Announcement

**StarDust Bum** · 12-06-2017, 02:12 PM

Cure Bowl Matchup
December 3, 2017

Georgia State (6-5, 5-3 Sun Belt) vs. Western Kentucky (6-6, 4-4 Conference USA), Dec. 16, 2:30 p.m. EST

LOCATION: Orlando, Florida

TOP PLAYERS

Georgia State: WR Penny Hart. The sophomore leads the Sun Belt with a school-record 73 receptions for 1,094 yards and eight touchdowns.

Western Kentucky: QB Mike White. The Senior Bowl invitee leads Conference USA in total offense (300.3 yards per game).

NOTABLE

Georgia State: RB Glenn Smith is one of just three active FBS players with at least 1,000 yards rushing, 1,000 receiving and 1,000 return yards in his career.

Western Kentucky: The Hilltoppers are one of 11 teams in FBS with five or more receivers that have 25 or more catches.

LAST TIME

Western Kentucky won 44-28 in a 2013 regular-season game. That was the Hilltoppers' final season in the Sun Belt.

BOWL HISTORY

Georgia State is making only its second bowl appearance. The Panthers lost 27-16 to San Jose State in the 2015 Cure Bowl.

Western Kentucky is 4-1 and is in a bowl game for the fourth straight season. The Hilltoppers have a three-game bowl win streak.

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Las Vegas Bowl matchup
December 3, 2017

Boise State (10-3, Mountain West) vs Oregon (7-5, Pac-12), Dec. 16, 3:30 p.m. EST

LOCATION: Las Vegas

TOP PLAYERS

Boise State: QB Brett Rypien, 2,515 yards passing, 14 TDs

Oregon: RB Royce Freeman, 1,475 yards rushing, 16 TDs

NOTABLE

Boise State: The Broncos avenged a loss to Fresno State the week before by beating the Bulldogs 17-14 in the Mountain West title game.

Oregon: The Ducks finished the season on a two-game winning streak, thrashing Arizona and rival Oregon State to reach seven victories in coach Willie Taggart's first season.

LAST TIME

Boise State 19, Oregon 14. (Sept. 3, 2009)

BOWL HISTORY

Boise State: Sixteenth consecutive bowl appearance, tied for sixth-best in the nation with Wisconsin.

Oregon: Twelfth bowl appearance in the last 13 years, third appearance in Las Vegas Bowl.

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New Mexico Bowl matchup
December 3, 2017

Colorado State (7-5, Mountain West) vs Marshall (7-5, C-USA), Dec. 16, 4:30 p.m. EST

LOCATION: Albuquerque, New Mexico

TOP PLAYERS

Colorado State: QB Nick Stevens, 3,479 yards passing, 27 TDs

Marshall: QB Chase Litton, 2,853 yards passing, 23 TDs

NOTABLE

Colorado State: Beat San Jose State 42-14 in regular-season finale, snapping a three-game losing streak.

Marshall: The Thundering Herd dropped four of their last five games after a 6-1 start.

LAST TIME

First meeting.

BOWL HISTORY

Colorado State: Fifth straight bowl appearance. The Rams are 1-3 in those games.

Marshall: The Herd last played in a bowl in 2015, beating UConn 16-10 in St. Petersburg, Fla.

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Camellia Bowl Matchup
December 3, 2017

Middle Tennessee (6-6, 4-4 Conference USA) vs. Arkansas State (7-4, 6-2 Sun Belt), Dec. 16, 8 p.m. (ESPN)

LOCATION: Montgomery, Alabama

TOP PLAYERS

Middle Tennessee: S Javonte Moffat leads the team with 95 tackles.

Arkansas State: QB Justice Hansen has broken Ryan Aplin's school single-season passing record with 3,630 yards. He has also thrown a Sun Belt-record 34 touchdown passes.

NOTABLE

Middle Tennessee: Went 3-1 after QB Brent Stockstill, the school's career passing leader, returned after missing six games with an injury. Became bowl eligible with a closing 41-10 win over Old Dominion.

Arkansas State: Ja'Von Rolland-Jones needs one more sack to break the career FBS record of 44 held by Terrell Suggs and Jonathan Peterson. Ended regular season with a 32-25 loss to Troy on a touchdown with 17 seconds left with a share of the Sun Belt title on the line.

LAST TIME

Arkansas State won 45-0 on Dec. 1, 2012.

BOWL HISTORY

Middle Tennessee: Bowl eligible for the sixth straight year; 3-7 all-time in bowl appearances with four straight losses.

Arkansas State: Seventh consecutive bowl berth and eighth overall, going 3-4.

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New Orleans Bowl Matchup
December 3, 2017

North Texas (9-4, 7-1 C-USA) vs. Troy (10-2, 7-1 Sun Belt), Dec. 16, 1 p.m. (ESPN)

LOCATION: New Orleans

TOP PLAYERS

North Texas: QB Mason Fine. He's thrown for 3,749 yards, 28 touchdowns and 13 interceptions this season. Seven different receivers have caught at least 24 passes.

Troy: LB Tron Folsom. He leads the team with 77 tackles and also has nine tackles for a loss and an interception.

NOTABLE

North Texas: The Mean Green set several single-season program records, including scoring, total offense, passing yards and passing touchdowns. They won eight of their last 10 games.

Troy: The Trojans' biggest moment of the season was when they beat LSU 24-21 on Sept. 30.

LAST TIME

Troy beat North Texas 14-7 in 2012. Troy has won eight of 10 vs. North Texas.

BOWL HISTORY

North Texas is in its 10th bowl game and has 3-6 record in previous bowls.

Troy is in its seventh bowl game and has a 3-3 record in previous bowls.

**StarDust Bum** · 12-06-2017, 02:13 PM

Boca Raton Bowl Matchup
December 3, 2017

Akron (7-6, Mid-American Conference) vs. Florida Atlantic (10-3, Conference USA), Dec. 19, 7 p.m. (ESPN)

LOCATION: Boca Raton, Florida

TOP PLAYERS

Akron: LB Ulysees Gilbert is a first-team all-Mid-American Conference selection who has recorded more than 120 tackles each of the last two seasons.

