Here’s something you can count on every Christmas, just as rich and filling as a nice hot meal at my son Ben’s virtual Facebook cafe: Bowl picks.

They are always guaranteed to produce at least three winners in five games if you put on your Sherlock Holmes hat and locate the five KEY games:

Emerald Bowl — Boston College plus-71/2 over USC

So glad USC RB Joe McKnight finished paperwork on the investigation of an SUV he may or may not be driving just in time to join the Trojans for . . . oops, this isn’t quite the Rose Bowl, is it? Count on USC to mail in the same effort Cal and Oregon State delivered this week.

Independence Bowl — Georgia minus-7 over Texas A&M

The Bulldogs found life after Matthew Stafford to be unrewarding. But Georgia’s KEY win came at Georgia Tech. The Aggies’ big win was at Texas Tech. Georgia won at Arkansas by 11. A&M lost at Cowboys Stadium to Arkansas by 28. This stuff adds up after a while.

Brut Sun Bowl — Stanford plus-8 over Oklahoma

Every New Year’s Eve, I like to watch the Sun Bowl and say to myself, “This wasn’t that bad of a year . . . until now.” But two things I promise you. This Sun Bowl won’t be as low KEY in the scoring department as last year’s (Oregon State 3, Pitt 0). And if there’s a famous Stanford alum on the sideline, it won’t be Tiger Woods.

Texas Bowl — Missouri minus-6.5 over Navy

Putting my mouth where my money (as in daughter Rachel’s education) is. Midshipmen will KEY on Danario Alexander, the pride of Marlin, Texas, but it won’t help. He’s going off for at least 200 receiving yards — his average for the month of November — against the Middies.

Rose Bowl — Oregon minus-3.5 over Ohio State

The Buckeyes do what it takes to play in BCS bowls. But getting there, when you play in the Big Ten, isn’t the problem. Ducks will celebrate rare Rose Bowl trip with freshman LaMichael James (seven straight 100-yard games) the KEY to their success.

Allstate Sugar Bowl — Cincinnati plus-11 over Florida

This game represents the worst aspect of college football and, no, I’m not referring to the close-ups of Tim Tebow every 25 seconds. A truly special season for Cincinnati, more a basketball than a football school, has been celebrated . . . by the coach heading for Notre Dame.

Not Brian Kelly’s fault. Not Notre Dame’s fault. But imagine Sean Payton taking the Giants job in two weeks when the NFL postseason begins. What’s the difference?

AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic — Mississippi minus-3 over Oklahoma State

Rebels fans, back in town to ring in the new year, shocked to find out game isn’t Jan. 1 and it’s in Arlington of all places. OSU fans disappointed to learn that bringing the game to Dez Bryant’s home state won’t get him on the field.

Tostitos Fiesta Bowl — TCU minus-7 over Boise State

Magical finish against OU on last trip to Fiesta was as good as it gets for Boise State. TCU remains a team on the rise, runs past tricked-up Broncos, setting the stage for . . . oh, wait.

This is it for Frogs. Hey, don’t blame me. I just support the system, I don’t make the rules.

BCS Citi National Championship — Alabama minus-4 over Texas

My friends at the BCS will call this game the national championship until Rep. Joe Barton pries their cold, dead hands off the . . . wait, that’s a little overly dramatic.

Last time the Longhorns went to Pasadena, Calif., I felt strongly they were ready to stage the upset against USC. Game lived up to its hype. This time I feel strongly that Texas is, indeed, on its way to Pasadena again.

The Horns don’t have to worry about blocking Ndamukong Suh in this one. But Alabama’s front seven overall is superior to the Huskers’.

That’s the real KEY. And Mark Ingram will show that Heisman voters did not make a mistake. Let’s see if Nick Saban can force himself to smile after winning a second national title.