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

The tracking page is up-to-date for all of the other 41 bowl games. All that’s left is the final.

As usual, all times Eastern and all predictions wrong.

Monday, January 9

7:30: Texas Christian vs. Georgia (College Football Playoff Championship Game @ Inglewood, CA; ESPN): I have a bad feeling about this. I watch both of the semi-finals intently, and enjoyed the most competitive pair of semis in the history of the playoff. That said, the way the two games went does not provide me much hope for this one. I think that TCU played extremely well and frustrated Michigan, but the Wolverines also shot themselves in the foot plenty. Georgia doesn’t really shoot themselves in the foot. While TCU’s defense did plenty of frustrate Michigan, I think Georgia’s freakish tight ends present tremendous matchup issues for the undersized Horned Frogs defense. Ohio State had the talent at quarterback and wide receiver to actually beat the best defense in the country. TCU relies much more on running the ball. This just doesn’t seem like a good matchup for the Horned Frogs at all, and in the end I think they will be very lucky to even cover.
SP+ line: UGA -12.2
Vegas line: UGA -12.5
Watchability tier: IV
Previous meetings: Four. The first was the 1941-42 Orange Bowl, which Georgia won 40-26. That game was apparently Georgia’s first ever bowl game. They didn’t meet again until the 1980 season, when TCU traveled to Athens and lost 34-3. They did the same eight years later, losing again 38-10. Finally, they most recently bet in the 2016 Liberty Bowl, where UGA won 31-23. As a side now, I miss when UGA went to Liberty Bowls.
Last bowl game: At twenty-six straight bowl games, Georgia owns the longest active bowl streak. The first game in the streak was the 1997-98 Outback Bowl, a 33-6 win over Wisconsin. Last season they beat Michigan 34-11 in the Orange Bowl, and then defeated Alabama in the CFP Championship Game 33-18. Most recently, they defeated Ohio State 42-41 in the Sugar Bowl. TCU bowled for the first time since the (in)famous 2018 Cheez-It Bowl, where they lost 10-7 to Cal. (Though they were eligible in 2020.) They got here by defeating Michigan 51-45.
Announcers: Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit

It turns out that while the modern reason that the New Year’s Day bowl games are played on January 2nd when the 1st is a Sunday is due to the NFL, it originally dates to early Rose Bowls when the it was thought to be uncouth to play a football game on a Sunday.

As usual, all times Eastern and all predictions wrong.

Friday, December 30

Noon: North Carolina State vs. Maryland (Mayo Bowl @ Charlotte, NC; ESPN): We’ve got a renewal of an ACC rivalry to kick off New Year’s Day weekend (see below). For the purposes of this game, these are two teams with less than ideal ends to their seasons. I like Maryland’s talent at the skill positions to take them over the top.
SP+ line: Terps -4.6
Vegas line: Terps -1.5
Watchability tier: II
Previous meetings: As you might expect from two teams that founded three conferences together, they’ve played a few times. 70 times, to be exact. The first meeting was in 1909, a 31-0 NC State win. In 1917 they met for the first time as members of the South Atlantic Intercollegiate Athletic Association. That was apparently boring, so they left and helped found the Southern Conference in 1921. In 1953 they left as a group again and founded the ACC. Then it turned out Maryland was kind of broke, so they left the ACC in 2014 for the greener pastures of the Big Ten, where we’re now robbed of the fanbase that absolutely the most vicious to Duke basketball. Anyway. They played somewhat sporadically before the ACC, but they played every season from 1956 to 2013. The Terps also got the last laugh with a 41-21 victory in that 2013 game, but overall the series is tied 33-33-4.
Last bowl game: The Wolfpack last played in a bowl game in the 2020-21 season, where they lost to Kentucky in the Gator Bowl 23-21. But they were supposed to play in the Holiday Bowl last season against UCLA, but it didn’t happen due to COVID. The Terps beat another former (abliet briefly) ACC team in last season’s Pinstripe Bowl, with Virginia Tech on the wrong side of a 54-10 margin.
Announcers: Anish Shroff and Brock Osweiler

