Bowl Games 2014-15: TV Schedule and Predictions for Every Postseason Battle

The long, two-week break without college football couldn't end soon enough, as Saturday marks the start of bowl season with a handful of early matchups.

Games like the Miami Beach Bowl and the New Mexico Bowl may only be appetizers for what's to come on New Year's, but nothing beats postseason action in the bowl subdivision. Having one last chance to leave a mark for their team on national television often amps up the action, especially when teams used to winning most of their games are invited. 

Every couple of days brings a different spectacle to watch this time of year, and they often increase in entertainment value by the day—with some obvious exceptions. If you don't end up catching the first couple of bowl games on the slate, it's imperative to catch up before the big boys do battle.

Let's take a look at every game in order, breaking down how to catch the action and make a prediction for each one.

Date	Bowl	Matchup	Time (ET)	TV
Dec. 20	R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl	Nevada* vs. Louisiana-Lafayette	11 a.m.	ESPN
Dec. 20	Gildan New Mexico Bowl	UTEP vs. Utah State*	2:20 p.m.	ESPN
Dec. 20	Royal Purple Las Vegas Bowl	Colorado St. vs. Utah*	3:30 p.m.	ABC
Dec. 20	Famous Idaho Potato Bowl	Western Michigan vs. Air Force*	5:45 p.m.	ESPN
Dec. 20	Raycom Media Camellia Bowl	Bowling Green* vs. South Alabama	9:15 p.m.	ESPN
Dec. 22	Miami Beach Bowl	BYU* vs. Memphis	2 p.m.	ESPN
Dec. 23	Boca Raton Bowl	Marshall* vs. Northern Illinois	6 p.m.	ESPN
Dec. 23	San Diego County CU Poinsettia Bowl	Navy* vs. San Diego State	9:30 p.m.	ESPN
Dec. 24	Popeyes Bahamas Bowl	Western Kentucky* vs. Central Michigan	12 p.m.	ESPN
Dec. 24	Sheraton Hawaii Bowl	Rice* vs. Fresno State	8 p.m.	ESPN
Dec. 26	Zaxby's Heart of Dallas Bowl	Illinois* vs. Louisiana Tech	1 p.m.	ESPN
Dec. 26	Quick Lane Bowl	Rutgers vs. North Carolina*	4:30 p.m.	ESPN
Dec. 26	BITCOIN St. Petersburg Bowl	NC State vs. UCF*	8 p.m.	ESPN
Dec. 27	Military Bowl	Virginia Tech vs. Cincinnati*	1 p.m.	ESPN
Dec. 27	Hyundai Sun Bowl	Duke vs. Arizona State*	2 p.m.	CBS
Dec. 27	Duck Commander Independence Bowl	Miami (Fl.) vs. South Carolina*	3:30 p.m.	ABC
Dec. 27	New Era Pinstripe Bowl	Boston College vs. Penn State*	4:30 p.m.	ESPN
Dec. 27	National University Holiday Bowl	Nebraska vs. USC*	8 p.m.	ESPN
Dec. 29	AutoZone Liberty Bowl	West Virginia* vs. Texas A&M	2 p.m.	ESPN
Dec. 29	Russell Athletic Bowl	Clemson* vs. Oklahoma	5:30 p.m.	ESPN
Dec. 29	AdvoCare Texas Bowl	Texas vs. Arkansas*	9 p.m.	ESPN
Dec. 30	Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl	Notre Dame vs. LSU*	3 p.m.	ESPN
Dec. 30	Belk Bowl	Louisville* vs. Georgia	6:30 p.m.	ESPN
Dec. 30	Foster Farms Bowl	Maryland vs. Stanford*	10 p.m.	ESPN
Dec. 31	Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl	Ole Miss* vs. TCU	12:30 p.m.	ESPN
Dec. 31	Vizio Fiesta Bowl	Boise State* vs. Arizona	4 p.m.	ESPN
Dec. 31	Capital One Orange Bowl	Mississippi State* vs. Georgia Tech	8 p.m.	ESPN
Jan. 1	Outback Bowl	Wisconsin vs. Auburn*	12 p.m.	ESPN2
Jan. 1	Goodyear Cotton Bowl	Michigan State vs. Baylor*	12:30 p.m.	ESPN
Jan. 1	Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl	Minnesota vs. Missouri*	1 p.m.	ABC
Jan. 1	Rose Bowl Game	Oregon* vs. Florida State	5 p.m.	ESPN
Jan. 1	Allstate Sugar Bowl	Alabama* vs. Ohio State	8:30 p.m.	ESPN
Jan. 2	Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl	Pittsburgh vs. Houston*	12 p.m.	ESPN
Jan. 2	TaxSlayer Bowl	Iowa vs. Tennessee*	3:20 p.m.	ESPN
Jan. 2	Valero Alamo Bowl	Kansas State* vs. UCLA	6:45 p.m.	ESPN
Jan. 2	Cactus Bowl	Oklahoma State* vs. Washington	10:15 p.m.	ESPN
Jan. 3	Birmingham Bowl	Florida vs. East Carolina*	1 p.m.	ESPN2
Jan. 4	GoDaddy Bowl	Toledo* vs. Arkansas State	9 p.m.	ESPN
Jan. 12	College Football Championship Game	TBD	8:30 p.m.	ESPN

Note: Predicted winners marked by (*). Bowl TV schedule courtesy ESPN.com.

