SEC+3: Bowl Picks Part One

Today kicks off the most wonderful time of the year.

A time with family, friends, pets, extended family and whoever or whatever is coming to hang out for the holidays.

Oh, yeah. There's football on TV practically everyday. 41 games in all if we include the National Championship.

We aren't going to pick all 41 today, you just want to know about who's who among these teams playing in the first games.

It is in fact the most wonderful time of the year. No need to overdo it.

Here's our picks for the first five games of the 2016 Bowl Calendar:

Gildan New Mexico Bowl
New Mexico vs. UT-San Antonio

Godsey: The University of Texas San-Antonio is finishing their 6th season and will be making their first ever bowl appearance. Roadrunner Head Coach Frank Wilson has them sitting at 6-6 in his first season. They won’t win this bowl game, but Wilson clearly has them heading in the right direction.

The Pick: New Mexico 34 UT-San Antonio 24

Griff: This game is the college football version of Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner, but in this episode the Lobos get the victory in a fun game that should provide us with a lot of points.

The Pick: New Mexico 36 UT-San Antonio 31

Las Vegas Bowl Presented by Geico
Houston vs. San Diego State

Godsey: Houston has not had a good year against the point spread and it matters because they tend to play good when they’re the underdog but not so good when expect them to win. San Diego State has a record setting RB named Donnel Pumphrey and RB Rashaad Penny is right behind him. I think the ground game beats Houston this Saturday.

The Pick: San Diego State 31 Houston 28

Griff: Today Donnel Pumphrey has a chance to break an impressive career rushing yards record. It will be Houston's first game without Tom Herman at the helm, and we'll get a first glimpse of Major Applewhite as a head coach. Houston defensive tackle Ed Oliver will stand between Pumphrey and the record, and that will create a giant hurdle for the Aztecs.

The Pick: Houston 42 San Diego State 21

Raycom Media Camellia Bowl
Appalachian State vs. Toldeo

Godsey: I’m torn in this one. This is one of the most even match-ups of this bowl season. When breaking these two teams down to their strengths, I have to give the edge to the Toledo offense. The Rockets average over 500 yards a game and I just don’t think App State will be able to keep up.

The Pick: Toledo 34 Appalachian State 30

Griff: The Mountaineers started off the season 1-2 with two losses to top 25 teams. After that three-game stretch, App State won eight of its last nine games to finish 9-3 for the regular season. Toledo is allowing opponents to run the ball slightly over 4.5 yards-per-carry this season, and the Mountaineers have running back Jalin Moore, who's going to finish with over 1,400 yards this season after today's game.

The Pick: Appalachian State 38 Toledo 28

AutoNation Cure Bowl
Central Florida vs. Arkansas State

Godsey: Here is something interesting about Arkansas State but keep in mind that they are a 7-5 team. Arkansas State averages 27 points per game but gives up over 38 points per game. They also average 391.5 yards per game but they allow 532 yards per game. I will go with the numbers and give the Knights my pick.

The Pick: Central Florida 30 Arkansas State 24

Griff: Things weren't looking up for Arkansas State at the beginning of the season when the Wolves started off 0-4. This team kept playing, though and won seven of its final eight games. This game will probably give us the lowest point total of the day, but it will also be a fun, physical contest between two teams that are looking for a big momentum boost to end the season with.

The Pick: Arkansas State 21 Central Florida 17

R&L Carriers New Orleans Bowl
Southern Miss vs. Louisiana-Lafayette

Godsey: I’ll make this short and sweet, give me the Ragin' Cajuns!

The Pick: Louisiana-Lafayette 27 Southern Miss 24

Griff: You have to just love watching two 6-6 teams getting the primetime slot on ESPN! Louisiana-Lafayette has turned this bowl game practically into a residency, and the Ragin' Cajuns get the job done basically in front of a home crowd.

The Pick: Louisiana-Lafayette 31 Southern Miss 30

We hope everyone enjoys the Saturday slate of games. Be sure to check back with us, as we'll be putting up more predictions later in the weekend. Follow Griff on Twitter @griffaldo, and he might give you a follow back! As always, thanks for reading!