As usual, all times Eastern and all predictions wrong.

Monday, December 18

2:30: Western Kentucky vs. Old Dominion (Bahamas Bowl @ Charlotte, NC; ESPN): So this bowl actually has a different name, since it’s not taking place in the Bahamas. That said, it’s much funnier this way, so I’m sticking with it. This could be an interesting game, but that said I’m hoping my flight has satellite TV so I can watch it. I like the Hilltoppers here.
SP+ line: WKU -8.7
Vegas line: ODU -2.5
Watchability tier: I
Previous meetings: These teams have met seven times as members of Conference USA. The first was during the second year of the Monarchs’ FBS transition in 2014, where the Hilltoppers won 66-51. The last was in 2021, a 43-20 WKU win. WKU leads the overall series 6-1.
Last bowl game: For the Hilltoppers, this is their fifth straight bowl game, dating to the 2019 First Responder Bowl, where they beat Western Michigan 23-20. Last season they beat South Alabama 44-23 in the New Orleans Bowl. For the Monarchs, this is their third ever bowl game. Their last postseason appearance was a 30-17 loss to Tulsa in the 2021 Myrtle Beach Bowl.
Announcers: Dave Neal, Tom Luginbill, and Abby Labar

Tuesday, December 19

9:00: Texas-San Antonio vs. Marshall (Frisco Bowl @ Frisco, TX; ESPN): This figures to more or less be a rout for the Road Runners, but it still may be worth keeping an eye on.
SP+ line: UTSA -12.4
Vegas line: UTSA -10
Watchability tier: II
Previous meetings: The Herd won the first meeting in 2013 34-10, and the last 23-0 in 2018. The Roadrunners got one in between, a 9-7 win in 2017.
Last bowl game: With this game, the Road Runners will have four consecutive postseason appearances, dating to the 2020 First Responder Bowl, where they lost 34-31 to Louisiana. Last season they lost 18-12 to Troy in the Cure Bowl. The Herd are pretty proficient at making bowl games. This will be their seventh appearance in a row, dating to the 2017 New Mexico Bowl, where they beat Colorado State 31-28.
Announcers: Jorge Sedano, Rocky Boiman, and Dawn Davenport

Thursday, December 21

8:00: Syracuse vs. South Florida (Boca Raton Bowl @ Boca Raton, FL; ESPN): Again, this figures to be a scenario where the ‘Cuse can cruise, but also they did fire their coach and this USF side is feisty. I like the Orange, but again, this may be worth keeping an eye on.
SP+ line: Cuse -8.5
Vegas line: Cuse -3
Watchability tier: II
Previous meetings: These teams have met ten times, and you likely wouldn’t guess the overall record. The first meeting was in 2005, a 27-0 USF win, and the most recent was in 2016, a 45-20 USF win. Suffice it to say, the Bulls are 8-2 overall.
Last bowl game: The Orange appeared in last season’s Pinstripe Bowl, losing 28-20 to Minnesota. For the Bulls, it’s been a minute. They were least seen in the postseason losing 38-20 to Marshall in the 2018 Gasparilla Bowl.
Announcers: Matt Barrie, Dan Mullen, and Harry Lyles Jr.

Friday, December 22

6:30: Georgia Tech vs. Central Florida (Gasparilla Bowl @ Tampa, FL; ESPN): It doesn’t seem like I’ll be able to make it to Tampa for this one. That said, I think this will be an interesting game for neutrals. Overall, I’m just thrilled to be playing again in December, and while the bowl page shows a pick for this game, it’s been a while since I had to point out that mostly I don’t pick Tech games.
SP+ line: UCF -5.8
Vegas line: UCF -4.5
Watchability tier: IV
Previous meetings: The Jackets have a 3-2 overall lead on the Knights. They won the first meeting in 1996 27-20, but lost last season 27-10.
Last bowl game: We haven’t appeared in a bowl game since Paul Johnson’s last season (which says a lot about why the last guy got canned), where we lost 34-10 to Minnesota in the Quick Lane Bowl. This will be UCF’s eighth straight bowl game, dating to the 2016 Cure Bowl, a 31-13 loss to Arkansas State. Last season they lost 30-13 to Duke in the Military Bowl.
Announcers: Wes Durham, Tim Hasselbeck, and Taylor Tannebaum

Saturday, December 23

Noon:

