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.
Iowa linebacker Seth Benson celebrates a recovered fumble during a football game between Iowa and Illinois at Memorial Stadium in Champaign, Ill., on Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022. The Fighting Illini defeated the Hawkeyes, 9-6.
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.