symple19
12-06-2010, 08:38 PM
NEW MEXICO BOWL - UTEP vs Brigham Young
ALBUQUERQUE, NM
Dec. 18, 2:00 PM ET
The two former WAC rivals are playing for the first time since 1998. BYU is 3-2 in its past five bowl appearances, and this is the first season since 2005 that the Cougars are not going to post a 10-win season. UTEP is making its first bowl appearance since 2005 and playing its fourth bowl game since 2000. The Miners have dropped four straight bowl games. -- Andrea Adelson
uDROVE HUMANITARIAN BOWL - Fresno State vs Northern Illinois
BOISE, ID
Dec. 18, 5:30 PM ET
Northern Illinois is making its third consecutive bowl appearance for the first time in school history and is 2-3 all-time in bowl games. Even though the Huskies lost a heartbreaker in the MAC title game, they still have a chance to go for a school-record 11 wins. Fresno State is making its fourth straight bowl game and is in the Humanitarian for the first time since 2007. -- Andrea Adelson
R+L CARRIERS NEW ORLEANS BOWL - Troy vs Ohio
NEW ORLEANS, LA
Dec. 18, 9:00 PM ET
The Trojans have won at least a share of the Sun Belt title for the fifth straight season. They will be playing in New Orleans for the third time in five seasons. This is also their fifth bowl appearance in the past seven years. This is the first bowl meeting between the schools. Ohio is making its second straight bowl appearance, but is 0-4 all-time in bowl games. -- Andrea Adelson
BEEF 'O' BRADY'S (:lmao) BOWL ST. PETERSBURG - Louisville vs Southern Miss
SAINT PETERSBURG, FL
Dec. 21, 8:00 PM ET
This game features two old rivals. Southern Miss was a thorn in Louisville's side in the 1980s and '90s, so it's fitting that the Golden Eagles await in the Cardinals' first postseason appearance since the 2007 Orange Bowl. It's a classic clash of offense (Southern Miss is the nation's 15th-highest scoring team) vs. defense (Louisville finished 11th in total defense). -- Brian Bennett
MAACO BOWL LAS VEGAS - No. 11 Boise State vs No. 19 Utah
LAS VEGAS, NV
Dec. 22, 8:00 PM ET
Both schools already have won two BCS bowl games. On the downside for Utah, starting quarterback Jordan Wynn won't be able to play due to shoulder surgery, meaning backup Terrance Cain will get the call. That's not too bad, considering he's 9-1 as Utah's starter. It will be interesting to see how the Broncos react after dropping from a BCS bowl game to Las Vegas. -- Ted Miller
SAN DIEGO COUNTY CREDIT UNION POINSETTIA BOWL - San Diego State vs Navy
SAN DIEGO, CA
Dec. 23, 8:00 PM ET
You have the local team in San Diego State against a team that has a huge Naval base in the city. Lots of demand already for tickets. San Diego State is making its first bowl appearance since 1998, while Navy is in a bowl game for the seventh straight season. The Midshipmen are 1-1 in bowl games under coach Ken Niumatalolo. -- Andrea Adelson
SHERATON HAWAII BOWL - No. 24 Hawaii at Tulsa
HONOLULU, HI
Dec. 24, 8:00 PM ET
Two of the most prolific offenses in the country face off on Christmas Eve: Tulsa ranks No. 5 in the country in total offense, while Hawaii ranks No. 8. Two great quarterbacks to watch, as well: G.J. Kinne for the Golden Hurricane and Bryant Moniz for the Warriors. Hawaii is 3-2 in its past five bowl appearances. So is Tulsa. -- Andrea Adelson
LITTLE CAESARS BOWL - Toledo vs Florida International
DETROIT, MI
Dec. 26, 8:30 PM ET
Few expected Toledo or Florida International to make a bowl game, but Tim Beckman and Mario Cristobal had other ideas. Beckman revived a former MAC power in Toledo, which went 7-1 in league play. This fall, Cristobal orchestrated college football's most impressive building job at Florida International, which had gone 9-39 in the past four seasons. -- Adam Rittenberg
AdvoCare V100 INDEPENDENCE BOWL - Georgia Tech vs Air Force
SHREVEPORT, LA
Dec. 27, 5:00 PM ET
This game will feature some old-school, triple-option offenses. Georgia Tech and Air Force are Nos. 1 and 2 in the nation in rushing offense, respectively. Both teams average more than 310 rushing yards per game, and have combined to complete just 136 passes. While at Navy, Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson beat the Falcons six times. -- Heather Dinich
CHAMPS SPORTS BOWL - No. 22 West Virginia at North Carolina State
ORLANDO, FL
Dec. 28, 6:30 PM ET
Russell Wilson or Geno Smith? They're both dynamic quarterbacks. Wilson, the NC State junior, finished 11th in the nation in total offense, while the West Virginia sophomore Smith threw 23 touchdowns against just six interceptions this year. The Mountaineers feel like they should have been in the BCS; here's a chance to prove it. -- Brian Bennett
INSIGHT BOWL - No. 12 Missouri at Iowa
TEMPE, AZ
Dec. 28, 10:00 PM ET
There's no mystery about momentum in this one. Missouri finished its season with three wins to climb back inside the top 15. Iowa lost its final three games to fall out of the top 25. Both teams will be bringing quality quarterbacks out to Tempe as Iowa's Ricky Stanzi and Missouri's Blaine Gabbert will face off in the desert. -- David Ubben
MILITARY BOWL PRESENTED BY NORTHROP GRUMMAN - Maryland vs East Carolina
WASHINGTON, DC
Dec. 29, 2:30 PM ET
Maryland, a 2-10 team a year ago, made the second-best turnaround in the FBS with eight wins this season. This game will feature two talented quarterbacks in Maryland's Danny O'Brien, the ACC's Rookie of the Year, and East Carolina quarterback Dominique Davis, who is fourth in the country with 3,699 passing yards. -- Heather Dinich
