College Football 2015: Ranking the 2015-16 Bowls (Part 4)

Not sure which games are worth watching this college football Bowl season? I’ve run the rule over all forty-one Bowls, and ranked them in order of interest to me. Hopefully it’ll help you plan your football viewing over the holiday period.

(All dates adjusted to Australian time)

13. Russell Athletic Bowl

December 30, 2015; Orlando, Florida
Baylor (Big 12) vs. North Carolina (Atlantic Coast)

If Baylor can find themselves a decent quarterback – which they weren’t able to do in a surprising last-start loss to Texas – this could be an epic shootout, with big plays galore. The Bears offense, when on song, is capable of putting up as many or more points than any team in the nation. Their defense may struggle against an impressive Tar Heel offense led by QB Marquise Williams, who has twenty-eight total touchdowns on the season. He’s a dynamic player, who will take some stopping. This could be a very entertaining shootout.

12. Poinsettia Bowl
December 24, 2015; San Diego, California
Boise State (Mountain West) vs. Northern Illinois (Mid-American)

A match-up of two former BCS ‘busters’ in Southern California. The Broncos are one of my favourite teams to watch, and despite a fade-out towards the end of the season – including a very rare home loss on the blue turf – they enjoyed an eighteenth straight winning season in 2015, whilst unearthing a potential new quarterback star in freshman Brett Rypien, a favourite of mine who’s tossed seventeen touchdowns in just nine games. 

Boise’s offense is going to ask many questions of the Huskies defense, which wasn't great in their 34-14 MAC Championship Game loss to Bowling Green.  They’ll need to show a marked improvement if they’re to hang with the Broncos, who will look to end an uneven year on a high after missing out on a chance to play for a Mountain West championship.

11. Citrus Bowl
January 2, 2016; Orlando, Florida
Michigan (Big Ten) vs. Florida (Southeastern)

Another interesting Big Ten/SEC contest. The Wolverines have rebounded nicely under first-year head coach Jim Harbaugh, but got an indication of how much further they have to travel to be Big Ten contenders after a last-start belting from Ohio State.  The Gators struggled offensively in a big way against Alabama in the SEC title game. The suspension of QB Will Grier completely transformed Florida’s offense, and not for the better. I’m not sure they can make enough plays against a pretty good Michigan defense, which means Florida relies on it’s offense to shut down a markedly-improved Wolverine attack. This should be an interesting defensive struggle.

10. Alamo Bowl
January 3, 2016; San Antonio, Texas
Oregon (Pac-12) vs. Texas Christian (Big 12)

Assuming here that both offensive groups are healthy – QB Trevone Boykin and WR Josh Doctson for the Horned Frogs, and QB Vernon Adams for the Ducks – this is a mouth-watering class of two finely-tuned offenses who’ve had somewhat disappointing seasons. I’d even go so far as to say that this game has the possibility to match the 2011 edition of this game, in which Baylor beat Washington 67-56. We’re going to see fireworks in this one, and, ironically, it might be a defensive stop, probably a rare one in this game, that decides who triumphs. That, or whoever has the ball last. Whatever happens, it’ll be entertaining! Don’t miss it!

9. Texas Bowl

December 30, 2015; Houston, Texas
Louisiana State (Southeastern) vs. Texas Tech (Big 12)

Trouble for the Red Raiders here. Their run defense is shocking (which, really, is putting it mildly), and LSU boasts one of the most devastating backs in football in Leonard Fournette. The big man has shredded better defenses than this one. He could go absolutely wild in this one, and provide one of the big highlights of the 2015-16 Bowl season. Tech’s offense will try to keep up, but will likely struggle against the Tigers SEC-tested defense. Tune in if only to watch Fournette do his thing – you won’t be disappointed.

8. Holiday Bowl

December 31, 2015; San Diego, California
Southern California (Pac-12) vs. Wisconsin (Big Ten)

USC’s cabal of offensive weapons is impressive and despite a 5-loss season, the Trojans shouldn’t be taken likely. I can’t wait to see JuJu Smith-Schuster locked in a duel with a stout Badger secondary. Throw in the occasional offensive appearance from star two-way player Adoree’ Jackson, and the increasingly relied-upon ground game anchored by Ronald Jones III, and Clay Helton’s men are going to be a handful for anyone. Wisconsin’s defense has kept them in games this year despite generally-patchy offense, and that Badger ground game hasn’t been as potent in 2015 as in past years. This should be an interesting game, in front of a large crowd made up of two parochial fan-bases.

7. Sugar Bowl

January 2, 2016; New Orleans, Louisiana
Ole Miss (Southeastern) vs. Oklahoma State (Big 12)

Arguably the second-best team in their respective conferences, there’s likely to be offense galore here. Watching Chad Kelly run the Rebels attack this year has been scoring like it’s going out of fashion, piling up at least 38 points per game. The Cowboys from Stillwater can keep up with the best of them as far as ticking the scoreboard goes. Their dual quarterback scheme featuring J.W. Walsh and Mason Rudolph has brought OSU great success. The question for me is can they get the better of a tough-nosed SEC defense? This shapes as being a good one!

6. Peach Bowl

January 1, 2016; Atlanta, Georgia
Florida State (Atlantic Coast) vs. Houston (American Athletic)

Can the Cougars, who’ve had a great season under first-year head coach Tom Herman match it with one of the best teams in the nation, in Jimbo Fisher’s Seminoles? Houston will first need to stop the ultra-impressive FSU running back Dalvin Cook, and hope that it’s own offense, led by the do-everything quarterback Greg Ward Jr. – one of my favourite players to watch this year – will be able to make enough inroads offensively. Defensively, Houston have been good against the run, so it might come down to FSU quarterback Sean Maguire to play the role of hero. Seminoles probably win, narrowly, but I’d love to see the Coogs spring an upset.