On the Line | Daily Iowan football staff picks a slate of college football bowl games
The DI’s band of football experts picked 14 of 2022’s top bowl games. Records will be finalized next week.
December 15, 2022
Music City Bowl: Iowa vs. Kentucky
Austin Hanson, Pregame Editor (29-31): Iowa — Is it Joe Labas or Carson May time?
Chloe Peterson, Sports Editor (38-22): Kentucky — There will be less than 25 total points in this game.
Chris Werner, Assistant Sports Editor (38-22): Kentucky — This ain’t gonna be pretty.
Isaac Goffin, Football Reporter (37-23): Kentucky — I really didn’t want to do this.
Michael Merrick, DITV Sports Director (37-23): Iowa —Iowa has proven QB play doesn’t matter all season long.
John Bohnenkamp, Sports Coach (40-20): Kentucky — This game has 6-3 written all over it.
Jason Brummond, Publisher (35-25): Kentucky — Does a team really need a QB?
Peach Bowl: Georgia vs. Ohio State
Hanson: Georgia — Maybe Alabama should’ve been in the playoff after all.
Peterson: Georgia — Back-to-back national championships?
Werner: Georgia — Unleash the Dawgs.
Goffin: Georgia — The Bulldogs could beat Atlanta traffic.
Merrick: Georgia — OSU is lucky to be in the CFP, but not lucky enough to make the national title game.
Bohnenkamp: Georgia — Dawgs are at home, so this one is easy.
Brummond: Ohio State — B1G or bust.
Fiesta Bowl: Michigan vs. TCU
Hanson: Michigan — See my Georgia-Ohio State comment.
Peterson: Michigan — As much as I want a Michigan-OSU rematch, it ain’t going to happen.
Werner: Michigan — Iowa has at least two of Michigan’s guys now.
Goffin: Michigan — Where Heartlanders forward Michael Pastujov skated.
Merrick: Michigan — Max Duggan can only carry TCU so far.
Bohnenkamp: Michigan — How many Wolverines will transfer to Iowa?
Brummond: Michigan — How big can the Big Game get?
Sugar Bowl: Alabama vs. Kansas State
Hanson: Kansas State — Is Keagan Johnson available for this game?
Peterson: Kansas State — Get Nick Saban off my Big Ten Championship Game screen.
Werner: Alabama — Nice try, Nick Saban. You still ain’t in the playoff.
Goffin: Alabama — My new home state.
Merrick: Alabama — Kansas State will feel the wrath of a non-playoff Alabama.
Bohnenkamp: Alabama — Crimson Tide may be playing a lot of backups.
Brummond: Kansas State — A bad loss to a bad team.
Holiday Bowl: Oregon vs. North Carolina
Hanson: Oregon — To any future employers that might be reading, I do not have a quack addiction.
Peterson: Oregon — Are the Ducks and the Tar Heels really on the same level?
Werner: Oregon — Couldn’t quite quack the top 10.
Goffin: Oregon — Where Animal House, a movie I haven’t seen, was filmed.
Merrick: Oregon — UNC won’t bounce back from its loss to Clemson in the ACC Championship Game.
Bohnenkamp: North Carolina — Would be a decent basketball matchup.
Brummond: Oregon — Tar Heels have dropped three straight games.
Rose Bowl: Penn State vs. Utah
Hanson: Penn State — Penn State owns Kernkraft 400 by Zombie Nation. Other schools need to cease and desist.
Peterson: Utah — Pac-12 supremacy coming your way.
Werner: Utah — The Utes are always on past my bedtime.
Goffin: Utah — One of America’s most underrated states.
Merrick: Penn State — Penn State can play defense, unlike USC.
Bohnenkamp: Utah — A strange matchup for Pasadena.
Brummond: Utah — An old school, classic Big Ten-Pac 12 rivalry.
Gator Bowl: Notre Dame vs. South Carolina
Hanson: South Carolina — Spencer will be Rattling.
Peterson: Notre Dame — The Fighting Irish can fight the Gators in the bowl easily.
Werner: South Carolina — The Gamecocks have yet to steer me wrong.
Goffin: South Carolina — Ready for the Gamecocks to be overhyped in the preseason.
Merrick: South Carolina — New coach, same Notre Dame.
Bohnenkamp: South Carolina — Gamecocks on a roll to end the season.