2:00: Pittsburgh vs. California-Los Angeles (Sun Bowl @ El Paso, TX; CBS): Well, in my bowl predictions I tried to manifest a rematch of the (in)famous 2008 Sun Bowl that saw Oregon State beat Pitt 3-0, but I only got it half right. The Bruins figure to be more of a threat on offense here, even though I think Pitt will score, unlike in that game.
SP+ line: UCLA -6.4
Vegas line: UCLA -6
Watchability tier: III
Previous meetings: These teams have met 14 times, and surprisingly none in a bowl game. In fact, since all 14 were in Pitt’s independent days, these were 14 straight meetings from 1958 through 1972. UCLA holds the all-time series lead 9-5, but UCLA won the last game 38-28.
Last bowl game: Pitt is an interesting case, as they were eligible but did not play in a bowl in 2020. Assuming they had, this would be their fifth bowl game in a row, dating to 2018 where they lost 14-13 to Stanford in the Sun Bowl. Last season, they lost 31-21 to Michigan State in the Peach Bowl. UCLA was supposed to play in last season’s Holiday Bowl against NC State, but they didn’t, so their last bowl game was the 2017 Cactus Bowl, where they 35-17 to Kansas State.
Announcers: Brad Nessler and Gary Danielson

3:30: Notre Dame vs. South Carolina (Gator Bowl @ Jacksonville, FL; ESPN): South Carolina ended the season about as hot as you can possibly be, by crushing Tennessee’s playoff dreams once and for all and then beating this biggest rival. I think this Notre Dame team also had a good end-of-season as well, but USC’s offense just seems to be humming.
SP+ line: USC -3.1
Vegas line: Irish -2
Watchability tier: III
Previous meetings: Four, all as regular season home-and-homes in 1976, 1979, 1983, and 1984. Notre Dame leads the series 3-1, but the Gamecocks won the last matchup 36-32.
Last bowl game: The Irish have now been to six bowl games in a row, dating to the 2017-18 Citrus Bowl, where they beat LSU 21-17. Last season they lost 37-35 to Oklahoma State in the Fiesta Bowl. The Gamecocks beat UNC in last season’s Mayo Bowl 38-21.
Announcers: Taylor Zarcour and Matt Stinchcomb

4:30: Wyoming vs. Ohio (Arizona Bowl @ Tuscon, AZ; Barstool.tv): I would really recommend patronizing Barstool, so you don’t have to watch this game. My general theme of picking against the Mountain West so far has been working, so I’ll keep it rolling.
SP+ line: Ohio -4.3
Vegas line: Ohio -1
Watchability tier: I
Previous meetings: Just two, and both in the regular season. Wyoming won 34-33 in 2007, and then 21-20 in 2008.
Last bowl game: Wyoming won last year’s Potato Bowl over Kent State 52-38. Ohio’s last bowl game was the 2019-20 Potato Bowl, a 30-21 win over Nevada.
Announcers: Jake Marsch, Dan Katz, and Dave Portnoy

8:00: Clemson vs. Tennessee (Orange Bowl @ Miami Gardens, FL; ESPN): THE ORANGEST BOWL! I suspect one of these teams won’t be wearing orange and I’ll be sad, but this could be an interesting game. Well, if Clemson can do anything on offense now that DJ has been demoted. While Hendon Hooker won’t be available for the Vols, Joe Milton will attempt launch some balls to Havana, and that’ll at least be fun to watch. (Especially if any of them find his receivers.) I like the Vols here.
SP+ line: Vols -6.3
Vegas line: Clemson -6.5
Watchability tier: IV
Previous meetings: There’s been 19 meetings all-time between these two, though all but three of them took place before the end of World War II. The first was a 6-6 tie in 1901. In 1975 and 1976 they met in the regular season. The last meeting was a 27-14 Clemson win in the 2003-04 Peach Bowl.
Last bowl game: The Tigers have now been to eighteen (18!) straight bowl games, dating to the 2005 Champs Sports Bowl, a 19-10 win over Colorado. If they’d gone bowling in 2004 when they went 6-5, this would be their twenty-third straight game, but it’s not. They beat Iowa State in last season’s Cheez-It Bowl, 20-13. The Vols lost last year’s Music City Bowl to Purdue, 48-45.
Announcers: Joe Tessitore and Greg McElroy

