The college football bowl season is upon us. The three-week, 41-game extravaganza kicks off Saturday and will take us all the way into the new year.
Now we understand that holiday time is busy, so watching all of the games might not be possible. Obviously, if you’re an alum or supporter of a particular school, you’ll seek out your team’s spot on the schedule. But if you’re a casual follower who wants to find the best matchups and prioritize your calendar accordingly, well, that’s where we come in.
With so many bowls, some are inevitably going to be better than others. And, some of these will turn out to be more entertaining than anticipated while others that should provide quality contests will turn out to be duds. But with all that in mind, here’s our annual attempt to rank the bowls by watchability.
1. Rose Bowl: No. 1 Michigan vs. No. 4 Alabama
DETAILS: Jan. 1, 5 p.m., ESPN, Pasadena, Calif.
We give the top nod to the Granddaddy given the multiple layers of intrigue. Of course there’s the well-chronicled controversy surrounding the Wolverines, who must now contend with the most accomplished program in the four-team era to live up to their top seeding. The Crimson Tide for their part were 31 yards from championship oblivion just a few short weeks ago, so one could say they’re essentially playing with house money at this point.
2. Sugar Bowl: No. 2 Washington vs. No. 4 Texas
DETAILS: Jan. 1, 8:45 p.m., ESPN, New Orleans.
For once, the system works as the postseason lineup builds up to the two bowls that truly matter. We’ll put this one second only because of the pedigree of the other half of the foursome, but there’s certainly no lack of star power in this one. Both the Huskies and Longhorns have played their share of nail biters getting to this point, and it’s certainly fair to expect another.
3. Orange Bowl: No. 3 Florida State vs. No. 6 Georgia
DETAILS: Dec. 30, 4 p.m., ESPN, Miami Gardens, Fla.
In terms of rankings, by poll voters and the CFP committee alike, this should be the best of the non-playoff matchups. The undeniable fact, of course, is that neither team wants to be here. How the Seminoles approach their snub and how the Bulldogs shake off the disappointment of their Alabama loss will determine if this contest does indeed warrant this lofty position.
4. Cotton Bowl: No. 7 Ohio State vs. No. 9 Missouri
DETAILS: Dec. 29, 8 p.m., ESPN, Arlington Texas.
One would be hard pressed to find a more downtrodden one-loss team and fan base than the Buckeyes, so the squads level of interest in this contest is a major question mark. The Tigers by contrast were the SEC’s breakout team and figure to be enthusiastic participants. In short, it has great game potential but only if Ohio State decides to make it so.
ALSO READ The House Republicans authorize Joe Biden impeachment investigation in major escalation
5. Peach Bowl: No. 10 Penn State vs. No. 11 Mississippi
DETAILS: Dec. 30, noon, ESPN, Atlanta.
Though something of a consolation prize for both participants, both can say without dispute that they won the games they were supposed to this season. The Rebels did pick up a signature win against LSU, and a positive result here for the young Nittany Lions could help their narrative heading into next year’s expanded Big Ten campaign.
6. Fiesta Bowl: No. 8 Oregon vs. No. 20 Liberty
DETAILS: Jan. 1, 1 p.m., ESPN, Glendale, Ariz.
Congratulations are in order for the Flames as they get this turn on the big stage, but we’d still have to rate this as the least attractive pairing of the New Year’s Six lineup. The level of participation from the Ducks’ high-end talent will also impact this game’s aesthetics.
7. ReliaQuest Bowl: No. 13 LSU vs. Wisconsin
DETAILS: Jan. 1, noon, ESPN2, Tampa, Fla.
We place this game here with the caveat that it would drop in the pecking order if the star attraction chooses not to participate, a decision Heisman winner Jayden Daniels has not yet made as of this writing. There’s less reason to watch if he opts out, though even the offense-challenged Badgers might give the Tigers’ leaky secondary a battle.
8. Citrus Bowl: No. 17 Iowa vs. No. 23 Tennessee
DETAILS: Jan. 1, 1 p.m., ABC, Orlando, Fla.
Say what you will about Iowa’s offensive shortcomings, but watching the Hawkeyes is always a fascinating study of tactical football. In this case, we’ll see how their rock-solid defense holds up against an SEC-caliber offense, and whether the Volunteers’ less accomplished stoppers can win a field-position game.
9. Alamo Bowl: No. 12 Oklahoma vs. No. 14 Arizona
DETAILS: Dec. 28, 9:15 p.m. ESPN, San Antonio.
Once again, the question of what constitutes a successful season would be answered quite differently by these respective fan bases. For the Wildcats, with their highest win total since 2014 and first bowl of any kind since 2017, this campaign was a smash hit. The Sooners got one result they really wanted but were prevented from achieving even bigger things by a couple of close defeats, and the team that takes the field here could look reinvented on the fly due to portal activity.
10. Sun Bowl: No. 16 Notre Dame vs. No. 22 Oregon State
DETAILS: Dec. 29, 2 p.m., CBS, El Paso, Texas.
It’s an attractive matchup on paper, but with coaches and QBs coming and going it might not deliver the goods. Beating a name-brand program like Notre Dame could only help the Beavers as they embark on an uncertain future, while getting to 10 wins would perhaps quiet the grumbling from Fighting Irish fans who are always looking for more.
11. Pop-Tarts Bowl: No. 18 North Carolina State vs. Kansas State
DETAILS: Dec. 28, 5:45 p.m., ESPN, Orlando, Fla.
Edible mascot gimmick aside, this is a strong power-conference pairing. The Wolfpack unfortunately didn’t find their footing until late October, and the Wildcats were on the wrong side of several one-score decisions they’d dearly love to have back.
12. Guaranteed Rate Bowl: Kansas vs. UNLV
DETAILS: Dec. 26, 9 p.m., ESPN, Phoenix, Ariz.
Now we’re starting to reach the hidden gems as these two programs unaccustomed to sustained gridiron success should definitely bring the effort. Though the Rebels fell short in the Mountain West finale, the fact they were there at all after nine consecutive losing seasons speaks volumes, and the Jayhawks are no longer just a basketball school – ask Oklahoma.
13. Texas Bowl: No. 21 Oklahoma State vs. Texas A&M
DETAILS: Dec. 27, 9 p.m., ESPN, Houston.
