Oh hey, we’re back on this this thing. I have to admit it snuck up on a me a bit this year, but not only are we here early, we’ve also got eight games to cover! We really need to get crackin’!

As usual, all times Eastern and all predictions wrong.

Friday, December 17

12:00: Toledo vs. Middle Tennessee State (Bahamas Bowl @ Nassau, Bahamas; ESPN): Toledo happened run into NIU’s luck-driven bandsaw in the MAC Championship game, but fortunately for them here MTSU is both kind of bad and not terribly lucky.
SP+ line: Toledo by 13.2
Vegas line: Toledo by 9.5
Watchability tier: II
Previous meetings: This is the first meeting between these two teams.
Last bowl game: Toledo’s last bowl game was this game in 2018, where they lost 35-32 to FIU. MTSU also hasn’t been to a bowl game since 2018, where they lost 45-13 to App State in the New Orleans Bowl.
Announcers: Matt Barrie and Booger McFarland

6:00: Coastal Carolina vs. Northern Illinois (Cure Bowl @ Orlando, FL; ESPN2):

Yes I know who you remind me of
A girl I think I used to know
Yes I’d see her when the day got colder
On those days when it felt like snow

You know I even think that she stared like you
She used to just stand there and stare
And roll her eyes right up to heaven
And make like I just wasn’t there

And she used to fall down a lot
That girl was always falling
Again and again
And I used to sometimes try to catch her
But I never even caught her name

And sometimes we would spend the night
Just rolling about on a floor
And I remember
Even though it felt soft at the time
I always used to wake up sore

You know I even think that she smiled like you
She used to just stand there and smile
And her eyes would go all sort of far away
And stay like that for quite a while

And I remember she used to fall down a lot
That girl was always falling
Again and again
And I used to sometimes try to catch her
But I never even caught her name

Yes I sometimes even tried to catch her
But I never even caught her name

Ahem. Speaking of the Huskies, here they are! Basically every statistical framework is agreement that they are, indeed, very lucky, but the simplest one is that they won nine games have a negative scoring margin on the season. They are, indeed, the Anti-Nebraska. You will also note that the Chanticleers, despite not being terribly great this year themselves, are 20 point favorites in this game. I’m inclined to agree.
SP+ line: Coastal Carolina by 20.2
Vegas line: Cosatal Carolina by 9.5
Watchability tier: III
Previous meetings: This is the first meeting between these two teams.
Last bowl game: This is Coastal’s second ever bowl game. The first was a 37-34 last season in the Cure Bowl. NIU was last seen in a bowl game in 2018’s Boca Raton Bowl, where they got beat 37-13 by UAB.
Announcers: Mike Morgan and Kirk Morrison

Saturday, December 18

11:00: Appalachian State vs. Western Kentucky (Boca Raton Bowl @ Boca Raton, FL; ESPN): Well, the “transplanted offense” thing didn’t help WKU win Conference USA, but by all indications this should be a close one in Boca. I still kinda like App though.
SP+ line: WKU by 1
Vegas line: Appalachian State by 2.5
Watchability tier: II
Previous meetings: This is the first meeting between these two teams.
Last bowl game: This will be seven in a row for App State, as one of the group of teams that actually played a bowl game last season. The stream started with a 31-29 win over Ohio in the Camellia Bowl. Last season they beat North Texas 56-28 in the Myrle Beach Bowl. For the Hilltoppers, this makes three in a row. In 2019 they beat Western Michigan 23-20 in the First Responder Bowl, and then lost 39-21 to Georgia State in last season’s Lendingtree Bowl.
Announcers: Clay Matvick and Rocky Boiman

2:15: Texas-El Paso vs. Fresno State (New Mexico Bowl @ Albuquerque, NM; ESPN): UTEP is a fun, feel-good story this year, and they’re gonna get pasted by Fresno.
SP+ line: Fresno by 15.3
Vegas line: Fresno State by 11.5
Watchability tier: I
Previous meetings: These teams have met 9 times, with Fresno owning a 6-2-1 series lead. Their first meeting was in 1992, a 43-18 Fresno win, and the most recent was a 24-21 UTEP win in 2004.
Last bowl game: This will be UTEP’s first bowl game since a 21-6 loss to Utah State in the 2014 New Mexico Bowl. Even beyond their limited bowl game appearances, they also have lost 5 bowl games in a row. Their last win was a 14-7 win over Ole Miss in the Sun Bowl. Given their general competence, I find it somewhat surprising that this will be Fresno’s first bowl game since a 31-20 win over Arizona State in the 2018 Las Vegas Bowl.
Announcers: John Schriffen and Rene Ingoglia

