Bowl Game Rankings: Watch Or Die
Your life will be a meaningless empty shell if you don’t consume every solitary second of these bowl games.
8. ReliaQuest Bowl
Illinois vs Mississippi State
Monday, January 2, 2023
12:00, ESPN2
Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL
Last Year: Arkansas 24, Penn State 10
Pre-Bowl Ranking: 2021: 3, 2020: 8, 2019: 4
Post-Bowl Ranking: 2021: 18, 2020: 11, 2019: 5
It’s one of those Prove It moments for both programs. Mississippi State was solid. It got to eight wins, it beat Ole Miss, and it survived in the toughest division in college football. But the high-powered offense is more about control than huge numbers.
That’s fine, because the Illinois defense should come out frothing at the mouth after a month to prepare for this thing. Points are going to be at a premium, but the defensive level on both sides will be high quality.
7. Cheez-It Bowl
Florida State vs Oklahoma
Thursday, December 29, 2022
5:30, ESPN
Camping World Stadium, Orlando, FL
Last Year: Clemson 20, Iowa State 13
Pre-Bowl Ranking: 2021: 29, 2020: 6, 2019: 5
Post-Bowl Ranking: 2021: 16, 2020: 4, 2019: 19
Oklahoma got its win over Oklahoma State, avoided the embarrassment of not going bowling, came really, really close in the three losses in the last four games – it dropped all of them by three points each. It’s a program that seems like it’s ready to get to next year already, but it’s got the offense to make this wild.
On the flip side, all of the great things FSU did over the second half of the year won’t be undone with a loss, but it wouldn’t be a good look considering Mike Norvell is 0-for-bowls in his six-year career before this season.
There should be lots of offense, lots of energy in the stadium, and lots of storylines going into 2023 no matter what.
6. Cheez-It Citrus Bowl
LSU vs Purdue
Monday, January 2, 2023
1:00, ABC
Camping World Stadium, Orlando, FL
Last Year: Kentucky 20, Iowa 17
Pre-Bowl Ranking: 2021: 15, 2020: 19, 2019: 12
Post-Bowl Ranking: 2021: 12, 2020: 14, 2019: 16
Everyone will be waiting for the Cotton and Rose to start rolling, but this might just be the best game of the day.
There’s no dogging the two teams that couldn’t hang with the College Football Playoff 1 and 2 in their respective conference championship games. The month off will do both of these teams a whole lot of good.
Purdue proved last year it could hang with the SEC types in a bowl – it beat Tennessee in a thriller – and LSU had a fantastic first year under Brian Kelly. Both are playing with house money considering their preseason expectations, and both will bring a high level of offensive play.
5. Valero Alamo Bowl
Texas vs Washington
Thursday, December 29, 2022
9:00, ESPN
Alamodome, San Antonio, TX
Last Year: Oklahoma 47, Oregon 32
Pre-Bowl Ranking: 2021: 38, 2020:17, 2019: 13
Post-Bowl Ranking: 2021: 32, 2020: 18, 2019: 38
Michael Penix Jr. is returning for one more year. 2023 starts now, the Washington offense is going to put up a bazillion yards led by the nation’s leading passer, and Texas should be able to keep up through the air. Let’s just assume Bijan Robinson sits this one out. The Texas offense will still crank up the passing attack in a back-and-forth firefight that should push for a combined 80 points.
4. TaxSlayer Gator Bowl
Notre Dame vs South Carolina
Friday, December 30, 2022
3:30, ESPN
TIAA Bank Field, Jacksonville, FL
Last Year: Wake Forest 38, Rutgers 10
Pre-Bowl Ranking: 2021: 16, 2020: 15, 2019: 10
Post-Bowl Ranking: 2021: 35, 2020: 12, 2019: 15
I know Notre Dame was thinking bigger this bowl season, but Utah beating USC screwed that up. It doesn’t matter. South Carolina will be plenty difficult to deal with. South Carolina turned into the proverbial “team no one wants to face” late in the season as it lit up Tennessee and – at least late – Clemson. Spencer Rattler is playing in the bowl game, the Irish should be close to full, GAME ON.
It might not be the most important bowl game around, but it might be as close to a regular season battle as it gets before the New Year’s Six.
3. Rose Bowl
Penn State vs Utah
Monday, January 2, 2023
5:00, ESPN
Rose Bowl, Pasadena, CA
Last Year: Ohio State 48, Utah 45
Pre-Bowl Ranking: 2021: 5, 2020: 9, 2019: 2
Post-Bowl Ranking: 2021: 1, 2020: 24, 2019: 6
We’ve seen the top of the Rose Bowl mountain with the epic Ohio State-Utah game of last year. We all want more of that, but probably won’t get it. Even so, this is a huge moment for a Penn State team that should be loaded in 2023, and it’s even bigger for a Utah program on the wrong end of that firefight with the Buckeyes.
For those who believe Penn State never received its proper due this season – hand raised – with the only losses to Michigan and Ohio State, this is the shot to prove just how good it is. However, Utah has a way of humbling teams looking to prove how good they are.
2. Capital One Orange Bowl
Tennessee vs Clemson
Friday, December 30, 2022
8:00, ESPN
Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, FL
Last Year: CFP Semifinal Georgia 34, Michigan 11
Pre-Bowl Ranking: 2021: 1, 2020: 4, 2019: 18
Post-Bowl Ranking: 2021: 33, 2020: 3, 2019: 12
It stops right here, right now. Yes, there’s going to be a LOT of orange in the Orange Bowl. We get it. We ALL get it. Clemson should wear its awesome purple uniforms, but I digress.
Welcome to the “but if we beat South Carolina …” bowl. This might not have been a College Football Playoff matchup if both were able to get by the Gamecocks, but there would be a whole lot of debating about it.
Clemson is going to have just about everyone around except for DJ Uiagalelei who’s off in the transfer portal, so call this the official start of the Cade Klubnik era in what should be a crazy show.
Both teams are going to trade body blows all game long. There will be lots and lots and lots of big plays, home runs, and energy to a bowl game everyone is going to like the most, but No. 1 has to be …
1. CFP Semifinal: Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl
Georgia vs Ohio State
Saturday, December 31, 2022
8:00, ESPN
Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA
Last Year: Michigan State 31, Pitt 21
Pre-Bowl Ranking: 2021: 9, 2020: 7, 2019: 13
Post-Bowl Ranking: 2021: 7, 2020: 2, 2019: 3
I’m going to wish this bowl into being epic.
I’m under the belief that Ohio State – even with Jaxon Smith-Njigba not playing – will look and play like a different team than the banged up version at the end of the season. Georgia certainly doesn’t appear to be vulnerable, but it hasn’t played anyone with this overall level of talent – and Ohio State is the underdog.
It’s Georgia, it’s Ohio State, it’s New Year’s Eve in Atlanta. Let’s go.
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– Watch or Die (1-8) | Initial Thoughts, Picks on all 41