Saturday, December 31

Noon:

• Iowa vs. Kentucky (Music City Bowl @ Nashville, TN; ABC): I believe the over/under on this game is 31. That’s really low. Like, Army-Navy low. Kentucky has a bunch of offensive players hurt or out, and Iowa is… Iowa. This could be bad. About the only way it won’t be is an outside chance that it’s a “horrible but you can’t look away” sort of game. I’m picking Kentucky because I think they’ll at least attempt score, but Iowa is of course the Bane of college football when it comes to low scoring games (“You merely adapted to the under. I was born in it, molded by it” – Brian Ferentz, probably.) So I won’t be surprised either way.
  SP+ line: Kentucky -0.4
  Vegas line: Iowa -2
  Watchability tier: II
  Previous meetings: It’s a bowl game rematch! Kentucky beat Iowa 20-17 in last season’s Citrus Bowl.
  Last bowl game: This would be Iowa’s tenth straight bowl game, dating to a 21-14 loss to LSU in the 2013-14 Outback Bowl, however, they didn’t play in 202 despite at 6-2 record. Last season they lost 20-17 to Kentucky in the Citrus Bowl. For the Cayuts, this will be their seventh bowl game in a row, dating to the 2016 TaxSlayer Bowl, a 33-18 loss to Georgia Tech. Last season, they beat Iowa in the Citrus Bowl, 20-17.
  Announcers: Matt Barrie and Louis Riddick
• Kansas State vs. Alabama (Sugar Bowl @ New Orleans, LA; ESPN): Bama doesn’t have an opt-outs as far as I know, so that would seem to be trouble for K-State. That said, the Cats have played up to everyone all season, and I’m not sure why they’d stop now. I think Bama’s superior talent will win the day, but I think it’s going to be a good one.
  SP+ line: Bama -7.6
  Vegas line: Bama -3.5
  Watchability tier: IV
  Previous meetings: This is the first meeting between these teams.
  Last bowl game: K-State won last year’s Texas Bowl over LSU, 42-20. The Crimson Tide will mark this as their nineteenth straight bowl game, dating to a 20-16 loss to Minnesota in the 2004 Music City Bowl. Last season, they beat Cincinnati 27-6 in the Cotton Bowl but lost the College Footbal Playoff Championship Game to Georgia, 33-18.
  Announcers: Dave Pasch, Dusty Dvoracek, and Tom Luginbill

4:00: Michigan vs. Texas Christian (Fiesta Bowl @ Glendale, AZ; ESPN): And so here we are. Welcome to the playoff. I think this game is likely to be the less interesting of the two. TCU has has a fantastic season, and it took a very good K-State two attempts to beat them. The Horned Frogs are not a solved problem by any means. However, I think the Wolverines will have the best defense they’ve faced, and it doesn’t seem TCU has a lot of great ideas on offense outside of “Max Duggan doin’ stuff”. Michigan also has an offense that is essentially “K-State, but better” and I expect they will just lean on TCU until the dam breaks.
SP+ line: Michigan -9
Vegas line: Michigan -7.5
Watchability tier: IV
Previous meetings: This is the first meeting between these teams.
Last bowl game: The Wolverines lost last season’s Orange Bowl to Georgia, 34-11. TCU is bowling for the first time since the (in)famous 2018 Cheez-It Bowl, where they lost 10-7 to Cal. (Though they were eligible in 2020.)
Announcers: Sean McDonough and Todd Blackledge