3:30: Alabama-Birmingham vs. Brigham Young (Independence Bowl @ Shreveport, LA; ABC): Provided they’re motivated, de facto Pac-12 South champs BYU should be able to roll the Blazers.
SP+ line: BYU by 0.2
Vegas line: BYU by 6.5
Watchability tier: II
Previous meetings: This is the first meeting between these two teams.
Last bowl game: UAB was last seen in the postseason losing 31-17 to App State in the New Orleans Bowl. BYU has now made is four straight bowl appearances. The streak started with a 39-18 win over Western Michigan in the 2018 Potato Bowl, and they also beat UCF 49-23 in last season’s Boca Raton Bowl.
Announcers: Roy Philpott, Cole Cubelic, and Paul Carcaterra

5:45: Eastern Michigan vs. Liberty (Lendingtree Bowl @ Mobile, AL; ESPN): I want Liberty to lose, but they probably won’t.
SP+ line: Liberty by 13.4
Vegas line: Liberty by 9.5
Watchability tier: I
Previous meetings: This is the first meeting between these two teams.
Last bowl game: EMU’s last bowl game appearance was the 2019 Quick Lane Bowl, a 34-30 loss to Pitt. Libery, meanwhile, gets a chance to play in a game that isn’t the Cure Bowl. In 2019 they beat Georgia Southern 23-16 and last season they beat Coastal Carolina 37-34.
Announcers: Chris Cotter and Mark Herzlich

7:30: Oregon State vs. Utah State (LA Bowl @ Los Angeles, CA; ABC): The new and (vastly) improved Aggies should pose a big challenge, and I actually feel somewhat weary about picking the Beavers here, but I’m going to go ahead and do so.
SP+ line: Oregon State by 9.7
Vegas line: Beavers by 6.5
Watchability tier: II
Previous meetings: Just twice, and they were both narrow Beaver victories. The first was 24-16 in 1997 and 20-16 in 1998.
Last bowl game: This will be the first bowl game for the Beavers since beating Boise State 38-23 in the 2013 Hawaii Bowl. Utah State’s last bowl apperance was the 2019 Frisco Bowl, where they lost 51-41.
Announcers: Joe Tessitore and Jesse Palmer

9:15: Marshall vs. Louisiana (New Orleans Bowl @ New Orleans, LA; ESPN): This game looks like it should be pretty close, but considering the location, I’ll give a pretty solid edge to the Cajuns.
SP+ line: Marshall by 1.2
Vegas line: Cajuns by 4.5
Watchability tier: II
Previous meetings: This is the first meeting between these two teams.
Last bowl game: The Herd has has now made 5 bowl games in a row. The streak started with a 31-28 win over Colorado State in the 2017 New Mexico Bowl. Last season they lost 17-10 to Buffalo in the Camellia Bowl. The Cajuns have now also raged into four straight bowls, starting with the 2018 Cure Bowl, a 41-24 loss to Tulane. Last season they beat UTSA in 31-24 in the First Responder Bowl.
Announcers: Anish Shroff and Mike Golic Jr

Well, I was pretty off about how the course of the game would go. Naturally, I had a meeting during the first hour of the game, which was about the amount of time that it was a competitive game. Alas.

For my bowl predictions this season, I went 0.500 (13-13), which took my lifetime percentage down from 55.4% to 54.9%.

Otherwise, I’m not sure what else to say. I hope we have something approaching a normal 2021 college football season. If I don’t post any other updates to the site before then, well, stay healthy and safe and I’ll see you in August.

As usual, all times eastern and all predictions wrong.

