SantaFeToday.com Santa Fe’s Hometown News
By Arnie Leshin
FRIDAY, December 17th
BAHAMAS BOWL in Nassau: Toledo (7-5) vs. Middle Tennessee (6-6). 10 a.m. ESPN. GO WITH HOLY TOLEDO, 27-21.
SUN BOWL in Orlando, Fla: Northern Illinois (9-4) vs. Coastal Carolina (10-2). 4 p.m. ESPN. TOUGHIE BUT LET’S TAKE NORTH ILLINOIS, 33-28.
SATURDAY, December 18th
BOCA RATON BOWL in Boca Raton, Fla: Western Kentucky (8-5) vs. Appalachian State (10-3). 9 a.m.ESPN. APPALACHIAN STATE BIGGER AND BETTER, 17-12.
CELEBRATION BOWL in ATLANTA: South Carolina State (6-5) vs. Jackson State (11-1. 10 a.m. ABC. FIRST-YEAR HEAD COACH DEON SANDERS WON’T LET HIS SUPER SEASON END WITH A SETBACK, SO STICK WITH JACKSON STATE, 25-13.
NEW MEXICO BOWL in Albuquerque: Fresno State (9-3) vs. UTEP (7-5). 12:15 p.m. ESPN. FRESNO STATE, WHY NOT, 23-18.
INDEPENDENCE BOWL in Sheveport, La: No. 12 Brigham Young (10-2) vs. UAB (7-5). 1:30 p.m. ESPN. GO BYU COUGARS, 24-14.
LENDING TREE BOWL in Mobile, Ala: Eastern Michigan (7-5) vs. Liberty (7-5). 1:45 p.m. ESPN. A TOSS-UP, SO TAKE THE LIBERTY, 20-14.
LOS ANGELES BOWL in Inglewood: Oregon State (7-5) vs. Utah State (10-3). 5:30 p.m. ABC. GO WITH THE BETTER RECORD, UTAH STATE, 18-8.
NEW ORLEANS BOWL in New Orleans: No. 16 Louisiana-Lafayette (12-2) vs. Marshall (7-5). 7:15 p.m.ESPN. LOUISIANA-LAFAYETTE CAJUNS ROLLING ALONG, 30-19.
MONDAY, December 20th
MYRTLE BEACH BOWL in Conway, S.C: Old Dominion (6-6) vs. Tulsa (6-6). 12:30 p.m. ESPN. CLASH OF .500 TEAMS GOES TO TULSA, 17-13.
TUESDAY, December 21st
FAMOUS IDAHO POTATOES BOWL in Boise: Kent State (7-6) vs. Wyoming (6-6). 1:30 p.m. ESPN. LEAN TOWARDS KENT STATE, 18-10.
FRISCO BOWL in Frisco, Tx: No. 24 UTSA (12-1) vs. San DIego State (11-2). 5:30 p.m. ESPN. TEXAS SAN ANTONIO HAVING BIG SEASON, 35-15.
WEDNESDAY, December 22nd
ARMED FORCES BOWL in Fort Worth, Tx: Missouri (6-6) vs. Army (8-4). 6 p.m. ESPN. IF ARMY RECOVERED FROM NAVY DEFEAT, IT SHOULD MARCH TO A 20-17 WIN.
THURSDAY, December 23rd
FRISCO FOOTBALL CLASSIC in Frisco, TX: Miami (Ohio) (7-5) vs. North Texas State (6-5). 5:30 p.m.ESPN. THE EDGE GOES TO NORTH TEXAS STATE, 19-13.
GASPARILLA BOWL in Tampa, Fla: UCF (8-4) vs. Florida (6-6).
5 p.m. ESPN. FLORIDA HAD SO-SO SEASON, BUT BRING ON THE GATORS OVER THEIR STATE RIVALS, 27-17.
HAWAII BOWL in Honolulu: Memphis (6-6) vs. Hawaii (6-7).
6 p.m. ESPN. IT’S IN HAWAII, HOME FIELD MATTERS HERE, SO IT SHOULD HAVE ITS WAY HERE AS USUAL, 18-12.
SATURDAY, December 25th
CAMELLIA BOWL in Montgomery, Ala: Ball State (6-6) vs. Georgia State (7-5). 12:30 p.m. ESPN. STICK WITH GEORGIA STATE, 24-14.
