Every Power 5 College Football Team's Holiday Wish List
It seems like college football teams have it all, doesn't it? With the latest equipment, uniforms and technological advancements, players look and perform better than ever. Yet no matter how hard they try, there's always something that could turn out better.
If only we could bestow them with gifts that would solve those issues.
It's the holiday season—a time for giving (but also receiving). We're feeling generous here at Bleacher Report, and based on our season-long coverage of FBS teams, we well aware of what each program is in need of. Though we can't really give them what they want, we have provided a list of last-minute wishes for every power-conference team—as well as major independents BYU and Notre Dame—that detail what their needs are.
For some schools, it's a wish that would help make the upcoming bowl game or playoff matchup go better. For others, it's something that can potentially get preparations for the 2016 off to a good start. Most of them aren't tangible items, and thus can't actually be gifted, but it's the thought that counts anyway.
Alabama Crimson Tide
1 of 66
A better playoff effort
Alabama picked the wrong time to have its worst performance of the 2014-15 season last year, losing to Ohio State in the Sugar Bowl that also doubled as a national semifinal game. Coach Nick Saban has since cited the uniqueness of the combination of a bowl and a playoff game, saying “I think they felt a little entitled when they won the SEC championship and just didn't really want to…look, this is a new season,” per Bleacher Report's Christopher Walsh.
For a program where anything short of a national title is considered a disappointment, it seems hard to believe such a lack of focus could happen.
The Crimson Tide are the only repeat playoff participant, which should give them an advantage over Cotton Bowl opponent Michigan State (and either Clemson or Oklahoma, if they meet in the title game). Having been through it before, and not playing well to boot, there's no reason to expect another letdown.
Arkansas Razorbacks
2 of 66
An emergency NCAA recruiting legislation change
Arkansas has had a special guest involved in practices for the Jan. 2 Liberty Bowl, as top 2016 recruit McTelvin Agim has already signed with the program after graduating from high school. Unfortunately, the 4-star defensive end, rated by 247Sports as the No. 51 player in the country, can't actually play for the Razorbacks until next season.
According to Tom Murphy of WholeHogSports.com, Agim can only participate in on-campus practices. Once Arkansas leaves for Memphis on Dec. 28, he will move on to preparing for the Jan. 2 Under Armour All-American Game in Orlando, Florida.
The Razorbacks are tied for 104th nationally in sacks and 93rd in tackles for loss. They could certainly use another eager defender in the trenches to combat Kansas State's run-heavy attack.
Arizona Wildcats
3 of 66
Time to rest
Arizona was one of a handful of FBS programs that did not have a bye week during the 2015 season—actually, the bye came in Week 13, after it had played all 12 scheduled games—and the lack of a break came into play. Injuries piled up throughout the season, and with no time to heal, the Wildcats defense broke down to the point that it allowed 35.8 points per game.
That's compared to 28.2 per game given up in 2014, when Arizona won 10 games and the Pac-12 South title. This year it finished 7-6 after beating New Mexico in the New Mexico Bowl in the first bowl slot.
Now the Wildcats can finally relax and also think what could have been. Among those injuries was a pair to All-American linebacker Scooby Wright, who was limited to parts of just two games during the regular season. The junior returned for the bowl and registered 15 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and two sacks and then immediately declared for the NFL draft.
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Arizona State Sun Devils
4 of 66
Red-zone success
Though its overall conversion rate for drives that extend into the red zone is a solid 86.4 percent (scoring on 51 of 59 possessions), 20 of those scores have been field goals. Not surprisingly, some of the Arizona State's more notable losses this season have come in games when red-zone stalls have been prevalent.
Last time out, ASU got six Zane Gonzalez field goals inside the red zone on nine trips at California, a game it led 24-3 in the first half but lost 48-46. Earlier in the season, a 61-55 triple-overtime home loss against Oregon might have ended in regulation had the Sun Devils not failed to score touchdowns on four of nine red-zone possessions.
West Virginia, ASU's opponent in the Cactus Bowl, has allowed only 19 TDs on 38 red-zone drives.
Auburn Tigers
5 of 66
Better receiver gloves
Officially, Auburn's passing offense has produced 169 receptions for 2,107 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2015. That's not exactly what was expected before prior to the season, when junior quarterback Jeremy Johnson was getting hyped as a potential Heisman Trophy candidate.
But it wasn't entirely the fault of Johnson or freshman Sean White, who combined to complete just 59.1 percent of their passes. The Tigers receivers were almost as much to blame, since nearly every game this year saw a wide-open wideout drop a sure catch including several that could have resulted in touchdowns.
Senior Ricardo Louis leads Auburn with 45 catches, while junior Marcus Davis has 28. No other Auburn player caught more than 18 passes.
Baylor Bears
6 of 66
Bubble wrap
The injury bug ravaged many college football teams during the 2015 season, but for Baylor it seemed to all hit at once and to its most valuable resources: the offensive stars. This contributed to three losses in the final four games, knocking the Bears out of contention for the playoffs as well as the Big 12 title.
And now Baylor heads into the Russell Athletic Bowl against North Carolina without several of its best weapons who have all been ruled out because of injury.
Wide receiver Corey Coleman (sports hernia), running back Shock Linwood (foot) and quarterback Jarrett Stidham (ankle) have all been ruled out. That means Baylor will be without its leading pass-catcher, top running back and its top two passers, as the Bears lost Seth Russell in October because of neck surgery.
Third-string quarterback Chris Johnson is expected to play in the bowl despite getting hurt in the regular-season finale against Texas. In that game, Baylor had to turn to a wide receiver (Lynx Hawthorne) to throw the ball, and not very well.
