Fearless Rick & Coin Flip Week 16 NFL Picks

Week 15 Results: Rick: 9-7; Flip: 10-6
Cumulative: Rick: 109-111-4; Flip: 117-103-4

Thursday, December 18

Los Angeles Rams at Seattle Seahawks (-1.5, 44) 8:15 pm - Great game to start off Week 16 which may determine the winner of the NFC West and possibly top seed in the conference. By virtue of beating the Seahawks about a month ago, 21-19, the Rams already have a playoff berth assured.

These two are pretty evenly matched, so it is easy to predict Seattle winning at home, just as the ams did in their first encounter. Might take OT to decide the winner.

Coin Flip: Seattle

Fearless Rick’s Pick: Seahawks 24 Rams 21

Saturday, December 20

Philadelphia Eagles (-6.5, 44.5) at Washington Commanders 5:00 pm - Washington snapped an eight-game losing streak by topping the Giants last week. They have not won two in a row this season, and, with the Eagles capable of clinching the division with a win here, odds for an upset are nil.

The Eagles proved last week in their 31-0 rout of the Raiders, that they are rolling into the playoffs on a high note. Even chronic complainer, A.J. Brown, caught a touchdown pass.

Coin Flip: Philadelphia

Fearless Rick’s Pick: Eagles 31 Commanders 17

Green Bay Packers (-1.5, 46.5) at Chicago Bears 8:20 pm - First place on the line again, just as it was two weeks ago when the Bears won, 28-21, in Green Bay.

Figuring the Packers would really like to return the favor after losing at Denver last week, 34-26, the Bears probably have other ideas, especially since they play at San Fran next week and close out the regular season at home against the Lions. The Bears are 5-1 at home, the only loss in Week 1, 27-24, to the Vikings.

Coin Flip: Chicago

Fearless Rick’s Pick: Bears 26 Packers 23

Sunday, December 21

Cincinnati Bengals (-5.5, 47.5) at Miami Dolphins 1:00 pm - It’s that time of year that produces truly meaningless games and this is one of them. Both QBs are either mentally or physically damaged, Joe Burrow for the Bengals wants to be traded and Tua Tagovailoa will be benched. Rookie Quinn Ewers will start for the Dolphins.

Burrow looked way off in last week’s 24-0 loss to the Bengals. Home team getting points. Take ‘em.

Coin Flip: Miami

Fearless Rick’s Pick: Dolphins 21 Bengals 17

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-3, 45.5) at Carolina Panthers 1:00 pm - Both teams are 7-7, both have lost to New Orleans in the past two weeks and whichever wins this game may win the division.

Tampa Bay managed to lose to the Falcons last Thursday, and have won just once in their last six starts. The defense has allowed an average of 29.3 points per game over that six-game span. While the Bucs may have an experience edge, the Panthers probably smell blood. These two meet again in two weeks so this game may not decide anything.

Coin Flip: Carolina

Fearless Rick’s Pick: Panthers 30 Buccaneers 21

Buffalo Bills (-10, 43) at Cleveland Browns 1:00 pm - Buffalo rallied from a 21-point first half deficit to defeat the Patriots in New England, ending their 10-game winning streak and preventing NE from clinching the division.

Heading towards the playoffs, Buffalo remains the class of the division and are just one game back. A win here and a loss by the Pats at Baltimore Sunday night would put the Bills back in first place. The Browns don’t really pose a threat to anybody at this point in the season other than their fans.

Coin Flip: Cleveland

Fearless Rick’s Pick: Bills 34 Browns 13

Los Angeles Chargers at Dallas Cowboys (-2.5, 49.5) 1:00 pm - Hard to figure why the Cowboys are favored here, given their odds of making the playoffs are roughly zero. Not counting division leaders, there are five teams ahead of them and just three wild cards available.

The Chargers are in a solid position for a wild card and they have Houston and Denver the next two weeks. A win here makes life a lot easier. LA’s offense may not be lights out, but their defense can deliver.

Coin Flip: Los Angeles Chargers

Fearless Rick’s Pick: Chargers 24 Cowboys 17

New York Jets at New Orleans Saints (-4.5, 41) 1:00 pm - Uh, no. Neither team will make the playoffs, but, at least the Saints have shown signs of life since Tyler Shough took over at QB (3-3).

The Jets’ defense does not exist. They lost, 34-10, to Miami two weeks ago and last week were swamped, 48-20, at Jacksonville. Brady Cook at QB?

Coin Flip: New York Jets

Fearless Rick’s Pick: Saints 38 Jets 14

Minnesota Vikings (-3, 43.5) at New York Giants 1:00 pm - Another nothing game. If anything, Minnesota still needs to get J.J. McCarthy lots of reps for next year. The Giants have dropped eight in a row and are tied with the Titans and Raiders for the #1 draft pick. Why screw that up by winning?

This might be the easiest pick ever. Than again, it’s the Vikings.

Coin Flip: New York Giants

Fearless Rick’s Pick: Vikings 31 Giants 10

Kansas City Chiefs (-3.5, 37.5) at Tennessee Titans 1:00 pm - Well, now that Kansas City has been eliminated from playoff contention, Patrick Mahomes looking at nine months of rehab and Mr. Taylor Swift likely to retire, most of the Chiefs are probably making vacation plans rather than paying attention to game plans.

Tennessee is 0-7 at home, but this is an opportunity to give the fans hope of next season. They have one more home game next week, vs. New Orleans, but this may be their best shot, as the Chiefs have lost five of their last six and are probably not very motivated. Gardner Minshew starts for KC.