8:00: Georgia vs. Ohio State (Peach Bowl @ Atlanta, GA; ESPN): It’s fair to say I want Georgia to lose. Perhaps the best thing about this playoff is that with Alabama not in it I can be fully on an “anyone but Georgia” train. And here’s the thing: Georgia is more vulnerable this year. Now, this is an extremely relative thing, but what a lot of us in the college football universe are looking at is, well, you know, about the only thing that beat that Best Defense Ever last season was Bryce Young and his fantastic receivers. If there’s anything Ohio State has, it’s a talented QB with some receivers that’ll play on Sundays (including a literal son of a hall-of-famer). I still think Georgia’s going to win, but I won’t be surprised if Ohio State has a gameplan that at least makes them sweat.
SP+ line: UGA -5.3
Vegas line: UGA -6.5
Watchability tier: IV
Previous meetings: Just one, a 21-14 Georgia win in the 1992-93 Citrus Bowl.
Last bowl game: At twenty-six straight bowl games, Georgia owns the longest active bowl streak. The first game in the streak was the 1997-98 Outback Bowl, a 33-6 win over Wisconsin. Last season they beat Michigan 34-11 in the Orange Bowl, and then defeated Alabama in the CFP Championship Game 33-18. The Buckeyes have now been to ten straight postseason contests, dating to the a 40-35 loss to Clemson in the 2013-14 Orange Bowl. Last season they beat Utah in an absolute cracker of a Rose Bowl, 48-45.
Announcers: Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit

Monday, January 2

Noon: Illinois vs. Mississippi State (ReliaQuest Bowl @ Tampa, FL; ESPN2): I’m sort of thinking this will be a blowout, but I have next to no context how the Bulldogs will react to losing their coach. It’s a tough thing to predict. But throwing 70 times without running it would be the best way to honor Mike Leach that I can think of.
SP+ line: Illinois -0.5
Vegas line: UIUC -1.5
Watchability tier: III
Previous meetings: Two, and they were very spread out. Illinois won 27-0 in 1923, and slightly more recently lost 28-21 in 1980.
Last bowl game: The Illini last made a bowl game in 2019, where they lost 35-20 to Cal in the Redbox Bowl. The Bulldogs have been to twelve straight bowl games, dating to a 52-14 win over Michigan in the 2010-11 Gator Bowl. Last season they lost 34-7 to Texas Tech in the Liberty Bowl.
Announcers: Dave Flemming and Rod Gilmore

1:00: Purdue vs. Louisiana State (Citrus Bowl @ Orlando, FL; ABC): The Boilermakers will have an interim coach and are going through a bit of a transition, while LSU is a bit more established even with a disappointing end of season. I generally like the Tigers here.
SP+ line: LSU -8.2
Vegas line: LSU -10.5
Watchability tier: III
Previous meetings: This is the first meeting between these teams.
Last bowl game: The Boilermakers beat Tennessee 48-45 in last season’s Music City Bowl. This would’ve been the twenty-third straight bowl game for LSU, which would be the third longest active streak and date to the 2000 Peach Bowl, where they beat Georgia Tech 28-14. However, they did not bowl in 2020 despite a 5-5 record. Last season they lost 42-20 to K-State in the Texas Bowl.
Announcers: Bob Wischusen and Dan Orlovsky

1:00: Southern California vs. Tulane (Cotton Bowl @ Arlington, TX; ESPN): I think USC is going to win. But… Tulane sort of seems like a slightly less talented Utah, and the Utes absolutely hammered USC for four quarters in that Pac-12 Championship Game. I think this one will feature some nice throws by USC and then baffling long runs by the Green Wave. In other words, I think it’ll be fun.
SP+ line: USC -4
Vegas line: USC -1.5
Watchability tier: IV
Previous meetings: Three, and they all date to when Tulane was more of a football power than they are now. The first was, appropriately, in the 1932-33 Rose Bowl, where USC won 21-12. Tulane won in LA 27-13 in 1942, but USC returned the favor by winning 20-13 in New Orleans in 1946.
Last bowl game: USC went 5-1 in 2020 but did not go to a bowl game, so their last bowl appearance was a 49-24 loss to Iowa in the 2019 Holiday Bowl. The Green Wave lost the 2020 Potato Bowl to Nevada 38-27.
Announcers: Mark Jones, Robert Griffin III, and Quint Kessenich

5:00: Pennsylvania State vs. Utah (Rose Bowl @ Pasadena, CA; ESPN): And finally the Grandaddy of them all. I said all the year the Nittany Lions are very thoroughly the third best team in the Big Ten, and sure enough, they’re here in Pasadena while the two better teams are in the Playoff. The Utes, of course, are fantastic about dragging talented teams to their level, and I more or less think that’s what will happen here. I suspect it’ll also be good for them if the forecast holds and it winds up raining during the second half.
SP+ line: Penn St -1.1
Vegas line: Utah -2.5
Watchability tier: IV
Previous meetings: This is the first meeting between these teams.
Last bowl game: Penn State lost to Arkansas in last season’s Outback Bowl, 24-10. This would normally be Utah’s eighth bowl appearance in a row, dating to a 45-10 win over Colorado State in the 2014 Royal Purple Bowl. However, they did not play a bowl game in 2020 despite their 3-2 record. They were just overwhelmed in the second half by Ohio State’s elite wide receivers and lost last season’s Rose Bowl to Ohio State, 48-45.
Announcers: Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit

