Brett Ludwiczak
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You’re Nuts: Which non-CFP bowl game are you most looking forward to?
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Bryan Bennett/Getty Images
Your (almost) daily dose of good-natured, Ohio State banter.
Not only were the seedings for the 12-team College Football Playoff made known on Sunday afternoon, but the matchups for all the bowl games outside of the CFP were revealed. Overall, there will be 47 bowl games between December 14 and January 20, with 11 of those contests being games inside the College Football Playoff. While all the focus will be on the CFP games since the results actually mean something, it doesn’t mean that the bowl games outside the playoff can’t be fun.
Even though bowl season isn’t the same as it used to be because of the transfer portal and players opting out of bowl games to focus on preparing for the NFL, the exhibitions still serve a purpose. Teams that do play in bowls get 15 extra practices, which allows coaches to get an even longer look at returning players ahead of the next season. For college football fanatics, a healthy schedule of games over the holidays gives fans of the sport something to turn to when they are off work, or they have had enough family time around Christmas and New Year’s.
This year’s non-CFP bowl schedule has some incredible highlights. Along with a winning coach having a bucket of mayo dumped on them, and some Pop-Tarts fulfilling their lifelong dream of being murdered after a game, there are some fun matchups on the field. Today we want to know which bowl game outside the College Football Playoff you are most looking forward to.
Maybe it’s a game that has an entertaining sponsor and always provides hijinks off the field, or it could just be because you want to see a rival team embarrassed in a pointless exhibition game. In the end, just try and consume as much college football as you can during bowl season, since January 20th is going to come a lot quicker than you think it will.
This game has the potential to be one of the most entertaining bowls of the year. As long as both quarterbacks play in this game, I’d say to take the over in this game, which is currently set at 60.5. Syracuse finished the regular season with a three-game winning streak, spoiling the playoff hopes of Miami along the way by beating the Hurricanes in their regular season finale to finish with a 9-3 record. Former Ohio State quarterback Kyle McCord threw for over 4,300 yards and 29 touchdowns in 2024 but also tossed 12 interceptions. With how much Syracuse threw the football, four players caught at least 60 passes this season. As of now, head coach Fran Brown said he expects McCord to play in the December 27th bowl game in San Diego.
Unlike Syracuse, Washington State had a rough finish to the regular season, losing their last three games by a combined seven points. When the Cougars were clicking they were one of the toughest teams in the country to slow down. John Mateer was a dual-threat quarterback, throwing for 3,139 yards and 29 touchdowns while adding 826 yards and 15 touchdowns on the ground. Mateer may have run out of gas carrying the offense down the stretch, but with a month off to recharge his batteries, he should be in fine form for the clash with the Orange two days after Christmas.
Even though there may have been some ill-will towards McCord for the way he left Ohio State, I honestly hope he has a great game against the Cougars and is able to boost his draft stock if he decides to declare for the NFL Draft. There are always a couple of bowl games that don’t mean anything in the grand scheme of things but are remembered because they are fun to watch. There’s no reason to take a game like this seriously. Hopefully, the 2024 Holiday Bowl just lives in the moment and has fun with itself since the Orange and Cougars have the offensive firepower to entertain the masses.
It’s the Pop-Tarts Bowl. How could it not be the Pop-Tarts Bowl? You have multiple anthropomorphized breakfast pastries as the mascots for the game and the MVP of the winning team gets to pick which one is going to be toasted and then eaten by his teammates? If that is not theatre, I don’t know what is!
Beyond the breakfast pastry pageantry, the game will feature a pair of teams that came within perhaps one win of being in the College Football Playoff and also have wind-related natural disaster mascots. Now, sure, they both will likely have a large number of players sit out — including the Hurricane’s Heisman Trophy finalist quarterback Cam Ward — I think both Iowa State’s Matt Campbell and The U’s Mario Cristobal will want to use this opportunity against a good team to get the program focused on good things for the 2025 season.
It also might color my opinion of the game that it is happening in Orlando, where I live, but a Saturday, Dec. 28, 3:30 p.m. ET kickoff feels perfect for this type of matchup. There will be no CFP games that day, and the only other major matchup is BYU vs. Colorado in the Alamo Bowl.
The Iowa State Cyclones come into bowl season No. 4 nationally allowing only 161.7 passing yards per game, however, the Miami Hurricanes’ offense is second nationally in passing yards per game with 359.3. Again, Ward almost certainly doesn’t play, but that likely won’t change the philosophy for Cristobal.
This game should be a thoroughly entertaining matchup both in terms of the crazy mascot shenanigans and the potential for high-caliber football — at least judging by modern on-CFP bowl standards.
Continue reading...
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Bryan Bennett/Getty Images
Your (almost) daily dose of good-natured, Ohio State banter.
