It’s the hap-happiest season of all. College Bowl Season began on December 17. There are 42 bowl games featuring 84 teams plus the National Championship Game.
So far, 18 of the games have been played or canceled due to Covid protocols. The bulk of the games is scheduled over the next few days. KillerFrogs has been bringing you previews of all the bowl games.
The next three games to preview are all being played in MLB ballparks – the San Diego Padres’ Petco Park, the Arizona Diamondbacks’ Chase Field, and the New York Yankees’ Yankee Stadium. The last game in this preview is the Cheez-It Bowl, which has moved from Chase Field in Phoenix to the Camping World Stadium in Orlando, one of three bowl games this season to be played in that stadium.
Here’s a preview of some of the games on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week.
San Diego County Credit Union Holiday Bowl: #18 NC State (9-3) vs. UCLA (8-4)
Tuesday, December 28 [FuboTV, 7 p.m. CT, FOX]
Petco Park, San Diego, CA; Line – NC State -2; over/under – 59.5
This is a new venue for this bowl game that has been around for 42 years. The previous stadium was torn down to make room for a new San Diego State University stadium. It’s also the first year this bowl has partnered with the ACC.
For just the second time in program history, NC State is trying to end a season with double-digit wins. Its best season was 2002 when it finished 11-3 when Philip Rivers was their quarterback.
This game features the Wolf Pack’s quarterback Devin Leary vs. the Bruins defense. Leary finished the regular season in the top 10 in the nation for touchdown passes (35), in the top 15 for passing yards (3,443), and only threw five interceptions. The Bruins defense gives up yards, ranking 111th (384.5 total yards per game/260.2 passing).
Guaranteed Rate Bowl: West Virginia (6-6) vs. Minnesota (8-4)
Tuesday, December 28 [FuboTV, 9:15 p.m. CT, ESPN]
Chase Field, Phoenix, AZ; Line – Minnesota – 5; over/under -45
This will be the first-ever meeting between the two schools. Both schools have, though, played in this bowl game. West Virginia is 1-1, last appearing in 2016 with a 43-42 win over Arizona State. Minnesota is 0-3 in this bowl, having last played in it in 2009.
KillerFrogs has written detailed previews of all Big 12 bowl games. Check out the detailed Guaranteed Rate Bowl preview here.
Wasabi Fenway Bowl: SMU (8-4) vs. Virginia (6-6)
This game has been canceled due to Covid-19. It was scheduled for December 29.
New Era Pinstripe Bowl: Virginia Tech (6-6) vs. Maryland (6-6)
Wednesday, December 29 [FuboTV 1:15 p.m. CT, ESPN]
Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY; Line – Maryland – 3.5; over/under – 54.5
These two teams once were rivals in two different conferences, first the former Southern Conference from 1921 to 1950, then later for ten years in the ACC. Maryland holds a 16-15 edge in the series.
After head coach Justin Fuente’s departure, Virginia Tech is being coached by an interim coach. The Holies have hired Brent Fry from Penn State, but he won’t coach the bowl game. Those duties go to associate head coach J.C. Price
Cheez-It Bowl: Iowa State (7-5) vs. #19 Clemson (9-3)
Wednesday, December 29 [FuboTV,4:45 p.m. CT, ESPN]
Camping World Stadium, Orlando, FL; Line – Clemson – 1.5; over/under 44.5
Both of these teams had great expectations when the season first began. Iowa State was looking to capitalize upon their 2020 appearance in the Big 12 Championship Game. They started the season ranked in the Top 10 with hopes of moving up from there. Clemson, a perennial College Football Playoff team, was moving forward after Trevor Lawrence was the number one draft pick in the NFL this year.
KillerFrogs has written detailed previews of all Big 12 bowl games. Check out the detailed Cheez-It Bowl preview here.
Enjoy the next round of College Bowl Season! Additional bowl games will be previewed in future articles.
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