Boston College Eagles
7 of 66
Some dudes to play offense
In what might have been the biggest statistical anomaly of the 2015 season, Boston College led the nation in total defense but ended up going 3-9 and finished on an eight-game losing streak. So it goes when a team is great on defense and basically non-existent on offense.
The Eagles averaged 17.2 points and 275.6 yards per game, numbers that were near the bottom nationally and only bolstered by a 76-0 win over FCS Howard in September. Remove the numbers from two wins over FCS teams, and B.C. averaged 10.6 points and 246.5 yards per game.
B.C. particularly struggled throwing the ball, as four different quarterbacks combined to complete just 44.4 percent of their passes for 110.9 yards per game, with eight touchdowns and nine interceptions.
BYU Cougars
8 of 66
A first-quarter do-over
Saturday's 35-28 loss to Utah in the Las Vegas Bowl was about as painful as a game could be for BYU. Not just because it fell to a bitter rival in the final game under outgoing coach Bronco Mendenhall—who has left to coach Virginia—but due to the way the result unfolded.
The Cougars outgained Utah 386-197, holding the Utes scoreless over the final 49-plus minutes. But it was those first 10:22 that did BYU in, and it was entirely its own fault.
BYU turned the ball over on its first five possessions, twice on fumbles and three times on interceptions. Tanner Mangum threw for 315 yards and two touchdowns, but Utah returned two of his picks for scores.
Down 35-0, BYU never gave up and got within seven with 3:23 left, but it couldn't recover an onside kick to have a shot to tie the game.
California Golden Bears
9 of 66
A bad draft grade for Jared Goff
It seems like a foregone conclusion that California quarterback Jared Goff is going to forgo his final season of eligibility and enter the 2016 NFL draft. At this point the only drama is when he'll do so, possibly after the Golden Bears play Air Force in the Armed Forces Bowl on Dec. 29.
Bleacher Report's Matt Miller pegs Goff as his No. 1 prospect for 2016, and several NFL teams are in need of a quarterback for next season. The only thing that might keep Goff from leaving college would be an unfavorable grade from the NFL Draft Advisory Board, though that's unlikely.
Goff, already Cal's career leader in passing yards (11,713) and touchdowns (90), could finish high on the FBS all-time list in both categories with one more season of results.
Clemson Tigers
10 of 66
Another reason to hold a party
After going unbeaten through the regular season and qualifying for the playoffs as the No. 1 seed, Clemson coach Dabo Swinney made good on his promise to hold a pizza party in Death Valley. As the Tigers prepare for Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl, he also rented out an amusement park so the players could have some fun before things got really serious.
What could Swinney have in store for Clemson and its fans if his team reaches the national championship or wins the whole thing?
Even though Clemson is the top seed and the only team without a loss in the semifinals, the Tigers are still underdogs to Oklahoma, per OddsShark.com. They've been favored in every other game this season.
Colorado Buffaloes
11 of 66
Another Nelson Spruce
Colorado's preparations for 2016 have been underway for a few weeks, since the Buffaloes went 4-9 this year to miss out on a bowl game for the eighth season in a row. They've won just 11 games the past four years, despite having the most prolific pass-catcher in Pac-12 history on the roster.
Nelson Spruce finished his career with 294 receptions, 36 more than previous conference record-holder Derek Hagan of Arizona State. The senior had 89 catches for 1,053 yards and four touchdowns in 2015; his catch and yardage totals were more than doubled anyone else's on the roster.
Now that Spruce's career is over, Colorado's active leader in catches is sophomore Shay Fields, who has 92 in two seasons.
Duke Blue Devils
12 of 66
An elusive bowl win
Duke is making an appearance in a bowl game for the fourth straight season, extending a school record. Before this current run, the Blue Devils had never played in a bowl in consecutive seasons.
They also haven't won a postseason game since 1961, a 7-6 victory over Arkansas in the Cotton Bowl.
“That was so long ago that not even some of the current Blue Devils’ parents were born,” Laura Keeley of the News & Observer wrote. “More recently, Duke has gone to three straight bowl games and held fourth-quarter leads in all three of them. But still, zero wins.”
Reaching bowl games used to be the ultimate goal for Duke's program during the decades when that was a near-impossible task. Now that it's become a regular occurrence, doing more than just earning an invite is necessary for the program to move forward.
Florida Gators
13 of 66
Better blocking sleds
Florida faced an uphill battle on offense this season with a bare cupboard, yet first-year coach Jim McElwain managed to work wonders en route to 6-0 start and the SEC East Division title. One place there was no solution for, though, was on the offensive line.
The Gators allowed 43 sacks in 13 games this season, tied for second-most in FBS. Bleacher Report's Barrett Sallee noted that Treon Harris was sacked 21 times in the last five games, during which Florida averaged 14 points and 271.2 yards per game.
Florida's offensive line remains young but full of promise. It just hasn't figured out how to block properly...yet.
Florida State Seminoles
14 of 66
A bowl performance to build on
After winning the national title in 2013-14 and playing in the playoffs last season, being matched up against Houston in the Peach Bowl has all the makings of a letdown for Florida State. Even though the Seminoles managed to win 10 games and make a New Year's Six bowl despite a massive talent exodus from a year ago, it's hard not to look at this game as uninspiring compared to previous recent postseason games.
It comes down to how the players approach this game, though. FSU is heading into a bowl and looking to set the stage for next season, when it should return most of its starters compared to the past two seasons when it had to replace many standout players.
The bowl is particularly important for quarterback Sean Maguire, a junior who was passed over for transfer Everett Golson heading into this season but ended up winning the job back. A strong bowl effort would lessen the chance FSU looks elsewhere again for a quick fix at quarterback and will give him a leg up on the team's many young (and hyped) passing prospects.