Florida Atlantic: RB Devin Singletary, 1,796 yards rushing, 6.5 yards per carry, 29 touchdown runs.

NOTABLE

Akron: The Zips reached the Mid-American Conference championship game for the first time since 2005. They lost the MAC championship game 45-28 to Toledo.

Florida Atlantic: After going 3-9 each of the last three years, Florida Atlantic captured the Conference USA title this season under new coach Lane Kiffin. The Owls have won nine straight and now play a bowl game at their home stadium.

LAST TIME

This is the first meeting between Akron and Florida Atlantic.

BOWL HISTORY

Akron: First Boca Raton Bowl appearance and fourth bowl berth overall.

Florida Atlantic: First Boca Raton Bowl berth and third bowl appearance overall. This marks Florida Atlantic's first bowl game since a 2008 Motor City Bowl victory.

**StarDust Bum** · 12-06-2017, 02:14 PM

Frisco Bowl Matchup
December 3, 2017

SMU (7-5, AAC) vs. Louisiana Tech (6-6, Conference USA), Dec. 20, 8 p.m. ET.

LOCATION: Frisco, Texas

TOP PLAYERS

SMU: WR Trey Quinn, 106 catches, 1191 yards, 12 TDs; WR Courtland Sutton, 62 catches, 1,017 yards, 12 TDs; QB Ben Hicks, 3,442 yards passing, 32 TDs.

Louisiana Tech: QB J'Mar Smith, 3,114 total yards, 18 TDs.

NOTABLE

SMU: The Mustangs have made steady progress under third-year coach Chad Morris, the former Clemson offensive coordinator and Texas high school coach. They improved from 2-10 in 2015 to 5-7 last year and 7-5 this season - including a 41-38 win over Tulane to end the regular season.

Louisiana Tech: The Bulldogs needed wins in their final two regular season games to extend their bowl streak to four straight years, and they did so by defeating UTEP and UTSA. Boston Scott rushed for 138 yards on 20 carries as Louisiana Tech secured its bowl eligibility with a 20-6 win over UT San Antonio to end the regular season.

LAST TIME

Louisiana Tech 41, SMU 10 (Oct. 16, 2004)

BOWL HISTORY

SMU: The Mustangs are making their first bowl appearance since defeating Fresno State 43-10 in the 2012 Hawaii Bowl.

Louisiana Tech: The Bulldogs reached a bowl game for a fourth straight season, coming after they defeated Navy in the Armed Forces Bowl a year ago.

**StarDust Bum** · 12-06-2017, 02:14 PM

Gasparilla Bowl Matchup
December 3, 2017

Florida International (8-4, Conference USA) vs. Temple (6-6, American Athletic Conference), Dec. 21, 8 p.m. (ESPN)

LOCATION: St. Petersburg, Florida

TOP PLAYERS

Florida International: QB Alex McGough, 2,791 yards passing, 17 touchdowns, eight interceptions

Temple: S Delvon Randall, 76 tackles, 6 + tackles for loss, four interceptions

NOTABLE

Florida International: The Golden Panthers already have matched a school single-season record for victories and have clinched their first winning season since 2011. Former Miami and North Carolina coach Butch Davis has orchestrated the turnaround in his first year at Florida International.

Temple: The Owls won three of their last four games to reach the .500 mark and become bowl eligible. Temple's only loss during that stretch was against unbeaten Central Florida.

LAST TIME

This is the first meeting between Florida International and Temple.

BOWL HISTORY

Florida International: Second Gasparilla Bowl berth and third bowl appearance overall. Florida International lost this game 20-10 to Marshall in 2011, when it was known as the Beef O'Brady's Bowl.

Temple: First Gasparilla Bowl berth and seventh bowl appearance overall. The Owls are bowling for a third straight season.

**StarDust Bum** · 12-06-2017, 02:15 PM

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl Matchup
December 3, 2017

Wyoming (7-5, Mountain West) vs. Central Michigan (8-4, Mid-American), Dec. 22, 4 p.m. EST

LOCATION: Boise, Idaho

TOP PLAYERS

Wyoming: QB Josh Allen, 1,659 yards passing, 13 touchdown passes.

Central Michigan: RB Jonathan Ward, 990 yards rushing, 9 TDs; QB Shane Morris, 2,908 yards passing, 29 total TDs.

NOTABLE

Wyoming: Allen entered the season as one of the most highly touted NFL draft prospects in the country, but he's struggled and missed the Cowboys' final two regular-season games - both losses - with a shoulder injury. Wyoming coach Craig Bohl said last week that he expects Allen to declare for the draft after the season.

Central Michigan: After starting the season 3-4, the Chippewas won their final five conference games to secure a postseason berth and finish second in the MAC's West Division.

LAST TIME

Central Michigan 32, Wyoming 20 (Sept. 7, 2002)

BOWL HISTORY

Wyoming: The Cowboys are making their second straight bowl appearance, having lost 24-21 to BYU in the Poinsettia Bowl a year ago.

Central Michigan: The Chippewas have reached a bowl game in five of the last six seasons and are coming off a 55-10 loss to Tulsa in last year's Miami Beach Bowl. They haven't won a bowl game since the 2012 Little Caesars Pizza Bowl against Western Kentucky.

**StarDust Bum** · 12-06-2017, 02:15 PM

Bahamas Bowl Matchup
December 3, 2017

NASSAU, Bahamas (AP) Ohio (8-4, MAC) vs UAB (8-4, Conference USA), Dec. 22, 12:30 p.m. EST

LOCATION: Nassau, Bahamas.

TOP PLAYERS

UAB: RB Spencer Brown broke Jordan Howard's school freshman records with 1,292 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns. Ranks third on the program's single-season rushing chart.

Ohio: QB Nathan Rourke has passed for 2,018 yards and 15 touchdowns while also rushing for 882 yards.

NOTABLE

UAB: Restarted the program after it was disbanded following the 2014 season. Set a school FBS record with eight wins.

Ohio: Averaged 38.9 points and 244.2 rushing yards per game. Lost last two games after winning four straight.

LAST TIME

First meeting.

BOWL HISTORY

UAB: Second bowl appearance, including the 2004 Hawaii Bowl.

