The bowl page is updated. And for one last time this season:

All times Eastern and all predictions wrong.

Monday, January 20

7:30: Ohio State (#8) vs. Notre Dame (#7) (College Football Playoff Championship @ Atlanta, GA; ESPN): And finally, we’re here. I don’t really have a problem with this matchup. We have the best team in college football since Week 2 in Notre Dame and probably the most talented (on paper) team in Ohio State. Both suffered bizarre losses this season, but there can really be no doubt that both teams belong here.
So what to make of the actual game? Suffice it to say, I think the Buckeyes will win handily. The question is when it’s going to happen. Will Notre Dame’s lack of a downfield passing game mean they sink if they get behind early, a la Oregon? Or will this be tight until late, with the Buckeye defense making another big play to cement the game, a la Texas? The path for the Irish is very narrow: I’d have to think they need to keep it a tight game, get pressure on Will Howard, and hope for a titled turnover margin. I think the Irish will be able to move the ball a bit, but I just think it will take too long when Ohio State is more than capable for scoring in batches.
SP+ line: Ohio State by 5.9
Vegas line: Buckeyes by 8.5
Watchability tier: IV
Previous meetings: These teams have met eight times. The first was an 18-13 Notre Dame win in 1935. They played again in 1936 (a surely thrilling 7-2 Notre Dame win) and then didn’t meet again for 60 years. In 1995, the Buckeyes dominated 45-26, and did the same when they returned to South Bend the next season. They then met in the 2005-06 Fiesta Bowl, another Ohio State win. A decade later they met again in Arizona. Finally, in 2022 and 2023 they played another home-and-home, with the Buckeyes again prevailing in both. The result is a 6-2 Ohio State lead all-time.
Last bowl game: In the Orange Bowl, Notre Dame and Penn State fought it out, with the Irish prevailing via a last-minute field goal 27-24. In the Cotton Bowl, the final score was 28-14 for Ohio State over Texas, but the ‘Horns certainly gave the Buckeyes the most fight of any of their playoff opponents so far.
Announcers: Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit, Holly Rowe, and Laura Rutledge

The bowl page is now up-to-date, and it’s been rough going for yours truly. Hopefully we can round into shape with the remainder of the playoff.

As usual, all times Eastern and all predictions wrong.

Thursday, January 9

7:30: Notre Dame (#7) vs. Pennsylvania State (#6) (Orange Bowl @ Miami Gardens; ESPN): The first of the two semis definitely feels like it’s going to be more of a game. That said, I’m not so sure. James Franklin deserves credit for more gutsy playcalling than he’s been known for, and better decision-making late in games this season. Suffice it to say, though, Notre Dame has been one of best and certainly most consistent teams in the country since their Week 2 loss, and if this game is close late, I certainly would rather have Marcus Freeman making decisions. I’m leaning toward the Irish in this one.
SP+ line: Penn State by 0.3
Vegas line: Irish by 1.5
Watchability tier: IV
Previous meetings: These teams have met nineteen times previously. The first was in 1913, a 14-7 Notre Dame win. There were sporadic meetings up to the 80’s, where they then played often in the regular season until Penn State joined the Big Ten. The last meeting was a 2007 regular season contest that Penn State won 31-10. Overall, the series is exactly tied: 9-9-1. (The tie was a surely thrilling 0-0 contest in 1925.)
Last bowl game: Back on New Year’s Eve, Penn State contained Ashton Jeanty and company and beat Boise State 31-14 in the Fiesta Bowl.
Announcers: Sean McDonough, Greg McElroy, Molly McGrath, and Katie George