Coin Flip: Tennessee

Fearless Rick’s Pick: Titans 24 Chiefs 7

Atlanta Falcons (-3, 47) at Arizona Cardinals 4:05 pm - Going with the coin flip on this one.

Coin Flip: Arizona

Fearless Rick’s Pick: Cardinals 27 Falcons 20

Jacksonville Jaguars at Denver Broncos (-3, 45) 4:05 pm - Arguably, the two hottest teams in the league right now. Jags have won five straight; Denver, 11 in a row. Both lead their divisions.

At stake for Jacksonville is first place in the AFC South with Houston a game back. Jaguars have Indy and Tennessee left, so a win here virtually guarantees the division title.

Denver has already secured a playoff spot, but a win here gets them closer to the division crown. They have KC and the Chargers remaining, so a win here is vital. Bo Nix, MVP?

Coin Flip: Jacksonville

Fearless Rick’s Pick: Broncos 27 Jaguars 18

Pittsburgh Steelers at Detroit Lions (-7, 51.5) 4:25 pm - Steelers continue to hold the AFC North, but have the Ravens a game behind. The Lions are in a precarious spot. At 8-6, they are in danger of missing the playoffs. Seattle (11-3), San Francisco (10-4) and Green Bay (9-4-1) are currently ahead of them.

The Lions couldn’t get the job done last week at the Rams, losing 41-34. They are 5-1 at home while the Steelers are 3-3 in road games. This game being of utmost importance for both teams, look for Aaron Rodgers to be on his best behavior and the Steeler defense to keep this close into the 4th quarter and maybe pull off the upset.

Coin Flip: Detroit

Fearless Rick’s Pick: Lions 29 Steelers 24

Las Vegas Raiders at Houston Texans (-14, 37.5) 4:25 pm - The question is not who will win this game, but by how many points Houston will.

Probably something on the order of 30.

Coin Flip: Houston

Fearless Rick’s Pick: Texans 38 Raiders 10

New England Patriots at Baltimore Ravens (-3, 48.5) 8:20 pm - New England’s defense got shoved around by Buffalo in the second half and it’s too late in the season to fix that kind of loose end.

Baltimore will know the outcome of Pittsburgh’s game with Detroit by kickoff and obviously studied the tape from the Bills’ win at New England. Tough spot for the Patriots, but it probably won’t be easy for Baltimore.

Coin Flip: New England

Fearless Rick’s Pick: Ravens 31 Patriots 21

Monday, December 22

San Francisco 49ers (-6, 46.5) at Indianapolis Colts 8:15 pm - Who are the Colts going to start this week at QB? Bert Jones? Tom Matte?

Indy will be going with Philip Rivers again. The future Hall of Fame QB nearly pulled off the upset last week against Seattle and the Colts desperately need a win. They are currently a game out of the third wild card slot and have Jacksonville and Houston to close out the season. A loss here makes their road much more difficult. San Fran needs to keep winning as well because the wild card race in the NFC is still a dogfight. Close call, SF wins, doesn’t cover. Jonathan Taylor gets another 100-yard game.

Coin Flip: San Francisco

Fearless Rick’s Pick: 49ers 24 Colts 21

Fearless Rick & Coin Flip Week 15 NFL Picks

Week 14 Results: Rick: 8-6; Flip: 7-7
Cumulative: Rick: 100-104-4; Flip: 107-97-4

Thursday, December 11

Atlanta Falcons at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-5.5, 43.5) 8:15 pm - The Buccaneers got stunned by New Orleans last week, 24-20, but there were no surprises in Atlanta, where the Falcons were swamped by Seattle, 37-9.

The 4-9 Falcons have been eliminated from post-season contention, so there may be some new and unusual faces in some spots. Tampa Bay has survived a spate of mid-season injuries and finally appears to be fairly healthy all around. Tampa Bay won at Atlanta, 23-20, way back in Week 1. Look for this one to be the same result by a wider margin.

Coin Flip: Atlanta

Fearless Rick’s Pick: Buccaneers 31 Falcons 14

Sunday, December 14

Cleveland Browns at Chicago Bears (-7.5, 38.5) 1:00 pm - Another young quarterback matchup with Shedeur Sanders getting the nod for the remaining Cleveland schedule and 2nd year stud, Caleb Williams leading the Bears towards the playoffs.

Both teams are coming off losses, but Cleveland’s was more of their own doing, dropping a 31-29 decision at home to lowly Tennessee while the Bears lost, 28-21 at Green Bay. Back home, where they are 4-1, look for Chicago to take advantage of Cleveland mistakes. Should be a fun afternoon watching the Browns’ Myles Garrett, who leads the league in sacks, chasing around Williams all afternoon.

Coin Flip: Chicago

Fearless Rick’s Pick: Bears 27 Browns 13

Baltimore Ravens (-2.5, 52) at Cincinnati Bengals 1:00 pm - Hard to see the reasoning behind Baltimore being favored on the road with Joe Burrow back at QB for the Bengals. Cincy is 4-9 and needs to win their remaining games to have any hope of winning the division. Currently, Pittsburgh is the only club with a positive record (7-6), so 8-9 could be good enough with tiebreakers.

Baltimore has severely underperformed this season. The Bengals can take advantage of a shaky secondary.

Coin Flip: Baltimore

Fearless Rick’s Pick: Bengals 31 Ravens 24

Arizona Cardinals at Houston Texans (-9.5, 42.5) 1:00 pm - The Cardinals have lost five straight while Houston is red hot, winners of their last five.

Each streak should go to six at the conclusion of this game.