Ohio: 2-8 all-time in bowl games. Has been bowl-eligible for nine straight seasons under coach Frank Solich.

**StarDust Bum** · 12-06-2017, 02:16 PM

Dollar General Bowl Matchup
December 3, 2017

Appalachian State (8-4, 7-1 Sun Belt) vs. Toledo (11-2, 7-1 MAC), Dec. 23, 7 p.m. (ESPN)

LOCATION: Mobile, Alabama

TOP PLAYERS

Appalachian State: QB Taylor Lamb has thrown for 27 touchdowns against just six interceptions. He has rushed for 539 yards and passed for 2,606.

Toledo: QB Logan Woodside has passed for 3,758 yards with 28 touchdowns and just five interceptions. He, Lamb and Oklahoma's Baker Mayfield are the only FBS QBs with 25-plus touchdowns and fewer than eight interceptions.

NOTABLE

Appalachian State: Won a share of its second straight Sun Belt title with a 63-14 win Saturday over Louisiana-Lafayette. A 35-9 record over the last 44 games is the best among Group of Five teams.

Toledo: Won MAC championship game 45-28 over Akron. Ranks 11th in scoring offense (39.2 points per game) and eighth in total offense (509.9 yards per game).

LAST TIME

Appalachian State won 31-28 in last year's Camellia Bowl in Montgomery, Alabama. Michael Rubino's 39-yard field goal with 5:14 left proved the game-winner.

BOWL HISTORY

Appalachian State: Second team to make three straight bowl appearances following a move up to FBS, joining Marshall (1997-2002). Only team to win bowls in each of its first two years after moving up from FCS. Both wins came in the Camellia Bowl by a combined five points, including a 31-29 win over Ohio in 2015.

Toledo: 11-5 in bowl games, going to bowls in seven of the last eight years.

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Birmingham Bowl Matchup
December 3, 2017

No. 23 South Florida (9-2, 6-2 AAC) vs. Texas Tech (6-6, 3-6 Big 12), Dec. 23, 12 p.m. (ESPN)

LOCATION: Birmingham, Alabama.

TOP PLAYERS

South Florida: QB Quinton Flowers set school records with 605 total yards and 503 passing yards in a 49-42 loss to No. 10 UCF in the regular-season finale. Flowers' 11,395 total yards is 46 yards shy of the league's career mark set by Temple's Philip Walker from 2013-16.

Texas Tech: QB Nic Shimonek has passed for 3,547 yards with 30 touchdowns and eight interceptions.

NOTABLE

South Florida: 1-3 against Big 12 teams, all during the regular season. Ranks eighth nationally in total offense, averaging 508.6 yards per game. First-year coach Charlie Strong trying to lead team to its second straight season with double-digit wins.

Texas Tech: Last played at Legion Field in 1989, beating No. 20 Duke 49-21 in the 1989 All-American Bowl. Finished regular season with a come-from-behind win over in-state rival Texas, scoring two fourth-quarter touchdowns to win 27-23.

LAST TIME

First meeting.

BOWL HISTORY

South Florida: Third straight postseason appearance; 5-3 overall in bowl games. Beat South Carolina 46-39 in overtime in last year's Birmingham Bowl.

Texas Tech: 38th bowl appearance and has won four of its last five. That's the 20th-most bowl games in the FBS.

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Armed Forces Bowl Matchup
December 3, 2017

Army (8-4, Independent) vs. San Diego State (10-2, Mountain West), Dec. 23, 3:30 p.m. EST (ESPN)

LOCATION: Fort Worth, Texas.

TOP PLAYERS

Army: QB Ahmad Bradshaw, 1,472 yards rushing, 11 touchdowns; LB Alex Auckerman, 14.5 tackles for loss, 6 sacks.

San Diego State: RB Rashaad Penny, leads nation with both 168.9 yards per game rushing and 224.8 yards per game all-purpose.

NOTABLE

Army: The Black Knights earned their way into the Armed Forces Bowl with their win over Temple on Oct. 21. They're playing in back-to-back bowl games for the first time since the 1984-85 seasons.

San Diego State: The Aztecs finished on a four-game win streak and beat Pac-12 runner-up Stanford earlier in the season.

LAST TIME

San Diego State 42, Army 7 (Sept. 8, 2012)

BOWL HISTORY

Army: The Black Knights are 4-2 in bowls and making a second appearance in the Armed Forces.

San Diego State: The Aztecs will be playing in this bowl for the first time and are 5-6 all-time in bowls.

**StarDust Bum** · 12-06-2017, 02:16 PM

Hawaii Bowl Matchup
December 3, 2017

Fresno State (9-4, Mountain West) vs. Houston (7-4, American Athletic), Dec. 24, 8:30 p.m. EST (ESPN)

LOCATION: Honolulu.

TOP PLAYERS

Fresno State: LB Jeffrey Allison, first-team All-MWC with 113 tackles.

Houston: DT Ed Oliver, American Athletic Conference defensive player of the year, 14.5 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks.

NOTABLE

Fresno State: The Bulldogs have the nation's best win improvement, going from one win in 2016 to nine this season.

Houston: Houston is second among FBS schools in Texas with 37 wins since the start of 2014. TCU leads the way with 38 wins in that span.

LAST TIME

This will be the first meeting.

BOWL HISTORY

Fresno State: The Bulldogs are 10-13 in bowls and playing in one for the first time since 2014, when they lost to Rice in the Hawaii Bowl.

Houston: The Cougars are 11-13 in bowls and playing in one for the fifth straight year.

**StarDust Bum** · 12-06-2017, 02:18 PM

Catcus Bowl Matchup
December 3, 2017

Kansas State (7-5, Big 12) vs. UCLA (6-6, Pac-12), Dec. 26, 9 p.m. EST (ESPN)

LOCATION: Phoenix.

TOP PLAYERS

Kansas State: CB D.J. Reed has four interceptions and ranks second nationally in kick returns with a 35.3-yard average.

UCLA: QB Josh Rosen's passing average of 337.9 yards per game ranks third in the nation, and he's thrown 26 touchdowns.

