Slim Pickings in Non-Playoff Bowl Lineup

One of The Inside Track's annual services to readers has been our annual college football "Bowl Viewing Guide."

Each year, we research the post-season lineup and recommend which bowl games are worth tuning in for.

This year there are 46 games, including the six bowls included in the College Football Playoff, 35 non-playoff bowls, four first-round playoff games held on the campuses of the higher ranked teams, and the national championship game.

But unfortunately, it's getting harder and harder to recommend many games, even for a guy who spent 15 years as the director of the Diamond Walnut/Emerald/Kraft Fight Hunger/Foster Farms Bowl. 

There are three reasons for this:

1) The expansion of the College Football Playoff to 12 teams and 11 games has made other post-season games seem largely irrelevant.

2) More and more top players are opting to sit out their team's bowl game and prepare for the NFL draft, rather than risk injury by participating. LSU's Leonard Fournette started this trend back in 2016 when he pulled out of the Citrus Bowl, followed by Stanford's Christian McCaffrey skipping the Sun Bowl.

3) More and more players are opting to enter the transfer portal during the early window starting Dec. 9, thereby forfeiting the chance to play in their team's bowl game.

All of this has made my old job as a bowl director much more difficult. These days, an all-too-familiar scenario is when a bowl director puts together an enticing matchup, only to have it go up in smoke when one or more of the "name" players opt out.

But I digress. Back to our "viewing guide."

Our recommended list this year would've begun with Cal vs. UNLV in the Art of LA Bowl Hosted by Gronk on Dec. 18. That is, before Bears' quarterback Fernando Mendoza decided to enter the transfer portal "for the sake of my football future." I think I was as shocked as Cal coach Justin Wilcox by Mendoza's departure.

Somebody must be waving a big stack of money at him.

We also would've recommended Duke vs. Ole Miss in the Gator Bowl on January 2, but then Duke's record-setting quarterback Maalik Murphy entered the portal.

And we would've recommended Army vs. Marshall in the Independence Bowl, but Marshall had to pull out when 27 of its players entered the transfer portal.

Other defections could come, which might adversely affect one of the games I've recommended below.

With those reservations in mind, these are the games we can advise you to check out this year (all times Pacific). Note only seven non-playoff bowls are included.

Friday, December 20

Cure Bowl

Jacksonville State (9-4) vs. Ohio (10-3), 9:00 am, ESPN

Two conference champions--Conference USA's Jacksonville State and the MAC's Ohio--square off in what should be an entertaining, high-scoring game. Both teams will be without their head coaches, as Ohio's Tim Albin has left for Charlotte and Jacksonville's Rich Rodriguez, former head man at West Virginia, Michigan and Arizona, is returning to West Virginia. But the fireworks shouldn't be diminished.

First Round Playoff Game

Indiana (11-1) at Notre Dame (11-1), 5pm, ESPN/ABC

The "Indiana Bowl" matches two high-scoring teams, both also ranked in the top 10 nationally in total defense. Both teams blew out their only common opponent, Purdue (Notre Dame won 66-7 and Indiana won 66-0). Notre Dame's only blemish was an inexplicable loss to Northern Illinois. Indiana's only loss was to Ohio State. Notre Dame QB Riley Leonard has been improving throughout the season, but Indiana coach Curt Cignetti hopes to orchestrate an upset.

Saturday, December 21

First Round Playoff Game

SMU (11-2) at Penn State (11-2), 9am, TNT

Penn State has a huge advantage in this one, playing at home in Happy Valley, but SMU has been under-rated all year long. And Mustang QB Kevin Jennings is an emerging star, directing an offense that averaged 39 points per game. The Nittany Lions scored 37 points and actually outgained Oregon in the Big Ten title game. Expect something along the lines of 37-34.

First Round Playoff Game

Clemson (10-3) at Texas (11-2), 1pm, TNT

The bookmakers have established Texas and Georgia as the most likely teams to win the national title. I'm not a believer in the Longhorns, who conveniently didn't have to play Alabama, Ole Miss, Tennessee or LSU. But Clemson is lucky to be in the playoff at all, thanks to Syracuse's upset of Miami. I like Clemson's quarterback, Cade Klubnik, more than Texas' Quinn Evers. The two quarterbacks met once before, in the 2020 Texas state high school championship, when Klubnik's Westlake team defeated Ewers' Southlake Carroll team, 52-34. 