Coin Flip: Arizona

Fearless Rick’s Pick: Texans 35 Cardinals 10

New York Jets at Jacksonville Jaguars (-13.5, 41.5) 1:00 pm - The Jaguars have everything working in their favor right now, and there’s little reason to believe the Jets will have enough to prevent them from winning again.

The Jaguars have won four in a row and need to keep winning to hold off Houston, which is a game back in the AFC South.

Coin Flip: Jacksonville

Fearless Rick’s Pick: Jaguars 27 Jets 6

Los Angeles Chargers at Kansas City Chiefs (-5.5, 41.5) 1:00 pm - Somebody needs to wake up the oddsmakers and remind them that the Chiefs have lost four of their last five and are in danger of not making the playoffs.

The Chargers are chasing Denver in the division but also have the best record among wild card teams at 9-4 (tied with Buffalo). Oh, and in Week 1, the Chargers won at home, over the Chiefs, 27-21. The Chargers maybe can afford a loss, but they’d rather not, so this could be close.

Coin Flip: Los Angeles Chargers

Fearless Rick’s Pick: Chargers 30 Chiefs 28

Buffalo Bills (-1, 49) at New England Patriots 1:00 pm - Here’s another head-scratcher with a home dog being in first place in the AFC East and already with a win over the Bills in Week 5, 23-20.

Buffalo’s defense has been questionable all season, and now the offense is having trouble scoring. Meanwhile the Patriots have won 10 straight and are tied with Denver for the #1 seed in the playoffs, bot teams at 11-2.

Coin Flip: Buffalo

Fearless Rick’s Pick: Patriots 27 Bills 24

Washington Commanders at New York Giants (-3, 46.5) 1:00 pm - The Giants get Jaxson Dart back from injury and that and home field should be enough to carry the day.

Both teams have been eliminated from post-season contention. 2-10 New York would do well to lose and move closer to getting a #1 draft pick but the players probably don’t see it that way. Washington won a Week 1 meeting at home, 21-6, but much has changed since then.

Coin Flip: New York Giants

Fearless Rick’s Pick: Giants 23 Commanders 17

Las Vegas Raiders at Philadelphia Eagles (-11, 39) 1:00 pm - The Raiders are a complete mess, and, while the Eagles haven’t look so hot of late, they are still a better team. Their performance Monday night against the Chargers - a 22-19 OT loss - was the worst of the year and their third straight defeat.

Of course, Philly’s losses were to hungry teams - Dallas, Chicago, and the Chargers - so this one should be easier. Look for the eagles to pull together for a stretch run to the division title and the playoffs.

Coin Flip: Philadelphia

Fearless Rick’s Pick: Eagles 28 Raiders 10

Green Bay Packers (-2.5, 42.5) at Denver Broncos 4:25 pm - Premiere game of the weekend pits two of the hottest teams and division leaders in the mile high atmosphere.

The Packers have been playing at a high level, knocking off each of their NFC North foes in the past three weeks, but Denver’s won 10 in a row and probably haven’t peaked yet. A real acid test for both.

Coin Flip: Denver

Fearless Rick’s Pick: Broncos 26 Packers 24

Detroit Lions at Los Angeles Rams (-6, 54.5) 4:25 pm - another huge game with both teams vying for playoff spots or division crowns. Give the Lions the slight edge here due to their explosive offense and superior ground game.

This is also a rematch for two QBs who were swapped a few years ago - LA’s Stafford and the Lions’ Goff. Should be a fun one.

Coin Flip: Los Angeles Rams

Fearless Rick’s Pick: Lions 32 Rams 29

Carolina Panthers (-3, 41) at New Orleans Saints 4:25 pm - The Panthers have a clear path to the NFC South crown with Tampa Bay’s Thursday night loss. The Saints helped Carolina’s hopes by topping the Bucs, 24-20, a week back, but, the Saints won the first meeting, 17-7. Who’s to say they can’t do it again?

Coin Flip: New Orleans

Fearless Rick’s Pick: Saints 24 Panthers 20

Indianapolis Colts at Seattle Seahawks (-14, 42.5) 4:25 pm - The Seahawks are heavily favored due to the fact that Phillip Rivers has come ouot of retirement to play quarterback for the Colts, who are desperate to stay among the leaders in the AFC.

The Colts have lost three straight and both starting QB, Daniel Jones, and backup, Riley Leonard, though Leonard may still get the start Sunday (he’s practiced as of Wednesday). Meanwhile, Seattle is looking at sole possession of first place in the NFC West with a win and a Rams’ loss. May be closer than the line indicates.

Coin Flip: Seattle

Fearless Rick’s Pick: Seahawks 27 Colts 19

Tennessee Titans at San Francisco 49ers (-12.5, 44.5) 4:25 pm - Hard to take the Titans on the road, even though they did win at Cleveland last week.

San Francisco is finally close to fully healthy and is looking to catch the Rams and Seahawks in the NFC West. The ‘Niners have had an easy schedule due to last season’s flop and have taken advantage. The defense has really cranked it up lately.

Coin Flip: Tennessee

Fearless Rick’s Pick: 49ers 34 Titans 16

Minnesota Vikings at Dallas Cowboys (-5.5, 49) 8:20 pm - The Vikings walloped Washington last week, 31-0, proving they were not completely done for the year, but this is a bigger test, as the Cowboys need every wn they can get if they hope to make it to the post-season.

Dallas won three straight before running into a buzzsaw at Detroit in a 44-30 loss. If they bring their “A” game, they should win this one going away.

Coin Flip: Dallas

Fearless Rick’s Pick: Cowboys 27 Vikings 17

Monday, December 15

Miami Dolphins at Pittsburgh Steelers (-3, 41.5) 8:15 pm - The Steelers are 7-6 and the Dolphins are 6-7, so this could be quite the struggle as both teams are looking at post-season wild card spots, maybe.