• Northern Illinois vs. Arkansas State (Camellia Bowl @ Montgomery, AL; ESPN): I honestly can’t think of anything to say about this game other than hoping that NIU’s mascot will get some time on the screen.
  SP+ line: NIU -0.8
  Vegas line: ArkySt -1
  Watchability tier: I
  Previous meetings: The first was a 35-0 NIU victory in 1990, the most recent was a 38-20 NIU win in the 2011-12 godaddy.com Bowl. The Huskies lead the overall series 7-1.
  Last bowl game: NIU’s last bowl game was the 2021 Cure Bowl, a 47-41 loss to Coastal Carolina. Arkansas State is also ending a drought, as they last tasted the postseason in the 2019 Camellia Bowl, a 34-26 win over FIU.
  Announcers: Courtney Lyle, Hutson Mason, and Ashley Stroehlein
• Duke vs. Troy (Birmingham Bowl @ Birmingham, AL; ABC): It definitely seems like Mike Elko got out at the right time, because while achieving any consistent football success at Duke is worthy of praise, they definitely seem to be on the decline. I think a loss to Troy will cemete that.
  SP+ line: Troy -0.9
  Vegas line: Troy -7.5
  Watchability tier: II
  Previous meetings: Just two, a home-and-home from 2013 and 2014. Duke won both times, 38-31 and 34-17, respectively.
  Last bowl game: Duke beat UCF in last season’s Military Bowl, 30-13. Troy beat UTSA 18-12 in last season’s Cure Bowl.
  Announcers: Tom Hart, Cole Cubelic, and Taylor Davis

3:30:

• Air Force vs. James Madison (Armed Forces Bowl @ Fort Worth, TX; ABC): It’s still baffling what happened to Air Force, and this could well be a game where JMU goes up big early and just cruises the rest of the way.
  SP+ line: Dukes -8.1
  Vegas line: Dukes -3
  Watchability tier: II
  Previous meetings: This is the first meeting between these teams.
  Last bowl game: The Falcons have a three game streak going, dating to the 2021 First Responder Bowl, a 31-28 win over Louisville. They beat Baylor 30-15 in last season’s edition of this game. And for JMU, this is their first ever bowl game.
  Announcers: Anish Shroff, Andre Ware, and Paul Carcaterra
• Utah State vs. Georgia State (Potato Bowl @ Boise, ID; ESPN): On the blue turf, we’ve got a couple of teams meeting for the first time. That said, the Aggies seem to be a better team on paper and by the eye test, and I like them here.
  SP+ line: Aggies -0.8
  Vegas line: Aggies -1
  Watchability tier: I
  Previous meetings: This is the first meeting between these teams.
  Last bowl game: The Aggies have made three straight bowl games, dating to the 2021 LA Bowl, a 24-13 win over Oregon State. Last season they lost 38-10 to Memphis in the First Responder Bowl. For the Panters, they missed a bowl last year, so their last appearance was a 51-20 romp over Ball State in the 2021 Camellia Bowl.
  Announcers: Chris Cotter, Mark Herzlich, and Morgan Uber

7:00: Eastern Michigan vs. South Alabama (68 Ventures Bowl @ Mobile, AL; ESPN): It’s hard to have much analysis of this game other than “it’s amazing that EMU is here, and that USA will probably pave them over”.
SP+ line: USA -12.6
Vegas line: USA -16
Watchability tier: I
Previous meetings: This is the first meeting between these teams.
Last bowl game: EMU has now made three straight bowl games, which considering EMU’s history is amazing and tends to make one wonder why Chris Creighton hasn’t gotten the call to a better job yet. At any rate, the 2021 game was a 56-20 loss to Liberty in the Lendingtree Bowl, and last season they beat San Jose State 41-27 in the Potato Bowl. South Al meanwhile lost 44-23 to Western Kentucky in last year’s New Orleans Bowl.
Announcers: Taylor Zarzour, Matt Stinchcomb, Alyssa Lang

7:30: Utah vs. Northwestern (Las Vegas Bowl @ Paradise, NV; ABC): The Utes draw a Big Ten team once again, and once again they’re favored even despite any evidence they can actually score points. Tune into this one if you like defensive football, because while I think the Utes will win, them scoring a bunch seems unlikely.
SP+ line: Utah -9.8
Vegas line: Utah -7
Watchability tier: II
Previous meetings: Three very spread out meetings. The first was a 13-6 Northwestern win in 1927. 54 years later, Utah won 42-0. Finally, they met in the 2018 Holiday Bowl, where the Cats won 31-20.
Last bowl game: The Utes should probably have 9 bowl games in a row, but they didn’t go bowling in 2020 for hopefully obvious reasons. That said, I still think it’s fair to count their streak going back to the 2014 Royal Purple Bowl, where they beat Colorado State 45-10. Last season they lost 35-21 to Penn State in the Rose Bowl. Unlike the Utes, Northwestern’s last bowl appearance was in the 2020-21 season, where they beat Auburn 35-19 in the Citrus Bowl.
Announcers: Sean McDonough, Greg McElroy, and Stormy Buonantony

