By Dusty Hollinger

The bowl over saturation has caused apathy from fans and players alike. However, it would be a self- disservice to dismiss the bowls all together,  there’s still quality bowls.  This  list that will help distinguish the games you’d be foolish to miss. This guide will showcase the”Must Watch” meaning ever year and  “Best of The Rest” for various reasons are worth watching this season. As a reminder, opt outs will effect  this bowl guide. Any ranked team will reflect The College Football Researchers Association Top 25.

Must Watch

Citrus, Gator, Sun, Holiday, Alamo, Celebration and RelaQuest

Citrus Bowl: #19 Michigan (9-3) vs. #13 Texas (9-3) Dec 31, 3:00 est (ABC)

The Citrus is now the top bowl. They and The Gator Bowl are major traditional New Years Day Bowls that has been left behind by The Bowl Coalition, BCS and NY6. Prior to Conference Championship games, The Curtis Bowl regularly had a Big Ten Co- champion play in this game. The Citrus Bowl is one of only seven bowls to have a national championship won on their site. That’s something The NY6 Peach hasn’t experienced!

Two long-standing ranked blue bloods squaring off in a prestigious game. Would we expect anything less from The Citrus Bowl?

Gator Bowl:  Missouri (8-4) vs. #20 Virginia (10-3) Dec 27, 7:30 est (ABC)

The Gator Bowl has a history of having top 10 teams, ACC , SEC and Big East Conference Champions. The Gator touts their 1956 game as the first national tv bowl. The 1952 Rose Bowl makes the same claim. Ether way, Gator Bowl was a trail blazer in national tv bowls, long-standing CBS – SEC partnership and their 56 years of televising The Sun Bowl. In this game, HOF Coaches Vince Dooley and Woody Hayes ended their careers. Vince Dooley was carried off the field by his team. Woody Hayes was escorted off by security.

This year’s game will feature ranked 10 win team against a consistent winner. Would we expect from anything different from The Gator Bowl?

Alamo Bowl: #18 USC (9-3) vs. TCU (8-4)Dec 30, 9:00, pm est (ESPN)

The Alamo Bowl has over last 12-15 years has emerged into one of the top quality bowls. Their highly ranked teams, typical 60,000 attendance and electrifying atmosphere is reminiscent of The Sugar Bowl, before it was swallowed up by the cfp.

This year’s Alamo Bowl pits blue blood USC against dangerous dark horse TCU, a team that has a punchers chance for a upset.

RelaQuest Bowl: Iowa (8-4) vs.#12 Vanderbilt  (10-2) Dec 31, Noon est (ESPN)

The RelaQuest Bowl has been a New Years fixture for forty years. This game is the overlooked New Years Day Bowl. This game regularly has top 15 teams. This Bowl has to be one of the more under rated games. This years match up is an example of The RelaQuest Bowl’s quality level is above the their perception.

The Holiday and Sun Bowls are the most underappreciated games. Nearly every year the do an outstanding job of evenly match opponents. The Sun and Holiday Bowl games are regularly decided by the final possession.

Sun Bowl:  Arizona St (8-4) vs. Duke (8-5) Dec 31, 2:00 est (CBS)

 On the Sun Bowl website has their HOF that showcases the best to ever play the game that  includes The NFL! This game is deep in college football history that features blue blood teams on full display.  These two played in the 2014 Sun Bowl. ASU won 36-31. This game will feature power conference ACC Champion Duke. Last conference champion to appear was in 1995 Pac- 10 Co-  Champion Washington.

Holiday Bowl: #21 Arizona (9-3) vs. SMU (8-4)  Jan 2,   8:00, pm est  (FOX)

The Holiday Bowl was created to reward The WAC Champion. Though out the 90’s and 00’s The Holiday Bowl had the PAC-10 Co- Champion play in their game.  The Holiday Bowl has numerous players and coaches in the College HOF. This is the only Non- New Years Bowl that has had a national championship won on their field! Kudos to Fox Network for showcasing this game on Jan 2.

Celebration Bowl: South Carolina St. (8-3) vs. Prairie View A&M (10-3) Dec 13 Noon, est (ABC)

Celebration Bowl winner is HBCU/Black National Champion. This game is chicken soup for the soul. While major college football figure is trying self out. HBCU Football has already archived . In the era of roster poaching, NIL use to bidding for recruits, the 12 team cfp’s degradation of  major college football.

The HBCU showcases pageantry, tradition, world class marching bands/dance teams, passionate game. The HBCU has the simple method: win the conference, win the bowl, win the national championship. Celebration Bowl game atmosphere is like a mini Super Bowl. Throughout the broadcast, significant  HBCU alumni is showcased. A quality bowl game, fun HT entertainment an history education by touting key alumni, what more dose one need?