TEXAS BOWL - Baylor vs Illinois
HOUSTON, TX
Dec. 29, 6:00 PM ET
Two exciting, elusive dual-threat quarterbacks in Baylor's Robert Griffin III and Illinois' Nathan Scheelhaase will face off in Reliant Stadium and be flanked by a pair of 1,000-yard rushers. The Illini's Mikel Leshoure stole the show at Wrigley Field against Northwestern with a 330-yard performance, and Baylor's Jay Finley ran for 250 yards in a win over Kansas State earlier this year. -- David Ubben
VALERO ALAMO BOWL - No. 14 Oklahoma State at Arizona
SAN ANTONIO, TX
Dec. 29, 9:15 PM ET
Oklahoma State has one of the best offenses in the nation, but that shouldn't be too much of a shock for Arizona, as the Wildcats have already faced the No. 1 (Oregon) and No. 8 (Stanford) scoring offenses this season. Still, the Cowboys' troika of receiver Justin Blackmon, running back Kendall Hunter and quarterback Brandon Weeden is about as good as it gets. -- Ted Miller
BELL HELICOPTER ARMED FORCES BOWL - Southern Methodist vs Army
DALLAS, TX
Dec. 30, 12:00 PM ET
This game highlights a pair of contrasting offenses. Army, making its first bowl appearance since 1996, runs the triple option and is ninth nationally in rushing offense. SMU, coached by June Jones, uses the run-and-shoot. The Mustangs don't just throw it every down, either. They've run the ball to open up their passing game this season. -- Chris Low
NEW ERA PINSTRIPE BOWL - Syracuse vs Kansas State
BRONX, NY
Dec. 30, 3:20 PM ET
Two familiar bowl foes face off in one unusual venue. It's the third postseason game since 1997 between Syracuse and Kansas State; the Orange's last bowl victory came against the Wildcats in 2001. The twist: Yankee Stadium is hosting its first-ever bowl game. Each team hoped for bigger things -- Kansas State started 5-1, Syracuse 6-2. But what's bigger than the Big Apple? -- Brian Bennett
FRANKLIN AMERICAN MORTGAGE MUSIC CITY BOWL - Tennessee vs North Carolina
NASHVILLE, TN
Dec. 30, 6:40 PM ET
Tennessee and North Carolina will be playing after all, in the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl. The two teams were supposed to begin a two-game series next season, but Tennessee athletic director Mike Hamilton paid the penalty to get out of the series because he didn't want the schedule to be so overloaded this early in Derek Dooley's tenure. -- Chris Low
BRIDGEPOINT EDUCATION HOLIDAY BOWL - No. 18 Nebraska at Washington
SAN DIEGO, CA
Dec. 30, 10:00 PM ET
Nebraska humiliated Jake Locker and Washington 56-21 in Seattle on Sept. 18. Well, the Huskies will get a second chance against the Huskers as the bowl was forced to create a rematch because the Huskies were the only available team from the Pac-10. The downward spiral of Locker's NFL prospects began with the loss to Nebraska, in which he completed just 4 of 20 passes for 71 yards. -- Ted Miller
MEINEKE CAR CARE BOWL - Clemson vs South Florida
CHARLOTTE, NC
Dec. 31, 12:00 PM ET
Look elsewhere for shootouts. Clemson finished 86th nationally in scoring this year, while South Florida was right behind at 88th. Instead, watch for two fast, SEC-caliber defenses. The Tigers are led by national sack champ Da'Quan Bowers, while the Bulls take a no-name but hard-hitting approach. Quarterbacks beware. -- Brian Bennett
HYUNDAI SUN BOWL - Miami (FL) vs Notre Dame
EL PASO, TX
Dec. 31, 2:00 PM ET
CBS
These once-storied programs have had trying seasons, as Miami fired Randy Shannon, and Notre Dame dealt with the tragic death of a student videographer. On the field, both teams underperformed, but the Irish reversed their fortunes with a win over rival USC, and Miami now turns to interim head coach Jeff Stoutland. -- Heather Dinich
AutoZone LIBERTY BOWL - No. 25 UCF vs Georgia
MEMPHIS, TN
Dec. 31, 3:30 PM ET
Despite a four-game losing streak earlier this season, Georgia is going bowling for the 14th straight season and will see a familiar face on the opposite sideline. UCF is coached by George O'Leary, who was 3-5 against the Bulldogs as the coach at Georgia Tech from 1995 to 2001. Central Florida defeated SMU 17-7 to win the Conference USA championship. -- Chris Low
Chick-fil-A BOWL - No. 20 South Carolina at No. 23 Florida State
ATLANTA, GA
Dec. 31, 7:30 PM ET
South Carolina and Florida State were both the runners-up in their respective conference championship games, as neither could stop talented quarterbacks. Still, this game will feature two of the nation's top defenses. The Gamecocks led the SEC in rushing defense and sacks, and the Seminoles are No. 2 in the nation in sacks. -- Heather Dinich
TICKETCITY BOWL - Texas Tech vs Northwestern
DALLAS, TX
Jan. 1, 12:00 PM ET
Texas Tech has dealt with plenty of injuries this year, but nothing like what Northwestern suffered late in the season. The Wildcats will take on the Red Raiders without quarterback Dan Persa, who tore his Achilles on the game-winning play against Iowa. NU was blown out in its final two games without Persa, but Tech won three of its final four games, including a win over then-No. 12 Missouri. -- David Ubben
CAPITAL ONE BOWL - No. 9 Michigan State vs No. 16 Alabama
ORLANDO, FL
Jan. 1, 1:00 PM ET
Alabama's quest for a second straight national championship ended back in November, but the Crimson Tide can still win 10 games for the third straight season when they take on Michigan State. Alabama coach Nick Saban was the Spartans' head coach before going to LSU, and Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio is a former assistant under Saban. -- Chris Low
