With the holiday season in full swing, attention turns to the culmination of an exhilarating college football season. While the countdown officially begins for the College Football Playoff semifinals, four additional bowl games stand out above all others—the non-playoff New Year’s Six games. Selected by the same committee that designates the playoff games, these matchups will unfold on or before New Year’s Day.
This year’s non-playoff New Year’s Six bowl games present intriguing contests: Missouri vs. Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl, Penn State vs. Ole Miss in the Peach Bowl, Florida State vs. Georgia in the Orange Bowl, and Liberty vs. Oregon in the Fiesta Bowl. These games promise to deliver excitement and spectacle as fans eagerly anticipate the action-packed showdowns.
#9 Missouri vs. #7 Ohio State (Cotton Bowl)
The New Year’s Six games kick off on Friday, December 29th at 8:00 PM, with #9 Missouri facing #7 Ohio State at the Cotton Bowl in Arlington, Texas. The first of several Big Ten-SEC matchups in the New Year’s Six, this game provides much intrigue to fans of both teams. Ohio State, after an 11-1 season, looks to rebound after a disappointing loss to Michigan kept them out of the Big Ten championship game and the College Football Playoff. The Buckeyes will have a chance to recover against the Missouri Tigers.
With Kyle McCord having transferred to Syracuse, Devin Brown will have the opportunity to start at quarterback. Brown, initially in contention for the starting job earlier in the season, was eventually relegated to the backup role. Many of OSU’s biggest stars, including star wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., running back TreVeyeon Henderson, tight end Cade Stover, and linebacker Tommy Eichenberg, remain undecided on playing in the bowl game. Other Buckeye stars are either entering the transfer portal or declaring for the NFL draft.
Photo Cred: Cotton Bowl
Meanwhile, Missouri comes in as one of college football’s biggest overachievers, exceeding expectations and boasting a 10-2 record in a competitive Southeastern Conference. This marks the Tigers’ first appearance in the Top 10 since 2013. Mizzou is led by quarterback Brady Cook as well as star running back Cody Schrader. Schrader topped the SEC with 1,499 rushing yards and earned AP All-American first-team honors. They also showcase star receiver Luther Burden III and cornerback Kris Abrams-Draine, both receiving AP All-American team accolades.
Offensive tackle Javon Foster is recognized as a key contributor to an offensive line that was a semifinalist for the Joe Moore Award, annually presented to the best offensive line in college football. With uncertainties surrounding and anticipated opt-outs of several star Ohio State players, Missouri is currently favored by one point, promising an exciting matchup to kick off the New Year’s Six games.
Prediction: Missouri 27, Ohio State 24
#11 Ole Miss vs. #10 Penn State (Peach Bowl)
Next is another Big Ten-SEC matchup, with #11 Ole Miss set to battle #10 Penn State in the Peach Bowl in Atlanta at noon on December 30th. This matchup features two of the best non-playoff teams in the country, both coming off 10-2 seasons. Despite dominating most of their respective conferences, both teams struggled against the toughest opponents on their schedules. The Nittany Lions have been a very good football team over the past few seasons but have failed to get over the hump. They won comfortably in each of their 10 wins, but losses to Ohio State (20-12) and Michigan (24-15) had them struggling mightily on offense against the Big Ten’s top dogs.
Penn State particularly excels on defense, holding opponents to only 11.4 points per game. That is good enough for third in the country, coincidentally behind only Michigan and Ohio State. They also hold opponents to just 223.3 yards per game, which is the lowest in the nation. PSU will be without star defensive end Chop Robinson, who is declaring for the NFL draft. Many other star players, including fellow defensive end Adisa Isaac and star offensive tackle Olu Fashanu, will travel to the game. Fashanu, a projected top-10 NFL draft pick and a consensus All-American on the offensive line, isn’t certain to play but Isaac will.
