In the opening year of the College Football Playoff, the Rose Bowl and Sugar Bowl, which will act as the semi-finals are obvious can’t miss games. But if you are wonder what else there is to watch, look no further.
Here’s a list of match-ups taking place this bowl season that you won’t want to miss:
Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic
Baylor vs. Michigan State
The No. 5 Baylor Bears were as close as they could be to making the College Football Playoffs. But, Ohio State got the nod. Now Baylor will have its hands full in what is sure to be a statement game when facing No. 8 Michigan State in the Cotton Bowl. As the nation’s top-scoring offense, Baylor will face a tough Michigan State defense. The Spartans have struggled against top offenses in their games against Oregon and Ohio State – their only two losses this season. But the big question: How will Baylor slow down Michigan State’s offense, who also ranks in the top 10 in scoring this season?
Jan. 1, 2015 at 9:30 a.m. PST on ESPN
Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl
Texas Christian University vs. University of Missouri
There was probably no team more disappointed with the final College Football Playoff rankings than No. 6 TCU. The Horned Frogs were No. 3 in the previous rankings, but dropped three spots last Sunday. So if you’re looking for a game with drama, here it is. On the other side of the field, No. 9 Ole Miss presents a difficult task for TCU. The Rebels held opponents to just 13.8 points per game this season, the best in the nation. After back-to-back wins over Alabama and Texas A&M, many thought the Rebels were one of the best teams in the country. But then they fell apart with consecutive losses against LSU and Auburn. Watch for Ole Miss quarterback Bo Wallace, who is trying to become the first ever Rebel quarterback to start and win three bowl games.
Dec. 31, 2014 at 9:30 a.m. PST on ESPN
Valero Alamo Bowl
UCLA vs. Kansas State
Besides Oregon’s Rose Bowl game, this is one of the more intriguing bowl game involving a Pac-12 program. No. 14 UCLA will hope to move on from its disastrous defeat at the hands of Stanford, which cost it the Pac-12 South title and an invitation to the Pac-12 Championship. UCLA will have to rely on quarterback Brett Hundley in what will very likely be his final game with the Bruins. Kansas State’s season was, if anything, consistent. With three losses on the season to teams either ranked No. 5 or No. 6 at the time, Kansas State missed opportunities to make its name known in the national spotlight. With that said, the Wildcats did beat a No. 11 Oklahoma on the road in a 31-30 nail-biter.
Jan. 2, 2015 at 3:45 p.m. PST on ESPN
Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl
Notre Dame vs. No. 23 LSU
Dec. 30, 2014 at 12 p.m. PST on ESPN
Belk Bowl
No. 13 Georgia vs. No. 21 Louisville
Dec. 30, 2014 3:30 p.m. PST on ESPN
Vizio Fiesta Bowl
No. 20 Boise State vs. No. 10 Arizona
Dec. 31, 2014 at 1 p.m. PST on ESPN
Outback Bowl
No. 19 Auburn vs. No. 18 Wisconsin
Jan. 1, 2015 at 9 a.m. on ESPN2
Follow Andrew Bantly on Twitter @andrewbantly
