Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: RSS
Beginning this Saturday, December 16, it’s time to begin the annual 2 ½ week dash to the finish line called the college football bowl season. An incredible 82 of the 133 FBS teams will see action during these 41 bowl games.
It begins this Saturday with six games in just one day! The early match-ups primarily feature teams fortunate to be playing one extra game.
The bowl season concludes on January 1, 2024 with two games involving the four teams selected by the high and mighty College Football Playoff committee to play in the national semifinal games. Those two winners will face off for the championship game a week later on January 8.
Yes, I’m still upset about Florida State being left out of the Final Four!
If you are fan of 13-0 ACC champion Florida State, your SwampSwami has already suggested that you should NOT WATCH the two national semifinal games on January 1 or the finals on January 8.
It’s the least we can do to remind ESPN and its influence over the playoff committee that every game matters. Two 12-1 teams (Texas and Alabama) were selected ahead of 13-0 Florida State.
No, I am not “over it”. I won’t watch those two games nor report on them afterwards. I believe that Texas and Alabama have terrific teams. It wouldn’t surprise me if the Longhorns and Crimson Tide meet again in a rematch for the national title if Texas downs 13-0 Washington and Bama beats #1 seed 13-0 Michigan.
Florida State was railroaded out of this year’s final four strictly because Alabama will likely bring a few million additional viewers to watch ESPN’s hour of ads during their national semifinal game with Michigan.
Shame on you, Paul Finebaum!
I listened to Paul Finebaum (SEC Network) last week as he defended the CFP committee’s choice of Alabama. He told more than one caller that the money to be paid to each team was “already in the bank” so it didn’t matter which teams were selected for the field.
For each of the four teams selected, that is absolutely true! The annual payment to be made to each team was already part of the current television agreement which Finebaum’s employer (ESPN) negotiated with the College Football Playoff group.
However…
ESPN’s bank account will be fattened by the CFP committee’s choice of 12-1 Alabama over 13-0 Florida State for the fourth and final spot in this year’s playoffs. Alabama’s national name recognition and fan base will insure millions more Bama viewers (those who love the Crimson Tide and those who don’t) will watch the game rather than if Florida State had been playing Michigan.
Yes, ESPN took a risk with their contract to guarantee so much money to broadcast these games. Getting Alabama into this year’s playoff games, though, means significantly more viewers and ad revenue for ESPN to recapture their huge investment costs and still turn a nifty profit.
Florida State fans need to give ESPN’s national semifinal games and championship the Tomahawk Chop!
Simply don’t watch those three games. Send ESPN and its sponsors a resounding message!
Your SwampSwamiSports.com 2023 Bowl Game TV viewing guide is ready!
After the regular season ended, I have ranked all 133 FBS college football teams based on their number of wins and their win over the team which has the best record this season. If your office has a holiday contest to select the winners of the bowl games, this is your lucky day!
Here are the five closest match-ups (all team rankings via SwampSwamiSports.com)
1. Peach Bowl (Sat. Dec 30) – #17 Ole Miss (10-2) vs. #18 Penn State (10-2)
An SEC offensive powerhouse goes against a solid defensive team from the Big Ten.
2. Boca Raton Bowl (Thurs Dec 21) – #77 South Florida (6-6) vs. #78 Syracuse (6-6)
Neither squad beat a team with a winning record in 2023. A battle of equally lousy teams!
3. Gasparilla Bowl (Fri. Dec 22) – #63 UCF (6-6) vs. #65 Georgia Tech (6-6)
UCF beat Oklahoma State (9-4) this year, while the Yellow Jackets beat 8-4 N. Carolina.
4. Independence Bowl (Sat. Dec 16) – #64 Texas Tech (6-6) vs. #67 California (6-6)
Shreveport’s bowl game since the US bicentennial year of 1976! The Red Raiders upended 8-4 Kansas and should have the edge here
5. Guaranteed Rate Bowl (Tues. Dec 26) – #30 UNLV (9-4) vs. #33 Kansas (8-4)
The Runnin’ Rebs won at 8-4 Air Force while KU beat 10-2 Oklahoma in Lawrence, KS!
Looking for the biggest mismatches? Check out these five games!
1. Fenway Bowl (Thurs Dec 28) – #10 SMU (10-2) vs. #73 Boston College (6-6)
Sure, BC is playing in their home town of Boston. However, they were 6-6 for good reason.
2. Military Bowl (Weds Dec 27) – #13 Tulane (11-2) vs. #72 Virginia Tech (6-6)
This game is played in Maryland, so the Hokies should bring more fans. It won’t help.
3. Myrtle Beach Bowl (Sat Dec 16) – #26 Ohio U. (9-3) vs. #71 Georgia Southern (6-6)
Georgia Southern fans make this a home game, but Ohio U. is on a four game winning streak.
4. ReliaQuest Bowl (Mon. Jan 1) – #22 LSU (9-3) vs. #57 Wisconsin (7-5)
Warning – LSU’s Heisman winner, Jayden Daniels, likely won’t play. LSU should still win.
5. Frisco Bowl (Tues. Dec 19) – #42 UT-San Antonio (8-4) vs. #76 Marshall (6-6)
UTSA will bring thousands of San Antonio fans and turn this game into a true Texas fiesta!
SwampSwami’s Top 5 (+1) Personal Picks for Bowl Viewing:
1. Cotton Bowl (Fri. Dec 29) – #9 Ohio State (11-1) vs. #19 Missouri (10-2)
These are two teams with something to prove. It’s Big Ten vs. SEC, too. Let’s go!
2. Alamo Bowl (Thurs. Dec 28) – #16 Oklahoma (10-2) vs. #25 Arizona (9-3)
OU gave Texas its only loss this season. The Wildcats arrive in San Antonio with a six game winning streak.
3. Pop-Tarts Bowl (Thurs. Dec 28) – #24 NC State (9-3) vs. #32 Kansas State (8-4)
This “tasty” ACC vs. Big 12 match-up is likely to feature a lot of scoring to keep you awake!
4. New Mexico Bowl (Sat. Dec 16) – #28 New Mexico State (10-4) vs. #34 Fresno St. (8-4)
The Aggies’ defense allows only 21 points/game, while Fresno’s offense scores 30 per game.
5. Armed Services Bowl (Sat. Dec 23) – #8 James Madison (11-1) vs. #37 Air Force (8-4)
The Dukes go bowling for the first time as they meet a run-happy Air Force team in Fort Worth.
Special Added Bonus – The “We Both Hate the College Football Playoff Committee” Grudge Match
6. Orange Bowl (Tues. Jan 1) – #3 Florida State (13-0) vs. #7 Georgia (12-1)
Unbeaten ACC champ Florida State plays SEC titan Georgia. Both teams have something to prove to the CFP committee in this game.
Below is the complete listing of all 41 college football bowl games for your 2023 holiday viewing.
Get your popcorn ready and keep your Visine handy, too. Enjoy the games!
