Bowl season is officially here, and while the College Football Playoff will rightfully command most of the spotlight, the rest of the postseason exists in a fascinating in-between space where expectation, attrition, and opportunity collide. Many of these matchups arrive looking familiar on paper, yet beneath the helmets and logos, rosters and coaching staffs have already been reshaped by firings, NFL Draft declarations, transfer portal exits, and injuries that quietly rewrote depth charts long before kickoff. That reality adds an extra layer of intrigue to games like the LA Bowl, the first of the FBS bowls, between Boise State and Washington, while the Pinstripe Bowl stages a strangely bittersweet meeting between Penn State and Clemson, two teams whose seasons drifted far from preseason dreams. Georgia Tech and BYU meet in the Pop-Tarts Bowl seeking validation after stumbles down the stretch, Michigan and Texas chase momentum in Orlando following the firing of Wolverines head coach Sherrone Moore, Vanderbilt faces Iowa in Tampa after a dream season for the Commodores and Heisman runner-up Diego Pavia, and Virginia, Missouri, Tennessee, Illinois, Arizona, and SMU all navigate unfamiliar versions of themselves in the ever-changing landscape of college football. Bowl season still matters, even if it now doubles as a preview of what’s coming next. Let’s take a closer look at every bowl game on the slate and what each one still has to offer before the offseason officially takes over:

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Cricket Celebration Bowl (12/13)

SC State vs. Prairie View A&M (-2.5) (O/U: 52.5)

Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA

Noon, ABC

Best Bet: Under 52.5

Prediction

Final Score: SC State 24, Prairie View A&M 16

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Bucked Up LA Bowl (12/13)

Boise State vs. Washington (-9.5) (O/U: 53.5)

SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, CA

8 pm, ABC

Best Bet: Denzel Boston o60.5 Receiving Yards

Prediction

Final Score: Washington 34, Boise State 20

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IS4S Salute to Veterans Bowl (12/16)

Troy (-2.5) vs. Jacksonville State (O/U: 46.5)

Cramton Bowl, Montgomery, AL

9 pm, ESPN

Best Bet: Jacksonville State ML

Prediction

Final Score: Jacksonville State 24, Troy 21

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StaffDNA Cure Bowl (12/17)

Old Dominion vs. USF (-3.5) (O/U: 53.5)

Camping World Stadium, Orlando, FL

5 pm, ESPN

Best Bet: Under 53.5

Prediction

Final Score: Old Dominion 27, USF 17

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68 Ventures Bowl (12/17)

Louisiana (-3.5) vs. Delaware (O/U: 59.5)

Hancock Whitney Stadium, Mobile, AL

8:30, ESPN

Best Bet: Nick Minicucci o259.5 Passing Yards

Prediction

Final Score: Louisiana 31, Delaware 24

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Xbox Bowl (12/18)

Missouri State vs. Arkansas State (-1.5) (O/U: 55.5)

Ford Center at The Star, Frisco, TX

9 pm, ESPN2

Best Bet: Arkansas State -1.5

Prediction

Final Score: Arkansas State 38, Missouri State 20

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Myrtle Beach Bowl (12/19)

Kennesaw State vs. Western Michigan (-3.5) (O/U: 47.5)

Brooks Stadium, Conway, SC

11 am, ESPN

Best Bet: Under 47.5

Prediction

Final Score: Kennesaw State 21, Western Michigan 17

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Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl (12/19)

Memphis vs. NC State (-3.5) (O/U: 57.5)

Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL

2:30 pm, ESPN

Best Bet: Noah Rogers o31.5 Receiving Yards

Prediction

Final Score: NC State 31, Memphis 21

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Famous Idaho Potato Bowl (12/22)

Washington State vs. Utah State (-1.5) (O/U: 50.5)

Albertsons Stadium, Boise, ID

2 pm, ESPN

Best Bet: Bryson Barnes Anytime TD

Prediction

Final Score: Utah State 34, Washington State 27

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Bush’s Boca Raton Bowl (12/23)

