College Football Bowl Picks 2017: Predictions on Most Overlooked Games Remaining
Once Tuesday rolls around, there will be a bevy of bowl games on television for your viewing pleasure.
We're all informed about the must-see matchups between ranked opponents happening next week, but there are a few other games that could trump the marquee contests in excitement and intrigue.
The most overlooked games on the schedule feature an SEC team that flew under the radar in November, a matchup of potential breakout teams in 2018 and a showdown of Power Five teams that you don't immediately associate with success on the gridiron.
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Foster Farms Bowl: Purdue vs. Arizona, December 27
Both the Purdue Boilermakers and Arizona Wildcats used the 2017 season to build a foundation for success in 2018.
The Boilermakers qualified for a bowl in Jeff Brohm's first season as head coach by winning three of their last four games in Big Ten play over Illinois, Iowa and Indiana.
Purdue could have given up on its season when starting quarterback David Blough suffered a season-ending injury in the win over Illinois on November 4, but backup Elijah Sindelar helped the Boilermakers recover to close out the regular season with a pair of victories.
Brohm experienced plenty of success in his three years at Western Kentucky, and there's no doubt he will get the Boilermakers well over .500 in the near future. A win over a Pac-12 opponent would be a massive boost heading into the offseason for the Big Ten program.
Arizona comes into the Foster Farms Bowl on the opposite trajectory as Purdue, with defeats in three of its last four contests.
Despite having zero momentum entering the game at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California, the Wildcats will have the best player on the field in quarterback Khalil Tate.
During Arizona's four-game winning streak in October, Tate moved on to the national radar and his name was whispered in the Heisman Trophy conversation.
Tate is hoping to use the Foster Farms Bowl to set the stage for a potential Heisman campaign in 2018, and if he shines on Wednesday, he'll also erase the memories of two poor statistical performances to close out the regular season against Oregon and Arizona State.
Prediction: Arizona 34, Purdue 26
Texas Bowl: Texas vs. Missouri, December 27
Just 30 minutes after the Foster Farms Bowl kicks off, Texas and Missouri will square off in the Texas Bowl.
The primary reason to utilize multiple screens on Wednesday is to watch Missouri quarterback Drew Lock, who threw for 3,695 yards and 43 touchdowns in the regular season. He helped the Tigers gain bowl eligibility by winning six straight games after a dreadful 1-5 start.
The junior quarterback, 21, has thrown at least three touchdowns in each of the last six games, and there's a good chance he'll have a field day against a Texas team preparing for a more successful 2018 under Tom Herman.
While the Texas Bowl is a culmination of hard work for the Tigers, the Longhorns enter the contest wounded.
Herman didn't have as much success as he hoped in his first season in Austin, Texas, as his team went 0-4 against ranked opposition and dropped its two nonconference games versus Power Five programs.
Taking down Missouri isn't the end-of-season highlight the Longhorns expected to be searching for, but a victory would boost them to 7-6 and create positive momentum going into a vital 2018.
Not only will the Texas Bowl be massive for the Longhorns as a team, it will be helpful to set the stage for the quarterback battle for next season.
Sophomore Shane Buechele was confirmed as the starter over freshman Sam Ehlinger on Saturday, per Brian Davis of the Austin American-Statesman:
Buechele might not be able to match Lock possession-for-possession, but he is capable of making electric plays that could turn the Texas Bowl into an unexpected shootout.
Prediction: Missouri 38, Texas 27
Music City Bowl: Northwestern vs. Kentucky, December 29
On paper, a matchup between the Northwestern Wildcats and Kentucky Wildcats doesn't strike you as a game to watch, but these two programs on the rise should produce an intriguing contest.
While many were paying attention to the goings on at the top of the Big Ten in November, Northwestern was busy reeling off seven consecutive wins, three of which came in overtime.
Pat Fitzgerald's Wildcats are in search of their third 10-win season in the last six years. They also have some of the best momentum entering the postseason of any program, as they won their final three games by a combined 104-20.
Northwestern is one of six Big Ten teams that rank in the top 20 of points conceded per game. The Wildcats sit 19th at 19.8 points per game.
The Wildcats of the lighter tint are trying to reach the consistency of Northwestern after years of struggles.
Kentucky is playing in a bowl in consecutive seasons for just the fifth time in program history thanks to head coach Mark Stoops, who has worked wonders turning around the program amid the difficulties of being in the SEC and residing at a basketball school.
Just like a plethora of other programs, Kentucky is attempting to rectify a rough November with a postseason victory that sets the tone for 2018.
Breaking down the Northwestern defense won't be an easy task, but Kentucky has an offensive weapon in running back Benny Snell Jr. that could adjust to a Big Ten-type of grind-it-out game.
Snell is a master at working his way through the opposing defense, as he gained 884 yards after contact, a total that was good enough for seventh in the FBS, per Pro Football Focus College Football:
Prediction: Kentucky 21, Northwestern 17
Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.
All statistics obtained from ESPN.com.
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