OUTBACK BOWL - Penn State vs Florida
TAMPA, FL
Jan. 1, 1:00 PM ET
Both teams had middling seasons, but the coaching matchup is top notch. Penn State's Joe Paterno owns a record 24 bowl victories, while Florida's Urban Meyer boasts two national titles and a 6-1 mark in postseason play, including a win in the 2006 Outback Bowl. Nine of the teams' 10 combined losses came against ranked opponents. -- Adam Rittenberg
GATOR BOWL - No. 21 Mississippi State at Michigan
JACKSONVILLE, FL
Jan. 1, 1:30 PM ET
The spread offense and speed will be everywhere in Jacksonville. Florida native Denard Robinson leads the nation's No. 6 offense against a Mississippi State squad that ranks 16th nationally in rushing and boasts a better defense than Michigan. A hot young coach (Mississippi State's Dan Mullen) goes up against a coach on the hot seat (Michigan's Rich Rodriguez). -- Adam Rittenberg
ROSE BOWL GAME PRESENTED BY VIZIO - No. 3 TCU vs No. 5 Wisconsin
PASADENA, CA
Jan. 1, 5:00 PM ET
Wisconsin makes its first trip to Pasadena in 11 seasons, while TCU becomes the first team from a non-AQ league in the BCS era to play in the Rose Bowl. Both teams scored 520 points, tying for fourth nationally. While TCU boasts the stingier defense, Wisconsin racked up 201 points in its final three regular-season games. -- Adam Rittenberg
TOSTITOS FIESTA BOWL - No. 7 Oklahoma vs Connecticut
GLENDALE, AZ
Jan. 1, 8:30 PM ET
This looks like the biggest mismatch of the five BCS games. Oklahoma's only two losses came on the road to Big 12 teams who earned a share of a division title. Two of UConn's four losses came to Temple and Rutgers, a pair of teams that won't be bowling this postseason. But considering Bob Stoops' five-game losing streak in BCS bowl games, anything could happen. -- David Ubben
DISCOVER ORANGE BOWL - No. 4 Stanford at No. 13 Virginia Tech
MIAMI, FL
Jan. 3, 8:30 PM ET
ACC champion Virginia Tech, which became the first FBS program to win 11 straight games after starting the season 0-2, will face a Stanford program that believes it is the best one-loss team in the country and has made its case with three shutouts and a Heisman contending quarterback in Andrew Luck. -- Heather Dinich
ALLSTATE SUGAR BOWL - No. 6 Ohio State at No. 8 Arkansas
NEW ORLEANS, LA
Jan. 4, 8:30 PM ET
Ohio State gets another shot to end its futility against the SEC in bowl games when the Buckeyes take on Arkansas. As Ohio State fans are well aware, the Buckeyes are 0-9 against SEC teams in bowl games. They face an Arkansas team that will be making its first-ever BCS bowl appearance. The Hogs are playing in the Sugar Bowl for the first time since 1980. -- Chris Low
GODADDY.com BOWL - Miami (OH) vs Middle Tennessee
MOBILE, AL
Jan. 6, 8:00 PM ET
Miami (Ohio) mounted the nation's biggest turnaround, going from 1-11 in 2009 to 9-4 and a MAC championship. RedHawks quarterback Zac Dysert (spleen) could miss the game, but backup Austin Boucher is ready. Middle Tennessee quarterback Dwight Dasher ended a rough season on a good note against Florida International and shined last year in the New Orleans Bowl. -- Adam Rittenberg
AT&T COTTON BOWL - No. 10 LSU at No. 17 Texas A&M
ARLINGTON, TX
Jan. 7, 8:00 PM ET
FOX
Texas A&M flirted with the SEC over the summer, but the Aggies will get a chance to beat an SEC team for the first time since 1995 when they face LSU. Texas A&M is 0-3 in the past two seasons against the conference, but the Tigers' defense will make life hard on the Aggies' offense. There's a silver lining for Texas A&M, though. Les Miles will be without his mojo: this game is on artificial turf. -- David Ubben
BBVA COMPASS BOWL - Kentucky vs Pittsburgh
BIRMINGHAM, AL
Jan. 8, 12:00 PM ET
Kentucky and Pittsburgh bring entertaining individual stars to Birmingham; do-everything Randall Cobb, tailback Derrick Locke and quarterback Mike Hartline for the Wildcats and future NFL wideout Jon Baldwin, tailback Dion Lewis and defensive end Jabaal Sheard for Pitt. But that talent didn't translate to huge team success. Who reverses the trend? -- Brian Bennett
KRAFT FIGHT HUNGER BOWL - No. 15 Nevada at Boston College
SAN FRANCISCO, CA
Jan. 9, 9:00 PM ET
Boston College and its rugged defense led by linebacker Luke Kuechly will try to shut down Colin Kaepernick and No. 17 Nevada's potent pistol offense. The Eagles bounced back from a five-game losing streak with a five-game winning streak. Nevada roared onto the national scene by ending Boise State's dreams of a national title. Can the Wolf Pack now take down an ACC team? -- Ted Miller
TOSTITOS BCS NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME - No. 1 Auburn vs No. 2 Oregon
GLENDALE, AZ
Jan. 10, 8:30 PM ET
All indications are Oregon vs. Auburn will be a high-scoring affair. Both offenses have looked unstoppable at times. The matchup features two of the nation's best players in Auburn quarterback Cam Newton and Oregon running back LaMichael James. The game may, however, come down to who can step up on defense. Oregon is ranked 14th in the nation in scoring defense. Auburn is 54th. -- Ted Miller
Below is a smaller schedule you can copy/paste with your picks in bold. Also has which network the game will air on
New Mexico
BYU vs. UTEP Albuquerque, N.M.