Biggest Games to Watch

Cotton Bowl: Michigan State vs. Baylor

USA TODAY Sports

While one team looks toward building momentum for a 2015 run and another is simply looking to put a fitting ending on this year's campaign, the spotlight and stakes of the Cotton Bowl will bring plenty to play for as far as Michigan State and Baylor are concerned.

Next season's biggest question mark was answered for the Spartans when quarterback Connor Cook announced his intention to stay for his senior season. Behind a nasty defense and an offensive line that will return three of five pieces, Mark Dantonio's squad will be among the biggest College Football Playoff contenders in 2015.

Before that comes, the Spartans will face a team that is intent on writing another chapter to this season's book. After just barely missing out on the CFP in controversial fashion, the Bears—behind star quarterback Bryce Petty, playing in his last game—would like nothing more than to help silence their doubters.

Beating a proven commodity in Michigan State would certainly do that. The Spartans' only losses this year were to Oregon and Ohio State—not too shabby. 

Baylor will have to deal with some coaching turnover, though. After offensive coordinator Philip Montgomery bolted for the Tulsa head job, Waco Tribune-Herald's John Werner noted a change in play-calling:

It shouldn't matter much. Petty has been consistently one of the most dangerous quarterbacks in the nation, and that won't change against a Michigan State team that has struggled to contain elite quarterbacks. 

You won't find many bowl matchups with two better offenses, but Baylor's is more accustomed to shootouts—which is what this game will inevitably become. The Bears' underrated front seven will keep running back Jeremy Langford bottled up, and Cook won't be able to match Petty's aerial dominance.

Prediction: Baylor 34, Michigan State 26

Rose Bowl: Oregon vs. Florida State

Two teams that many expected to be here will face off in the Rose Bowl for a spot in the national championship game, but it's safe to say each took unfamiliar roads to make it.

If I told you back in September that Florida State barreled through almost all of its competition convincingly and Oregon just barely got by in most of its games, that would fit the narrative for what both programs accomplished a year ago. But instead, it's been the exact opposite—the Ducks are rolling over opponents (albeit with one slip-up), and the Seminoles can't beat anybody by more than a few points.

Of course, recent trends matter little come kickoff on New Year's Day in the Rose Bowl. What will matter is the security that fellow Heisman Trophy-winning quarterbacks Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota show with the football.

In his encore performance from last year's Heisman, Winston has been far from careful with the ball while Mariota has been magnificent, as ESPN SportsCenter showed:

Winston may try to take advantage of Oregon's loss of cornerback Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, but the Ducks will be ready to swarm on anything the redshirt sophomore hangs up there. As for Mariota, he's shown no willingness to give opposing defenses that sort of chance—and Oregon's offensive system rarely puts him in position to do so.

Neither defense has been spectacular this season, but if there's one unit that has shown its grit in big-time games, it's Oregon—which has allowed more than 19 points just once since November. The Seminoles have made the plays when it counts, but that won't continue with Mariota executing the offense to perfection.

Prediction: Oregon 41, Florida State 30

Peach Bowl: Ole Miss vs. TCU

The TCU Horned Frogs didn't get their chance to prove themselves in the CFP. But for a team that finished 4-8 a season ago, facing the SEC's second-best team in a statement game isn't all that bad.

Gary Patterson's TCU squad will face No. 9 Ole Miss in the Peach Bowl on New Year's Eve, and a win would serve as the biggest bragging rights a Big 12 supporter tired of the SEC's reign could possibly imagine.

Wesley Hitt/Getty Images

The opportunity at stake isn't lost on the Rebels, either, who are in somewhat of unchartered territory at 9-3 and in the national spotlight. With a still-youthful roster and head coach Hugh Freeze around for the long term, Ole Miss will want nothing more than a resounding win to assert its status as a contender in 2015 and beyond.

ESPN's Tim Tebow summed up perfectly what's at stake, per SEC Network:

Picking a winner almost feels disrespectful to the potential of this bowl game, which should be one of the best of the year. With an elite TCU offense against a top-of-the-line Rebel defense and such huge implications in the lasting outlook of this season altogether, it should be a back-and-forth thriller that goes down to the wire.

Both teams will come ready to play, but Ole Miss will find it much easier to execute its biggest keys to success. The Rebels are much more complete as an overall team, boasting a formidable offense behind quarterback Bo Wallace and running back Jaylen Walton that should counter TCU's biggest punches.

It will go down to the last possession, but expect the Rebels to pull through.

Prediction: Ole Miss 34, TCU 30