Ranking every 2018-2019 college bowl game by watchability
By Cephas Evans
5. Alamo Bowl – (24) Iowa State vs. (13) Washington State
Mike Leach, the most interesting man in college football, is enough to put this game in the top five. It also helps that it will be one of the best bowl games all year. Washington State’s mustache rocking, gun-slinging quarterback Gardner Minshew brings a lot of entertainment value to the table as well. The Cougars rack up yards and points as quick as any team in the country and always have a trick up their sleeve if the game gets interesting.
At one point, Iowa State was 1-3 and looked poised to finish the season as one of the worst teams in the Big 12. Around that time, the Cyclones promoted true freshman, Broke Purdy, to starting quarterback and completely turned the season around. Purdy, with the help of All-Big 12 running back David Montgomery, led Iowa State to a 7-1 record over their final eight games. It was a remarkable finish and one no one saw coming, but ending the season on a high note may be a little far-fetched.
Washington State will prove to be too dynamic for Cyclones to handle, but they won’t be able to run away with this game. Purdy will show everyone his playmaking ability and make this a tight game, but the Cougars should still come out on top.
4. Dollar General Bowl – Troy vs. Buffalo
Don’t raise your eyebrows seeing the Dollar General Bowl ranked so highly, but it’s always nice to throw a game between two small schools into the mix.
6-foot-7 Buffalo quarterback Tyree Jackson was named the MAC Offensive Player of the Year. He has been the catalyst for the Bulls all season and helped the team average 33.7 points per game. However, Troy has the ability to make things tough on Jackson. On the year, Troy is sacking the opposing quarterback on 9.3 percent of their passing attempts and averages two takeaways per game.
All eyes will be on Jackson and the Troy defensive front. Much of the success Troy’s secondary has had is a result of the team’s defensive line play. If they continue to get after the quarterback with ease, Troy will take down Buffalo by a slim margin.
3. Rose Bowl – (9) Ohio State vs. (6) Washington
The Rose Bowl is always a must-watch game and this year is no exception as it’ll be the last game in the coaching career of Urban Meyer, at least, for now.
The Buckeyes finished the season with a 12-1 record and won the Big Ten Championship, but it was an up and down season for the Buckeyes. After being blown out by Purdue, the Buckeyes went on to perform poorly, but win against mediocre teams, leading up to their showdown with Michigan. In that game, Ohio State completely turned it around and rolled the Wolverines, then followed it up with a big win over Northwestern for the Big Ten title. Quarterback Dwayne Haskins was a Heisman finalist after leading the nation in yards and touchdowns.
Washington quarterback Jake Browning will play in his final college game, but the defense is what really won this team another Pac-12 title. On the year, Washington has held their opponents to 16 points and 305 yards per game, both of which rank in the top-10. Although Ohio State is a high-powered offense, Washington will be one of the few teams who can slow them down for four quarters.
Although many expect the Buckeyes to always put up 40 points, it won’t happen against Washington. This will be one of the closest games out of all New Year’s Six bowls, but the Huskies defense will lead this team to their first Rose Bowl victory since 2001.