MONDAY, December 27th
QUICK LANE BOWL in Detroit: Nevada (8-4) vs. Western Michigan (7-5).9 a.m. ESPN. COULD BE A TIGHT ONE, NEVADA, 27-21.
MILITARY BOWL in Annapolis, Md: Boston College (6-6) vs. East Carolina (7-5). 12:30 p.m. ESPN. BC IS UNPREDICTABLE, STAY WITH EAST CAROLINA IN HOME OF MIDSHIPMEN, 23-20.
TUESDAY, December 28th
BIRMINGHAM BOWL in Birmingham, Ala: No. 21 Houston (11-2) vs.
Auburn (6-6). 10 a.m. ESPN. THIS IS SEC VS. THE BETTER RECORD, IF AUBURN IS ON, IT SHOULD DECIDE THINGS, 24-14.
SERVPRO FIRST RESPONDER BOWL in Dallas: Air Force (9-3) vs. Louisville (6-6). 1:15 p.m. ESPN. LET’S STICK WITH THE .500 CARDINAL TEAM, 27-17.
LIBERTY BOWL in Memphis, Ten: Mississippi State (7-5) vs. Texas Tech (6-6). 4:45 p.m. ESPN. LOOKS LIKE A CLOSE TUSSLE, BUT THE BULLDOGS GROWL, 30-20.
HOLIDAY BOWL in San DIego: UCLA (8-4) vs. North Carolina State (9-3) 6 p.m. FOX. NORTH CAROLINA STATE ON A LATE SURGE, 24-14.
GUARENTEED BOWL in Phoenix, Ariz: Minnesota (8-4) vs. West Virginia (6-6). 8:15 p.m. ESPN. NO ONE HAS THE EDGE IN PHOENIX, BUT MINNESOTA IS A BIG TEN TOUGHIE, 27-17.
FENWAY BOWL at Fenway Park in Boston: Virginia (6-6) vs. SMU (8-4). 9 a.m. ESPN. NO TEA PARTY HERE, SO SMU SOULD GET THE BIGGER GULP, 21-14.
PINSTRIPE BOWL at Yankee Stadium: Virginia Tech (6-6) vs. Maryland (6-6) 9 a.m. ESPN. ANOTHER 6-6 CLASH, THE TOSS-UP GOES TO MARYLAND, 19-13.
CHEEZE-IT BOWL in Orlando: No. 19 Clemson (9-3) vs. Iowa State (7-5). 1:45 p.m. ESPN. CLEMSON HAS BEEN SO-SO AND COULD BE SKY-HIGH, 20-16.
ALAMO BOWL in San Antonio: No. 14 Oklahoma (10-2) vs. No. 15 Oregon (10-3). 3:45 p.m. ESPN. BOB STOOPS IN CHARGE OF SOONERS FOR THIS ONE, SO TAKE O-K-LA-H-O-M-A, 30-20.
THURSDAY, December 30th
DUKE’S MAYO BOWL in Charlotte, N.C: South Carolina (6-6) vs. North Carolina (6-6). 7:15 p.m. ESPN. THIS GOES TO THE TAR HEELS IN THE BATTLE OF THE CAROLINAS, 28-18.
MUSIC CITY BOWL in Nashville, Ten: Purdue (8-4) vs. Tennessee (7-5). 1 p.m. ESPN. IT’S IN TENNESSEE, BUT PURDUE WANTS TO CLOSE ON ON THE WINNING TRACK, SO GO WITH THE BOILERMAKERS ON THE ROAD, 27-20.
PEACH BOWL in Atlanta, Ga: No. 11 Michigan State (10-2) vs. No. 13 Pittsburgh (11-2). 5 p.m. ESPN . TWO QUALITY TEAMS SO TOSS A COIN AND GO WITH THE SPARTANS, 33-23.
LAS VEGAS BOWL in Las Vegas: Wisconsin (8-4) vs. Arizona State (8-4). 8:30 p.m. ESPN. WISCONSIN HAS BEEN UP-AND-DOWN, BUT COULD BE FIRED-UP IN VEGAS, 20-17.
FRIDAY, December 31st
COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS SEMIFINALS at Orange Bowl in Miami: No. 2 Michigan (12-1) vs. No. 3 Georgia (12-1). 1:30 p.m. ESPN. HOW WILL THE BULLDOGS BOUNCE BACK FROM THE DISMAL LOSS TO ALABAMA AGAINST THE RED-HOT WOLVERINES IS DEFENSE VERSUS OFFENSE, BUT MICHIGAN, 28-21.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS SEMIFINALS at Cotton Bowl in Arlington, Tx: No. 1 Alabama (12-1) vs. No. 4 Cincinnati (13-0).