Friday, January 10

7:30: Ohio State (#8) vs. Texas (#5) (Cotton Bowl @ Arlington, TX; ESPN): On New Year’s Day, I was set to enjoy a quiet afternoon of watching college football and enjoying the sunset over the San Gabriels in college football’s most picturesque setting. Some friends had messaged me that they were going to get Bloody Mary’s, but I planned to wait until the end of the Rose Bowl. Suffice it to say, at some point in the middle of the second quarter I checked back in and headed out. Ohio State has been head-scratching at times this season (the Michigan loss looks increasingly like the second most baffling loss of the season) but they have been far and away the best team so far in the playoff. Texas’s offense, which disappeared in the fourth quarter of the Peach Bowl and let Arizona State back in the game, doesn’t figure to score enough points to keep up with Jeremiah Smith and company.
SP+ line: Ohio State by 4.8
Vegas line: Buckeyes by 5.5
Watchability tier: IV
Previous meetings: Just three. The schools played a regular season home-and-home in 2005 and 2006, with Texas losing in Columbus 25-22 in 2005, and then winning 24-7 at home in 2006. The teams then met in the 2008-09 Fiesta Bowl, a 24-21 Ohio State win.
Last bowl game: Back on New Year’s Day, Ohio State absolutely dominated Oregon 41-21 in the Rose Bowl (and it wasn’t really even that close). Texas survived a fourth quarter collapse to beat Arizona State 39-31 in overtime in the Peach Bowl.
Announcers: Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit, Holly Rowe, and Laura Rutledge

The bowl page has been updated, and my good start to bowl season has hit the skids a little bit. Hopefully our last big tranche of games will keep me above the 50% mark.

As usual, all times Eastern and all predictions wrong.

Tuesday, December 31st

Noon: Michigan vs. Alabama (ReliaQuest Bowl @ Tampa, FL; ESPN): This is a “IV” because of the helmets involved, but let’s face it: no one really asked for this rematch, and the game commentary will likely feature an early Bama lead and extended discussion of why they should’ve been in the playoff. If that’s the case, I’ll be directing my attention elsewhere.
SP+ line: Bama by 16.8
Vegas line: Bama by 12.5
Watchability tier: IV
Previous meetings: They didn’t meet for the first time until 1988, a 28-24 Michigan win in the Hall of Fame Bowl. The two sides have never played in the other’s home stadium: the long regular season meeting was a 2012 Jerryworld special that Bama won 41-14. They played a game of some note last season, when they met for the playoff in the Rose Bowl. Michigan won 27-20 in an instant classic. The series is now tied at 3 all.
Last bowl game: This is Michigan’s fourth straight postseason appearance, and first one that’s not in the playoff. In 2021 they lost to Georgia 34-11 in the Orange Bowl. Last season, these teams faced off in the Rose Bowl, as previously noted. The Wolverines then beat Washington 34-13 in last season’s title game. The Tide, for their part, have the third longest streak in the country, at 24. Back in the 1999 Independence Bowl, they beat Iowa State 14-13.
Announcers: Dave Flemming, Brock Osweiler, and Stormy Buonantony

2:00: Louisville vs. Washington (Sun Bowl @ El Paso, TX; CBS): Speaking of last year’s playoff teams, the Huskies didn’t have a fantastic season by any measure, but they still had a decent year in their new league. Louisville remains one the ACC’s more baffling squads, and may also be the conference’s best hope for improving a so-far dismal bowl season. I like them here.
SP+ line: L’ville by 12.9
Vegas line: L’ville by 2.5
Watchability tier: II
Previous meetings: This is the first meeting between these teams.
Last bowl game: For the Cardinals, this is their fourth straight bowl game, dating to a 31-28 loss to Air Force in the 2021 First Responder Bowl. Last season they lost 42-28 to USC in the Holiday Bowl. For the Huskies, this is their third straight postseason. In 2022 they beat Texas 27-20 in the Alamo Bowl. Last season, they re-matched with the Horns and got the best of them again, 37-31, in the Sugar Bowl. It turned out that the Sugar bowl, while entertaining as hell, took a lot out of the Huskies, as they then lost the title game 34-13 to Michigan.
Announcers: Brad Nessler and Gary Danielson

3:00: Illinois vs. South Carolina (Citrus Bowl @ Orlando, FL; ABC): Illinois runs into something of a buzzsaw, as one of the SEC’s hottest teams down the stretch comes in with plenty of talent and an attitude to match. I like the Gamecocks here.
SP+ line: USC by 10.3
Vegas line: Illinois by 9.5
Watchability tier: II
Previous meetings: This is the first meeting between these teams.
Last bowl game: Illinois’s last bowl game was a 19-10 loss to Mississippi State in the 2022-23 Reliaquest Bowl. The Gamecocks last appeared in the postseason in a 45-38 loss to Notre Dame in the 2022 Gator Bowl.
Announcers: Mark Jones, Roddy Jones, and Quint Kessenich

