Time to close out the 2018 edition of College Football Bowls, which of course, take place in January. My final two, both, happen to feature Big Ten programs. Tuesday, Jan. 1st, 2019 Outback Bowl, Raymond James Stadium, Tampa Noon/ET ESPN2 MISSISSIPPI STATE (8-4) vs. IOWA (8-4) Miss State had some adjustments to make in 2018 after DAN MULLEN… Read More »
The first hundred or so Bowl games are in the books… thank goodness. I am finding the new phenomenon of players leaving their teams, and heading for Performance Camps to prepare for the Draft, more annoying than I originally thought it would be. I went to Orlando last night to the Camping World Bowl game. It was an… Read More »
I’m going to cover the “other” Bowls for Saturday, leading up to the Final 4 games later in the day. PEACH BOWL Mercedes-Benz Stadium Atlanta, GA Noon/ET ESPN FLORIDA (9-3) vs. MICHIGAN (10-2) The Wolverines come into this game with that, all too familiar, bad taste in their mouths of a loss to Ohio State, in their Big… Read More »
Thursday Dec.27 Shreveport, LA 1:30PM/ET ESPN Independence Bowl Independence Stadium TEMPLE (8-4) vs. DUKE (7-5) The two teams in this one were at opposite ends of the spectrum when the regular season ended. Temple started the season slowly with QB injury iissues, going 2-3 in September, But they settled in and went 6-1 the rest of the season,… Read More »
GASPARILLA BOWL; Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL 8PM/ET ESPN MARSHALL (8-4) vs. SOUTH FLORIDA (USF) (7-5) An extra home game for the BULLS, but unless Marshall brings a lot of fans with them, USF won’t fill that stadium, based on their regular season attendance. USF started the season 7-0, but lost their last 5 games. Marshall comes into… Read More »
NEW MEXICO BOWL Dreamstyle Stadium Albuquerque; 2 PM/ET ESPN UTAH STATE (10-2) VS NORTH TEXAS (9-3) Most early Bowls don’t really have a valid reason for their very existence, from a football value standpoint. They feature teams that are basically getting a thank you participation gift from the NCAA. This game differs by having two teams who had… Read More »
CFP National Championship (Atlanta): Georgia (13-1) vs Alabama (13-1); 8 PM ET; ESPN It will be an all-SEC match-up in the CFP national championship game in Atlanta on Monday evening with Georgia playing Alabama. This is old hat for Alabama which will be playing in its 5th national title games in the past 8 years, although this likely… Read More »
ROSE BOWL (Pasadena): Oklahoma (12-1) vs Georgia (12-1); 5 PM ET; ESPN The big-time CFP playoff games get underway late Monday afternoon when Oklahoma plays Georgia in the Rose Bowl. And much of the focus in this game, at least from the perspective of NFL scouts will be Sooners’ QBs Baker Mayfield (#6, 6-1, 220), this year’s Heisman… Read More »
Got a trifecta of games for you to watch on New Year’s Day. These are big time Bowls with top tier teams playing, which means lots of pro prospects to watch in anticipation of the NFL Draft in 4 months. Also note that Editor Colin has the two Final Four games for you elsewhere on the site. Monday… Read More »
TAXSLAYER BOWL (Jacksonville): Louisville (8-4) vs #23 Mississippi State (8-4); Noon ET; ESPN The Taxslayer Bowl gives fans – not to mention pro scouts – one last chance – presumably – to watch Louisville junior QB Lamar Jackson (#8, 6-3, 210), who has arguably been the most exciting player in college football over the past three seasons. Jackson,… Read More »
Friday Dec. 29 1PM/ET ESPN BELK BOWL Charlotte, NC WAKE FOREST (7-5) by 3 VS TEXAS A&M (7-5) Another game that finds at least on of the participants in the midst of a head coaching change. The Aggies are now moving into the Jimbo Fisher era. WAKE has gone through their upheaval and this is now HC DAVE… Read More »
MILITARY BOWL (Annapolis): Navy (6-6) vs Virginia (6-6); 1:30 PM ET; ESPN Maybe the best thing about the Military Bowl match-up of 6-6 teams in Annapolis is that nobody has to travel very far to get there. And maybe the second best thing about this game is that Virginia actually has more really good prospects for the upcoming… Read More »
