College Football Bowl Picks 2016: Schedule and Predictions for Upcoming Action

Although the first half of bowl season doesn't generate nearly as much attention as the College Football Playoff and the other marquee matchups, the games are still important. They can provide programs with nice boosts before coaching staffs head out on the offseason recruiting trail.

That's especially true for teams in Power Five conferences that are looking to make progress after middling campaigns, which is usually the case for those playing during the early portion of the bowl schedule. Winning a bowl to end on a high note can provide a much-needed boost.

With that in mind, let's check out the complete schedule of games over the next week. That's followed by previews and predictions for some of the more intriguing clashes on tap.

Upcoming Bowl Schedule

Date	Time (ET)	Bowl	Matchup
Dec. 21	9 p.m.	Poinsettia Bowl	BYU vs. Wyoming
Dec. 22	7 p.m.	Famous Idaho Potato Bowl	Idaho vs. Colorado State
Dec. 23	1 p.m.	Bahamas Bowl	Eastern Michigan vs. Old Dominion
Dec. 23	4:30 p.m.	Armed Forces Bowl	Louisiana Tech vs. Navy
Dec. 23	8 p.m.	Dollar General Bowl	Ohio vs. Troy
Dec. 24	8 p.m.	Hawaii Bowl	Hawaii vs. Middle Tennessee
Dec. 26	11 a.m.	St. Petersburg Bowl	Miami (Ohio) vs. Mississippi State
Dec. 26	2:30 p.m.	Quick Lane Bowl	Maryland vs. Boston College
Dec. 26	5 p.m.	Independence Bowl	NC State vs. Vanderbilt
Dec. 27	Noon	Heart of Dallas Bowl	Army vs. North Texas
Dec. 27	3:30 p.m.	Military Bowl	Temple vs. Wake Forest
Dec. 27	7 p.m.	Holiday Bowl	Minnesota vs. Washington State
Dec. 27	10:15 p.m.	Cactus Bowl	Boise State vs. Baylor

Predictions for Top Games

Maryland vs. Boston College

Maryland is a perfect example of a team that should benefit greatly from playing a mid-tier bowl game against a power-conference foe. The Terrapins went 6-6 while leaning heavily on underclassmen, who will get extra practice time and one additional game of experience.

While there have been promising signs throughout the year, an ugly three-game stretch against Michigan, Ohio State and Nebraska late in the year showed how much work is left to do. Maryland lost those contests by a combined score of 149-13.

Don Markus of the Baltimore Sun passed along comments from first-year head coach D.J. Durkin about how much this opportunity means to the Terps.

"It's huge," Durkin said. "It's a great, I guess, benchmark to say where we're at and where we're going. It helps us, obviously, getting the extra practices to develop our team. It's a tangible thing that people can see there's growth and progress within your program."

Meanwhile, Boston College is trying to cap the season with a three-game winning streak, which would be the team's first since 2013. It would represent a sharp contrast to one year ago, when the Eagles finished by losing their last eight games.

Maryland's big-play ability on offense should be the difference. The Terrapins have an explosive group of skill players, led by D.J. Moore and Ty Johnson. Meanwhile, the Eagles ranked 117th out of 128 FBS teams in offensive efficiency, according to ESPN.com.

Pick: 24-21, Maryland

North Carolina State vs. Vanderbilt

North Carolina State almost made a lasting impact on the college football season when it took Clemson to overtime back in October. The Tigers avoided the upset and went on to earn a place in the College Football Playoff, but the game showed the Wolfpack's upside.

They are battle-tested, too. After a weak slate early on, they played the CFP-bound Tigers, Louisville, Florida State, Miami and North Carolina over the final two months. So while their record is a mere 6-6, the strength of schedule must be taken into consideration.

On the flip side, Vanderbilt heads into bowl season playing its best football of the year. The Commodores finished the regular season by scoring back-to-back victories over Ole Miss and Tennessee to grind out a 6-6 overall record while playing in the difficult SEC.

Vandy head coach Derek Mason believes the similar roads traveled by the two sides set the stage for a good matchup, per Jimmy Watson of the Shreveport Times.

"These two teams are well-matched," Mason said. "We're like two brothers sitting at a table with one piece of chicken between us and you have to figure out who is going to get it."

The key matchup is Commodores quarterback Kyle Shurmur against the NC State secondary. The sophomore QB came alive over the final two games, tossing four touchdowns after tallying just five over the first 10 games. The Wolfpack must slow down that resurgent passing game to get the win.

Pick: 20-17, NC State

Boise State vs. Baylor

This should be one of the most exciting battles of bowl season. Both squads feature a multitude of offensive playmakers. Boise State scored at least 28 points in 10 of its 12 games. Baylor reached that mark eight times.

The Bears put together a unique regular season. They won each of their first six games before losing the last six, including four straight blowouts at one point. The question is whether they can get back in the win column after a solid showing against West Virginia last time out.

Baylor must slow down Jeremy McNichols to end the skid. Boise's dual-threat running back has racked up over 2,100 yards of offense and 27 touchdowns. He found the end zone at least once in every game, highlighted by a pair of games with four TDs.

What the diminutive rusher lacks in size he makes up for with vision and power, as Tyler Brooke of Saturday Blitz showcased:

This could become a classic case of whichever team has the ball last wins. McNichols' presence gives the Broncos the slight edge, but don't underestimate the motivation Baylor should possess to end the losing streak before heading into the offseason.

Pick: 38-35, Boise State