THE MAIN EVENT | 2014-15 BOWL GUIDE | BY JENNI CARLSONSATURDAYDECEMBER

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10 a.m.ESPN

New Orleans BowlNew OrleansSuperdome

RATING1 star

(out of five)

Nevada’s Cody Fajardo only second college quarterback to throw for

9,000, run for 3,000 yards

NEVADA (7-5) VS.

LA.-LAFAYETTE (8-4)

NoonESPN

Military BowlAnapolis, Md.

Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium

RATING2 stars

Gunner Kiel — remember him? — has thrown for 3,000 yards and

30 TDs for Cincy

CINCINNATI (9-3)VS.

VIRGINIA TECH (6-6)

11 a.m.ESPN2

Outback BowlTampa, Fla.

Raymond James Stadium

RATING3 stars

Last time out, Auburn gave up 55, Wisconsin 59.

Last one with the ball wins?

AUBURN (8-4)VS.

WISCONSIN (10-3)

NoonESPN2

Armed Forces BowlFort Worth, Texas

Amon G. Carter Stadium

RATING1 star

Houston is on the verge of firing its coach,

and Pitt was a bowl bubble team

HOUSTON (7-5)VS.

PITTSBURGH (6-6)

NoonESPN2

Birmingham BowlBirmingham, Ala.

Legion Field

RATING2 stars

Pirates will be motivated to beat a big name. What about Gators after

coaching change?

E. CAROLINA (8-4)VS.

FLORIDA (6-5)

8 p.m.ESPN

GoDaddy BowlMobile, Ala.

Ladd-Peebles Stadium

RATING1 star

Arkansas State’s Fredi Knighten is worth a peek.

Dual-threat QB is fun to watch

TOLEDO (8-4)VS.

ARKANSAS ST. (7-5)

7:30 p.m.ESPN

National ChampionshipArlington, TexasAT&T Stadium

RATING4 stars

Doesn’t matter who advances. This is must-see TV

ALABAMA/OHIO ST.VS.

OREGON/FLORIDA ST.

5 p.m.ESPN

Boca Raton BowlBoca Raton, Fla.

FAU Stadium

RATING2 stars

Nevada’s Cody Fajardo only second college quarterback to throw for

9,000, run for 3,000 yards

MARSHALL (12-1)VS.

N. ILLINOIS (11-2)

11 a.m.ESPN

Bahamas BowlRobinson National Stadium

Nassau, Bahamas

RATING1 star

The locale is the most esthetically pleasing part of this match-up

between 7-5 teams

C. MICHIGAN (7-5)VS.

W. KENTUCKY (7-5)

NoonESPN

Heart of Dallas BowlDallas

Cotton Bowl

RATING1 star

Neither program has played in a bowl

since 2011

ILLINOIS (6-6)VS.

LOUISIANA TECH (8-4)

1 p.m.ESPN

Liberty BowlMemphis, Tenn.

Liberty Bowl

RATING3 stars

WVU vs. Texas A&M: Defense? What defense?

TEXAS A&M (7-5)VS.

W. VIRGINIA (7-5)

2 p.m.ESPN

Music City BowlNashville, Tenn.

LP Field

RATING2 stars

Notre Dame stumbled after a 6-0 start, but LSU has had

issues scoring points

NOTRE DAME (7-5)VS.

LSU (8-4)

11:30 a.m.ESPN

Peach BowlAtlanta

Georgia Dome

RATING4 stars

TCU’s Trevone Boykin vs. Ole Miss’s Land Shark defense.

But will Frogs motivated?

OLE MISS (9-3)VS.

TCU (11-1)

1 p.m.ESPN

Beach BowlMiami. Fla.

Marlins Park

RATING2 stars

Big 12 could consider both of these teams if expansion talk

becomes reality

BYU (8-4)VS.

MEMPHIS (9-3)

1:20 p.m.ESPN

New Mexico BowlAlbuquerque, N.M.University Stadium

RATING1 star

UTEP goes from two wins last season to its first bowl since

2010 this season

UTAH ST. (9-4)VS.

UTEP (7-5)

1 p.m.CBS

Sun BowlEl Paso, Texas

Sun Bowl

RATING3 stars

Defense optional. Todd Graham and David Cutcliffe have teams built

to score a bunch

ARIZONA ST. (9-3)VS.

DUKE (9-3)

11:30 a.m.ESPN

Cotton BowlArlington, TexasAT&T Stadium

RATING4 stars

Will Baylor be fired up after playoff slight? Should have a

big-time crowd rallying it

MICHIGAN ST. (10-2)VS.

BAYLOR (11-1)

2:20 p.m.ESPN

TaxSlayer BowlJacksonville, Fla. EverBank Field

RATING2 stars

Watch the trenches. Iowa LT Brandon Scherff and Tennessee DE Derek

Barnett are NFL talents

IOWA (7-5)VS.

TENNESSEE (6-6)

8:30 p.m.ESPN

Poinsettia BowlSan Diego

Qualcomm Stadium

RATING2 stars

Marketer’s dream: San Diego State playing in SD.

Navy playing near a huge base

NAVY (6-5)VS.

