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College Football: Ranking the 2023 New Year’s Six bowls by watchability

By Christopher Mangum

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - DECEMBER 02: Head coach Jim Harbaugh of the Michigan Wolverines leads his team onto the field prior to the game against the Iowa Hawkeyes during the Big Ten Championship at Lucas Oil Stadium on December 02, 2023 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - DECEMBER 02: Head coach Jim Harbaugh of the Michigan Wolverines leads his team onto the field prior to the game against the Iowa Hawkeyes during the Big Ten Championship at Lucas Oil Stadium on December 02, 2023 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images) /
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Penn State quarterback Drew Allar, who will face Ole Miss in the Peach Bowl
STATE COLLEGE, PA – NOVEMBER 11: Drew Allar #15 of the Penn State Nittany Lions attempts a pass in front of Cam Goode #99 of the Michigan Wolverines during the first half at Beaver Stadium on November 11, 2023 in State College, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) /

4. Peach Bowl (No. 10 Penn State vs. No. 11 Ole Miss)

Finally, we are starting to get into the games that I am legitimately excited to watch, even though I don’t have a horse in the race as Penn State and Ole Miss clash in the Peach Bowl.

This one has all of the makings of a classic: Penn State’s defense vs. Ole Miss’s offense, No. 10 vs. No. 11, Big Ten vs. SEC. It feels to me like the season is at stake, even though it really isn’t, and that is what bowl season is all about!

Heading into the year, Penn State football was the Big Ten’s wildcard team, though the wildest thing that happened to the Nittany Lions in 2023 was their offensive coordinator getting fired after losing to Michigan at home. Otherwise, Penn State beat the teams they were supposed to and lost to the two teams they were supposed to, finishing 10-2 for the second straight season.

Ole Miss, on the other hand, has over-achieved this fall, going 10-2 and getting back into New Year’s Six contention. Neither of these teams was ever considered a top college football contender this fall, but both have been in the top 10 for most of the season and should give us a great game.

It’s also worth noting that a Penn State victory would make the Nittany Lions the first program to ever win all six major college football bowl games — pretty cool stuff!

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