College Football Bowl Games: 10 Underdogs with the Best Chance at the Upset
There's no better way to end the 2015 sporting year than with a seemingly endless array of college football bowl games, including the College Football Playoff, which features the Alabama Crimson Tide for the second straight year, the top-ranked Clemson Tigers, the Oklahoma Sooners and the Michigan State Spartans.
Similar to the NCAA tournament coming in a few months, college football's bowl games have their fair share of frantic finishes and upsets from underdogs.
We'll take a look at the 10 matchups in this year's bowl games that could end in those aforementioned upsets. Every bowl game is eligible, but only 10 teams made the cut.
The criteria for the list is based on the matchup in the bowl and what the team has played like coming into its specific game.
Starting with a couple of teams that just missed the cut, we'll take a look at the underdogs from this year's crop of bowl games with the best chance of pulling the upset.
Honorable Mentions
1 of 11
Miami (Fla.) vs. Washington State in the Sun Bowl
It's been quite the year for the Hurricanes, but with Mark Richt coming into the fold in 2016, they could build some good momentum for his first season on South Beach with a win over a Washington State team that scores more than 32 points per contest but gives up its fair share of yardage and points.
Southern Mississippi vs. Washington in the Heart of Dallas Bowl
Southern Miss may come in as a heavier underdog than some, but not too many teams are as hot as the Golden Eagles are. They can score at will (40.6 points per game) and move up and down the field (519.8 yards per game). Washington better be careful against the C-USA West Division champions.
Pittsburgh vs. Navy in the Military Bowl
This game could be quite the emotional one. Navy head coach Ken Niumatalolo has already met with BYU to interview for the head coaching vacancy, and the game is being played in Navy's backyard of Annapolis, Maryland.
According to ESPN.com, Niumatalolo will remain with the Midshipmen, but that won't stop the head coaching rumors from surrounding the Navy head coach.
Pittsburgh has ground its way through a difficult conclusion to its season and competed with some top-tier teams (North Carolina and Notre Dame). This bowl has the potential to be a fun, physical game.
10. Kansas State vs. Arkansas in the Liberty Bowl
2 of 11
Every time we write off Bill Snyder, his teams play with—and sometimes beat—some of the best squads in the country.
The Kansas State Wildcats appeared to be dead in the water in the middle of their schedule this season. They lost two tight games to the TCU Horned Frogs and the Oklahoma State Cowboys, and then the Oklahoma Sooners destroyed them by 55 points.
Since taking the Baylor Bears down to the wire on a Thursday night in early November, Kansas State has won three of its last four games and found its way to a bowl game for the fifth straight season.
The matchup with Arkansas may not seem like a good one—Arkansas opened as a 13-point favorite according to Odds Shark— since the Razorbacks have won five of their last six games (with a one-point loss to Mississippi State in that stretch). (Updated odds and the matchup itself.)
But, we're talking about Snyder.
Never count out the Wildcats.
9. Nebraska vs. UCLA in the Foster Farms Bowl
3 of 11
When you look at the matchup between the Nebraska Cornhuskers and the UCLA Bruins, it feels like the Bruins could come out and put this one away early, especially with the game being in California. The Bruins also opened as 6.5-point favorites. (Updated odds and matchup.)
However, it hasn't been as bad in Lincoln, Nebraska, in recent weeks.
The Huskers' lone loss in the last three games? The previously unbeaten Iowa Hawkeyes.
The Cornhuskers are the only team to beat Michigan State this season and have played better football as of late.
It will be a pro-UCLA crowd in Santa Clara, California, on Dec. 26, but don't be surprised if Tommy Armstrong and the underdog Cornhuskers steal one and help salvage a disappointing season.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
8. Michigan State vs. Alabama in the Cotton Bowl
4 of 11
Another year, another SEC title for the Alabama Crimson Tide.
The Tide will ride into Arlington, Texas, on New Year's Eve as their usual dominant selves, led by Heisman Trophy winner Derrick Henry.
On the other sideline in AT&T Stadium will be one of Alabama head coach Nick Saban's previous schools: Michigan State.
This is like deja vu for Alabama all over again. It's in the College Football Playoff again against a Big Ten powerhouse. Last year, things didn't go so well in Louisiana.
Can Connor Cook and the Spartans do the unthinkable and give the Big Ten another win over the SEC's gold standard? Yes, they can.
Just like Ohio State was last season, Michigan State will head into its meeting with Alabama as relatively big underdogs. (The updated CFB Playoff odds and matchups.)
The Spartans embrace that role as well as anyone does. Just ask Iowa and Ohio State.
7. Oklahoma State vs. Ole Miss in the Sugar Bowl
5 of 11
There's no way to sugarcoat it: TCU flat-out embarrassed Ole Miss in last year's Peach Bowl in the first season of the New Year's Six bowl schedule.
Despite some recent troubles off the field with star defensive lineman and future first-round draft pick Robert Nkemdiche, the Rebels come into their New Year's Day meeting with the high-scoring Oklahoma State Cowboys on a roll.
Outside of an overtime loss to Arkansas, the Rebels have won four of their last five games and remain the only team in America to have figured out Alabama (again).
Chad Kelly and the Ole Miss offense aren't short on production, but Mason Rudolph and the Cowboys can score in bunches.
If the Rebels can't find a way to cover big-time playmaker James Washington downfield, the Landshark Defense will be in trouble.
