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Picks for first week of bowl games

Boise State has what it takes to grind out a bowl win against Washington. Joe Jaszewski/Idaho Statesman/MCT via Getty Images

Every week during the season, Will Harris will check with the computers (using Insider's PickCenter) and wiseguys to evaluate the upset possibilities in college football's most compelling games and give his picks for which teams will come out on top.

After a successful season picking games against the number this season (a 5-1 mark in the conference title games brought us to 81-54 for the year), we're turning our attention to the bowls. We'll be making against-the-spread selections for every bowl game this season, in four separate installments. For now, here are our picks for the first week of games.

Boise State Broncos versus Washington Huskies

MAACO Las Vegas Bowl (Dec. 22)
Boise State is favored by 5 points

This is a tough game to call, as a consistent Boise State squad deserves the favorite's mantle over an error-prone Washington outfit that has been truly impressive in victory only twice this season Â… yet laying points in what is bound to be a serious defensive struggle is downright unsavory.