Monday, January 11

8:00: Alabama vs. Ohio State (CFP Championship Game @ Miami Gardens, FL; ESPN): There are no shortage of variables going into this game. Ohio State is very, very good, but they don’t have the body of work. I mean that in two ways, and I’m not necessarily docking them credit if they do win because they didn’t play enough games. I mean it purely from an analysis perspective. How do we weigh factors like them them running roughshod over Clemson but looking pedestrian against certain other Big Ten teams? What is the extent of Justin Fields’s injury? The latter could be key in the run game if Alabama doesn’t think he’s a credible run threat. That said, he also was presumably no longer a credible run threat in the Clemson game after taking the hit, but that didn’t seem to slow the Ohio State offense down, especially in the second half. But that said, I’m here to just pick winners and losers. I suspect many thing this will be a blowout in Bama’s favor, as though that feels inevitable. I don’t think so. I’m optimistic this will still be a close game that will definitely see the Buckeyes with a chance to win at the end. But… I will still go with the majority in that I don’t think they’ll quite get there. So perhaps if I were a betting guy, I’d go with Ohio State to cover but Bama to win.
SP+ line:  Alabama by 4.3
Vegas line: Bama -8
Watchability tier: IV
Previous meetings: Just four all time. The first was in 1978, a 35-6 Alabama win in the Sugar Bowl. The only regular season meeting was the Kick-Off Classic in the Meadowlands at the start of the 1986 season, and Bama won that one 16-10. For the 1994-95 season, they met in the Citrus Bowl, and Alabama won 24-17. And finally, their most recent meeting was the only Ohio State victory so far in the series, a 42-35 win in the 2014-15 Sugar Bowl that took the Buckeyes to the national title game in the inaugural College Football Playoff.
Last bowl game: Alabama defeated Notre Dame 31-14 in the “Rose” Bowl. Ohio State defeated Clemson 49-28 in the Sugar Bowl.
Announcers: Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit, Maria Taylor, Allison Williams

The page is updated, and 2020 is almost over. Thank goodness.

Thursday, December 31

12:00: Tulsa vs. Mississippi State (Armed Forces Bowl @ Fort Worth, TX; ESPN): This one is mostly a high watchability tier because Tulsa should put on a display in terms of shutting down a 3-7 Miss State team. I have the Golden Hurricane all the way here.
SP+ line: Tulsa by 6.9
Vegas line: Tulsa -2.5
Watchability tier: III
Previous meetings: This is the first meeting between these teams.
Last bowl game: Tulsa’s last bowl game was the 2016 Miami Beach Bowl, where they beat Central Michigan 55-10. And thanks to 2020 rules, 3-7 Miss State will be heading to their eleventh straight bowl game. The streak started with a 52-14 win over Michigan in the 2010-11 Gator Bowl, and last season they lost 38-28 to Louisville in the Music City Bowl.
Announcers: Chris Cotter, Mark Herzlich, Ian Fitzsimmons

2:00: San Jose State vs. Ball State (Arizona Bowl @ Tuscon, AZ; CBS): We’ve got a battle of champions here! And it could be good! But you’ll also have overlap between the earlier game and the later game, and this one may lose out. Plus, I like San Jose to cover here. The Spartans just flat out won the Mountain West this year and while their success seems a bit out-of-nowhere, they definitely earned it.
SP+ line: SJSU by 6
Vegas line: SJSU -7
Watchability tier: II
Previous meetings: This is the first meeting between these teams.
Last bowl game: For the Spartans, this is their first bowl game since the 2015 Cure Bowl, where they beat Georgia State 27-16. For Ball State, this is their eighth bowl appearance all-time, with the most recent being a 23-20 loss to Arkansas State in the 2013-14 GoDaddy.com Bowl.
Announcers: Brad Nessler, Gary Danielson, Jamie Erdahl

4:00: West Virginia vs. Army (Liberty Bowl @ Memphis, TN; ESPN): Look down at the announcers. It’s cool, I can wait. Okay, now that you’re back, I AM SO PSYCHED. Former Voice of the Yellow Jackets Wes Durham will be on the call, along with former Yellow Jacket Roddy Jones! Talk about a perfect duo to call some flexbone offense. I am here for this. So… the awkward part is that West Virginia is a touchdown favorite even by the advance metrics. And I’m here to say, look, Army probably wanted to play in a bowl game this year more than any team not in the playoff, and maybe more than one or two of those teams. I think they will show up ready, while West Virginia will not. Against an option team, this is deadly.
SP+ line: WVU by 6.8
Vegas line: WVU -7
Watchability tier: III
Previous meetings: Three, and they were all a long time ago. Army won the first two meetings in 1941 and 1946, 7-6 and 19-0 respectively. The last meeting was in 1961, where WVU won 7-3.
Last bowl game: West Virginia’s last bowl appearance was the 2018 Camping World Bowl, where they lost 34-18 to Syracuse. Army’s last bowl appearance was the 2018 Armed Forces Bowl, a 70-14 rout of Houston.
Announcers: Wes Durham, Roddy Jones, Eric Wood