Tough call, but Miami is on a roll, with four straight wins.

Coin Flip: Miami

Fearless Rick’s Pick: Dolphins 23 Steelers 18

Fearless Rick & Coin Flip NCAA Bowl Week 2 Picks

Last Week’s Results: Rick: 2-8; Flip: 7-3
Cumulative Results: Rick: 78-110-6; Flip: 100-88-6

Tuesday, December 23

Boca Raton Bowl
Toledo vs Louisville (-12.5, 43.5) 2:00 pm (ESPN) - There’s plenty to like about 8-4 Louisville, especially their 34-27 win September 27 at Pitt, the 24-21 win at Miami, October 17 and their return to form - after three straight losses - in their rivalry game, 41-0 over Kentucky to close out the regular season.

Toledo is no stranger to bowl games, nor to the ACC. Last season, despite a 7-5 record they topped Pitt, 48-46, in a 6 overtime classic. In 2022, they took down favored Liberty, 21-19, and in 2023, lost by a point to Wyoming in the Arizona Bowl. They normally come ready to play. This season should be no different. The Rockets come to Boca off four straight wins in which they allowed a total of 18 points. Impressive.

Coin Flip: Louisville

Fearless Rick’s Pick: Rockets 24 Cardinals 20

New Orleans Bowl
Western Kentucky vs Southern Miss (-3, 58) 5:30 pm (ESPN) - The Hilltoppers played a daunting schedule in 2025, which concluded with a loss to Jacksonville State, denying them of a shot at the CUSA Championship game (won by Kennesaw State). Loaded offensively, Western Kentucky should provide plenty of excitement in the Big Easy.

Southern Miss was 7-2 going into the final three games of the regular season, but defensive miscues resulted in three straight losses in which they allowed a total of 111 points to Texas State, South Alabama and Troy, finishing 5-3 in Sun Belt play. They’ve had time to regroup, but the Golden Eagles may find the Hilltoppers a little too much to handle.

Coin Flip: Western Kentucky

Fearless Rick’s Pick: Hilltoppers 38 Golden Eagles 24

Frisco Bowl
UNLV (-6.5, 67) vs Ohio 8:00 pm (ESPN) - UNLV’s Rebels (10-3, 6-2) lost twice to Boise State, once in the MWC championship, 38-21, and to New Mexico, 40-35. Other than that, they were an offensive powerhouse, tallying 38 or more points nine times, twice topping 50.

The Ohio Bobcats (8-4, 6-2) were only blown out once, a 37-9 loss at Ohio State. Their other three losses were to Rutgers, 34-31, in their opener, 20-14, at Ball State, and 17-13 to MAC champion, Western Michigan. Their defense should keep this one close enough for a thriller of a finish.

Coin Flip: UNLV

Fearless Rick’s Pick: Bobcats 30 Rebels 27

Wednesday, December 24

Hawaii Bowl
California vs Hawaii (-1.5, 51.5) 8:00 pm (ESPN) - The Golden Bears head out to the islands sporting a 7-5 record with a 4-4 mark in the ACC. This is a very up-and-down team with losses to the likes of San Diego State (34-0), Stanford (31-10), but late season wins over Louisville (29-26, OT) and SMU (38-35). Their offense is serviceable; defense, like Swiss cheese.

(8-4) Hawaii should be able to exploit Cal’s error-prone defense. The Rainbow Warriors were 6-1 at home this season.

Coin Flip: Hawaii

Fearless Rick’s Pick: Rainbow Warriors 31 Golden Bears 21

Friday, December 28

GameAbove Sports Bowl
Central Michigan vs Northwestern (-10.5, 44) 1:00 pm (ESPN) - For a 6-6 team, Northwestern isn’t all that bad. Coming out of the Big Ten with a 4-5 record, three of their losses were to ranked foes - Oregon, Michigan, USC. They have enough offense to be competitive against almost anybody, but the defense is questionable.

The Chippewas went 5-3 in the physical Mid-American conference and were 7-5 overall. They were buried by Pitt, 45-17, and Michigan, 65-3, but that was back in September. Since then, they’re 6-3, though they do seem vulnerable to power conference teams. Look for the Wildcats to prevail in a low-scoring affair.

Coin Flip: Central Michigan

Fearless Rick’s Pick: Wildcats 27 Chippewas 13

Rate Bowl
New Mexico vs Minnesota (-1.5, 44) 4:30 pm (ESPN) - The Golden Gophers have won eight straight bowl games, so rest assured the veteran players won’t want that streak to end against a quality Mountain West squad like New Mexico. At 5-4 in the Big Ten and 7-5 overall, they should be able to hold their own.

Somehow, the Lobos didn’t get to play in the MWC championship, despite beating UNLV and finishing with six straight wins. They were 9-3 overall and 6-2 in conference and were competitive in a 35-28 loss to San Jose State. This should be a solid game with plenty of action. New Mexico should surprise.

Coin Flip: New Mexico

Fearless Rick’s Pick: Lobos 26 Golden Gophers 14

First Responder Bowl
Florida International vs UTSA (-5.5, 59.5) 8:00 pm (ESPN) - The Panthers of Florida International scored 351 points, allowed 333, and finished 7-5 overall and 5-3 in C-USA.

UTSA scored 405, allowed 355, finished 6-6 overall and 4-4 in the American conference. Wagering on this game is for only the depraved gamblers, but in what appears to be an even match-up, take the points.

