Bowl Games Schedule 2015-16: TV and Live Stream Info for Every Matchup
There are (probably) too many college football bowl games. The 2015-16 season features 41 such matchups, including the College Football Playoff championship game. Simply putting all these contests together has been something of a headache this year for the NCAA.
That said, the current system of glorified exhibitions isn't going to change anytime soon, so college football fans should go ahead and just enjoy the madness. The games do allow for some intriguing matchups sure to provide excellent entertainment.
Let's take a look at the TV and live stream info for each contest, then a closer look at some of the other bowl games—in the non-CFP division, since everyone will be watching those—deserving of your attention during the busy holiday season.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
| Cure Bowl | San Jose State vs. Georgia State | Dec. 19 | 12 p.m. | CBSSN | N/A |
| Gildan New Mexico Bowl | Arizona vs. New Mexico | Dec. 19 | 2 p.m. | ESPN | Watch ESPN |
| Royal Purple Las Vegas Bowl | BYU vs. Utah | Dec. 19 | 3:30 p.m. | ABC | Watch ESPN |
| Raycom Media Camellia Bowl | Ohio vs. Appalachian State | Dec. 19 | 5:30 p.m. | ESPN | Watch ESPN |
| R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl | Arkansas State vs. Louisiana Tech | Dec. 19 | 9 p.m. | ESPN | Watch ESPN |
| Miami Beach Bowl | South Florida vs. Western Kentucky | Dec. 21 | 2:30 p.m. | ESPN | Watch ESPN |
| Famous Idaho Potato Bowl | Akron vs. Utah State | Dec. 22 | 3:30 p.m. | ESPN | Watch ESPN |
| Marmot Boca Raton Bowl | Temple vs. Toledo | Dec. 22 | 7 p.m. | ESPN | Watch ESPN |
| San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl | Boise State vs. Northern Illinois | Dec. 23 | 4:30 p.m. | ESPN | Watch ESPN |
| GoDaddy Bowl | Bowling Green vs. Georgia Southern | Dec. 23 | 8 p.m. | ESPN | Watch ESPN |
| Popeyes Bahamas Bowl | Middle Tennessee vs. Western Michigan | Dec. 24 | 12 p.m. | ESPN | Watch ESPN |
| Hawai'i Bowl | Cincinnati vs. San Diego State | Dec. 24 | 8 p.m. | ESPN | Watch ESPN |
| St. Petersburg Bowl | Marshall vs. Connecticut | Dec. 26 | 11 a.m. | ESPN | Watch ESPN |
| Hyundai Sun Bowl | Miami vs. Washington State | Dec. 26 | 2 p.m. | CBS | CBSSports.com |
| Zaxby's Heart of Dallas Bowl | Washington vs. Southern Miss | Dec. 26 | 2:20 p.m. | ESPN | Watch ESPN |
| New Era Pinstripe Bowl | Duke vs. Indiana | Dec. 26 | 3:30 p.m. | ABC | Watch ESPN |
| Camping World Independence Bowl | Virginia Tech vs. Tulsa | Dec. 26 | 5:45 p.m. | ESPN | Watch ESPN |
| Foster Farms Bowl | Nebraska vs. UCLA | Dec. 26 | 9:15 p.m. | ESPN | Watch ESPN |
| Military Bowl presented By Northrop Grumman | Pittsburgh vs. Navy | Dec. 28 | 2:30 p.m. | ESPN | Watch ESPN |
| Quick Lane Bowl | Central Michigan vs. Minnesota | Dec. 28 | 5 p.m. | ESPN2 | Watch ESPN |
| Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl | Air Force vs. California | Dec. 29 | 2 p.m. | ESPN | Watch ESPN |
| Russell Athletic Bowl | North Carolina vs. Baylor | Dec. 29 | 5:30 p.m. | ESPN | Watch ESPN |
| NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl | Colorado State vs. Nevada | Dec. 29 | 7:30 p.m. | ASN | Campus Insiders |
| AdvoCare V100 Texas Bowl | Texas Tech vs. LSU | Dec. 29 | 9 p.m. | ESPN | Watch ESPN |
| Birmingham Bowl | Memphis vs. Auburn | Dec. 30 | 12 p.m. | ESPN | Watch ESPN |
| Belk Bowl | North Carolina State vs. Mississippi State | Dec. 30 | 3:30 p.m. | ESPN | Watch ESPN |
| Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl | Louisville vs. Texas A&M | Dec. 30 | 7 p.m. | ESPN | Watch ESPN |
| Holiday Bowl | Wisconsin vs. USC | Dec. 30 | 10:30 p.m. | ESPN | Watch ESPN |
| Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl | Houston vs. Florida State | Dec. 31 | 12 p.m. | ESPN | Watch ESPN |
| Capital One Orange Bowl | No. 1 Clemson vs. No. 4 Oklahoma | Dec. 31 | 4 p.m. | ESPN | Watch ESPN |
| Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic | No. 2 Alabama vs. No. 3 Michigan State | Dec. 31 | 8 p.m. | ESPN | Watch ESPN |
| Outback Bowl | Northwestern vs. Tennessee | Jan. 1 | 12 p.m. | ESPN2 | Watch ESPN |
| Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl | Michigan vs. Florida | Jan. 1 | 1 p.m. | ABC | Watch ESPN |
| Fiesta Bowl | Notre Dame vs. Ohio State | Jan. 1 | 1 p.m. | ESPN | Watch ESPN |
| Rose Bowl Game Presented by Northwestern Mutual | Iowa vs. Stanford | Jan. 1 | 5 p.m. | ESPN | Watch ESPN |
| Allstate Sugar Bowl | Oklahoma State vs. Ole Miss | Jan. 1 | 8:30 p.m. | ESPN | Watch ESPN |
| TaxSlayer Bowl | Georgia vs. Penn State | Jan. 2 | 12 p.m. | ESPN | Watch ESPN |
| AutoZone Liberty Bowl | Kansas State vs. Arkansas | Jan. 2 | 3:20 p.m. | ESPN | Watch ESPN |
| Valero Alamo Bowl | TCU vs. Oregon | Jan. 2 | 6:45 p.m. | ESPN | Watch ESPN |
| Cactus Bowl | West Virginia vs. Arizona State | Jan. 2 | 10:15 p.m. | ESPN | Watch ESPN |
| College Football Playoff National Championship Presented by AT&T | Clemson/Oklahoma vs. Alabama/Michigan State | Jan. 11 | 8:30 p.m. | ESPN | Watch ESPN |
Games That Should Be a Ton of Fun
Rose Bowl: Stanford vs. Iowa
Assuming you don't have time to watch every game on New Year's Day, make sure you at least catch this potentially titanic clash. Iowa finished No. 5 in the CFP committee's final rankings. Stanford was right behind the Hawkeyes at No. 6.
It's been a season to remember for Stanford running back Christian McCaffrey, whom we could be calling Mr. Heisman 2015 by the time the Rose Bowl rolls around.
McCaffrey ranks second in the nation in rushing yards (1,847), averaged 13.2 yards per reception in the passing game and accounted for 1,109 return yards. In Stanford's 44-21 victory over USC in the Pac-12 title game, the sophomore ran, caught and even passed for a touchdown. The dude broke Barry Sanders' record for all-purpose yards in a single season. He's the epitome of a must-see player.
The nation's most versatile player will face a stiff test in Iowa's defense, one of the top units in the nation. The Hawkeyes ranked 10th in the nation in rushing yards allowed and gave up a measly 3.43 yards per rush, per NCAA.com.
Cardinal quarterback Kevin Hogan might have trouble finding McCaffrey in the passing game as well, as Iowa ranked 10th in the nation in passing efficiency against and picked off more passes (18) than it allowed to reach the end zone (14), per NCAA.com.
As a result of this defensive prowess, Iowa's opponents scored just 18.5 points per game this year. It's a proving ground for McCaffrey and company, as Stanford didn't face many strong defenses this season.
The Hawkeyes were a few inches and one LJ Scott swim move from beating Michigan State in the Big Ten Championship Game, preserving an undefeated season and perhaps playing in the College Football Playoff. Stanford also had a great case for inclusion, winning the Pac-12 and beating four teams that finished in the CFP Top 25.
Expect them to both come out plenty motivated to not only win in the famous Rose Bowl, but also prove they belonged in the playoffs.
Valero Alamo Bowl: Oregon vs. TCU
Oregon vs. TCU promises to be an exciting battle between two excellent senior quarterbacks, who both suffered injuries this season but will be in line to lead their teams to an Alamo Bowl victory.
After struggling with injury and inconsistency to start the season, Ducks signal-caller Vernon Adams Jr. has been one of the best quarterbacks in the nation down the stretch. He simply went on a tear after missing back-to-back games against Colorado and Washington State in early October, throwing for 1,865 yards, 21 touchdowns and just four interceptions in the ensuing six contests.
Trevone Boykin will lead the Horned Frogs into battle. It might also be the last time we see Boykin play quarterback, as he could change positions for the NFL.
The senior stud threw for 31 touchdowns against 10 interceptions while adding 612 yards and nine more scores on the ground. Boykin's production has slowed at the tail end of this season—a result of an ankle injury picked up on Nov. 14 against Kansas. Hopefully—for TCU's sake, at least—Boykin will have had time to recover and get back to his rambling, scrambling ways.
