2011 Bowl Games: 5 Coolest Non-BCS Bowl Matchups

The general attitude among college football fans is that the only bowl games that really matter are the five BCS bowl games.

As for the rest, all you can really say is, "Meh, whatever."

Admittedly, this is how I feel about the non-BCS bowls. That being said, even I'm excited to watch a handful of them. Sure, they don't mean anything in the grand scheme of things, but they offer matchups that are worth a look.

To give you an idea, I'd like to discuss five bowl matchups that are just plain cool. With a bit of luck, you'll be in the bowl-watching spirit in no time.

Note: For lack of a better idea, we shall proceed in alphabetical order.

Alamo Bowl: Baylor vs. Washington

By now, everyone knows everything there is to know about Robert Griffin III. It's just not every day you come across a playmaker like him, as he can kill you with both his pinpoint accuracy and his impressive athleticism.

But hey, Keith Price is pretty good too. He took over for Jake Locker this season, and he proceeded to be much better than advertised, throwing 29 touchdowns and just 11 interceptions.

If you haven't seen Price play yet, that's just great. The Alamo Bowl could very well be his coming out party, and it wouldn't be at all surprising if he and RG3 got into a quarterback duel.

This might just happen. After all, neither the Bears nor the Huskies like to play defense all that much.

Gator Bowl: Ohio State vs. Florida

See what they did here?

If not, you should get your eyes checked. If that fails, just let me know and I'll draw up a petition to have the Gator Bowl change its name to the "Urban Meyer Bowl."

Indeed, this will be Urban Meyer's new team (Ohio State) against his old team (Florida). Neither team is particularly exciting to watch, but I think this game will be worth watching for the vibes alone. 

If the Buckeyes play well and win, it will be clear that Meyer is walking into a comfy situation. If the Gators play well and win, maybe Meyer shouldn't have left.

No matter who wins, this game should be fun.

Holiday Bowl: California vs. Texas

As a Cal alum, I'm admittedly quite biased.

Beyond that, though, I feel like this game is almost like a pseudo culture clash: Berkeley hippies on one side, and rowdy Texans on another.

This is far from the truth, of course, but it makes for a pretty cool theme.

Themes aside, it will be fun to see how Zach Maynard, Keenan Allen and Cal's offense fare against Texas' defense, which is legit. I also think you might see Case McCoy enjoy a fine day, as Cal's defense is nothing special.

All of this will be happening in sunny San Diego. If you've never been, take it from me that it's a great place to visit.

Outback Bowl: Michigan State vs. Georgia

Teams that lose conference championship games tend to get overlooked a little bit after the deed is done. Such is the case with Michigan State and Georgia, losers of the Big Ten Championship Game and SEC Championship Game, respectively.

If you ask me, the Spartans and the Bulldogs definitely deserve your attention. Michigan State is one of the more balanced teams in the nation, and the Bulldogs were playing some outstanding football before they were humbled by LSU.

Besides, it's always fun to see the Big Ten and the SEC go at each other. None of the BCS bowls can offer us such a sight, so I suggest tuning into this game if you're looking for a Big Ten/SEC tilt.

Bragging rights will be on the line.

TicketCity Bowl: Penn State vs. Houston

You're going to hear a lot of chatter about how this is Penn State's first bowl game without Joe Paterno in something like 1,000 years, but there are other, more relevant reasons to watch the TicketCity Bowl.

This is going to be a classic unstoppable force vs. immovable object matchup, as Case Keenum and the Houston offense will be going up against a very tough Nittany Lions defense. The Cougars got humbled the last time we saw them on the gridiron, and the Nittany Lions will be looking to humble them again.

If the Nittany Lions win, you'll obviously have to feel good for them. If the Cougars get the upper hand, it will be because Keenum proved he can handle a top-flight defense after all.

Good theater either way, if you ask me.

Week 15 BCS Rankings

Rank	Team	BCS Average
1	LSU	1.000
2	Alabama	.9419
3	Oklahoma State	.9333
4	Stanford	.8476
5	Oregon	.7901
6	Arkansas	.7687
7	Boise State	.7408
8	Kansas State	.6827
9	South Carolina	.6553
10	Wisconsin	.6374
11	Virginia Tech	.5190
12	Baylor	.4977
13	Michigan	.4794
14	Oklahoma	.5603
15	Clemson	.4218
16	Georgia	.4119
17	Michigan State	.3883
18	TCU	.3869
19	Houston	.3504
20	Nebraska	.2606
21	Southern Miss	.1918
22	Penn State	.1305
23	West Virginia	.1233
24	Texas	.0876
25	Auburn	.0584