College football bowl season is humming along with 17 games that finished before Christmas. There are 24 more set to take place from the day after Christmas through New Year’s Day.
There are at least three games on each day except for New Year’s Eve, which is an NFL Sunday. Here is a quick look at what to watch for and know for each of the 18 non-New Year’s Six bowl games taking place after Christmas, including odds, staff picks, trends, key transfers and opt outs.
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For more on the New Year’s Six bowl games, we have a preview on each game:
Rose Bowl (Michigan vs. Alabama)
Sugar Bowl (Washington vs. Texas)
Cotton Bowl (Ohio State vs. Missouri)
Peach Bowl (Penn State vs. Ole Miss)
Orange Bowl (Florida State vs. Georgia)
Fiesta Bowl (Oregon vs. Liberty)
All odds via BetMGM. All kickoff times are Eastern.
Quick Lane Bowl
Bowling Green vs. Minnesota
Tuesday, Dec. 26, 2 p.m. on ESPN (Ford Field, Detroit)
- After missing out on the postseason from 2016-21, Bowling Green is in this bowl for a second year in a row. The Falcons lost to New Mexico State last year and are 5-8 all time in bowls.
- Minnesota is 4-0 in bowl games under head coach P.J. Fleck, including a 2018 Quick Lane Bowl victory.
- These teams most recently played each other two seasons ago. Bowling Green won 14-10 in Minneapolis to even the series (2-2).
- Neither team scores many points – Bowling Green averages 26.3 per game, Minnesota 20.2 – so this matchup features one of the lowest totals of bowl season.
- Gophers starting QB Athan Kaliakmanis is in the transfer portal. That leaves senior Cole Kramer, whose only pass attempt so far this season was intercepted.
- Speaking of takeaways, Bowling Green is No. 1 in the nation in the category with 27, including 16 interceptions. First-team All-MAC cornerback Jalen Huskey recently committed to Maryland after entering the transfer portal.
First Responder Bowl
Texas State vs. Rice
Tuesday, Dec. 26, 5:30 p.m. on ESPN (Gerald J. Ford Stadium, Dallas)
- Texas State is making its first-ever bowl appearance, led by first-year head coach G.J. Kinne. The Bobcats joined FBS in 2012 and have already tied their high-water mark for wins (2014).
- Rice appears in back-to-back bowls for the first time since 2012-14. The Owls are 7-6 in bowl games.
- These Lone Star State schools have split their previous four meetings but haven’t faced each other since 1987.
- Texas State is 17th nationally in scoring offense at 36 points per game. Rice is giving up 26.7 points per game and has surrendered 30 or more seven times this season.
- This could have been a matchup between former Power 5 starting quarterbacks – Texas State’s T.J. Finley (Auburn) vs. Rice’s J.T. Daniels (USC/Georgia) – but Daniels announced in early December that he was retiring from football due to multiple concussions.
- With Daniels out, redshirt freshman A.J. Padgett (636 yards, seven touchdowns, three interceptions in five games) will likely get the start for the Owls.
Guaranteed Rate Bowl
Kansas vs. UNLV
Tuesday, Dec. 26, 9 p.m. on ESPN (Chase Field, Phoenix)
- Kansas has already clinched a winning season and is playing in bowl games for consecutive years for the first time since 2008. The Jayhawks had a winning record in the Big 12 for the first time since 2007.
- This game will feature some of the currently dormant Missouri-Kansas rivalry with former Mizzou player and later coach Barry Odom coaching UNLV against the Jayhawks.
- Odom guided the Rebels to a nine-win season and a conference title game berth in his first year on the job. This is UNLV’s first bowl since the 2013 season. UNLV last won a bowl in 2000.
- KU quarterback Jalon Daniels missed most of the season due to injury, but sixth-year senior Jason Bean proved to be a competent replacement. Bean also missed time in November due to injury, but racked up four touchdowns in a blowout win against Cincinnati in the regular season finale.
Military Bowl
Tulane vs. Virginia Tech
Wednesday, Dec. 27, 2 p.m. on ESPN (Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium Field, Annapolis, Md.)
- Virginia Tech is in a bowl in coach Brent Pry’s second season. The Hokies, a bowl fixture from 1993-2019, are 13-21 overall in the postseason and have lost their last four bowls.
- Tulane was the top Group of 5 team for most of the season before losing to SMU in the AAC Championship Game.
- Willie Fritz, the conference’s coach of the year who has led the Green Wave to a bowl in five of the last six seasons, is now at Houston. Several assistants are following Fritz and won’t participate in the bowl game. Offensive coordinator Slade Nagle will serve as interim head coach.