Chasing him down will be Oregon defensive end DeForest Buckner, the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year.
Toss in a heavy helping of Oregon running back Royce Freeman—257 carries for 1,706 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns—and you have all the makings of an all-out, action-packed exhibition (if nothing else, you can tune in to gawk at Oregon's latest Nike uniforms).
Russell Athletic Bowl: North Carolina vs. Baylor
Baylor fans disappointed in their team's poor finish to the season—three losses in its last four games—can at least take solace in the fact that the Bears are in for what should be a fantastic bowl matchup with North Carolina.
They may also get a chance to see quarterback Jarrett Stidham play. Stidham—a true freshman filling in for the injured Seth Russell—went down with a chipped bone in his leg against Oklahoma State on Nov. 21 and hasn't played since. Coach Art Briles says he might be available for the bowl contest.
"I think there's a chance," Briles said, via Shehan Jeyarajah of the Dallas Morning News. "Next Monday, we'll know a lot more. He's going to have another bone scan. If it shows where it's healed, then I think he can start his rehab, which would be about the time we start bowl prep."
Even if Stidham doesn't play, this could still be an entertaining game. Third-stringer Chris Johnson has the best receiver in college football, Corey Coleman, to lean on in the passing game. Running backs Shock Linwood and Johnny Jefferson are both capable of ripping off big chunks of yardage on the ground. The Tar Heels closed the regular season by allowing 158 points in their last five games.
For North Carolina, it's come for running back Elijah Hood, stay for quarterback Marquise Williams finding Mack Hollins in the passing game. Hood racked up 1,345 yards and 17 touchdowns on the ground this year.
Hollins and his blinding speed scorched many a secondary this season. He led the team with 711 receiving yards (on a staggering 25.4 yards per catch) despite tallying 24 fewer receptions than Ryan Switzer, who finished second on the team with 668 yards.
North Carolina might also be one of the freshest—and therefore sharpest—teams in bowl season, thanks to Catapult, a GPS system it uses in practice to track players' movements. Andrew Carter of the News & Observer explains:
"At UNC, 30 players in a given practice wear the vests with the GPS devices. The units are spread evenly among different positions and, generally, the team’s most important players – the starters and key backups – are the ones who wear them, so Hernandez and his staff can monitor their work.
The data the devices record allow Fedora and his coaching staff to structure practices and target areas of improvement. It also helps them know when a player is approaching his limit, and when rest can be more beneficial than extra practice reps.
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North Carolina might also come into this game with a bit of a chip on its shoulder. A blown offside call on an onside kick late in the ACC title game against Clemson ruined its chances at tying the game. Baylor might feel the Tar Heels' lingering wrath.
The total entertainment value of this contest depends heavily on Stidham's presence. If he plays, it could be one of the highest-scoring games of the bowl season. At the very least, one can hope we're treated to another LaQuan McGowan touchdown.
Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl: California vs. Air Force
Every college football junkie has likely seen the above six teams play on TV this season, possibly multiple times. The bowl season is also a time to appreciate the less-heralded teams. Cal vs. Air Force promises to be an interesting clash of civilizations, as the pass-heavy attack led by Cal's Jared Goff takes on the triple-option trickery of Air Force.
This is folks' last chance to catch Goff in a college uniform, as he's destined to become a first-round pick in the 2016 NFL draft, with a good chance at going No. 1 overall.
Goff threw for 4,252 yards, 37 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. His last performance of the regular season was one of his best: a five-touchdown effort against Arizona State. Goff takes on a Falcons defense that gave up just 17 passing touchdowns and ranked 23rd in the nation in yards allowed, albeit against the schedule one might expect from a Mountain West team.
The Golden Bears have used multiple backs this season to great effect. Tre Watson has come on strong at the end of the year, rushing for 298 yards and one touchdown in his last three contests. The Bears will mix in the likes of Watson and Khalfani Muhammad to keep the Falcons on their toes, but this is Goff's chance to really shine.
No need to guess at how Air Force might take on Cal. It'll be running the ball all day long in Troy Calhoun's superbly coached triple-option. Tailback Jacobi Owens leads a ground game that ranks third in the nation in rushing with 321.8 yards per game.
Owens has tallied 1,009 yards and six touchdowns on a robust 5.4 yards per carry. Quarterback Karson Roberts wasn't too prolific as a passer (nine touchdowns, 10 interceptions), but he does lead the team in rushing touchdowns with nine.
These two and the bevy of other Falcons rushers—six players scored at least four times on the ground—should have no trouble keeping up with Goff. Cal's rush defense was one of the worst in the nation, coughing up 203.5 yards per game and 21 ground touchdowns.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
