To the delight of college football fans everywhere, bowl season has officially begun. The festivities officially kicked off with two games on Friday, then continued with seven more on Saturday. This early slate featured some truly great games, particularly the overtime thriller in the Cricket Celebration Bowl between North Carolina Central and Jackson State.
While the first days of bowl season have been very fun, the most anticipated games are still to come. Most games featuring Power Five teams are still more than a week away, not to mention the New Year's Six and playoff games, which feature some of the best matchups in years.
With that said, here are three of the most exciting upcoming bowl matchups.
3. ReliaQuest Bowl: Mississippi State Bulldogs vs. Illinois Fighting Illini
Admittedly, this game wasn't on the radar until recently. This January 2nd matchup in Tampa, Florida looked like a decent one between Mississippi State's air raid offense and Illinois' sturdy defense, but not much more.
However, this game took on a whole new meaning after Mississippi State head coach Mike Leach tragically passed away at 61 on Monday.
The college football world mourned the loss of the beloved coach, with touching tributes coming from across the country. The Bulldogs decided they will play in the game like their coach would have wanted, and there's no better place to honor “the Pirate” than in a stadium with a pirate ship.
I didn't think it was a question… but of course Mississippi State will play in its bowl game.
As one State official told me earlier this morning, "Mike would be pissed if we didn't play. The bowl game is at a stadium with an actual pirate ship in it."
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) December 13, 2022
The Bulldogs will not only play with heavy hearts, but with a new head coach as well. Mississippi State named defensive coordinator Zach Arnett as Leach's successor on Wednesday, and he will make his debut in this bowl game. Arnett will have a chance to make a strong first impression in what will surely be an emotional game.
On the other side, Illinois has been one of college football's best stories this season. In his third year with the program, Brett Bielma has guided the Illini to their first winning season in over a decade. The progress is especially noticeable on defense, as the Illini lead the country in points allowed and are second in yards allowed.
On paper, this looks like a solid matchup between two teams with very different strengths. However, the newfound emotion in this game pushes it to the level of being a must-watch.
2. TaxSlayer Gator Bowl: Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs. South Carolina Gamecocks
This matchup features two of the hottest teams in the country down the stretch. Notre Dame won five in a row and eight of nine after a poor start before falling to USC in the final game of the season. Meanwhile, South Carolina knocked off two top-10 teams in Tennessee and Clemson to close the regular season, skyrocketing up the rankings as a result.
While following a similar trajectory, these two teams have very different play styles. Notre Dame is a team that excels on the ground and uses the passing game as a complement. On the other hand, South Carolina thrives off Spencer Rattler and the passing attack, but can run when needed.
On defense, however, Notre Dame has a clear advantage. Compared to the Gamecocks, the Irish allow over 60 fewer yards and almost six fewer points per game. That defense is arguably the biggest reason why Notre Dame is the favorite in this matchup.
While both teams are riding high, something has to give when they meet on December 30th in Jacksonville, Florida.
1. Rose Bowl Game: Utah Utes vs. Penn State Nittany Lions
Fittingly enough, “the Granddaddy of Them All” features the most compelling matchup of any non-Playoff game this year. With how much focus the College Football Playoff commands, some fans and teams have begun to see the Rose Bowl as a “consolation prize” for not making the Playoff. That is not the case at all with these two teams.
The last time these two teams made it to Pasadena, California, they each played in instant classics. Utah went blow-for-blow in a 48-45 loss to Ohio State last season, while Penn State did the same in a 52-49 loss to USC in 2016. If they can bring that same level of excitement against each other, this will be a game for the ages.
Statistically, these two teams are extremely similar. Penn State is slightly better on defense, while Utah has a moderate advantage on offense. That offensive advantage has the Utes as a slight favorite two weeks from kickoff.
The Rose Bowl is always must-see TV due to the history behind it. Add in two hungry, evenly-matched teams, and you have a game no sports fan should miss.
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