College Bowl Games Central...Talk,Match-Ups,Scores,Highlights,Etc.

New Mexico Bowl: New Mexico Lobos vs. Texas San Antonio Roadrunners.

Gildan New Mexico Bowl: New Mexico Lobos vs. Texas San Antonio Roadrunners

Date: Dec. 17, 2 p.m. ET on ESPN

Location: University Stadium | Albuquerque, New Mexico


New Mexico

Best moment: Wyoming had a chance to lock up the Mountain Division all to itself in the regular-season finale, but the Lobos delivered a resounding 56-35 knockout blow. Three players -- Teriyon Gipson (217 yards), Lamar Jordan (176) and Richard McQuarley (121) -- all ran for over 100 yards in the victory.

Lowest moment: It’s never good for New Mexico to lose to New Mexico State, and this year was especially bad considering how both teams played the rest of the year (NMSU won three games total). The Lobos also lost to Rutgers, which was 0-9 and outscored 360-86 the rest of the season.

Key player: Running back Tyrone Owens or Gipson, take your pick. Both running backs have rushed for more than 1,000 yards this year, both average over 8 yards per carry and both have scored on touchdown runs longer than 80 yards. They present the best 1-2 punch most of the country probably hasn’t heard about.

Motivation level: New Mexico has won exactly one bowl game since 1961, so, yes, this is a big deal for the Lobos. They’re also trying to reach the nine-win mark for just the fifth time in the program’s 85-year history, which would be another historic achievement.


UTSA

Best moment: Becoming bowl eligible for the first time in the history of the program by beating Charlotte, 33-14, to end the regular season. First-year head coach Frank Wilson has taken this team a long way in a short period of time and was carried off the field by his players after the victory. “Today,” he said, “all the hard work was vindicated.”

Lowest moment: UTSA’s toughest loss of 2016 might’ve been coming up just short in five overtimes against UTEP, a 52-49 loss in the longest game in Conference USA history. The Roadrunners missed a game-winning field goal attempt in the fourth overtime and another kick late in the fourth quarter that could’ve put it away against a UTEP team that went 4-8.

Key player: This bowl will be a proper send-off for senior Jarveon Williams, who’ll leave as the all-time leading rusher in school history. The running back duo of Williams and Jalen Rhodes has combined for 1,883 total yards and 18 touchdowns this season.

Motivation level: High. Winning the first bowl game in the history of UTSA football would be a big deal for Wilson, the former LSU assistant who took a big chance on this program after Larry Coker retired. Wilson and his players have a chance to take a big step forward with this bowl.

Las Vegas Bowl: Houston Cougars vs. San Diego State Aztecs.

Las Vegas Bowl Presented by Geico: Houston Cougars vs. San Diego State Aztecs

Date: Dec. 17, 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC

Location: Sam Boyd Stadium | Las Vegas


Houston Cougars

Best moment: It ultimately didn’t lead to a playoff bid, but what a scene on opening Saturday when the Cougars beat then-No. 3 Oklahoma in Houston. Holding a tenuous two-point lead after the break, the Cougars broke the game open with a 100-yard kick-six. The win over Louisville at home was another wild environment.

Lowest moment: The Cougars’ playoff hopes were washed away in a loss at Navy back in October, and it was the beginning of a three-game struggle. That six-point loss turned into a narrow win against Tulsa before a shocking 22-point loss to rival SMU, which finished the season 5-7.

Key player: Ed Oliver. It’s rare for a true freshman to start on the offensive or defensive line -- let alone be one of the most dominant linemen nationally -- but few are better than Oliver. In his first season at Houston, Oliver has 19 tackles for loss, and five of those tackles came against Oklahoma and Louisville.

Motivation level: Low. It will be tough for the remaining coaches to get the Cougars excited about a bowl game after Tom Herman bolted for nearby Texas. The team came out flat against Memphis as rumors swirled that Herman was leaving, and now he’s officially out the door. There isn’t a New Year’s Six bowl to spark motivation, either.


San Diego State

Best moment: Donnel Pumphrey announced his Heisman Trophy candidacy with a 281-yard rushing effort in a 45-40 win over California back in September. The senior running back averaged 9.7 yards per carry in the Aztecs’ win over a Pac-12 foe, setting the table for his team’s 9-3 regular season, which featured many blowout wins.

