Bowl Games 2011: Michigan State vs. Georgia and Underrated Matchups You Must See

Ignoring all the BCS controversy because that just makes fans and analysts angry, there a number of terrific bowl matchups that don’t take place on January 9. In fact, the games leading up to the national championship game are going to be much more fun to watch.

While I am not a proponent of the bowl system for a number of reasons besides the obvious one, I do feel it prudent to give credit where credit is due, and there are some games that deserve to be singled out.

Forget the names of the bowl games. The marquee matchups this year are the best that we have had in a long time and it will make for an intriguing slate of games.

So which non-BCS games should you go out of your way to watch? Here are three that jumped off the page when they were first announced.

Georgia vs. Michigan State – Outback Bowl, Jan. 2

On Saturday, Georgia played one of the best halves that any team has played against LSU this season. The only problem was the Bulldogs forgot that there are two halves in a game and got blown out in the final 30 minutes.

But there is no rest for the weary because the Bulldogs get a game against a really good Michigan State team that was just one Russell Wilson drive away from playing in the Rose Bowl.

In previous years, an SEC-Big Ten matchup would result in a blowout. However, this is not your older brother’s SEC. The conference is down this year and the Big Ten could end the curse.

Kirk Cousins is one of the most underrated quarterbacks in the country and he will get his chance to shine against one of the better defenses, at least statistically, in the nation.

Baylor vs. Washington – Alamo Bowl, Dec. 29

It still boggles my mind that a team like West Virginia can get into the BCS, but we can't find a better game to showcase Robert Griffin III, who was the best player in the country this season and deserves to win the Heisman. 

No matter, because Baylor's second straight bowl appearance is going to be one of the most exciting games to watch. 

Neither the Bears nor the Huskies believe in playing a lot of defense and have the ability to put up a lot of points in a hurry–Baylor averaged 43.5 points per game, Washington was not far behind at 31.5.

It is entirely possible that this game will feature at least 100 combined points.

Houston vs. Penn State – Ticketcity Bowl, Jan. 2

This is a matchup between two teams with vastly different playing styles. That means it can be one of the best games of bowl season or one of the worst. There is no in-between. 

Obviously, I think it is going to fall into the former category. 

Penn State's defense has been stout all season, and if this team had any kind of offense they would be playing in the Rose Bowl. They have had some help along the way thanks to some mediocre Big Ten offenses. 

Going up against Case Keenum and the high-powered Houston offense is going to be an interesting challenge for the Nittany Lions. 

We haven't seen the Cougars go up against a team from a major conference since playing UCLA in Week 1, so we will find out just how good they are. 

 

