College Football Playoff Wagering Starts January 1

College football offers up a five-pack of bowl games on New Year's Day for our viewing and betting pleasure, including the first two playoff games in the Rose and Sugar bowls.

Here's a peek at Thursday's slate, with betting lines courtesy of Bovada and 5Dimes.

The festivities kick off down in Tampa when 10-3 Wisconsin and 8-4 Auburn meet in the Outback Bowl. For the Tigers, this bowl is big step down from last January when they played in the national championship game.

[ See all bowl lines and props and bonus specials - click here ]

The Badgers, meanwhile, will be looking for a degree of redemption after getting their butts kicked by Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship Game.

As of earlier this week 5Dimes was listing Auburn as a seven-point favorite over Wisconsin.

Down in Dallas 11-1 Baylor and 10-2 Michigan State hook up in the Cotton Bowl. The offensive-minded Bears, who led the nation in both yardage and points this season, shared the Big 12 title and just missed a spot in the national championship playoff.

The Spartans, meanwhile, ranked fifth in the nation in total defense, while finishing in second place in the Big Ten East.

Early this week Baylor could be found at -2.5 at 5Dimes, while Michigan State could be wagered on at +3 at Bovada.

Back down in the Sunshine State 10-3 Missouri and 8-4 Minnesota meet in the Citrus Bowl. The  Tigers pulled a nice shocker by winning the SEC East for the second season in a row, while the Gophers got within one victory of playing in the Big Ten Championship Game.

As of early this week 5Dimes was chalking Missouri at -4.5, while Bovada was offering Minnesota at +5.

Then the stakes get big with the playing of the first two playoff games in major college football history. First, the defending national champion Florida State Seminoles take on the Pac-12 champion Oregon Ducks in the Rose Bowl; then the Big Ten champion Ohio State Buckeyes challenge the SEC champion Alabama Crimson Tide in the Sugar Bowl.

Florida State won the ACC again this season, and carries a 29-game winning streak into Pasadena. Oregon, meanwhile, lost just once this season, then exacted revenge when it bombed Arizona in the Pac-12 Championship Game.

Ohio State lost its starting quarterback before this season even started, got upset early on by Virginia Tech, then won its last 11 games in a row, including that 59-0 whitewashing of Wisconsin in the Big Ten title game, a performance that was good enough to jump both Baylor and TCU in the playoff standings.

However, the Buckeyes also lost quarterback JT Barrett along the way, and will start sophomore Cardale Jones on Thursday night.

Alabama, meanwhile, lost once this season, to Ole Miss, but won its last eight games, including a  victory over Mizzou in the SEC title contest.

As of early this week both Oregon and Alabama were lined at -9 at Bovada, while Florida State and Ohio State were both getting 10 points at 5Dimes.