The Ultimate Guide to the 2023-2024 College Football Bowl Games Part 1
The Ultimate Guide to the 2023-2024 College Football Bowl Games Part 1
The upcoming weekend marks the start of the Bowl season, offering an extensive lineup of games. Get ready, as we delve into the first part of the Complete Guide to all the Bowl Games.
The season for college football bowl games has arrived. The next three weeks will be packed with excitement as the 2023 college football season reaches its grand finale, featuring intense showdowns between powerhouse teams, all leading up to the highly anticipated final four-team College Football Playoff. This year, there are a total of 41 bowls at the FBS level, along with the highly anticipated national championship and the annual FCS-level Celebration Bowl. Saturday's schedule is packed with seven of those games.
The regular season has officially concluded, followed by a highly controversial Selection Sunday that has already passed, and they have awarded the prestigious Heisman Trophy. Now, the transfer portal is open and the coaching carousel is once again in full swing, spinning wildly off its axis. As we move forward into the next phase of the 2023 calendar, we can anticipate the exciting kickoff of the College Football Bowl Season across the nation, culminating in the highly expected national championship. Given the number of opt-outs, transfers, and coaching changes, making predictions for bowl games is notoriously challenging. Nevertheless, we persevere, forging ahead with unwavering determination as we make our choices for each game and compile them into a comprehensive analysis form.
Can you handle and are you looking forward to three uninterrupted weeks of football?
Saturday morning marks the beginning of the Myrtle Beach Bowl, and the day is filled with non-stop action that extends into the late hours with the Independence Bowl. Get ready for a jam-packed day of postseason football, featuring thrilling matchups between schools that rarely face off against one another.
The first wave of bowl games features UCLA as the highest-profile Power Five program, leading the pack of participants. However, there are many other schools that enter the weekend with highly successful regular seasons. Jacksonville State, a team making its FBS postseason debut, will be facing off against New Mexico State, a team looking to increase its historic win total. Additionally, there will be an exciting matchup between California and Texas Tech, two Power Five schools fighting for a winning record.
The picks are based on the best information available, as of publish. It’s possible, even if unlikely, that opt-out decisions, injuries or transfers will be reported in the days following the release of these predictions.
December 16 Bowl Games
Myrtle Beach Bowl: Georgia Southern (6-6) vs. Ohio (9-3)
Location: Brooks Stadium (Conway, S.C.)
How to Watch: 11 a.m. ET, ESPN
Line: Georgia Southern -2.5
The bowl season starts in Myrtle Beach with two Group of Five teams. Ohio initially had a three-point advantage, but when Kurtis Rourke, their highly productive starting quarterback, entered the transfer portal, the odds swiftly swung in favor of Georgia Southern. Despite finishing the regular season with three fewer wins than their bowl opponent, the Eagles' campaign ended on a negative note as Clay Helton's team suffered four consecutive losses, including two lopsided defeats.
Prediction: Georgia Southern 20, Ohio 17
Cricket Celebration Bowl: Howard (6-5) vs. Florida A&M (11-1)
Location: Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta, Ga.)
How to Watch: Noon ET, ABC
Line: Florida A&M -7
At the FCS level, the Celebration Bowl stands alone as the exclusive bowl game, hosting the MEAC and SWAC champions to determine the de facto HBCU national champion. In what promises to be a defensive battle, both Howard and Florida A&M will make their debut appearances this season. The Bison's pass defense is unrivaled in the FCS, while the Rattlers rank second in total defense in the country. The bowl game in 2016 ended with a score of 10-9, and it is expected that this year's game will also have a low-scoring outcome.
Prediction: Howard 14, Florida A&M 17
R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl: Jacksonville State (8-4) vs. Louisiana (6-6)
Location: Caesars Superdome (New Orleans, La.)
How to Watch: 2:15 p.m. ET, ESPN
Line: Jacksonville State -2.5
Although NCAA regulations prohibit schools moving from the FCS to FBS from competing in postseason matches for a period of two years, Jacksonville State (along with James Madison) managed to reach a bowl game in their inaugural year at the highest level of college football, finishing with an 8-4 record. Due to a lack of enough bowl-eligible teams, the Gamecocks had the chance to participate in a bowl game for the first time. The team led by Rich Rodriguez has a slight advantage over the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns.
Prediction: Jacksonville State 34, Louisiana 27
Avocados From Mexico Cure Bowl: Miami (Ohio) (11-2) vs. Appalachian State (8-5)
Location: FBC Mortgage Stadium (Orlando, Fla.)
How to Watch: 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC
Line: Appalachian State -6.5
Miami regained its status as a top team in the MAC this year, securing the conference championship and completing their first 11-win season in two decades. Despite their impressive accomplishments, the RedHawks are seen as underdogs by nearly a touchdown entering the Cure Bowl. Because of Brett Gabbert's injury and Aveon Smith's transfer, head coach Chuck Martin is forced to choose a third- or fourth-string quarterback, resulting in uncertainty at the position. App State has generated a substantial amount of momentum by winning five straight games, propelling them to the Sun Belt championship.
