BOWL SEASON IS HERE!!!! All 42 bowl games are official. The College Football Playoffs are set and the New Year's Six games. But, outside of the major games what are some bowl games that are worth watching during this holiday season for casual fans? Well there are five games to watch outside of the New Year's Six games.
1. Jimmy Kimmel L.A. Bowl
December 18, 2021 7:30PM ABC, Los Angeles, California
Utah State vs. Oregon State
The Jimmy Kimmel L.A. Bowl will feature a Group of 5 Conference Champion against a Power 5 team. The Mountain West Champions against a PAC-12 North team. The Utah State Aggies, the Mountain West Champions against the PAC-12 opponent Oregon State. The Aggies are coming off a dominating performance against then 19th ranked San Diego State Aztecs, 46-13. The Aggies will come in as a 10-win team.
The Oregon State Beavers coming off a lost to in-state rival Oregon in the Civil War where the PAC-12 North Title was still up for grabs. The Beavers lost to the then ranked 11th Ducks 38-29 in Eugene finishing third in the division. Oregon State comes in bowl season at 7-5.
The Aggies has a good passing attack while the the Beavers uses their running game to run their offense.
Utah State Quarterback, Logan Bonner has thrown for 3,560 yards, which ranked 12th in the country on 61% completion for 36 touchdown (ranks T-6th) and 11 interceptions. The Beavers lean on Running Back, B.J. Baylor who has 1,259 yard rushing averaging 6 yards a carry with 13 rushing touchdowns. This L.A. Bowl should be a good one to the watch the week before Christmas. The Oregon State Beavers are a 7.5 point favorite over the Utah State Aggies.
2. Tropical Smoothie Café Frisco Bowl
December 21, 2021 7:30PM ESPN, Frisco, Texas
UTSA vs. 24. San Diego St.
The Tropical Smoothie Café Frisco Bowl has probably the best Group of 5 matchup this bowl season. One is a Group of 5 Conference Champion and the other is looking to rebound from losing theirs. Frisco, Texas is in for a great one as the UTSA Roadrunners, C-USA Champions go against 24th ranked San Diego State Aztec from the Mountain West.
The Roadrunners defeated Western Kentucky Hilltoppers in the Conference USA Championship, 49-41. A good way to bounce back after losing to North Texas the week before. UTSA finished the season 12-1.
The San Diego St. Aztecs coming into this bowl game off a embarrassing beat down at home in the Mountain West Championship to Utah State. The Aztecs 11-2 on the season and ranked 24th in the CFP Polls.
The Roadrunners good offense led by QB Frank Harris with 2,906 yards passing with 25 touchdowns and RB Sincere McCormick who ran for 1,479 yards and 15 touchdowns against the Aztecs good defense is something to watch. UTSA Roadrunners are a 2.5-point favorite.
3. Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl
December 23, 2021 7:00PM ESPN, Tampa Bay, Florida
Florida vs. UCF
The state of Florida take center stage two days before Christmas. A game the entire state of Florida has been waiting for since 2017. It will be the Florida Gators of the SEC against the UCF Knights of the American Conference. UCF began its raise to respectable Florida teams under the Scott Frost where the would go undefeated in 2017 and self-claim the National Championship even though Alabama would actually win it all. The major Florida programs, Florida State, Miami, and Florida did not take too kindly to the rise of UCF. The two programs had an opportunity to meet in the regular season but could not agree on a 2 and 1 or home for home matchup.
Four years later these two programs will meet in Tampa Bay in the Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl. Even though these two teams don't completely what they were in years past nevertheless, the matchup is happening and Raymond James Stadium will be rocking with blue/orange and black/gold.
The Florida Gators are coming into this game bowl eligible after beating in-state rival Florida State at home Thanksgiving weekend and ending FSU season. 6-6 on the season, the Gators looks to impress new head coach Billy Napier(not coaching the game) as they want to send Gainesville and Gators Nation a positive message going into the future.
The UCF Knights coming into this game with a 8-4 record in the first season under Gus Malzahn, not your typical UCF type of season under Scott Frost and Josh Heupel, but 8-4 is still a pretty good season. The offense isn't as explosive as years passed but that should change as Malzahn starts recruiting.