3:30: Baylor vs. Louisiana State (Texas Bowl @ Houston, TX; ESPN): These teams had relatively anonymous seasons that fell relatively short of expectations. So for the purposes of this game, that means it could go one of two ways: an absolute cracker of a matchup featuring plenty of offense and players trying to build momentum to next year, or a 4-hour slog to the finish line. I suspect the former probably favors LSU, and the latter Baylor. I like the Bayou Bengals here.
SP+ line: LSU by 6.1
Vegas line: Baylor by 1.5
Watchability tier: II
Previous meetings: They’ve met 11 times. The first established a theme that’s held for most of their history, when LSU won 48-0. in 1908, LSU won 89-0. Baylor had to wait until 1960 to score points, when they won 7-3. Their last meeting was in the 1985 Liberty Bowl, a 21-7 Baylor win. LSU leads the overall series 8-3.
Last bowl game: Baylor’s last bowl game was a 30-15 loss to Air Force in the 2022 Armed Forces Bowl. LSU would be on a 25 game streak, but did not play in a bowl in 2020, so instead they’re on four in a row, dating to the 2021-22 Texas Bowl, a 42-20 loss to Kansas State. Last season they beat Wisconsin 35-31 in the ReliaQuest Bowl.
Announcers: Roy Philpott, Sam Acho, and Taylor Davis

7:30: Boise State (#3) vs. Pennsylvania State (#6) (Fiesta Bowl @ Glendale, AZ; ESPN): The first quarterfinal could be the second most-intriguing game of the four. Penn State easily shrugged off prophecy and beat SMU in the first round, but this Boise team has earned their stripes. Heisman runner-up Ashton Jeanty is the real deal (just ask Oregon). I highly suspect the biggest problem for the Broncos is going to be Penn State offense, where it looks like Drew Allar and Co have figured things out. I am picking Penn State here, but I really do like the Broncos to keep it close. And after all, they’ve pulled out miracles here before.
SP+ line: Penn St by 11
Vegas line: Penn St by 10.5
Watchability tier: IV
Previous meetings: This is the first meeting between these teams.
Last bowl game: Boise should be on a 26 game postseason streak, but they did not play a bowl game in 2020 and their 2021 Arizona Bowl was canceled. In 2022 they beat North Texas 35-32 in the Frisco Bowl, and lost 35-22 to UCLA in the LA Bowl last season. Penn State defeated SMU in the first round of the playoff.
Announcers: Bob Wischusen, Louis Riddick, and Kris Budden

Wednesday, January 1

1:00: Arizona State (#4) vs. Texas (#5) (Peach Bowl @ Atlanta, GA; ESPN): Sun Devils, you’ve been considered. It was a fun season, and your route to winning the Big 12 was an enthralling mess. Literally no one predicted you’d be here, because you were predicted to finish last in the Big 12. But… yeah, I don’t see any way Texas doesn’t take care of business here.
SP+ line: Texas by 16
Vegas line: Texas by 12.5
Watchability tier: IV
Previous meetings: Just one: in the 2007 Holiday Bowl. The Longhorns won 52-34.
Last bowl game: The Sun Devils last appeared in the post season in a 20-13 loss to Wisconsin in the 2021 Las Vegas Bowl. The Longhorns defeated Clemson in the first round of the playoff
Announcers: Joe Tessitore, Jesse Palmer, and Katie George

