Bowl season is a very exciting time of year for a college football fan. Held after the regular season, the bowl games set the best-performing teams against one another for some of the sport’s most prestigious honours. Complicated formulas determine which teams will be selected for each bowl game, based on the various conference tie-ins for the games and the season records of all the eligible teams. That process is now complete for this year, and all the matchups are set – so which games are most eagerly anticipated this bowl season?
Alamo Bowl (29 December 2022)
Alamodome, San Antonio, Texas
This year the Valero Alamo Bowl will see Texas take on Washington, with both teams hoping their star QBs can guide them to victory. Michael Penix Jr. is the leading passer in college play this season, throwing over 4,300 yards with 29 touchdowns, and has confirmed that he will stay with the Huskies in 2023. Quinn Ewers has less spectacular numbers for Texas, but his potential is sky-high, and this game should be high-scoring and full of great offensive plays. Tickets are available from USD $87.
Orange Bowl (30 December 2022)
Hard Rock Stadium, Miami, Florida
In the most orange of all Orange Bowls, Clemson will face Tennessee in Miami. This is a big-hitting contest between 2 of the strongest offences in college football. Tennessee were optimistic for a CFP place until late in the season, and their offence was the highest ranked of any team this year. Clemson, meanwhile, are beginning a new era at QB after Cade Klubnik stepped in to lead the Tigers to an ACC Championship victory. Expect this game to be one of the most explosive and energetic of all the bowls. Tickets are available from USD $138.
Peach Bowl (CFP Semifinal) (31 December 2022)
Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia
Both College Football Playoff semifinals will be crucial to the season, but one certainly looks the more exciting contest. While most fans are expecting Michigan to cruise past TCU in the Fiesta Bowl, the Peach Bowl will see Georgia battle it out with Ohio State in a true heavyweight matchup. The Bulldogs are undefeated this season and must be confident about defending their CFP National Championship. The Buckeyes are rarely the underdogs, and they should certainly be the toughest test Georgia has faced so far. Tickets are available from USD $371.
Citrus Bowl (2 January 2023)
Camping World Stadium, Orlando, Florida
Both LSU and Purdue lost their conference championships, but there is little shame in that when their respective opponents were the number 1 and 2 ranked teams in college football. The Cheez-It Citrus Bowl is a chance for the Tigers and the Boilermakers to show how they made it to those championship games in the first place. Brian Kelly’s first season at LSU has exceeded expectations already, and Purdue have also enjoyed a far better season than fans would have predicted in the summer. Tickets are available from USD $87.
Bowl season is always full of drama – don't miss out this year!