Georgia Bulldogs
15 of 66
Jacob Eason's signature
National signing day isn't until early February, at which time all of the high school prospects who have committed to FBS programs (or soon will do so) will officially become part of the program. Some come on board earlier, though, signing after they graduate high school early in order to enroll in spring classes.
That's what 5-star quarterback Jacob Eason plans to do with Georgia, the school he's now committed to on two difference occasions.
The 6'5” prospect from Washington is rated fourth overall and the top-rated pro-style passer in the 2016 class, per 247Sports. He originally committed to the Bulldogs in July 2014, but changes to Georgia's coaching staff caused him to re-open his recruitment, though after another visit this month he reaffirmed his commitment.
“I really did not want to play football anywhere else,” Eason told 247Sports' Kipp Adams. “Georgia is the school for me.”
Adams wrote that Eason plans to enroll in spring classes after participating in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl on Jan. 9.
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
16 of 66
A pass-rusher
The factors that led to Georgia Tech's 3-9 record in 2015, its worst since 1994, were many. Most of the blame was placed on a triple-option run game that produced 86 fewer yards per game than during the ACC Coastal Division-winning season one year ago.
Gaining more than 256 yards per game on the ground should have been enough, but since Georgia Tech's defense didn't seem like it could get off the field, it put more pressure on the offense.
Tech had only 14 sacks this season, tied for 119th in FBS, with eight of those coming in its three wins. Senior Adam Gotsis was the team leader with three, despite missing the final three games due to injury.
Illinois Fighting Illini
17 of 66
An athletic director
Bill Cubit did an admirable job this season in an interim coaching role, taking over for the fired Tim Beckman a week before the opener and keeping Illinois in contention for a bowl bid. The Fighting Illini went 5-7, and had a few more spots opened up, they would have gone bowling.
The school rewarded Cubit for his work, naming him the permanent coach in November. But it only gave him a two-year contract, with interim chancellor Barbara Wilson noting that “this move will allow the permanent Athletics Director to evaluate the program at his or her own schedule and make decisions based on those evaluations once that search is completed,” per USA Today.
For those keeping score, Illinois had interim appointees in charge of the football program, the athletic department and the school itself. Last week the school hired a search firm to help find a replacement for Mike Thomas, who was fired on Nov. 9.
Indiana Hoosiers
18 of 66
Revenge for a basketball loss
Indiana remains, first and foremost, a basketball school. The Hoosiers have five national championships in that sport, which is two more than the football team has bowl victories.
The Pinstripe Bowl on Dec. 26 is only the 10th bowl game in program history and the first since 2007. Indiana's last bowl win came in 1991, a 24-0 victory over Baylor in the Copper Bowl.
Winning this game would not only end a long skid for the football team, but it would also help avenge a 20-point loss by the Hoosiers' basketball team against Duke.
Iowa Hawkeyes
19 of 66
Celebratory roses
Though it came up just short of making the playoffs, Iowa's 2015 season has been wildly successful and arguably the best in school history. Coach Kirk Ferentz has referred to the program's first Rose Bowl since 1991 as a “consolation prize,” per Nicole Auerbach of USA Today.
Winning that game against Stanford would be an even better reward for the season, and Iowa hasn't done so in Pasadena since beating California in the 1959 Rose Bowl.
Iowa State Cyclones
20 of 66
Some #MACtion
New Iowa State coach Matt Campbell brings with him a successful track record in his four seasons at Toledo, going 35-15 overall and posting a 9-2 record this year. That featured two wins over power-conference teams, including a 30-23 victory over the Cyclones team he's now in charge of.
Campbell's 2015 team averaged 35.3 points per game, more than 10 points better than Iowa State managed in going 3-9. The Cyclones' 25 points per game would have ranked ninth in the Mid-American Conference, a league known for high-scoring games and wild action that get plenty of attention during November weeknight games on TV.
Those contests, which have become known as #MACtion, helped land Campbell the ISU job. Will he be able to carry that over to the Big 12?
Kansas Jayhawks
21 of 66
A winnable game
Despite the pleadings of many on Twitter to have the nation's two 0-12 teams meet in a bowl game this winter, Kansas finishes up 2015 with its first winless record since 1954.
All told, the Jayhawks have lost 15 in a row, the longest active skid in FBS.
An early look at the 2016 schedule doesn't offer many strong chances to end that streak, though Kansas does open at home against FCS school Rhode Island. The Rams went 1-10 this season and last beat an FBS team in 2000.
Kansas State Wildcats
22 of 66
A personalized windbreaker for Bill Snyder
Kansas State's Hall of Fame coach keeps it simple with his wardrobe choices on the sidelines, often donning a windbreaker from one of the many bowl games he's piloted the Wildcats to over the years.
Snyder will add another one to his collection with K-State set to play in the Liberty Bowl on Jan. 2 against Arkansas. The Wildcats won three straight to become bowl-eligible, reaching a postseason game for the sixth straight season.
Kentucky Wildcats
23 of 66
Half-season bowl eligibility
Kentucky has posted back-to-back 5-7 seasons under Mark Stoops, getting oh-so-close to a bowl bid each time. In 2014 the Wildcats started 5-1 only to lose six in a row, while this year they opened with a 4-1 mark, only to drop five in a row and then blow a big lead at home to Louisville in their finale.
Meanwhile, teams such as Kansas State and Georgia State that had six losses in mid-November ended up winning out and getting into bowl games. Had eligibility been based on the start of the season instead of the overall body of work, Kentucky might be preparing for its first bowl since 2011.
Instead, Stoops will likely head into 2016 in desperate need of a winning record to save his job.