5:00: Oregon (#1) vs. Ohio State (#8) (Rose Bowl @ Pasadena, CA; ESPN): And here’s our first rematch of the playoff. On October 12th, Will Howard got the ball back with 1:47 to go and the Buckeyes down 1. The game ended with Howard running as time expired. This clock mismanagement figured to be the only blemish on the Buckeye’s season until that thing happened in the The Game a month ago. Now, every indication is that these teams should play a cracker of a traditional looking Rose Bowl. It’s a little bit unfortunate, as I think overall these are the two best teams in the playoff, but again that really comes down to Ohio State blowing the Michigan game and as a result being seeded lower than they would’ve been otherwise (and denied a chance to face the Ducks in Indianapolis). Ultimately, though, I think that’s the edge here. Dan Lanning and his Ducks have gotten it done even when they haven’t looked their best. Ohio State has only two mistakes, but they’re mistakes that loom large in this contest. I think another narrow Oregon win is the likely scenario here.
SP+ line: Ohio St by 1.4
Vegas line: Ohio St by 2.5
Watchability tier: IV
Previous meetings: This will be the twelveth all-time meeting between these teams. The first was the 1957-58 Rose Bowl, a 10-7 Buckeye win. The Buckeyes then won six straight regular season contests until the sides met in the 2009-10 Rose Bowl. Five seasons later, Ohio State beat Oregon 42-20 in the inaugural College Football Playoff title game. The Ducks finally got on the board in a 2021 early season clash, a 35-28 win in Columbus. And, of course, now as B1G foes, Oregon defeated Ohio State 32-31 back in October. The Buckeyes hold the overall series lead 9-2.
Last bowl game: Oregon’s eight game postseason run dates to the 2017 Las Vegas Bowl, a 38-28 loss to Boise State. Last season they disposed of Liberty 45-6 in the Fiesta Bowl. Ohio State defeated Tennessee in the first round of the playoff.
Announcers: Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit, and Holly Rowe

8:45: Georgia (#2) vs. Notre Dame (#7) (Sugar Bowl @ New Orleans, LA; ESPN): I like the Irish here, and not just because I hate Georgia. For starters, while Backup QB Theory is a thing, there has got to be a reason Carson Beck was Georgia’s starter, and he’s out after having elbow surgery. Notre Dame has also been a team on a mission since the perhaps the most inexplicable loss of the season, their Week 2 loss to Northern Illinois. Their first round game against Indiana proved the point: a suffocating defense, and a mature, robust offense that can score on anyone. And Georgia, in contrast to years past, has been scored on this year. While they’re still a very dangerous team, I think overall they can get got, and the Irish have the tools to pull it off.
SP+ line: Georgia by 0.5
Vegas line: Georgia by 1.5
Watchability tier: IV
Previous meetings: This will be just the fourth all-time meeting between these teams. The first was 17-10 Georgia win in the 1980-81 Sugar Bowl. The teams played a home-and-away regular season series in 2017 and 2019, with Georgia winning close both times.”
Last bowl game: “Georgia owns the longest active postseason streak at 28, starting from a 33-6 win over Wisconsin in the 1997-98 Outback Bowl. Last season they demolished a completely depleted and demoralized Florida State team 63-3 in the Orange Bowl. (From the looks of it, it appears FSU didn’t quite recover this year.) Notre Dame defeated Indiana in the first round of the playoff.
Announcers: Sean McDonough, Greg McElroy, and Molly McGrath

Thursday, January 2

7:30: Duke vs. Mississippi (Gator Bowl @ Jacksonville, FL; ESPN): There’s two ways this game can go. Lane Kiffin and company show up focused and ready to take care of business against a team they should completely blow away on paper, or they’ll do the opposite thing. I’m betting ont he latter.
SP+ line: Mississippi by 18.9
Vegas line: Mississippi by 14.5
Watchability tier: II
Previous meetings: This is the first meeting between these teams.
Last bowl game: The Blue Devils are appearing in their third straight postseason. In 2022 they beat UCF 30-13 in the Military Bowl, and last season they beat Troy 17-10 in the Birmingham Bowl.
Announcers: Dave Pasch, Dusty Dvoracek, and Taylor McGregor

Friday, January 3

4:00: North Texas vs. Texas State (First Responder Bowl @ Dallas, TX; ESPN): Neither team will need to travel far for this one, though Denton is a tad closer than San Marcos. Regardless, I don’t have a lot fun facts for you on this one. I’m picking the Bobcats.
SP+ line: TxSt by 10.5
Vegas line: TxSt by 13.5
Watchability tier: I
Previous meetings: This is the first meeting between these teams (as major programs).
Last bowl game: The Mean Green’s last postseason appearance was a 35-32 loss to Boise State in the 2022 Frisco Bowl. The Bobcats are making their second bowl game ever, after making their first in last season’s 45-21 victory over Rice in the First Responder Bowl.
Announcers: Tom Hart, Jordan Rodgers, and Cole Cubelic

