hodge (transfer portal), S Jaylon Jimmerson (transfer portal), S A'Khori Jones (injury: questionable)
Oregon: QB Bo Nix (potential opt-out: playing), QB Ty Thompson (transfer portal), RB Bucky Irving (potential opt-out: playing), WR Troy Franklin (opt-out), WR Tez Johnson (potential opt-out), WR Gary Bryant Jr. (injury: questionable), WR Troy Franklin (potential opt-out, injury: questionable), WR Gary Bryant Jr. (injury: questionable), C Jackson Powers-Johnson (opt-out), RT Ajani Cornelius (potential opt-out), TE Terrance Ferguson (potential opt-out), DL Brandon Dorlus (potential opt-out), DE Jordan Burch (injury: questionable), LB Jeffrey Bassa (potential opt-out), CB Khyree Jackson (opt-out), CB Trikweze Bridges (transfer portal), CB Jahlil Florence (injury: questionable), S Bryan Addison (transfer portal), S Evan Williams (potential opt-out), DB Tysheem Johnson (potential opt-out)
CFP Semifinal: Rose Bowl (Alabama vs. Michigan)
Time/TV: Monday, Jan. 1, at 4 p.m. (ESPN)
Spread: Michigan -1.5
Over/Under: 45
Moneyline: Michigan -125, Alabama +105
Alabama: QB Tyler Buchner (transfer portal), RB Jase McClellan (injury: questionable), WR Ja'Corey Brooks (transfer portal), CB Kool-Aid McKinstry (injury: probable)
Michigan: RG Zak Zinter (injury: out), LB Junior Colson (injury: probable), CB Will Johnson (injury: playing)
CFP Semifinal: Sugar Bowl (Texas vs. Washington)
Time/TV: Monday, Jan. 1, at 7:45 p.m. (ESPN)
Spread: Texas -3.5
Over/Under: 63.5
Moneyline: Texas -180, Washington +152
Texas: QB Maalik Murphy (transfer portal), RB Jonathon Brooks (injury: out), WR Xavier Worthy (injury: probable), CB Ryan Watts (injury: probable), CB Austin Jordan (injury: probable), S Jalen Catalon (transfer portal)
Washington: QB Dylan Morris (transfer portal), S Vincent Nunley (transfer portal)