NOTABLE

Kansas State: The Wildcats are one of the hottest teams in the Big 12 after knocking off then-No. 10 Oklahoma State and Iowa State in its last two games.

UCLA: Interim coach Jedd Fisch will lead the Bruins in the bowl, after which Chip Kelly takes over.

LAST TIME

UCLA 40, Kansas State 30 (2015 Alamo Bowl)

BOWL HISTORY

Kansas State: Following 11 straight bowls from 1993-2003 under Bill Snyder, the Wildcats have gone to a bowl eight straight years. The Wildcats are 8-12 in bowls.

UCLA: The Bruins are 16-18-1 in bowls, last playing in one in the 2015 Foster Farms.

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Quick Lane Bowl Matchup
December 3, 2017

Duke (6-6, ACC) vs. Northern Illinois (8-4, Mid-American), Dec. 26, 5:15 p.m. EST (ESPN).

LOCATION: Detroit

TOP PLAYERS

Duke: Sophomore QB Daniel Jones has thrown for 2,439 yards and 12 TDs and rushed for an additional six scores.

Northern Illinois: DE Sutton Smith has been named one of five finalists for the 2017 Ted Hendricks Award. Smith leads the FBS in sacks with 14 and tackles for loss with 28.5.

NOTABLE

Duke: The Blue Devils became bowl-eligible by beating Georgia Tech and Wake Forest in the final two weeks of the regular season, overcoming double-digit deficits in both games. RBs Brittain Brown and Shaun Wilson have combined for 1,403 yards rushing and 11 touchdowns.

Northern Illinois: The Huskies posted a three-game improvement from a year ago and will play in a bowl game for the ninth time in 10 seasons.

LAST TIME

It will be the first meeting between the teams.

BOWL HISTORY

Duke: Blue Devils will be playing in their fifth bowl game in six seasons and have an all-time record of 4-8 in the postseason.

Northern Illinois: The Huskies are 4-7 all-time in bowl games but have lost four straight since 2011.

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Heart Of Dallas Bowl Matchup
December 3, 2017

Utah (6-6, Pac-12) vs. West Virginia (7-5, Big 12), Dec. 26, 1:30 p.m. EST

LOCATION: Dallas

TOP PLAYERS

Utah: RB Zack Moss, 1,023 yards rushing, nine rushing touchdowns.

West Virginia: WR David Sills V, 60 catches for 980 yards and 18 touchdowns.

NOTABLE

Utah: The Utes lost six of their final eight games but beat Colorado 34-13 in their regular-season finale to become bowl eligible. QB Tyler Huntley missed that game with an injury.

West Virginia: The Mountaineers could end up with three 1,000-yard receivers this season. Gary Jennings has 1,030, and Sills (980) and Ka'raun White (978) are close to the mark as well.

LAST TIME

Utah 32, West Virginia 6. (Dec. 19, 1964)

BOWL HISTORY

Utah: First appearance in Heart of Dallas Bowl, coach Kyle Whittingham is 10-1 in bowls.

West Virginia: First appearance in Heart of Dallas Bowl, first appearance in a bowl in Texas since Sun Bowl 30 years ago.

**StarDust Bum** · 12-06-2017, 02:19 PM

Pinstripe Bowl Matchup
December 3, 2017

Boston College (7-5, ACC) vs. Iowa (7-5, Big Ten), Dec. 27, 5:15 p.m. EST (ESPN).

LOCATION: New York

TOP PLAYERS

Boston College: RB AJ Dillon rushed for 1,432 yards, the second-highest total by any freshman in ACC history, and was named the conference rookie of the year. He twice topped the 200-yard rushing mark in a game this season, only the second freshman in ACC history to do so.

Iowa: RB Akrum Wadley rushed for 1,021 yards and nine TDs and caught 26 passes for 329 yards and three TDs.

NOTABLE

Boston College: The Eagles closed the season with five wins in their final six games.

Iowa: The Hawkeyes' signature victory this season was 55-24 over Ohio State, which beat Wisconsin for the Big Ten title. Iowa also lost to Penn State on a last-second touchdown.

LAST TIME

This is the first meeting between the schools.

BOWL HISTORY

Boston College: It's the 26th bowl appearance in school history for BC and the 16th bowl in the last 19 years for the Eagles. It will be BC's second appearance in the Pinstripe Bowl. They lost 31-30 in overtime to Penn State in 2014.

Iowa: The Hawkeyes have played in a bowl game in all but two seasons since 2001.

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Independence Bowl Matchup
December 3, 2017

Southern Mississippi (8-4, 6-2 C-USA) vs. Florida State (6-6, 3-5 Atlantic Coast Conference), Dec. 27, 1:30 p.m. (ESPN)

LOCATION: Shreveport, Louisiana

TOP PLAYERS

Southern Miss: RB Ito Smith. The senior has run for 1,323 yards and 13 touchdowns this season. He's also caught 36 passes for 370 yards and two TDs.

Florida State: RB Cam Akers. The freshman leads Florida State with 930 yards rushing and seven touchdowns. He's averaging a little more than 5 yards per carry.

NOTABLE

Southern Miss: The Golden Eagles closed the regular season on a three-game winning streak. Two of their losses came to SEC opponents (Tennessee and Kentucky).

Florida State: The Seminoles are being led by interim coach Odell Haggins after head coach Jimbo Fisher left for the Texas A&M job.

LAST TIME

Florida State 54, Southern Miss 14, Nov. 16, 1996. The Seminoles have a 13-8-1 advantage in the series.

BOWL HISTORY

Southern Miss is making its third straight bowl appearance and 26th overall.

Florida State is making its 36th straight bowl appearance.

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Foster Farms Bowl Matchup
December 3, 2017

Arizona (7-5, Pac-12) vs. Purdue (6-6, Big Ten), Dec. 27, 8:30 p.m. EST (FOX).

LOCATION: Santa Clara, California

TOP PLAYERS

Arizona: Sophomore QB Khalil Tate rushed for 1,353 yards and 12 TDs and passed for 1,289 yards and nine TDs with eight picks.

Purdue: QB Elijah Sindelar threw for 1,703 yards and 14 TDs with six interceptions.

