I like to do my bowl preview a little differently. I give each bowl a number value 1-40, 40 being the worst bowl. Then from the perspective of a local fan (i.e. a Utah fan living in Salt Lake City) give the chance of me attending. Basically I talk out of my butt like always but it is more fun to write as a fan when it comes to bowl games than really analyze these things. All times central.
December 19th
Gildan New Mexico Bowl – 25
Arizona (6-6, 3-6, Pac 12) vs New Mexico (7-5, 5-3, MTW)
Would I go if Iowa was playing: 2/10
Albuquerque is a fun town…in the right time of year. With their altitude and the mountains, I would be worried about terrible weather. December is their worst month so when the city is pretty pristine the other 11, why waste visiting a great town at the wrong time?
Would I go if I was an Arizona Fan: 3/10
The fact that it is only a six hour drive keeps this from being a 0/10. This Wildcat team flat lined at the end going just 1-4. This team has had a rash of injuries and had a tough schedule but that only partially explains the 6-6 season. There were other issues in play and Rich Rod flirting some with other jobs reflects that.
Would I go if I was a New Mexico Fan: 10/10
The Lobos make their first bowl game in nearly a decade thanks to a strong showing in league play that included wins over Boise State, Air Force, and Utah State. The fact that I don’t have to go anywhere but the home stadium makes this a no brainer.
…So, should we watch on TV: 4/10
I expect Arizona to have a bounce-back next season, especially with Rich Rod recommitting but I’m looking forward to seeing New Mexico. This was a terrible program the last few years so making a bowl is not only surprising but some of the youth involved shows this team may have a bright future. Lamar Jordan, a sophomore qb, leads the Lobos. On the other end of their career, Jhurell Pressley is a solid senior leader at tailback. With Boise taking a step back this year, it is interesting to see who, if anyone, can become a major player in the Mountain West. Why not UNM?
- 1pm, ESPN
Royal Purple Las Vegas Bowl – 6
BYU (9-3, Independent) vs Utah (9-3, 6-3, Pac 12)
Would I go if Iowa was playing: 10/10
I love Vegas
Would I go if I was a BYU fan: 10/10
I love Vegas
Would I go if I was a Utah fan: 10/10
I love Vegas
…So, should we watch on TV: 10/10
Let’s ignore the fact that this is a massive rivalry called The Holy War for just a second and look at the two teams objectively. BYU averages over 37 points per game and Utah has one of the better defenses nationally, sitting at 21.8 points per game – good enough for 31st. Freshman QB Tanner Mangum going against a Pac 12 defense sounds mighty interesting to me. Okay, then you remember that these are bitter rivals who straight up hate each other playing their first ever game on a neutral field and you have one of the best bowls of the season.
- 3:30pm, ABC
Raycom Media Camellia Bowl – 24
Ohio (8-4, 5-3, MAC) vs Appalachian State (10-2, 7-1, Sun Belt)
Would I go if Iowa was playing: 5/10
Montgomery is a great historical city, especially for the Civil Rights Movement. Their December weather is pretty reasonable and the city is a stone’s throw from other interesting places like Mobile, Biloxi and even New Orleans. If you were so inclined, you could create a nice little southern tour for the holidays and catch a ball game.
Would I go if I was an Ohio fan: 5/10
The Bobcats were kind of the hard-luck good team of the MAC this year. An officiating gaffe hurt them mightily in a 3 point loss at Minnesota, a 3 game swoon in the middle of league play gave them no shot to knock off Bowling Green for the division, and a late three game rally locked down a bowl but not greatest bowl. Still, this is a hard working team and Montgomery is better than Athens, Ohio this time of year.
Would I go if I was an Appalachian State fan: 10/10
This is the first bowl game as an FBS member. Historic to say the least. The drive is a doddle at just over 7 hours and Atlanta midway between Boone and Montgomery to stay over in. There’s even a direct flight from the Tri Cities airport to Montgomery according to google so this is super, duper easy for Mountaineers fans to get too!
…So, should we watch on TV: 7/10
Appalachian State was one of the best kept secrets this season. They won 10 games, beat up a couple bowl-bound teams, and their only losses were Clemson and undefeated Sun Belt champ Arkansas State. Now this is where the debate of league talent comes into play. Ohio beat three bowl-bound clubs, including Marshall. The perception is the MAC is much harder, thus the Bobcats are battle tested, thus they should win. I’m curious to see if it plays out that way.
- 5:30pm, ESPN
Cure Bowl – 40
San Jose State (5-7, 4-4, Mountain West) vs Georgia State (6-6, 5-3, Sun Belt)
Would I go if Iowa was playing: 4/10
Orlando is a fun city, especially for families but this is right before the holidays in a very low tier bowl game.
Would I go if I was a San Jose State fan: NO!
This club has lost three of their last four, are under .500, beat just one bowl team on the year, and is technically 4-7 since one of their wins was FCS New Hampshire.
Would I go if I was a Georgia State fan: 7.5/10
It is the first bowl game in school history and Atlanta to Orlando is a very easy flight or a manageable six hour drive. This team did lose to Charlotte and Liberty (yikes) as a part of that awful 2-6 start but won out. However, outside the Southern Georgia win in the finale, the other three wins were over Texas State, South Alabama, and Troy…a combined 12-24.
…So, should we watch on TV: 1/10
Hats off to the Panthers for turning their season around and quarterback Nick Arbuckle having over 4000 passing yards is quite the sexy stat to boast but the dregs of the bowl participants in San Jose State really make this one tough to take in.
- 6pm, CBSSN
R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl – 22
Arkansas State (9-3, 8-0, Sun Belt) vs Louisiana Tech (8-4, 6-2, C-USA)
Would I go if Iowa was playing: 9/10
I love New Orleans. It is one of my absolute favorite cities. I don’t love the idea of playing in a bowl before Christmas, but I can make an exception for the Crescent City. I also love that it is a later start. This game was a 10 am kickoff last year. Yikes!
Would I go if I was an Arkansas State fan: 8.5/10
ASU is playing in their fifth straight bowl game but it is the first one to NOT be the Go Daddy bowl. This new destination is exciting, the team is really good, New Orleans is fun and to get there from Jonesboro is a under a 7 hour drive but for me it would turn into a longer trip since I would stop in Memphis for some BBQ and in Jackson, MS to fuel my history nerdism. Fun road trip.
Would I go if I was a Louisiana Tech fan: 10/10
Under five hour drive? Done and done.
…So, should we watch on TV: 7/10
ASU had a very shaky start going 1-3 with losses to Toledo, Missouri, and smashed by USC. The lone win was over a FCS school. Once in league play they got rolling offensively hitting 40+ points a whopping seven times in eight victories. They eclipsed 50 in their final three games. The only time they failed to score 40 was a 37 point effort against ULL.
Tech on the other hand gave Western Kentucky and Kansas State all they could handle early before settling into a grove in conference play. They flopped miserably against Southern Miss in order to get into the C-USA title game so they may have a chip on their shoulder. Former Florida signal caller Jeff Driskel had a solid season for the Bulldogs.
I don’t really know what to make of this showdown. Tech clearly had the harder schedule and played well in several of those games. They also dominated their bowl last year so maybe Skip Holtz has a solid practice schedule for the post season. Conversely Arkansas State is one of the hottest teams in the nation and were peaking at the right time down the last month of the year in the Sun Belt. It is this mystery that makes it compelling television.
- 8pm, ESPN
Big Ten and Counting 