Think there are too many bowl games? Too many undeserving teams? Come on the college football season flew by in milli-second and this is a chance at hello? More football. Personally I like the bowls and the bowl system. OK there are too many bowls.
It would be better if there were about 25, but would a team like Vanderbilt ever get into a 16 team playoff? Probably not, but they do get a shot at a bowl game for one of their best seasons in recent years. What about Baylor at 9-3? No 8 team playoff for them, but now we get to see Robert Griffin III play again. Every time I talk about the college football postseason, I’m proposing a +1 system. Anyways here’s something to like about each and every bowl game part 1.
Gildan New Mexico Bowl
December 17, 2011 Albuquerque, NM, 2 pm ESPN
Wyoming (8-4) vs. Temple (8-4)
Hey it’s the first bowl game of the season. Remarkable that Temple is now a viable football program.
Famous Idaho Potato Bowl
December 17, 2011 Boise, ID, 5:30 ESPN
Utah State (7-5) vs. Ohio (9-4)
Watch the WAC player of the year Utah State player Robert Turbin.
R&L Carriers New Orleans Bowl
December 17, 2011 New Orleans, LA, 9:00 pm, ESPN
Louisiana-Lafayette (8-4) vs. San Diego State (8-4)
Big East bound San Diego State features the nation’s third leading rusher Ronnie Hillman.
Beef O’Brady’s St. Petersburg Bowl
December 20, 2011 St. Petersburg, FL, 8:00 pm, ESPN
Marshall (6-6) vs. FIU (8-4)
Marshall’s DE Vinny Curry is one of the country’s best defensive players.
San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl
December 21, 2011 San Diego, CA, 8:00 pm ESPN
TCU (10-2) vs. Louisiana Tech (8-4)
I never tire of watching of how well coached Gary Patterson’s TCU teams are.
MAACO Las Vegas Bowl
December 22, 2011 Las Vegas, NV, 8:00 pm ESPN
Boise State (11-1) vs. Arizona State (6-6)
You do realize Boise St. dominated Georgia virtually as much as LSU did? I hope they are motivated to play Arizona State. If they are you’ll get an idea just how good the Broncos are.
Sheraton Hawaii Bowl
December 24, 2011 Honolulu, HI, 8:00 pm ESPN
Southern Miss (11-2) vs. Nevada (7-5)
Get a preview of new North Carolina head coach Larry Fedora coaching his last game at Southern Miss.
Advocare V100 Independence Bowl
December 26, 2011 Shreveport, LA, 5:00 pm ESPN
Missouri (7-5) vs. North Carolina (7-5)
Watch this one and relax after all those presents are opened and relatives have went back home.
Little Caesars Pizza Bowl
December 27, 2011 Detroit, MI, 4:30 pm ESPN
Western Michigan (7-5) vs. Purdue (6-6)
Anytime a MAC team has a chance to take down a BCS school, it’s worth checking in on.
Belk Bowl
December 27, 2011 Charlotte, NC, 8:00 pm ESPN
Louisville (7-5) vs. NC State (7-5)
Two evenly matched teams with momentum coming in. I expect a highly competitive game here.
Military Bowl presented by Northrop Grumman
December 28, 2011 Washington, DC, 4:30 pm ESPN
Air Force (7-5) vs. Toledo (8-4)
Two pretty good offenses here should produce a lot scoring.
Bridgepoint Education Holiday Bowl
December 28, 2011 San Diego, CA, 8:00 pm ESPN
Texas (7-5) vs. California (7-5)
Texas can’t be as bad as they have been in recent years can they? I have to see if it’s really possible that the Longhorns fail to 8 games in back to back to seasons.
Champs Sports Bowl
December 29, 2011 Orlando, FL, 5:30 pm ESPN
Florida State (8-4) vs. Notre Dame (8-4)
It’s Florida State and Notre Dame, that’s still two of the biggest names in college football. Does the winner get a head start on returning their glory days?
Valero Alamo Bowl
December 29, 2011 San Antonio, TX, 9:00 pm ESPN
Baylor (9-3) vs. Washington (7-5)
I think I’ve already said you get to see Baylor QB Robert Griffin III play again. He’s so good he gets two mentions.
Bell Helicopters Armed Forces Bowl
December 30, 2011 Fort Worth, TX, 12:00 pm ESPN
Tulsa (8-4) vs. BYU (9-3)
Two quality teams here. Tulsa didn’t lose to a team not currently in the top 25, and BYU only had 1 loss by more than 10 points.
New Era Pinstripe Bowl
December 30, 2011 Bronx, NY, 3:20 pm ESPN
Rutgers (8-4) vs. Iowa State (6-6)
I want to see if that Iowa State team that beat Oklahoma St. really exists, or was it a one game fluke. Rutgers is better than you think.
Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl
December 30, 2011 Nashville, TN, 6:40 pm ESPN
Wake Forest (6-6) vs. Mississippi State (6-6)
Wake QB Tanner Price and Miss. State RB Vick Ballard are two of the better players you’ve never heard of.
Insight Bowl
December 30, 2011 Tempe, AZ, 10:00 pm
Iowa (7-5) vs. Oklahoma (9-3)
Can Oklahoma help salvage their season with a win? A 9-4 finish isn’t good enough for the Sooners. They need a win.
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