NOTABLE

Arizona: Tate rushed for 327 yards against Colorado in October, establishing an FBS single-game rushing record for a quarterback. He also rushed for 230 yards and two touchdowns against UCLA and finished with 378 yards of total offense and three touchdowns.

Purdue: The Boilermakers under first-year head coach Jeff Brohm won their most games since 2012 and finished tied for third place in the Big Ten West Division, their best showing since division play began in 2011. Purdue's six losses were by an average of 7.7 points and four of the Boilermakers' setbacks were to ranked teams.

LAST TIME

Purdue 31, Arizona 24, Sept. 18, 2005.

BOWL HISTORY

Arizona: This will be the 21st bowl game for the Wildcats and eighth since 2008.

Purdue: The Boilermakers will be playing in their 18th bowl game all-time (9-8) and first since 2012.

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Texas Bowl Matchup
December 3, 2017

Missouri (7-5, Southeastern Conference) vs. Texas (6-6, Big 12), Dec. 27, 9 p.m. EST

LOCATION: Houston

TOP PLAYERS

Missouri: QB Drew Lock, 3,695 yards passing, national-best 43 passing touchdowns.

Texas: LB Malik Jefferson, team-high 110 tackles, including six games with double-digit tackles this season.

NOTABLE

Missouri: After starting the season 1-5, the Tigers closed by winning their final six games - averaging 51.3 points per game in those wins. Missouri's margin of victory was 30 points during its winning streak, and the school is trying to become the second in history (Rutgers, 2008) to win eight games after starting the season 1-5.

Texas: The Longhorns are led by first-year coach Tom Herman, who will make his return to Houston after leaving the Cougars after last season for Austin. Texas clinched a bowl berth with a 28-14 win at West Virginia on Nov. 18 before closing the regular season with a home loss to Texas Tech.

LAST TIME

Missouri 17, Texas 5 (Nov. 12, 2011)

BOWL HISTORY

Missouri: The Tigers are playing in their first bowl since the 2015 Citrus Bowl, and it's their second appearance in the Texas Bowl following a 35-13 loss to Navy in 2009.

Texas: The Longhorns are making their first bowl appearance since 2014, when they lost 31-7 to Arkansas in the Texas Bowl.

**StarDust Bum** · 12-06-2017, 02:19 PM

Alamo Bowl Capsule
December 3, 2017

Stanford (9-4, Pac-12) vs TCU (10-3, Big 12), Dec. 28, 6 p.m. EST

LOCATION: San Antonio

TOP PLAYERS

Stanford: RB Bryce Love, 1,973 yards rushing, 17 TDs.

TCU: QB Kenny Hill, 2,838 yards passing, 21 TDs

NOTABLE

Stanford: The Cardinal lost to USC in the Pac-12 title game 31-28, missing out on a New Year's Six bowl invite. But Stanford won its previous three games, including a 38-20 thrashing of Notre Dame.

TCU: The Horned Frogs lost twice to CFP participant Oklahoma and at Iowa State. TCU went 3-3 after starting 7-0.

LAST TIME

TCU 31, Stanford 14. (Sept. 8, 2008)

BOWL HISTORY

Stanford: First appearance in the Alamo Bowl, 29th bowl appearance in school history.

TCU: Second appearance in the Alamo Bowl in three seasons, 33rd bowl appearance in school history.

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Camping World Bowl Matchup
December 3, 2017

No. 17 Oklahoma State (9-3, No. 19 College Football Playoff, Big 12) vs. No. 22 Virginia Tech (9-3, No. 22 CFP, Atlantic Coast Conference), Dec. 28, 5:15 p.m. (ESPN)

LOCATION: Orlando, Florida

TOP PLAYERS

Oklahoma State: QB Mason Rudolph, 4,553 yards passing, 35 touchdowns. The Cowboys also have two 1,000-yard receivers in James Washington (69 catches, 1,423 yards, 12 touchdowns) and Marcell Ateman (54-1,049-8).

Virginia Tech: LB Tremaine Edmunds, 102 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, 5 + sacks, 3 forced fumbles.

NOTABLE

Oklahoma State: The Cowboys average 392.3 yards passing per game to lead all Football Bowl Subdivision teams. Oklahoma State ranks second nationally in total offense (575.7) and third in scoring (46.3).

Virginia Tech: The Hokies allow just 13.5 points per game to rank fifth nationally in scoring defense.

LAST TIME

Virginia Tech beat Oklahoma State 34-32 on Oct. 14, 1972.

BOWL HISTORY

Oklahoma State: First Camping World Bowl appearance and 12th straight bowl berth overall. In its only previous appearance in an Orlando bowl, Oklahoma State beat BYU 49-21 in the 1976 Tangerine Bowl.

Virginia Tech: Second Camping World Bowl berth and 25th consecutive bowl appearance overall. The Hokies beat Rutgers 13-10 in overtime in the 2012 Camping World Bowl, then known as the Russell Athletic Bowl.

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Military Bowl Matchup
December 3, 2017

Virginia (6-6, 3-5 Atlantic Coast Conference) vs. Navy (6-5, 4-4 American Athletic Conference), Dec. 28, 1:30 p.m. EST

LOCATION: Annapolis, Maryland

TOP PLAYERS

Virginia: QB Kurt Benkert set a school single-season passing record with 3,062 yards and tied for the ACC lead in touchdown passes with 25. The senior is the first player in school history to throw 20 TD passes or more in consecutive seasons.

Navy: QB Zach Abey is the AAC's leading rusher, averaging 132.2 yards per game. The Midshipmen are second in the nation in rushing offense, averaging 347.5 yards per game.

NOTABLE

Virginia: LB Micah Kiser and FS Quin Blanding are the only pair of teammates from a Power Five school to rank in the top 15 nationally in tackles. Kiser leads the ACC and is tied for fourth nationally with 134 while Blanding is 15th with 121.

Navy: Going into Saturday's annual matchup against Army, the Midshipmen have dropped five of their last six games after starting the season 5-0.

LAST TIME

This will be the 40th meeting, but the first since 1994. Virginia has won the last five, including a 47-10 victory in the last meeting.