INDEPENDENCE BOWL (Shreveport); SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI (8-4) vs. FLORIDA STATE (6-6) by 3; 1:30 PM ET; ESPN After a bit of debate about whether FSU’s schedule actually earned them a bowl bid at 6-6, it appears we are ready to play some football. Southern Miss has been a solid mid-major football program for decades now. Without a doubt their… Read More »
HEART OF DALLAS BOWL: Utah (6-6) vs West Virginia (7-5); 1:30PM ET; ESPN Any pro scouts in Dallas to watch Utah and West Virginia in the Heart of Dallas may be there more for what will be on the board in 2019 than this year. That’s because the best prospects in this game – West Virginia QB Will… Read More »
We’re getting warmed up for the legit Holiday Bowl schedule, which I happen to think begins Christmas Eve. But for now let’s take a peek at games for this Saturday the 23rd. The overall talent from a Pro Prospect standpoint clearly elevates with this trio of games. Saturday Dec. 23rd NOON/ET ESPN. Birmingham Bowl, Birmingham, AL TEXAS TECH… Read More »
FRISCO BOWL: Southern Methodist (7-5) vs Louisiana Tech (6-6); 8 PM ET; ESPN If they held a bowl in Frisco would anyone know where to go? I, for one, initially assumed the game was in San Francisco. Not so; it turns out, Frisco is a community north of Dallas. And indeed they are having a bowl game there… Read More »
BOCA RATON BOWL; Boca Raton;7 PM ET; ESPN AKRON (7-6) VS FLORIDA ATLANTIC (10-3) by 11 First off, let’s give the devil his do, so to speak. LANE KIFFIN finally got sick of his old boss NICK SABAN and moved on to FAU just before Alabama went to the Final Four last season. This season he took a… Read More »
NEW ORLEANS BOWL; 1 PM ET; ESPN TROY (10-2) by 5 vs. NORTH TEXAS (9-4) The Troy football program has become like a basketball mid-major powerhouse in the FBS. The Trojans won 10 games in 2016 and have a chance to better that record this season with a win in this contest. QB/BRANDON SILVERS #12 has been an… Read More »
From a Bowl standpoint this is the last day of Bowling for Dollars, NCAA style. One big game remains for next week, but that’s another story. These games should be pretty darn good. FLORIDA (8-4) VS IOWA (8-4); OUTBACK BOWL; 1 PM ET; ABC … If both offenses play at their highest level this could be a real… Read More »
Rolling along toward the big time games we come across out first real match up in the Orange Bowl, but first let’s check everything on the 30th. GEORGIA (7-5) Vs. Texas Christian (6-6); LIBERTY BOWL; NOON PM ET; ESPN … Somewhat down years for both programs in 2016. But both teams have solid talent and look to be… Read More »
PITTSBURGH (8-4) Vs. NORTHWESTERN (6-6); PINSTRIPE Bowl; 2 PM ET; ESPN … The Wildcats are a feisty bunch under HC PAT FITZGERALD. They started the season slowly, but played some really solid ball to end the year at .500. The play a bit of Offense and a bunch of Defense. But they are likely to be outclassed in… Read More »
The good news is that we are now heading into the Bowl Games featuring some really good teams. We’ve already been treated to some outstanding individual performances, but now top players on top teams will be featured just about every day. Let’s take a look at a fairly pedestrian trio of games for post-Christmas consumption. MISSISSIPPI STATE (5-7)… Read More »
The last multiple game day for the Bowl Season, prior to Christmas is Friday the 23rd. Here are your 3 games for that day. BAHAMAS BOWL; 1PM ET; ESPN; EASTERN MICHIGAN (7-5) Vs. OLD DOMINION (9-3): A feel good game for most pitting EMU which has emerged from punching bag status to win seven games for the first… Read More »
The annual bowl schedule kicks off Saturday with a full slate of 5 games including a couple that are definitely worth a look. Here’s a quick preview of who to watch in Saturday’s bowl games. New Mexico (8-4) vs Texas-San Antonio (6-6); Gildan New Mexico Bowl; 2 PM ET; ESPN: The 40-something-game bowl schedule leading up to the… Read More »
CFP NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP; #1 CLEMSON (14-0) vs. #2 ALABAMA (13-1); 8:30 PM ET; ESPN The prelims are done and the stage is set for what could be a very good CFP national championship game between unbeaten, top-ranked Clemson and perennial power Alabama in Glendale Santa Clara later Monday evening. Despite its one loss, Alabama comes in as the… Read More »
