By Dave Vest
This season’s NCAA football bowl schedule features 43 games, plus the national title game following the two playoff semifinal matchups (Cotton Bowl and Orange Bowl), which will be played on Dec. 31.
It’s nirvana for hardcore college football fans, but it can be challenging for casual fans and bettors to keep track of all the games and know which ones will be the most fun to watch.
With that in mind, and with a nod to the must-see New Year’s Day bowls and the playoff games, here are five other intriguing bowl games that may not be on your radar (listed in chronological order).
Jimmy Kimmel L.A. Bowl
When: Saturday, Dec. 18, 7:30 p.m. EST
Where: SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif.
TV: ABC
Matchup: Utah State (10-3) vs. Oregon State (7-5)
Saturday can’t come soon enough 🔥 pic.twitter.com/3fYRZ6Ukct
— Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl (@LABowlGame) December 15, 2021
The skinny: This will be the first bowl game played in SoCal’s shiny state-of-the-art football stadium. And hey, with Jimmy Kimmel’s name in the official title of the game, it’s bound to be fun, especially if Kimmel tosses the coin, sings the national anthem, and/or spends some time cracking wise in the broadcast booth.
Line: Oregon State -7.5. Utah State, which won the Mountain West championship, is on a roll and should punctuate a memorable season with an upset win over Oregon State, which went 3-3 over its final six games.
Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl
When: Wednesday, Dec. 22, 8 p.m. EST
Where: Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth, Texas
TV: ESPN
Matchup: Missouri (6-6) vs. Army (8-3)
The Army West Point Black Knights and Missouri Tigers have officially accepted invitations to play in the 2021 Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl. The #BowlForTheBrave will be played on December 22nd at 7:00CT. @MizzouFootball @ArmyWP_Football
— LM Armed Forces Bowl (@ArmedForcesBowl) December 6, 2021
Ticket Link: https://t.co/IqCg8hbaar pic.twitter.com/rIgc7A5FyG
The skinny: This is the only bowl game scheduled on this date. What better reason to watch it, right? If you didn’t get your fill of Army when it played rival Navy on national TV, check the Black Knights out here. They’re a terrific running team that regularly notches around 300 rushing yards per game. Meanwhile, Mizzou is back in a bowl game for the first time in three years.
Line: Army -3. Missouri, which has a terrible run defense, is 3-9 against the spread this season. It’ll be 3-10 after this one.
TicketSmarter Birmingham Bowl
When: Tuesday, Dec. 28, 12 p.m. EST
Where: Protective Stadium in Birmingham, Ala.
TV: ESPN
Matchup: Houston (11-2) vs. Auburn (6-6)
It’s official! No. 20 @UHCougarFB and @AuburnFootball will meet in the 15th @TicketSmarter Birmingham Bowl on Tuesday, Dec. 28 at 11 a.m. CST at the new @ProtectiveStdm. Get your tickets here: https://t.co/NnRjRrpjUT. @AmericanConf @SEC @UHouston @AuburnU pic.twitter.com/fyHmZ2RNLE
— TicketSmarter Birmingham Bowl (@Birmingham_Bowl) December 5, 2021
The skinny: For two schools just 700 miles apart, these teams don’t play each other very often — just six times total, with the last meeting coming way back in 1973. Both teams enter the game following heartbreaking losses – Auburn to hated rival Alabama, and Houston to Cincinnati in the AAC Championship game.
Line: Houston -1.5. The Cougars are slight favorites, based mostly on their record. But Auburn is a much better team, as it showed by giving the No.1 Crimson Tide quite a scare late in the season. Take Auburn.
Valero Alamo Bowl
When: Wednesday, Dec. 29, 9:15 p.m. EET
Where: Alamodome in San Antonio
TV: ESPN
Matchup: Oregon (10-3) vs. Oklahoma (10-2)
Teams are LOCKED IN!
— 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗿𝗼 𝗔𝗹𝗮𝗺𝗼 𝗕𝗼𝘄𝗹 (@valeroalamobowl) December 5, 2021
-The highest ranked matchup among all non-CFP bowl games
-First Valero Alamo Bowl matchup featuring two 10-win teams
Catch the game December 29 @ 8:15 PM CST! pic.twitter.com/6uwXGoFZZw
The skinny: This is the highest-ranked matchup among all non-CFP bowl games. The two “OUs” have both played college football for more than 100 years, but only faced each other seven times. The Sooners won all but one of those games. Both teams will also enter the game with interim coaches, including Bob Stoops coming back to coach this one game for the Sooners.
Line: Oklahoma -1. Don’t be surprised if this game is a pick’em by the time it kicks off. It should be. These teams are evenly matched. Take your pick.
Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl
When: Thursday, Dec. 30, 7 p.m. EST
Where: Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta
TV: ESPN
Matchup: Pittsburgh (11-2) vs. Michigan State (10-2)
𝐖𝐄'𝐕𝐄 𝐆𝐎𝐓 𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐓𝐄𝐀𝐌𝐒 🙌
— Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl (@CFAPeachBowl) December 5, 2021
#12 @Pitt_FB vs #10 @MSU_Football 🏈#CFAPeachBowl pic.twitter.com/zr5OU5neqJ
The skinny: Michigan State finished No. 10 in the final College Football Playoff rankings while Pittsburgh was No. 12. The Panthers are coached by former Michigan State defensive coordinator Pat Narduzzi, who is in his seventh season at Pitt. Michigan State running back Kenneth Walker III has 1,636 rushing yards, which ranks second in the nation.
Line: Pittsburgh -4. Pitt’s offense, led by quarterback/NFL prospect Kenny Pickett, ranks fifth in the nation in total offense (502.9 yards per game). Look for him, and the first-time ACC champs, to shine in the national spotlight.
Picture Credit: Wikimedia