Friday, January 1

12:00: Cincinnati vs. Georgia (Peach Bowl @ Atlanta, GA; ESPN): Hoping this is more like Georgia’s game against Texas two years ago rather than their game against Baylor last year. Cincy’s certainly got the defense to pull this off, and I don’t buy this business about UGA’s offense suddenly being competent. I’m taking Cincy straight-up here.
SP+ line: Cincinnati by 1.4
Vegas line: UGA -7
Watchability tier: IV
Previous meetings: Just one, in 1976. Georgia won 31-17.
Last bowl game: Cincy’s made three straight bowl games. In 2018 they beat Virginia Tech 35-31 in the Military Bowl, and last season they beat Boston College 38-6 in the Birmingham Bowl. For Georgia, this is their 24th straight bowl game, dating back to the 1997-98 Outback Bowl, where they beat Wisconsin 33-6. Last season they beat Baylor 26-14 in the Sugar Bowl.
Announcers: Mark Jones, Dusty Dvoracek, Kris Budden

1:00: Northwestern vs. Auburn (Citrus Bowl @ Orlando, FL; ABC): This is certainly a bowl game that will probably happen. Auburn did finally do the thing and Fire Gus, but in the end they wound up making a sensible hire, so that’s not even that funny. That said, it’s not like Harsin will be coaching this game, and let’s see who will be on the sidelines for the Tigers instead…ah right, it’s the guy who tried to start a coup, Kevin Steele. Wonder how he feels about not getting the big job? I’ll take Northwestern to come out ready to play and to hold on to win.
SP+ line: Auburn by 0.7
Vegas line: NU -3.5
Watchability tier: III
Previous meetings: Just one, a 38-35 Northwestern victory in the 2009-10 Outback Bowl.
Last bowl game: Northwestern’s last bowl game was the 2018 Holiday Bowl, a 31-20 win over Utah. Auburn’s been to seven straight bowls, going back to the a 34-31 loss to Florida State in the 2013-14 BCS Championship Game. Last season they lost 34-24 to Minnesota in the Outback Bowl.
Announcers: Dave Flemming, Rod Gilmore, Paul Carcaterra

4:00: Alabama vs. Notre Dame (Rose? Bowl @ Arlington, TX; ESPN): This is just wrong, but apparently the city of Pasadena is getting $2 millions for the use of the Rose Bowl name, so I more power to them I guess. That said, I don’t have a lot of reason to think this will be anything other than a dominant Alabama victory. Thanks for playing, Irish.
SP+ line: Bama by 13.3
Vegas line: Bama – 19.95
Watchability tier: IV
Previous meetings: Seven. The first was in the 1973 Sugar Bowl, a 24-23 Notre Dame win. They met a few times in the regular seasdon in the 80’s, and you probably already know about their most recent meeting, a 42-14 Alabama win in the 2012-13 BCS Championship Game. Notre Dame holds an overall 7-2 advantage in the series, though.
Last bowl game: In 2004, Alabama lost 20-16 to Minnesota in the Music City Bowl, a return of sorts after improving to 6-6 from 4-9. They’ve gone to the postseason every year since then. Last season, they didn’t make a New Year’s Six bowl, but beat Michigan 35-16 in the Citrus Bowl anyway. The Irish have been to four straight bowl games, dating to the 2017-18 Citrus Bowl, where they beat LSU 21-17. Last season they beat Iowa State 33-9 in the Camping World Bowl.
Announcers: Sean McDonough, Todd Blackledge, Todd McShay, Allison Williams