Lowest moment: The Aztecs were a total no-show in their regular-season finale against Colorado State, losing 63-31 on their home turf. This came a week after a gut-wrenching 34-33 loss at Wyoming. Those two defeats damaged Pumphrey’s push for a ticket to New York City, as he averaged only 69.5 rushing yards in those games.

Key player: Pumphrey is worth the price of admission here. Despite the slow finish to the regular season, the 5-foot-9 back will finish with a 2,000-yard season. He also may have the best chance of any player to challenge Stanford’s Christian McCaffrey for the all-purpose yardage crown -- but it’ll take a big bowl performance.

Motivation level: High. The Aztecs bounced back nicely with their conference title win over Wyoming, exacting revenge for the defeat that soured the end of their regular season. With a 10-win season already in tow, San Diego State should be feeling good about making a postseason statement and sending Pumphrey out on a good note.

WTF!! 40 Bowl games now?

How many will be played in an empty stadium?

Pathetic.

love it! wish there were money!! love the action!!!!

Camellia Bowl: Appalachian State Mountaineers vs. Toledo Rockets.

Raycom Media Camellia Bowl: Appalachian State Mountaineers vs. Toledo Rockets

Date: Dec. 17, 5:30 p.m. ET on ESPN

Location: Cramton Bowl | Montgomery, Alabama


Appalachian State

Best moment: The best moment was almost an upset of No. 9 Tennessee. Appalachian State was a field goal away. But it wasn’t meant to be. Instead, it was probably the Mountaineers’ 42-17 win over Louisiana-Monroe earlier this month because that was the game that Marcus Cox became the school’s all-time leader in rushing yards.

Lowest moment: This could also be the Tennessee game, but the loss to Troy cost Appalachian State an undefeated conference record and an outright Sun Belt title. The Mountaineers took the lead with 3:29 left, but Troy responded, going 85 yards and punching in the winning touchdown with a minute left in the game.

Key player: Cox might be the school’s rushing leader, but it’s fellow running back Jalin Moore who leads the team with 1,367 yards and 10 touchdowns on the season. When Moore went over 100 yards in a game, the Mountaineers were 8-0. When he failed to reach the century mark, they were just 1-3.

Motivation level: Considering it will be only the second bowl game in school history, there should be plenty of motivation. In last year’s Raycom Media Camellia Bowl, Appalachian State made a furious fourth-quarter comeback and kicked a field goal as time expired to knock off Ohio, 31-29. What will the Mountaineers do for an encore?


Toledo

Best moment: Toledo trailed Northern Illinois, 14-3, on the road at halftime but rallied for a 31-24 victory. Kareem Hunt scored the game-winning touchdown with 1 minute, 15 seconds left to keep the Rockets in contention in the MAC West Division. Before the comeback win, Toledo had lost six straight games to the Huskies.

Lowest moment: After a 6-1 start, the Rockets lost at home to Ohio, 31-26. It was the Bobcats’ first win in Toledo since 1967 and first win in the series since 1988. Ohio went on to win the MAC East, but it was still a surprising upset and one in which Toledo squandered multiple opportunities.

Key player: In his first season as a starter, quarterback Logan Woodside has thrown for 3,882 yards and 43 touchdowns with nine interceptions while completing 69.1 percent of his throws. He ranks No. 4 in the FBS in passing yards and No. 2 nationally in passer efficiency rating, behind only Oklahoma’s Baker Mayfield.

Motivation level: High. There was no shame in finishing second in the MAC West behind Western Michigan, which had a magical year. MAC teams are usually fired up to play before a national audience in the postseason, and the Rockets should be poised to put on a show with their exciting offense under first-year head coach Jason Candle.

Cure Bowl: UCF Knights vs. Arkansas State Red Wolves.

AutoNation Cure Bowl: UCF Knights vs. Arkansas State Red Wolves

Date: Dec. 17, 5:30 p.m. ET on CBS Sports Network

Location: Camping World Stadium | Orlando, Florida


UCF

Best moment: UCF beat UConn 24-16 for the first time since 2013, then left behind the Civil ConFLiCT trophy that Huskies coach Bob Diaco had made to go to the winner of the game. There really is no better way to throw shade at a program that tried to make up a rivalry where one didn’t exist. Without this win, UCF might not have a bowl opportunity.

