Bowl Games 2014-15: Schedule and Winning Predictions for College Football Slate
College football bowl season is among the most exciting stretches in sports, and the 2014-15 schedule features 39 intriguing matchups that should have fans interested for weeks.
Much of the focus is on the inaugural College Football Playoff for good reason, but there are other potentially thrilling games worth watching as well. They won't all be classics, but each and every contest will be of interest for one reason or another.
Here is a full rundown of where and when you can catch every bowl game, along with winning predictions and a closer look at some of the marquee bowls that will impact the college football landscape.
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| R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl | Nevada vs. Louisiana-Lafayette | 11 a.m. | ESPN | Nevada |
| Gildan New Mexico Bowl | UTEP vs. Utah State | 2:20 p.m. | ESPN | Utah State |
| Royal Purple Las Vegas Bowl | Colorado State vs. No. 22 Utah | 3:30 p.m. | ABC | Utah |
| Famous Idaho Potato Bowl | Western Michigan vs. Air Force | 5:45 p.m. | ESPN | Air Force |
| Raycom Media Camellia Bowl | South Alabama vs. Bowling Green | 9:15 p.m. | ESPN | Bowling Green |
| Miami Beach Bowl | BYU vs. Memphis | 2 p.m. | ESPN | BYU |
| Boca Raton Bowl | Marshall vs. Northern Illinois | 6 p.m. | ESPN | Marshall |
| San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl | San Diego State vs. Navy | 9:30 p.m. | ESPN | Navy |
| Popeyes Bahamas Bowl | Western Kentucky vs. Central Michigan | Noon | ESPN | Western Kentucky |
| Hawai'i Bowl | Rice vs. Fresno State | 8 p.m. | ESPN | Fresno State |
| Zaxby's Heart of Dallas Bowl | Illinois vs. Louisiana Tech | 1 p.m. | ESPN | Illinois |
| Quick Lane Bowl | Rutgers vs. North Carolina | 4:30 p.m. | ESPN | North Carolina |
| BITCOIN St. Petersburg Bowl | NC State vs. UCF | 8 p.m. | ESPN | UCF |
| Military Bowl presented By Northrop Grumman | Virginia Tech vs. Cincinnati | 1 p.m. | ESPN | Virginia Tech |
| Hyundai Sun Bowl | Duke vs. No. 15 Arizona State | 2 p.m. | CBS | Arizona State |
| Duck Commander Independence Bowl | Miami (Florida) vs. South Carolina | 3:30 p.m. | ABC | South Carolina |
| New Era Pinstripe Bowl | Boston College vs. Penn State | 4:30 p.m. | ESPN | Penn State |
| National University Holiday Bowl | Nebraska vs. No. 24 USC | 8 p.m. | ESPN | Nebraska |
| AutoZone Liberty Bowl | West Virginia vs. Texas A&M | 2 p.m. | ESPN | West Virginia |
| Russell Athletic Bowl | No. 17 Clemson vs. Oklahoma | 5:30 p.m. | ESPN | Oklahoma |
| AdvoCare V100 Texas Bowl | Texas vs. Arkansas | 9 p.m. | ESPN | Arkansas |
| Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl | Notre Dame vs. No. 23 LSU | 3 p.m. | ESPN | LSU |
| Belk Bowl | No. 21 Louisville vs. No. 13 Georgia | 6:30 p.m. | ESPN | Georgia |
| Foster Farms Bowl | Maryland vs. Stanford | 10 p.m. | ESPN | Stanford |
| Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl | No. 6 TCU vs. No. 9 Ole Miss | 12:30 p.m. | ESPN | Ole Miss |
| VIZIO Fiesta Bowl | No. 10 Arizona vs. No. 20 Boise State | 4 p.m. | ESPN | Arizona |
| Capital One Orange Bowl | No. 7 Mississippi State vs. No. 12 Georgia Tech | 8 p.m. | ESPN | Mississippi State |
| Outback Bowl | No. 18 Wisconsin vs. No. 19 Auburn | Noon | ESPN | Auburn |
| Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic | No. 5 Baylor vs. No. 8 Michigan State | 12:30 p.m. | ESPN | Michigan State |
| Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl | No. 25 Minnesota vs. No. 16 Missouri | 1 p.m. | ABC | Minnesota |
| Rose Bowl | No. 2 Oregon vs. No. 3 Florida State | 5 p.m. | ESPN | Oregon |
| Sugar Bowl | No. 1 Alabama vs. No. 4 Ohio State | 8:30 p.m. | ESPN | Alabama |
| Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl | Pittsburgh vs. Houston | Noon | ESPN | Houston |
| TaxSlayer Bowl | Iowa vs. Tennessee | 3:20 p.m. | ESPN | Tennessee |
| Valero Alamo Bowl | No. 11 Kansas State vs. No. 14 UCLA | 6:45 p.m. | ESPN | UCLA |
| TicketCity Cactus Bowl | Oklahoma State vs. Washington | 10:15 p.m. | ESPN | Oklahoma State |
| Birmingham Bowl | Florida vs. East Carolina | 1 p.m. | ESPN or ESPN2 | Florida |
| GoDaddy Bowl | Toledo vs. Arkansas State | 9 p.m. | ESPN | Toledo |
| National Championship Bowl | TBD vs. TBD | 8:30 p.m. | ESPN | Oregon |
Breaking Down Top Matchups
Rose Bowl: No. 2 Oregon vs. No. 3 Florida State
In what is unquestionably one of the most highly anticipated college football matchups this season, the No. 2 Oregon Ducks and No. 3 Florida State Seminoles will meet in the Rose Bowl as part of the College Football Playoff semifinals.