Brummond: Notre Dame — Just join a super conference already.
Alamo Bowl: Texas vs. Washington
Hanson: Washington — Should Michael Penix Jr. have been a Heisman candidate?
Peterson: Texas — Hometown bowl? A little unfair.
Werner: Texas — A lot of inappropriate joke opportunities come with picking Texas.
Goffin: Texas — Austin–Bergstrom International Airport is nice.
Merrick: Washington —Michael Penix Jr. throws for 400 yards in a win.
Bohnenkamp: Washington — Michael Penix will be the difference.
Brummond: Texas — Longhorns are tough to be in the Alamo, as Iowa knows.
Fenway Bowl: Cincinnati vs. Louisville
Hanson: Cincinnati — Will the winner actually be given a keg of nails?
Peterson: Cincinnati — I just want the Scott Satterfield dynamic.
Werner: Cincinnati — It’s pronounced Loserville.
Goffin: Cincinnati — Will the Cincinnati Cyclones win the ECHL Central Division?
Merrick: Cincinnati — No Fickell, no problem.
Bohnenkamp: Cincinnati — Maybe the most awkward bowl of them all.
Brummond: Louisville — Only 100 miles separate these schools. Let’s play in Boston.
Las Vegas Bowl: Florida vs. Oregon State
Hanson: Oregon State — No Anthony Richardson, no W.
Peterson: Oregon State — How did the Beavers get stuck in the Las Vegas Bowl?
Werner: Oregon State — I have buck teeth like a Beaver!
Goffin: Oregon State — One of the few states I haven’t visited.
Merrick: Oregon State — Jonathan Smith might be the most underrated coach in the NCAA.
Bohnenkamp: Oregon State — Beavers and Gators in Las Vegas. Love bowl season.
Brummond: Oregon State — This game is played in Vegas and still nobody cares to bet on it.
Myrtle Beach Bowl: Marshall vs. UConn
Hanson: Marshall — My pick would be different if this were a basketball game.
Peterson: Marshall — The Herd will Thunder all over the Huskies.
Werner: Marshall — I’m still convinced UConn doesn’t have a football team.
Goffin: Marshall — How UConn made a bowl is beyond me.
Merrick: Uconn — Huskies get their first-ever bowl win — don’t fact check me on that.
Bohnenkamp: Marshall — Thundering Herd’s defense is too much.
Brummond: Marshall — This is where the wheels start to come off . . .
Guaranteed Rate Bowl: Wisconsin vs. Oklahoma State
Hanson: Wisconsin — Justice for Minnesota. Wisconsin should’ve been the Big Ten team banished to the Pinstripe Bowl.
Peterson: Wisconsin — The best part of the transfer portal is both of these starting QBs are gone.
Werner: Oklahoma State — I didn’t like what I saw from the Badgers this season.
Goffin: Oklahoma State — Another one of the few states I haven’t visited.
Merrick: Wisconsin — What happened to Oklahoma State this year?
Bohnenkamp: Oklahoma State — No Mertz might be a reason to pick the Badgers.
Brummond: Oklahoma State — This looked like a great matchup in August.
Quick Lane Bowl: New Mexico State vs. Bowling Green
Hanson: Bowling Green — Who knew greens could bowl?
Peterson: New Mexico State — They tried so hard to get into a bowl, you think they’ll go down now?
Werner: Bowling Green — I use the bumpers and I’m proud.
Goffin: Bowling Green — Where Heartlanders defenseman Justin Wells competed.
Merrick: Bowling Green — Bowling Green always loves to go bowling.
Bohnenkamp: Bowling Green — Always wanted to go to the QuickLane Bowl.
Brummond: Bowling Green — Unfortunately, I won’t be able to watch this one.
Idaho Potato Bowl: Eastern Michigan vs. San Jose State
Hanson: San Jose State — I’ll say it again, San Jose ain’t a state.
Peterson: San Jose State — Does the winner get a bunch of potatoes?
Werner: Eastern Michigan — And with this pick, I’ve won the season-long On the Line race. I’d like to thank my parents . . .
Goffin: Eastern Michigan — The Eagles are better suited for the Boise cold.
Merrick: Eastern Michigan — If only Emoni Bates could play wide receiver too.
Bohnenkamp: San Jose State — A lot of bad in this game.
Brummond: San Jose State — Exhibit A: Why there are too many bowl games.