University Stadium Dec. 18
2 p.m. ESPN
uDrove Humanitarian
Northern Illinois vs. Fresno State Boise, Idaho
Bronco Stadium Dec. 18
5:30 p.m. ESPN
R+L Carriers New Orleans
Ohio vs. Troy New Orleans
Louisiana Superdome Dec. 18
9 p.m. ESPN
:lmaoBeef 'O' Brady's St. Petersburg
Southern Mississippi vs. Louisville St. Petersburg, Fla.
Tropicana Field Dec. 21
8 p.m. ESPN
MAACO Las Vegas
Utah vs. Boise State Las Vegas
Sam Boyd Stadium Dec. 22
8 p.m. ESPN
S.D. County Credit Union Poinsettia
Navy vs. San Diego State San Diego
Qualcomm Stadium Dec. 23
8 p.m. ESPN
Sheraton Hawaii
Hawaii vs. Tulsa Honolulu
Aloha Stadium Dec. 24
8 p.m. ESPN
Little Caesars
Florida International vs. Toledo Detroit
Ford Field Dec. 26
8:30 p.m. ESPN
AdvoCare V100 Independence
Air Force vs. Georgia Tech Shreveport, La.
Independence Stadium Dec. 27
5 p.m. ESPN2
Champs Sports
West Virginia vs. NC State Orlando, Fla.
Florida Citrus Bowl Dec. 28
6:30 p.m. ESPN
Insight
Missouri vs. Iowa Tempe, Ariz.
Sun Devil Stadium Dec. 28
10 p.m. ESPN
Military Bowl Presented By Northrop Grumman
East Carolina vs. Maryland Washington, D.C.
RFK Stadium Dec. 29
2:30 p.m. ESPN
Texas
Illinois vs. Baylor Houston
Reliant Stadium Dec. 29
6 p.m. ESPN
Valero Alamo
Oklahoma State vs. Arizona San Antonio
Alamodome Dec. 29
9:15 p.m. ESPN
Bell Helicopter Armed Forces
Army vs. SMU Dallas
Gerald J. Ford Stadium Dec. 30
Noon ESPN
New Era Pinstripe
Kansas St. vs. Syracuse Bronx, N.Y.
Yankee Stadium Dec. 30
3:20 p.m. ESPN
Franklin American Mortgage Music City
North Carolina vs. Tennessee Nashville, Tenn.
LP Field Dec. 30
6:40 p.m. ESPN
Bridgepoint Education Holiday
Nebraska vs. Washington San Diego
Qualcomm Stadium Dec. 30
10 p.m. ESPN
Meineke Car Care
South Florida vs. Clemson Charlotte, N.C.
Bank of America Stadium Dec. 31
Noon ESPN
Hyundai Sun
Notre Dame vs. Miami El Paso, Texas
Sun Bowl Dec. 31
2 p.m. CBS
AutoZone Liberty
Georgia vs. UCF Memphis, Tenn.
Liberty Bowl Dec. 31
3:30 p.m. ESPN
Chick-fil-A
South Carolina vs. Florida State Atlanta
Georgia Dome Dec. 31
7:30 p.m. ESPN
TicketCity
Northwestern vs. Texas Tech Dallas
Cotton Bowl Jan. 1
Noon ESPNU
Outback
Florida vs. Penn State Tampa, Fla.
Raymond James Stadium Jan. 1
1 p.m. ABC
Capital One
Alabama vs. Michigan State Orlando, Fla.
Florida Citrus Bowl Jan. 1
1 p.m. ESPN
Gator Bowl
Mississippi State vs. Michigan Jacksonville, Fla.
Municipal Stadium Jan. 1
1:30 p.m. ESPN2
Rose Bowl Game presented by VIZIO
Wisconsin vs. TCU Pasadena, Calif.
Rose Bowl Jan. 1
5 p.m. ESPN
Tostitos Fiesta
Connecticut vs. Oklahoma Glendale, Ariz.
U. of Phoenix Stadium Jan. 1
8:30 p.m. ESPN/ESPN3D
Discover Orange
Stanford vs. Virginia Tech Miami
Sun Life Stadium Jan. 3
8:30 p.m. ESPN
Allstate Sugar
Ohio State vs. Arkansas New Orleans
Louisiana Superdome Jan. 4
8:30 p.m. ESPN
GoDaddy.com
Middle Tennessee vs. Miami (Ohio) Mobile, Ala.
Ladd-Peebles Stadium Jan. 6
8 p.m. ESPN
AT&T Cotton
LSU vs. Texas A&M Arlington, Texas
Cowboys Stadium Jan. 7
8 p.m. FOX
BBVA Compass Bowl
Pittsburgh vs. Kentucky Birmingham, Ala.
Legion Field Jan. 8
Noon ESPN
Kraft Fight Hunger
Nevada vs. Boston College San Francisco
AT&T Park Jan. 9
9 p.m. ESPN
Tostitos BCS National Championship Game
Oregon vs. Auburn Glendale, Ariz.
