Bowl Game Rankings: Watch Or Die
5. RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl
Tuesday, December 22
ESPN, 7:00 pm
FAU Stadium, Boca Raton, FL
UCF vs BYU
The only possible concern is that BYU comes out and just steamrolls over the Knights on the lines. This is a fun, dangerous UCF team that’s going to bring the high-octane offense and a whole lot of speed, but this has been a focused Cougar team throughout the year. Either way, expect points, expect brilliance out of the two quarterbacks, and expect a fun Tuesday night.
Line: BYU -6.5, o/u: 72
Last Season: Arkansas State 34, FIU 26
Last year pre-bowl season ranking: 16
Last year final bowl season ranking: 23
4. Capital One Orange Bowl
Saturday, January 2
ESPN, 8:00 pm
Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, FL
North Carolina vs Texas A&M
If nothing else, this game will go a long way to shaping the narrative of the 2020 season. If Notre Dame gets rocked by Alabama in the CFP and Texas A&M trucks North Carolina, the SEC types will scream that the committee totally blew it with the No. 4 call. They might howl anyway if the Aggies are strong.
However, the Tar Heels are dangerous, they’re fun, and Mack Brown is tremendous in bowl games – his teams have gone 8-2 in the last ten, and one of those losses was a national championship. A&M’s Jimbo Fisher is 7-2 in bowls, and one of those was a CFP semifinal.
Line: North Carolina -6, o/u: 68.5
Last Season: Florida 36, Virginia 28
Last year pre-bowl season ranking: 18
Last year final bowl season ranking: 12
3. GoodYear Cotton Bowl Classic
Wednesday, December 30
ESPN, 7:15 pm
AT&T Stadium, Arlington, TX
Oklahoma vs Florida
These two almost certainly won’t combine for the 92 points Penn State and Memphis cranked up in last year’s Cotton Bowl, but they might come close. It’s not Tim Tebow and Sam Bradford for the national title, but you’re going to get offense, offense, and more offense on a Wednesday night.
Line: Florida -3, o/u: 70
Last Season: Penn State 53, Memphis 39
Last year pre-bowl season ranking: 8
Last year final bowl season ranking: 11
2. Allstate Sugar Bowl
Friday, January 1
ESPN, 8:45 pm
Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, LA
Clemson vs Ohio State
It’s not No. 1 because 1) there’s no way it can be as good as last year’s matchup, 2) this isn’t 2019 Ohio State, 3) I’m being pretentious with the No. 1 call.
It’s getting lost that Ohio State hasn’t had its full team over the last few weeks and it’s still been impressive. The rest of the Big Ten might stink, and there aren’t any phenomenal wins, but the hope is for the rest to change this team around.
Clemson is humming, but here we go. This is the game Ohio State has waited an entire year for. This is the chance for Justin Fields to get his redemption. We haven’t seen a team want a rematch this badly since 1990 Duke got 1991 UNLV in the Final Four.
It probably should be No. 1. Let’s hope it is.
Line: Clemson -8.5, o/u: 65.5
Last Season: Georgia 26, Baylor 14
Last year pre-bowl season ranking: 11
Last year final bowl season ranking: 25
1. Cure Bowl
Saturday, December 26
ESPN, 12:00 pm
Camping World Stadium, Orlando, FL
Liberty vs Coastal Carolina
I don’t want to hear it, you two. The pressure is on to be the best game of the 2020-2021 bowl season, and darn it if this doesn’t have the makings of something amazing.
Yes, Coastal Carolina, you deserve a big bowl stage against a big-name program. Yes, Liberty, you were a blocked field goal against NC State away from being everyone’s darling. Use that disrespect and give us a classic.
I know everyone fawns over Cincinnati, but these two have a real claim to being among the best non-Power Five programs, and they’re going to put on one wild show.
Line: Coastal Carolina -6, o/u: 61.5
Last Season: Liberty 23, Georgia Southern 16
Last year pre-bowl season ranking: 28
Last year final bowl season ranking: 24
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