College football bowl game rankings: The 35 postseason matchups from best to worst

The bowl season is upon us, college football fans. Now that we know who is playing whom and where, it’s time for our annual attempt to rank the entire slate of postseason pairings by watchability.

We’ll begin with a couple of stipulations. First, we’ll operate under the assumption that all the first-round playoff games, as well as the quarterfinal and semifinal bowl contests, will be appointment viewing anyway, so they won’t be included in this exercise. We’ll also add that while some matchups look attractive in terms of records and rankings, whether the games will turn out to be good hinges upon which key players actually show up. We also recognize that your interest in a particular game might differ based upon your rooting interest.

Bearing all that in mind, we’ll try to put these in order of what we think will have the highest entertainment value, but circumstances can change before the games kick off. Without further ado then, here’s our watchability rankings for all 35 non-playoff bowls.

1. Pop-Tarts Bowl - No. 16 Miami (Fla.) vs. No. 19 Iowa State

Date, time, TV: Dec. 28, 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC. Location: Orlando, Fla.

Giant toaster gimmicks aside, this is a really nice matchup of teams that can score a lot of points – and give up a lot. As long as the key contributors take part, notably Hurricanes quarterback Cam Ward, this could be great fun.

2. Alamo Bowl - No. 17 Brigham Young vs. No. 22 Colorado

Date, time, TV: Dec. 28, 7:30 p.m. ET, ABC. Location: San Antonio, Texas.

Had a few tiebreakers lined up differently this could have been the Big 12 championship game. As it is, it’s a high-profile pairing that should have nearly full participation from both teams. That means both Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter playing their final game for the Buffaloes.

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3. Citrus Bowl - No. 14 South Carolina vs. No. 21 Illinois

Date, time, TV: Dec. 31, 3 p.m. ET, ABC. Location: Orlando, Fla.

The Gamecocks were significantly closer to being in the playoff conversation than the Fighting Illini, who handled the bulk of their schedule but came up short against the best of the best in the Big Ten. The big plays in the game might come on the ground, but there’s nothing wrong with that.

4. Cure Bowl - Jacksonville State vs. Ohio

Date, time, TV: Dec. 20, noon ET, ESPN. Location: Orlando, Fla.

The other pairing of Group of Five conference champions highlights the early portion of the bowl slate. It could be another run-heavy affair with both teams featuring dual-threat quarterbacks - Logan Smothers for the Gamecocks and Parker Navarro for the Bobcats.

5. Birmingham Bowl - Georgia Tech vs. Vanderbilt

Date, time, TV: Dec. 27, 3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN. Location: Birmingham, Ala.

There’s a lot to like about this pairing of teams that enjoyed being playoff spoilers at various points during the season. The play calling should again be somewhat heavy on running, but again that hardly means there won’t be offensive fireworks.

6. Music City Bowl - No. 20 Missouri vs. Iowa

Date, time, TV: Dec. 30, 2:30 p.m. ET, ESPN. Location: Nashville, Tenn.

There’s a certain fascination that comes with watching Iowa football as the Hawkeyes pride themselves on finding non-traditional ways to win. Unfortunately, a lot of the star power on both teams will be missing due to NFL draft opt-outs, but it shouldn’t lack for intensity.

7. ReliaQuest Bowl - No. 11 Alabama vs. Michigan

Date, time, TV: Dec. 31, noon ET, ESPN. Location: Tampa, Fla.

One might expect a rematch of a playoff game from a year ago to be higher on the list, though clearly a lot has changed at both programs since. The Wolverines’ decline was more precipitous than the Crimson Tide’s ebb, but both teams own victories against playoff teams, so clearly there is still enough roster talent to give us a quality contest.

8. Liberty Bowl - Arkansas vs. Texas Tech

Date, time, TV: Dec. 27, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN. Location: Memphis, Tenn.

Several realignment cycles ago this would have been a conference game. It has entertainment potential now, though the latter half of the campaign did not go well for the Razorbacks.

9. Military Bowl - East Carolina vs. North Carolina State

Date, time, TV: Dec. 28, 5:45 p.m. ET, ESPN. Location: Annapolis, Md.

The Wolfpack started as an ACC contender and managed to reach the postseason with a defeat of North Carolina in their final game. They'll face the Pirates, who rallied after making a coaching change with a four-game win streak that got them to the postseason.

10. Sun Bowl - Louisville vs. Washington

Date, time, TV: Dec. 31, 2 p.m. ET, CBS. Location: El Paso, Texas.

The Cardinals were a few plays away from possibly playing for the ACC title. They’ll be a lot farther from home for this date with the Huskies, whose first trip through the Big Ten was a struggle at times.

