New Year’s Day college football action kicks off with the 7-5 Wisconsin Badgers of the Big Ten taking on the 9-3 LSU Tigers in the ReliaQuest Bowl from Raymond James Stadium, Tampa.
Which team will get 2024 off to a solid start with a win on Monday afternoon? Ahead of the game, we’ve got the latest college football betting odds, DFS picks, and a ReliaQuest Bowl prediction.
ReliaQuest Bowl Betting and DFS Preview
All odds are from DraftKings Sportsbook and correct as of Saturday, Dec. 30, 2023. Want to take advantage of the ReliaQuest Bowl odds? Visit the College Football Network live college football odds page to place bets in your state.
- Spread
LSU -10 - Moneyline
LSU -380, Wisconsin +300 - Over/Under
56 points - Game time
Noon ET - Location
Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL - Predicted Weather at Kick
71 degrees, 6 mph winds, sunshine mixing with clouds - How to Watch
ESPN2, FuboTV
Looking to make some loot on LSU? Think Wisconsin is on to a winner on Monday afternoon? If you’re going to take advantage of the ReliaQuest Bowl odds, consider some of the following factors before you part with your hard-earned cash.
LSU enjoys a 3-1 head-to-head advantage over Wisconsin dating back to their first meeting in 1971, but the Badgers prevailed in a close-fought game the last time the two teams met. The Tigers are favored to extend that run, and our ReliaQuest Bowl prediction suggests that it could be an easy win against a team that lost the only other time they were an underdog this year.
Brian Kelly’s team are favored by 10 points in the latest ReliaQuest odds and have covered the spread eight times this season. That includes the last three games and six out of seven times when they’ve been a double-digit favorite. Wisconsin, by contrast, is 5-7 covering the spread. They did, however, cover as a double-digit ‘dog against Ohio State in late October.
Wisconsin has been far better defensively than offensively this season, and that’s led to just four games featuring the Badgers coming over the total points line. While every LSU game except one has sailed past the over/under line this season, the Tigers will be without dynamic dual-threat Jayden Daniels to power their offense.
Top DFS Picks and Fantasy Plays
Wisconsin Depth Chart | LSU Depth Chart
- QB Tanner Mordecai, Wisconsin
- QB Garrett Nussmeier, LSU
- RB Jackson Acker, Wisconsin
- RB Cade Yacamelli, Wisconsin
- RB Kaleb Jackson, LSU
- RB Logan Diggs, LSU
- RB Josh Williams, LSU
- RB Noah Cain, LSU
- WR Bryson Green, Wisconsin
- WR Vinny Anthony, Wisconsin
- WR Will Pauling, Wisconsin
- WR Malik Nabers, LSU
- WR Brian Thomas Jr, LSU
- WR Kyren Lacy, LSU
- TE Hayden Rucci, Wisconsin
- TE Mason Taylor, LSU
There are five college football games on Monday to compile your DFS team. If you’re new to DFS, Fanduel Superflex contests require you to select a quarterback, two running backs, three wide receivers, and a “Superflex” that can be any of the above or a tight end.
With quarterback Daniels absent from this game, your ReliaQuest Bowl picks aren’t likely to include the quarterback position. Garrett Nussmeier is highly regarded inside the program and has the talent to be productive but lacks the athletic dynamism to be at the same threat level. Meanwhile, Wisconsin’s Tanner Mordecai hasn’t been fantasy-relevant all season long for the Badgers.
MORE: College Football Bowl Game Opt-Out Tracker
One player who has been fantasy-relevant in the 2023 season is LSU WR Malik Nabers. Surprisingly, he will play on Monday, providing a dangerous weapon for his young quarterback despite facing a really good Wisconsin pass defense. Nabers has tallied 1,546 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns this season, leading all WRs in the country with 238.7 fantasy points.
Despite a change of coaching staff, the majority of Wisconsin’s points this year have still come from the ground game. With Braelon Allen out, Jackson Acker will likely handle a heavy load. While he’s not scored much in limited action, the Badgers’ back adds an element of receiving ability out of the backfield and has a good matchup on Monday against the LSU defense.
Prediction for the ReliaQuest Bowl
Okay, so we’ve furnished you with the ReliaQuest Bowl odds and some DFS picks. Now, it’s time to close this thing out with our prediction.
Will the first season of the Luke Fickell era end in a fourth consecutive bowl win for Wisconsin? Or will the Tigers prove too tough to handle on Monday afternoon as they search for another 10-4 season under head coach Kelly?
MORE: NCAA Football Bowl Games By Conference Record
There were high expectations for Wisconsin in the first season under Fickell, with some expecting the Badgers to be the contender in the Big Ten West. Ultimately, they fell considerably short, finishing with a 5-4 record in the conference behind an offense that finished 103rd in the nation having scored an average of just 22.8 points per game in the 2023 campaign.
Unsurprisingly, they’ve been far better defensively. Allowing just 18.9 points per game — bolstered by season-low points allowed against Minnesota — they’ve been led by do-it-all safety Hunter Wohler who racked up 113 tackles, 4.5 for loss, and two interceptions. Meanwhile, their pass defense featured an interception-hunting Ricardo Hallman who snagged six picks.
That defense will need to be at its very best against an LSU offense that led the nation with 46.4 points per game. Granted, losing your Heisman-winning quarterback to an NFL Draft-orientated opt-out will impact the ferociousness of that offensive unit, but the appearance of WRs Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr. is enough to strike fear into the heart of any offense.
For as high-scoring as the LSU offense has been, the defense has been porous. They’ve allowed 30+ points in over half their games this season while ranking in the bottom 40 teams in college football for rushing yards and touchdowns allowed this year. Wisconsin’s offense is geared to the ground game, but may lack the personnel to capitalize. LSU to win comfortably.
Prediction: Wisconsin 19, LSU 31
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