Lowest moment: Losing to South Florida is never ideal for the Knights, but the way they lost to Houston might be slightly more painful. UCF had a 24-3 lead early in the second half on the road against the Cougars before letting it all slip away. The Knights had four turnovers in the second half and 29 total yards. Houston quarterback Greg Ward Jr. took advantage and rallied the Cougars to the 31-24 victory.

Key player: LB Shaquem Griffin. Griffin might be the most remarkable player in college football. Playing with one hand, the American Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year is tied for No. 10 in the nation in sacks (11) and tackles for loss (19), and he ranks second on the team with 85 total tackles. His twin brother, Shaquill, starts on defense, too. Shaquill leads the team with 12 pass breakups.

Motivation level: High. UCF went 0-12 last season, so getting to six wins and a bowl game under first-year coach Scott Frost is a huge accomplishment. Winning the bowl would be even bigger. It would be the Knights’ first bowl win since Blake Bortles led them to the Fiesta Bowl title over Baylor to end the 2013 season.


Arkansas State

Best moment: The Red Wolves went on the road and whipped an AP-ranked Troy team 35-3. The Trojans came into the game with the Sun Belt’s top scoring offense but committed five turnovers and didn’t reach the end zone once. “They felt like they had already won the Sun Belt title,” Arkansas State defensive end Chris Odom said. “Well, they had to go through us … and we showed them how we play.”

Lowest moment: A 28-23 loss to FCS foe Central Arkansas on Sept. 24 gave the Red Wolves their first 0-4 start in 15 years. The team committed four turnovers, three of which turned into Central Arkansas points. It was Central Arkansas’ first win over an FBS opponent in seven years.

Key player: Ja’Von Rolland-Jones is one sack away from breaking Arkansas State’s school record for career sacks (28). The junior defensive end has 11 of those sacks this season and 16 tackles for loss, leading the Sun Belt in both categories.

Motivation level: Bowl games are always good showcases for schools that don’t get the kind of attention that Power 5 programs get, so you can be assured the Red Wolves will be plenty motivated. This is the sixth consecutive season Arkansas State is bowl eligible and the ninth time in the past 12 years.

New Orleans Bowl: Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles vs. Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns.

R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl: Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles vs. Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns

Date: Dec. 17, 9 p.m. ET on ESPN

Location: Mercedes-Benz Superdome | New Orleans


Southern Mississippi

Best moment: Even after a nine-win season a year ago, it was a big deal to get bowl eligible in the first year under Jay Hopson, the Golden Eagles’ fifth coach in nine years. Southern Miss did it in the regular-season finale against Conference USA West Division champ Louisiana Tech, getting 342 yards through the air from Nick Mullens and 12 receptions from D.J. Thompson.

Lowest moment: Charlotte rolled off 31 straight points and knocked out Mullens with a head injury in a 38-27 win at Southern Miss. The 49ers, a fourth-year program in only their second season at the FBS level, earned perhaps their biggest win ever in the Week 10 debacle for the Golden Eagles, who nearly went off the rails after this defeat.

Key player: Go with Mullens, the veteran QB who threw for 2,926 yards and 22 touchdowns in 10 games. When he went down against Charlotte, so did the hopes of Southern Miss. It lost to Old Dominion and North Texas without him before Mullens returned for senior day. His 86 career TD passes are a school record.

Motivation level: The Golden Eagles were highly motivated to win their finale and get back to the postseason. Expect a similar mindset in the bowl game. While never a given for a 6-6 team, Southern Miss wanted to extend its season. One more game serves as a reward for their resiliency.


Louisiana-Lafayette

Best moment: The Ragin’ Cajuns barely kept their bowl hopes alive on Nov. 26 when they held on for a 24-19 win over Arkansas State. Arkansas State appeared to score the winning touchdown when Joseph Bacchus scooped up quarterback Justice Hansen's last-gasp pitch and ran it in for a touchdown. However, replay officials ruled that Hansen’s knee was down before the pitch, sealing the Cajuns’ wild win.

Lowest moment: The midseason skid where the Cajuns lost four of five games, culminating with a homecoming defeat against Idaho, was the low period of the season. Included in that stretch were a quadruple-overtime loss at Tulane and a double-overtime loss at New Mexico State before getting shut out at home by Appalachian State. At that point, the Cajuns were 3-5 and had little hope of reaching bowl eligibility.

