Just when you thought college football was over for the season, think again. It is bowl season, baby! Pretty much every team that had a winning record or finished at .500 (6-6) is blessed to be playing in a holiday season bowl. Not only are the matchups ones you rarely get during the regular season, but players get to travel to new and cool places to play in these games. It is all about getting better, too.
Besides national exposure and a really cool opportunity for the kids playing in these games, the single most important thing that comes from being able to play in a bowl game is conducting bowl game practices. It affords these "top-half" college football teams opportunities to get better as players, as well as coaches. It is a great way for the people associated with a program to level up.
With Saturday, Dec. 16 being the first day bowl season commences, there will be plenty of Group of Five teams and a few Power Five teams playing this weekend. Sunday is still reserved for the NFL, although the NFL will shamelessly step onto the college game's turf beginning this weekend. It may not be the best football you can consume, but college football is still better than no football at all.
Here is a list of the games being played on Saturday, as well as the final results as the games finish.
College football bowl schedule and results for Saturday, Dec. 16
Some of these bowl games overlap, but you should be able to flip back and forth between ESPN and ABC just fine. Every game will be on a Disney property, as well as able to stream over on ESPN+.
11:00 a.m. ET start time
- Myrtle Beach Bowl: Georgia Southern Eagles vs. Ohio Bobcats (ESPN/ESPN+)
- Ohio 41, Georgia Southern 21
12:00 p.m. ET start time
- Cricket Celebration Bowl: Howard Bison vs. Florida A&M Rattlers (ABC/ESPN+)
- Florida A&M 30, Howard 26
2:15 p.m. ET start time
- R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl: Jacksonville State Gamecocks vs. Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns (ESPN/ESPN+)
- Jacksonville State 34, Louisiana 31 (OT)
3:30 p.m. ET start time
- Avocados From Mexico Bowl: Miami (OH) RedHawks vs. Appalachian State Mountaineers (ABC/ESPN+)
- Appalachian State 13, Miami (OH) 9
5:45 p.m. ET start time
- Isleta New Mexico Bowl: New Mexico State Aggies vs. Fresno State Bulldogs (ESPN/ESPN+)
- Fresno State 37, New Mexico State 10
7:30 p.m. ET start time
- Starco Brands LA Bowl: UCLA Bruins vs. Boise State Broncos (ABC/ESPN+)
- UCLA 35, Boise State 22
9:15 p.m. ET
- Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl: California Golden Bears vs. Texas Tech Red Raiders (ESPN/ESPN+)
- Texas Tech 34, California 14
No matter the results of the games, these are the type of moments and events that make college football so very special. To be able to go to somewhere new to play a team you probably were never going to face anytime else with your buddies is pretty cool. With all the hard work put in during the regular season, bowl games are a great way to cap off a successful year for all the teams' seasons.
We're only getting started. You have some more bowl games to watch, you crazy college football fan.