It is that time of year when people all over the world will gather together with loved ones to think back on the previous year, share fellowship and food, exchange gifts, and enjoy the holidays. But please remember the reason for the season. Meaningless college football bowl games in nearly empty stadiums in shameless attempt to make money for every person involved except the players!
Now many people don't care about any games outside of the four team College Football Playoff. A few may care about the other top ranked teams in the New Year's Day games. Those people are doing it wrong. You don't know true sport happiness unless you are enjoying midweek afternoon games between a mid-major school you weren't aware played FBS football and a mediocre team from a power conference. These are the true great games. These are the best part of December, so in your face Santa Claus. I am here to show you how to really each and every bowl game this year. So just follow along and you'll reach full sports Nirvana.
Do you like college football? Do you like country music? Do you like mortgages? Let's get your weekend started right, with the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl.
Who is playing: The Auburn Tigers finished 5th in the SEC West after obtaining a 7-5 record will battle the Purdue Boilermakers, the third place finisher in the Big Ten West (6-6).
How to watch: Friday, December 23 1:30 ESPN
Where: Nissan Stadium, Nashville, Tennessee.
Gambling info: Auburn -3.5 o/u 55.5
Why you should watch: Tyler Trent. The Purdue student and super fan has been inspirational during his fight with terminal cancer. Please take the time to read his message in his own words. Tyler was given a ride to the game with the Indianapolis Colts, who also play in Nashville this weekend. His story will be focused on during the game and he surely will get significant camera time. Purdue and Auburn have been up and down all year. At their best, they beat the PAC-12 (Auburn over Washington) and Big 10 (Purdue hammered Ohio State) champions. At their worst, they lost to Eastern Michigan (Purdue) and 2-6 in conference Tennessee (Auburn). If the best versions show up this could be a fun game.
Do you miss the Big East and also enjoy sleeping bags? Enjoy the Camping World Bowl!
Who is playing: The sixteenth ranked West Virginia Mountaineers who used an 8-3 record to finish fourth in the Big 12 matchup with the twentieth ranked Syracuse Orange who went a surprising 9-3 and finished second in the ACC Atlantic.
How to watch: Friday, December 28th 5:15 ESPN
Where: Camping World Stadium, Orlando, Florida
Gambling Info: Syracuse -2 o/u 66.5
Why you should watch: If you miss the days of the old Big East then this game is for you. Neither team makes geographic sense to their current conference so they will be used to the long trip down to Orlando for the Camping World Bowl. Star West Virginia quarterback Will Grier is skipping the game to prepare on for the NFL draft. This means Jack Allison gets his first career start. Allison has thrown 10 passes in his entire career so you are guaranteed to see the best and worst game of a guys career at the same time. It's like the nexus of the college football universe. Each team scored over 40 points a game so if Allison can handle the spotlight, the scoreboard could catch on fire.
Spend your Friday night remembering the Valero Alamo Bowl!
Who is playing: The thirteenth ranked Washington State Cougars went 10-2 and finished second in the PAC-12 North take on the twenty-fourth ranked Iowa State Cyclones (8-4) to land in third place in the Big 12.
How to watch: Friday, December 28th 9:00 ESPN
Where: Alamodome, San Antonio, Texas
Gambling info: Washington State -2.5 o/u 57.5
Why you should watch: Washington State is coached by Mike Leach, who thinks he is a pirate which is not the most hilarious thing about him. Leach is worth paying attention to any time the camera finds him. Whether he is wearing a fake moustache during a post game interview,
or fixing the college football playoff issues or just being hilarious. The game itself is battle of Washington State's high octane offense and Iowa State's tough defense. It's a great way to end your Friday before a huge day of action on Saturday.
Okay friends, take a deep breath and make sure your remote has fully charged batteries because are going to have three games going at once. Let's start off with the Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl!
Who is playing: The tenth ranked (9-3) Florida Gators squad finished third in the SEC East and where given the opportunity to take on another college football blueblood in the seventh ranked Michigan Wolverines (10-2) who placed second in the Big Ten East.
How to watch: Saturday December 29, noon ESPN
Where: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia
Gambling info: Michigan -5.5 o/u 51
Why you should watch: It's our first game in the "New Year's Six" of the best matchups of the bowl season.This could be Jim Harbaugh's last game as coach at Michigan, as rumors are swirling about a return to the NFL. The khaki wearing coach has returned Michigan to respectability but hasn't been able to get over on Ohio State as of yet either. Michigan has three starters leaving the team before the Peach Bowl to prepare for the NFL, could their coach join them after the game? If you are tired of seeing all of these teams flinging the pigskin around the field, then this is the game for you. The quarterbacks average less than 200 yards passing so the clock will be running frequently which means this game may end earlier to give you even more time to focus on the other two bowl games that are kicking off early Saturday afternoon.