Louisville Cardinals
24 of 66
No more decommitments
Louisville entered Monday with 21 players either committed to play for the program in 2016 or already signing. Before the day was over, that number had dipped to 19 with the decommitments of linebacker T.J. Brunson and cornerback Baylen Buchanan.
Both players are listed by 247Sports as 3-star prospects. Without them, Louisville's class dropped to 30th overall and sixth in the ACC. However, the Cardinals still have a commitment from their top target, 4-star dual-threat passer Jawon Pass.
LSU Tigers
25 of 66
Passing for Dummies tapes
During a 6-0 start when Leonard Fournette ran over defenses, the need for LSU to develop the passing game existed but never felt like a priority. This came back to bite the Tigers late in the season, when Fournette was slowed down and quarterback Brandon Harris couldn't pick up the slack.
Harris threw for only 1,904 yards on 53.1 percent passing this season, with all five of his interceptions coming during the 1-3 finish. The Tigers passing offense, which ranks 111th in FBS, is only slightly ahead of the 2014 pace when Harris and Anthony Jennings shared snaps.
Maryland Terrapins
26 of 66
Dwayne Haskins stops visiting other schools
Maryland has blown up its football program and will start over in 2016. All-new coaching staff led by former Michigan defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin will try t help the Terrapins bounce back from a dismal 3-9 season.
The team has yet to secure a key piece of that turnaround, though, since 4-star quarterback commit Dwayne Haskins can't sign until early February. That's going to make for some tense weeks for the Terps coaches and fans, especially since Haskins is entertaining offers from other schools.
Haskins, rated by 247Sports as the No. 7 pro-style passer in the 2016 class, committed to Maryland in May. In late November he visited Florida and on Dec. 11 took an official visit to Ohio State.
Miami (Florida) Hurricanes
27 of 66
The Mark Richt recruiting effect
With 17 commitments as of Monday, Miami's 2016 recruiting class is 16th in the nation in 247Sports' composite rankings. Two of those players have come since the school hired former Georgia coach Mark Richt.
Richt, who parted ways with Georgia after 15 seasons in November, regularly had one of the top recruiting classes in the country with the Bulldogs.
“Considering Richt’s resume at recruiting and developing talent in Athens, he is a name that is likely to create a buzz among top recruits who are still considering the ‘Canes,” Bleacher Report's Sanjay Kirpalani wrote.
Michigan Wolverines
28 of 66
More plays for Jabrill Peppers
It began as a tease during the summer, when coach Jim Harbaugh posited the use of safety Jabrill Peppers on offense. Previous coach Brady Hoke had done the same thing in 2014 but never got a chance, as injuries shut down Peppers early. This fall we saw the electric redshirt freshman touch the ball as a running back, receiver and even quarterback.
All told, Peppers accounted for 151 yards and two touchdowns on 26 offensive touches.
The Citrus Bowl against Florida on Jan. 1 will be Michigan's first game since losing to Ohio State at home on Nov. 28. The time in between will have provided plenty of opportunities to work in more ways to use Peppers.
“It's something that could benefit the Wolverines not just against the Gators but heading into the 2016 season as well,” Bleacher Report's Ben Axelrod wrote.
Michigan State Spartans
29 of 66
A few more 22-play drives
Michigan State ranks 10th in FBS in time of possession, holding the ball for more than 33 minutes per game this season. That average was aided by an historic 22-play, 82-yard drive that ate up a lot of minutes in the fourth quarter of its 16-13 win over Iowa in the Big Ten championship game.
That drive not only provided the winning points but also left Iowa with little time to score. The Spartans might need to do that several times in the Cotton Bowl against Alabama, who at 33:52 per game is fourth-best nationally in time of possession.
By controlling the clock, MSU might also limit the impact that Heisman winner Derrick Henry has on Alabama's offense. He's carried the ball 90 times in the Crimson Tide's last two games.
Minnesota Golden Gophers
30 of 66
The end of a bowl streak
In most seasons, a 5-7 record won't get you into a bowl game. Thanks to a lack of eligible teams, though, Minnesota gets to play in a bowl for the fourth year in a row.
However, that also means the Golden Gophers' hope of ending a seven-game bowl losing streak rests on the shoulders of a team that has lost five of its last six games and had as many wins against the Mid-American Conference as the Big Ten.
It's a good thing Minnesota is playing another MAC school, Central Michigan, in hopes of winning a bowl for the first time since a 20-16 victory over Alabama in the 2004 Music City Bowl.
Mississippi State Bulldogs
31 of 66
Dak Prescott doesn't lead in rushing in bowl game
The final game of Prescott's storied career is likely to go much the way the rest of the contests in 2015 have: with the dual-threat quarterback accounting for the vast majority of Mississippi State's yards. He averages 329.5 yards of total offense per game, which is 73 percent of the Bulldogs' production.
Prescott's 541 rushing yards this season are the lowest in his three years as a starter, but it's still the team high. He's also scored 10 of MSU's 18 rushing touchdowns, with another three coming from backup Nick Fitzgerald.
If MSU manages to get someone else to pick up decent chunks on the ground—Brandon Holloway's 63 yards against Arkansas are the most of any running back in one game this season—then the Bulldogs would probably be in good shape.
Missouri Tigers
32 of 66
The NCAA to approve winter practice
The 80 FBS schools that earned bowl invitations this season benefit from the extra practice sessions that come with preparing for one more game. Missouri had the opportunity to accept a bid, despite being 5-7, but turned down the offer as the program was in the midst of a coaching change.
But now that defensive coordinator Barry Odom has succeeded Gary Pinkel as head coach, the Tigers probably wish they could get out on the field now and put the new staff to use. That includes Josh Heupel, the former Oklahoma quarterback and offensive coordinator who was hired last week.