Toledo vs. Louisville (-11.5) (O/U: 43.5)

Flagler Credit Union Stadium, Boca Raton, FL

2 pm, ESPN

Best Bet: Caullin Lacy o55.5 Receiving Yards

Prediction

Final Score: Louisville 27, Toledo 13

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New Orleans Bowl (12/23)

Western Kentucky vs. Southern Miss (-1.5) (O/U: 58.5)

Caesars Superdome, New Orleans, LA

5:30 pm, ESPN

Best Bet: Western Kentucky ML

Prediction

Final Score: Western Kentucky 31, Southern Miss 28

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Scooter’s Coffee Frisco Bowl (12/23)

UNLV (-6.5) vs. Ohio (O/U: 66.5)

Ford Center at The Star, Frisco, TX

9 pm, ESPN

Best Bet: Sieh Bangura o97.5 Rushing Yards

Prediction

Final Score: UNLV 35, Ohio 31

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Sheraton Hawaii Bowl (12/24)

California vs. Hawaii (-1.5) (O/U: 51.5)

Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex, Honolulu, HI

8 pm, ESPN

Best Bet: Over 51.5

Prediction

Final Score: California 34, Hawaii 27

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GameAbove Sports Bowl (12/26)

Central Michigan vs. Northwestern (-10.5) (O/U: 42.5)

Ford Field, Detroit, MI

1 pm, ESPN

Best Bet: Caleb Komolafe o87.5 Rushing Yards

Prediction

Final Score: Northwestern 24, Central Michigan 16

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Rate Bowl (12/26)

New Mexico vs. Minnesota (-1.5) (O/U: 44.5)

Chase Field, Phoenix, AZ

4:30 pm, ESPN

Best Bet: Minnesota -1.5

Prediction

Final Score: Minnesota 23, New Mexico 10

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SERVPRO First Responder Bowl (12/26)

FIU vs. UTSA (-6.5) (O/U: 61.5)

Gerald J. Ford Stadium, Dallas, TX

8 pm, ESPN

Best Bet: Owen McCown o1.5 Passing TDs

Prediction

Final Score: UTSA 37, FIU 20

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Go Bowling Military Bowl (12/27)

Pittsburgh (-13.5) vs. East Carolina (O/U: 51.5)

Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, Annapolis, MD

11 am, ESPN

Best Bet: Pittsburgh -13.5

Prediction

Final Score: Pittsburgh 34, East Carolina 13

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Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl (12/27)

Penn State vs. Clemson (-2.5) (O/U: 47.5)

Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY

Noon, ABC

Best Bet: Under 47.5

Prediction

Final Score: Penn State 23, Clemson 20

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Wasabi Fenway Bowl (12/27)

UConn vs. Army (-8.5) (O/U: 42.5)

Fenway Park, Boston, MA

2:15 pm, ESPN

Best Bet: Cam Edwards Anytime TD

Prediction

Final Score: Army 24, UConn 16

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Pop-Tarts Bowl (12/27)

#22 Georgia Tech vs. #12 BYU (-3.5) (O/U: 55.5)

Camping World Stadium, Orlando, FL

3:30 pm, ABC

Best Bet: Under 55.5

Prediction

Final Score: #12 BYU 27, #22 Georgia Tech 20

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Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl (12/27)

Miami (OH) vs. Fresno State (-5.5) (O/U: 40.5)

Arizona Stadium, Tucson, AZ

4:30 pm, The CW Network

Best Bet: Cole Weaver o55.5 Receiving Yards

Prediction

Final Score: Fresno State 21, Miami (OH) 17

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Isleta New Mexico Bowl (12/27)

#25 North Texas (-6.5) vs. San Diego State (O/U: 52.5)

University Stadium, Albuquerque, NM

5:45 pm, ESPN

Best Bet: Drew Mestemaker o280.5 Passing Yards

Prediction

Final Score: #25 North Texas 31, San Diego State 23

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TaxSlayer Gator Bowl (12/27)

#19 Virginia vs. Missouri (-3.5) (O/U: 43.5)