If you're allergic to peaches you can watch the Belk Bowl instead and nobody is allergic to Belk, whatever the hell that is.
Who is playing: The third place team in the ACC Coastal, the Virginia Cavaliers (7-5) will face off with the fourth place team from the SEC East, the (7-5) South Carolina Gamecocks.
How to watch: Saturday, December 29th noon ABC
Where: Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina.
Why you should watch: Virginia hasn't won a bowl game since 2005. The Cavaliers have had their best season in a few years but have lost three straight. South Carolina was up and down all season and lost to every ranked conference foe that they played. This game features two offenses that can really move the ball so it the perfect ying to the Peach Bowl's yang. If you want to see teams march down the field or you don't have cable, this is the noon game for you.
You thought all of the games left would feature the big boys of college football, didn't you. Well have no fear if you like mediocre mid major schools going at it then have I got the game for you. It's the Nova Home Loans Arizona Bowl!
Who is playing: The Arkansas State Red Wolves (8-4) finished second in the Sun Belt West will take on the Nevada Wolf Pack (7-5) which placed second in the Mountain West Western division.
How to watch: Saturday, December 29th 1:15 CBS Sports Network
Where: Arizona Stadium, Tucson, Arizona, home of the Arizona Wildcats
Gambling Info: Nevada -1.5 o/u 56.5
Why you should watch: If you want to keep the Arizona Bowl around next year, you need to watch this game. The first two editions were not televised nationally. The first year of it's four year historic run featured two teams from the Mountain West because they could not get enough bowl eligible teams from Conference USA or the Sun Belt. This is Nevada's second appearance in the Nova Home Loans Arizona Bowl making them the kings of the worst bowl. What this bowl is going to be is better to watch than then another hour of analysis before the two College Football Playoff games kick off later today. I'll take any real game action over any previewing of games. Except this one. This preview you are reading is amazing and your life won't be complete if you don't read it.
So you are stickler and like your bowl games to determine a champion? May I present to you the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic!
Who is playing: The number two team in the nation, the ACC champions, owners of an undefeated 13-0 record, the Clemson Tigers meet the (12-0) Notre Dame Fighting Irish who are ranked third in the country.
How to watch: Saturday December 29th 4:00 ESPN
Where: AT&T Stadium, Dallas, Texas, home of the NFL's Dallas Cowboys
Gambling info: Clemson -12 o/u 56.5
Why you should watch: This game is the 1st semifinal to determine the national champion featuring two unbeaten teams. If that doesn't rev your engine, and you need something goofy to pay attention to, keep your eyes peeled for cups of urine on the sideline. Three Clemson players have been suspended for the game for testing positive during their NCAA mandated drug tests. See if Clemson fans are passing cups of their drug free but loaded with alcohol urine down to the sideline to keep the team eligible for the National Championship game if Clemson wins. Notre Dame didn't lose any players to drug suspension but had several players test positive for holy water and Irish stereotypes.
I guess since we have watched all of these game to this points we might as well check out who else is going to play for a national title. It's the Capital One Orange Bowl!
Who is playing: The defending national champion, Alabama Crimson Tide, went 13-0 to get the number one ranking and SEC championship take on the Big 12 Champion, Oklahoma Sooners who finished 12-1 to earn the number four seed.
How to watch: Saturday, December 29th 8:00 ESPN
Where: Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Florida, home of the NFL's Miami Dolphins.
Gambling Info: Alabama -14, o/u 76.5
Why you should watch: The quarterbacks finished in the top in the Heisman Trophy voting. Runner-up Tua Tagovailoa is coming off an injury in the SEC championship game against Georgia, but Jalen Hurts, who led the Crimson Tide all of last year until being benched for Tua in the title game, saved the day for Alabama. Heisman Trophy Winner Kyler Murray, is also a top MLB draft pick of the Oakland Athletics and is expected to join the A's in spring training this year. If Murray ends up being a great baseball player as well, he could go down as the best 9th pick in the MLB draft ever. Other top players taken with the 9th pick all-time are Kevin Appier and Barry Zito. Will a team draft Tua Tagovailoa or Jalen Hurts and convert them to second baseman? I think it is more likely than several members of the terrible Oklahoma defense are drafted as professional bull fighters due to their prowess in "ole" tackling.
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