3:30 p.m. ESPN. AWE, WHAT THE HECK, LET’S KEEP UNDERDOG CINCINNATI WITH AN UNBLEMISHED RECORD, 30-28.
GATOR BOWL in Jacksonville, Fla: No. 20 Wake Forest (10-3) vs. No. 23 Texas A & M (8-4). 8:00 a.m. ESPN. SUPER SEASON FOR WAKE, SO WHY NOT A BIG FINISH, 30-27.
SUN BOWL in El Paso, Tx: Washington State (7-5) vs. Miami (Fla.) (7-5). 10 a.m. CBS. WASHINGTON STATE HAS BEEN MORE CONSISTENT, SO GIVE IT THE EDGE HERE, 24-17.
ARIZONA BOWL in Tucson: Central Michigan (8-4) vs. Boise State (7-5). 2:30 p.m. ESPN. SUB-PAR CAMPAIGN FOR THE BLUE FIELD GUYS, AND CENTRAL MICHIGAN IS PLAYING REAL WELL, ENOUGH FOR A 19-13 WIN.
SATURDAY, January 1st
OUTBACK BOWL in Tampa: No. 22 Arkansas (8-4) vs. Penn State (7-5). 10 a.m. ESPN. ALSO SUB-PAR SEASON FOR NITTANY LIONS, AND ARKANSAS IS PEAKING, 24-14.
CITRUS BOWL in Orlando: No. 17 Iowa (10-3) vs. No. 25 Kentucky (9-3). 11 a.m. ESPN. TWO IMPRESSIVE TEAMS, BUT IOWA HAS HAD BETTER DAYS IN TIGHT TILTS, BIG TEN OVER SEC, 32-23.
FIESTA BOWL in Glendale, Ariz: No. 5 Notre Dame (11-1) vs. No. 9 Oklahoma State (11-2). 2 p.m. ESPN. GOOD MATCH-UP WITH FIGHTING IRISH SAYING GOODBYE TO ITS HEAD COACH, BUT STAY WITH THE HIGHER-RANKED IRISH, 35-24.
ROSE BOWL in Passadena: No. 7 Ohio State (10-2) vs. No. 10 Utah (10-3). 5 p.m. ESPN. TOUGH TO CALL, BUT UTAH HAS BEEN ON A ROLL, SO GO WITH THE UTES AS THE BUCKEYES FADE, 27-17.
SUGAR BOWL in New Orleans: No. 6 Baylor (11-1) vs. No. 8 Mississippi (10-2). 7:30 p.m. ESPN. BIG 12 CHAMPION BEARS SOARING-HOT, BUT OLE MISS SHOULD COLD THEM OFF, 27-24.
TUESDAY, January 4th
TEXAS BOWL in Houston: LSU (6-6) vs. Kansas State (7-5).
9 a.m. ESPN. KANSAS STATE HAS HAD A ROLLER-COASTER RIDE, BUT SHOULD PREVAIL OVER THE BAYOU TIGERS, 23-13.
MONDAY, January 8th
COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF CHAMPIONSHIP SEMIFINAL WINNERS: in Indianapolis. 6 p.m.ESPN. WELL, WHO KNOWS WHO WILL ADVANCE HERE, SO LET’S LEAVE THIS ONE ALONE.
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TEAMS IN BOWL GAMES:
SEC — LSU, Tennessee, Kentucky, Mississippi State, MIssissippi, Alabama, Florida, Texas A & M, Arkansas, South Carolina, Auburn, Missouri. = 12
ACC — Wake Forest, Clemson, North Carolina, Miami, Boston College, PIttsburgh, Duke, Georgia, Virginia Tech, Louisville. = 10
BIG 12 — Baylor, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, West Virginia, Texas Tech, Iowa State, Texas. = 7
PAC-12 — Oregon, Utah, UCLA, Washington State. = 4
BIG TEN — Minnesota, Iowa, Purdue, Michigan, Michigan State, Penn State, Ohio State. = 7
ALSO — Brigham Young, Notre Dame, Cincinnati, Louisiana-Lafayette, Memphis, Old Dominion, Louisiana Tech, Middle Tennessee, Ball State, Tulsa, Wyoming, North Texas, Houston, USTA, UAB. = 15