Coin Flip: Florida International

Fearless Rick’s Pick: Roadrunners 34 Panthers 29

Saturday, December 27

Military Bowl
Pittsburgh (-10.5, 55) vs East Carolina 11:00 am (ESPN) - East Carolina was one of the better teams in the American Conference, going 6-2 with an 8-4 mark overall. Of their four losses, three were to pretty good teams - NC State, BYU, Tulane. The 58-24 defeat at UTSA was due primarily to turnovers (4 of them). The Pirates returned the following week with a season-finishing romp of Florida Atlantic, 42-3.

Pitt went 8-4 overall, but lacked consistency and are coming off a demoralizing, 38-7, season-ending loss to Miami. Hard to say how committed the players will be in this sub-prime bowl. The Pirates may be more enthusiastic.

Coin Flip: Pittsburgh

Fearless Rick’s Pick: Panthers 27 Pirates 24

Pinstripe Bowl
Penn State vs Clemson (-3, 48.5) 12:00 pm (ABC) - For Clemson, this was a very forgettable season. Preseason talk was CFP and maybe a Heisman for QB Cade Klubnik. Neither panned out as the Tigers went 7-5 and 4-4 in the ACC.

The same could be said for Penn State, ranked as high as 4th or 5th preseason, a 30-24 loss to Oregon started a string of six straight losses and the firing of head coach Franklin. They managed to win three straight to finish the season 6-6 and make it to a bowl. They might be better than Clemson at this point. Call this the “Cry in your Beer Bowl.”

Coin Flip: Clemson

Fearless Rick’s Pick: Nittany Lions 28 Tigers 17

Fenway Bowl
UConn vs Army (-9.5, 43.5) 2:15 pm (ESPN) - After a 1-2 start to the season, the Huskies went 8-1 through their independent schedule, which, honestly, wasn’t very impressive, topping the likes of Boston College, FIU, Buffalo, but with bright spots in wins over Air Force, UAB, and Duke. They seem to have just enough talent on both sides of the ball to defeat so-so teams like 6-6 Army. 9 1/2 points? Don’t think so.

Coin Flip: UConn

Fearless Rick’s Pick: Huskies 27 Black Knights 21

Pop-Tarts Bowl
22 Georgia Tech vs 12 BYU (-4, 56) 3:30 pm (ABC) - Both teams were legitimate in 2025. BYU was second-best in the Big 12, 11-2 overall, both losses to Texas Tech, one a 34-7 blowout in the Big 12 championship. Other than that, they hammered everybody else. Close calls by identical 24-21 scores in wins over Colorado and Utah. Lots to like.

The Yellow Jackets were flying high at 8-0 before dropping three of four - to NC State, Pitt, and Georgia, though their 16-9 loss in that rivalry game was a very solid effort. QB Haynes King had a spectacular season, but he’ll need support from others on offense against a tight BYU defense.

Coin Flip: Georgia Tech

Fearless Rick’s Pick: Cougars 34 Yellow Jackets 24

Arizona Bowl
Miami (OH) vs Fresno State (-5.5, 41.5) 4:30 pm (CW) - Despite an 0-3 start and losses to Ohio and Toledo in the MAC, the RedHawks managed to reach the conference championship, losing to Western Michigan, 23-13, but the offense is very inconsistent and they are down to their third-string QB, Henry Hesson.

If Fresno State gets an early lead, it could be lights out here. The Bulldogs went 8-4 overall, highlighted by a 30-7 hammering of Boise State and a season=ending high note, 41-14 win at San Jose State.

Coin Flip: Fresno State

Fearless Rick’s Pick: Bulldogs 31 RedHawks 13

New Mexico Bowl
25 North Texas (-3.5, 54) vs San Diego State 5:45 pm (ESPN) - The Aztecs had a solid 9-3 season, and, if their defense is intact, it might be a long afternoon for the Mean Green from North Texas. The Aztecs threw thee shutouts this season and held five other opponents to 10 points or fewer, including Boise State and Fresno State.

11-2 North Texas lost to South Florida, 63-36 and to Tulane, 34-21, in the American championship game. Other than that, they mostly blew away mostly inferior competition. They bring an explosive offense to a game that could be one of the best of the weekend.

Coin Flip: San Diego State

Fearless Rick’s Pick: Mean Green 27 Aztecs 26

Gator Bowl
19 Virginia vs Missouri (-4, 44) 7:30 pm (ABC) - Losses to NC State, Wake Forest and Duke (in the ACC championship, 27-20) kept Virginia out of the CFP, and they have the kind of grit and determination to make the most of this bowl appearance. They were 7-1 in the ACC and 10-3 overall with equal contributions on offense and defense.

The Mizzou played a rugged SEC schedule, finishing 8-4, with all four losses against ranked SEC foes, Alabama, Vanderbilt, Oklahoma, and Texas A&M. Two of those losses were without QB Beau Pribula, who returned from injury to get wins in the final two games, but he’s entered the transfer portal and will not play. Advantage Virginia.

Coin Flip: Virginia

Fearless Rick’s Pick: Cavaliers 27 Tigers 17

Texas Bowl
LSU vs Houston (-3, 41.5) 9:15 pm (ESPN) - Weird situation for LSU, having hired Lane Kiffin as head coach, though he will not be head coach for this game. The Tigers started out the season with a 17-10 win at Clemson, won three more straight, but then lost four of five to Ole Miss, Vandy, Texas A&M, and Alabama, resulting in the firing of head coach Brian Kelly. With Kiffin taking over next season, plenty of the Tigers’ players will stay on, but some may opt out of this game regardless.