- Green Wave QB Michael Pratt, the AAC Offensive Player of the Year, has opted out. Kai Horton or Justin Ibieta will start in Pratt’s place. Leading receiver Chris Brazzell has entered the transfer portal but Maki Hughes, the AAC’s leading rusher (1,290 yards) is expected to play.
- Tulane leads the head-to-head series with Virginia Tech 5-4. The teams first faced each other back in 1956 and most recently played in 1989.
Duke’s Mayo Bowl
North Carolina vs. West Virginia
Wednesday, Dec. 27, 5:30 p.m. on ESPN (Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte)
- North Carolina QB Drake Maye has declared for the draft. Backup Conner Harrell, a redshirt freshman who has appeared in four games, will get the start.
- Other key Tar Heels who won’t play include No. 1 WR Tez Walker, two-time first-team All-ACC LB Cedric Gray and starting CB Alijah Huzzie.
- West Virginia will be without center Zach Frazier, one of the best at his position in the country, due to injury.
- The Tar Heels still have RB Omarion Hampton, who is fifth in FBS with 1,442 rushing yards.
- The Mountaineers boast the country’s fourth-ranked rushing offense at 234.3 yards per game with 31 touchdowns on the ground. Quarterback Garrett Greene and running backs C.J. Donaldson Jr. and Jahiem White have all rushed for more than 700 yards.
- Over the last six games, North Carolina has yielded 212.3 yards per game on the ground alone.
Holiday Bowl
USC vs. No. 15 Louisville
Wednesday, Dec. 27, 8 p.m. on FOX (Petco Park, San Diego)
- Last year’s Heisman Trophy winner, Caleb Williams, is not playing this game. He opted out to prepare for the NFL Draft. Five-star freshman Malachi Nelson is in the transfer portal. The Trojans are expected to start Miller Moss in Williams’ absence. Moss, a third-year sophomore, got some time in blowout wins early in the season and hasn’t registered a stat since Sept. 9.
- The Trojans averaged 41.8 points per game in the regular season, but will the offense be able to put up those numbers without Williams? It may have to, considering the Trojans’ defense is bottom 10 in the country in points allowed (34.9 per game).
- Louisville’s defense won’t make things easy on Moss. The Cardinals are 13th in the country in yards allowed (307.3 per game) and allowed fewer than 20 points per game on average.
- The Cardinals will also be shorthanded with running back Jawhar Jordan (1,128 yards, 13 TDs) and wide receiver Jamari Thrash (858 yards, 6 TDs) both opting out to go pro.
- USC hasn’t won a bowl since the 2017 Rose Bowl.
Texas Bowl
Texas A&M vs. No. 20 Oklahoma State
Wednesday, Dec. 27, 9 p.m. on ESPN (NRG Stadium, Houston)
- Former Big 12 rivals will renew acquaintances in Houston. The Aggies had the edge 10-6 when they were conference foes.
- Texas A&M is a team in transition with plenty of players either in the transfer portal or opting out of the bowl game. The roster flux means third-string QB Jaylen Henderson will likely get another start. The sophomore threw six touchdown passes with two interceptions while adding two scores on the ground as the starter for the past three games.
- Oklahoma State is headlined by running back Ollie Gordon II, a unanimous All-American selection and the Doak Walker Award winner. On paper, the matchup with an Aggies defense that gives up only 3.3 yards per carry is intriguing but that unit won’t be anywhere close to full strength.
- Mike Gundy has led the Cowboys to an 18th straight bowl game in his 19 seasons at the helm with an 11-6 record in those contests.
Fenway Bowl
Boston College vs. No. 24 SMU
Thursday, Dec. 28, 11 a.m. on ESPN (Fenway Park, Boston)
- SMU won the AAC, but missed out on a New Year’s Six bowl by one spot in the final CFP rankings. The Mustangs have lost their past three bowl games and last won one in 2012.
- Boston College is playing in its first bowl since the 2019 season.
- SMU is sixth nationally at 40.6 points per game while Boston College averages 25 per contest. The Eagles struggled even more in this department late in the season, managing just 19.3 over the past three games, all losses. This discrepancy is why the Mustangs are among the handful of double-digit favorites this bowl season.
- SMU QB Preston Stone, who is tied for second in the AAC with 28 touchdown passes, will miss this game because of injury. Redshirt freshman Kevin Jennings, who helped his team win the AAC title game, will get another start.
- Like the rest of Boston College’s offense, quarterback Thomas Castellanos has struggled recently. The sophomore has thrown twice as many interceptions (six) as touchdowns during the team’s current three-game skid.
Pinstripe Bowl
Miami vs. Rutgers
Thursday, Dec. 28, 2:15 p.m. on ESPN (Yankee Stadium, New York)
- Quarterback is a major question for Miami heading into this game. Tyler van Dyke is transferring to Wisconsin and Emory Williams, who replaced van Dyke in the middle of the season, is out due to injury. Sophomore Jacurri Brown is expected to start. Brown made a pair of starts last season, but hasn’t played a snap yet this year.