Instead, the first glimpse of what Missouri will look like in 2016 will come during spring practice.
Nebraska Cornhuskers
33 of 66
Post-bowl In-N-Out Burger
First-year coach Mike Riley had a tradition at his previous job, Oregon State, of celebrating many big road wins by taking his team to West Coast burger joint In-N-Out. That pastime had to go away once he moved to Lincoln, since the nearest franchise to the Big Ten was in Texas.
There just happens to be a location only about two miles from Levi's Stadium, where Nebraska is facing UCLA on Dec. 26.
North Carolina Tar Heels
34 of 66
Finishing first nationally in yards per play
Even as it was putting together an 11-game win streak, North Carolina managed to remain mostly under the radar until it reached the ACC title game and pushed unbeaten Clemson to the limit. That 45-37 loss saw the Tar Heels gain 5.7 yards per play against one of the top defenses in FBS, and that actually lowered their season average.
The Heels enter bowl season ranked No. 1 in yards per play, at 7.33. That's a hair ahead of Baylor, who gains 7.25 per play, while Oregon and Western Kentucky are at 7.23.
UNC faces Baylor in the Russell Athletic Bowl on Dec. 29.
North Carolina State Wolfpack
35 of 66
A reliable kicker
North Carolina State didn't have any games decided by fewer than seven points this season, so the lack of consistency from the kicking game didn't end up costing it any victories. If the Belk Bowl against Mississippi State is tight down the stretch, though, the Wolfpack could be in trouble.
Even with going 2-of-2 in the regular-season finale against North Carolina, N.C. State kicker Kyle Bambard was just 7-of-14 for the year. All seven came from inside 40 yards, while he's missed all four attempts of 40 or longer.
Northwestern Wildcats
36 of 66
A legitimate wide receiver target
Northwestern didn't put much emphasis on the passing game this season, as its 26.6 attempts per game ranked 108th in FBS. It didn't help that the Wildcats lacked any real pass-catchers.
Senior Christian Jones, who returned from a knee injury that robbed him of the entire 2014 season, has tallied 23 receptions for 234 yards and two touchdowns this year. Junior Austin Carr had 14 catches for 276 yards and two scores.
And senior Dan Vitale, a running back/tight end hybrid whose official position is “superback,” was Northwestern's leading receiver with 33 catches, 355 yards and four TDs.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
37 of 66
A proper send-off for the future pros
Bleacher Report's Matt Miller lists six Notre Dame players among his top 100 draft-eligible prospects, and that's not including underclassmen or standouts such as wide receiver Will Fuller who have already announced they will return to school in 2016. The Fighting Irish were aware of the impending talent exodus heading into the season, and the hope was those stars could finish their careers in the playoffs.
A Fiesta Bowl matchup with an equally pro-laden team, Ohio State, is almost as good.
Linebacker Jaylon Smith, offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley and others have been key to Notre Dame's performance the last few seasons. They've also helped the Fighting Irish win their last two bowl games, and a third straight bowl win would tie a program record.
Ohio State Buckeyes
38 of 66
A fourth straight 12-win season
Ohio State's national title defense came to an end when it lost at home to Michigan State and ultimately was left out of the playoffs. The Buckeyes don't get a chance to repeat like Florida State did a year before, but the Fiesta Bowl against Notre Dame is no less important to the program's ongoing success.
Another win would give OSU 12 wins for a fourth consecutive season, which was last achieved by Boise State from 2008 to 2011. The Buckeyes are 49-4 since Urban Meyer took over; he's the only coach in FBS history with four 13-win seasons.
Oklahoma Sooners
39 of 66
The sacrificial burning of all 2014 Russell Athletic Bowl game tape
Oklahoma has come a long way from a year ago when it ended a disappointing season with a 40-6 blowout loss to Clemson, the same team it's set to face in the Orange Bowl national semifinal game. The Sooners overhauled their coaching staff and changed offensive schemes; they also handed over the reins to a former walk-on quarterback who hadn't played since December 2013.
And just as hoped, it all worked out. Oklahoma is two wins away from its first national title since 2000.
Though the Sooners are playing the same team in a bowl for a second straight year, there's not much that can be gleaned from that game. Not only was Oklahoma a different team then, but Clemson didn't have sophomore quarterback Deshaun Watson available because of injury and the Tigers defense included several NFL-bound players.
However, in the lead-up to the Orange Bowl, there have already been plenty of references to the 2014 Russell Athletic Bowl, much to Oklahoma's chagrin.
Oklahoma State Cowboys
40 of 66
One all-inclusive quarterback
Oklahoma State spent most of the 2015 season rotation between senior J.W. Walsh and sophomore Mason Rudolph at quarterback, tapping into each player's best attributes to essentially make for one super performer at that position. The rotation paid off, as the Cowboys opened 10-0.
But once Rudolph got hurt, injuring a foot that limited him to just three pass attempts in the regular-season finale against Oklahoma, that exposed Walsh as a great runner whose arm wasn't dependable.
Rudolph underwent foot surgery shortly after the regular season, and his status for the Sugar Bowl against Ole Miss remains uncertain. If he can't go, it will be Walsh, who this season accounted for 24 touchdowns including 11 as a rusher.
Ole Miss Rebels
41 of 66
A less drama-filled junior class
The recruiting class that Hugh Freeze landed at Ole Miss before the 2013 season has been integral to raising the program into the next level both in the SEC and nationally. With those players at their disposal, the Rebels have won 26 games (including twice against Alabama) and have secured their first Sugar Bowl appearance since 1970.
Ole Miss had four players in that 2013 class that 247Sports rated as 5-star prospects, and they've all lived up to that rating on the field. Yet two of them (defensive tackle Robert Nkemdiche and offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil) have also provided major headaches because of legal run-ins, while wide receiver Laquon Treadwell and safety Tony Conner have had to battle major injuries.