Not only were the seedings for the 12-team College Football Playoff made known on Sunday afternoon, but the matchups for all the bowl games outside of the CFP were revealed. Overall, there will be 47 bowl games between December 14 and January 20, with 11 of those contests being games inside the College Football Playoff. While all the focus will be on the CFP games since the results actually mean something, it doesn’t mean that the bowl games outside the playoff can’t be fun.
Even though bowl season isn’t the same as it used to be because of the transfer portal and players opting out of bowl games to focus on preparing for the NFL, the exhibitions still serve a purpose. Teams that do play in bowls get 15 extra practices, which allows coaches to get an even longer look at returning players ahead of the next season. For college football fanatics, a healthy schedule of games over the holidays gives fans of the sport something to turn to when they are off work, or they have had enough family time around Christmas and New Year’s.
This year’s non-CFP bowl schedule has some incredible highlights. Along with a winning coach having a bucket of mayo dumped on them, and some Pop-Tarts fulfilling their lifelong dream of being murdered after a game, there are some fun matchups on the field. Today we want to know which bowl game outside the College Football Playoff you are most looking forward to.
Maybe it’s a game that has an entertaining sponsor and always provides hijinks off the field, or it could just be because you want to see a rival team embarrassed in a pointless exhibition game. In the end, just try and consume as much college football as you can during bowl season, since January 20th is going to come a lot quicker than you think it will.
Today’s question: Which non-CFP bowl game are you most looking forward to?
We’d love to hear your choices. Either respond to us on Twitter at @Landgrant33 or leave your choice in the comments.
Brett’s answer: Holiday Bowl - Syracuse v. Washington State
This game has the potential to be one of the most entertaining bowls of the year. As long as both quarterbacks play in this game, I’d say to take the over in this game, which is currently set at 60.5. Syracuse finished the regular season with a three-game winning streak, spoiling the playoff hopes of Miami along the way by beating the Hurricanes in their regular season finale to finish with a 9-3 record. Former Ohio State quarterback Kyle McCord threw for over 4,300 yards and 29 touchdowns in 2024 but also tossed 12 interceptions. With how much Syracuse threw the football, four players caught at least 60 passes this season. As of now, head coach Fran Brown said he expects McCord to play in the December 27th bowl game in San Diego.
Unlike Syracuse, Washington State had a rough finish to the regular season, losing their last three games by a combined seven points. When the Cougars were clicking they were one of the toughest teams in the country to slow down. John Mateer was a dual-threat quarterback, throwing for 3,139 yards and 29 touchdowns while adding 826 yards and 15 touchdowns on the ground. Mateer may have run out of gas carrying the offense down the stretch, but with a month off to recharge his batteries, he should be in fine form for the clash with the Orange two days after Christmas.
Even though there may have been some ill-will towards McCord for the way he left Ohio State, I honestly hope he has a great game against the Cougars and is able to boost his draft stock if he decides to declare for the NFL Draft. There are always a couple of bowl games that don’t mean anything in the grand scheme of things but are remembered because they are fun to watch. There’s no reason to take a game like this seriously. Hopefully, the 2024 Holiday Bowl just lives in the moment and has fun with itself since the Orange and Cougars have the offensive firepower to entertain the masses.
Matt’s answer: Pop-Tarts Bowl - Iowa State vs. Miami
It’s the Pop-Tarts Bowl. How could it not be the Pop-Tarts Bowl? You have multiple anthropomorphized breakfast pastries as the mascots for the game and the MVP of the winning team gets to pick which one is going to be toasted and then eaten by his teammates? If that is not theatre, I don’t know what is!
Beyond the breakfast pastry pageantry, the game will feature a pair of teams that came within perhaps one win of being in the College Football Playoff and also have wind-related natural disaster mascots. Now, sure, they both will likely have a large number of players sit out — including the Hurricane’s Heisman Trophy finalist quarterback Cam Ward — I think both Iowa State’s Matt Campbell and The U’s Mario Cristobal will want to use this opportunity against a good team to get the program focused on good things for the 2025 season.
It also might color my opinion of the game that it is happening in Orlando, where I live, but a Saturday, Dec. 28, 3:30 p.m. ET kickoff feels perfect for this type of matchup. There will be no CFP games that day, and the only other major matchup is BYU vs. Colorado in the Alamo Bowl.
The Iowa State Cyclones come into bowl season No. 4 nationally allowing only 161.7 passing yards per game, however, the Miami Hurricanes’ offense is second nationally in passing yards per game with 359.3. Again, Ward almost certainly doesn’t play, but that likely won’t change the philosophy for Cristobal.
This game should be a thoroughly entertaining matchup both in terms of the crazy mascot shenanigans and the potential for high-caliber football — at least judging by modern on-CFP bowl standards.
Continue reading...