10:30: San Jose State vs. Coastal Carolina (Hawaii Bowl @ Honolulu, HI; ESPN): Unfortunately, this isn’t a Christmas Eve Hawaii Bowl because the 24th is a Sunday. That said, take some time to appreciate your family (though I understand if you can’t) and maybe also that the weather in Hawaii is almost certainly better than where-ever you’re reading this from. Happy Holidays y’all. Also, I like the Silicon Valley Spartans here.
SP+ line: SJSU -1
Vegas line: SJSU -10
Watchability tier: I
Previous meetings: This is the first meeting between these teams.
Last bowl game: The Spartans lost last year’s Potato Bowl 41-27. This will be the fourth straight bowl game for the Beach Chickens, dating to the 2020 Cure Bowl where they lost 37-34 to Liberty. Last season they lsot the Birmingham Bowl 53-29 to East Carolina.
Announcers: John Schriffen, Orlando Franklin, and Marilyn Payne

It’s that time again, and unlike last season we’ve got a full day of football tomorrow.

A few notes:

• The bowl tracker page will be updated soon.
• The Watchability Tiers are defined here.
• I forgot what the third thing was, maybe I’ll remember before I finish this post.

As usual, all times Eastern and all predictions wrong.

Saturday, December 16

11:00: Ohio vs. Georgia Southern (Myrtle Beach Bowl @ Conway, SC; ESPN): The shine is completely off the Clay Helton thing, and I’m not sure this game will be able to do a lot to put it back on.
SP+ line: Ohio -2.2
Vegas line: GaSo -3.5
Watchability tier: II
Previous meetings: This is the first meeting between these teams.
Last bowl game: The Bobcats won last season’s Arizona Bowl over Wyoming, 30-27. Georgia Southern lost last year’s Camellia Bowl 23-21 to Buffalo.
Announcers: Drew Carter, Dustin Fox, and Stormy Buonantony

2:15: Louisiana vs. Jacksonville State (New Orleans Bowl @ New Orleans, LA; ESPN): This game could well be pretty fun. The Cajuns tend to fill the Superdome when they go to New Orleans (hence why they’re here). And remember Rich Rodriguez? Yep, he’s Jax State’s head coach. Expect some points in this one, and just for fun I’ll go with the Gamecocks.
SP+ line: Cajuns -1
Vegas line: JSU -3.5
Watchability tier: II
Previous meetings: This is the first FBS-level meeting between these teams, though amusingly the Ragin’ Cajuns did lose to a DI-AA Jacksonville State 28-14 in 2000.
Last bowl game: For the Cajuns, this is their sixth consecutive bowl game, going back to the 2018 Cure Bowl, where they lost 41-24 to Tulane. Last season they lost 23-16 to Houston in the Independence Bowl. For Jax State, this is their first ever bowl game.
Announcers: Anish Shroff, Andre Ware, and Taylor Davis

3:30: Appalachian State vs. Miami (Cure Bowl @ Orlando, FL; ABC):

Well it’s opening time down on fascination street
So let’s cut the conversation and get out for a bit
Because I feel it all fading and paling and I’m begging
To drag you down with me to kick the last nail in

Yeah I like you in that like I like you to scream
But if you open your mouth then I can’t be responsible
For quite what goes in or to care what comes out
So just pull on your hair just pull on your pout

And let’s move to the beat like we know that’s it’s over
If you slip going under slip over my shoulder
So just pull on your face just pull on your feet
And let’s hit opening time down on fascination street

So pull on your hair pull on your pout
Cut the conversation just open your mouth
Pull on your face pull on your feet
And let’s hit opening time down on fascination street

I like App here.
SP+ line: Miami -0.7
Vegas line: App -5.5
Watchability tier: II
Previous meetings: This is the first meeting between these teams.
Last bowl game: App last appeared in a bowl game back in the 2021 Boca Raton Bowl, where they lost 59-38 to Western Kentucky. (They did go 6-6 last season but didn’t bowl.) Miami only played three games in 2020 for hopefully obvious reasons, but they did go to the 2019-20 Mobile Alabama Bowl where they lost 27-17 to Louisiana. They lost last year’s Bahamas Bowl to UAB, 24-20.
Announcers: Bob Wischusen, Robert Griffin III, and Kris Budden