In this edition, we’ll preview the next 12 bowl games on the calendar, starting from Boxing Day to New Year’s Eve Eve Eve.

As usual, all times Eastern and all predictions wrong.

Monday, December 26

2:30: New Mexico State vs. Bowling Green (Quick Lane Bowl @ Detroit, MI; ESPN): Obviously this game exists as a prelude to for ESPN to remind you that there’s somehow a 3rd straight day of NFL football, even if you’re kind of tired of after watching the somewhat dreadful Christmas Day slate. This game as a more interesting storyline, at least. Neither of these teams has bowled often or for a while (see below), and at least with this caliber a team there’s a good chance their best players will play. (We will ignore concerns about the quality of said players.) Either way, I think going to bowls is just more important to NMSU, and that’ll propel to the win.
SP+ line: Aggies -4.5
Vegas line: BGSU -2.5
Watchability tier: I
Previous meetings: This is the first meeting between these teams.
Last bowl game: This is the fifth bowl ever for the Aggies. Their last bowl game was the 2017 Arizona Bowl, where they beat Utah State 26-20. For BGSU, this is their first bowl game since the 2015 Godaddy.com Bowl, where they lost 58-27 to Georgia Southern.
Announcers: John Schriffen and Rene Ingoglia

Tuesday, December 27

12:00: Buffalo vs. Georgia Southern (Camellia Bowl @ Montgomery, AL; ESPN): While Montgomery right now (or ever, really) is no one’s idea of a tropical paradise, it might be preferable to what’s going on in Buffalo right now. My best to anyone affected by the storm there. Down here, I’m taking GATA.
SP+ line: Southern -3.9
Vegas line: Creek Water -3.5
Watchability tier: I
Previous meetings: This is the first meeting between these teams.
Last bowl game: The Bulls went to the 2020 version of this game and won 17-10 over Marshall. The Eagles went to the 2020 New Orleans Bowl and beat Louisiana Tech 38-3.
Announcers: Drew Carter and Aaron Murray

3:15: Utah State vs. Memphis (First Responder Bowl @ Dallas, TX; ESPN): See that SP+ line down there? Yeah. Tigers all the way.
SP+ line: Memphis -19.9
Vegas line: Memphis -7.5
Watchability tier: I
Previous meetings: Seven, all from 1965 through 1977. Memphis leads the all time series 4-3 and won the most recent meeting 31-26.
Last bowl game: The Aggies beat Oregon State in last season’s LA Bowl, 24-13. Memphis’s last postseason appearance was the 2020 Montgomery Bowl, where they beat Florida Atlantic 25-10.
Announcers: Mike Monaco and Charles Arbuckle

6:45: East Carolina vs. Coastal Carolina (Birmingham Bowl @ Birmingham, AL; ESPN): This is starting to get more interesting. ECU sort of came out of nowhere this season and put together a run to this bowl. Coastal wasn’t quite up their standards last year, but their star QB, Grayson McCall, is going to give it one last ride in this bowl game. Motivation matters a lot in bowl games, and I think CCU will have it.
SP+ line: ECU -2.5
Vegas line: ECU -10.5
Watchability tier: II
Previous meetings: This is the first meeting between these teams.
Last bowl game: ECU hasn’t been to a bowl game since the 2014-15 Birmingham Bowl, where they 28-20 to Florida. This is the third bowl in a row for Coastal, going back to the 2020 Cure Bowl, where they lost 37-34 to Liberty. Last season they won the Cure Bowl 47-41 over Northern Illinois.
Announcers: Tiffany Greene and Jay Walker