Key player: Running back Elijah McGuire still gets the nod here. He leads the team with 918 rushing yards and also has 231 receiving yards and a total of eight touchdowns. The senior has not matched his impressive production from the previous two seasons, but he’s still a dangerous runner and the Cajuns’ top offensive threat.

Motivation level: Moderate. There were all kinds of reasons to doubt whether the Cajuns would even make it to a bowl game, so getting to this point is quite an achievement. But this has not been the most memorable year for the ULL football program and this season’s ups and downs mirrored that disappointment.

I got my tix for the Rose Bowl. Thanks to my daughter who is a Penn State ALUMNI

Miami Beach Bowl: Central Michigan Chippewas vs. Tulsa Golden Hurricanes.

Miami Beach Bowl: Central Michigan Chippewas vs. Tulsa Golden Hurricane

Date: Dec. 19, 2:30 p.m. ET on ESPN

Location: Marlins Park | Miami


Central Michigan

Best moment: Maybe it never should have happened, but it did happen. And good luck convincing anyone in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan, it shouldn’t have counted. A miracle Hail Mary lateral with no time remaining gave the Chippewas a major upset over Oklahoma State in September. Despite the controversial call on the previous play, the win ended up being the difference between Central Michigan’s trip to a bowl this year and a 5-7 record.

Lowest moment: Losing to in-state rival Eastern Michigan is a tough enough pill to swallow. Losing by way of a last-minute touchdown heave despite good coverage makes it all the more unpleasant. John Bonamego’s teams have been on the happy side of dramatic finishes a couple times in his two years coaching his alma mater; they got a bitter taste of their own medicine in the season finale this year.

Key player: Quarterback Cooper Rush is one of a handful of bona fide NFL talents flying below the radar in the MAC this season. The 6-foot-3 actuarial sciences major has thrown for 3,299 yards and 23 touchdowns in his final season with the Chippewas. He has a big-time arm that has tested every secondary he has faced. Bowl season should be no different.

Motivation level: High. The tough loss to Eastern Michigan should leave the Chippewas eager to end the year on a high note. They don’t have the sexiest stage in bowl season to perform on, but Rush and the rest of an impactful senior class have a chance to finish their careers without ever posting a losing record.


Tulsa

Best moment: Tulsa’s most impressive performance of the season likely came Oct. 29 at Memphis, when the Golden Hurricane upset the eventual 8-4 Tigers in impressive fashion, 59-30. James Flanders' 249 rushing yards and five touchdowns led the way.

Lowest moment: There’s no shame in losing to Houston, especially when the Cougars were ranked No. 13, but the way it happened had to sting a little. After mounting a 14-point fourth-quarter comeback, Tulsa fumbled the ball with 1:21 remaining, and the Cougars returned it 24 yards for the decisive score in a 38-31 final.

Key player: Flanders led the league in rushing (1,529 yards) by a wide margin. He was also second in rushing touchdowns (17) and all-purpose yards (1,546). It has been a remarkable finish for the redshirt senior.

Motivation level: High. Tulsa will be playing for a 10-win season, which would be the program’s second time reaching double-digit wins since 2012. This is no small sign of progress for a program that is in its second year under Philip Montgomery.

Boca Raton Bowl: Memphis Tigers vs. Western Kentucky Hilltoppers.

Boca Raton Bowl: Memphis Tigers vs. Western Kentucky Hilltoppers

Date: Dec. 20, 7 p.m. ET on ESPN

Location: FAU Stadium | Boca Raton, Florida


Memphis Tigers

Best moment: Houston had just been reinserted into the selection committee’s rankings after an upset of Louisville when Memphis knocked the Cougars off the following Saturday. The Tigers lost a 17-point halftime lead and allowed the go-ahead touchdown with 1:29 left, but they drove 72 yards in five plays for the game-winning score. A field goal would have tied it, but the Tigers went for the win.

Lowest moment: In a critical American West game, the Tigers drew to within a touchdown of Navy in the fourth quarter. They were moving the ball on a potential game-tying drive when a receiver fumbled on a first-down catch. Navy recovered, scored a touchdown and ended Memphis’ division title hopes.

