2015 Bowl Games: Ranking all 41 college football bowls by watchability
Oct 10, 2015; University Park, PA, USA; Penn State Nittany Lion fans during the fourth quarter against the Indiana Hoosiers at Beaver Stadium. Penn State defeated Indiana 29-7. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O
Could be OK, but have the remote handy
Moving on to eight more meaningful matchups (and familiar names) there are a lot of teams in these games which aspired for much more this season, but simply faltered. Some of these games might have looked like great clashes if you mentioned them before the season started.
Plenty of potential upsets in the works in this section of the list as well. You might do some flipping between games, but ultimately you’ll see some decent football.
No. 29: Motel 6 Cactus Bowl
West Virginia vs. Arizona State
Phoenix | Chase Field
Jan. 2, 10:15 p.m. on ESPN
A bowl between two teams full of “could have beens”. The Mountaineers (7-5, 4-5 Big 12) can score in bunches when they click, and Arizona State (6-6, 4-5 Pac-12) has some defensive studs who can step up. This had the potential to be a nice New Year’s Six matchup when you looked at these teams in the preseason.
No. 28: Hawai’i Bowl
San Diego State vs. Cincinnati
Honolulu | Aloha Stadium
Dec. 24, 8 p.m. on ESPN
It’s a football game in Hawaii that matters to the teams involved. That’s a switch. Tommy Tuberville’s Bearcats (7-5, 4-4 AAC) have had some bad breaks this year. At least they get to close out the year in a nice venue. San Diego State (10-3, 8-0 MWC) has had a nice season, capped off by a win over a tough Air Force team in the Mountain West Championship. Potentially a lot of points coming in this game.
No. 27: Marmot Boca Raton Bowl
Toledo vs. Temple
Boca Raton, Florida | FAU Stadium
Dec. 22, 7 p.m. on ESPN
This has been a storybook year for Temple (10-3, 7-1 AAC), and the Owls were probably hoping for a New Year’s Six bowl. Baby steps are fine. Toledo (9-2, 6-2 MAC) didn’t quite live up to the hopes for this season, but still has a lot of quality football left in them. This will be an interesting game to watch.
Nov 20, 2015; Boise, ID, USA; Boise State Broncos quarterback Brett Rypien (4) during first half action against the Air Force Falcons at Albertsons Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Losness-USA TODAY Sports
No. 26: San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl
Boise State vs. Northern Illinois
San Diego | Qualcomm Stadium
Dec. 23, 4:30 p.m. on ESPN
Two teams in Boise State (8-4, 5-3 MWC) and Northern Illinois (8-5, 6-2 MAC) who had become accustomed to being BCS-busters now coming down to earth. This would have been a fantastic game a few seasons ago, but isn’t much more than a typically fair Poinsettia Bowl.
No. 25: GoDaddy Bowl
Georgia Southern vs. Bowling Green
Mobile, Alabama | Ladd-Peebles Stadium
Dec. 23, 8 p.m. on ESPN
This bowl features two teams who potentially could be playing in much bigger bowls next season. Georgia Southern (8-4, 6-2 Sun Belt) may have a tough time halting MAC champion Bowling Green (10-3, 7-1 MAC). On the flip side, the Falcons aren’t used to facing a rushing attack as potent as the Eagles. Defense will be at a premium here.
No. 24: AutoZone Liberty Bowl
Kansas State vs. Arkansas
Memphis | Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium
Jan. 2, 3:20 p.m. on ESPN
Don’t go to sleep on this game. Arkansas (7-5, 5-3 SEC) has come on strong late in the season once again, and you never want to count out a Bill Synder coached Kansas State (6-6, 3-6 Big 12) team. Probably a lot of bruises to be tended to after this game. These guys will hit each other…a lot.
No. 23: Royal Purple Las Vegas Bowl
BYU vs. Utah
Las Vegas | Sam Boyd Stadium
Dec. 19, 3:30 p.m. on ABC
Utah (9-3, 6-3 Pac-12) looked like they might be one of the teams to beat in the Pac-12 this season, but stumbled later in the season. BYU (9-3) once again had a season derailed by injuries, and now they are losing head coach Bronco Mendenall. The intrigue here is that there is no love lost between these two schools, so you’ve got a great rivalry in a bowl game.
No. 22: TaxSlayer Bowl
Penn State vs. Georgia
Jacksonville, Florida | EverBank Field
Jan. 2, Noon on ESPN
Oh how the mighty have fallen. It was just…well… a “mere” 32 years ago that Penn State (7-5, 4-4 Big Ten) and Georgia (9-3, 5-3 SEC) played for the national championship in their first and only meeting in the 1983 Sugar Bowl. Joe Paterno and Vince Dooley have given way to James Franklin and interim UGA head coach Bryan McClendon. Not quite as much drama involved in this game, but still two traditionally strong programs meeting for the first time in over three decades adds something.
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