Houston was 6-3 in the Big 12, 9-3 overall and brings a high-powered passing game to the contest. With LSU in somewhat of a flux or a funk, the Cougars deserve the nod.

Coin Flip: LSU

Fearless Rick’s Pick: Cougars 24 Tigers 17

Fearless Rick & Coin Flip Bowl Week 1 and CFP First Round Picks

Week 16 Results: Rick: 0-2; Flip: 1-1
Cumulative Results: Rick: 76-102-6; Flip: 93-85-6

Editor’s Note: These early bowl games are incredibly difficult to pick and always will be due to a number of factors, including coaching changes, transfer portal, general enthusiasm or lack thereof, semester final exams, the fact that some of these teams won only 6 or 7 games, and other elements of college life too numerous to mention. Therefore, Fearless Rick and Coin Flip take no responsibility for the accuracy of these picks or for winnings or losses incurred from reliance upon them.

Tuesday, December 16

Salute to Veterans Bowl
Troy vs. Jacksonville State (-1.5, 49.5) 9:00 pm (ESPN) - The Trojans of Troy lost the Sun Belt Championship to James Madison, 31-14, sending the Dukes to the CFP and Troy to this bowl game. Going 6-2 in conference and 8-5 overall, the Trojans suffered from a lack of offense in losses to Memphis, 28-7, Arkansas State, 23-10, and Old Dominion, 33-0. In six of their wins, they scored 31 points of more.

The Gamecocks of Jacksonville State lost the Conference USA championship to Kennesaw State, 19-15, finishing 7-1 in conference games and 8-5 overall. In their eight wins, they only held one team under 21 points (Murray State, 45-10), which would seem to offer some hope for the Trojans.

Coin Flip: Troy

Fearless Rick’s Pick: Trojans 28 Gamecocks 24

Wednesday, December 17

StaffDNA Cure Bowl
Old Dominion vs. South Florida (-3, 54) 5:00 pm (ESPN) - ODU comes out of the Sun Belt, where they were 6-2, with a 9-3 record overall. The Monarchs won their last five straight, largely on the strength of their defense, which allowed just 47 points total in those five games. The offense relies heavily on QB Colton Joseph, who threw for 2,624 yards and 21 TDs, and rushed for 1,007 yards.

South Florida’s claim to fame came early in the season, when the Bulls started out with wins over Boise State (34-7) and Florida (18-16). A reality check loss to Miami (49-12) followed, but the Bulls went 6-2 in the American conference and finished 9-3 overall. Their two AAC losses were heart-breakers, 34-31, at Memphis, and 41-38 at Navy.

Wile ODU’s defense may have turned a corner late this year, they’re probably not on par with South Florida’s offense, which scored 41 or more points in seven of their wins. Outside of unseen portal calls or coaching maneuvers, the Bulls should run away with this one.

Coin Flip: Old Dominion

Fearless Rick’s Pick: Bulls 42 Monarchs 17

68 Ventures Bowl
Louisiana (-3, 61.5) vs. Delaware 8:30 pm (ESPN) - Both teams finished 6-6, with Delaware’s Blue Hens coming out of Conference USA and the Ragin’ Cajuns from the Sun Belt, which usually fares well in bowl match-ups.

Having lost three of their last five games, Delaware just barely made it to bowl eligibility. Louisiana won four straight after a 2-5 start, dropping their last game at Troy, 35-23. With this game being played in Mobile, Alabama, there should be a partisan Cajun crowd on hand. Delaware may not fare well. They were 1-5 in road games this season.

Coin Flip: Louisiana

Fearless Rick’s Pick: Ragin’ Cajuns 35 Blue Hens 21

Thursday, December 18

Xbox Bowl
Missouri State vs. Arkansas State (-1.5, 54) 9:00 pm (ESPN) - According to the oddsmakers, this one’s a toss-up. Missouri State’s Bears went 7-5 overall and were 5-3 in Conference USA play. The Arkansas State Wolves were 5-3 in the Sun Belt and 6-6 overall.

Each team has shown proficiency on offense and not much in the way of defense. Could be a game in which the last team with the ball under 2:00 wins the game. The 1.5 points are unlikely to matter. Turnovers and special teams may play huge roles.

Coin Flip: Arkansas State

Fearless Rick’s Pick: Bears 41 Wolves 36

Friday, December 19

Myrtle Beach Bowl
Kennesaw State vs. Western Michigan (-3, 49.5) 11:00 am (ESPN) - Not much noise out of the Mid-American conference this season, but the Western Michigan Broncos are the best of the bunch, going 7-1 in conference play, plus a payback win over Miami (OH) in the title game, and 9-4 overall.

The Broncos’ 26-17 loss at Miami (OH) was their only conference defeat and they paid it back, 23-13, in the championship. This is a team showing purpose… and defense. No team scored more than 21 points in their 9 victories. Early non-con losses to Michigan State, Illinois, and North Texas, 33-30 OT, toughened them up.

The 10-3 Kennesaw State Owls will make a game of this. They won Conference USA, and, like the Broncos, avenged an earlier loss with a win in the championship game, 19-15 over Jacksonville State. Look for a minor upset if the Owls can soften up the Western Michigan defense.

Coin Flip: Western Michigan

Fearless Rick’s Pick: Owls 27 Broncos 24

Gasparilla Bowl
Memphis vs. NC State (-4.5, 58.5) 2:30 pm (ESPN) - The Wolfpack was mid-pack in the ACC this season, 4-4 in conference and 7-5 overall. Late season blowout losses at Miami, 41-7, and Pitt, 53-34, exposed their defense and Memphis may be able to exploit some considerable holes and breakdowns.

