Well, we’ve finally made it to the end of the year! We’re almost to the bowls that people actually care about, but first we’ve got to wade through a couple days of games that all sound the same, featuring match-ups we wouldn’t watch if the end of the college football season weren’t so frighteningly imminent.
Monday
11:45a
Armed Forces Bowl: Middle Tennessee vs. Navy. The Armed Forces Bowl is different from the Military Bowl, I guess. I mean, it at least has an actual service academy playing in it, even though that’s not a requirement. I’m so confused. (ESPN)
3:15p
Music City Bowl: Georgia Tech vs. Mississippi. Keep an eye on whoever takes home MVP honors in this game. They’ll most likely end up playing for a terrible NFL team, like former winners Jason Campbell, Zac Stacy, C.J. Spiller, and William Green. (ESPN)
6:45p
Alamo Bowl: Oregon vs. Texas. The first time these two played was early December, 1941. The Longhorns thrashed the Ducks 71-7. Texas kicked Oregon around a few more times in the mid-twentieth century, before dropping the 2000 Holiday Bowl to the boys from Eugene. Can the ducks keep their mediocre mid-tier magic alive this year? Obligatory Program Cover Art. (ESPN)
10:15p
Holiday Bowl: Arizona State vs. Texas Tech. Head coaches Todd Graham and Kliff Kingsbury have faced off before. As an offensive assistant at Houston, Kingsbury had a hand in the 70-30 beatdown of Graham’s 2008 Tulsa team. They split the next two meetings (both razor-close) before their coaching paths diverged. Tonight, they meet again. Will Graham finally avenge that humiliating defeat or will he be out-handsomed once more? (ESPN)
Tuesday
12:30p
Independence Bowl: Arizona vs. Boston College. When the Wildcats and Eagles face off, you know it’s Arizona and Boston College getting together. Or Kentucky and Eastern Michigan. Or Northwestern and Southern Mississippi. Or Kansas State and Eastern Washington. Or Bethune-Cookman and Georgia Southern. Or Villanova and Morehead State. (ESPN)
2:00p
Sun Bowl: UCLA vs. Virginia Tech. A Bruin is a bear. A Hokie is a made up word, but apparently they’ve decided it’s some kind of turkey. So here you go: Turkey Bear. (CBS)
4:00p
Liberty Bowl: Mississippi State vs. Rice. No, the Liberty Bowl is not the Independence Bowl. Nor is it the Freedom Bowl, which existed for a little while in the ’90s, before folding into the Holiday Bowl. Nor is it the Emancipation Bowl, the Autonomy Bowl or the Sovereignty Bowl. Seriously, how many bowls are there? (ESPN)
8:00p
Peach Bowl: Duke vs. Texas A&M. It’s the last hurrah for Johnny Football, who is probably going to put up about a zillion yards on the Blue Devils’ 71st-ranked pass defense in what is essentially his Pro Day. (ESPN)
Leave a Reply