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The great thing about college football’s expanded 12-team Playoff is that it will finally give us a true national championship. The only downside is that it has made the rest of the bowl lineup even more irrelevant than it was under the old 4-team format.
It feels like only a matter of time before most if not all non-Playoff postseason go the way of the leather helmet and dropkick, and are relegated to the history books.
That would be a shame.
Because even with all the opt-outs and nothing really at stake, there’s still something special about spending the week between Christmas and New Year’s parked in front of the television watching wall-to-wall football.
With that in mind, here’s 1 good reason to tune in and care about each of those “other” 11 bowl games involving ACC teams:
LA Bowl: Cal vs. UNLV – Why are the Bears favored?
When: 9 pm, Wednesday, Dec. 18
Cal finished the regular season 6-6, tied for 14th in the ACC. UNLV went 10-3, is ranked 24th and came within a win against Boise State in the Mountain West Championship Game from being in the College Football Playoff. The Rebels are averaging 10 points a game more than the Bears and Cal’s quarterback Fernando Mendoza has entered the transfer portal. So why is Cal a 1.5-point favorite, according to ESPNBet sportsbook? Maybe it’s because UNLV will be without coach Barry Odom, who has moved on to Purdue. Maybe it’s because the Bears are among the nation’s leaders with 22 takeaways. Or because the Rebels lost to the only ACC team they faced this season, Syracuse. The only certainty is that with Rob Gronkowski hosting the game, at least the show promises to be entertaining. Whether the game itself is or not.
GameAbove Sports Bowl: Pitt vs. Toledo – Someone is going to have a happy ending
When: 2 pm, Thursday, Dec. 26
Both teams started strong. The Panthers were 7-0 and ranked 18th in the first Playoff rankings. The Rockets put a 41-17 beatdown on Mississippi State in Starkvegas and were on the verge of a MAC Championship Game berth. Both teams, however, stumbled to the finish line. Pitt comes into the postseason on a 5-game losing streak. Toledo cost itself a title shot by losing its last 2. So something’s got to give. The Panthers’ chances of leaving on a high note will likely depend on the availability of quarterback Eli Holstein and running back Desmond Reid, both of whom were injured in the regular season finale against Boston College.
Birmingham Bowl: Georgia Tech vs. Vanderbilt – The Haynes King-Diego Pavia Show
When: 3:30 pm, Friday, Dec. 27
Georgia Tech and Vanderbilt might not move the needle of national attention. But because of their dynamic dual-threat quarterbacks, their battle in Birmingham promises to be one of the better, more entertaining non-Playoff matchups of the bowl season. Even with an injured throwing arm, King engineered an upset of Miami and pushed Georgia to the brink in an epic 8-overtime struggle. Pavia is a human highlight reel whose running and passing almost singlehandedly took down Alabama in a victory that went a long way to keeping the Crimson Tide out of the Playoff.
Holiday Bowl: No. 21 Syracuse vs. Washington State – A fully-loaded Orange
When: 8 p,. Friday, Dec. 27
Opt-outs might be the norm in college football this time of year. Not at Syracuse, though. Asked about the availability of his top players for the Holiday Bowl, coach Fran Brown answered defiantly that “We don’t opt out around here. We play football.” That means the team that averaged 34 points per game, won 9 times and knocked Miami out of the Playoff will be virtually intact for its game against Washington State. Including Kyle McCord, the ACC’s leading passer, who has already acknowledged his intention to play
Fenway Bowl: North Carolina vs. UConn – Maybe they’ll play basketball
When: 11 am, Saturday, Dec. 28
Forget those Saturday morning cartoons. It will be worth waking up early to check out a postseason college football game played in a storied baseball stadium involving 2 teams better known for basketball. One of which just hired the most successful coach in NFL history, who by coincidence, earned his 6 Super Bowl rings with a team from New England.