11. Hawaii Bowl - San Jose State vs. South Florida

Date, time, TV: Dec. 24, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN. Location: Honolulu

There are worse ways to pass the time on Christmas Eve. Neither of these teams were able to hang with the top finishers in their respective leagues but were happy to accept this holiday trip to the islands.

12. LA Bowl - No. 24 UNLV vs. California

Date, time, TV: Dec. 18, 9 p.m. ET, ESPN. Location: Inglewood, Calif.

UNLV’s coach and Cal’s quarterback are among the key departures hurting the attractiveness of this matchup. All parties who are still around might be auditioning for future roles with the programs, however, so hopefully the game will deliver.

13. Texas Bowl - Baylor vs. LSU

Date, time, TV: Dec. 31, 3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN. Location: Houston.

Both teams had loftier goals at the start of the season, so the level of interest will be hard to gauge. In theory the Tigers should have the edge in offensive talent, but the Bears come in on a six-game winning streak.

14. GameAbove Sports Bowl - Pittsburgh vs. Toledo

Date, time, TV: Dec. 26, 2 p.m. ET, ESPN. Location: Detroit.

It was a tale of two seasons for the Panthers, who went from ACC title contenders with a 7-0 start to bust of the year candidates with a finishing five-game skid. The Rockets didn’t win the MAC but beat Mississippi State earlier, so the opportunity for a second power-four win is on the table.

15. Armed Forces Bowl - Navy vs. Oklahoma

Date, time, TV: Dec. 27, noon ET, ESPN. Location: Fort Worth, Texas.

Aside from ruining things for Alabama, the Sooners’ first ride through the SEC was quite bumpy. Preparing against an academy option attack is always a challenge, and the Midshipmen could make a game of it as long as they don’t put the ball on the turf.

16. Idaho Potato Bowl - Fresno State vs. Northern Illinois

Date, time, TV: Dec. 23, 2:30 p.m. ET, ESPN. Location: Boise, Idaho.

Though both teams have some nice wins, especially the Huskies’ memorable takedown of Notre Dame, the campaign overall was a disappointment. The Bulldogs will be much closer to home, and the Northern Illinois offense bogged down at times in MAC competition.

17. Duke’s Mayo Bowl - Minnesota vs. Virginia Tech

Date, time, TV: Jan. 3, 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN. Location: Charlotte, N.C.

There’s mismatch potential here; the Golden Gophers have better wins while the Hokies had to snap a three-game November losing streak just to qualify. On the other hand, if you want to see a coach get a tub of mayonnaise dumped on his head, by all means stick around for the end.

18. Pinstripe Bowl - Boston College vs. Nebraska

Date, time, TV: Dec. 28, noon ET, ABC. Location: Bronx, N.Y.

Our long national nightmare is over as the Cornhuskers’ bowl drought has ended. A cold-weather game against a team from not so far away, however, might not make for the best experience.

19. Rate Bowl - Kansas State vs. Rutgers

Date, time, TV: Dec. 26, 5:30 p.m. ET, ESPN. Location: Phoenix.

The Wildcats had aspirations of finishing closer to the top in the Big 12, so their level of motivation here is hard to determine. The Scarlet Knights are seeking a second consecutive bowl victory.

20. Myrtle Beach Bowl - Coastal Carolina vs. Texas-San Antonio

Date, time, TV: Dec. 23, 11 a.m. ET, ESPN. Location: Conway, S.C.

The Chanticleers get what amounts to an additional home game despite taking a step back in the Sun Belt standings. The Roadrunners’ campaign in the American Athletic didn’t go as hoped, either, so who will come to play is very much in question.

21. Boca Raton Bowl - James Madison vs. Western Kentucky

Date, time, TV: Dec. 18, 5:30 p.m. ET, ESPN. Location: Boca Raton, Fla.

The Dukes came back to earth in Sun Belt play following a splashy non-conference win at North Carolina. The Hilltoppers might not have their hearts in this one after absorbing a severe beatdown in the C-USA finale.

22. Salute to Veterans Bowl - South Alabama vs. Western Michigan

Date, time, TV: Dec. 14, 9 p.m. ET, ESPN. Location: Montgomery, Ala.

Other than the distinction of being the first bowl game of the season, there’s little to recommend this encounter between 6-6 teams. Curiously, both teams lost on the road against the opposing league’s eventual champion.

23. First Responder Bowl - North Texas vs. Texas State

Date, time, TV: Jan. 3, 4 p.m. ET, ESPN. Location: Dallas.

This one figures to be overshadowed during the runup to semifinal week, though it’s a solid pairing that could generate some interest among the Lone Star State’s most devoted football followers. Both are capable of putting up a big score, though both have endured off days as well.