First Round Playoff Game

Tennessee (10-2) at Ohio State (10-2), 5pm, ESPN/ABC

Ohio State will be favored in this one. Coach Ryan Day has something to prove after the Buckeyes' humiliating loss to Michigan. Tennessee has a stout defense, and should have a field day against Ohio State's depleted offensive line. On the other side, the Buckeyes have the nation's No. 1 defense in total yardage. This should be a close, low scoring affair.

Tuesday, December 24

Hawaii Bowl

San Jose State (7-5) vs. South Florida (6-6), 5:00 pm, ESPN

First year coach Ken Niumatalolo has done a terrific job with the Spartans, who finished the season by beating Stanford 34-31. Wide receiver Nick Nash is one of the best in the country. Nash, a converted quarterback, caught 104 passes for 1382 yards and 16 TDs as the Spartants averaged 326 yards passing per game.

Friday, December 27

Armed Forces Bowl

Oklahoma (6-6) vs. Navy (9-3), 12:30 pm, ESPN

Oklahoma was one of the biggest disappointments of the 2024 season, other than a stunning 24-3 win over Alabama, and Navy was one of the big surprises. We know all the Navy players will be on hand, and it would be great to see the Midshipmen, led by quarterback Blake Horvath, bring down one of the sports heavyweights.

Saturday, December 28

Pop Tarts Bowl

Miami (10-3) vs. Iowa State (10-3), 12:30 pm, ABC

This one will be fun to watch, if only because the game sponsor, Pop Tarts, usually comes up with some creative promotions during the game. I'd be surprised if Miami QB Cam Ward plays in this one, but it still features two top 20 teams with a ton of quality players.

Alamo Bowl

Colorado (9-3) vs. BYU (10-2), 4:30 pm, ABC

The best non-playoff game on the schedule. These two Big 12 powerhouses didn't play in the regular season. We can recommend this one without hesitation as Coach Prime, Deion Sanders, has promised that Colorado's two top stars, his son, quarterback Shedeur Sanders, and Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter, will play in the game. They alone are worth the price of admission.

Tuesday, December 31

Reliaquest Bowl

Alabama (9-3) vs. Michigan (7-5), 9:00 am, ESPN

A rematch of last year's national championship semi-final, so even with a few opt outs, this one will be an interesting contest. Michigan is coming off a stunning victory, as a three touchdown underdog, over Ohio State. Alabama, miffed at being left out of the playoff, will either come deflated or have something to prove. Quarterback Jalen Milroe says all of Bama's stars will play in the game, so that's a good sign.

Citrus Bowl

South Carolina (9-3) vs. Illinois (9-3), noon, ABC

South Carolina was perhaps the hottest team in the country at the end of the season, led by quarterback LaNorris Sellers and coach Shane Beamer (Frank's son). The Gamecocks finished the season by beating Alabama, Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Vanderbilt, Missouri, and Clemson. Sellers, who threw for five TDs against Missouri and rushed for 166 yards against Clemson, is only a freshman, so barring injury he should be in the lineup against the Illini.

Fiesta Bowl, Quarter-Final Playoff Game

No. 3 seed Boise State vs. winner of SMU-Penn State, 4:00 pm, ESPN

Can Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty, our pick for the Heisman, lead his team to an upset win?

Weds. January 1

Peach Bowl, Quarter-Final Playoff Game

No. 4 seed Arizona State vs. winner of Clemson-Texas, 10:00 am, ESPN

Can ASU running back Cam Skattebo, the human wrecking ball, lead his team to an upset win?

Rose Bowl, Quarter-Final Playoff Game

No. 1 seed Oregon vs. winner of Ohio State-Tennessee, 2:00 pm, ESPN

Top seeded Oregon unfortunately has the toughest road to the championship, as the winner of Ohio State-Tennessee will provide a formidable obstacle.

Sugar Bowl, Quarter-Final Playoff Game

No. 2 seed Georgia vs. Notre Dame-Indiana winner, 5:45 pm ESPN

Georgia may be without quarterback Carson Beck, but backup Gunnar Stockton filled in ably against Texas in the SEC Championship game. 

Thursday, January 9

Orange Bowl, Semi-Final Playoff Game, 4:30 pm, ESPN

Friday, January 10

Cotton Bowl, Semi-Final Playoff Game, 4:30 pm ESPN

Monday, January 20

National Championship Game, 4:30 pm, ESPN