Bowl Games 2016-17: TV Schedule and Predictions for Top Matchups

With the 2016 season concluded and the College Football Playoff set, the debate about the selection process is the furthest thing from being concluded.

Though it isn't too shocking, Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State and Washington playing in the CFP stirs up plenty of controversy as teams with interesting arguments such as Michigan, Penn State and Western Michigan sit on the outside looking in and wondering where it went wrong.

Those outsiders still sit in heavyweight matchups sure to offer intrigue and unusual games. Call it the theme of bowl season, with teams such as Penn State hooking up with USC, and LSU with Louisville.

Here is a look at the details for the biggest matchups.

New Year's Six Bowl Games

Bowl Game	Date	TV	Participants	Point Spread
Orange Bowl	Dec. 30	ESPN	Florida State vs. Michigan	Michigan -7.5
Peach Bowl (CFP)	Dec. 31	ESPN	Alabama vs Washington	Alabama -14.5
Fiesta Bowl (CFP)	Dec. 31	ESPN	Ohio State vs. Clemson	Ohio State -3
Cotton Bowl	Jan. 2	ESPN	Wisconsin vs. Western Michigan	Wisconsin -7
Rose Bowl	Jan. 2	ESPN	Penn State vs. USC	USC -7
Sugar Bowl	Jan. 2	ESPN	Oklahoma vs. Auburn	Oklahoma

Full bowl schedule with TV info available at ESPN.com. Odds courtesy of Odds Shark.

Early Predictions for Top Matchups

Peach Bowl: Alabama vs. Washington

The Peach Bowl fits the mentioned theme well.

The Alabama Crimson Tide out of the SEC will trot its elite defense into a matchup with the high-flying offense of the Washington Huskies in a collision most fans have talked about all year.

Alabama simply cruised through the SEC, with only one game on the season really being close—a mid-September road win against then-No. 19 Ole Miss, 48-43. More recently, the Crimson Tide crushed then-No. 15 Florida in the SEC Championship, 54-16.

There, quarterback Jalen Hurts threw for one score, while the rushing attack tallied four and the defense held Florida to 261 total yards despite 35:08 time of possession.

It is another good example explaining why Washington head coach Chris Petersen sounds wary of the bowl game, as captured by the Peach Bowl's Twitter account:

Washington can't afford to blink—and shouldn't. The offense has scored more than 40 points a silly 10 times this year thanks to quarterback Jake Browning, who has 3,280 yards and 42 touchdowns to seven interceptions.

Behind Browning, two backs have at least 830 rushing yards and seven touchdowns, while the ground attack as a whole musters 5.5 yards per game.

This bowl game sets up an interesting war of wills. Given how battle tested the Crimson Tide seem and the fact they have yet to lose, though, it is hard to predict the outcome any other way.

Indeed, Washington will need a perfect game to pull off a major upset. It's always possible, but it seems more likely the flawless Crimson Tide defense will make Browning uncomfortable while stifling his running game and get the win.

Prediction: Alabama 30, Washington 20

Fiesta Bowl: Clemson vs. Ohio State

The Ohio State Buckeyes and Clemson Tigers know a thing or two about explosive offenses, a fact sure to be on display in the Fiesta Bowl.

Heisman Trophy contender Deshaun Watson leads the Tigers. This year has him flaunting more video game-esque numbers with 3,914 passing yards, 37 touchdowns to 15 interceptions and another 529 yards and six scores on the ground. 

At a minimum, Ohio State has the offensive firepower to match Clemson thanks to quarterback J.T. Barrett. He has 2,428 yards, 24 touchdowns and five interceptions with 847 yards and nine scores as a rusher.

For Clemson, this trip to Arizona carries a redemption arc after losing the national-title game to Alabama in the desert one year ago.

“To return out here to Arizona, we had a little taste of it last year and it was a quick trip, barely remember it,” Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said, per John Marshall of the Associated Press. “We’re looking forward to having a better time this year.”

Redemption or not, both teams have flaws. Clemson took a loss to Pittsburgh in November and Ohio State to Penn State, not to mention just scraping past Michigan in The Game—hence the Buckeyes sitting as perhaps the most polarizing team in the playoff.

Polarizing or not, the early outlook suggests it is Ohio State with fewer flaws, especially thanks to an opportunistic defense ranked fourth in the nation at just 282.3 yards allowed per game.

Following a blueprint written by Alabama one year ago, Ohio State's defense can provide its potent counterpart with enough wiggle room to advance to the title game.

Prediction: Ohio State 28, Clemson 24

Stats and information courtesy of ESPN.com unless otherwise specified.

Follow Chris Roling (@Chris_Roling) on Twitter.