U. of Phoenix Stadium Jan. 10
8:30 p.m. ESPN/ESPN3D
ALBUQUERQUE, NM
Dec. 18, 2:00 PM ET
The two former WAC rivals are playing for the first time since 1998. BYU is 3-2 in its past five bowl appearances, and this is the first season since 2005 that the Cougars are not going to post a 10-win season. UTEP is making its first bowl appearance since 2005 and playing its fourth bowl game since 2000. The Miners have dropped four straight bowl games. -- Andrea Adelson
uDROVE HUMANITARIAN BOWL - Fresno State vs Northern Illinois
BOISE, ID
Dec. 18, 5:30 PM ET
Northern Illinois is making its third consecutive bowl appearance for the first time in school history and is 2-3 all-time in bowl games. Even though the Huskies lost a heartbreaker in the MAC title game, they still have a chance to go for a school-record 11 wins. Fresno State is making its fourth straight bowl game and is in the Humanitarian for the first time since 2007. -- Andrea Adelson
R+L CARRIERS NEW ORLEANS BOWL - Troy vs Ohio
NEW ORLEANS, LA
Dec. 18, 9:00 PM ET
The Trojans have won at least a share of the Sun Belt title for the fifth straight season. They will be playing in New Orleans for the third time in five seasons. This is also their fifth bowl appearance in the past seven years. This is the first bowl meeting between the schools. Ohio is making its second straight bowl appearance, but is 0-4 all-time in bowl games. -- Andrea Adelson
BEEF 'O' BRADY'S (:lmao) BOWL ST. PETERSBURG - Louisville vs Southern Miss
SAINT PETERSBURG, FL
Dec. 21, 8:00 PM ET
This game features two old rivals. Southern Miss was a thorn in Louisville's side in the 1980s and '90s, so it's fitting that the Golden Eagles await in the Cardinals' first postseason appearance since the 2007 Orange Bowl. It's a classic clash of offense (Southern Miss is the nation's 15th-highest scoring team) vs. defense (Louisville finished 11th in total defense). -- Brian Bennett
MAACO BOWL LAS VEGAS - No. 11 Boise State vs No. 19 Utah
LAS VEGAS, NV
Dec. 22, 8:00 PM ET
Both schools already have won two BCS bowl games. On the downside for Utah, starting quarterback Jordan Wynn won't be able to play due to shoulder surgery, meaning backup Terrance Cain will get the call. That's not too bad, considering he's 9-1 as Utah's starter. It will be interesting to see how the Broncos react after dropping from a BCS bowl game to Las Vegas. -- Ted Miller
SAN DIEGO COUNTY CREDIT UNION POINSETTIA BOWL - San Diego State vs Navy
SAN DIEGO, CA
Dec. 23, 8:00 PM ET
You have the local team in San Diego State against a team that has a huge Naval base in the city. Lots of demand already for tickets. San Diego State is making its first bowl appearance since 1998, while Navy is in a bowl game for the seventh straight season. The Midshipmen are 1-1 in bowl games under coach Ken Niumatalolo. -- Andrea Adelson
SHERATON HAWAII BOWL - No. 24 Hawaii at Tulsa
HONOLULU, HI
Dec. 24, 8:00 PM ET
Two of the most prolific offenses in the country face off on Christmas Eve: Tulsa ranks No. 5 in the country in total offense, while Hawaii ranks No. 8. Two great quarterbacks to watch, as well: G.J. Kinne for the Golden Hurricane and Bryant Moniz for the Warriors. Hawaii is 3-2 in its past five bowl appearances. So is Tulsa. -- Andrea Adelson
LITTLE CAESARS BOWL - Toledo vs Florida International
DETROIT, MI
Dec. 26, 8:30 PM ET
Few expected Toledo or Florida International to make a bowl game, but Tim Beckman and Mario Cristobal had other ideas. Beckman revived a former MAC power in Toledo, which went 7-1 in league play. This fall, Cristobal orchestrated college football's most impressive building job at Florida International, which had gone 9-39 in the past four seasons. -- Adam Rittenberg
AdvoCare V100 INDEPENDENCE BOWL - Georgia Tech vs Air Force
SHREVEPORT, LA
Dec. 27, 5:00 PM ET
This game will feature some old-school, triple-option offenses. Georgia Tech and Air Force are Nos. 1 and 2 in the nation in rushing offense, respectively. Both teams average more than 310 rushing yards per game, and have combined to complete just 136 passes. While at Navy, Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson beat the Falcons six times. -- Heather Dinich
CHAMPS SPORTS BOWL - No. 22 West Virginia at North Carolina State
ORLANDO, FL
Dec. 28, 6:30 PM ET
Russell Wilson or Geno Smith? They're both dynamic quarterbacks. Wilson, the NC State junior, finished 11th in the nation in total offense, while the West Virginia sophomore Smith threw 23 touchdowns against just six interceptions this year. The Mountaineers feel like they should have been in the BCS; here's a chance to prove it. -- Brian Bennett
INSIGHT BOWL - No. 12 Missouri at Iowa
TEMPE, AZ
Dec. 28, 10:00 PM ET
There's no mystery about momentum in this one. Missouri finished its season with three wins to climb back inside the top 15. Iowa lost its final three games to fall out of the top 25. Both teams will be bringing quality quarterbacks out to Tempe as Iowa's Ricky Stanzi and Missouri's Blaine Gabbert will face off in the desert. -- David Ubben
MILITARY BOWL PRESENTED BY NORTHROP GRUMMAN - Maryland vs East Carolina
WASHINGTON, DC
Dec. 29, 2:30 PM ET
Maryland, a 2-10 team a year ago, made the second-best turnaround in the FBS with eight wins this season. This game will feature two talented quarterbacks in Maryland's Danny O'Brien, the ACC's Rookie of the Year, and East Carolina quarterback Dominique Davis, who is fourth in the country with 3,699 passing yards. -- Heather Dinich