- Miami has lost its last four bowl games, last winning one in 2016. Rutgers last won a bowl game in 2014.
- Rutgers coach Greg Schiano is 5-2 in bowl games as a head coach.
- These teams were conference mates in the Big East from 1991-2003. Miami went 11-0 against Rutgers during that period and won every game by at least 14 points.
Pop-Tarts Bowl
No. 18 NC State vs. No. 25 Kansas State
Thursday, Dec. 28, 5:45 p.m. on ESPN (Camping World Stadium, Orlando)
- Kansas State enters this game without quarterback Will Howard, who is in the transfer portal. Talented freshman Avery Johnson is set to start. Johnson totaled nine touchdowns this year, six of which were on the ground, as the Wildcats worked to find ways to get him the ball while keeping Howard as the starter.
- KSU tight end Ben Sinnott and wide receiver Phillip Brooks, the top two receivers on the team, are both opting out to focus on draft prep.
- With Johnson, a dangerous running threat, at quarterback and fewer proven receiving threats, KSU is likely to lean on a running attack featuring D.J. Giddens, who has 1,075 rushing yards and 11 total touchdowns this season.
- NC State has lost its last three bowl games, but a win would give the Wolfpack their first 10-win season since 2002. NC State won its last five games, four against bowl teams.
- Coastal Carolina transfer Grayson McCall is heading to NC State next season. Still, sixth-year senior Brennan Armstrong had nine total touchdowns (six passing, three rushing) with no interceptions in the last three games after being benched midway through the season.
Alamo Bowl
No. 14 Arizona vs. No. 12 Oklahoma
Thursday, Dec. 28, 9:15 p.m. on ESPN (Alamodome, San Antonio)
- This is probably the best bowl matchup outside the New Year’s Six games. Both teams ranked in the top 15 of the final College Football Playoff rankings.
- The 10-2 Sooners are one of the most improved teams this year, after going 6-7 in Year 1 under Brent Venables. Similarly, Arizona went from 5-7 to 9-3 in Jedd Fisch’s third year.
- Arizona is one of the hottest teams in the country, winning its last six games to finish third in the Pac-12 and reach nine wins for the first time since 2014.
- Oklahoma was in the Alamo Bowl two years ago, which was a 47-32 win against Oregon.
- Quarterback Dillon Gabriel is transferring from OU to Oregon, which means Jackson Arnold is set to start. Arnold, a freshman who was a five-star recruit in last year’s class, is 18-for-24 on the season.
- Arizona has its own talented freshman quarterback in Noah Fifita who took over the starting job midseason and has 23 touchdown passes and five interceptions in eight starts.
Gator Bowl
Kentucky vs. No. 22 Clemson
Friday, Dec. 29, noon on ESPN (EverBank Stadium, Jacksonville)
- Clemson’s season almost felt over before it started with a season-opening loss to Duke followed by a loss at home to Florida State three weeks later, but the Tigers won their last four games to finish the regular season 8-4. The four losses are the most for Clemson in a season since 2011.
- Kentucky is also on an upswing. The Wildcats knocked off in-state rival Louisville in the regular season finale when the Cardinals were still a contender to make the CFP. Kentucky had lost five of six games before that.
- Defense hasn’t been Clemson’s problem. The Tigers are seventh in the country in yards allowed per game (278.7).
- Clemson’s offense ranks outside the top 60 in passing yards per game (225.4). Sophomore Cade Klubnik hasn’t been able to take a step forward after showing promise as a freshman last year. Klubnik passed for 109 yards against Notre Dame and 100 yards against South Carolina, but Clemson still managed to win both November games.
- Kentucky has won four of its last five bowl games.
Sun Bowl
No. 19 Oregon State vs. No. 16 Notre Dame
Friday, Dec. 29, 2 p.m. on CBS (Sun Bowl, El Paso, Tex.)
- Oregon State is making a third straight bowl appearance but the Beavers are in transition following the departure of head coach Jonathan Smith to Michigan State. Several players and coaches will not take part in this game.
- Ben Gulbranson will be at quarterback for Oregon State with starter D.J. Uiagalelei and backup Aidan Chiles both in the transfer portal. Gulbranson, who went 7-1 for the Beavers over the final eight games of the 2022 season, has made just one appearance this year.
- Oregon State also won’t have RB Damien Martinez, a first-team All-Pac-12 selection (1,185 rushing yards). Martinez was arrested in Texas in late November for a suspected DUI and suspended from the team, but the local district attorney chose not to file charges. Martinez was eligible to return to the team, but is not with the team.
