Bowl Rankings: The Decent Bowls
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They weren’t bad and they weren’t amazing, but they were football games on television. They helped make the bowl season worth the effort.
11. Outback Bowl
Ole Miss 26, Indiana 20
Pre-Bowl Matchup Ranking: 8
– 5 Thoughts Reaction, Analysis: Outback Bowl
It wasn’t the crazy offensive show we wanted and deserved, but it was still okay if you sat through the first three quarters.
It’s not the Outback Bowl’s fault that it wasn’t what it should’ve been.
Ole Miss came in with one of the nation’s worst defenses, Indiana had a fun offense, and neither one showed up. Somehow, the Hoosiers came up with two field goals before the fourth quarter, but two Stevie Scott touchdown runs tied it up at 20 late. Ole Miss answered with a quick touchdown drive, held, and pulled off the win when the D held.
10. Allstate Sugar Bowl
Ohio State 49, Clemson 28
Pre-Bowl Matchup Ranking: 2
If this was any other bowl game it would’ve been much further down the list – this was over at halftime. However, because it was a College Football Playoff semifinal, and because it was so dramatic in so many ways, yeah, it makes the top ten.
Clemson scored with ease on its first two drives, Ohio State didn’t look like it had any sort of an answer, and then … boom.
28 straight points, a 35-14 halftime lead, and it was on to the national championship with the ribs of Justin Fields the only question after taking a big early shot.
The Buckeyes cranked up 639 yards of total offense, Fields threw six touchdown passes, Clemson was held to 44 rushing yards, and this was anything but what was expected.
9. Duke’s Mayo Bowl
Wisconsin 42, Wake Forest 28
Pre-Bowl Matchup Ranking: 24
– 10 Things To Know from the Duke’s Mayo Bowl
At least it was unique.
This wasn’t your normal bowl game blowout with the bigger, stronger program rolling past the fun team putting up a good fight. This was, again … unique.
Wake Forest looked like it was going to blow the doors off the Badgers with a 14-point first quarter, and then the interceptions started coming, and they didn’t stop.
Sam Hartman threw three touchdowns and four picks for the Demon Deacons, the Badgers capitalized on everything scoring 14 points in each of the last three quarters, and it became an entertaining all-around game from start to midway through the fourth.
Bowl Rankings
Total Duds | Bowls: No More, No Less
Good Bowls | Best Bowls