Best of The Rest

Salute To Veterans Bowl: Troy (8-5) vs. Jax St.(8-5) Dec.16 , 9:00 est (ESPN)

These two long time rivals will be renew “The Battle of The Bell” Trophy for the first time since 2001.In 1924 , both schools administrators  created this  bell trophy to symbolize them as teachers colleges.

Both teams played in their conference championship games.  On paper, the looks like you want to see on the Grid Iron.  Jax St’s  high octane offense and Troy’s tough gritty defense.

Cure Bowl: South Florida (9-3) vs. Old Dominion (9-3)

Dec. 17, 5:00 est (ESPN) First impression may say “This game is an example of ESPN’s lecherous appetite for content.” That might be true but lately, this bowl has scheduled quality teams. Last year’s Cure Bowl (Ohio & Jax St.) was the only bowl to  showcase two conference champions. The 2022 game featured two ranked teams. This Bowl is quietly emerging into a great game annually. This year’s game will have two explosive offenses.

Frisco Bowl: UNLV (10-3) vs. Ohio (8-4)

Dec. 23, 9:00 est (ESPN)

On the mysterious side, Ohio Coach Brian Smith “will be on leave form a undetermined period  beginning December 1.” Ohio DC John Hauser will be the provisional coach.

These two are capable of lighting up the score board. Although they fell sort of a conference championship, Ohio and UNLV isn’t too far behind from becoming the next “Boise”.

Rate Bowl: New Mexico (9-3) vs. Minnesota (7-5)

Dec. 26, 4:30 est (ESPN) This game looked evenly paired. This game might mean more to New Mexico because their aiming for their first 10 win season. Beating a Big Ten team is an added bonus. Don’t expect battle tested Minnesota to make it easy.

Myrtle Beach Bowl: Kennesaw (10-3) vs. WMU (9-4)

Dec. 27, 11:00 est (ESPN) This is the Only bowl game that features Two conference champions! Kennesaw this having a remarkable turn around. Last year they lost ten games. This year won CUSA- There first ever conference championship. The Broncos last MAC Championship came in their 2016 Cotton Bowl season.

Fenway Bowl: UConn (9-3) vs. Army (6-5) Dec. 27, 2:15, est (ESPN)

This game features two scrappy teams that have a history of exceeding expectations. This game will have Lambert “Eastern Champion” Trophy implications.

Pop Tarts Bowl:  #14 BYU (11-2) vs. #22 Georgia Tech (9-3)

Dec. 27, 3:30 est (ABC).  Most of the season these two were ranked in the top 10. Don’t let their late season slip up fool you into dismissing this game. Sure it would be nice if this game was re branded “Pop Tarts Tangerine Bowl”. More Importantly, this game has the makings to be better than the all first round cfp games.

New Mexico Bowl: #23 North Texas (11-2) vs. San Diego St. (9-3) Dec. 27, 5:45 est (ESPN)

 First impression may say “This is another example of bowl over saturation”, not  this year. This game features the #1 scoring offense and the #5 scoring defense!  That’s something that can’t be said about the college football play off.

Birmingham Bowl: Georgia Southern (6-6) vs. Appalachian (5-7). Dec. 29, 2:00 est (ESPN)

It wasn’t too along ago these two were Group 5 Royalty. These two were were achieving 10 win seasons, Bowl victories and Sun Belt Conference championships. When Appalachian and Georgia Southern moved up to the Sun Belt, they instantly boosted this conference’s strength and quality. When JMU moved up to The Sun Belt, they took over as a  G5 Power House. Since then, Georgia Southern and Appalachian have struggled. These two are definitely benefiting from bowl over saturation and team opt outs. This game is a rematch of The “Deeper Than Hate Rivalry”,  Georgia Southern won earlier this season. This rivalry goes back when they were on The  Division 1AA ” Mount Rushmore. These two have a combined nine 1AA National Championships. Winning this Bowl might be what’s needed to change course. Last years Birmingham Bowl had  ACC Georgia Tech and SEC Vanderbilt go down to the wire. Another impressive game could put This Bowl on the rise.

Las Vegas Bowl: #15 Utah (10-2) vs. Nebraska (7-5)

Dec. 31, 12:30 est (ESPN) Nebraska is attempting to pick up wreckage from former AD Shawn Eichorst. This is taking longer than expected. This isn’t the first time a rouge AD choose to wreck this historical blue blood. Steve Pederson, we’re looking in your direction. A win over powerful Utah smash mouth team that (What Nebraska once was) Could be what they need to rebuild. A eleven  win season and a victory over a Big Ten team could put Utah on the path to the next year’s Big 12 title game.