The Rebels won't have Conner (knee surgery) or Nkemdiche (suspended) for the Sugar Bowl.
Oregon Ducks
42 of 66
A rotating uniform rack
Among the many things Oregon has become known for in college football is its expansive wardrobe, which thanks to close ties with Nike makes it seem like the Ducks have personal tailors on standby to come up with a new uniform combination every week. In 2015 alone they've broken out several new combinations and variations, including a helmet that honored pioneers Lewis and Clark.
In January, the Google Facts Twitter account noted that Oregon had enough uniform combinations—helmet, jersey, pants, socks, gloves, etc.—to wear a different version in every quarter of every game it might play until the year 3344. And that was before the new additions this season.
Not surprisingly, Oregon is unveiling another new uniform for the Jan. 2 Alamo Bowl against TCU, serving as the model for a new system of gear from Nike, per Andrew Greif of the Oregonian.
Oregon State Beavers
43 of 66
A new defensive coordinator
Though little went right for Oregon State in 2015 en route to a 2-10 record, its worst since 1995, the defense did have some bright moments this season. But now that side of the ball will have to start over following coordinator Kalani Sitake's departure to be head coach at BYU.
OSU ranked 117th nationally in total defense, getting worn down by an offense that couldn't throw the ball and struggled to maintain drives.
Penn State Nittany Lions
44 of 66
Extra padding for Christian Hackenberg
It's the general assumption that Hackenberg will play his final college game when Penn State faces Georgia on Jan. 2 in the TaxSlayer Bowl. Despite two straight unimpressive seasons from a statistical standpoint, Hackenberg remains high on draft boards, and WalterFootball.com projects him as a second-round pick.
Here's hoping the seemingly endless beating he's taken behind the Nittany Lions' shoddy offensive line—just like he did in 2014—doesn't cause him to shatter into little pieces in his swan song.
In three years as Penn State's quarterback, Hackenberg has been sacked 103 times including 82 the past two seasons.
Pittsburgh Panthers
45 of 66
A $20 million buyout in Pat Narduzzi's contract
Pittsburgh's infamous recent history with coaching turnover might finally be moving into the past with Narduzzi, the first-year coach who has piloted the Panthers to their best record since 2010. That season was the start of the program's near-constant changes in leadership.
Before Narduzzi, Pitt had four head coaches (and several interim ones) between 2010 and 2014. Dave Wannstedt resigned after the 2010 regular-season finale, replaced by interim coach Phil Bennett for the bowl game, while the school hired Mike Haywood from Miami (Ohio) but fired him just over two weeks later after his arrest on domestic violence charges.
Todd Graham came on for the 2011 season but left for Arizona State after one year, leaving defensive coordinator Keith Patterson to coach the bowl game. Paul Chryst came on board in 2012, and he lasted three seasons before leaving in December 2014 for Wisconsin (with Joe Rudolph left behind to coach a bowl game).
Purdue Boilermakers
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A different conference
Purdue is a founding member of the Big Ten, one of six schools that formed the league in the late 1890s. The Boilermakers have claimed at least a share of the league title in football eight times, most recently in 2000, and have represented the Big Ten in the Rose Bowl twice.
But Purdue's performance in the conference under coach Darrell Hazell has been far from impressive, going 2-22 in his three seasons. That's the second-worst league record of any power-conference team during that span, behind only Kansas (2-25).
Purdue is bringing back Hazell for the 2016 season, and now the Big Ten is moving to a nine-game league schedule.
Rutgers Scarlet Knights
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Some Tom Herman-type elixir
Rutgers was one of the dozens of FBS teams that made a change at the top after the 2015 season, firing Curt Flood and replacing him with Ohio State co-defensive coordinator Chris Ash. The Scarlet Knights can only hope his arrival brings results similar to what the last Buckeyes assistant produced in his first year as a head coach.
In 2014 Ash was part of the same OSU staff that included Tom Herman, the offensive coordinator who helped deal with injury issues at quarterback en route to a national title. Herman left to coach Houston, which has gone 12-1 and is set to play in the Peach Bowl after being the highest-ranked non-power-conference champion this season.
South Carolina Gamecocks
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A memory-erasing wand
Few coaching hires produced more skepticism this year than South Carolina's choice of Will Muschamp to replace Steve Spurrier. The former Florida coach spent less than one full season as Auburn's defensive coordinator, failing to live up to the lofty expectations that came with his arrival last winter.
“We'll see if he is any better the second time around,” USA Today's Dan Wolken wrote.
Muschamp's last SEC game as a head coach was an overtime loss to South Carolina, where his team threw for 60 yards. His offensive coordinator on that 2013 team, Kurt Roper, is the man he's brought in to run a Gamecocks offense that was 110th nationally in scoring this season.
Stanford Cardinal
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A pardon for the naughty marching band
Stanford is making its third trip to the Rose Bowl in the last four seasons, but unlike the previous two visits it won't be greeted by the soothing sounds of its school band. That's because the Cardinal's band—known officially as the Leland Stanford Junior University Marching Band—was banned from traveling for an entire year back in May, following a school investigation that found it “infringed University policies on alcohol, controlled substances, sexual harassment and hazing.”
Stanford's band has developed a reputation over the years for strange halftime performances, ones that might not always make sense but help enhance the experience. It was allowed to perform at the Pac-12 championship game in Santa Clara, California, earlier this month because the trip didn't involve hotels or airplanes.
Syracuse Orange
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Players to fit the new offensive system
Former Bowling Green coach Dino Babers won his introductory press conference at Syracuse, painting a picture of the explosive and exciting offense he plans to install and use inside the Carrier Dome.
