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.

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Daniel McGregor-Huyer

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.

DI Staff


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.