No matter what the storylines are. No matter who is playing and who's out. No matter the kind of season both programs had. All eyes in the state of Florida will be on Tampa as the Gators and Knights finally collide. The Florida Gators are a 7.5-point favorite.
4. Valero Alamo Bowl
December 29, 2021 9:15PM ESPN, San Antonio, Texas
14. Oregon vs. 16. Oklahoma
The Valero Alamo Bowl has an intriguing matchup that is not a New Year's Six game surprisingly. Two 10-win teams in a PAC-12 vs. Big XII matchup in the heart of Texas in a Top 20 matchup.
From the PAC-12, coming off an beatdown by the Utah Utes for the second this season with a record of 10-3 and ranked 14th it is the Oregon Ducks. The Ducks are searching for answers after Utah destroyed them in the PAC-12 Championship, 38-10 after destroying the Ducks two weeks prior in Salt Lake City, 38-7. The Ducks are not only trying to bounce back from that but will they have their coach, Mario Cristobal, who has a lucrative extension on the table from Oregon, but the Miami Hurricanes are pursuing Cristobal very hard to be their new coach after firing Manny Diaz earlier today. RB Travis Dye leads the Ducks offense with 1,118 yards running with 15 rushing touchdowns. Anthony Brown is the QB for the Ducks but has had turnover issues as of late that lead to the two blowout by Utah.
On the other side, from the Big XII, coming in with a record of 10-2 and ranked 16th is the Oklahoma Sooners. For the first time in a long time that the Sooners is not the Big XII Champs and did not play in the Big XII Title Game. Coming off losing Bedlam to in-state rival Oklahoma State Cowboys in Stillwater, OK, the Sooners were the center of attention as unexpectedly Head Coach, Lincoln Riley took the USC job out of nowhere. Just yesterday, OU found their new coach in Brent Venables of Clemson. The Sooners season has been kept together by true freshman QB, Caleb Williams who thrown for 1,670 yards and 18 touchdowns.
This game in San Antonio will see which offense can bounce back or which defense will stand tall, no matter what both programs will be going into different directions following this game. The Oklahoma Sooners are a 3-point favorite.
BREAKING NEWS: Mario Cristobal to become the Head Coach at Miami.
5. TaxSlayer Gator Bowl
December 31, 2021 11:00AM ESPN, Jacksonville, Florida
17. Wake Forest vs. 25. Texas A&M
The TaxSlayer Gator Bowl has a Top 25 matchup. Not only that we are talking ACC vs. SEC matchup. If anyone pay attentions to college football knows that these two conferences want to beating each every chance there is. Florida/Florida State rivalry. Alabama/Clemson Championship rivalry. Clemson/South Carolina. Louisville/Kentucky. These two conferences don't like each other.
For the ACC, the most surprising Power 5 team this season, the 17th ranked Wake Forest Demon Deacons. The Deacons come in off the ACC Championship beatdown by the Pitt Panthers. They are 10-3 on the season and have on e the most high-powered passing attacks in college. Sophomore QB Sam Hartman leads the Deacons throwing for 3,924 yards, 7th in the country, and 36 touchdowns (Tied for 6th).
For the SEC, the 25th ranked Texas A&M Aggies. 8-4 on the season, the Jimbo Fisher led Aggies had an up and down season that includes beating 1. Alabama this season at home. The Aggies uses a balance offense attack with a good defense. QB Zach Calzada has thrown for 2,185 yards and 17 touchdowns while RB Isaiah Spiller has ran for 1,011 yards and 6 touchdowns.
It's ACC vs. SEC. 17th vs. 25th. Deacons vs. Aggies. The Texas A&M Aggies are the 6.5-point favorite.
These five games are the most intriguing games outside the College Playoffs and New Year's Six games.
Two 10-win team matchups including the best Group of 5 matchup. Two Top 25 matchups including three 10-win teams. Group of 5 Conference Champs against Power 5 teams. These five games with get you through Christmas and to the New Year's.