Pinstripe Bowl: Boston College vs. Nebraska – Eight would be great for the Eagles
When: Noon, Saturday, Dec, 28
The Eagles have already won 7 games and are guaranteed of a winning record. So win or lose, Bill O’Brien’s debut season has been a successful one. But there’s still more that can be accomplished. BC hasn’t won more than 7 games in a season since going 8-4 in 2009. Fifteen years and 3 coaches ago. Its opponent, meanwhile, hasn’t played in a bowl game – let alone won one – since 2016. Their appearance in the Bronx ends the nation’s longest postseason drought. The Eagles’ chances against the Cornhuskers will be enhanced if ACC Defensive Player of the Year Donovan Ezeiruaku and his 16.5 sacks decides to play.
Pop-Tarts Bowl: No. 13 Miami vs. No. 18 Iowa State – One last chance to see Cam Ward cook in a Hurricanes uniform
When: 3:30 pm, Saturday, Dec. 28
Maybe it’s the chance to take a few bites off a giant, animated toaster pastry. Or maybe the Heisman finalist just loves playing football and his teammates enough to put them ahead of his NFL Draft prospects. Whatever the reason, Ward has bucked the trend of top prospects opting out of bowl games by announcing his intention to play against the Cyclones. And we’re all the winners regardless of the game’s outcome. His presence in the lineup will help make this matchup between one of the last teams out of the Playoff bracket and a team that fell 1 game short of winning its way in one of the most competitive of the non-Playoff bowl season.
Military Bowl: NC State vs. East Carolina – The Hatfields against the McCoys
When: 5:45 pm, Saturday, Dec. 28
You know how the folks at North Carolina don’t fully embrace State as their rival, even though the Wolfpack approach games against the Tar Heels as though they’re a matter of life and death? Well, reverse that equation and you get a feel for the dynamic between State and ECU. The Wolfpack thinks the Pirates are beneath them on the food chain. The Pirates feel unappreciated because they weren’t blessed with membership in the ACC. They’re like the Hatfields and McCoys. Neighbors who don’t meet often, but can’t stand the sight of one another when they do. Especially when they meet in the postseason. Although they’ve played 13 times since – with State holding a 7-6 advantage – ECU fans still talk with reverence about their team’s win in the 1992 Peach Bowl. That’s probably why the Wolfpack weren’t exactly thrilled when the bowl selections were announced.
Sun Bowl: Louisville vs. Washington – A look into the future, maybe
When: 2 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 31
With starting quarterback Tyler Shough opting out to prepare for the NFL Draft, the Cardinals will have to rely on either Harrison Bailey or Pierce Clarkson – or a combination of the 2 – against the Huskies. Between them, they completed only 11 passes for 74 yards and no touchdowns in limited action this season. A strong performance might not establish one of them as Louisville’s quarterback of the future. But it would at least give coach Jeff Brohm something to think about before jumping into the transfer portal in search of an outside replacement.
Gator Bowl: Duke vs. No. 14 Ole Miss – The Blue Devils try to tell Kiffin to stay in his Lane
When: 7:30 pm, Thursday, Jan. 2
Lane Kiffin has never been one to suppress his true feelings. Or put a filter on his comments. So it’s no surprise that of all the whining coming out of the SEC over the Playoff Committee’s selection of SMU over Alabama for the final at-large spot and other perceived slights, the Ole Miss coach has been by far the most vocal. He specifically targeted his social media outrage toward the ACC, implying that its teams don’t belong on the same field as his and other SEC teams. So don’t expect him to call off the dogs if his Rebels dominate as expected. But wouldn’t it be fun if a basketball school like Duke is able to pull off the upset and shut Kiffin’s yapper? With a backup quarterback, no less?
Duke’s Mayo Bowl: Virginia Tech vs. Minnesota – Who doesn’t want to see a coach get showered with mayo?
When: 7:30 pm, Friday, Jan. 3
Okay, so the matchup between the 6-6 Hokies and 7-5 Gophers isn’t an overly attractive one. Especially on a Friday night after New Year’s. But it’s worth watching just to get the payoff at the end. This is the third time the game has been sponsored by the South’s favorite condiment. As of yet, no ACC coach has been the recipient of the ceremonial postgame mayo shower. Brent Pry, you know the assignment. Don’t let us down.
Award-winning columnist Brett Friedlander has covered the ACC and college basketball since the 1980s.