Key player: Few receivers had a better second half of the season than Anthony Miller. He had at least one touchdown in each of his final six games, and in only one of those games did he fail to pair it with 100 yards. Over the last six games, he has accounted for 845 of his 1,283 total yards and nine of his 11 touchdowns.

Motivation level: High. Former coach Justin Fuente turned the Tigers around, and his replacement, Mike Norvell, has kept up the program’s winning ways. Motivation shouldn’t be a question.


Western Kentucky Hilltoppers

Best moment: Winning the Conference USA championship game and their seventh game in a row by getting some nice revenge against Louisiana Tech. The Hilltoppers came up just short in a 55-52 loss to Tech in October despite a 21-point rally in the fourth quarter. This time, they took care of business in a 58-44 shootout for back-to-back league titles.

Lowest moment: Nothing to be ashamed of, but Western Kentucky came oh-so-close to knocking off Vanderbilt. They went to overtime after giving up the tying TD on the last play of regulation, and coach Jeff Brohm’s gutsy call to go for two in the first overtime didn’t pay off.

Key player: WR Taywan Taylor. Nick Saban called him as good as any receiver Alabama faced this season, and the numbers don’t lie. Taylor ranks No. 2 nationally in receiving yards (1,586) and has 16 TDs as quarterback Mike White’s go-to guy.

Motivation level: Fairly high. The Hilltoppers are 22-5 over their last two seasons and will win over more admirers during this bowl season with their prolific offense starring White, Taylor, WR Nicholas Norris and RB Anthony Wales. Good luck stopping these guys.

Poinsettia Bowl: BYU Cougars vs. Wyoming Cowboys.

San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl: BYU Cougars vs. Wyoming Cowboys

Date: Dec. 21, 9 p.m. ET on ESPN

Location: Qualcomm Stadium | San Diego


BYU

Best moment: Let’s go way back to Week 1 in Glendale, Arizona, for Kalani Sitake’s head coaching debut. BYU trailed Arizona by one point in the final seconds before freshman Jake Oldroyd hit a 33-yard field goal. The season-opening, 18-16 win also marked the return of senior QB Taysom Hill, who missed all but the opener last year because of a foot injury.

Lowest moment: The Cougars lost four games by a total of eight points, so there’s a collection of low moments from which to choose. We’re going with the first defeat, 20-19 in Week 2 to rival Utah. Down six, the Cougars scored with 18 seconds to play. Overtime? Nope. Sitake went for the win, and Hill was stopped on the two-point conversion run.

Key player: The Hill era is over. He won’t play in San Diego because of an elbow injury suffered in the regular-season finale against Utah State. Replacement Tanner Mangum gained experience a year ago, but the offensive load might fall on running back Jamaal Williams, who gained 1,165 yards in nine games -- including a BYU-record 286 against Toledo.

Motivation level: Nine wins would be nice, but BYU could easily be in position for 11 after losing four of five games decided by three points or fewer. The Cougars might choose to use their close losses as a motivating factor to make a statement about the real strength of this team. Or it could go the other way.


Wyoming

Best moment: The Cowboys’ 30-28 win over No. 13 Boise State over Halloween weekend. Wyoming might’ve won on a safety, but the Cowboys’ play was a big statement and solidified their strong play at home all season. Wyoming held Boise State to just 2-of-8 on third-down conversions and forced two turnovers, earning its first win over a top-25 opponent since 2002.

Lowest moment: UNLV kicker Nicolai Bornand’s game-winning 40-yard field goal in the third overtime gave Wyoming its second loss of the season. The Cowboys gave up 653 yards of offense and turned the ball over four times in a crucial conference loss.

Key player: Running back Brian Hill didn’t take home Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year honors, but he’s been pivotal to Wyoming’s success. He ranks among the top 10 in FBS in rushing yards per game (139.5), rushing touchdowns (21), rushes for 10 or more yards (40) and 100-yard games (nine).

Motivation level: High. Comeback kids. A season after losing 10 of 12 games, the Cowboys came roaring back for not only an appearance in the Mountain West title game but also a postseason appearance. Not too shabby, Wyoming. The Cowboys will be hungry for a good showing in their first bowl game since the 2011 season, when they lost to Temple in the Gildan New Mexico bowl.

Great Thread GB

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Famous Idaho Potato Bowl: Idaho Vandals vs. Colorado State Rams.

