Okay, listen, we get it. Most likely, you think bowl season starts on New Year's Eve. Maybe slightly earlier depending on when your team is playing. But regardless of whether or not you're aware of them, the bowls have already started, and there's plenty of college football action to get you through to the main event around New Year's.
Today, we'll be giving you five reasons to tune in to the bowls kicking off between Christmas Eve and Dec. 28, as the bowl season marches on. Sure, it's an appetizer for the playoffs, but at the same time, sometimes appetizers are delicious little bacon-wrapped dates filled with goat cheese. Yum.
Hawaii Bowl
Middle Tennessee (8-4, Conference USA) vs. Hawaii (6-7, Mountain West Conference)
Location: Hawaiian Airlines Field at Aloha Stadium, Honolulu
Time: Saturday, Dec. 24, 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT
Channel: ESPN
Mascot edge: This is a colorful battle if ever there was one: Blue Raiders vs. Rainbow Warriors. Raiders maraud, but give me Warriors of all stripes over sad pirates (that’s but Blue Raiders means, right?) any day of the week.
St. Petersburg Bowl
Miami (OH) (6-6, Mid-American Conference) vs. Mississippi State (5-7, Southeastern Conference)
Location: Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg
Time: Monday, Dec. 26, 11 a.m. ET/8 a.m. PT
Channel: ESPN
Mascot edge: As a dog person, my gut tells me to go with the Bulldogs, but how unoriginal is that? While many teams sport the hawks moniker, I know of only one RedHawks team. Plus, hawks fly; dogs don’t.
Quick Lane Bowl
Boston College (6-6, Atlantic Coast Conference) vs. Maryland (6-6, Big Ten)
Location: Ford Field, Detroit
Time: Monday, Dec. 26, 2:30 p.m. ET/11:30 a.m. PT
Channel: ESPN
New elements for a new year. #BCEagles pic.twitter.com/YY0JjhMpkU
— BC Football Video (@BCFootballVideo) August 3, 2016
Just for fun, do a Google image search on Maryland Flag - pic.twitter.com/GFPTkLi7ZJ
— Brady Haran (@BradyHaran) November 2, 2015
Mascot edge: I want to say that Eagles are more ferocious than Terrapins, but how exactly is an eagle supposed to get around that shell and get its claws on a turtle?
Independence Bowl
North Carolina State (6-6, Atlantic Coast Conference) vs. Vanderbilt (6-6, Southeastern Conference)
Location: Independence Stadium, Shreveport
Time: Monday, Dec. 26, 5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT
Channel: ESPN2
Mascot edge: Whether we’re talking the animals or the crew in “The Hangover” series, we know what kind of damage a Wolfpack can do. Give me the wolves over the Commodores.
Heart of Dallas Bowl
Army (7-5, Independent) vs. North Texas (5-7, Conference USA)
Location: Cotton Bowl, Dallas
Time: Tuesday, Dec. 27, 12 p.m. ET/9 a.m. PT
Channel: ESPN
Mascot edge: I don’t know what Mean Green even is, but supposedly the mascot is “Scrappy the Eagle.” I like an Army of Black Knights’ chances in that battle, especially with their mules.
Military Bowl
Temple (10-3, American Athletic Conference) vs. Wake Forest (6-6, Atlantic Coast Conference)
Location: Jack Stephens Field at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, Annapolis
Time: Tuesday, Dec. 27, 3:30 p.m. ET/12:30 PT
Channel: ESPN
ROLLING THE QUAD: WHEN WAKE FOREST WINS, THE TOILET PAPER FLIEShttps://t.co/VskXUyaLAp pic.twitter.com/Wqi3VP5Zzw
— David Lawson(AKA)HCM (@truthofjesusis) September 21, 2016
Mascot edge: Demon Deacons do sound scary, but I’m pretty sure you can just call Tommy Elrod to find the mascot’s weakness. Plus, Owls are wise.
Holiday Bowl
Minnesota (8-4, Big Ten) vs. Washington State (8-4, Pacific-12)
Location: Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego
Time: Tuesday, Dec. 27, 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT
Channel: ESPN
Mascot edge: Anything golden sounds tantalizing, but I don’t see Golden Gophers standing much of a chance against Cougars. Then again, if the golden refers to being coated in the prized material, maybe a cougar would break its teeth trying to nab the gopher.
Cactus Bowl
Boise State (10-2, Mountain West Conference) vs. Baylor (6-6, Big 12)
Location: Chase Field, Phoenix
Time: Tuesday, Dec. 27, 10:15 p.m. ET/7:15 p.m. PT
Channel: ESPN
Mascot edge: Bears are ferocious while Broncos are fast. I have a feeling the horses would run away from the bears, and I wouldn’t be surprised if Boise runs away from Baylor.
'Bowl' does not need to be typed for each answer. The name of the bowl will suffice. In some cases, prior familiar names will work for answers as well.
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