2011 Bowl Schedule: 3 Games You Can't Miss Before the New Year

Most people only care about the bowl games after New Year's Eve and that's a shame.

It's understandable that some people don't want to watch a 6-6 Vanderbilt team that went 2-5 in conference play battle in the AutoZone Liberty bowl with a 9-3 Cincinnati team that went 5-2 in conference play.

But there are still plenty of other matchups to get excited about.

Here are three games you can't miss before the ball drops and we waltz into 2012.

Champs Sports Bowl: Notre Dame vs. Florida State - Dec. 29, 5:30 p.m. EST (ESPN)

The battle of disappointing 2011 teams is also the battle of teams that should be great next year.

The Irish and the Seminoles both have great sets of returning players as well as great recruiting classes.  Combine that with another year in two relatively new coaches' systems and these two programs will both have top 10 consideration going into next season.

The Champs Sports Bowl will be a great look at where these two talented, but underachieving teams stand as we get closer to National Signing Day.  You might not get a better look at two of 2012's top contenders than this game right here.

Valero Alamo Bowl:  Baylor vs. Washington - Dec. 29, 9 p.m. EST (ESPN)

Also known as the "RGIII Showcase," the Baylor-Washington matchup is one of the more intriguing matchups in the bowl season.

Naturally, Heisman Trophy winner Robert Griffin III is the main attraction, but other NFL prospects such as Baylor wide receiver Kendall Wright, Washington defensive back Desmond Trufant, running back Chris Polk and defensive tackle Alameda Ta'amu will also feature in this contest.

RGIII will shred this Husky defense up, and watching Wright battle with Trufant will also be worth the time investment.

The nation's best player isn't in the best bowl game, but he's always worth watching.

Insight Bowl: Oklahoma vs. Iowa - Dec. 30, 10 p.m. EST (ESPN)

These two programs have met only once before and this time around it is a bit of a disappointment. 

The Sooners, the preseason's No. 1 team, were beset by injuries and moments of inconsistent play this year.

They enter this game with no guarantee of finishing in the AP should they lose. 

Iowa, on the other hand, finished the season strong and is happy to be where they are.

This game screams upset alert. 

The Sooners need to put everything aside and just go out and play football.  Otherwise, receiver Marvin McNutt, running back Marcus Coker and quarterback James Vandenberg will make them pay.

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
1/2	noon EST	Cotton Bowl: Dallas, Texas	TicketCity	Houston vs. Penn State	ESPNU
1/2	1 p.m. EST	Raymond James Stadium: Tampa, Florida	Outback	Michigan State vs. Georgia	ABC
1/2	1 p.m. EST	Florida Citrus Bowl: Orlando Florida	Capital One	Nebraska vs. South Carolina	ESPN
1/2	1 p.m. EST	EverBank Field: Jacksonville, Florida	Taxlayer.com Gator Bowl	Ohio State vs. Florida	ESPN2
1/2	5 p.m. EST	Rose Bowl: Pasadena, California	Rose Bowl presented by Vizio	Wisconsin vs. Oregon	ESPN
1/2	8:30 p.m. EST	University of Phoenix Stadium: Glendale, Arizona	Tostitos Fiesta	Stanford vs. Oklahoma State	ESPN
1/3	8:30 p.m. EST	Louisiana Superdome: New Orleans Louisiana	Allstate Sugar	Michigan vs. Virginia Tech	ESPN
1/4	8:30 p.m. EST	Sun Life Stadium: Miami, Florida	Discover Orange	West Virginia vs. Clemson	ESPN
1/6	8 p.m. EST	Cowboys Stadium: Arlington, Texas	AT&T Cotton	Kansas State vs. Arkansas	FOX
1/7	1 p.m. EST	Legion Field: Birmingham, Alabama	BBVA Compass Bowl	SMU vs. Pittsburgh	ESPN
1/8	9 p.m. EST	Ladd-Peebles Stadium: Mobile, Alabama	GoDaddy.com	Arkansas State vs. Northern Illinois	ESPN
1/9	8:30 p.m. EST	Louisiana Superdome: New Orleans, Louisiana	Allstate BCS National Championship Game	LSU vs. Alabama	ESPN