Ten must-see non-New Years Six bowl games

Las Vegas Bowl Presented by Geico

Houston Cougars vs. San Diego State Aztecs
Saturday, Dec. 17, 3:30 pm, ABC
Sam Boyd Stadium – Las Vegas, Nevada

Houston’s No. 5 defense will face FCS’ second-leading rusher and Sin City native Donnel Pumphrey. Greg Ward Jr. is still an elite threat for the Cougars as well. Even with the coaching change, this is going to be a battle against two of the biggest playmakers in college football.

Boca Raton Bowl

Memphis Tigers vs. Western Kentucky
Tuesday, Dec. 20, 7 pm, ESPN
FAU Stadium, Boca Raton, Florida

This game is stung a bit with Jeff Brohm leaving for Purdue, but these are still two teams that will run fast-paced offenses and should light each other’s defense up. There might be 80 points scored in this game.

Popeyes Bahamas Bowl

Eastern Michigan Eagles vs. Old Dominion Monarchs
Friday, Dec. 23, 1 pm, ESPN
Thomas A. Tobinson National Stadium – Nassau, Bahamas

Just four years ago the Old Dominion Monarchs were still an FCS program and the Eastern Michigan Eagles were the absolute worst team at the FBS level and looking into the possibility of even cutting their football program. Fast forward on recruiting class’ time later and the two meet in a bowl game in Nassau.

National Funding Holiday Bowl

Minnesota Golden Gophers vs. Washington State Huskies
Tuesday, Dec. 27, 7 pm, ESPN
Qualcomm Stadium – San Diego, California

Two Power Five teams that typically aren’t that good. Well, they’re both pretty good this year and have very different styles. Mike Leach likes his Cougars to air the ball out. Minnesota pounds the ball with their running game. It will be an interesting battle.

Russell Athletic Bowl

West Virginia Mountaineers vs. Miami Hurricanes (FL)
Wednesday, Dec. 28, 5:30 pm, ESPN
Camping World Stadium – Orlando, Florida

West Virginia had a very good year and Miami exceeded expectations. These are both talented team. The Mountaineers beat everybody except the two Oklahoma schools as they used a very deep group of running backs to do their damage. The Hurricanes have the better quarterback, though, with Brad Kaaya looking to use this stage to wow some NFL scouts.

Valero Alamo Bowl

Oklahoma State Cowboys vs. Colorado Buffaloes
Thursday, Dec. 29, 9 pm, ESPN
Alamodome – San Antonio, Texas

These teams match up very well against each other. Colorado has been an incredible story this year with how they’ve turned things around from last season. They’re a blue-collar type of team that is steady, balanced and have a great defense. Oklahoma State is still of the most dangerous offenses around with explosive and athletic players.

Hyundai Sun Bowl

Stanford Cardinal vs. North Carolina Tar Heels
Friday, Dec. 30, 2 pm, CBS
Sun Bowl – El Paso, Texas

Christian McCaffrey could have an absolutely monster of a game against the North Carolina Tar Heels defense. On the other side the Tar Heels have potentially the first quarterback taken in the NFL draft and a lot of talented receivers. This could be a pretty good show with future NFL stars.

Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl

Nebraska Cornhuskers vs. Tennessee Volunteers
Friday, Dec. 30, 3:30 pm, ESPN
Nissan Stadium – Nashville, Tennessee

Tennessee might have suffered through a disappointing season based on their preseason expectations. Nebraska stumbled down the stretch two, but both teams have a lot of talent and it will be an interesting battle between Tennessee’s quarterback Joshua Dobbs and running backs Alvin Kamara and John Kelly going against a Huskers defense that is ranked 21st in the entire country.

Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl

LSU Tigers vs. Louisville Cardinals
Saturday, Dec. 31, 11 am, ABC
Camping World Stadium – Orlando, Florida

Oh here we go. Heisman Trophy winner Lamar Jackson going against that dominant LSU Tigers defense is going to be a great battle. That alone makes this a must-see game.

Outback Bowl

Florida Gators vs. Iowa Hawkeyes
Monday, January 2, 1 pm, ABC
Raymond James Stadium – Tampa, Florida

Two tough teams that grind and play a stringy defense. If you’re the kind of football fan who loves defense and big hits and these kind of grinding battles, this one is for you.

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Corey Johns

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You could say Corey was born to become a sports journalist. His father won a national championship coaching college soccer. His mother is a baseball fanatic who hasn't missed seeing an Orioles game since 1983 (literally, sometimes it's annoying). His great uncle was a big-time boxing promoter and his maternal grandfather was once a department head at the Baltimore Sun. Basically, sports and journalism run through his blood. He played just about every little league sports there was when he was a kid and was a multi-sport athlete in high school; even playing in the first-ever high school sanction Rugby game in the country. Eventually he retired from sports as an undefeated Maryland state Rugby champion as a high school senior. Perhaps lack of athletic talent has more to do with the retirement, but he will tell you that it more had to do with a great desire to jump right into media. Upon his graduation from University of Maryland, Baltimore County as a triple communications major, Corey started the So Much Sports network and has continued to grow his websites and continues to work to make them premier sports media outlets.

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