Photo Cred: Peach Bowl
Ole Miss, on the other hand, boasts a high-flying offense. They are ranked top-20 in the nation with 34.8 points per game and 455.6 yards per game. The Rebels are led by star quarterback Jaxson Dart, who has thrown for nearly 3,000 passing yards, and running back Quinshon Judkins, who has amassed 1,052 yards on the ground. They’ve secured a blend of decisive victories and narrow wins, triumphing over formidable opponents such as LSU, Tulane, and archrival Mississippi State to achieve a double-digit win season. Their two defeats came at the hands of the participants in the SEC championship game: Georgia and Alabama.
This matchup provides much intrigue as it pits two very similar yet different teams against each other. Both are perennially very good but not great teams, yet each has contrasting styles of play. The Nittany Lions enter the game as four-point favorites, boasting the presence of several star players who are scheduled to play in the matchup. The winner of this game will earn their 11th win of the season and a notable triumph over a quality opponent from one of college football’s two most challenging conferences.
Prediction: Penn State 31, Ole Miss 27
#6 Georgia vs. #5 Florida State (Orange Bowl)
Later that afternoon at 4 PM, the two best non-playoff teams will battle it out at the Orange Bowl in Miami. This matchup pits the back-to-back national champions #6 Georgia Bulldogs against the #5 Florida State Seminoles, who narrowly missed the College Football Playoff despite an undefeated season and an ACC championship victory. The injury to FSU’s star quarterback, Jordan Travis, was too much for the CFP selection committee to ignore. They made the unprecedented decision to leave the Seminoles out, which angered many FSU fans and college football fans around the nation. Many of Florida State’s star players, including receiver Keon Coleman, leading rusher Trey Benson, and defensive lineman Jared Verse, are sitting out the bowl game as they are all projected to enter the NFL draft.
Photo Cred: GeorgiaDogs.com
Georgia fans might argue that their team was unfairly excluded from the playoffs. Just a week prior, they were ranked No. 1 in the country, narrowly losing to SEC champion Alabama after finishing the season 12-0. The Bulldogs breezed through their schedule without many challenges, although they had a few close calls with Auburn, Missouri, and Georgia Tech. Star tight end Brock Bowers suffered a midseason injury that limited his play even when he returned down the stretch. The team ultimately fell short to the Crimson Tide in the SEC championship game, costing them a playoff spot. No Georgia players have officially opted out of the Orange Bowl.
However, it is unlikely that Bowers will suit up after a season riddled with injuries, as he is headed to the NFL after this season. With many FSU players opting out and Georgia nearly at full strength, the Bulldogs are massive 14-point favorites in this bowl matchup. This game should still be one to watch, as both teams look to rebound from demoralizing ends to their otherwise stellar seasons. They will each get one more shot before turning the page to 2024.
Prediction: Georgia 31, Florida State 14
#23 Liberty vs. #8 Oregon (Fiesta Bowl)
Ringing in the New Year, one more game awaits before diving into the playoff matchups. It’s the Fiesta Bowl, pitting undefeated Conference USA champion #23 Liberty against #8 Oregon, the Pac-12 conference runners-up. The Flames lead the country in rushing yards, averaging 302.9 yards per game on the ground. In their inaugural appearance in a New Year’s Six game, Liberty makes history as the first Conference USA (C-USA) team to achieve this feat. Liberty, formerly a member of the FCS, ascended to the FBS as an independent before aligning with Conference USA. They’ve experienced notable success along the way. This season, despite a schedule lacking Power Five opponents, Liberty emerged as the highest-ranked Group of Five team in the nation.
Photo Cred: http://www.fiestabowl.org
They face a tough challenge against the Oregon Ducks, whose only two losses came at the hands of the same College Football Playoff team, Washington. Star quarterback Bo Nix will play in the game, which will make Oregon’s high-flying offense hard to stop. On defense, the Ducks have allowed just 97.5 rushing yards per game, which will pose a big challenge to Liberty’s top-ranked rushing offense. Oregon is favored by 17.5 points, as the runner-up Pac-12 team should be favored over the C-USA champion. Commonly, the Conference USA is seen as one of the lesser Group of Five leagues. This game serves as a great appetizer for the playoff action to follow later in the day, providing an intriguing matchup in its own right.
Prediction: Oregon 49, Liberty 17