8:00: Clemson vs. Ohio State (Sugar Bowl @ New Orleans, LA; ESPN): I think Clemson will win, but I am tired of hearing so far in bowl games about how Ohio State hasn’t played enough games and blah-blah-blah. So I essentially hope this is (yet again) the best bowl game of the season and it entirely proves the Buckeyes deserve to be here.
SP+ line: Clemson by 1.8
Vegas line: Clemson -7.5
Watchability tier: IV
Previous meetings: These two have played each a few times recently. Their first meeting was a 17-15 win Clemson back in the 1978 Gator Bowl. The previous three have all also been Clemson wins, most recently 29-23 in the 2019 Fiesta Bowl, you know, last season’s playoff semi-final. Clemson therefore has a 4-0 overall series lead.
Last bowl game: Clemson beat Colorado 19-10 in the 2005 Champs Sports Bowl, and including that they’ve been to bowl games in 16 straight seasons. Last season, they beat Ohio State 29-23 in the Fiesta Bowl and then were felled by LSU 42-25 in the CFP Championship Game. Ohio State has been to eight consecutive postseasons, dating to a 40-35 loss to… Clemson in the 2013-14 Orange Bowl. And as previously stated, they lost 29-23 to Clemson in last year’s excellent Fiesta Bowl. Let’s hope this is more of the same.
Announcers: Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit, Maria Taylor, Tom Rinaldi

Saturday, January 2

12:00: North Carolina State vs. Kentucky (Gator Bowl @ Jacksonville, FL; ESPN): This game exists purely to hold you over until the fireworks start at the bottom of the hour. I have NC State here.
SP+ line: NCSU by 4.3
Vegas line: UK -3
Watchability tier: I
Previous meetings: Just one, a 1970 27-2 win for NC State.
Last bowl game: The Wolfpack were last seen in the postseason as participants in the 2018 TaxSlayer Bowl, where they lost 52-13 to Texas A&M. Kentucky have been to five straight bowl games, starting with a 33-18 loss to Georgia Tech in the 2016 TaxSlayer Bowl (woo). Last season they beat Virginia Tech 37-30 in the Belk Bowl.
Announcers: Anish Shroff, Tom Luginbill, Lericia Harris

12:30: Indiana vs. Mississippi (Outback Bowl @ Tampa, FL; ABC):  HERE WE GO. Indiana is a fun team that, while missing their all-time great QB, is still fun to watch and pretty good. Ole Miss, meanwhile, runs what I am calling the “YOLO Offense” because their playcalling is essentially “eh, screw it, throw it deep”. And it seems to work! This game should have all the points. Well, hopefully. That said, Indiana actually plays a little defense, so I think the Hoosiers will get a spot and pull out a win.
SP+ line: Indiana by 7.2
Vegas line: Indiana -7
Watchability tier: III
Previous meetings: This is the first meeting between these teams.
Last bowl game: Indiana’s making their second consecutive bowl season, after last season’s narrow loss to Tennessee in the Gator Bowl, 23-22. Ole Miss is appearing in their first bowl game since the 2015-16 Sugar Bowl, where they beat Oklahoma State 48-20.
Announcers: Tom Hart, Jordan Rodgers, Cole Cubelic

4:00: Oregon vs. Iowa State (Fiesta Bowl @ Glendale, AZ; ESPN): Iowa State has had an all-time great season by their standards, and I think they’ll carry that all the way through to a victory.
SP+ line: Iowa State by 2.9
Vegas line: Iowa State -4.5
Watchability tier: II
Previous meetings: This is the first meeting between these teams.
Last bowl game: This will be the fourth straight bowl appearance for the Ducks, dating to a 38-28 loss to Boise State in the 2017 Las Vegas Bowl. Last season, they beat Wisconsin on a perfect day in Pasadena, 28-27. The Cyclones have now been to four straight bowls, dating to a 21-20 win over Memphis in the 2017 Liberty Bowl. Last season they lost 33-9 to Notre Dame in the Camping World Bowl.
Announcers: Dave Pasch, Mike Golic, Quint Kessenich

8:00: North Carolina vs. Texas A&M (Orange Bowl @ Miami Gardens, FL; ESPN): And finally, what will probably be the last bowl game before the title game. And boy howdy I hope Carolina wins, because the TAMU whining after not getting in the playoff was awful. That’s not a great basis for prognostication, but it’s what I’ve got.
SP+ line: UNC by 2.5
Vegas line: TAMU -6
Watchability tier: III
Previous meetings: This is the first meeting between these teams.
Last bowl game: UNC won last year’s Military Bowl 55-13 over Temple. TAMU has been to 12 straight bowl games, dating to the 2009 Independence Bowl, a 44-20 loss to Georgia. Last season they beat Oklahoma State 24-21 in the Texas Bowl.
Announcers: Bob Wischusen, Dan Orlovsky, Katie George