BOWL HISTORY

Virginia is 7-11 in bowl games and has dropped its last two. This is the Cavaliers' first bowl trip since 2011.

Navy is 10-11-1 in bowl games but has won three of its last four. This is the third time it has appeared in the Military Bowl and the second time it has happened on the Midshipmen's home field.

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Holiday Bowl Matchup
December 3, 2017

Michigan State (9-3, Big Ten) vs. Washington State (9-3, Pac-12), Dec. 28, 9 p.m. EST

LOCATION: San Diego

TOP PLAYERS

Michigan State: C Brian Allen, named second-team All-Big Ten by coaches and media.

Washington State: RB Jamal Morrow, 522 yards rushing, 479 receiving.

NOTABLE

Michigan State: The Spartans completely reversed last season's 3-9 record with a young team that wasn't expected to do much. WR Felton Davis has 51 catches for 658 yards and eight TDs.

Washington State: The Cougars were the only Pac-12 team to beat conference champ Southern California this year. Washington State has scored at least 30 points eight times.

LAST TIME

Washington State 23, Michigan State 21. (Sept. 17, 1977)

BOWL HISTORY

Michigan State: First appearance in Holiday Bowl, 10th bowl in 11 seasons under coach Mark Dantonio.

Washington State: Fourth appearance in Holiday Bowl and second in a row, fourth bowl appearance in six years under coach Mike Leach.

**StarDust Bum** · 12-06-2017, 02:20 PM

Sun Bowl Matchup
December 3, 2017

North Carolina State (8-4, ACC) vs. Arizona State (7-5, Pac-12) Dec. 29, 3 p.m. EST (CBS)

LOCATION: El Paso, Texas

TOP PLAYERS

North Carolina State: DE Bradley Chubb, ACC defensive player of the year and one of five finalists for the 2017 Hendricks Award, is second in the FBS with 25 tackles for loss, fourth among defensive linemen with 73 tackles, and eighth in sacks (10).

Arizona State: QB Manny Wilkins has thrown for 2,918 yards and 17 TDs with five interceptions.

NOTABLE

North Carolina State: Nyheim Hines rushed for 1,040 yards to become one of only nine running backs in school history to surpass that mark.

Arizona State: Head coach Todd Graham was fired in late November after six seasons, but Graham and his staff will remain with the program through their bowl appearance.

LAST TIME

North Carolina State defeated Arizona State 34-17 in 1974 under Lou Holtz. The series is tied 1-1.

BOWL HISTORY

North Carolina State: The Wolfpack are making their first Sun Bowl appearance and are 16-13-1 in bowl games. N.C. State has not faced a Pac-12 team since a 17-10 loss to Arizona in the 1989 Copper Bowl.

Arizona State: The Sun Devils are making their 30th bowl appearance and sixth in the Sun Bowl. They are a 14-14-1 overall and 3-1-1 in the Sun Bowl.

**********************

Music City Bowl Matchup
December 3, 2017

Kentucky (7-5, Southeastern Conference) vs. No. 20 Northwestern (9-3, No. 21 College Football Playoff, Big Ten), Dec. 29, 4:30 p.m. (ESPN)

LOCATION: Nashville, Tennessee

TOP PLAYERS

Kentucky: RB Benny Snell Jr., 1,318 yards rushing, 18 touchdowns, 5.1 yards per carry

Northwestern: RB Justin Jackson, 1,154 yards rushing, nine touchdowns, 4.5 yards per carry

NOTABLE

Northwestern has a seven-game winning streak. Jackson and 1999 Heisman Trophy winner Ron Dayne of Wisconsin are the only Big Ten players ever to rush for 1,000 yards in four straight seasons.

Kentucky: The Wildcats are making a second straight bowl appearance. This marks the first time Kentucky has earned bowl bids in back-to-back seasons since 2008-09.

LAST TIME

Northwestern beat Kentucky 7-0 on Oct. 20, 1928.

BOWL HISTORY

Kentucky: Fifth Music City Bowl appearance and 17th bowl berth overall. The Wildcats own a 2-2 Music City Bowl record.

Northwestern: First Music City Bowl appearance and 14th bowl berth overall.

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Arizona Bowl Matchup
December 3, 2017

New Mexico State (6-6, Sun Belt) vs. Utah State (6-6, Mountain West), Dec. 29, 5:30 p.m. EST

LOCATION: Tucson, Arizona

TOP PLAYERS

New Mexico State: QB Tyler Rogers, 3,825 yards passing, 33 total touchdowns.

Utah State: LB Suli Tamaivena, team-high 109 tackles - including 6 + tackles for a loss.

NOTABLE

New Mexico State: Rogers passed for 451 yards and led the late drive that earned the Aggies a 22-17 win over South Alabama on Saturday, earning the school its first bowl game in 57 years in the process. New Mexico State won its final two games of the season to end its bowl drought.

Utah State: The Aggies were a football-only member of the Sun Belt Conference from 2003-04, and they played New Mexico State both seasons. The schools have been conference foes for 26 seasons while each were members of the Mountain West Conference, Sun Belt and Western Athletic Conference over the years.

LAST TIME

Utah State 41, New Mexico State 7 (Oct. 20, 2012)

BOWL HISTORY

New Mexico State: The Aggies are playing in their first bowl game since the 1960 Sun Bowl, when they defeated Utah State.

Utah State: After playing in five straight bowl games from 2011-15, winning a school-record three straight from 2012-14, the Aggies return to a bowl for the first time since losing to Akron in the Potato Bowl two years ago.

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Belk Bowl Matchup
December 3, 2017

Texas A&M (7-5, 4-4 Southeastern Conference) vs. Wake Forest (7-5, 4-4 Atlantic Coast Conference), Dec. 29, 1 p.m. ET

LOCATION: Charlotte, N.C.

TOP PLAYERS

Texas A&M: WR Christian Kirk, 730 yards receiving, 7 touchdowns.

Wake Forest: QB John Wolford, 2,792 yards passing, 25 touchdowns; 615 yards rushing, 10 touchdowns.