Prediction: Appalachian State 20, Miami 16
Isleta New Mexico Bowl: New Mexico State (10-4) vs. Fresno State (8-4)
Location: University Stadium (Albuquerque, N.M.)
How to Watch: 5:45 p.m. ET, ESPN
Line: New Mexico State -4
During his initial two years at New Mexico State, head coach Jerry Kill showcased his exceptional skills, leading the Aggies to their fifth-ever bowl game appearance last season and achieving unprecedented success in 2023 with their first 10-win season in 63 years. Kill's efforts in elevating New Mexico State from obscurity to the Conference USA Championship Game in just two seasons is evident in their status as a favored team in a bowl game against a powerful Group of Five opponent, Fresno State.
Prediction: NMSU 31, Fresno State 23
Starco Brands LA Bowl: UCLA (7-5) vs. Boise State (8-5)
Location: SoFi Stadium (Inglewood, Calif.)
How to Watch: 7:30 p.m. ET, ABC
Line: UCLA -4.5
Something has to give in an epic battle at the point of attack. Ashton Jeanty, the running back for Boise State, is one of the top rushers in the country, with an average of 114.7 yards per game, placing him sixth in the FBS. Meanwhile, UCLA has the best-rushing defense in the nation, allowing a mere 69.6 yards per game. The Broncos' confidence in this game increased when Jeanty confirmed his return for the 2024 season, but UCLA's defensive coordinator, D'Anton Lynn, left to join USC, their crosstown rival.
Prediction: UCLA 27, Boise State 21
Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl: California (6-6) vs. Texas Tech (6-6)
Location: Independence Stadium (Shreveport, La.)
How to Watch: 9:15 p.m. ET, ESPN
Line: Texas Tech -3
The only game between Power Five teams on Saturday is not a highly anticipated one, but it is expected to be a closely contested game with the potential for an exciting late-night ending. Both of these teams barely made it into the playoffs by securing their sixth victory towards the end of the season. Texas Tech secured a spot in a bowl game after narrowly defeating UCF by a single point in Week 12, while California finished the regular season with an unexpected three-game winning streak, including victories against Washington State and their rivals Stanford and UCLA. The Golden Bears are heading in the right direction after an otherwise underwhelming year, thanks to a strong finish to the season, including a dominant 33-7 victory over UCLA in the last game. Under Jake Spavital's guidance as offensive coordinator, the team's offense made impressive advancements in just one year. However, with Spavital departing to join Baylor, it's unclear if California can sustain their momentum on offense.
Prediction: Texas Tech 30, Cal 24
Dec. 18-22 Bowls
Famous Toastery Bowl: Western Kentucky (7-5) vs. Old Dominion (6-6)
Location: Jerry Richardson Stadium (Charlotte, NC)
How to Watch: Dec. 18, 2:30 p.m. ET, ESPN
Line: ODU -3.0
The fact that Old Dominion surrendered the most sacks makes it even more impressive that the Monarchs were able to qualify for a bowl game. It's true that Western Kentucky's defense is not disruptive, but ODU's scoring limitations are a significant problem. Despite underperforming, WKU's offense managed to maintain an average of 29.8 points in 2023.
Prediction: Western Kentucky 33, Old Dominion 20
Frisco Bowl: UTSA (8-4) vs. Marshall (6-6)
Location: Toyota Stadium (Frisco, TX)
How to Watch: Dec. 19, 9 p.m. ET, ESPN
Line: UTSA -12.0
This prediction should be straightforward. Marshall achieved six wins thanks to two outstanding performances where they scored over 30 points, but their performance declined in the latter part of the season with four losses, none of which saw them score more than nine points. However, UTSA's scoring improved to an average of 37.9 points following quarterback Frank Harris' recovery from an early injury.
Prediction: UTSA 36, Marshall 21
Boca Raton Bowl: South Florida (6-6) vs. Syracuse (6-6)
Location: FAU Stadium (Boca Raton, FL)
How to Watch: Dec. 21, 8 p.m ET, ESPN
Line: Syracuse -3.0
Syracuse is set to take on a familiar opponent from the Big East era - a quarterback known for his mobility, which has been a challenge for Syracuse's defense. With their impressive mobility, players such as Kyron Drones from Virginia Tech, Thomas Castellanos from Boston College, and Haynes King from Georgia Tech have made significant contributions to the Orange. Byrum Brown from USF, known for his decent passing skills with an average of 7.7 yards per attempt, has also showcased his ability to rush for over 40 yards in nine games. The Bulls are my pick.
Prediction: USF 29, Syracuse 24
Gasparilla Bowl: Georgia Tech (6-6) vs. UCF (6-6)
Location: Raymond James Stadium (Tampa, FL)
How to Watch: Dec. 22, 6:30 p.m. ET, ESPN
Line: UCF -4.5
In theory, this bowl should have a high score. The offenses of each team have been scoring an average of 31 or more points, while the defenses have been giving up at least 25 points per game. However, since both teams prefer to run the ball, the clock might not stop frequently. UCF has a slight advantage over Georgia Tech because of its strong red-zone defense. Georgia Tech's defense ranks 115th nationally in opponent touchdown rate, while UCF ranks 39th.
Prediction: UCF 31, Georgia Tech 23
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