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl: Idaho Vandals vs. Colorado State Rams

Date: Dec. 22, 7 p.m. ET on ESPN

Location: Albertsons Stadium | Boise, Idaho


Idaho Vandals

Best moment: The Vandals were 15-point underdogs to UNLV but instead went into Las Vegas and came away with a 33-30 overtime win. ESPN’s Football Power Index gave the Vandals only a 13.4 percent chance to win at kickoff, but they jumped out to a 10-0 lead and trailed only once (in overtime) before an 11-yard touchdown pass from Matt Linehan to Callen Hightower gave them the win.

Lowest moment: The Vandals weren’t expected to win by any stretch (and were massive underdogs) but took beatings from Washington and Washington State in consecutive weeks, losing to the Pac-12 pair by a combined score of 115-20.

Key player: Defensive end Aikeem Coleman is fourth in the Sun Belt in sacks (eight) and has 11 tackles for loss (both statistics lead the team). He also has 40 tackles, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and two pass breakups this season.

Motivation level: The Vandals don’t have much time left in the FBS (it was announced this spring that they’ll be moving to the Big Sky Conference in the FCS in 2018), so every bowl opportunity is a big one. This will be only the third bowl appearance in program history, so they’ll be plenty motivated.


Colorado State Rams

Best moment: The Rams are peaking at the right time. They shellacked Mountain West leader San Diego State 63-31 on the road to close the regular season on a high note, crossing that 60-point plateau just after the third quarter ended. This was a true muscle-flexing, one in which the Rams made a statement in all phases of the game.

Lowest moment: The Rams led 14-3 against Wyoming back in Week 5, but then slipped to allow a 35-3 Cowboys run to end the game. Wyoming beat Colorado State 38-17, dropping the Rams to 2-3 on the young season. That was the nadir: The Rams have won five games and suffered only two close losses since.

Key player: Colorado State is remarkably balanced offensively, so their key talent comes on the other side of the ball, where linebacker Kevin Davis has been a statistical machine. He leads the team with 101 stops, 9.5 tackles for loss and three sacks. Davis also has defended three passes, intercepted one and forced four fumbles.

Motivation level: High. The Rams’ blowout over San Diego State has them thinking they’re the best team in the Mountain West right now, and they’d like to prove that in the bowl season since they didn’t have a chance to play in the conference title game. Fifteen starters return in 2017, so this is a chance to build for next season.

Bahamas Bowl: Eastern Michigan Eagles vs. Old Dominion Monarchs.

Popeyes Bahamas Bowl: Eastern Michigan Eagles vs. Old Dominion Monarchs

Date: Dec. 23, 1 p.m. ET on ESPN

Location: Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium | Nassau, Bahamas


Eastern Michigan

Best moment: Nothing has come easily for Eastern Michigan in a long, grueling rebuild, so it was fitting that the degree of difficulty in the bowl-clinching victory over Ball State was cranked up high. The Eagles rallied from 21 points down to win a 48-41 shootout on the road, with Brogan Roback throwing for 468 yards and three scores to punch a postseason ticket.

Lowest moment: There’s no shame in coming up short against a team that stormed through the regular season without a loss. But the Eagles might look back and wonder what could have been after standing toe to toe with Western Michigan and even taking a lead in the second quarter that opened up the possibility of a huge upset. The Broncos eventually pulled away to win comfortably, but that memory will surely stick with Eastern Michigan.

Key player: Everything flows through Roback for the Eagles, and the junior quarterback has done a steady job helping lead the program during the remarkable turnaround season. Roback has thrown for 2,394 yards while completing 59.2 percent of his attempts, spreading the ball around to a deep arsenal of targets that included 10 players with double-digit reception totals.

Motivation level: High. The Eagles haven’t been to a bowl game since 1987, so they will no doubt be looking to make a splash in their postseason return. A victory would also be the eighth of the year for Chris Creighton’s program -- a year after finishing with just one.


Old Dominion

Best moment: On Nov. 28, when the Monarchs accepted a bid to play in the Popeye’s Bahamas Bowl against Eastern Michigan, the first bowl in the history of the program. From 2009-10, ODU was not eligible for the FCS playoffs, and from 2013-14, the Monarchs were not eligible for a bowl because of NCAA transitioning rules.