NOTABLE

Texas A&M: Jimbo Fisher was recently hired by the Aggies as coach but will not coach in the Belk Bowl. Three of the Aggies' losses this season came against teams that were in the AP Top 25 at the time: Alabama (27-19), Auburn (42-27) and LSU (45-21).

Wake Forest: After big wins against Syracuse and then 19th-ranked North Carolina State, the Deacons suffered a setback with a 31-23 loss to Duke in the regular season finale.

LAST TIME

First meeting.

BOWL HISTORY

Texas A&M: The Aggies are 17-21 in bowl games. They have been to nine straight bowl games but have lost the last two, including a 33-28 defeat last year to Kansas State.

Wake Forest: The Deacons are 7-4 in bowl games. This is their second straight bowl appearance, beating Temple 23-17 last year in the Military Bowl.

***********************

Cotton Bowl Matchup
December 3, 2017

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) Ohio State (11-2, Big Ten) vs Southern California (11-2, Pac-12), Dec. 29, 8:30 p.m. EST

LOCATION: Arlington, Texas

TOP PLAYERS

Ohio State: QB J.T. Barrett, 2,939 yards passing with 35 TDs; 732 yards rushing with 10 TDs.

USC: RB Ronald Jones, 1,486 yards rushing, 18 TDs; QB Sam Darnold 3,787 yards passing, 31 TDs (26 passing, five rushing)

NOTABLE

Ohio State: The last time the Buckeyes played at AT&T Stadium it was in the national championship game on Jan. 12, 2015, when they beat Oregon 42-20 in the first title game in the four-team College Football Playoff era.

USC: The Trojans are playing Ohio State in a bowl game for the eighth time, but the first time outside the Rose Bowl. Southern Cal won the last three times they played in Pasadena, California, at the end of the 1974, 1979 and 1984 seasons.

LAST TIME

USC 18, Ohio State 15 (Sept. 12, 2009).

BOWL HISTORY

Ohio State: Second appearance in the Cotton Bowl; 49th bowl overall.

USC: Second appearance in the Cotton Bowl; 54th bowl overall.

**StarDust Bum** · 12-06-2017, 02:20 PM

TaxSlayer Bowl Matchup
December 3, 2017

Mississippi State (8-4, 4-4 Southeastern Conference) vs. Louisville (8-4, 4-4 Atlantic Coast Conference), Dec. 30, Noon (ESPN)

LOCATION: Jacksonville, Florida

TOP PLAYERS

Mississippi St: RB Aeris Williams. The junior leads the team with 1,019 yards rushing. He has also caught 16 passes for 142 yards.

Louisville: QB Lamar Jackson. The defending Heisman Trophy probably won't win it again this season, but is still having an awesome year. He has run for 1,443 yards and 17 touchdowns and thrown for 3,489 yards and 25 touchdowns.

NOTABLE

Mississippi State will be playing without starting QB Nick Fitzgerald, who dislocated his right ankle in the Egg Bowl. Freshman Keytaon Thompson will likely start in his place.

Louisville ended the regular season on a three-game winning streak.

LAST TIME

Mississippi State won 30-21 in 1976. The Bulldogs have a 4-0 advantage in the series that was played every year from 1973-'76.

BOWL HISTORY

Mississippi State is making its eighth straight bowl appearance and 21st overall.

Louisville is also making its eighth straight bowl appearance and 22nd overall.

*********************

Liberty Bowl Matchup
December 3, 2017

Iowa State (7-5, Big 12) vs. No. 19 Memphis (10-2, No. 20 CFP, American Athletic Conference), Dec. 30, 12:30 p.m. (ABC)

LOCATION: Memphis, Tennessee

TOP PLAYERS

Iowa State: LB Joel Lanning has a team-high 110 tackles, including 10 for loss, plus five sacks. Lanning also occasionally plays quarterback and has 34 carries for 115 yards and a touchdown. He's 3 of 4 through the air for 47 yards and a touchdown.

Memphis: QB Riley Ferguson and WR Anthony Miller form one of the nation's top passing combinations. Ferguson has thrown for 3,971 yards and 36 touchdowns. Miller has 92 catches for 1,407 yards and 17 touchdowns.

NOTABLE

Iowa State beat Oklahoma and TCU this season when both were ranked in the top five.

This marks the first time in the Liberty Bowl's 59-year history that the hometown team will play in the game. Memphis had a shot at a New Year's Six bowl appearance until it lost the American Athletic Conference championship game to Central Florida in double overtime.

LAST TIME

This is the first meeting between Iowa State and Memphis.

BOWL HISTORY

Iowa State: Third appearance in the Liberty Bowl, 13th bowl berth overall. Iowa State is playing in a bowl game for the first time since losing 31-17 to Tulsa in the 2012 Liberty Bowl.

Memphis: First appearance in the Liberty Bowl, 10th bowl berth overall. Memphis is playing in a bowl game for a school-record fourth consecutive season.

**StarDust Bum** · 12-06-2017, 02:21 PM

Outback Bowl matchup
December 3, 2017

Michigan (8-4, 5-4 Big Ten Conference) vs. South Carolina (8-4, 5-3 Southeastern Conference), Jan. 1, 12 p.m. EST

LOCATION: Tampa, Florida

TOP PLAYERS

Michigan: LB Devin Bush is the team's leading tackler with 94. The sophomore's 9.5 tackles for loss include 5.0 sacks. He also has an interception.

South Carolina: QB Jake Bentley is 12-7 as a starter and has completed 63.6 percent of his career passes, which is second in school history.

NOTABLE

Michigan: Jim Harbaugh has led the Wolverines to a bowl trip to Florida in each of his three seasons at the school. Michigan beat Florida 41-7 in the Citrus Bowl in his first season and then lost to Florida State 33-32 in the Orange Bowl last year.

South Carolina: The Gamecocks closed the regular season by winning five of their last seven games. The eight wins are the most they have had since 2013.

LAST TIME

South Carolina beat Michigan 33-28 in the 2013 Outback Bowl. The game is remembered for Jadeveon Clowney becoming a household name with his huge hit on Michigan's Vincent Smith, which caused a fumble that Clowney also recovered.

BOWL HISTORY

Michigan is 21-24 in bowl games and has dropped three of its last four.

