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If you’re reading this, I’ll assume that you care about the Playoff. There’s no shame in that.
There’s also no shame in wanting to have a reason to tune into non-Playoff bowl games. Like, reasons that aren’t strictly “I’m betting on this game” or “it’s huge for my office confidence pool.”
Maybe, dare I say, you want to watch football because you like football. Crazy concept?
If you’re bogged down by opt-outs and transfer portal moves, don’t worry. I’ve got you covered.
So why should you watch these bowl games without a national title at stake?
Gasparilla Bowl: Florida vs. Tulane — You had me at “rested DJ Lagway”
When: 3:30 pm, Friday, Dec. 20
To be fair, Lagway with an apparatus on his leg was still awesome. A month of rest should do wonders for Lagway, who won all 3 of his starts to close the regular season. Hence, the double-digit spread. Florida’s star quarterback has a handful of plays every game that makes you realize why he was the Gatorade National Player of the Year. Lagway should benefit from that rest for his hamstring, as well as getting some of those extra reps with the first-teamers. Even against a Tulane defense that’s No. 6 vs. the pass, I’d expect to see the best version of Lagway.
Armed Forces Bowl: Oklahoma vs. Navy — (Hopefully) 1 final game for Danny Stutsman & Billy Bowman
When: 3 pm, Friday, Dec. 27
Those seniors deserve the right kind of sendoff. They already got the home sendoff that they deserved by holding Alabama without a touchdown on Senior Night. For Stutsman and Bowman, who could both opt out of the bowl game after prolific careers, it would feel somewhat fitting watching them rack up tackles against a service academy. They’ve been as important as any 2 players of the Brent Venables era. And if they opt out? Well, just watch Eli Bowen take over the game and remind OU fans why the defensive future is bright in a post-Stutsman/Bowman world.
Birmingham Bowl: Vanderbilt vs. Georgia Tech — Diego Pavia vs. Haynes King is an electric QB matchup
When: 3:30 pm, Friday, Dec. 27
You could argue it’s the most electric quarterback matchup of any bowl game. Don’t be fooled by the fact that it’s being played on a Friday afternoon in Birmingham. This will be a fun back-and-forth for 2 of the most run-heavy quarterbacks in the sport. Pavia took down Alabama and King nearly took down Georgia after taking down Miami. Both QBs, of course, were banged up down the stretch. Pavia has been working through a leg injury while King’s shoulder still wasn’t at 100% in the 8-overtime marathon in Athens. But hopefully with a bit of extra rest, Pavia and King put on a show.
Liberty Bowl: Arkansas vs. Texas Tech — The Taylen Green experience
When: 7 pm, Friday, Dec. 27
If you’re not locked into Arkansas at this point, that’s on you. Green is the ultimate “mash the buttons” quarterback. He can hurdle a dude one minute and throw a horrendous interception the next. It’s not for the faint of heart, but it is elite entertainment for the neutral crowd. The net has been positive for the Hogs this year. It’s been a much-improved offense when Green has been healthy. Against a Texas Tech defense that ranks No. 118 in yards/play allowed, Green should be set up for a big day at the office … as long as he doesn’t lose too many of Arkansas’ best weapons. Stay tuned on that front.
Las Vegas Bowl: Texas A&M vs. USC — Vegas brings out the best in USC
When: 10:30 pm, Friday, Dec. 27
Remember the USC-LSU game on that Sunday night to kick off the season? That was USC’s best win of the year (it was also A&M’s best win of the year). A bookended season with a pair of SEC victories in Las Vegas would be a bizarre note in an otherwise forgettable season for the Trojans. Of course, USC will do so with a different quarterback than it had starting in the opener. That’s true for both teams. The Jayden Maiava-Marcel Reed quarterback battle should be a nice glimpse into the future of both programs, and it’s a game with 2 of the better defensive minds in the sport. This should be one of the more high-level bowl games.