On paper, there is more to love about this game than perhaps any other on the schedule. FSU is undefeated as well as the defending national champion, while Oregon is a perennial contender that is hoping to finally have a shot at playing for the title.
Despite being in the midst of a 29-game winning streak, the Seminoles are heavy underdogs. That breaks a long string of games in which Florida State has been favored, according to Evan Abrams of ESPN Stats & Info:
Truth be told, the Noles have gotten very little respect this season. Many of their victories have come by the skin of their teeth, but they have a certain intangible factor that other teams don't. Not to mention, they have the 2014 Heisman Trophy winner in quarterback Jameis Winston.
With so many people doubting Florida State's ability to repeat as the national champion, former Heisman winner Desmond Howard believes it will be extra motivated, per ESPN College Football:
That may be the case, but the Seminoles will still have to deal with Oregon and its No. 3-ranked scoring offense. The Ducks have a Heisman winner in their own right in the form of signal-caller Marcus Mariota, which could make this one of the greatest quarterback matchups in college football history.
This game undoubtedly has the potential to be an all-time great, and the fact that there is so much riding on it will make it that much better.
Sugar Bowl: No. 1 Alabama vs. No. 4 Ohio State
It may not quite measure up to Oregon vs. Florida State, but the other CFP semifinal isn't too shabby in its own right. No. 1 Alabama will face No. 4 Ohio State in a Sugar Bowl clash between two of the most storied programs in college football.
The Crimson Tide have been viewed as the best team in the nation for much of the season, so it comes as no surprise that most expect them to win. The Buckeyes have only one loss just like Bama, but they barely squeaked in as the last CFP team just ahead of Baylor and TCU.
Also, history isn't in Ohio State's favor. According to SportsCenter, the Buckeyes have never managed to beat Alabama:
If that weren't enough, the Buckeyes have some question marks at the most vital position. Sophomore quarterback Cardale Jones stepped in and played remarkably well for OSU in a Big Ten Championship Game thrashing of Wisconsin, but he is a relative unknown compared to J.T. Barrett, who went down for the season.
Even so, it wouldn't be wise to totally discount Ohio State's chances. The Buckeyes are playing with house money to some degree, and the pressure is clearly on Alabama's shoulders. Because of that, Buckeyes head coach Urban Meyer plans to be aggressive, per Bill Rabinowitz of The Columbus Dispatch:
That won't be easy against the Crimson Tide's No. 4 scoring defense. Also, Alabama has a dynamic offense in its own right with quarterback Blake Sims, running back T.J. Yeldon and Heisman Trophy candidate wide receiver Amari Cooper.
It isn't often that two programs with the pedigrees of Alabama and Ohio State meet up, so there is every reason for college football fans to be giddy.
Cotton Bowl: No. 5 Baylor vs. No. 8 Michigan State
Baylor and its fans may feel slighted after being left out of the College Football Playoff, but the consolation prize is a good one as the Bears will battle the Michigan State Spartans in the Cotton Bowl.
This is arguably the top matchup outside the CFP, and there is no question that both teams want to make a statement. In addition to that, this game will feature a clash of styles that has Bruce Feldman of Fox Sports among those who are excited about it:
Some may believe that Baylor will enter the game flat and without motivation after missing out on its ultimate goal. Perhaps that will ultimately be the case, but head coach Art Briles has been nothing but positive about his team's situation, according to the Cotton Bowl Classic on Twitter:
In many ways, the Bears have something to prove. If they lose to the Spartans, then everyone will assume that the CFP selection committee made the right decision. If Baylor wins, though, it will help build credibility that will help when it comes to reaching the CFP in future seasons.
The Bears boast the best offense in college football with quarterback Bryce Petty and running back Shock Linwood leading the way. Although the Spartans don't receive as much hype as Baylor in that regard, they are seventh in scoring thanks to the play of quarterback Connor Cook and running back Jeremy Langford.
Michigan State is also 12th in scoring defense, which is why this will be such a big challenge for Baylor. If it can overcome the Spartans, though, this could be a landmark win for the program.
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