South Carolina is 8-13 in bowl games. Last year's loss in the Birmingham Bowl snapped a four-game postseason win streak.

*****************

Oklahoma, Georgia meet for 1st time at Rose Bowl
December 3, 2017

No. 2 Oklahoma (12-1, 8-1 Big 12) vs. No. 3 Georgia (12-1, 7-1 SEC)

LOCATION: Pasadena, California

TOP PLAYERS

Oklahoma: QB Baker Mayfield. The Sooners' electrifying signal-caller is the odds-on favorite to win the Heisman Trophy after passing for 4,340 yards with 41 touchdowns while rushing for another 310 yards and five scores. The senior has all but mastered the college game in Lincoln Riley's offense, and he could play his way toward a first-round NFL draft spot in Pasadena.

Georgia: RB Nick Chubb. The senior became the second-leading rusher in SEC history in the conference championship game after going for 77 yards against Auburn. Although injuries have slowed him at times, he should be rested and ready for the biggest game of his career.

NOTABLE

Oklahoma: Won three straight Big 12 titles. Is appearing in the College Football Playoff for the second time in three years. They lead the nation in total offense with 583.3 yards per game, including a whopping 8.44 yards per play.

Georgia: Won first SEC title since 2005 under second-year coach Kirby Smart. Haven't won a national title since 1980. They field the nation's fourth-best defense, giving up just 270.9 yards per play.

LAST TIME

First meeting.

BOWL HISTORY

Oklahoma: The Sooners are appearing in their 19th consecutive bowl game and have gone 29-20-1 overall in bowl appearances. They've appeared in the Rose Bowl just once before, beating Washington State 34-14 on Jan. 1, 2003.

Georgia: The Bulldogs have made a bowl game in 21 straight seasons, but this is their biggest stage since the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1, 2008. They appeared in one previous Rose Bowl, beating UCLA 9-0 on Jan. 1, 1943.

***********************

Peach Bowl Matchup
December 3, 2017

ATLANTA (AP) Central Florida (12-0, American Athletic) vs. Auburn (10-3, Southeastern), Jan. 1, 12:30 p.m. EST

LOCATION: Atlanta, Georgia

TOP PLAYERS

UCF: QB McKenzie Milton, 3,795 yards passing with 35 TDs; 497 yards with seven TDs.

Auburn: RB Kerryon Johnson, 1,320 yards rushing with 17 touchdowns.

NOTABLE

UCF: The Knights were 0-12 two years ago and have gone 18-6 in the two seasons under coach Scott Frost. UCF won the American Athletic Conference title game over Memphis, 62-55 in double overtime, on Saturday.

Auburn: This is the Tigers sixth trip to the Peach Bowl and first since topping Virginia 43-24 in 2011. Auburn is 4-1 in the Peach Bowl, its lone loss coming in 2001, 16-10, to North Carolina.

LAST TIME

Auburn 28, UCF 10 (Nov. 6, 1999).

BOWL HISTORY

UCF: First appearance in Peach Bowl; ninth bowl overall.

Auburn: Sixth appearance in Peach Bowl; 42nd bowl overall.

**********************

Citrus Bowl Matchup
December 3, 2017

Notre Dame (9-3, Independent) vs. LSU (9-3, 6-2 Southeastern Conference), Jan. 1, 1 p.m. EST

LOCATION: Orlando, Florida

TOP PLAYERS

Notre Dame: RB Josh Adams is 13th nationally in rushing yards with 1,386 and is averaging 7.3 yards per carry. The junior has seven 100-yard games, including two where he went over 200 yards.

LSU: RB Derrius Guice is the fifth player in school history to have over 1,000 rushing yard and 10 rushing touchdowns in consecutive seasons. The junior has 1,153 yards and 11 touchdowns.

NOTABLE

Notre Dame: QB Brandon Wimbush has set the school's single-single record for rushing yards by a quarterback with 765, but the junior has struggled with accuracy and has completed only 49.8 percent of his passes.

LSU: After a 24-21 loss to Troy dropped the Tigers to 3-2, they have won six of their last seven. They have won their last three by an average of 22.3 points. This is the 18th straight season the Tigers have eight wins or more, which is the longest streak among Power Five programs.

LAST TIME

Notre Dame beat LSU 31-28 in the 2014 Music City Bowl.

BOWL HISTORY

Notre Dame is 17-18 and has lost the last six times they have played in a bowl game in Florida.

LSU is 25-22-1 in bowl games and is making its second consecutive appearance in the Citrus Bowl. The Tigers defeated Louisville 29-9 last year.

***********************

Sugar Bowl Matchup
December 3, 2017

No. 1 Clemson (12-1, 7-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) vs. No. 4 Alabama (11-1, 7-1 Southeastern Conference), Jan. 1, 8:45 p.m. (ESPN)

LOCATION: New Orleans

TOP PLAYERS

Clemson: QB Kelly Bryant. The emergence of Bryant has helped push the Tigers back into the College Football Playoff. His numbers aren't as eye-popping as predecessor Deshaun Watson, but he's still completing more than 67 percent of his passes for 2,678 yards.

Alabama: RB Damien Harris. He leads the team with 906 yards and 11 rushing touchdowns. He's a threat to score every time he touches the ball and averages 8.2 yards per carry.

NOTABLE

Clemson: The Tigers have been playing some of their best football over the past few weeks. They went on the road to beat rival South Carolina 34-10 on Nov. 25 and then beat Miami 38-3 in the ACC championship game on Saturday.

Alabama: Alabama's had a tough time staying healthy on defense this season, especially at linebacker. But coach Nick Saban says he expects his defense to be close to full strength by the time the Crimson Tide faces the Tigers on Jan. 1.

LAST TIME

Clemson beat Alabama 35-31 in the CFP national championship game last season.

BOWL HISTORY

Clemson is 22-19 in bowl games and is appearing in the postseason for a 13th straight season.

Alabama is 38-25-3 in bowl games and is trying to win its fifth national championship in nine seasons.

Announcement

Cnotes 2017 college bowl matchups with t.v. Schedule !

Cnotes 2017 college bowl matchups with t.v. Schedule !

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