GLENDALE, Ariz. — The Fiesta Bowl has a strong history of producing marquee matchups, highlighted by the double-overtime thriller between Boise State and Oklahoma in 2007.
This year’s game has a chance to be the best of the bunch.
Ohio State and Notre Dame, two teams in the College Football Playoff mix until late in the season, will meet at University of Phoenix Stadium on New Year’s Day.
It won’t be for a national championship, as both teams had hoped, but it’s sure to be one of the most anticipated games of the bowl season.
Defending national champion Ohio State (11-1) began the season at No. 1 in The Associated Press Top 25 and remained there through the first 10 weeks despite inconsistent play from its two talented quarterbacks.
The Buckeyes were in good shape despite being overtaken by Clemson after the initial playoff rankings were released, remaining in the top four until late in the season.
They just picked the wrong time to lose, falling to Michigan State on a last-second field goal in their penultimate game. That dropped Ohio State in the pecking order of one-loss teams behind playoff teams Alabama, Michigan State and Oklahoma, which all lost earlier in the season.
The Buckeyes still had an outside shot at the playoff heading into the final weekend, but the teams ahead of them all won. Ohio State finished No. 7 in the final CFP rankings, behind fellow one-loss Big Ten teams Michigan State and Iowa.
Notre Dame (10-2) was in strong contention for a playoff spot after winning nine of its first 10 games, its only loss to top-ranked Clemson after failing to convert a game-tying 2-point conversion in the closing seconds.
Beat Stanford on Nov. 28 and the Irish would have had a decent chance at being in the playoff, entering the game No. 6 in the CFP rankings. Instead, they allowed the Cardinal to march down the field for a last-second field goal to end their chances. Notre Dame finished No. 8 in the final CFP rankings.
The late-season letdowns worked out well for the Fiesta Bowl, giving it another must-watch matchup.
Rose Bowl
PASADENA, Calif. — Iowa and Stanford barely missed out on the College Football Playoff.
The Rose Bowl is a pretty great consolation prize.
The Hawkeyes (12-1, No. 5 CFP) will face the Cardinal (11-2, No. 6 CFP) on Jan. 1 in the 102nd edition of the Granddaddy of Them All, Rose Bowl officials announced Sunday.
Iowa and Stanford finished in the final two rankings spots outside the four-team playoff, yet they earned coveted spots in the traditional year-end intersectional matchup between the Big Ten and Pac-12 powers.
Even though the Hawkeyes lost their unbeaten season and the Big Ten title game to Michigan State on a late touchdown Saturday night, they still held off Ohio State to earn their first trip to Pasadena since Jan. 1, 1991. Coach Kirk Ferentz will cap his 17th season at Iowa with his first Rose Bowl appearance.
While the Hawkeyes hadn’t made the Rose Bowl in a generation, Pasadena has become a second home for Stanford coach David Shaw’s improbable Bay Area powerhouse.
The Cardinal earned their third Rose Bowl berth in four years by beating Southern California 41-22 in the Pac-12 title game on Saturday night. Stanford beat Wisconsin three years ago to earn its first Rose Bowl victory since the 1971 season, but lost to Michigan State two years ago.
Stanford also had hopes of a playoff spot after finishing the season with big wins over Notre Dame and USC, but conference title game victories by Clemson and Alabama consigned the Cardinal to Pasadena.
“If the worst thing we do is go to the Rose Bowl, I think that’s pretty cool,” Shaw said after beating the Trojans.
Although both football programs date to the 19th century, Iowa and Stanford have never faced each other.
Sugar Bowl
Mississippi (9-3, SEC, No. 12 CFP) vs Oklahoma State (10-2, Big 12, No. 16 CFP), Jan. 1, 8:30 p.m. EST
LOCATION: New Orleans
TOP PLAYERS
Mississippi: QB Chad Kelly. Led the Southeastern Conference with 3,740 yards passing and 27 touchdowns.
Oklahoma State: WR James Washington. He’s caught 52 passes for 1,077 yards and 10 touchdowns.
NOTABLE
Mississippi: The Rebels have 6,177 yards of total offense this season which is a school record. Ole Miss has returned four interceptions for touchdowns this season, which ties a school record set in 1938.
Oklahoma State: Defensive lineman Emmanuel Ogbah has 13 sacks this season, which ranks fourth in the country. The Oklahoma State offense is efficient in the red zone, converting on 51 of 55 opportunities (92.7 percent), including 38 touchdowns.
LAST TIME
Mississippi 21, Oklahoma State 7. (Jan. 2, 2010 in Cotton Bowl)
BOWL HISTORY
Mississippi: First appearance in the Sugar Bowl since 1970, 37th bowl appearance overall.
Oklahoma State: First appearance in the Sugar Bowl since 1946, 26th bowl appearance overall.
Outback Bowl
By The Associated Press
Northwestern (10-2, Big Ten) vs Tennessee (8-4, SEC), Jan. 1, Noon.
LOCATION: Tampa, Fla.