The Tigers had a good thing going until three straight losses to Navy, East Carolina, and Tulane - the best teams in the AAC - turned a possible run at the conference championship into a 4-4 disappointment. Wins over Rice and USF to close out the regular season may have restored some confidence.

Both teams have explosive offensive potential and this may be a “defense optional” kind of game, so take the points and the OVER.

Coin Flip: NC State

Fearless Rick’s Pick: Tigers 38 Wolfpack 36

College Football Playoff - First Round Games

Friday, December 19

9 Alabama (-1.5, 41) at 8 Oklahoma 8:00 pm (ABC/ESPN) - This is a SEC rematch from a little more than a month ago, a November 15 meeting at Alabama, won by Oklahoma, 23-21.

Beating a team twice in the same season is a difficult proposition at best. When a rematch occurs in a national championship playoff setting, the planning and strategies are amped up considerably.

10-2 Oklahoma lost just two games, both to SEC teams, Texas, 23-6, and Ole Miss, 34-26. 10-3 Alabama lost its season opener at Florida State, 31-17, but then won eight straight, four of them against ranked SEC foes, until the Oklahoma loss. They handed Georgia its only loss of the season, 24-21, in Athens, only to lose to the Bulldogs, 28-7, in the SEC championship. These are two very solid football teams and very evenly matched, but don’t expect a lot of scoring, as each of these powerhouses lean heavily on their defense.

Oklahoma is #9 in yards allowed and 7th in points allowed. Alabama is #9th and 12th, respectively. Slight edge to the Sooners at home.

Coin Flip: Alabama

Fearless Rick’s Pick: Sooners 21 Crimson Tide 17

Saturday, December 20

10 Miami at 7 Texas A&M (-3, 51.5) 12:00 pm (ABC/ESPN) - if the Alabama-Oklahoma match-up isn’t an offensive showcase, the Aggies and Hurricanes will make up for it, though Miami has a defense that can handle just about any college condition. They are #6 in points allowed (13.8), though part of that may be because of their ACC schedule. Texas A&M allows 21.9 points per game, but they win mostly by just plain outscoring the opposition.

Putting up a load of points on the Hurricanes may not be so easy, even for the Aggies, who put up 36.3 per outing. Miami is right there, at 34.1. This game breaks down fairly even, with A&M giving the usual three points for home field advantage. It may not matter, the Hurricanes have a very efficient offense and a solid defense capable of putting the kibosh on A&M’s high-octane Marcel Reed, KC Concepcion and company. Turnovers could be a difference-maker.

Coin Flip: Miami

Fearless Rick’s Pick: Hurricanes 31 Aggies 27

11 Tulane at 6 Ole Miss (-17.5, 56.5) 3:30 pm (TNT, truTV) - Back on September 20, the Green Wave rolled into Oxford, Mississippi, and were promptly dismissed by the Rebels and sent back to Louisiana with a 45-10 defeat. Since then, Tulane has lost only once, and won the American Athletic conference title. They’re 11-2 overall and 7-1 in conference play.

Now, that may sound impressive, but, Ole Miss is 11-1, their lone loss a 43-35 barn-burner at Georgia. And, while head coach Lane Kiffin won’t be on the sideline, having taken the top coaching job at LSU, the players and remaining coaches know they have a chance to win a national championship. They won’t take Tulane lightly and could turn this into a rout by halftime.

Coin Flip: Ole Miss

Fearless Rick’s Pick: Rebels 42 Green Wave 14

12 James Madison at 5 Oregon (-21, 48.5) 8:00 pm (TNT, truTV) - An upset here would be difficult to imagine. While James Madison has a fine team by any regard, they’re certainly no match for the mighty Ducks, who some believe may win it all.

The Dukes arrive at the CFP via the egalitarian nature of the selection process, the “Rule of 5” ceding five spots to the five highest-ranked conference champions including from the “Group of Five” from the American Athletic, Conference USA, Mid-American, Mountain West, and Sun Belt conferences. The Dukes won the Sun Belt and are ranked 12th, with a 12-1 mark on the season. The only game they played against a team that was ranked during the regular season was a September loss at Louisville, 28-14. The Cardinals were not ranked at the time, but were ranked as high as #15 in Week 11.

So, if a team that was ranked no higher than 15 beat them by two touchdowns, shouldn’t #5 Oregon beat them by more?

Coin Flip: Oregon

Fearless Rick’s Pick: Ducks 42 Dukes 13

Fearless Rick & Coin Flip Week 16 College Football Picks

Week 15 Results: Rick: 1-5; Flip: 2-4
Cumulative Results: Rick: 76-100-6; Flip: 92-84-6

Saturday, December 13

Army vs. Navy (-6.5, 38.5) 3:00 pm (CBS) - The Midshipmen have had a very successful season, going 9-2, with conference games in the American Athletic. Navy has strong running game and can pitch in the air attack if necessary.

Army went 6-5 on the year, also playing in the American Athletic conference, where they were 4-4. Never being blown out except for a 28-6 loss at East Carolina, their primarily ground attack a reasonable counter to Navy’s design. Defensively, Army needs to hold Navy from scoring too often. An early Navy lead could be lights out.

Coin Flip: Army

Fearless Rick’s Pick: Midshipmen 31 Black Knights 13

Boise State (-10, 52.5) vs. Washington 8:00 pm (ABC) - The Huskies can generate big scores in a hurry, but if they don’t get their running game going against the stout Boise State defense, it could be a long afternoon for them. Washington finished a respectable 7th in the Big 10 with a 5-4 conference record and were 8-4 overall.