Lowest moment: In a showdown with major Conference USA East Division implications, the Monarchs were blown out at Western Kentucky 59-24. ODU trailed 52-14 at halftime in a game that proved to be the difference in which side would play for the Conference USA championship.

Key player: Quarterback David Washington leads a powerful Old Dominion offense and is one of four FBS quarterbacks to have thrown for 25 touchdown passes and four or fewer interceptions. He also threw for 2,648 yards while completing 60 percent of his passes.

Motivation level: The motivation should be tremendous for a program that has never been to a bowl. It will be paramount, however, for the Monarchs to manage their emotions in an exciting setting.

Armed Forces Bowl: Louisiana Tech Bulldogs vs. Navy Midshipmen.

Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl: Louisiana Tech Bulldogs vs. Navy Midshipmen

Date: Dec. 23, 4:30 p.m. ET on ESPN

Location: Amon G. Carter Stadium | Fort Worth, Texas


Louisiana Tech

Best moment: The Bulldogs lost to Western Kentucky in the Conference USA title game Saturday, but how about that first meeting with the Hilltoppers? Tech withstood a charge by WKU to win 55-52 after leading by 25 points midway through the third quarter. Quarterback Ryan Higgins threw for 454 yards in the Week 6 home victory.

Lowest moment: Tech blew a 20-point second-half lead in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, in Week 4, falling to 1-3 after a 38-34 loss to Middle Tennessee. The silver lining? The Bulldogs then won seven straight games, but on the last Saturday of September, things looked bleak when Louisiana Tech couldn’t win while posting 622 yards of offense.

Key player: Undersized receiver Trent Taylor ranks among the national leaders in catches and yards. At 5-foot-8 and 178 pounds, Taylor weaves through defenses as the primary option for Higgins, who also connects regularly with prolific wideout Carlos Henderson. Taylor caught 17 balls for 210 yards in the aforementioned loss to Middle Tennessee.

Motivation level: Incentive to win is always high for the Bulldogs in the postseason. Louisiana Tech beat Illinois two years ago under coach Skip Holtz and closed the season with a victory over Arkansas State last season, playing well in both bowl games. The opportunity to win nine games for the fourth time in five years adds to Tech’s motivation in the Armed Forces Bowl.


Navy

Best moment: You can go with the Oct. 8 upset of then-No. 6 Houston, since that was the official announcement to the rest of the nation that Navy’s 2015 season wasn’t some kind of one-year wonder. Or you could go with the Nov. 5 win over rival Notre Dame, given how methodical the Midshipmen were in that 28-27 victory.

Lowest moment: A 28-14 loss at Air Force on Oct. 1 meant Navy did not control its destiny as it related to the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy. Sure enough, the Falcons later went on to beat Army and claim it for themselves.

Key player: Will Worth had a pleasantly surprising season after an early injury to expected starting quarterback Tago Smith. Worth hit the 1,000-yard mark as both a rusher and as a passer, orchestrating a Navy offense that posted 66 and 75 points, respectively, in its final two regular-season games.

Motivation level: High. Navy will be looking to win its fourth straight bowl game, something it has never done before. First things first, though: the annual season-ending tilt with Army on Dec. 10.

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Dollar General Bowl: Ohio Bobcats vs. Troy Trojans.

Dollar General Bowl: Ohio Bobcats vs. Troy Trojans

Date: Dec. 23, 8 p.m. ET on ESPN

Location: Ladd-Peebles Stadium | Mobile, Alabama


Ohio

Best moment: There was nothing flashy about it. In fact, there wasn’t even a touchdown scored. But the division-clinching victory that capped the regular season was fitting for a team that leads with its stingy defense, and the 9-3 win over Akron provided a nice reminder of just how difficult it can be to score on the Bobcats.

Lowest moment: The loss might not look quite as bad in hindsight given Eastern Michigan’s massive improvement this season. But given the historic struggles of that program and the fact the game was at home, Ohio dropping a 27-20 decision to the Eagles still probably qualifies as the one outcome the Bobcats would like to erase from memory.

Key player: There is no shortage of defensive talent to choose from, but Tarell Basham is where everything starts for the Bobcats. The senior lineman was the MAC defensive player of the year after racking up 10 sacks and 14.5 tackles for loss, and he’ll no doubt be looking to add to those totals in the last game of his career.

