Previewing Saturday’s College Football Bowl Games
Cody Kessler and the USC Trojans will look to finish their season with a win over Nebraska.
Bowl games continue to come thick and fast this festive period with plenty of college football action scheduled for Saturday.
Betting Sports brings you a rundown of the five games on today’s slate. Click through the applicable links to get the latest odds and trends.
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Military Bowl presented by Northrop Grumman
Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, Annapolis, MD (1:00 p.m. ET)
Cincinnati vs. Virginia Tech
Saturday’s curtain raiser sees Cincinnati (9-3, 7-1 American) square off against Virginia Tech (6-6, 3-5 ACC) in the Military Bowl.
Cincinnati finished the regular season tied for first place in the American Athletic Conference, winning seven straight to close out the campaign. After losing to North Carolina in last year’s Belk Bowl, Tommy Tuberville will look to lead his team to a victory over another ACC side this year.
After an inconsistent season, only a win over lowly Virginia in the final game assured Virginia Tech of bowl eligibility. Now the Hokies will look to finish the year on a high.
The matchup between once common foes – the teams met six times between 1985 and 1995 – marks the 10th overall head-to-head meeting between the schools. The Hokies have won five of the last seven head-to-head meetings. The Bearcats were victorious the last time the two schools met (Sept. 2012).
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Hyundai Sun Bowl
Sun Bowl, El Paso, TX (2:00 p.m. ET)
Arizona State vs. Duke
Two teams that didn’t quite stay the course during the regular season collide Saturday as Arizona State (9-3, 6-3 Pac-12) plays Duke (9-3, 5-3 ACC) in the Sun Bowl.
Arizona State stayed in the hunt for the Pac-12 South Division title for much of the season before ultimately falling off the pace at the end of the year. The Sun Devils are making their fourth straight bowl appearance, and their fifth Sun Bowl appearance. The team is 2-1-1 in the Sun Bowl.
Likewise, Duke was in contention for the ACC Coastal Division before a pair of costly losses in November. The Blue Devils will compete in a bowl game for the third straight win, and will be looking to snap a four-game bowl losing streak that dates back to 1989.
The two schools will meet for the very first time on Saturday afternoon.
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Duck Commander Independence Bowl
Independence Stadium, Shreveport, LA (3:30 p.m. ET)
Miami (FL) vs. South Carolina
Miami (6-6, 3-5 ACC) and South Carolina (6-6, 3-5 SEC) will meet for the first time in 27 years Saturday as the two sides head for Shreveport and an Independence Bowl showdown.
In the eyes of many, South Carolina had the most disappointing season of any school in the FBS. Expected to contend at least for an SEC East title if not the conference title itself, Steve Spurrier’s side limped through the season. Had it not been for some soft out-of-conference scheduling, the team might not have been bowl eligible. The Gamecocks will look to put the misery of the regular season behind them with a bowl victory.
Like South Carolina, Miami was expected to compete for its division title and perhaps a shot at unseating Florida State at the top of the ACC, but the Hurricanes’ inconsistent season and late fall off meant the team had no other date than a bowl game in December.
Between 1949 and 1987, the Hurricanes won eight straight against the Gamecocks. Can they breathe new life into that winning streak on Saturday?
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New Era Pinstripe Bowl
Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY (4:30 p.m. ET)
Boston College vs. Penn State
Old foes meet in new surroundings Saturday as Boston College (7-5, 4-4 ACC) goes head-to-head with Penn State (6-6, 2-6 Big Ten) at Yankee Stadium.
The Eagles and Nittany Lions were once regular opponents, with the schools meeting on an annual basis between 1981 and 1992. All told, Penn State leads the series 19-4, but BC won the last three showdowns, including the most recent in 2004.
Penn State will look to bounce back from a tough year in the Big Ten with a triumphant return to bowl action. Boston College meanwhile will look to follow up another solid season with a crowd-pleasing win over the Lions.
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National University Holiday Bowl
Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, CA (8:00 p.m. ET)
Nebraska vs. Southern California
Saturday’s headline game sees the Big Ten and Pac-12 collide in San Diego as Nebraska (9-3, 5-3 Big Ten) faces Southern California (8-4, 6-3 Pac-12).
Through October, Nebraska looked like a genuine threat in the Big Ten’s West Division but back-to-back losses to Wisconsin and Minnesota – the two sides that would finish ahead of the Cornhuskers – put paid to any championship hopes. They also cost head coach Bo Pelini his job. Now the Huskers will look to find a way to finish the season on a positive note.
Like Nebraska, Southern California was expected to be a contender in the Pac-12 but ultimately came up short after some untimely losses. The Trojans did earn a rivalry win over Notre Dame to close out the regular season, which was more than a consolation for home fans. A win over Nebraska would add another layer to that consolation, not to mention give the team something to build upon heading into next season.
In five meetings, Nebraska has never beaten USC, going 0-4-1. Will Saturday be the day the Cornhuskers finally break the Trojan horse?
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