TOP PLAYERS
Northwestern: RB Justin Jackson, who leads the Big Ten in attempts (298) and ranks second in yards (1,344).
Tennessee: QB Josh Dobbs, who has accounted for 25 touchdowns (15 passing, 9 rushing, 1 receiving).
NOTABLE
Northwestern: Has five consecutive wins, with four of those decided by seven points or less. … Averaged less than 2.0 yards a carry in consecutive losses to Michigan and Iowa in October.
Tennessee: Also has won five straight. … Four losses have come by a combined 17 points to teams with a combined record of 39-8, including two College Football Playoff teams (Alabama, Oklahoma).
LAST TIME
Tennessee 48, Northwestern 28 (Jan. 1, 1997).
BOWL HISTORY
Northwestern: Making 12th bowl appearance and second straight in Florida. … Last trip to the Sunshine State — the 2013 TaxSlayer Bowl — resulted in first postseason victory since 1949.
Tennessee: Earned consecutive bowl trips under same coach for the first time since 2006-07. … Has a 16-16 record all-time in January bowls.
Citrus Bowl
By The Associated Press
Michigan (9-3, Big Ten) vs Florida (10-3, SEC), Jan. 1, 1 p.m.
LOCATION: Orlando, Fla.
TOP PLAYERS
Michigan: DB Jabrill Peppers, a versatile sophomore who has started at cornerback and strong safety, and also plays offense and returns kicks.
Florida: DT Jon Bullard, a senior who has 63 tackles, including a team-leading 17 ½ for loss and 6 ½ sacks.
NOTABLE
Michigan: Lost three of four against ranked teams. … Ranks fourth nationally in red-zone efficiency, with 33 touchdowns and 13 field goals in 49 trips inside the 20-yard line.
Florida: Dropped two straight, scoring just one offensive touchdown in losses to Florida State and Alabama. … Offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier faces his former team. Nussmeier spent 2014 with the Wolverines.
LAST TIME
Michigan 41, Florida 35 (Jan. 1, 2008).
BOWL HISTORY
Michigan: Is 3-1 in the Citrus Bowl and 8-6 in bowls played in the Sunshine State. … Has won just three of last 11 bowl games, with two of those coming against the Gators.
Florida: Won seven of last nine bowl games. … Winless in three games against teams from the Great Lake State, losing to Michigan State in 2000 (Citrus Bowl) and to Michigan in 2003 (Outback Bowl) and 2008 (Capital One Bowl).
Sun Bowl
By The Associated Press
Miami (8-4, ACC) vs. Washington State (8-4, Pac-12), Dec. 26, 2 p.m.
LOCATION: El Paso, Texas
TOP PLAYERS
Miami: Quarterback Brad Kaaya, 15 touchdowns and 4 interceptions.
Washington State: Quarterback Luke Falk, 4,266 yards passing.
NOTABLE
Miami: The Hurricanes have won four of their last five games under interim coach Larry Scott following the firing of former coach Al Golden. New coach Mark Richt isn’t expected to coach Miami in the bowl game.
Washington State: Coach Mike Leach’s Air Raid offense has found an ideal signal caller in Falk, the sophomore who leads the country with an average of 387.8 yards passing per game. Falk has thrown for 36 touchdowns and only eight interceptions this season, and he’s expected to return after missing the Cougars loss to rival Washington with an apparent concussion.
LAST TIME
First meeting.
BOWL HISTORY
Miami: The Hurricanes were last in the Sun Bowl in 2010, and the school is making its third straight bowl game appearance.
Washington State: The Cougars last played in the Sun Bowl in 2001, beating Purdue 33-27, and they are in a bowl for the second time in the last three seasons under Leach, who is making his return to Texas after leaving Texas Tech after the 2009 season.
C-FBC—Military Bowl-Matchup
BC-FBC—Military Bowl-Matchup,165
Military Bowl
By The Associated Press
Navy (9-2) vs. Pittsburgh (8-4), Dec. 28, 2:30 p.m.
LOCATION: Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, Annapolis, Maryland
TOP PLAYERS
Navy: QB Keenan Reynolds has 1,093 yards rushing, 964 yards passing. He has 19 TD runs, 6 TD passes.
Pittsburgh: WR Tyler Boyd has 85 catches for 873 yards and six TDs.
NOTABLE
Navy: The Midshipmen haven’t completed their regular season yet. They face Army on Saturday in Philadelphia. … Reynolds has a Football Bowl Subdivision record 83 career touchdown runs.
Pittsburgh: The Panthers got off to a 6-1 start but have lost three of their last five games. Their eight wins represent their highest regular-season total since 2009,
LAST TIME
Navy 23, Pittsburgh 21 on Oct. 26, 2013.
BOWL HISTORY
Navy: Second appearance in Military Bowl (last one came in 2008 when it was known as the EagleBank Bowl), 12th bowl appearance in last 13 seasons.
Pittsburgh: This is the Panthers’ eighth straight season with a bowl appearance but their first trip to the Military Bowl.