7:30: Virginia Tech vs. Minnesota (Mayo Bowl @ Charlotte, NC; ESPN): Once again, the main reason to tune in here is to see which coach will get mayonnaise dunked on them. And they are both, admittedly, hilarious options. I like Brent Pry as a slight favorite to get the dunk, but the general consensus out there definitely favors P.J. Fleck.
SP+ line: VPI by 2.8
Vegas line: Gophers by 7.5
Watchability tier: II
Previous meetings: This is the first meeting between these teams.
Last bowl game: Virginia Tech has now made two in a row after having a long streak snapped in 2020 (and for real in 2022). Last season they beat Tulane 41-20 in the Military Bowl. For the Gophers, this is their fourth bowl in a row, dating to the 2021 Guaranteed Rate Bowl, an 18-6 win over West Virginia. Last season they beat Bowling Green 30-24 in the Quick Lane Bowl.
Announcers: Matt Barrie, Dan Mullen, and Harry Lyles Jr.

Saturday, January 4

11:00: Buffalo vs. Liberty (Bahamas Bowl @ Nassau, Bahamas; ESPN): This game will start at 8am on the west coast, so the odds that I watch much of this are low. But it will be one of the four last FBS games of the season, so there’s that? I unfortunately also am picking Liberty here, but Buffalo could really do me (and everyone else) a favor here.
SP+ line: Liberty by 9
Vegas line: Bulls by 1.5
Watchability tier: I
Previous meetings: They’ve met twice, and fairly recently. The first was a 35-17 Liberty win in 2019, and Liberty won 55-27 last season.
Last bowl game: The Bulls’s last bowl game was a 23-21 win over Georgia Southern in the 2022 Camellia Bowl. This will be Liberty’s sixth bowl game in a row, dating back to a 23-16 win over Georgia Southern in the 2019 Cure Bowl. Last season the Libs were owned 45-6 by Oregon in the Fiesta Bowl.
Announcers: Matt Schumacker and Dustin Fox

The latest is… not the latest, as that will update as this post goes live. It’s fair to say this snuck up on me, but we’ll get this machine righted and ready to go.

As usual, all times Eastern and all predictions wrong.

Saturday, December 28

11:00: North Carolina vs. Connecticut (Fenway Bowl @ Boston, MA; ESPN): As the title mentions, this is almost a college football Saturday. I say “almost” because it may feel like one, but 8 games in one day is much less than a typical fall Saturday. However, we like the fact that there’ll be multiple games on throughout the day. And this “basketball special” is as good of a place to start as any. I favor UNC here just on paper, but the Huskies are the ones with any momentum. This could be a fun one, even before considering this one of the two games today that are being played in baseball stadiums.
SP+ line: UNC by 6.8
Vegas line: UNC by 2.5
Watchability tier: II
Previous meetings: Suffice it to say, this basketball special hasn’t seen a lot of action on the gridiron. UNC won 38-12 in 2008, and then again 12-10 in 2009.
Last bowl game: UNC’s current six game streak dates to the 2019 Military Bowl, a 55-13 win over Temple. The lost last season’s Mayo Bowl 30-10 to West Virginia. The Huskies last’s bowl game was a 28-14 loss to Marshall in the 2022 Myrtle Beach Bowl.
Announcers: Chris Cotter, Mark Herzlich, and Coley Harvey

Noon: Boston College vs. Nebraska (Pinstripe Bowl @ New York, NY; ABC): The math favors the Huskers, but BC really just has a way of sneaking up on teams. I don’t trust them to do that as much as past versions of BC, so I’ll stick with the Corn to win a bowl game finally.
SP+ line: Corn by 1.7
Vegas line: Corn by 3.5
Watchability tier: II
Previous meetings: This is the first meeting between these teams.
Last bowl game: BC beat SMU 23-14 in last season’s Fenway Bowl. The Cornhuskers, meanwhile, are finally back in the postseason. Their last appearance before this year was a 38-24 loss to Tennessee in the 2016 Music City Bowl.
Announcers: Mike Monaco, Kirk Morrison, and Dawn Davenport