24. Holiday Bowl in San Diego - No. 25 Syracuse vs. Washington State

Date, time, TV: Dec. 27, 8 p.m. ET, Fox. Location: San Diego.

A few weeks ago this matchup had Top 25 potential. But while the Orange ended the year strong, the Cougars limped to the finish line with three consecutive losses and lost offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle to Oklahoma.

25. Arizona Bowl - Colorado State vs. Miami (Ohio)

Date, time, TV: Dec. 28, 4:30 p.m. ET, The CW. Location: Tucson, Ariz.

These aren’t the flashiest of teams, though the RedHawks should be credited for overcoming a 1-4 start to reach the MAC championship game. The Rams’ late loss at Fresno State cost them a shot at the Mountain West title game, but they’re happy to be bowling for the first time since 2017.

26. Frisco Bowl - No. 22 Memphis vs. West Virginia

Date, time, TV: Dec. 17, 9 p.m. ET, ESPN. Location: Frisco, Texas.

The Tigers made a late push to rejoin the Top 25 that included a Thanksgiving defeat of Tulane, while the Mountaineers are in a coaching transition. As such, this might be a case of one side having a point to prove while the other has checked out.

27. Gasparilla Bowl - Florida vs. Tulane

Date, time, TV: Dec. 20, 3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN. Location: Tampa, Fla.

The matchup here is a lot less attractive than the records might indicate. The Green Wave’s promising year wound up in a series of disappointments including transfer exits, while the Gators made a surprising push late and will now look to carry that momentum into the offseason.

28. New Orleans Bowl - Georgia Southern vs. Sam Houston State

Date, time, TV: Dec. 19, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN2. Location: New Orleans.

We might actually be giving this one short shrift. The Bearkats are bowling for the first time since moving up from the FCS ranks and will be fully engaged against the Eagles, a long-time former FCS power in their own right.

29. Las Vegas Bowl - Southern California vs. Texas A&M

Date, time, TV: Dec. 27, 10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN. Location: Las Vegas.

One might expect to see a meeting of name-brand programs higher on the list, but neither team is delighted to be here. For what it’s worth the Aggies were in the SEC mix longer, but both are capable of turning in a dud of a performance.

30. 68 Ventures Bowl -Arkansas State vs. Bowling Green

Date, time, TV: Dec. 26, 9 p.m. ET, ESPN. Location: Mobile, Ala.

Unless you happen to have ties to one of the institutions, this probably won’t move the needle for you. The Falcons at least gave some good teams a run for their money, while the RedWolves were on the short end of several blowouts.

31. New Mexico Bowl - TCU vs. Louisiana-Lafayette

Date, time, TV: Dec. 28, 2:15 p.m. ET, ESPN. Location: Albuquerque.

A strong season for the Ragin’ Cajuns landed with a thud in the Sun Belt championship game. The Horned Frogs probably aren’t delighted to be here, either, but we’ll hope the game is a pleasant surprise.

32. Gator Bowl - No. 15 Mississippi vs. Duke

Date, time, TV: Jan. 2, 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN. Location: Jacksonville, Fla.

The portal giveth and taketh away for the Blue Devils with QB Maalik Murphy on the move, but unfortunately the arrivals won’t be able to replace the departures for this game. For their part, the Rebels’ key hands are expected to play making a rout in seem somewhat inevitable.

33. Bahamas Bowl - Buffalo vs. Liberty

Date, time, TV: Jan. 4, 11 a.m. ET, ESPN. Location: Nassau, Bahamas.

You’d certainly rather be in the Bahamas than in Buffalo at this time of year, and the Bulls earned this trip by winning their last four games. The destination might be a bit of a comedown for the Flames, who were in the Fiesta Bowl a year ago and will be without quarterback Kaidon Salter.

34. Fenway Bowl - Connecticut vs. North Carolina

Date, time, TV: Dec. 28, 11 a.m. ET, ESPN. Location: Boston.

There’s a slight curiosity factor with the Tar Heels as they embark on their new era with a splashy coaching hire. But Bill Belichick won't be on the sideline and on the busiest day of the bowl season, this matchup better suited to hardwood looks quite skippable.

35. Independence Bowl - No. 18 Army vs. Louisiana Tech

Date, time, TV: Dec. 28, 9:15 p.m. ET, ESPN. Location: Shreveport, La.

This was to be one of the two non-playoff contests matching conference champions before Marshall was forced out due to too many deflections in the transfer portal after the departure of coach Charles Huff. Louisiana Tech - a local replacement - got the call to step in. It will have been a busy month for the Black Knights by the time they get to this game, so it’s fair to wonder how much they’ll have left in the tank.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: College football bowl games ranked: All 35 listed from best to worst