Motivation level: Average. The Bobcats have been no stranger to the postseason under Frank Solich, who has built the program into an annual contender in the MAC and a regular in the bowl lineup. But that also means there’s probably nothing truly special or unique about this particular trip, which can make it hard to predict what kind of performance the Bobcats will deliver.


Troy

Best moment: This was big. This was history. After beating Appalachian State late in the season, Troy broke into the Associated Press Top 25 for the first time in school history. In fact, it became the first Sun Belt team to be ranked. And why not? At the time, Troy was 8-1 with its only loss a 30-24 defeat on the road at then-No. 2 Clemson.

Lowest moment: History is a heavy thing. Sometimes it weighs you down. Such was the case the very week Troy became ranked for the first time. At home, against a 6-5 Arkansas State team, the Trojans got absolutely destroyed. Thanks to five turnovers, they lost 35-3 and failed to score a point in the second half. “They came in as champions and they’re leaving as champions,” Troy coach Neal Brown said after the game. “We haven’t earned that yet.” It was the right word to use at the time -- “earned” -- because while Troy had come so far, losing in such deflating fashion showed just how far there was left to go.

Key player: Brandon Silvers picked up right where he left off as a sophomore last season. The 6-foot-2 righty from Orange Beach, Alabama, completed 64.2 percent of his passes for 2,945 yards, 22 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. What’s more, he ran for 150 yards and four scores. All told, he’s up to 7,276 total yards and 63 total touchdowns in his career -- and he has one more year of eligibility after this season.

Motivation level: It took only a few days to fall out of the rankings, but maybe a win at the end of the season might be enough to creep back in. After all, with a 9-2 regular season and a six-point loss to a great team in Clemson, the resume is there. Winning big in a bowl game might be enough to justify a ranking in the low 20s, and that would be huge for a program looking to break through under Brown.

Hawaii Bowl: Hawaii Rainbow Warriors vs. Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders.

Hawai'i Bowl: Hawaii Rainbow Warriors vs. Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders

Date: Dec. 24, 8 p.m. ET on ESPN

Location: Aloha Stadium | Honolulu, Hawaii


Hawaii

Best moment: Quarterback Marcus Kemp threw a pair of touchdown passes to Dru Brown in consecutive overtime periods to lead the Rainbow Warriors past Air Force in Colorado Springs. The victory ended Air Force’s 15-game home winning streak and ended up being necessary for the Rainbow Warriors to secure bowl eligibility.

Lowest moment: For the most part, the Rainbow Warriors beat who they should have beaten and vice versa, but they would surely want another crack at UNLV. The Rebels went to Honolulu and beat Hawai'i on homecoming 41-38, which was far worse than the 63-3 thumping it received from Michigan.

Key player: Sophomore linebacker Jahlani Tavai led the team with 118 tackles, including seven sacks and 17.5 tackles for loss. He was the team’s lone recipient of first-team All-Mountain West honors.

Motivation level: The Rainbow Warriors didn’t play well for most of the second half of the season and now they’re in a bowl game with a losing record. It’s understandable if they lack motivation after a long season in which they traveled approximately 47,000 miles -- roughly the same distance as two trips around the Earth.


Middle Tennessee

Best moment: How about a road win over an SEC team? Middle Tennessee knocked off Missouri 51-45 in October thanks to a big day from its prolific triplets: QB Brent Stockstill put up 361 total yards and four TDs, RB I'Tavius Mathers rushed for 215 yards and WR Richie James contributed 129 receiving yards. “A phenomenal win for us,” coach Rick Stockstill said.

Lowest moment: After losing Brent Stockstill to a broken collarbone a week earlier, Middle Tennessee took a 42-17 loss on the road against a Marshall team that went 3-9. The Herd grabbed four takeaways and pitched a 28-0 second-half shutout after trailing at halftime in Middle Tennessee backup QB John Urzua’s first career start.

Key player: Mathers. The former Ole Miss transfer became only the seventh player in FBS history to produce 1,500 rushing yards and 500 receiving yards in one season. Whether or not the Blue Raiders get Stockstill back for the bowl, we’ll see plenty of Mathers in the senior’s final game.

Motivation level: Solid. With a powerful offense that averaged 40 points per game and broke all sorts of school records in offensive coordinator Tony Franklin’s first season, Middle Tennessee promises to be a tough out and an even tougher one if Brent Stockstill gets healthy.