Bowl Games 2018-19: TV Schedule and Predictions for Top Matchups
While many fans will be getting excited about the College Football Playoffs, there are three weeks' worth of bowl games to keep you entertained until then.
If you look beyond the Cotton Bowl and Orange Bowl, there are some elite matchups full of game-changing players who will be worth the watch. Though they might not lead to a national championship, each player involved will be looking to end the season on a high note.
Here is a full television schedule for the upcoming bowl season so you don't miss a moment of the action.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
Bowl Schedule
Dec. 15
Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl: North Carolina A&T vs. Alcorn State (12 p.m. ET, ABC)
New Mexico Bowl: North Texas vs. Utah State (2 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Cure Bowl: Tulane vs. Louisiana (2:30 p.m. ET, CBSSN)
Las Vegas Bowl: Fresno State vs. Arizona State (3:30 p.m. ET, ABC)
Camellia Bowl: Georgia Southern vs. Eastern Michigan (5:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
New Orleans Bowl: Middle Tennessee vs. Appalachian State (9 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Dec. 18
Boca Rotan Bowl: UAB vs. Northern Illinois (7 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Dec. 19
Frisco Bowl: San Diego State vs. Ohio (8 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Dec. 20
Gasparilla Bowl: Marshall vs. South Florida (8 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Dec. 21
Bahamas Bowl: Florida International vs. Toledo (12:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Famous Idaho Potato Bowl: Western Michigan vs. BYU (4 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Dec. 22
Birmingham Bowl: Memphis vs. Wake Forest (12 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Armed Forces Bowl: Houston vs. Army (3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Dollar General Bowl: Buffalo vs. Troy (7 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Hawaii Bowl: Louisiana Tech vs. Hawaii (10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Dec. 26
First Responder Bowl: Boston College vs. Boise State (1:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Quick Lane Bowl: Minnesota vs. Georgia Tech (5:15 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Cheez-It Bowl: California vs. TCU (9 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Dec. 27
Independence Bowl: Temple vs. Duke (1:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Pinstripe Bowl: Miami vs. Wisconsin (5:15 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Texas Bowl: Baylor vs. Vanderbilt (9 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Dec. 28
Music City Bowl: Purdue vs. Auburn (1:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Camping World Bowl: West Virginia vs. Syracuse (5:15 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Alamo Bowl: Iowa State vs. Washington State (9 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Dec. 29
Peach Bowl: Florida vs. Michigan (12 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Belk Bowl: South Carolina vs. Virginia (12 p.m. ET, ABC)
Arizona Bowl: Arkansas State vs. Nevada (1:15 p.m. ET, CBSSN)
Cotton Bowl: Clemson vs. Notre Dame (4 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Orange Bowl: Alabama vs. Oklahoma (8 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Dec. 31
Military Bowl: Cincinnati vs. Virginia Tech (12 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Sun Bowl: Stanford vs. Pittsburgh (2 p.m. ET, CBS)
Redbox Bowl: Michigan State vs. Oregon (3 p.m. ET, Fox)
Liberty Bowl: Missouri vs. Oklahoma State (3:45 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Holiday Bowl: Northwestern vs. Utah (7 p.m. ET, FS1)
Gator Bowl: North Carolina State vs. Texas A&M (7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Jan. 1
Outback Bowl: Mississippi State vs. Iowa (12 p.m. ET, ESPN2)
Citrus Bowl: Kentucky vs. Penn State (1 p.m. ET, ABC)
Fiesta Bowl: LSU vs. UCF (1 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Rose Bowl: Washington vs. Ohio State (5 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Sugar Bowl: Texas vs. Georgia (8:45 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Where to watch: The top bowl games and related college football coverage are available through fuboTV.
Top Non-Playoff Matchups
Rose Bowl: Ohio State vs. Washington
Ohio State clearly wanted to go to the College Football Playoff after finishing 12-1 with a Big Ten title.
Few teams in the country are playing better than the Buckeyes at the moment after five straight wins, scoring at least 45 points in three straight games.
Dwayne Haskins has 14 touchdown passes and three rushing scores in the past three weeks, averaging 433.3 passing yards per game, while succeeding against quality defenses of Michigan and Northwestern.
Based on the talent on the field, this team could line up with anyone in the country.
Unfortunately, a loss to Purdue earlier in the year will be enough to limit the team's postseason to a Rose Bowl bid.
As good as Ohio State has played, though, a win against Washington is far from guaranteed.
The Huskies haven't gotten much publicity this year as they were never really in the national title hunt, but this will be a dangerous opponent on the national stage.
Washington has one of the best defenses in the country with opponents averaging just 15.5 points per game this year. Washington State and Utah were completely shut down with just 18 combined points scored over the past two games.
With Ohio State potentially lacking focus after failing to get into the national semifinals, Washington could pull off an upset.
Prediction: Washington 27, Ohio State 24
Fiesta Bowl: LSU vs. UCF
Outside of the playoff teams, no one might be more motivated for its bowl game than UCF.
The Knights went undefeated for the second season in a row but once again won't get an opportunity to play for a national championship. While Ohio State or Oklahoma might be deflated, UCF just gets angry.
"Of course, we look at it as an opportunity to show what we can do," defensive end Titus Davis said Sunday, per Andrea Adelson of ESPN. "We've done it all year, so it's one more time."
The team took advantage of the opportunity last year while beating Auburn in the Peach Bowl, providing legitimacy to the regular-season success.
While this was a different team with a different coach and a healthy McKenzie Milton, the squad's resolve remains impressive.
At the same time, LSU has been too inconsistent this year to trust as a dominant team.
Losing to Alabama is understandable, but the Tigers were shut out while totaling just 196 yards from scrimmage. The offense also struggled in games against Florida and Mississippi State.
The defense also struggled to get stops in what became a 74-72 seven-overtime loss to Texas A&M, which was still a relatively high 31-31 after regulation.
This could be another opportunity for the Knights to earn a win over the SEC and finish with a second straight undefeated year.
Prediction: UCF 31, LSU 27
Camping World Bowl: West Virginia vs. Syracuse
Although this game might not be on the top of many lists during the postseason, it could end up being the most fun matchup this month.
The Camping World Bowl pits together two teams that can light up the scoreboard, each averaging more than 40 points per game this season.
West Virginia is led by quarterback Will Grier, who threw 37 touchdowns this season including 28 of them to receivers David Sills and Gary Jennings. He will get a chance to throw quite a few more against a questionable Syracuse defense while also potentially improving his NFL stock.
Meanwhile, Eric Dungey leads Syracuse as someone who can hurt teams with his arm or his legs. He enters this game with 17 passing touchdowns and 15 rushing touchdowns during his outstanding season.
Not only are these high-flying offenses fun to watch, they have also made these teams very dangerous. The two teams have combined for just six losses this year, with half of those coming against eventual CFP Playoff teams.
These squads should combine for an epic showdown in Orlando.
Prediction: West Virginia 48, Syracuse 41
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
