Bowl Season, 2021
I’m again presenting a hypothetical bowl schedule as if it were just cut down to the essential (and classic) bowls.
And once again, I want to reiterate that I’m not trying to say that I wish this is the way things still were — I just think it’s fun to see how the old way of doing things (conference tie-ins, etc.) might shake out if that was still the M.O. today.
BOWLS:
Rose Bowl Game (Est. 1902)
#2 Michigan (12-1) vs. #15 Oregon (10-3)
New Years Day
Pasadena, CA
Sugar Bowl (Est. 1934)
#1 Alabama (12-1) vs. #3 Georgia (12-1)
New Years Day
New Orleans, LA
Orange Bowl (Est. 1935)
#9 Oklahoma State (11-2) vs. #11 Michigan State (10-2)
New Years Day
Miami, FL
Cotton Bowl Classic (Est. 1937)
#6 Baylor (11-2) vs. #7 Ohio State (10-2)
New Years Day
Dallas, TX
Gator Bowl (Est. 1946)
#8 Ole Miss (8-3) vs. #14 Oklahoma (10-2)
New Years Day
Gainesville, FL
Tangerine Bowl (Est. 1947)
#4 Cincinnati (13-0) vs. #5 Notre Dame (11-1)
New Years Day
Orlando, FL
Sun Bowl (Est. 1935)
#20 Wake Forest (10-3) vs. San Diego State (12-2)
New Years Eve
El Paso, TX
Peach Bowl (Est. 1968)
#19 Clemson (9-3) vs. #25 Kentucky (9-3)
New Years Eve
Atlanta, GA
Copper Bowl (Est. 1989)
#12 BYU (10-2) vs. #16 Louisiana (12-1)
New Years Eve
Tucson, AZ
Fiesta Bowl (Est. 1971)
#10 Utah (10-3) vs. #13 Pittsburgh (11-2)
Last week of December
Tempe, AZ
Liberty Bowl (Est. 1959)
Army (9-4) vs. Minnesota (9-4)
Memphis, TN
Bluebonnet Bowl (Est. 1959)
#21 Houston (11-2) vs. #22 Arkansas (8-4)
Houston, TX
Independence Bowl (Est. 1976)
#17 Iowa (10-3) vs. #22 Texas A&M (8-4)
Shreveport, LA
Hall of Fame Bowl (Est. 1977)
#18 NC State (9-3) vs. #24 UTSA (12-1)
Tampa, FL
Holiday Bowl (Est. 1978)
Wisconsin (8-4) vs. Mississippi State (7-6)
San Diego, CA
Aloha Bowl (Est. 1982)
Purdue (8-4) vs. Appalachian State (10-3)
Christmas Day
Honolulu, HI