EverBank Stadium, Jacksonville, FL

7:30 pm, ABC

Best Bet: Missouri -3.5

Prediction

Final Score: Missouri 28, #19 Virginia 19

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Kinder’s Texas Bowl (12/27)

LSU vs. #21 Houston (-1.5) (O/U: 41.5)

NRG Stadium, Houston, TX

9:15 pm, ESPN

Best Bet: Tanner Koziol o46.5 Receiving Yards

Prediction

Final Score: #21 Houston 17, LSU 13

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JLab Birmingham Bowl (12/29)

Georgia Southern (-10.5) vs. Appalachian State (O/U: 59.5)

Protective Stadium, Birmingham, AL

2 pm, ESPN

Best Bet: OJ Arnold o76.5 Rushing Yards

Prediction

Final Score: Georgia Southern 28, Appalachian State 20

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Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl (12/30)

Coastal Carolina vs. Louisiana Tech (-10.5) (O/U: 51.5)

Independence Stadium, Shreveport, LA

2 pm, ESPN

Best Bet: Louisiana Tech -10.5

Prediction

Final Score: Louisiana Tech 31, Coastal Carolina 10

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Liberty Mutual Music City Bowl (12/30)

Tennessee (-2.5) vs. Illinois (O/U: 62.5)

Nissan Stadium, Nashville, TN

5:30 pm, ESPN

Best Bet: Over 62.5

Prediction

Final Score: Illinois 41, Tennessee 34

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Valero Alamo Bowl (12/30)

#16 USC (-4.5) vs. TCU (O/U: 56.5)

Alamodome, San Antonio, TX

9 pm, ESPN

Best Bet: Jayden Maiava o256.5 Passing Yards

Prediction

Final Score: #16 USC 34, TCU 28

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ReliaQuest Bowl (12/31)

#23 Iowa vs. #14 Vanderbilt (-3.5) (O/U: 46.5)

Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL

Noon, ESPN

Best Bet: Diego Pavia Anytime TD

Prediction

Final Score: #14 Vanderbilt 23, #23 Iowa 17

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Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl (12/31)

Arizona State vs. Duke (-3.5) (O/U: 49.5)

Sun Bowl, El Paso, TX

2 pm, CBS

Best Bet: Duke -3.5

Prediction

Final Score: Duke 28, Arizona State 23

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Cheez-It Citrus Bowl (12/31)

#18 Michigan vs. #13 Texas (-4.5) (O/U: 47.5)

Camping World Stadium, Orlando, FL

3 pm, ABC

Best Bet: Under 48.5

Prediction

Final Score: #13 Texas 24, #18 Michigan 20

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SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl

Nebraska vs. #15 Utah (-14.5) (O/U: 50.5)

Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas, NV

3:30 pm, ESPN

Best Bet: Devon Dampier o49.5 Rushing Yards

Prediction

Final Score: #15 Utah 34, Nebraska 10

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Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl (1/2)

Rice vs. Texas State (-17.5) (O/U: 55.5)

Amon G. Carter Stadium, Fort Worth, TX

1 pm, ESPN

Best Bet: Texas State -17.5

Prediction

Final Score: Texas State 38, Rice 14

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Navy (-7.5) vs. Cincinnati (O/U: 54.5)

Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium, Memphis, TN

4:30 pm, ESPN

Best Bet: Eli Heidenreich Anytime TD

Prediction

Final Score: Navy 34, Cincinnati 27

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Wake Forest vs. Mississippi State (-3.5) (O/U: 53.5)

Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC

8 pm, ESPN

Best Bet: Robby Ashford o220.5 Passing Yards

Prediction

Final Score: Mississippi State 41, Wake Forest 30

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#17 Arizona vs. SMU (-1.5) (O/U: 51.5)

Snapdragon Stadium, San Diego, CA

8 pm, FOX

Best Bet: Over 51.5

Prediction

Final Score: #17 Arizona 38, SMU 31

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Make sure to stay tuned for this final month of football before we kick off the 2026 season next August!