If you're looking for a track meet, this has the makings of just that.
6. Northwestern vs. Tennessee in the Outback Bowl
6 of 11
Arkansas head coach Bret Bielema suggested a Big Ten-SEC showcase during the regular season in the future.
For the postseason, the Outback Bowl has that topic covered nicely.
These games usually turn out to be one of the more fun ones of the bowl calendar—Jadeveon Clowney made sure of that a few short years ago—and the Northwestern Wildcats have a legitimate shot to make it two wins in a row for the Big Ten.
The Wildcats' only two losses were to Michigan and Iowa. Those are two good losses to have.
After losing a tight game to Alabama the week before Halloween, the Tennessee Volunteers reeled off five straight wins and turned a mediocre start into a solid season in the SEC East.
Here's why Northwestern can pull off the upset: defense.
Only six teams in the country give up fewer points per game than Northwestern (16.4 points per game) does. The Wildcats can win a slugfest with a hot Tennessee team.
5. BYU vs. Utah in the Las Vegas Bowl
7 of 11
The BYU Cougars are without a head coach. Is that going to stop them from making another edition of college football's "Holy War" memorable?
Of course not.
They've won seven of their last eight games.
Despite losing head coach Bronco Mendenhall to the Virginia Cavaliers, Tanner Magnum has played well for the Cougars in his freshman season. Since Nov. 6, he has thrown for 1,157 yards and seven touchdowns with just one interception.
Bowl games are always a blast when the game is a rivalry.
This one won't be any different. BYU will be ready against its longtime rival.
The key for the Cougars will be slowing down Utah Utes running back Devontae Booker. This Saturday will be a great time for the Cougars to put on a show for their future head coach.
4. Houston vs. Florida State in the Peach Bowl
8 of 11
In Tom Herman's first season as Houston's head coach, the Cougars won the American Athletic Conference title, and Herman received a brand-new contract.
Herman will also get a customized grill for his teeth as a promise to his players for winning the AAC title, so he's more Houston than most things in Houston.
Oh, and his team is pretty fun. (And good.)
The reward for winning the AAC? Dalvin Cook and the Florida State Seminoles in a New Year's Six bowl.
The 'Noles will head to Atlanta as the favorites—FSU opened as 6.5-point favorites according to Odds Shark—but if you've yet to watch Greg Ward, Jr. run Herman's offense, you're in for a treat.
Florida State has some uncertainty at the quarterback position, which could play into Houston's hands if this turns into an up-and-down-the-field game.
Houston may be in the Group of Five, but it can play with the big boys.
3. Memphis vs. Auburn in the Birmingham Bowl
9 of 11
This game was set up for more people to see the tremendous work of Justin Fuente and his time with the Memphis Tigers football program.
Fuente built the new-look Memphis program from the ground up and had the Tigers in the New Year's Six bowl hunt with a win over Ole Miss earlier this season.
Now, he will be the successor to Frank Beamer at Virginia Tech, and the Tigers will conclude their season against a disappointing Auburn team.
The odds are relatively close, but Memphis will enter the Birmingham Bowl without its head coach.
But, it still has arguably the best quarterback prospect in America.
Paxton Lynch will have plenty of eyes on him against Gus Malzahn and Auburn in what will likely be his final college game. It's the not the biggest stage, but Lynch is primed for a big-time performance against a SEC team, which would do wonders for his draft stock.
2. Clemson vs. Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl
10 of 11
What more does Clemson have to do to prove it's legit?
FBS' lone unbeaten team will enter the College Football Playoff as an underdog to the lava-hot Oklahoma Sooners, led by Baker Mayfield.
Deshaun Watson gets another platform to show that he was rightfully one of the three Heisman Trophy candidates.
Watson and the Tigers took down Notre Dame, Florida State and North Carolina on their way to the playoff. They'll be ready for the Sooners.
Oklahoma is not heavily favored, but it appears that many aren't buying Clemson.
The Tigers came really close to an epic collapse in the ACC Championship Game and appear to be on that same type of edge that another ACC unbeaten team clung to just last season. Florida State seemingly backed into the inaugural playoff before getting humiliated by Oregon in last year's Rose Bowl.
But, Oklahoma hasn't faced a defense quite like Clemson's.
The seventh-ranked defense in the nation features one of the best players in the country: Shaq Lawson.
Clemson can halt Oklahoma's run toward the title so long as Lawson is his usual dominant self at the line of scrimmage.
1. North Carolina vs. Baylor in the Russell Athletic Bowl
11 of 11
It's one thing to go through quarterback changes due to bad play.
It's another thing to have your entire depth chart at the quarterback position suffer injuries and knock you out of the playoff picture.
The Baylor Bears have been decimated by injuries at the quarterback position. Seth Russell underwent season-ending neck surgery, Jarrett Stidham broke a bone in his foot in Baylor's win over Oklahoma State on Nov. 21, and Chris Johnson suffered a concussion in Baylor's loss to Texas on Dec. 5.
Johnson will start the Russell Athletic Bowl for the Bears against one of the hottest teams in the country: the North Carolina Tar Heels.
The duo of Marquise Williams and Elijah Hood has carried the Tar Heels to 11 wins this season since an embarrassing opening-weekend loss to rival South Carolina.
Baylor may come in as a favorite in Las Vegas, but when you watch the Tar Heels play, they're as explosive as any team in the country.
The Bears are in serious trouble on Dec. 29.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