10:15: Wisconsin vs. Oklahoma State (Guaranteed Rate Bowl @ Phoenix, AZ; ESPN): So the deal with getting to a game featuring teams you’ve heard of is that, well, Wisconsin is going through a coaching transition right now and they’ve got tons of players transferring and/or opting-out. It’s hard to get a read on this, but if we’re talking about motivation, OSU’s starters against whatever roster the Badgers manage to scrape up for an interim coach might just be too much to overcome. (That does remind me that I should check if Barry Alvarez is going to be the interim again.)
SP+ line: OSU -3.2
Vegas line: Wisky -3
Watchability tier: III
Previous meetings: This is the first meeting between these teams.
Last bowl game: The Badgers have now been to 21 straight bowl games, dating back to the 2002 Alamo Bowl, where they beat Colorado 31-28. Last season they beat Arizona State 20-13 in the Las Vegas Bowl. This is the 17th straight bowl game for the Pokes, dating to the 2006 Independence Bowl, where they beat Alabama 34-31. Last season they beat Notre Dame 37-35 in the Fiesta Bowl.
Announcers: Beth Mowins and Kirk Morrison

Wednesday, December 28

2:00: Duke vs. Central Florida (Military Bowl @ Annapolis, MD; ESPN): This game is more or less a pick ’em. I don’t think either of these teams is that good, seeing as how they collectively went 1-1 against Georgia Tech this season. I’m giving an extremely slight edge to Duke.
SP+ line: UCF -3.8
Vegas line: Duke -1
Watchability tier: III
Previous meetings: This is the first meeting between these teams.
Last bowl game: This is Duke’s first bowl game since the 2018 Independence Bowl, where they beat Temple 56-27. This is the seventh straight bowl game for the Knights, dating to a 31-13 loss to Arkansas State in the 2016 Cure Bowl. Last season they beat Florida 29-17 in the Gasparilla Bowl, a result that I’d imagine they will stop talking about after this game. Maybe.
Announcers: Keven Brown and Hutson Mason

5:30: Kansas vs. Arkansas (Liberty Bowl @ Memphis, TN; ESPN): Arkansas had a bizarre end to their season that involved losing to Liberty (the score was 21-19, but it was bad), a close loss to LSU, WOMPin’ Ole Miss, and then a loss to Missouri? I have no idea. KU more or less just started losing once they ran into real competition in the Big 12. That said, what this game is REALLY about is whether it’s “Ar-kan-saw” or “Ar-kansas”. And unfortunately for my Kansas relatives, I think it’ll likely be the latter.
SP+ line: Womp -9.2
Vegas line: Womp -3
Watchability tier: III
Previous meetings: For two teams in roughly the same region, there’s just been two all-time meetings. And we have to go back, way back. The first was a 6-0 Kansas win in 1905, followed by a 37-5 win by the Jayhawks a year later.
Last bowl game: Bowl games are somewhat few and far between for the Jayhawks, for whom this is their first postseason game since the 2008 Fiesta Bowl, where they beat Minnesota 42-21. The Razorbacks last called the postseason hogs in last season’s 24-10 win over Penn State in the Outback Bowl.
Announcers: Dave O’Brien and Dan Mullen

8:00: North Carolina vs. Oregon (Holiday Bowl @ San Diego, CA; FOX): I always consider the holiday the unofficial start of the “real” bowl season, when the bowls start featuring power conference teams with records well north of barely just qualifying. Plus, it’s nice to think about San Diego. That said, SP+ and Vegas think this going to be all Ducks, and I’m inclined to agree.
SP+ line: Ducks -14
Vegas line: Ducks -14
Watchability tier: III
Previous meetings: This is the first meeting between these teams.
Last bowl game: This is the fourth straight bowl game for the Tarheels, dating to the 2019 Military Bowl, where they beat Temple 55-13. Last season they lost 38-21 to South Carolina in the Mayo Bowl. This game will make it six straight for the Ducks, dating to a 38-28 loss to Boise State in the 2017 Las Vegas Bowl. Last season they 47-32 to Oklahoma in the Alamo Bowl.
Announcers: Gus Johnson and Joel Klatt