“I really believe that we’re going to start something that people are going to be talking about for a long, long time,” Babers said, per Matt Schneidman of the Daily Orange.
Now all the Orange needs are the players who will be able to take what Babers did at Bowling Green—which averaged 43.4 points and 561 yards per game this season—and make it work at Syracuse. The team that just went 3-9 under Scott Shafer averaged 27.3 points and 319.9 yards per game.
TCU Horned Frogs
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A robot arm for Josh Doctson
The all-time school leader in receiving yards (2,784) and touchdowns (29) will finish his career just two catches behind Kelly Blackwell for TCU's receptions record. In order for the senior to have been able to claim that mark as well, his surgically repaired left arm would have needed to heal enough to participate in the Jan. 2 Alamo Bowl.
That won't happen, though. TCU coach Gary Patterson confirmed Tuesday that Doctson has been ruled out for the bowl game, per Carlos Mendez of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
Doctson recently had pins removed from the arm that was broken during the first half of TCU's loss at Oklahoma State in early November. He played briefly the following week, making one catch for 12 yards against Kansas, but he then missed the Horned Frogs' final two regular-season games.
Tennessee Volunteers
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A second-half deficit in the Outback Bowl
Tennessee held the dubious distinction of blowing second-half leads in three of its four losses this season, including double-digit margins in eventual setbacks to playoff qualifier Oklahoma and SEC East champion Florida. The Volunteers also led in the fourth quarter at SEC champ Alabama.
Ironically, Tennessee's most notable win of the season (against Georgia) saw it trail by 21 points late in the first half. It scored 28 points in less than 15 minutes of clock time to turn around that game, which in turn saved the Vols' season.
Down the stretch Tennessee rarely trailed, resulting in its best record since 2007, though during a season-ending five-game win streak it didn't face an opponent with a winning record. It might bode well for the Vols to find themselves trailing 10-2 Northwestern after halftime to provide some extra motivation.
Texas Longhorns
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Its own offensive identity
Texas saw its scoring jump from 21.4 points per game in Charlie Strong's first year to 26.4 in 2015, though that wasn't enough to translate into enough wins to calm an impatient fanbase. Strong had already made changes to the offensive approach in between his first two seasons, and now more changes are on the way.
The Longhorns went from a pro-style attack to a spread formation, and now the addition of two Tulsa assistants to the offensive staff will push them even more toward having an uptempo offense. New offensive coordinator Sterlin Gilbert was part of a Tulsa team that averaged more than 83 snaps per game, compared to just over 65 for Texas.
It wasn't long ago that Texas was the one of the programs that dictated how football was played, but now it's trying to adapt to others' approaches.
Texas A&M Aggies
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Some walk-on quarterbacks
Texas A&M signed a 5-star prospect at quarterback in each of the two previous recruiting classes, and both of them are on their way to other schools. Sophomore Kyle Allen was the first to announce his transfer earlier this month, followed by true freshman Kyler Murray.
Those two had combined to start all 12 games this season for the Aggies, though they threw 14 interceptions and completed only 57.3 percent of their passes.
A&M is down to third-string passer Jake Hubenak, a junior college transfer who has completed 12 of 27 passes this season, while former walk-on Conner McQueen (who is also the holder on field goals and extra points) is the backup.
Texas Tech Red Raiders
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A steel mesh lobster net
Texas Tech's pregame activities associated with the Texas Bowl probably won't involve any trips to nearby ports, so the Red Raiders will have to hope their defenders can somehow contain LSU running back Leonard Fournette. Considering how they've fared against the run throughout this season, this doesn't look good.
The Red Raiders rank third-worst in the country in rushing defense, giving up 271.8 yards per game. Six teams have gained at least 300 yards on the ground, with two topping the 400-yard mark, and opponents have scored 42 rushing touchdowns on 551 attempts.
Fournette, the FBS leader in rushing yards per game, has 1,741 yards and 18 TDs this year.
UCLA Bruins
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Slip-proof cleats
UCLA hasn't been immune from the injury issues that have plagued nearly every college football team during the 2015 season. Its defense has lost three key starters (defensive back Fabian Moreau, linebacker Myles Jack and defensive lineman Eddie Vanderdoes) to season-ending ailments to their feet or legs.
The Bruins still won eight games, but because they lost to USC in the regular-season finale that knocked them out of contention for a better bowl game. Their selection to the Foster Farms Bowl isn't desirable from a matchup standpoint—against a 5-7 Nebraska team—as well as Levi's Stadium's reputation for having a shoddy playing surface.
USC Trojans
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Another Adoree' Jackson coming-out party
USC is set to play in the Holiday Bowl for the second year in a row, facing Wisconsin on Dec. 30 after beating Nebraska in last season's edition of the San Diego game. It was in the 2014 version that we got the first glimpse of just how many ways Jackson could contribute, as the freshman scored touchdowns as a receiver and a kick returner while also notching seven tackles at cornerback.
This season, Jackson has scored five total touchdowns—two on receptions and two on punt returns along with a score on his first career interception. That pick-six came against Notre Dame, when he also had a receiving score, but for the most part Jackson wasn't as explosive in 2015 as projected.
Utah Utes
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DVDs of the 2015 season
Utah is already done with the 2015 season, having beaten rival BYU in Saturday's Las Vegas Bowl to finish with a 10-3 record. That's the most wins for the Utes since 2010, their last year in the Mountain West Conference before joining the Pac-12.
Earning a fifth straight victory in the Holy War with BYU was the perfect finish to a season filled with major accomplishments for Utah. It opened the year with a 24-17 win over Michigan, spoiling Jim Harbaugh's return to college, as part of a 6-0 start. The Utes reached as high as third in the Associated Press poll, the best ranking in school history.