TEXAS BOWL - Baylor vs Illinois
HOUSTON, TX
Dec. 29, 6:00 PM ET
Two exciting, elusive dual-threat quarterbacks in Baylor's Robert Griffin III and Illinois' Nathan Scheelhaase will face off in Reliant Stadium and be flanked by a pair of 1,000-yard rushers. The Illini's Mikel Leshoure stole the show at Wrigley Field against Northwestern with a 330-yard performance, and Baylor's Jay Finley ran for 250 yards in a win over Kansas State earlier this year. -- David Ubben
VALERO ALAMO BOWL - No. 14 Oklahoma State at Arizona
SAN ANTONIO, TX
Dec. 29, 9:15 PM ET
Oklahoma State has one of the best offenses in the nation, but that shouldn't be too much of a shock for Arizona, as the Wildcats have already faced the No. 1 (Oregon) and No. 8 (Stanford) scoring offenses this season. Still, the Cowboys' troika of receiver Justin Blackmon, running back Kendall Hunter and quarterback Brandon Weeden is about as good as it gets. -- Ted Miller
BELL HELICOPTER ARMED FORCES BOWL - Southern Methodist vs Army
DALLAS, TX
Dec. 30, 12:00 PM ET
This game highlights a pair of contrasting offenses. Army, making its first bowl appearance since 1996, runs the triple option and is ninth nationally in rushing offense. SMU, coached by June Jones, uses the run-and-shoot. The Mustangs don't just throw it every down, either. They've run the ball to open up their passing game this season. -- Chris Low
NEW ERA PINSTRIPE BOWL - Syracuse vs Kansas State
BRONX, NY
Dec. 30, 3:20 PM ET
Two familiar bowl foes face off in one unusual venue. It's the third postseason game since 1997 between Syracuse and Kansas State; the Orange's last bowl victory came against the Wildcats in 2001. The twist: Yankee Stadium is hosting its first-ever bowl game. Each team hoped for bigger things -- Kansas State started 5-1, Syracuse 6-2. But what's bigger than the Big Apple? -- Brian Bennett
FRANKLIN AMERICAN MORTGAGE MUSIC CITY BOWL - Tennessee vs North Carolina
NASHVILLE, TN
Dec. 30, 6:40 PM ET
Tennessee and North Carolina will be playing after all, in the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl. The two teams were supposed to begin a two-game series next season, but Tennessee athletic director Mike Hamilton paid the penalty to get out of the series because he didn't want the schedule to be so overloaded this early in Derek Dooley's tenure. -- Chris Low
BRIDGEPOINT EDUCATION HOLIDAY BOWL - No. 18 Nebraska at Washington
SAN DIEGO, CA
Dec. 30, 10:00 PM ET
Nebraska humiliated Jake Locker and Washington 56-21 in Seattle on Sept. 18. Well, the Huskies will get a second chance against the Huskers as the bowl was forced to create a rematch because the Huskies were the only available team from the Pac-10. The downward spiral of Locker's NFL prospects began with the loss to Nebraska, in which he completed just 4 of 20 passes for 71 yards. -- Ted Miller
MEINEKE CAR CARE BOWL - Clemson vs South Florida
CHARLOTTE, NC
Dec. 31, 12:00 PM ET
Look elsewhere for shootouts. Clemson finished 86th nationally in scoring this year, while South Florida was right behind at 88th. Instead, watch for two fast, SEC-caliber defenses. The Tigers are led by national sack champ Da'Quan Bowers, while the Bulls take a no-name but hard-hitting approach. Quarterbacks beware. -- Brian Bennett
HYUNDAI SUN BOWL - Miami (FL) vs Notre Dame
EL PASO, TX
Dec. 31, 2:00 PM ET
CBS
These once-storied programs have had trying seasons, as Miami fired Randy Shannon, and Notre Dame dealt with the tragic death of a student videographer. On the field, both teams underperformed, but the Irish reversed their fortunes with a win over rival USC, and Miami now turns to interim head coach Jeff Stoutland. -- Heather Dinich
AutoZone LIBERTY BOWL - No. 25 UCF vs Georgia
MEMPHIS, TN
Dec. 31, 3:30 PM ET
Despite a four-game losing streak earlier this season, Georgia is going bowling for the 14th straight season and will see a familiar face on the opposite sideline. UCF is coached by George O'Leary, who was 3-5 against the Bulldogs as the coach at Georgia Tech from 1995 to 2001. Central Florida defeated SMU 17-7 to win the Conference USA championship. -- Chris Low
Chick-fil-A BOWL - No. 20 South Carolina at No. 23 Florida State
ATLANTA, GA
Dec. 31, 7:30 PM ET
South Carolina and Florida State were both the runners-up in their respective conference championship games, as neither could stop talented quarterbacks. Still, this game will feature two of the nation's top defenses. The Gamecocks led the SEC in rushing defense and sacks, and the Seminoles are No. 2 in the nation in sacks. -- Heather Dinich
TICKETCITY BOWL - Texas Tech vs Northwestern
DALLAS, TX
Jan. 1, 12:00 PM ET
Texas Tech has dealt with plenty of injuries this year, but nothing like what Northwestern suffered late in the season. The Wildcats will take on the Red Raiders without quarterback Dan Persa, who tore his Achilles on the game-winning play against Iowa. NU was blown out in its final two games without Persa, but Tech won three of its final four games, including a win over then-No. 12 Missouri. -- David Ubben
CAPITAL ONE BOWL - No. 9 Michigan State vs No. 16 Alabama
ORLANDO, FL
Jan. 1, 1:00 PM ET
Alabama's quest for a second straight national championship ended back in November, but the Crimson Tide can still win 10 games for the third straight season when they take on Michigan State. Alabama coach Nick Saban was the Spartans' head coach before going to LSU, and Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio is a former assistant under Saban. -- Chris Low
