The final College Football Playoff rankings will be released on Sunday, December 3. Following the announcement of the top four teams, each eligible team will be assigned a bowl game throughout the day on Sunday. Bowls will run from December 16 through January 1.
Before the bowl game announcements are officially released, we’re taking a look at some matchups that we hope to see this season. Whether it’s a rekindled rivalry or a coaches’ unwelcome return, let’s take a look at some of the most exciting potential matchups of this year’s bowl season.
Gasparilla Bowl: Auburn vs. Central Florida
AKA: The Gus Bowl
Gus Malzhan taking on his old team? Mere weeks after 4th and 31 changed the trajectory of the program that has already replaced him once? We’re here for it!
There’s been plenty of hand-wringing on The Plains about Hugh Freeze and whether the university made a huge mistake by bringing in the man that made his reputation on beating Nick Saban by being 99% to beat Nick Saban, and then didn’t beat Nick Saban. That’s after the massively-failed Bryan Harsin experiment already.
I bet Malzhan, who is still being paid by Auburn we believe, wouldn’t mind getting a crack at them right down I-4 from his new home campus.
Alamo Bowl: USC vs. Oklahoma
AKA: The Lincoln Riley Bowl
It’s a stretch to put USC here considering their 7-5 record, but we don’t think the Sooners will mind the downgrade in competition. We’re here for the drama, and this is all the drama.
The chance for Sooners fans to let Lincoln know how much he’s missed in a roofed stadium in San Antonio… you’ll need to measure the pregame introductions on the Richter Scale.
Gator Bowl: Notre Dame vs. LSU
AKA: The Brian Kelly Bowl
Kelly abruptly left Notre Dame for the SEC following the 2021 season, and the two programs have identical records this season. While LSU fields a potential Heisman candidate in Jayden Daniels, the Tigers failed to produce much on the defensive side of the ball this season.
The Irish are now coached by Marcus Freeman, Kelly’s former defensive coordinator. A matchup between this Notre Dame defense and LSU offense would certainly be interesting to watch, and the hard feelings that may or may not remain would drive some major viewing numbers.
Liberty Bowl: Mizzou vs. Kansas
AKA: The Border War, Revisited
The Border War rivalry game between Mizzou and Kansas has not been played since 2011, but the schools have met 120 times in their history. Mizzou holds a three-game winning streak right now, but let’s fire this back up in the current decade.
However, this probably won’t happen this season — the Tigers will almost certainly qualify for a New Years Six bowl game, while Kansas, at 8-4, may not quite be able to make that claim.