SAN DIEGO ST. (7-5)

7 p.m.ESPN

Hawai’i BowlHonolulu

Aloha Stadium

RATING1 star

Fresno State comes in with a losing record, hopes to avoid

finishing season 6-8

FRESNO ST. (6-7)VS.

RICE (7-5)

3:30 p.m.ESPN

Quick Lane BowlDetroit

Ford Field

RATING1 star

Teams headed in different directions, as Rutgers finished strong,

UNC stumbled home

RUTGERS (7-5) VS.

N. CAROLINA (6-6)

5:30 p.m.ESPN

Belk BowlCharlotte, N.C.

Bank of America Stadium

RATING3 stars

Features two of the best non-Heisman types, Georgia RB Nick Chubb, L’ville

WR DeVante Parker

GEORGIA (9-3)VS.

LOUISVILLE (9-3)

3 p.m.ESPN

Fiesta BowlGlendale, Ariz.

U. of Phoenix Stadium

RATING3 stars

Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl — does anyone doubt they’ll be fireworks?

BOISE ST. (11-2)VS.

ARIZONA (10-3)

7 p.m.ESPN

Bitcoin BowlSt. Petersburg, Fla.

Tropicana Field

RATING2 stars

UCF looking for third consecutive 10-win season by winning third

consecutive bowl

NC STATE (7-5)VS.

UCF (7-3)

8 p.m.ESPN

Texas BowlHouston

NRG Stadium

RATING3 stars

Longtime rivals in the Southwest Conference battle again with

smash-mouth run games

ARKANSAS (6-6)VS.

TEXAS (6-6)

9 p.m.ESPN

Foster Farms BowlSanta Clara, Calif.

Levi’s Stadium

RATING2 stars

The Kevin Hogan saga continues. Stanford QB has gone from

beloved to loathed

MARYLAND (7-5)VS.

STANFORD (7-5)

7 p.m.ESPN

Orange BowlMiami

Sun Life Stadium

RATING3 stars

State QB Dak Prescott could build momentum for next season

with big day

MISSISSIPPI ST. (10-2)VS.

GEORGIA TECH (10-3)

2:30 p.m.ABC

Las Vegas BowlLas Vegas

Sam Boyd Stadium

RATING2 stars

Longtime league foes renew rivalry. Colorado State will be without coach

Jim McElwain

UTAH (8-4)VS.

COLORADO ST. (10-2)

2:30 p.m.ABC

Independence BowlShreveport, La.

Independence Stadium

RATING2 stars

Somebody’s going home with a losing record

MIAMI (6-6)VS.

S. CAROLINA (6-6)

NoonABC

Citrus BowlOrlando, Fla.

Florida Citrus Bowl

RATING3 stars

Who shows up to quarterback Missouri, good Maty Mauk

or bad Maty?

MISSOURI (10-3)VS.

MINNESOTA (8-4)

5:45 p.m.ABC

Alamo BowlSan AntonioAlamodome

RATING3 stars

K-State’s Tyler Lockett and UCLA’s Brett Hundley will

provide the fireworks

KANSAS ST. (9-3)VS.

UCLA (9-3)

4:45 p.m.ESPN

Idaho Potato BowlBoise, Idaho

Stadium

RATING1 star

Only Melvin Gordon rushed for more TDs than Western Michigan freshman

Jarvion Franklin

3:30 p.m.ESPN

Pinstripe BowlBronx, N.Y.

Yankee Stadium

RATING2 stars

Boston College vs. Penn State: Penn State returns to bowl play after being

ineligible past two seasons

BOSTON COLLEGE (7-5)VS.

PENN ST. (6-6)

7:30 p.m.ESPN

Sugar BowlNew OrleansSuperdome

RATING4 stars

Saban vs. Meyer. But bigger match-up is Ohio State QB Cardale Jones vs. Bama D

ALABAMA (12-1)VS.

OHIO ST. (12-1)

9:15 p.m.ESPN

Cactus BowlTempe, Ariz.

Sun Devil Stadium

RATING3 stars

UW defensive front is stout. Can Mason Rudolph replicate success of first two starts?

OSU (6-6)VS.

WASHINGTON (8-5)

8:15 p.m.ESPN

Camelia BowlMontgomery, Ala.

Cramton Bowl

RATING1 star

South Alabama QB Brandon Bridge has turned NFL heads. Tall, athletic and

Canadian

S. ALABAMA (6-6)VS.

BOWLING GREEN (7-6)

8 p.m.ESPN

Holiday BowlSan Diego

Qualcomm Stadium

RATING3 stars

Big-name teams with big-name stars, USC QB Cody Kessler,

Nebraska RB Ameer Abdullah

NEBRASKA (9-3)VS.

USC (8-4)

4 p.m.ESPN

Rose BowlPasadena, Calif.

Rose Bowl

RATING4 stars

This year’s (?) beloved Heisman winner vs. last year’s

loathed Heisman winner

OREGON (12-1)VS.

FLORIDA ST. (13-0)

4:30 p.m.ESPN

Russell Athletic BowlOrlando, Fla. Citrus Bowl

RATING3 stars

Disappointing Sooner season ends facing former defensive coordinator

Brent Venables

OKLAHOMA (8-4)VS.

CLEMSON (9-3)

W. MICHIGAN (8-4)VS.

AIR FORCE (9-3)

College Football Playoff Semifinal