The Bowl Games That You Should Watch.

It’s that wonderful time of the season, where there is a college football game on TV, almost every single day for 3 weeks.

IT’S BOWL SEASON!!!

It’s a “reward” for players, coaches and teams, for their hard work and having a winning record for the season.

Thousands of dollars’ worth of free swag, guided tours, free hotels, free food, just all kinds of goodies.

It’s also the final time, that players can put their skills on film for the NFL College Scouts, who flock to these games.

There are 43 Bowl Games this year, starting on December 16th with the Myrtle Beach Bowl, and ending with the National Championship Game on January 8th.

With so many bowls to choose from, and so little time, I’m going to tell you which bowls you should watch.

I’m NOT including the National Championship Game or the College Football Playoff Semi-Final Games.

Those are just givens, come on now.

Game One.

• The Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic.

#7 Ohio State Buckeyes (11-1) vs #9 Missouri Tigers (10-2).
Friday, December 29th.
Game starts at 8:00 PM (EST) on ESPN.

This is the first time, these two programs will have met in a postseason game. Ohio State and Missouri have played each other 10 previous times, with the Buckeyes holding a 9-1 lead in the series.

There is a lot of uncertainty in this game, especially on the Ohio State side.

Starting QB Kyle McCord announced that he’s entered the transfer portal, early Monday morning. Star WR Marvin Harrison Jr very well might opt-out of playing, so that he can prepare for the upcoming NFL Draft and avoid any possible injuries.

He’s not the only one either. Fellow WR Emeka Egbuka could also sit out. As well as HB Tre’Veyon Henderson, DE’s J.T. Tuimoloau and Jack Sawyer, DTs Ty Hamilton and Michael Hall Jr, LBs Tommy Eichenburg and Steele Chambers, and CB Denzel Burke. All of whom, have a chance to be drafted.

Missouri has a great offense with talent at all positions. QB Brady Cook has thrown for 3,189 yards, with 20 TDs and 6 INTs. HB Cody Schrader ran for 1,489 yards, with 13 TDs and averages 6 yards per carry. WR Luther Burden, who is a semi-finalist for the Biletnikoff Award, has 83 catches, for 1,197 yards, with 8 TDs.

Ohio State could have as much as 50% of their starting players not even play, and have those new players go up against a battle tested Missouri Tigers team. Their only 2 losses were to #6 Georgia and #13 LSU.

Game Two.

• Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl.

#16 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (9-3) vs #19 Oregon State Beavers (8-4).
Friday, December 29th.
Game starts at 2 PM (EST) on CBS.

For two teams that came into the season with hopes of making a run at the College Football Playoff, this might be a bit of a letdown.

The Fighting Irish and the Beavers have only faced off against each other on two occasions. Both times just happened to be in a postseason bowl game.

The first time was the 2001 Fiesta Bowl. Oregon State put an absolute beatdown on Notre Dame, winning 41-9. The second meeting in the 2004 Insight Bowl, was a closer contest, but the Beavers once again beat the Fighting Irish 38-21. That was the final game for Irish HC Tyrone Willingham, as he was fired afterwards.

Oregon State comes into this game without their Head Coach, as Jonathan Smith has taken the HC job at Michigan State. Beavers DC Trent Bray has been promoted and will coach them in the game. Starting QB D.J. Uiagalelei has entered the transfer portal and has already said that he will not play in the game.

The best news so far for Notre Dame, is that (as of this writing) QB Sam Hartman is going to play. Hartman transferred to ND and played well. He threw for 2,689 yards, with 24 TDs and 8 INTs. Fighting Irish HB Audric Estime might sit out and go pro or transfer. He ran for 1,341 yards and 18 TDs this season.

Game Three.

Valero Alamo Bowl.

#12 Oklahoma Sooners (10-2) vs #14 Arizona Wildcats (9-3).
Thursday, December 28th.
Game starts at 9:15 PM (EST) on ESPN.

If you like offense, boy howdy, you got it. Both these teams can put points quick, fast and in a hurry.

Oklahoma had high hopes coming into the season. They thought that they could not only win the Big 12, but possibly get to the College Football Playoffs. The Sooners are coming into this game with something to prove. Led by QB Dillion Gabriel threw for 3,660 yards, with 30 TDs and 6 INTs.

NOBODY, not even I, foresaw the Arizona Wildcats taking off like they did. Led by freshman QB Noah Fifita, who threw for 2,515 yards, with 23 TDs and 5 INTs, and sophomore LB Jacob Manu, who had 97 tackles, 6.5 sacks, and 1 INTs. The future is looking bright for the football program down there in Tucson.

Honorable Mention.

For the FIRST TIME IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL HISTORY, a team in their first year of playing at the FBS level, is playing in a bowl game.

The James Madison Dukes (11-1) will be playing in the Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl against Air Force (8-4). Game starts at 3:30 PM (EST) on CBS.

Overall, this is a really good college football bowl season. It was not easy to narrow it down to only three games.

– by Sean McKenzie

Photos courtesy of…..SEC, SunBowl, sportslogo.

Stats, records, and information courtesy of…..ESPN, SI, Athlon Sports.