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Ranking The College Football Bowl Matchups: Bowls To See
What are best college football bowl matchups of the 2015-2016 season? At least a few of these will rise up and become classics, but these aren't necessarily the marquee matchups. They're college football games to pay attention to - like you have anything better to do.
December 9, 2015
Ranking The College Football Bowl Matchups: Bowls To See
What are best college football bowl matchups of the 2015-2016 season? At least a few of these will rise up and become classics, but these aren’t necessarily the marquee matchups. They’re college football games to pay attention to – like you have anything better to do.
30. Michigan vs. Florida
Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl
Jan. 1, Orlando, Fla.
No, I don’t want to do this anymore. Florida, your offense makes me feel all sad inside. I’m making a New Year’s Resolution not to watch Treon Harris be bad at playing quarterback. No, I don’t care that Michigan has improved under Jim Harbaugh – it didn’t improve enough to beat anyone but Northwestern. Jim McElwain will say what a great atmosphere it is, Harbaugh will say something freakishly intense, and then everyone will watch the Fiesta.
29. Penn State vs. Georgia
TaxSlayer Bowl
Jan. 2, Jacksonville, Fla.
Oh, super. Another game when we have to pretend that Christian Hackenberg is supposed to be really good. He’s going to spend most of the game getting pummeled by Georgia Bulldogs, but even so, Penn State has to win this game, right? James Franklin is coaching against an interim head man and a team whose top players are either hurt or trying not to get hurt so they can to the NFL.
28. Louisville vs. Texas A&M
Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl
Dec. 30, Nashville, Tenn.
In theory this should be good. There should be lots of offense with these two coaches. It should be entertaining with all the talent amassed on both sides. It should be … disappointing. Texas A&M fizzled over the last two months of the season as it tried to find itself, while Louisville comes in hot – mainly because it got to play a miserable ACC schedule over the second half of the season. Not sure which team it’s going to be, but this will be the proverbial “one team didn’t look like it wanted to play” bowl.
27. Nevada vs. Colorado State
NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl
Dec. 29, Tucson, Ariz.
26. Nebraska vs. UCLA
Foster Farms Bowl
Dec. 26, Santa Clara, Calif.
Yippee. Three hours of watching Tommy Armstrong finding new ways to throw interceptions vs. an UCLA team full of ultra-talented players who don’t always play like it. Of course, Josh Rosen is the draw, and Nebraska tries really, really hard, even though it’s just a big bag of whatever, but there’s one big problem above all else – this has been an utter disaster of a bowl game over the last three years. The Pac-12 has destroyed its last three opponents, and if it tries, UCLA should crush the 5-7 fighting APRs.
25. Cincinnati vs. San Diego State
Hawaii Bowl
Honolulu, Hawaii, Dec. 24
Work with me on this one – this could be a sneaky-interesting game, mainly because it’s the rare early bowl that matters. The Mountain West needs this. Its champion comes in with one of the nation’s best defenses and a nine-game winning streak, while Cincinnati has a good coaching staff and enough firepower to crank it up if it gets hot early. If the American Athletic wins this, watch how this is spun forward in terms of conference strength.
MORE: Click for the top ten bowl matchup rankings, No. 11 to 20: The Good Ones , No. 31 to 40: Because You Love College Football
24. West Virginia vs. Arizona State
Cactus Bowl
Jan. 2, Tempe, Ariz.
All the signs are there for this to turn into a big-time disaster and a total wash on a big January second full of big games – but it might turn into a gem if the two Os get rolling. Arizona State is playing at home and West Virginia has lost four of its last five bowl games, but both teams have enough firepower to make this a bit of a wild shootout. It’s a guess, but look for the Mountaineers to come in with a big attitude.
23. Memphis vs. Auburn
Birmingham Bowl
Dec. 30, Birmingham, Ala.
Paxton Lynch. That’s the reason to watch, that’s the reason to care. That, and this could be a huge moment for the American Athletic and a Memphis team that already has a big SEC win over Ole Miss to brag about. There should a lot of fire here with Auburn playing a relative home game, but can Lynch look like a franchise NFL passer? He’ll have to overcome his lost head coach to do it.
22. USF vs. Western Kentucky
Miami Beach Bowl
Dec. 21, Miami, Fla.
It’s the Willie Taggart bowl with the USF head man going against the program he helped rise up. WKU is always fun and always entertaining, while South Florida has steadily improved with a nice season and a chance to make a mark. It’s been five years, but the Bulls won three straight bowls before hitting the skids. This WKU’s third bowl ever with the first two – both against Central Michigan – among the best games in the respective bowl seasons. The two teams are going to try.
21. Miami vs. Washington State
Hyundai Sun Bowl
Dec. 26, El Paso, Tex.
This has epic suck potential if Miami isn’t focused without its head coach, but it’s coming in on a run of four wins in its last five games after the loss of Al Golden. Washington State is expected to get Luke Falk back at quarterback after getting time off, and now it’s shootout time. If the Hurricanes show up, expect a wild game.