2011-2012 Bowl Schedule

Date	When	Where	Bowl	Matchup	Network
12/17	2 p.m. EST	University Stadium: Albuquerque, New Mexico	Gildan New Mexico	Temple vs. Wyoming	ESPN
12/17	5:30 p.m. EST	Bronco Stadium: Boise, Idaho	Famous Idaho Potato Bowl	Ohio vs. Utah State	ESPN
12/17	9 p.m. EST	Mercedes-Benz Superdome: New Orleans Louisiana	R+L Carriers New Orleans	San Diego State vs. Louisiana-Lafeyette	ESPN
12/20	8 p.m. EST	Tropicana Field: St. Petersburg Florida	Beef "O" Brady's St. Petersburg	Florida International vs. Marshall	ESPN
12/21	8 p.m. EST	Qualcomm Stadium: San Diego, California	S.D. County Credit Union Poinsettia	TCU vs. Louisiana Tech	ESPN
12/22	8 p.m. EST	Sam Boyd Stadium: Las Vegas, Nevada	MAACO Las Vegas	Arizona State vs. Boise State	ESPN
12/24	8 p.m. EST	Aloha Stadium: Honolulu, Hawaii	Sheraton Hawaii	Nevada vs. Southern Miss	ESPN
12/26	5 p.m. EST	Independence Stadium: Shreveport, Louisiana	AdvoCare V100 Independence	Missouri vs. North Carolina	ESPN2
12/27	4:30 p.m. EST	Ford Field: Detroit Michigan	Little Ceasars	Western Michigan vs. Purdue	ESPN
12/27	8 p.m. EST	Bank of America Stadium: Charlotte, North Carolina	Belk	Louisville vs. NC State	ESPN
12/28	4:30 p.m. EST	RFK Stadium: Washington D.C.	Military Bowl Presented By Northrop Grumman	Toledo vs. Air Force	ESPN
12/28	8 p.m. EST	Qualcomm Stadium: San Diego, California	Bridgepoint Education Holiday	California vs. Texas	ESPN
12/29	5:30 p.m. EST	Florida Citrus Bowl: Orlando, Florida	Champs Sports	Florida State vs. Notre Dame	ESPN
12/29	9 p.m. EST	Alamodome: San Antonio, Texas	Valero Alamo	Washington vs. Baylor	ESPN
12/30	noon EST	Gerald J. Ford Stadium: Dallas, Texas	Bell Helicopter Armed Forces	BYU vs. Tulsa	ESPN
12/30	3:20 p.m. EST	Yankee Stadium: Bronx, New York	New Era Pinstripe	Rutgers vs. Iowa State	ESPN
12/30	6:40 p.m. EST	LP Field: Nashville, Tennessee	Franklin American Mortgage Music City	Mississippi State vs. Wake Forest	ESPN
12/30	10 p.m. EST	Sun Devil Stadium: Tempe, Arizona	Insight	Iowa vs. Oklahoma	ESPN
12/31	noon EST	Reliant Stadium: Houston, Texas	Meineke Car Care of Texas	Texas A&M vs. Northwestern	ESPN
12/31	2 p.m. EST	Sun Bowl: El Paso, Texas	Hyundai Sun	Georgia Tech vs. Utah	CBS
12/31	3:30 p.m. EST	Liberty Bowl: Memphis, Tennessee	AutoZone Liberty	Cincinnati vs. Vanderbilt	ABC
12/31	3:30 p.m. EST	AT&T Park: San Francisco, California	Kraft Fight Hunger	Illinois vs. UCLA	ESPN
12/31	7:30 p.m. EST	Georgia Dome: Atlanta, Georgia	Chick-fil-A	Virginia vs. Auburn	ESPN
2/1	noon EST	Cotton Bowl: Dallas, Texas	TicketCity	Houston vs. Penn State	ESPNU
2/1	1 p.m. EST	Raymond James Stadium: Tampa, Florida	Outback	Michigan State vs. Georgia	ABC
2/1	1 p.m. EST	Florida Citrus Bowl: Orlando Florida	Capital One	Nebraska vs. South Carolina	ESPN
2/1	1 p.m. EST	EverBank Field: Jacksonville, Florida	Taxlayer.com Gator Bowl	Ohio State vs. Florida	ESPN2
2/1	5 p.m. EST	Rose Bowl: Pasadena, California	Rose Bowl presented by Vizio	Wisconsin vs. Oregon	ESPN
2/1	8:30 p.m. EST	University of Phoenix Stadium: Glendale, Arizona	Tostitos Fiesta	Stanford vs. Oklahoma State	ESPN
3/1	8:30 p.m. EST	Louisiana Superdome: New Orleans Louisiana	Allstate Sugar	Michigan vs. Virginia Tech	ESPN
4/1	8:30 p.m. EST	Sun Life Stadium: Miami, Florida	Discover Orange	West Virginia vs. Clemson	ESPN
6/1	8 p.m. EST	Cowboys Stadium: Arlington, Texas	AT&T Cotton	Kansas State vs. Arkansas	FOX
7/1	1 p.m. EST	Legion Field: Birmingham, Alabama	BBVA Compass Bowl	SMU vs. Pittsburgh	ESPN
8/1	9 p.m. EST	Ladd-Peebles Stadium: Mobile, Alabama	GoDaddy.com	Arkansas State vs. Northern Illinois	ESPN
9/1	8:30 p.m. EST	Louisiana Superdome: New Orleans, Louisiana	Allstate BCS National Championship Game	LSU vs. Alabama	ESPN