The last four games of what has been a stellar bowl season. The SEC has two teams in action today with the Georgia Bulldogs, who are waiting for the arrival of Kirby Smart after the Crimson Tide plays Clemson in the national championship, squaring off with the Nittany Lions of Penn State. The Dawgs will try to ring in 2016 with a Taxslayer Bowl victory. The Arkansas Razorbacks aim to keep emerging under Bret Bielema as they play in the Liberty Bowl and get a head start on the 2016 season. What could have been an epic clash between Oregon and TCU has been diminished somewhat due to the arrest and suspension of TCU starting quarterback Trevone Boykin. Boykin got in an altercation at a bar on Wednesday night and hit a police officer, so he's off the team. But it should be an interesting contest with the high flying Ducks of Oregon facing a pretty good Big 12 defense in TCU, while on the other side of the ball, the Horned Frogs try to figure out a way to generate some points without their starting quarterback, but against a defense that has been gashed some this season.
The nightcap features West Virginia vs. Arizona State in the Motel 6 Cactus Bowl. They'll leave the lights on.
Here's a look at today's action. Still have a game called the national championship coming up next Monday, January 11th, at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Phoenix, Arizona @7:30 PM CT/8:30 PM ET on ESPN pitting the Crimson Tide and the Clemson Tigers.
Yesterday: 3-2;
Christian McCaffrey ran wild for Stanford in their 45-16 shellacking of Iowa in the Rose Bowl. Christian finished off the day at the Grandaddy of them all with 368 all purpose yards. Ohio State looked like the team people expected them to be this season as they cruised to victory over the Fighting Irish, 44-28, in the Fiesta Bowl, and with the recruiting Urb has done, they should be right in the middle of the playoff hunt in 2016. Michigan got 2016 kickstarted with a thrashing of Florida, 41-7, in the Citrus Bowl. Tennessee primed itself for a big 2016 with a demolition of Northwestern, 45-6 in the Outback Bowl, and Ole Miss looked lights out against Ok. State in a 48-20 victory in the Sugar Bowl. Hugh Freeze and his team will be a major factor in the SEC in 2016.
Overall Bowls: 20-16
Overall record for 2015-16: 234-80, 75%
Today
TaxSlayer Bowl
Georgia (9-3) vs. Penn State (7-5)
EverBank Field, Jacksonville, FL. (67,164)
11 AM CT/Noon ET
ESPN
Allen Bestick, Dan Hawkins, Tiffany Greene
Refs: Pac-12, Michael Mothershed
Line: Dawgs by 6 1/2
Georgia is pretty beaten up injury wise, but I like Sony Michel to have a big day running the football for the Dawgs, and for Michel and Nick Chubb to team up and have huge years in 2016 for the Dawgs. Georgia will need better quarterback play in 2016, but they will definitely have the running game. Today, Michel and the offense will do enough though even without stellar quarterback play. The Dawgs ring in 2016 with a victory.
Georgia 31, Penn State 21
Autozone Liberty Bowl
Arkansas (7-5) vs. Kansas State (6-6)
Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium, Memphis, TN. (61,008)
2:20 PM CT/3:20 PM ET
ESPN
Anish Shroff, Ahmad Brooks, Dawn Davenport
Refs: Big Ten, Ron Snodgrass
Line: Hogs by 13
Alex Collins should have a big day running the football for the Hogs. Expect Arkansas to bring in 2016 in a big way and Bret Bielema to get 2016 kick started with a big victory in Memphis. Bielema is making Arkansas highly relevant in the SEC. Expect the Hogs to be contenders in the SEC West next season. The awesome Collins will be back and Bielema has recruited very well.
Arkansas 42, Kansas State 24
Valero Alamo Bowl
Oregon (9-3) vs. TCU (10-2)
Alamodome, San Antonio, TX (72,000)
5:45 PM CT/6:45 PM ET
ESPN
Dave Flemming, Mack, Allison
Refs: SEC, Marc Curles
Line: Oregon by 7
What was shaping up to be one of the best bowls of the bowl season could turn out to be a mismatch. The Ducks were one of the hottest teams in the country towards the end of the season, and come into the Alamo Bowl on a roll. Without his quarterback, Boykin, Gary Patterson and his team are going to have a tough time hanging with the Ducks. Oregon gets a big victory and sets their sights on a big 2016.
Oregon 45, TCU 31
Motel 6 Cactus Bowl
West Virginia (7-5) vs. Arizona State (6-6)
Chase Field, Phoenix, Arizona (49,033)
9:15 PM CT/10:15 PM ET
ESPN
Dave Neal, Stinch, Kayce Smith
Refs: Big Ten, Jeff Servinski
Line: West Virginia by 1
Todd Graham and his Sun Devils team pull off the slight upset in this one. Graham is getting closer to being highly relevant in the Pac-12. He's had some good wins, but needs to take it to the next level next season. This would be a good jump start to 2016.
'Zona State 35, West Virginia 31