College Football: 2014-15 Bowl Game Predictions

It’s the best time of the year. College bowl season will make the transition from the controversial BCS era to the new and hopefully improved College Football Playoff system. 

The new College Football Playoff will include six bowl games, with two of them being semifinal games. This season, the New Year’s Six will start with the Peach, Fiesta and Orange Bowls on Dec. 31 and be followed by the Cotton, Rose and Sugar Bowls on Jan. 1. The Rose and Sugar Bowl will hold semifinal games consisting of the top four teams. The two winners in those games will play for the College Football Playoff Championship on Jan. 12 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. 

Regarding the other lower-tier bowl games, the Bahamas, Boca Raton, Camellia, Miami Beach and Quick Lane Bowls have been added to the bowl schedule this season. 

With an exciting college football season just one day away, who will win the 2014-15 national title?

Chick-Fil-a Peach Bowl

Associated Press

South Carolina senior quarterback Dylan Thompson

Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl

When: Wed., Dec. 31, 2014

Where: Georgia Dome, Atlanta, Georgia

Who: South Carolina vs. Marshall

Steve Spurrier never quite reached a BCS bowl game with South Carolina, but he will finally get an opportunity to compete in a major bowl game this season. The Gamecocks have the talent surrounding senior quarterback Dylan Thompson to be one of the best teams in the country. 

Matching up with the Gamecocks in Atlanta will be the Marshall Thundering Herd, who will play in their first major bowl game, after finishing the regular season as the highest ranked Group of Five team. The Thundering Herd will look to all-conference senior quarterback Rakeem Cato to lead the way, along with senior wide receiver Tommy Shuler. An undefeated regular season would give Marshall its best season since 1999. 

If Cato can find ways to get into the end zone against a physical South Carolina defense, the nation could witness a mid-major underdog upset an SEC team in a major bowl game for the third time in seven years, the last being when TCU knocked off Wisconsin 21-19 in the Rose Bowl in 2011.

Fiesta Bowl

Associated Press

Stanford senior wide receiver Ty Montgomery

Fiesta Bowl

When: Wed., Dec. 31, 2014

Where: University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, Arizona

Who: Oklahoma vs. Stanford

It will be a rematch from the 2009 Sun Bowl, as the Sooners and Cardinal will battle it out in the desert. 

Oklahoma will head to Glendale with its third Big 12 title in five years and be out to prove that it was snubbed in the first College Football Playoff. Sophomore quarterback Trevor Knight will likely have his biggest test of the season against a stingy Stanford defense that has given up an average of 19 points in its last two bowl games. 

The Cardinal will be the second team selected from the Pac-12 to play in one of the six major bowl games, with Oregon being the other. Fourth-year head coach David Shaw will have his Cardinal in their fifth consecutive major bowl game and in hope of another 11-win season. 

While Oklahoma will air it out and look to outscore Stanford, the Cardinal will slow the game down as usual and try to wear out a Mike Stoops-coached defense.

Orange Bowl

Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images

Auburn senior quarterback Nick Marshall

Orange Bowl

When: Wed., Dec. 31, 2014

Where: Sun Life Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida

Who: Virginia Tech vs. Auburn

It will be exactly a decade ago that these two teams faced off in the Sugar Bowl.

Auburn, after playing for a national championship a year ago, will find itself playing in a major bowl game again. Led by senior quarterback Nick Marshall, the Tigers will boast an explosive offense that is capable of racking points up again this season. 

While much of the focus will be on Auburn’s offense, Virginia Tech will make its way to Miami for the first time since 2010, after surprising the country with a second-place finish in the ACC. Defense will again be key for the Hokies' success, but watch for Texas Tech transfer Michael Brewer to be a solid replacement for an underachieving Logan Thomas. 

If Frank Beamer’s team can keep Auburn from finding the end zone, it could be an intense, low-scoring matchup decided late in the fourth quarter.

Cotton Bowl

Associated Press

Baylor senior quarterback Bryce Petty

Cotton Bowl

When: Thurs., Jan. 1, 2015

Where: AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas

Who: Baylor vs. Ohio State

Jerry World will welcome two teams that know how to light up a scoreboard. 

Baylor will make the short trip to Arlington in hope of winning its first major bowl game in school history, after being outscored by Central Florida, 52-42, in the Fiesta Bowl exactly a year ago. The Bears offense, which will consist of senior quarterback Bryce Petty and senior wide receiver Antwan Goodley, will look to be an offensive juggernaut against the Buckeye defense. 

With the loss of dual-threat quarterback Braxton Miller for the season, Ohio State will play in the Cotton Bowl rather than be in the final four of the College Football Playoff. Redshirt freshman quarterback J.T. Barrett, who should lead the Buckeyes to at least 10 wins during the regular season, will need to rely on playmakers Corey Smith and Devin Smith to help the offense score points against a Baylor defense led by linebacker Bryce Hager. 

While Buckeye nation will make the trip down south, this game is basically in Baylor’s backyard. Fans should be in for a good ol’ Texas shootout on New Year’s Day.

Semifinal: Rose Bowl

USA TODAY Sports

Michigan State junior quarterback Connor Cook

Semifinal: Rose Bowl

When: Thurs., Jan. 1, 2015

Where: Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California

Who: No. 2 Alabama vs. No. 3 Michigan State

The Crimson Tide will be back in contention for their fourth national championship in six years under Nick Saban. Replacing a star quarterback in AJ McCarron is never easy, but somehow Jake Coker or Blake Sims will help lead Alabama to this point. It also helps that both quarterbacks have playmakers in T.J. Yeldon and Amari Cooper. The defense, though, will likely be the main factor in this matchup.