9:00: Texas Tech vs. Mississippi (Texas Bowl @ Houston, TX; ESPN): I don’t have a great idea of what’s going on with either of these teams, but that could well produce an interesting game to watch. I agree Ole Miss is the favorite though.
SP+ line: Ole Miss -7.9
Vegas line: Ole Miss -3.5
Watchability tier: II
Previous meetings: Six times, dating to the 1986 Independence Bowl. They met again in the 1998 Independence Bowl, then played a home-and-home in 2002 and 2003. They then met in a bowl that decidedly wasn’t in Shreveport in the 2008-09 Cotton Bowl, and then played a neutral-site season opener in 2018. Ole Miss holds a 4-2 series lead and win the 2018 game 47-27.”
Last bowl game: Texas Tech beat Miss State 34-7 in last season’s Liberty Bowl. Their opponent this season, the other SEC from Mississippi, will be making their third straight bowl game. That started with a 26-20 win over Indiana in the 2020-21 Outback Bowl. Last season they lost to Baylor 21-7 in the Sugar Bowl.
Announcers: Roy Philpott and Andre Ware

Thursday, December 29

2:00: Syracuse vs. Minnesota (Pinstripe Bowl @ New York, NY; ESPN): My favorite thing about this game is likely going to be the two guys with a Georgia Tech connection on the call, otherwise, I think the Gophers are more likely to just dominate this game.
SP+ line: Gophers -13.5
Vegas line: Gophers -7.5
Watchability tier: II
Previous meetings: Five times. They played two sets of home-and-homes in 1995-96 and then again in 2009 and 2012. Their last meeting was the 2013 Texas Bowl, where the Orange won 21-17, but the Gophers still hold a 3-2 series lead.
Last bowl game: Syracuse last appeared in a bowl game in 2018, beating West Virginia 34-18 in the Camping World Bowl. The Gophers beat West Virginia as well, but last year in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl, 18-6.
Announcers: Wes Durham and Roddy Jones

5:30: Florida State vs. Oklahoma (Cheez-It Bowl @ Orlando, FL; ESPN): So this is a bit of a helmet game, which might make it worth watching on its own. Otherwise, this feels like two teams going in opposite directions. FSU improved as the year went on, and they figured some stuff, whereas Oklahoma just seems to have lost the plot. I like FSU here.
SP+ line: Noles -1.6
Vegas line: Noles -7.5
Watchability tier: III
Previous meetings: They’ve met seven times, and as you’d expect mostly in big bowl games. The first was the 1965 Gator Bowl. 1976’s game was a 24-9 win for the Sooners in Norman, but then in 1980, 1981, and 2001 they met in the Orange Bowl. Most recently, they played a home-and-home in 2010 and 2011. FSU won the first contest 36-19, but it’s been all Sooners ever since, including most recently 23-13.
Last bowl game: As the owners of the sport’s longest bowl streak ever (36 straight seasons from 2018 through 2017), it’s a bit weird that this is FSU’s first bowl game since the 2019 Sun Bowl, where they lost 20-14 to Arizona State. The Sooners are the owners of the second longest active streak, with this being the 24th straight game. The streak dates to the 1999 Independence Bowl, where they lost to Ole Miss 27-25. They beat Oregon 47-32 in last season’s Alamo Bowl.
Announcers: Bob Wischusen and Dan Orlovsky

9:00: Texas vs. Washington (Alamo Bowl @ San Antonio, TX; ESPN): I think this game is going to be an absolutely cracker of a game. Texas is better than you might think this year, and if Ewers and Penix both go this has all the makings of a fun shootout just down the street from the Alamo. I think the ‘Horns in the end, but I think the journey will be fun.
SP+ line: Texas -7.2
Vegas line: Texas -4.5
Watchability tier: IV
Previous meetings: This will be the first meeting since a 47-43 Longhorns victory in the 2001 Holiday Bowl. Before that, they met in 1974 and 1975 in home-and-home fashion, and then the Huskies notched their only victory with a 14-7 margin in the 1979 Sun Bowl.
Last bowl game: Texas last bowled in 2020, beating Colorado 55-23 in the Alamo Bowl. The Huskies last appeared in the postseason in 2019, defeating Boise State 38-7 in the Las Vegas Bowl.
Announcers: Tom Hart, Jordan Rodgers, and Cole Cublic