OUTBACK BOWL - Penn State vs Florida
TAMPA, FL
Jan. 1, 1:00 PM ET
Both teams had middling seasons, but the coaching matchup is top notch. Penn State's Joe Paterno owns a record 24 bowl victories, while Florida's Urban Meyer boasts two national titles and a 6-1 mark in postseason play, including a win in the 2006 Outback Bowl. Nine of the teams' 10 combined losses came against ranked opponents. -- Adam Rittenberg
GATOR BOWL - No. 21 Mississippi State at Michigan
JACKSONVILLE, FL
Jan. 1, 1:30 PM ET
The spread offense and speed will be everywhere in Jacksonville. Florida native Denard Robinson leads the nation's No. 6 offense against a Mississippi State squad that ranks 16th nationally in rushing and boasts a better defense than Michigan. A hot young coach (Mississippi State's Dan Mullen) goes up against a coach on the hot seat (Michigan's Rich Rodriguez). -- Adam Rittenberg
ROSE BOWL GAME PRESENTED BY VIZIO - No. 3 TCU vs No. 5 Wisconsin
PASADENA, CA
Jan. 1, 5:00 PM ET
Wisconsin makes its first trip to Pasadena in 11 seasons, while TCU becomes the first team from a non-AQ league in the BCS era to play in the Rose Bowl. Both teams scored 520 points, tying for fourth nationally. While TCU boasts the stingier defense, Wisconsin racked up 201 points in its final three regular-season games. -- Adam Rittenberg
TOSTITOS FIESTA BOWL - No. 7 Oklahoma vs Connecticut
GLENDALE, AZ
Jan. 1, 8:30 PM ET
This looks like the biggest mismatch of the five BCS games. Oklahoma's only two losses came on the road to Big 12 teams who earned a share of a division title. Two of UConn's four losses came to Temple and Rutgers, a pair of teams that won't be bowling this postseason. But considering Bob Stoops' five-game losing streak in BCS bowl games, anything could happen. -- David Ubben
DISCOVER ORANGE BOWL - No. 4 Stanford at No. 13 Virginia Tech
MIAMI, FL
Jan. 3, 8:30 PM ET
ACC champion Virginia Tech, which became the first FBS program to win 11 straight games after starting the season 0-2, will face a Stanford program that believes it is the best one-loss team in the country and has made its case with three shutouts and a Heisman contending quarterback in Andrew Luck. -- Heather Dinich
ALLSTATE SUGAR BOWL - No. 6 Ohio State at No. 8 Arkansas
NEW ORLEANS, LA
Jan. 4, 8:30 PM ET
Ohio State gets another shot to end its futility against the SEC in bowl games when the Buckeyes take on Arkansas. As Ohio State fans are well aware, the Buckeyes are 0-9 against SEC teams in bowl games. They face an Arkansas team that will be making its first-ever BCS bowl appearance. The Hogs are playing in the Sugar Bowl for the first time since 1980. -- Chris Low
GODADDY.com BOWL - Miami (OH) vs Middle Tennessee
MOBILE, AL
Jan. 6, 8:00 PM ET
Miami (Ohio) mounted the nation's biggest turnaround, going from 1-11 in 2009 to 9-4 and a MAC championship. RedHawks quarterback Zac Dysert (spleen) could miss the game, but backup Austin Boucher is ready. Middle Tennessee quarterback Dwight Dasher ended a rough season on a good note against Florida International and shined last year in the New Orleans Bowl. -- Adam Rittenberg
AT&T COTTON BOWL - No. 10 LSU at No. 17 Texas A&M
ARLINGTON, TX
Jan. 7, 8:00 PM ET
FOX
Texas A&M flirted with the SEC over the summer, but the Aggies will get a chance to beat an SEC team for the first time since 1995 when they face LSU. Texas A&M is 0-3 in the past two seasons against the conference, but the Tigers' defense will make life hard on the Aggies' offense. There's a silver lining for Texas A&M, though. Les Miles will be without his mojo: this game is on artificial turf. -- David Ubben
BBVA COMPASS BOWL - Kentucky vs Pittsburgh
BIRMINGHAM, AL
Jan. 8, 12:00 PM ET
Kentucky and Pittsburgh bring entertaining individual stars to Birmingham; do-everything Randall Cobb, tailback Derrick Locke and quarterback Mike Hartline for the Wildcats and future NFL wideout Jon Baldwin, tailback Dion Lewis and defensive end Jabaal Sheard for Pitt. But that talent didn't translate to huge team success. Who reverses the trend? -- Brian Bennett
KRAFT FIGHT HUNGER BOWL - No. 15 Nevada at Boston College
SAN FRANCISCO, CA
Jan. 9, 9:00 PM ET
Boston College and its rugged defense led by linebacker Luke Kuechly will try to shut down Colin Kaepernick and No. 17 Nevada's potent pistol offense. The Eagles bounced back from a five-game losing streak with a five-game winning streak. Nevada roared onto the national scene by ending Boise State's dreams of a national title. Can the Wolf Pack now take down an ACC team? -- Ted Miller
TOSTITOS BCS NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME - No. 1 Auburn vs No. 2 Oregon
GLENDALE, AZ
Jan. 10, 8:30 PM ET
All indications are Oregon vs. Auburn will be a high-scoring affair. Both offenses have looked unstoppable at times. The matchup features two of the nation's best players in Auburn quarterback Cam Newton and Oregon running back LaMichael James. The game may, however, come down to who can step up on defense. Oregon is ranked 14th in the nation in scoring defense. Auburn is 54th. -- Ted Miller
Below is a smaller schedule you can copy/paste with your picks in bold. Also has which network the game will air on
New Mexico
BYU vs. UTEP Albuquerque, N.M.
