Bowl Games Schedule 2015-16: Dates and TV Info for Every Contest
Bowl season is almost upon us, with the New Mexico Bowl kicking off the festivities on Saturday, December 19.
The bowls will hit their peak on New Year's Eve, with both College Football Playoff semifinal games, followed by a traditionally strong slate of games on New Year's Day.
Below is the list of every bowl matchup and TV viewing information, followed by a breakdown of a few of the most intriguing non-playoff matchups.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
| Sat, Dec 19 | |||
| New Mexico | 2 p.m. | Arizona (-9.5) vs. New Mexico | ESPN |
| Las Vegas | 3:30 p.m. | BYU vs. Utah (-2.5) | ABC |
| Camellia | 5:30 p.m. | Ohio vs. Appalachian St. (-8.5) | ESPN |
| Cure | 7 p.m. | San Jose St. (-3.5) vs. Georgia St. | CBSSN |
| New Orleans | 9 p.m. | Arkansas St. vs. Louisiana Tech (-2) | ESPN |
| Mon, Dec 21 | |||
| Miami Beach | 2:30 p.m. | Western Kentucky (-3) vs. South Florida | ESPN |
| Tue, Dec 22 | |||
| Famous Idaho Potato | 3:30 p.m. | Akron vs. Utah St. (-7) | ESPN |
| Boca Raton | 7 p.m. | Toledo vs. Temple (-1.5) | ESPN |
| Wed, Dec 23 | |||
| Poinsettia | 4:30 p.m. | Boise St. (-8) vs. No. Illinois | ESPN |
| GoDaddy | 8 p.m. | Georgia Southern vs. Bowling Green (-7.5) | ESPN |
| Thu, Dec 24 | |||
| Bahamas | 12 p.m. | Mid. Tennessee vs. W. Michigan (-3) | ESPN |
| Hawaii | 8 p.m. | San Diego St. vs. Cincinnati (-1.5) | ESPN |
| Sat, Dec 26 | |||
| St. Petersburg | 11 a.m. | UConn vs. Marshall (-4.5) | ESPN |
| Sun | 2 p.m. | Miami (FL) vs. Washington St. (-3) | CBS |
| Heart of Dallas | 2:20 p.m. | Washington (-8.5) vs. Southern Miss | ESPN |
| Pinstripe | 3:30 p.m. | Indiana (-2) vs. Duke | ABC |
| Independence | 5:45 p.m. | Tulsa vs. Virginia Tech (-13.5) | ESPN |
| Foster Farms | 9:15 p.m. | UCLA (-7) vs. Nebraska | ESPN |
| Mon, Dec 28 | |||
| Military | 2:30 p.m. | Pittsburgh vs. Navy (-3.5) | ESPN |
| Quick Lane | 5 p.m. | Central Michigan vs. Minnesota (-5.5) | ESPN |
| Tue, Dec 29 | |||
| Armed Forces | 2 p.m. | California (-7) vs. Air Force | ESPN |
| Russell Athletic | 5:30 p.m. | North Carolina vs. Baylor (-3) | ESPN |
| Arizona | 7:30 p.m. | Nevada vs. Colorado St. (-3) | N/A |
| Texas | 9 p.m. | LSU (-7.5) vs. Texas Tech | ESPN |
| Wed, Dec 30 | |||
| Birmingham | Noon | Auburn (-2.5) vs. Memphis | ESPN |
| Belk | 3:30 p.m. | N.C. State vs. Mississippi St. (-5.5) | ESPN |
| Music City | 7 p.m. | Texas A&M (-1) vs. Louisville | ESPN |
| Holiday | 10:30 p.m. | USC (-3) vs. Wisconsin | ESPN |
| Thu, Dec 31 | |||
| Peach | Noon | Houston vs. Florida St. (-7.5) | ESPN |
| Orange | 4 p.m. | No. 4 Oklahoma (-4) vs. No. 1 Clemson | ESPN |
| Cotton | 8 p.m. | No. 3 Michigan St. vs. No. 2 Alabama (-9.5) | ESPN |
| Fri, Jan 1 | |||
| Outback | Noon | Northwestern vs. Tennessee (-8.5) | ESPN2 |
| Citrus | 1 p.m. | Michigan (-4) vs. Florida | ABC |
| Fiesta | 1 p.m. | Notre Dame vs. Ohio State (-7) | ESPN |
| Rose | 5 p.m. | Stanford (-7) vs. Iowa | ESPN |
| Sugar | 8:30 p.m. | Oklahoma St. vs. Ole Miss (-7.5) | ESPN |
| Sat, Jan 2 | |||
| TaxSlayer | Noon | Penn State vs. Georgia (-7) | ESPN |
| Liberty | 3:20 p.m. | Kansas State vs. Arkansas (-11) | ESPN |
| Alamo | 6:45 p.m. | Oregon vs. TCU (Even) | ESPN |
| Cactus | 10:15 p.m. | West Virginia vs. Arizona St. (Even) | ESPN |
Notable Matchups
Outback Bowl: Northwestern vs. Tennessee
Head coach Pat Fitzgerald has led Northwestern back to a bowl for the first time since 2012, and has the Wildcats seeking just their third bowl victory in school history.
For Tennessee, this game could set the tone for an SEC title run in 2016.
Loaded with underclassmen such as running back Jalen Hurd and defensive lineman Derek Barnett, the Vols have the talent worthy of sleeper status in 2016, and a bowl victory could build the confidence they need to compete.
The key to this game will be Northwestern's ability to stop the Tennessee running game.
Northwestern enters bowl season ranked 17th in the nation in rushing defense, allowing just 3.4 yards per attempt.
Prediction: Tennessee 31, Northwestern 21
Citrus Bowl: Michigan vs. Florida
If you enjoy a defensive struggle, this is the bowl for you.
Points will be at a premium in this matchup, as both teams rank in the top six in terms of total yards allowed per game.
The outcome in this game likely comes down to which team is able to establish the run, which won't be an easy task for either team.
The Gators are coming off a dreadful performance in the SEC title game in which they managed just 15 rushing yards against Alabama.
Meanwhile, Michigan was held under 100 yards in each of its final two regular-season games, running for just 144 yards on 55 carries in the two games combined.
Prediction: Michigan 17, Florida 7
Peach Bowl: Houston vs. Florida State
First-year head coach Tom Herman has lead Houston to one of the most memorable seasons in school history, as it will play in one of the six major bowls for the first time since appearing in the 1985 Cotton Bowl.
The Cougars boast one of the most potent offenses in the nation, averaging 487 yards per game. However, they have not faced a defense with Florida State's talent.
The Seminoles have held opponents to just 327 yards of total offense per game, the 15th-lowest mark in the nation.
If Florida State can contain Houston quarterback Greg Ward, Florida State should be able to cruise to a Peach Bowl victory.
Prediction: Florida State 38, Houston 24
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
