CFB Bowl Predictions Confidence Picks 2021-2022 | Ranking The Likeliest College Football FBS Winners

One of the best contests to compete in during college football’s bowl season is a bowl picks confidence pool.

Here, you take a certain number of CFB bowl games, predict the winners, and rank how confident you are in each pick.

The number 1 represents your least confident pick, and whatever number of bowl games you choose reflects your most confident pick. Example: If you pick 20 bowls, the level of 20 points is your most confident pick.

The competitor who earns the most successful “confidence points" wins the CFB bowl picks pool.

We’ve tasked this CFB bowl picks confidence pool contest to three of our college football analysts — Kevin Davis, Adam Kramer, and Jason Radowitz — who pick from 20 down to 1 their most confident CFB bowl predictions.

We’ve included the National Championship Game, which the writers will fill out once the matchup is determined. (This is a fun part of the strategy of this game. How many points do you save for later? Should you get as many confidence points as you can with the games we know?)

CFB Bowl Confidence Picks 2021-2022

Top Bowl Confidence Pick

Coastal Carolina ✅

Northern Illinois had one of the more lucky seasons this year. The Huskies won the MAC after allowing more points than scoring this season. Northern Illinois is currently 9-4 on the year but has allowed 32.7 points per game while only scoring 31.5 points per game.

On the other hand, Coastal Carolina is 10-2 on the season and lost a close game to Georgia State, at home 42-40 earlier in the year, which basically kept the Chanticleers out of the SunBelt Championship. That game was lost because starting quarterback Grayson McCall was injured and out. Now he’s back in action and has helped Coastal average nearly 500 yards per game on offense. — Jason Radowitz

Best Bet: Coastal Carolina -10 (-110) at Caesars

Alabama

In my Alabama vs Cincinnati Cotton Bowl predictions, I recommend bets on Cincinnati. For bets against the sportsbook, I stand by this prediction, but bowl pick’em pools are a whole different animal.

For pick confidence pools, you want your top confidence pick to have the best chance of winning. No team is a larger favorite in their bowl game than Alabama against Cincinnati. Bowl teams are typically evenly matched up and the games are meaningless meaning underdogs frequently win.

The Cotton Bowl is not meaningless, and Alabama is the better team. — Kevin Davis

Alabama

Even with a spread hovering around two touchdowns in a College Football Playoff game, Nick Saban’s team will handle Cincinnati. The Bearcats have some quality NFL players at key positions. The issue, however, is size and depth across the board, and Alabama will likely take full advantage of that. — Adam Kramer

Alabama isn’t going to make you a profit at the sportsbooks, but in 2022 bowl confidence pick pools, the Crimson Tide are a near sure thing to win the Cotton Bowl. (Image: USA TODAY Sports)

Bottom Bowl Confidence Pick

College Football Playoff Finals

Right now, we don’t even know which team will make the CFP Finals. I’m going to assume Michigan defeats Georgia and takes on Alabama in the finals. I like Michigan in both games and truly believe that the Wolverines can win it all this season.

But in reality, this is a really risky play. I’m not going to go heavy on the most notable games. I want to make my way to the top with the games that most people don’t know too much about. — Jason Radowitz

Louisiana ✅

Louisiana is playing Marshall in the New Orleans Bowl and I have no idea who is going to win.

The Ragin’ Cajuns are currently 4.5 point favorites against the Thundering Herd, but by no means do I feel confident in their ability to beat Marshall.

Louisiana is nationally ranked, has a 12-1 record, and won the Sun Belt Conference. Marshall has a 7-5 record and has underperformed this season. It appears Louisiana should win, but I have doubts on how excited they will be to play in a meaningless bowl game. — Kevin Davis

Iowa

I’m just not sure what version of the Hawkeyes we are going to get in the Citrus Bowl against Kentucky, and the departure of running back Tyler Goodson is a tremendous blow. Still, Iowa can play just enough defense and score just enough points to ugly up this game just enough. I’m limping in with that prediction, but I’m comfortable enough. — Adam Kramer

CFB Bowl Sleeper Pick

Penn State

I know Arkansas is a fun team with a really good head coach, although the Nittany Lions are seasoned, incredibly well coached and balanced on both sides of the ball. Arkansas, which is a slight underdog in this game, is likely to garner some significant buzz. Not from me, though. James Franklin delivers a nice win. — Adam Kramer

Best Bet: Penn State Moneyline (-110) vs Arkansas in Outback Bowl

Wake Forest

The Texas A&M Aggies finished the regular season 8-4 and lost two of their last three games this season. The offense scored 24 or fewer points in three of their last four games. The Aggies are relying on Zach Calzada under center. The reality is, he doesn’t have the mobility to run around the field and create havoc.

Texas A&M is used to having players like Kellon Mond and even Haynes King. Calzada put together a signature win against Alabama earlier this year but I’m not so sure this SEC defense knows how great some of the ACC offense was this year.

I’m counting on Wake Forest to outscore Texas A&M as a seven-point favorite and truly believe it happens. — Jason Radowitz

Utah State ✅

Utah State is arguably the most improved team in the country. In 2020, the Aggies went 1-5. This season Utah State is 10-3 and won the Mountain West Conference.

The Aggies beat Washington State to start the season, and San Diego State in the Conference Championship game. Oregon State went 7-5 in a better conference. Yet, the Beavers are favored by seven points.

Utah State could easily beat Oregon State if they bring their a-game. That is why I recommend them as a sleeper pick as well as recommend their +230 money line at Caesars Sportsbook. — Kevin Davis

CFB Bowl Team I’m Fading

Auburn

With the news that Bo Nix is transferring, Auburn is going to be in the dumps. Nix led this team through so much adversity and now has to rely on young quarterback T.J. Finley to lead them. Auburn lost four straight games and was embarrassed after losing to South Carolina with the Gamecocks using their third-string starter in that game.

Finley is not the answer. Meanwhile, Houston lost to Cincinnati in the AAC Championship and took an overtime loss to East Carolina earlier in the year. Other than that, the Cougars have dominated the competition, much like Cincinnati in that conference.

I’ll trust Houston in this spot against an Auburn team that is on a four-game losing streak. — Jason Radowitz

Ohio State

I know the Buckeyes are still explosive, and quarterback C.J. Stroud could be in line for another big performance in the Rose Bowl. But we just saw OSU get overwhelmed up front by a solid running attack and an aggressive approach, and Utah has precisely that.

Also, while it’s the Rose Bowl, I question what motivation we’re going to get out of Ryan Day’s team. The Utes have a tremendous opportunity to send a message. — Adam Kramer

Washington State

On New Year’s Eve in the Sun Bowl, Washington State faces Miami (FL). Both the Cougars and Hurricanes finished 7-5 this season and both teams fired their coaches.

What makes Washington State likely to be the team that the public is picking is that they fired their coach Nick Rolovich in the middle of the season. Since Rolovich was canned, Washington State is 3-2 with their only losses against BYU and Oregon.

The Cougars are likely to be a public underdog as the narrative makes them look good, but Miami has better players. If the Hurricanes go into the meaningless Sun Bowl and try to win, they should beat Washington State. — Kevin Davis

Thanks for reading our CFB Confidence Picks 2021-2022! For more CFB bowl betting tips, check out our CFB Picks of the Day.