2:15: Texas Christian vs. Louisiana (New Mexico Bowl @ Albuquerque, NM; ESPN): I’ve only been to Albuquerque once, and that really more of I’ve been through Albuquerque, but it seemed like a perfectly cromulent place to visit. And, and Frogs I suppose.
SP+ line: TCU by 1.5
Vegas line: TCU by 9.5
Watchability tier: II
Previous meetings: “They’ve met nine times, the first a 3-0 TCU win in 1931. The played fairly often before 1969, but most of them didn’t involve a lot of points either. The tied 3-3 in 1932, and then in the 1935-36 Sugar Bowl TCU won 3-2. The next three meetings were LSU shutouts, including a 5-0 special in 1962. After 1968, they’ve only played once: a Jerryworld special in 2013 that LSU won 37-27. LSU leads the overall series 6-2-1.”
Last bowl game: “TCU’s last postseason appearance was their run to the title game in 2022-23. They beat Michigan 51-45 in the Fiesta Bowl before losing 65-7 to Georgia in the title game. The Cajuns have raged their way to seven bowls in a row, dating to a 41-24 loss to Tulane in the 2018 Cure Bowl. Last season they lost to Jax State 34-31 in the New Orleans Bowl.”
Announcers: Brian Custer, Rod Gilmore, and Lauren Sisler

3:30: Miami vs. Iowa State (Pop-Tarts Bowl @ Orlando, FL; ABC): The perhaps most meme-worthy bowl of all is back it again, with fans having choice of one of three Pop-Tarts flavors to be consumed by the winning team after the game. The question, of course, is who that team will be. Iowa State had a great season by any measure, which was an all-timer by Iowa State standards, but they stumbled down the stretch. Of course, the Canes also fumbled the bag, blowing a chance at the playoff by losing to Syracuse in the last week of the season. Bowl games are all about motivation these days, and this one will be no exception. I like the Canes, but I think this could b a coin flip (and a fun game).
SP+ line: Da U by 12.8
Vegas line: Da U by 3.5
Watchability tier: III
Previous meetings: This is the first meeting between these teams.
Last bowl game: The Canes lost 31-24 to Rutgers in last season’s Pinstripe Bowl. Iowa State lost 36-26 to Memphis in last season’s Liberty Bowl.
Announcers: Tom Hart, Jordan Rodgers, and Cole Cubelic

4:30: Colorado State vs. Miami (Arizona Bowl @ Tuscon, AZ; The CW): The Arizona bowl makes it to actual television, but there may not be a lot of reason to notice this other than that both Miamis will be playing at the same time. I actually like Colorado State here, however. The Rams had a decent season in a tougher conference.
SP+ line: Miami by 2
Vegas line: Miami by 2.5
Watchability tier: I
Previous meetings: Two: a 41-21 Miami win in 2003, and a 31-10 Miami win in 2010.
Last bowl game: The Rams last bowled in the 2017 New Mexico Bowl, a 31-28 loss to Marshall. Miami would have a six game streak dating to 2019, but they didn’t play in a bowl in 2020, so they’ll just have to settle for four in a row. They beat North Texas 27-14 in the 2021 Frisco Football Classic, and lost 13-9 to Appalachian State in last season’s Cure Bowl.
Announcers: Thom Brennaman and Max Brown

5:45: North Carolina State vs. East Carolina (Military Bowl @ Annapolis, MD; ESPN): NC State should run away with this on paper, so the only thing to really watch here is if ECU can make a game of this at all.
SP+ line: NCSU by 6.7
Vegas line: NC State by 6.5
Watchability tier: I
Previous meetings: These in-state rivals have played often, with 32 overall meetings and not as lopsided as you’d think. The first was a 23-6 NC State win in 1970. They actually met in the 1991-92 Peach Bowl, a 37-34 NC State loss. The most recent was a 21-20 NC State win in 2022.
Last bowl game: NCSU would have a five game streak dating to the 2020 Gator Bowl, but the 2021 Holiday Bowl was canceled. So instead, it’s three in a row. In 2022 they lost 16-12 to Maryland in the Mayo Bowl, and last season they lost 28-19 to K-State in the Pop-Tarts Bowl. ECU’s last bowl game was a 53-29 win over Coastal Carolina in the 2022 Birmingham Bowl.
Announcers: Jay Alter, Rocky Boiman, and Alex Chappell