The Broncos won the Mountain West conference with a 6-2 record and a solid 38-21 win over UNLV in the championship game making them 9-4 overall, but were shut out of the CFP. Boise State has produced strong teams for the past couple of decades and are perennial winners in the MWC. The class of the conference will show through for this winning program.

Coin Flip: Boise State

Fearless Rick’s Pick: Broncos 38 Huskies 17

Fearless Rick & Coin Flip Week 15 College Football Picks

Week 14 Results: Rick: 7-7-1; Flip: 9-4-1
Cumulative Results: Rick: 75-95-6; Flip: 90-80-6

Friday, December 5

American Athletic Championship
20 North Texas (-2.5, 66) at 21 Tulane 8:00 pm (ABC) - Talk about strange. Both coaches have already taken jobs with new teams for next season. Jon Sumrall will leave Tulane for Florida, and Eric Morris will move on from North Texas to Oklahoma State,

11-1 North Texas QB Drew Mastemaker has thrown for 3,835 yards and 29 TDs this season and the Mean Green also boast a potent ground game. Caleb Hawkins has scored 16 TDs in just the past four games.

Tulane (10-2) does have home field advantage, where it’s expected to be wet for Friday night’s game. The elements may keep the scoring down somewhat. The winner might get a chance to play in the CFP, but that’s completely in the hands of the committee.

Coin Flip: North Texas

Fearless Rick’s Pick: Mean Green 31 Green Wave 27

Mountain West Championship
UNLV vs. Boise State (-5.5, 59.5) 8:00 pm (FOX) - Earlier this season, the Broncos mauled UNLV, 56-31, and they meet again on the cruel blue artificial turf of Albertsons Stadium in Boise, Idaho.

Oddsmakers are calling for a closer contest than last time, which makes some sense. Both teams are 6-2 in conference play and arrived at the championship via tiebreakers. The Rebels lost only to Boise and New Mexico and have won four straight. The offense has been terrific all season and the defense has been improving. UNLV appears poised to upend the Broncos.

Coin Flip: UNLV

Fearless Rick’s Pick: Rebels 34 Broncos 31

Saturday, December 6

Big 12 Championship
11 BYU vs. 5 Texas Tech (-12.5, 50) 12:00 pm (ABC) - Both teams finished their conference slates with 8-1 records, but this game boils down to a rematch from November 8, a game completely dominated by the Red Raiders, in a 29-7 blowout.

Texas Tech is expected to defend as well as they did in the first meeting, when BYU barely cracked the 50-yard line until late in the second half. Look for the Cougars to mix things up with some gadget plays which may produce some field position gains, but the end result is likely to lean toward Texas Tech.

Texas Tech enters with an 11-1 mark overall and will be in the CFP win or lose. BYU reaches only with a win. Their loss would likely be Miami’s gain.

Coin Flip: Texas Tech

Fearless Rick’s Pick: Red Raiders 31 Cougars 17

SEC Championship
3 Georgia (-2.5, 48.5) vs. 10 Alabama 4:00 pm (ABC) - The Crimson Tide lost two games this season, their opener at Florida State, 31-17, and just a few weeks ago a rare home loss to Oklahoma, 23-21. That means a loss here might drop them out of the CFP, which would be a shame because they are a quality team with a huge fan base.

On September 27, the Tide rolled into Georgia and defeated the Bulldogs, 24-21. It was Georgia’s only loss of the season. This rematch is a border war, revenge game, grudge match all rolled into a conference championship.

Played a the “neutral” Georgia Dome, these teams have met for the SEC so many times, it’s difficult to pick a winner, but figure on a close game and take the points Few as they may be, they provide a small degree of comfort and insurance.

Coin Flip: Georgia

Fearless Rick’s Pick: Crimson Tide 27 Bulldogs 25

Big Ten Championship
2 Indiana vs. 1 Ohio State (-4, 47.5) 8:00 pm (FOX) - Both teams enter this championship undefeated at 12-0 with the Buckeyes exorcising some demons with their 27-9 victory over Michigan last Saturday. As the reigning national champions, Ohio State appears imposing, especially on defense. They’ve allowed just seven touchdowns all year. Only Illinois and Penn State managed to score two in the same game. Beyond those two wins, the Buckeyes haven’t given up more than 10 points in any other game.

In last week’s win at Michigan, Ohio State allowed three early field goals and then shut out the Wolverines in the second half. They’ll find that possibly a bit more difficult against the Indiana offense, which has scored 55 or more points in six wins this season. QB Fernando Mendoza is a Heisman finalist and he’s got plenty of targets, but the Buckeye defense is likely to be equal to the task and Ohio State’s offense may exploit some holes or gain advantage via turnovers.

With the game at Lucas Oil Stadium in Cincinnati, there’s no home field advantage. Ohio State, steeped in tradition and no stranger to big games, should prevail.

Coin Flip: Ohio State

Fearless Rick’s Pick: Buckeyes 24 Hoosiers 14

ACC Championship
Duke vs. 16 Virginia (-4, 57.5) 8:00 pm (ABC) - It would be a shame for the Cavaliers to lose this game, because they come in with an awesome 10-2 record, whereas the Blue Devils reached the championship game via tie-breakers and a 7-5 record.

Both of Virginia’s losses - 35-31 at NC State and 16-9 to Wake Forest - were within one score and they easily handled the Blue Devils just three weeks ago, in Raleigh, 34-17. People, even the oddsmakers in Vegas, apparently have a soft spot for Duke, because the line seems awfully light. Virginia should prove worthy of a berth in the CFP win a solid, if not resounding victory.

Coin Flip: Virginia

Fearless Rick’s Pick: Cavaliers 36 Blue Devils 18

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