Michigan State, much like Alabama, has focused on being tough defensively and keeping opponents off the scoreboard. In the past three seasons, both programs have had top-10 defenses. 

Sparty, led by junior quarterback Connor Cook, will crack the top four of the College Football Playoff rankings with its second straight Big Ten title. It will be another New Year’s Day at the Rose Bowl for a physical Michigan State squad that not only has a stout defense, but a fine offense as well.

Semifinal: Sugar Bowl

USA TODAY Sports

Oregon junior quarterback Marcus Mariota

Semifinal: Sugar Bowl

When: Thurs., Jan. 1, 2015

Where: Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana

Who: No. 1 Florida State vs. No. 4 Oregon 

Down in New Orleans, it will be two of the best quarterbacks in the country squaring off in what could be a shootout. 

Jameis Winston and Co. will come in riding high after another ACC championship. The toughest part for Florida State is that it will have to go through a dangerous Oregon squad just to advance to the College Football Playoff Championship.

Marcus Mariota and the Ducks will be the last team to make the playoff by edging out Oklahoma. The Pac-12 champions hope to advance to their second national title since 2010, but will the offense be as dynamic against stronger competition? 

Expect a high-scoring affair that will be decided by a key defensive stop in the fourth quarter. This has the makings to be one of the best bowl games of the season. 

College Football Playoff National Championship

Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

Alabama junior running back T.J. Yeldon

College Football Playoff Championship

When: Mon., Jan. 12, 2015

Where: AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas

Who: Florida State vs. Alabama  

The 'Noles will get their chance to take down the SEC, as well as the state of Alabama, for the second year in a row. The biggest matchup in the first College Football Playoff Championship will be Florida State’s explosive offense against Alabama’s stout defense. 

Unlike last year’s BCS championship, Winston is going to have his hands full against potentially the best defense he’s faced since starting for the Seminoles. Not to mention, he could be up against former backup quarterback Jacob Coker, which would be a major storyline leading up to this game.

With a lot on the line, Famous Jameis will go down to the Crimson Tide when it’s all said and done because of another solid defensive performance. It will be the third consecutive Alabama starting quarterback to win a national championship and the eighth time in nine seasons the SEC will be a national champion.

The Rest of the Bowl Games

Joe Robbins/Getty Images

Georgia junior running back Todd Gurley.

New Orleans Bowl          

Dec. 20, 2014          

UL-Monroe vs. North Texas          

New Mexico Bowl            

Dec. 20, 2014    

Middle Tennessee vs. San Diego State

Las Vegas Bowl            

Dec. 20, 2014       

Boise State vs. Oregon State

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl   

Dec. 20, 2014     

Northern Illinois vs. Colorado State 

Camellia Bowl              

Dec. 20, 2014            

South Alabama vs. Ohio 

Miami Beach Bowl        

Dec. 22, 2014              

BYU vs. East Carolina   

Boca Raton Bowl        

Dec. 23, 2014            

Buffalo vs. Texas-San Antonio

Poinsettia Bowl            

Dec. 23, 2014            

Fresno State vs. Navy 

Bahamas Bowl              

Dec. 24, 2014                

Toledo vs. SMU 

Hawaii Bowl                  

Dec. 24, 2014        

Utah State vs. Western Kentucky  

Heart of Dallas Bowl        

Dec. 26, 2014                

Rice vs. Indiana 

Quick Lane Bowl                

Dec. 26, 2014              

Minnesota vs. Duke  

St. Petersburg Bowl          

Dec. 26, 2014              

Pittsburgh vs. UCF

Military Bowl                

Dec. 27, 2014          

Georgia Tech vs. Houston                                

Sun Bowl                          

Dec. 27, 2014        

Washington vs. Miami (FL)   

Independence Bowl          

Dec. 27, 2014        

Vanderbilt vs. NC State   

Pinstripe Bowl                  

Dec. 27, 2014        

Maryland vs. Louisville 

Holiday Bowl                    

Dec. 27, 2014                      

Iowa vs. USC

Liberty Bowl                    

Dec. 29, 2014              

Florida vs. Oklahoma State

Russell Athletic Bowl      

Dec. 29, 2014            

Texas vs. Notre Dame 

Texas Bowl                        

Dec. 29, 2014                

Texas A&M vs. TCU

Music City Bowl      

Dec. 30, 2014        

Missouri vs. North Carolina   

Belk Bowl              

Dec. 30, 2014          

Mississippi State vs. Clemson 

San Francisco Bowl      

Dec. 30, 2014    

Northwestern vs. Arizona State  

Capital One Bowl        

Jan. 1, 2015              

Georgia vs. Wisconsin

Outback Bowl              

Jan. 1, 2015                

Michigan vs. LSU  

Armed Forces Bowl      

Jan. 2, 2015        

Tulane vs. Washington State* 

TaxSlayer Bowl            

Jan. 2, 2015        

Nebraska  vs. Ole Miss

Alamo Bowl                    

Jan. 2, 2015      

Kansas State vs. UCLA  

Cactus Bowl                  

Jan. 2, 2015        

Texas Tech vs. Arizona  

Birmingham Bowl        

Jan. 3, 2015    

Tennessee vs. Cincinnati  

GoDaddy Bowl          

Jan. 4, 2015      

Louisiana-Lafayette vs. Bowling Green 

* - indicates fill-in team