7:30: Brigham Young vs. Colorado (Alamo Bowl @ San Antonio, TX; ABC): This one could definitely be fun. Both teams will have their guys, and that includes the Buffs: apparently the Sanders boys and Travis Hunter will play. BYU didn’t play Colorado in the Big 12 regular season, so while this is technically an inter-conference matchup we haven’t seen this yet. BYU is famous for always “bringing it”, so that combined with Colorado’s star power should keep this entertaining.
SP+ line: BYU by 3.2
Vegas line: Colorado by 3.5
Watchability tier: IV
Previous meetings: They’ve met 12 times. The first was a 1923 41-0 Colorado win. The most recent was in the 1988 Freedom Bowl, a 20-17 BYU win. Overall, the Buffs hold a 8-3-1 advantage.
Last bowl game: BYU’s last postseason appearance was a 24-23 win over SMU in the 2022 New Mexico Bowl. Colorado’s last bowl game was a 55-23 loss to Texas in the 2020 Alamo Bowl.
Announcers: Dave Pasch, Dusty Dvoracek, and Taylor McGregor

9:15: Army vs. Louisiana Tech (Independence Bowl @ Shreveport, LA; ESPN): Army’s original opponent in this game was Marshall, and they backed out due to having too many players in the transfer portal. It’s an unfortunate situation and one that definitely needs to be fixed, but the issue is that the powers that be in college football… aren’t really. We’re in the midst of a generational change in college sports, and unfortunately until that shakes out things are going to feel relatively lawless. Oh, and if the Knights are at all motivated here they’ll blow LaTech out of the water.
SP+ line: Army by 22.1
Vegas line: Army by 13.5
Watchability tier: I
Previous meetings: Two: a 14-7 Army win in 2008, and a 35-16 Army win in 2013.
Last bowl game: Army’s last bowl game was a 24-22 win over Mizzou in the 2021 Armed Forces Bowl. For the Bulldogs, this is their first bowl game since the 2020 New Orleans Bowl, where they lost 38-3 to Georgia Southern.
Announcers: Lowell Galindo, Fozzy Whittaker, and Tori Petry

Monday, December 30

2:30: Iowa vs. Missouri (Music City Bowl @ Nashville, TN; ESPN): This is a match-up of teams that occupy a similiar niche in their conference, which is fitting. (You’d also think they had played more often, but, well, see below.) That niche is being obviously not quite as talented as the top teams, but being a sort of plucky team that gets by with good defense. In that role, though, Mizzou never really figured out the offense thing this year, where as the Hawkeyes did.
SP+ line: Iowa by 2.5
Vegas line: Mizzou by 2.5
Watchability tier: III
Previous meetings: Different sources have different records for this game, though overall for teams from states that border each other they still haven’t really met a lot. They played consistently starting in 1892, a Mizzou win. Before the modern era, they last met in 1910, a 5-0 Mizzou win. The most recent was a 27-24 Iowa win in the 2010 Insight Bowl. Overall, Mizzou holds a 7-6 lead.
Last bowl game: Iowa would have a 12 game streak dating to the 2013-14 Outback Bowl, but they did not play in a bowl game in 2020. So instead this is their fourth in a row, dating to the 2021-22 Citrus Bowl, a 20-17 loss to Kentucky. Last season they also lost in the Citrus Bowl, 35-0 to Tennessee. Mizzou has a four game streak now, dating to a 24-22 loss to Army in the 2021 Armed Forces Bowl. They beat Ohio State 14-3 in last season’s Cotton Bowl.
Announcers: Taylor Zarzour, Matt Stinchcomb, and Alyssa Lang