5:45: New Mexico State vs. Fresno State (New Mexico Bowl @ Albuquerque, NM; ESPN): I still don’t entirely know what happened to Fresno this year, but it’s sort of moot now because like most folks who are way too online I am all about the Aggies. As noted below, NMSU isn’t exactly a… consistently successful program, let’s put it that way. But a 10-win season out of nowhere, a second win a row over Hugh Freeze (this time AT Auburn!) and of course this season’s Bradlee Van Pelt winner in quarterback/runaway beer truck Diego Pavia make them very easy to root for.
SP+ line: Aggies -0.6
Vegas line: Aggies -3.5
Watchability tier: III
Previous meetings: With occasional times in the same conference, these teams have met 19 times. Their first meeting was a 49-17 Fresno win in 1972, and the msot recent was a 30-17 Fresno win in 2019. In fact, the only win for NMSU in the entire series was a 48-45 win in 2011, giving the Bulldogs an overall 18-1 advantage.
Last bowl game: The Aggies have only gone to 5 bowl games ever, and for the first time since 1959 and 1960 they’re going bowling in consecutive seasons. They beat Bowling Green in last season’s Quick Lane Bowl 24-19. This will be the third straight bowl game for the Bulldogs, dating to a 31-24 over UTEP in the 2021 New Mexico Bowl, and last season they pipped Wazzu in the LA Bowl, 29-6.
Announcers: Clay Matvick, Rod Gilmore, and Lauren Sisler

7:30: California-Los Angeles vs. Boise State (LA Bowl @ Inglewood, CA; ABC): The main thing I know about this one is all the Gronk commercials that will be shown during it will be exhausting. Outside of that, yeah probably UCLA but y’all the vibes are BAD. More specifically, while UCLA did beat USC they didn’t really even bother to show up after that against Cal, widely leading most to assume that it was probably time to move on from Chip Kelly. And then… nothing happened. Boise, meanwhile, fired their coach and then went out and won the Mountain West. So in the “who wants it more” department, which matters a lot in bowl games, it’s Broncos all the way here.
SP+ line: UCLA -0.5
Vegas line: UCLA -3.5
Watchability tier: III
Previous meetings: Just one: a 38-7 UCLA win in 1999.
Last bowl game: UCLA lost last season’s Sun Bowl 37-35 to Pitt. The Broncos, meanwhile, should by all rights have a bowl streak dating to 1998, which is amazing considering they’ve only been playing DI-A/FBS football since 1996. They didn’t go bowling in 1998 despite being 6-5, but the next year they won the then-Humanitarian Bowl 34-31 over Louisville. At 8-4 in 2001 they were left out again, but reeled off a streak that lasted until 2018. That game did kickoff, but with about 5 minutes left in the first quarter a thunderstorm moved in and didn’t move much afterward, and the game was called after a two hour delay. In 2020 Boise went 5-2, but, well, you know. And in 2021 they were set to play in the Arizona Bowl, but a COVID outbreak on the team led to the game getting scrapped. So because of all of that, Boise’s bowl streak is now at… two. They beat North Texas 35-32 in last season’s Frisco Bowl.
Announcers: Dave Flemming, Brock Osweiler, and Kayla Burton

9:15: Texas Tech vs. California (Independence Bowl @ Shreveport, LA; ESPN): “Shreveport After Dark” sounds like something from a campy slasher film, but that’s we’ve got here: two teams no one has any idea what to do with. This game will be somewhere between “unwatchable” and “team driving with less than a minute left down 62-60”. Well, maybe not so much the latter (I’m not sure Cal can score 60 even if there’s not a defense on the field) but that’s the gist of how I feel about this one. I’ll probably go with the Red Raiders but this one is a total coin flip.
SP+ line: TTU -2.6
Vegas line: TTU -2.5
Watchability tier: II
Previous meetings: Just one: a 45-31 Texas Tech win in the 2004 Holiday Bowl.
Last bowl game: This is the third straight bowl game for the Red Raiders, who beat Miss State 34-7 in the 2021 Liberty Bowl and Ole Miss 45-24 last season in the Texas Bowl. Unfortunately for them, this year their opponent is Cal. Speaking of the Bears, this is their first bowl game since the now-defunct semi-hometown Redbox Bowl, where they beat Illinois 35-20.
Announcers: Kevin Connors, Rocky Boiman, and Marilyn Payne