Music City Bowl: Mizzou vs. Iowa — Iowa’s post-Brian Ferentz offensive glow-up
When: 2:30 pm, Monday, Dec. 30
I know that move happened a year ago, but it’s worth revisiting. Iowa is nearly 2 touchdowns per game better than it was last year. In other words, heads up to Mizzou. Iowa quarterback Jackson Stratton might be the second coming of CJ Beathard, which is a real deep cut for anyone outside the state of Iowa. The real star of the improved Iowa offense was Doak Walker Award finalist Kaleb Johnson, who is off to the NFL. Still, though. Mizzou’s ability to contain this new-look Iowa offense — as well as overcoming a Luther Burden III-less offense — will determine whether it concludes 2024 with consecutive double-digit win seasons.
ReliaQuest Bowl: Alabama vs. Michigan — 17-year-old Ryan Williams doing things that 17-year-olds don’t do
When: 12 pm, Tuesday, Dec. 31
Have I mentioned that Williams is still 17? Not yet? Williams might not have closed his true freshman season on the tear that he started on, but he’s still capable of making All-Pro level plays on any given play. Williams already has more receiving yards than any true freshman wide receiver since Calvin Ridley and Christian Kirk hit the 1,000-yard mark in 2015. He needs 143 yards to join the 1,000-mark against Michigan, which will likely be without star corner Will Johnson again. And for the Williams-Jeremiah Smith debate … let’s just say it would help the former if he went off after the latter was limited to 35 yards against Michigan.
Citrus Bowl: No. 15 South Carolina vs. No. 20 Illinois — The escapability of LaNorris Sellers
When: 3 pm, Tuesday, Dec. 31
If you don’t like watching Sellers, you’re probably a Clemson fan. Or rather, you’re one of the half-dozen teams that Sellers torched in the latter half of the season by somehow escaping free rushers and hitting receivers 25 yards downfield. That’ll be a challenge for a solid Illinois defense, which hasn’t faced anyone quite like Sellers in 2024. Will South Carolina look like the team that’s motivated to win a 10th game and show the College Football Playoff what it could’ve had? Or will Sellers and the Gamecocks get blown out against a more prepared Illinois team? The former has a better shot of happening.
Texas Bowl: LSU vs. Baylor — The Dave Aranda-LSU reunion … and an over/under of 60.5
When: 3:30 pm, Tuesday, Dec. 31
Go figure that this game features 2 people who once earned $2.5 million annually as LSU’s defensive coordinator … yet the over/under is 60.5. The Dave Aranda-LSU reunion figures to be a shootout, as long as Garrett Nussmeier and Sawyer Robertson are both good to go. Baylor allowed 30 points per/Power Conference game and it surrendered 22 pass plays of 30 yards (No. 114 in FBS). The up-and-down Blake Baker-led LSU defense will be part of it, as well. Fortunately for LSU, it ended the season on a high note with a pair of solid defensive showings. Perhaps the opt-outs won’t be quite as insurmountable as the last time LSU was in the Texas Bowl … when it had 39 scholarship players left in 2021.
Gator Bowl: No. 14 Ole Miss vs. Duke — The significant Austin Simmons presence
When: 7:30 pm, Thursday, Jan. 2
I don’t know what to expect of Jaxson Dart in the Gator Bowl. If he does play, however, I’d expect Lane Kiffin to want to get some legitimate reps for Simmons, who was the Georgia game hero for that all-important early touchdown drive. The southpaw signal-caller is the quarterback of the future in Oxford. That game alone fired up the masses for the post-Dart era. If Dart is unavailable, Simmons could be this year’s version of Nico Iamaleava after he capped his freshman season off with an impressive performance in the bowl victory. Simmons can play a major role in giving Ole Miss some offseason hope after a disappointing end to the regular season.
Connor O'Gara is the senior national columnist for Saturday Down South. He's a member of the Football Writers Association of America. After spending his entire life living in B1G country, he moved to the South in 2015.