- Notre Dame QB Sam Hartman, RB Audric Estime and both starting offensive tackles, Joe Alt (a projected first-round NFL draft pick) and Blake Fisher, are among those opting out. Several other key players, including center Zeke Correll, are in the transfer portal.
- Fun historical fact: Oregon State is 2-0 against Notre Dame, with both of those wins coming in bowl games (2001 Fiesta Bowl, 2004 Insight Bowl). The only other team that has faced the Fighting Irish more than once and is undefeated is Georgia (3-0).
Liberty Bowl
Memphis vs. Iowa State
Friday, Dec. 29, 3:30 p.m. on ESPN (Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium, Memphis)
- Memphis gets to stay home while aiming for its 10-win season since 2019 and the fourth in program history.
- Iowa State is making its sixth bowl appearance under head coach Matt Campbell. The Cyclones are 5-12 all-time in bowl games.
- Memphis’ Seth Henigan has been one of the nation’s most productive signal-callers with 3,519 passing yards, 28 touchdowns and nine interceptions.
- Cyclones true freshman RB Abu Sama III is one to watch. He exploded for 276 yards and three touchdowns on just 16 carries in the regular-season finale against Kansas State.
- The only other meeting between these teams also took place in the Liberty Bowl, a 21-20 victory for Iowa State in 2017.
Music City Bowl
Auburn vs. Maryland
Saturday, Dec. 30, 2 p.m. on ABC (Nissan Stadium, Nashville)
- Maryland quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa has opted out of this game. Tagovailoa passed for 3,377 yards and 25 touchdowns this season. Tagovailoa began his career at Auburn’s rival, Alabama.
- Sophomore Billy Edwards Jr. and freshman Cameron Edge are expected to play with Tagovailoa out. They combined for 13 pass attempts this season.
- Maryland is in a bowl game for the third straight year for the first time since 2006-2008. The Terrapins won bowls the last two years. The Terps also have clinched a winning season for the third straight year, which is the first time Maryland can say that in 20 years.
- The Tigers went 0-6 against teams with winning records this season.
- Auburn is 2-7 in its last nine bowl games.
Arizona Bowl
Toledo vs. Wyoming
Saturday, Dec. 30, 4:30 p.m. on Barstool (Arizona Stadium, Tucson, Ariz.)
- Toledo will be without quarterback Dequan Finn because Finn is transferring to Baylor. Finn had 29 total touchdowns this season.
- Both teams are in a bowl game for the third straight year. Toledo is 1-4 in its last five bowl games while Wyoming is 3-1 in its last four bowls.
- Wyoming was also in the Arizona Bowl last year, an overtime loss to Ohio, and in 2019, a win against Georgia State.
- Wyoming coach Craig Bohl is retiring after this bowl game. Bohl has been at Wyoming for 10 seasons.
ReliaQuest Bowl
Wisconsin vs. No. 13 LSU
Monday, Jan. 1, noon on ESPN2 (Raymond James Stadium, Tampa)
- Wisconsin is in a bowl game for the 22nd straight season, the third-longest active streak in FBS behind only Georgia (27) and Oklahoma (25). The Badgers are 12-9 during this run, including wins in eight of the last nine.
- LSU has played in a bowl game in 23 of the last 24 seasons, only missing out in 2020 when the Tigers weren’t eligible.
- Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels has opted out of this game. Garrett Nussmeier is expected to start at quarterback.
- Nussmeier will face a Wisconsin defense that is top 30 in the nation in passing yards allowed per game (193.3)
- Braelon Allen has opted out after rushing for nearly 3,500 yards in his Wisconsin career. With Allen and fellow back Chez Mellusi (injury) both out, the leading rusher is QB Tanner Mordecai with 305 yards.
- LSU is No. 1 in the nation in converting on third down on offense (56.7 percent), but rank near the bottom defensively (45.3 percent, 119th).
Citrus Bowl
No. 21 Tennessee vs. No. 17 Iowa
Monday, Jan. 1, 1 p.m. on ABC (Camping World Stadium, Orlando)
- Tennessee quarterback Joe Milton is opting out of this game. Nico Iamaleava, a five-star recruit in the Class of 2022, is expected to get the start. Iamaleava is 16-for-26 for 163 yards and a touchdown on the season.
- Tennessee averaged 31.5 points per game. Eight of Iowa’s 13 games had fewer than 31 combined points.
- Iowa has the fourth-lowest scoring offense (16.6 points per game) and the fourth-best scoring defense (13.2 points per game).
- These teams met in the 2014 TaxSlayer Bowl, which Tennessee won 45-28.
- Tennessee is 4-1 in the Citrus Bowl (then known as the Florida Citrus Bowl) all-time. Tennessee is 11-5 against Big Ten teams in bowl games.
(Photo of Tetairoa McMillan and Noah Fifita: Zac BonDurant / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)