University Stadium Dec. 18
2 p.m. ESPN
uDrove Humanitarian
Northern Illinois vs. Fresno State Boise, Idaho
Bronco Stadium Dec. 18
5:30 p.m. ESPN
R+L Carriers New Orleans
Ohio vs. Troy New Orleans
Louisiana Superdome Dec. 18
9 p.m. ESPN
:lmaoBeef 'O' Brady's St. Petersburg
Southern Mississippi vs. Louisville St. Petersburg, Fla.
Tropicana Field Dec. 21
8 p.m. ESPN
MAACO Las Vegas
Utah vs. Boise State Las Vegas
Sam Boyd Stadium Dec. 22
8 p.m. ESPN
S.D. County Credit Union Poinsettia
Navy vs. San Diego State San Diego
Qualcomm Stadium Dec. 23
8 p.m. ESPN
Sheraton Hawaii
Hawaii vs. Tulsa Honolulu
Aloha Stadium Dec. 24
8 p.m. ESPN
Little Caesars
Florida International vs. Toledo Detroit
Ford Field Dec. 26
8:30 p.m. ESPN
AdvoCare V100 Independence
Air Force vs. Georgia Tech Shreveport, La.
Independence Stadium Dec. 27
5 p.m. ESPN2
Champs Sports
West Virginia vs. NC State Orlando, Fla.
Florida Citrus Bowl Dec. 28
6:30 p.m. ESPN
Insight
Missouri vs. Iowa Tempe, Ariz.
Sun Devil Stadium Dec. 28
10 p.m. ESPN
Military Bowl Presented By Northrop Grumman
East Carolina vs. Maryland Washington, D.C.
RFK Stadium Dec. 29
2:30 p.m. ESPN
Texas
Illinois vs. Baylor Houston
Reliant Stadium Dec. 29
6 p.m. ESPN
Valero Alamo
Oklahoma State vs. Arizona San Antonio
Alamodome Dec. 29
9:15 p.m. ESPN
Bell Helicopter Armed Forces
Army vs. SMU Dallas
Gerald J. Ford Stadium Dec. 30
Noon ESPN
New Era Pinstripe
Kansas St. vs. Syracuse Bronx, N.Y.
Yankee Stadium Dec. 30
3:20 p.m. ESPN
Franklin American Mortgage Music City
North Carolina vs. Tennessee Nashville, Tenn.
LP Field Dec. 30
6:40 p.m. ESPN
Bridgepoint Education Holiday
Nebraska vs. Washington San Diego
Qualcomm Stadium Dec. 30
10 p.m. ESPN
Meineke Car Care
South Florida vs. Clemson Charlotte, N.C.
Bank of America Stadium Dec. 31
Noon ESPN
Hyundai Sun
Notre Dame vs. Miami El Paso, Texas
Sun Bowl Dec. 31
2 p.m. CBS
AutoZone Liberty
Georgia vs. UCF Memphis, Tenn.
Liberty Bowl Dec. 31
3:30 p.m. ESPN
Chick-fil-A
South Carolina vs. Florida State Atlanta
Georgia Dome Dec. 31
7:30 p.m. ESPN
TicketCity
Northwestern vs. Texas Tech Dallas
Cotton Bowl Jan. 1
Noon ESPNU
Outback
Florida vs. Penn State Tampa, Fla.
Raymond James Stadium Jan. 1
1 p.m. ABC
Capital One
Alabama vs. Michigan State Orlando, Fla.
Florida Citrus Bowl Jan. 1
1 p.m. ESPN
Gator Bowl
Mississippi State vs. Michigan Jacksonville, Fla.
Municipal Stadium Jan. 1
1:30 p.m. ESPN2
Rose Bowl Game presented by VIZIO
Wisconsin vs. TCU Pasadena, Calif.
Rose Bowl Jan. 1
5 p.m. ESPN
Tostitos Fiesta
Connecticut vs. Oklahoma Glendale, Ariz.
U. of Phoenix Stadium Jan. 1
8:30 p.m. ESPN/ESPN3D
Discover Orange
Stanford vs. Virginia Tech Miami
Sun Life Stadium Jan. 3
8:30 p.m. ESPN
Allstate Sugar
Ohio State vs. Arkansas New Orleans
Louisiana Superdome Jan. 4
8:30 p.m. ESPN
GoDaddy.com
Middle Tennessee vs. Miami (Ohio) Mobile, Ala.
Ladd-Peebles Stadium Jan. 6
8 p.m. ESPN
AT&T Cotton
LSU vs. Texas A&M Arlington, Texas
Cowboys Stadium Jan. 7
8 p.m. FOX
BBVA Compass Bowl
Pittsburgh vs. Kentucky Birmingham, Ala.
Legion Field Jan. 8
Noon ESPN
Kraft Fight Hunger
Nevada vs. Boston College San Francisco
AT&T Park Jan. 9
9 p.m. ESPN
Tostitos BCS National Championship Game
Oregon vs. Auburn Glendale, Ariz.
U. of Phoenix Stadium Jan. 10
8:30 p.m. ESPN/ESPN3D