College football bowl rankings: No. 29 to No. 22
College football bowl season gets underway Saturday and this year we're treated to a total of 39 games, including the the national championship.
Every day this week, we're counting down the bowl games ranked by watchability. We do recommend you watch every game – because it's you know, college football – but let this be your unofficial guide to the postseason.
Tuesday's edition features a couple of the nation's top individual performers, Penn State's return to a bowl game and Florida's first game without former coach Will Muschamp.
29. Famous Idaho Potato Bowl
— Matchup: Air Force (9-3) vs. Western Michigan (8-4)
— Time, TV: Dec. 20, 5:45 p.m., ESPN
— Reason to watch: Both teams made remarkable turnarounds from the 2013 season, which saw Air Force go 2-10 and Western Michigan finish 1-11. The Falcons' typically strong ground game will be tested against a Broncos defense that finished in the top half of the country against the run. Western Michigan is 0-5 all time in bowl games.
28. TaxSlayer Bowl
— Matchup: Iowa (7-5) vs. Tennessee (6-6)
— Time, TV: Jan. 2, 3:20 p.m., ESPN
— Reason to watch: The Hawkeyes lost three of their last four and didn't beat an FBS team that finished with a winning record. Tennessee is playing in its first bowl game since 2010 and in fairness, five of its six losses did come against ranked teams. That being said, the offense was anemic, finishing 76th in scoring.
27. San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl
— Matchup: San Diego State (7-5) vs. Navy (7-5)
— Time, TV: Dec. 23, 9:30 p.m., ESPN
— Reason to watch: San Diego State running back Donnel Pumphrey was third in the nation with 1,755 yards, including 261 in the season finale. Navy finished strong, going 5-1 to finish the season. Quarterback Keenan Reynolds struggled with injuries but averaged 158.8 rushing yards with 13 rushing touchdowns in the final five games.
26. Quick Lane Bowl
— Matchup: Rutgers (7-5) vs. North Carolina (6-6)
— Time, TV: Dec. 26, 4:30 p.m., ESPN
— Reason to watch: The Scarlet Knights exceeded expectations in their inaugural Big Ten season, starting 5-1 before hitting the meat of its schedule. A stunning comeback win at Maryland in the regular season finale gives Rutgers some momentum heading into the postseason. Wide receiver Leonte Carroo was second in the conference with 1,043 yards and six 100-yard games. The Tar Heels started the season ranked, but dug themselves into a hole with a 2-4 start. After a preseason quarterback controversy, Marquise Williams blossomed into a star, throwing 20 touchdown passes and rushing for 12 more.
25. TicketCity Cactus Bowl
— Matchup: Washington (8-5) vs. Oklahoma State (6-6)
— Time, TV: Jan. 2, 10:15 p.m., ESPN
— Reason to watch: In its first year under Chris Petersen, Washington struggled against elite competition, losing all five of its games against ranked teams. The Huskies' dynamic Shaq Thompson is the main attraction here, as one of the nation's top linebackers as well as the team's third-leading rusher. After starting 5-1, the Cowboys lost five in a row before beating rival Oklahoma to become bowl eligible. Their defense gave up 32 points per game, so this one could be a shootout.
24. Military Bowl
— Matchup: Cincinnati (9-3) vs. Virginia Tech (6-6)
— Time, TV: Dec. 27, 1 p.m., ESPN
— Reason to watch: Aside from the upset of Ohio State, 2014 was a miserable season for the Hokies. Frank Beamer's team lost four times at home and needed to win the season finale to become bowl eligible. Virginia Tech gave up just 20.4 points per game and faces off against the AAC co-champions, led by quarterback Gunner Kiel, who threw 30 touchdown passes in his first season.
23. New Era Pinstripe Bowl
— Matchup: Boston College (7-5) vs. Penn State (6-6)
— Time, TV: Dec. 27, 4:30 p.m., ESPN
— Reason to watch: The Nittany Lions make their return to the postseason after a ban that lasted two seasons. Quarterback Christian Hackenberg had a major sophomore slump, throwing just eight touchdown passes with 15 interceptions. The Eagles averaged 251.8 yards per game on the ground and Penn State boasts the No. 1 rushing defense in the country, making for an intriguing matchup in the trenches.
22. Birmingham Bowl
— Matchup: East Carolina (8-4) vs. Florida (6-5)
— Time, TV: Jan. 3, 1 p.m., ESPN2
— Reason to watch: The Pirates were a popular pick for the Group of Five berth, but lost three of their last five games to fall out of contention. Quarterback Shane Carden had a monster year with 4,309 yards. For the Gators, they'll look to start the post-Muschamp era on a high note, with returning players out to impress new head coach Jim McElwain.
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