The College Football Playoff is approaching, which means it’s time to lock in some bets on the two biggest games of the year. The action will occur on New Year’s Eve, with Cincinnati and Alabama starting things off at 3:30 PM ET in the Cotton Bowl.
The night game will showcase Michigan and Georgia in the Orange Bowl. This game is expected to be very competitive, unlike the first game featuring the Crimson Tide and Cincinnati Bearcats. Typically, there is a lot of betting value in the College Football Playoff because it features even teams.
Yet, this year is different because Cincinnati, a mid-major program, punched their ticket by being the only unbeaten team in America. The betting value is not high in this game, which is why parlays are the answer for the College Football Playoff.
If you parlay the two College Football Playoff games together, it will result in a much larger payout. Now, it all comes down to making the right combination. Here are the best plays for the College Football Playoff parlay.
Cincinnati vs Alabama -13.5 (-110)
If this game were in the regular season, the Crimson Tide would be much higher than a two-touchdown favorite. They would likely be -20, depending on the time of the regular season. Learn more about College Football Picks and Parlays with the BParlay.com guide.
Do not take Cincinnati for granted because they can compete with good teams. However, the Bearcats should not be able to win the war of attrition with Alabama. I expect Cincinnati to come out on fire, so if Alabama does not dominate the first half, do not be surprised.
Taking Alabama against the spread is the best bet with the most value in this matchup. The team is -13.5, so the bet will hit if the Tide wins by two scores.
Alabama is going to win because they are more dominant in the trenches. The quality of linemen between the Power Five and Group of Five is a massive difference. This is one reason Cincinnati has never been able to win a New Year’s Six Bowl Game.
Alabama should wear down the Bearcats as the game moves forward. Bryce Young, the Heisman Trophy winner, will be critical for the team’s success. He threw for over 300 yards in Alabama’s final eight games.
He knows how to deal with pressure, and for a young quarterback, he was not fooled much in 2021. There is no doubt Alabama’s front seven will get to Desmond Ridder on defense.
He will likely be under more pressure than he has been all season. Cincinnati is known for being great in pass protection, but this is not against Power Five schools.
Michigan +7.5 (-110) vs Georgia
It’s hard to bet against Michigan’s spread when sportsbooks are giving you a free 7.5 points. Michigan deserves to be in this game, and they have defeated good teams. When it comes to Georgia, things will not be easy, especially on the line of scrimmage.
Both teams have the same style, where they want to wear down their opponents. The team that controls the line of scrimmage throughout the game will be victorious.
Michigan has won five straight games coming into the College Football Playoff. I think this streak will end in the Orange Bowl, but it’s a lot to ask the Bulldogs to cover this spread. Anything can happen in the playoff, and Michigan is playing for Jim Harbaugh, who was on the hot seat heading into the season.
The combined odds for this parlay are +246. A $100 wager will pay out $346.89. No matter what combo you take, a spread payout will pay this number. The money line parlay will be a lower payout unless you take both underdogs.
