2011 Bowl Schedule: 5 Can't-Miss December Bowl Games

When it comes to college football's bowl season, there are two approaches that college football fans tend to take.

One is to say, "Wake me when my alma mater is playing."

The other is to say, "Wake me when the BCS bowls get here."

It's a shame that there is so much indifference regarding the majority of the bowls, but that's just how it is. Despite college football's best efforts, people cannot be bothered to care, especially when it comes to the bowl games that are played before the new year, many of which feature uninspiring matchups.

But believe it or not, some of the pre-New Year's bowls are actually pretty good.

In fact, some of them even matter in some way or another. Let's take a look at five in particular.

5. Maaco Bowl Las Vegas: Arizona State vs. Boise State

Dec. 22 at 8:00 p.m. ET

Before I say anything, I will point out that this game doesn't mean much as far as Arizona State is concerned. The Sun Devils' season didn't go so well, and the program will just go through the motions until Todd Graham arrives.

Therefore, it suffices to say that Boise State had better not lose this game, lest it suffer a monumental embarrassment.

The Boise State haters would like nothing more than to see the Broncos lose. It would be a major bullet point in the argument that Boise State is not fit for national relevancy, which would not be a good thing seeing as how Boise State is set to join the Big East in 2013.

Beyond the do-not-lose pressure surrounding Boise State, this will also be Kellen Moore's last game as the Broncos' starting quarterback. That's not something you're going to want to miss.

4. Valero Alamo Bowl: Washington vs. Baylor

Dec. 29 at 9:00 p.m. ET

If you're looking to watch an explosive, high-scoring bowl game, then you're looking to watch the Valero Alamo Bowl. Robert Griffin III and Baylor's offense are capable of all sorts of awesomeness, and the same is true of Keith Price and Washington's offense.

But whatever you do, don't underestimate the importance of this game for RG3. It will be his final game before he takes his talents to the NFL Draft, so he needs to make sure he leaves a good last impression.

If he doesn't, his draft stock will take a hit. Sure, he will still be the Heisman Trophy winner, but NFL teams will have to ask themselves just how much they can trust a guy who struggled against a bad Washington defense.

It's not like a bad performance will knock RG3 out of the first round, but it could lead him to move down the board a little bit. After that, the doubts could keep piling up.

3. Insight Bowl: Iowa vs. Oklahoma

Dec. 30 at 10:00 p.m. ET

If you're an Iowa fan, you'll watch this game for the Hawkeyes.

Everyone else should watch this game to see what Oklahoma quarterback Landry Jones is going to do.

The incentive to watch Jones is pretty much the same as the incentive to watch Robert Griffin III, except the exact opposite. Whereas RG3 needs to avoid screwing up, Jones needs to play a great game.

This is because Jones hasn't played a great game since early November, and his NFL Draft stock has taken a major hit. He's still a first-rounder, but many are thinking he will be the fourth quarterback off the board. He was projected to be the second quarterback off the board at one point.

If Jones plays well and reminds everyone what he can do, he will rescue his draft stock. If he doesn't play well, he'll keep slipping.

2. Champs Sports Bowl: Florida State vs. Notre Dame

Dec. 29 at 5:30 p.m. ET

Florida State and Notre Dame may be big-name programs, but both had their issues this season.

That said, there's always going to be plenty of pressure on Notre Dame's head coach to win a bowl game, and Brian Kelly is no exception this year. He's not on the hot seat, mind you, but he very well could be if the Irish lose an unspectacular bowl game to an unspectacular opponent.

As far as the Seminoles are concerned, they need to win the Champs Sports Bowl to salvage something from a 2011 season that will go into the books as a missed opportunity. They started the season as a championship contender, but were crushed under the expectations.

As such, I would classify this game as a must-win for both Florida State and Notre Dame. Because they have incentive to play, you have incentive to watch.

1. Bridgepoint Holiday Education Bowl: California vs. Texas

Dec. 28 at 8:00 p.m. ET

Because I'm a Cal alum, I'm not missing a second of this game.

But I'm not going to kid myself into thinking that's why this game matters. This game matters because of Texas.

It wouldn't look very good for the Longhorns if they lost to this Bears squad, which spent a majority of the season being wildly mediocre. If Texas were to lose, the blame would invariably fall on Mack Brown, and that's when things would start getting interesting.

The Longhorns didn't even qualify for a bowl game last season, and that led many to start speculating about Brown's future with the program. The Longhorns are in a bowl this year, but you can rest assured that the Brown speculation will double if he doesn't lead Texas to a win.

I would go so far as to call it a volatile situation for the Longhorns. Their program is big enough to merit its own television network, so it wouldn't look good if their head coach was suddenly on the hot seat.