Vanderbilt Commodores
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A winnable nonconference schedule
The SEC tends to get knocked for its tendency to load the non-league portion of the schedule with plenty of creampuffs, including several from the FCS ranks. Yet Vanderbilt got a raw deal with the teams it had to face in 2015.
The Commodores opened the season with a home loss to Western Kentucky, which would go on to win 12 games and the Conference USA title. They also visited Middle Tennessee, narrowly escaping with a 17-13 victory, but then were shut out on the road against a Houston team that is 12-1 and playing in the Peach Bowl.
Vandy's 2016 nonconference schedule isn't favorable, either. Middle Tennessee comes to Nashville but brings back one of the top young quarterbacks in the country in Brent Stockstill, and the Commodores will play at Georgia Tech and Western Kentucky.
Virginia Cavaliers
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The Bronco/Ruffin coaching combo clicks
Most of the assistants that new Virginia head coach Bronco Mendenhall will have on staff in 2016 are ones he worked with at BYU, including offensive coordinator Robert Anae. He retained one assistant (receivers coach Marques Hagans) from Mike London's staff, while his lone outside hire is the one who might make the difference for the Cavaliers.
Ruffin McNeill, who was East Carolina's head coach from 2010 to 2015, will be Virginia's assistant head coach and be in charge of linebackers. McNeill went 42-34 with the Pirates, peaking at 10-3 in 2013, and his inclusion on the staff can help the Cavaliers maintain strong recruiting relationships in the area.
“McNeill’s 2015 ECU team featured 12 players from Virginia, including eight from the Tidewater region,” Andrew Ramspacher of the Richmond Times-Dispatch wrote.
Virginia Tech Hokies
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Frank Beamer goes out a winner
If Beamer's long and storied career at Virginia Tech ends up getting turned into a movie, the script might get adjusted so that it doesn't end with his Hokies playing the day after Christmas in Shreveport, Louisiana.
It's not the flashiest of finishes for FBS' winningest active coach, who since 1987 has won 235 games and has led Virginia Tech to bowl games in 23 straight years. The last of those will be Dec. 26 against Tulsa in the Independence Bowl.
Beamer is 10-12 all-time in bowl games, and a victory in this one would mark just the second time he's won consecutive bowls.
Wake Forest Demon Deacons
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An offensive playmaker
Wake Forest ranked 121st nationally in scoring this season, averaging 17.4 points per game, but that was actually a bump from the 14.8 points the Demon Deacons averaged in 2014. Not surprisingly, they've gone 3-9 in each of Dave Clawson's first two seasons.
The program's two wins in ACC play during Clawson's tenure have occurred without Wake scoring a touchdown—a 3-0 win this year at Boston College and a 6-3 double-overtime victory against Virginia Tech the season before.
Maybe the answer lies in the 2016 recruiting class? The Deacons have 20 commitments for next year, eight of which are skill-position players, per 247Sports.
Washington Huskies
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A recruit-aiding bowl victory
Washington sits 44th in 247Sports' composite rankings for the 2016 recruiting class, aided by pledges from five 4-star prospects among its 13 commitments. Most of those players are from the West Coast, where the Huskies traditionally do most of their recruiting.
But a bowl game in Texas—Washington faces Southern Mississippi on Dec. 26 in the Heart of Dallas Bowl—could open itself to prospects in that part of the country. Several of the team's top remaining recruiting targets are from the Lone Star State, including 4-star defensive end Levi Onwuzurike and 3-star wide receiver Zach Farrar.
Washington State Cougars
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No more head injuries
Luke Falk was knocked out of his last two games, with his head slamming to the ground during wins at UCLA and home against Colorado. The sophomore quarterback managed to return to action in the first game, throwing the winning touchdown pass in the process.
But after getting hurt against Colorado, Falk had to be taken off the field on a stretcher. He was not cleared to play in the Cougars' regular-season finale at Washington, which they lost 45-10, though he's on track to start for WSU again in the Sun Bowl on Dec. 26 against Miami (Florida).
Falk, who has thrown for a school-record 36 TDs this season, is the FBS leader in passing yards per game at 387.8.
West Virginia Mountaineers
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A truckload of Red Bull for fans back home
West Virginia coach Dana Holgorsen makes no secret of his love for energy drinks, projecting he would consume “somewhere in the neighborhood of 1,000” Red Bulls during the 2015 season. It might have been more in reality with the way this year went, as his team started 3-0 and then dropped four straight in Big 12 play before finishing with a 7-5 record.
The Mountaineers' reward for that performance was an invite to the absolute last bowl game (other than the national championship) of this season. The Cactus Bowl in Phoenix is set to kick off at 10:15 p.m. ET on Jan. 2.
That late start will mean the game likely won't end until around 2 a.m. in West Virginia.
Wisconsin Badgers
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An old-school rushing performance
Wisconsin's 148.1 rushing yards per game this season ranks 97th in FBS, a far cry from the monster ground attacks the Badgers have been known for over the years. The 2014 team gained 320.1 yards per game, aided heavily by Heisman Trophy finalist Melvin Gordon's 2,587 yards, but it also had a backup (Corey Clement) who nearly had 1,000 yards.
Clement was expected to be Wisconsin's go-to rusher this season, but injury limited the junior to just three games and 29 carries. Unless leading rusher Dare Ogunbowale runs for 231 yards in the Holiday Bowl against USC, the Badgers will end the year without a 1,000-yard rusher for the first time since 2004.
All statistics courtesy of CFBStats.com, unless otherwise noted. All recruiting information provided by 247Sports, unless otherwise noted.
Follow Brian J. Pedersen on Twitter at @realBJP.
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