College football bowl season begins this weekend, and with 44 games happening over 25 days, there will be plenty of action to keep fans of the sport entertained.
Texas is well represented in the games, with eight schools from the state earning spots in bowl games.
Below will be a preview of the eight bowl games featuring Texas schools:
New Mexico Bowl: Fresno State (9-3) vs. UTEP (7-5)
When: Saturday, December 18 at 2:15 p.m.
Where: Dreamstyle Stadium in Albuquerque, New Mexico
The University of Texas at El Paso’s (UTEP) 7-5 record matched their highest win total since 2014 when the school last appeared in a bowl game. That year, the Miners also went to the New Mexico Bowl, losing to Utah State 21-6. If UTEP wins, it would be their first bowl win since the 1967 Sun Bowl.
Fresno State will make their third-ever appearance in the New Mexico Bowl and 30th overall bowl game appearance in program history. The Bulldogs enter the game, having won five of its last six games en route to its 9-3 record on the year.
Frisco Bowl: No. 24 San Diego State (11-2) vs. UTSA (12-1)
When: Tuesday, December 21 at 7:30 p.m.
Where: Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas
The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) has a chance to finish the school’s most successful season in program history on a high note. Entering the game as champions of Conference USA, the Roadrunners have won 15 of their last 17 games overall.
San Diego State is making its 11th bowl game appearance in the last 12 seasons and second in the Frisco Bowl. The Aztecs fell 27-0 to Ohio University in the 2018 edition of the Frisco Bowl.
Frisco Football Classic: Miami (Ohio) (6-6) vs. North Texas (6-6)
When: Thursday, December 23 at 3:30 p.m.
Where: Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas
North Texas made an improbable run to reach its fourth bowl game in the last five seasons. After losing six of their first seven games, the Mean Green now enter their bowl game on a five-game win streak. Their win streak includes a 45-23 win over then-undefeated UTSA on November 27. A win in the inaugural Frisco Football Classic would be the program’s fourth bowl win in its history.
Miami (OH) will play in its second bowl game in the last three seasons. In 2019, the RedHawks appeared in the Lending Tree Bowl, where they lost 27-17 against Louisiana.
Birmingham Bowl: No. 20 Houston (11-2) vs. Auburn (6-6)
When: Tuesday, December 28 at 12 p.m.
Where: Protective Stadium in Birmingham, Alabama
Houston’s two losses came in the season opener against Texas Tech and against No. 4 Cincinnati in the American Athletic Conference championship game in its most recent game. This will be the Cougars’ second appearance in the Birmingham Bowl; their first appearance was in 2014 when they lost 41-24 against Vanderbilt.
Auburn gets to stay in-state, meaning they will undoubtedly have most of the fan support. This will be the Tigers’ second appearance in the Birmingham Bowl, the first coming in 2016 when they beat Memphis 31-10.
Liberty Bowl: Texas Tech (6-6) vs. Mississippi State (7-5)
When: Tuesday, December 28 at 6:45 p.m.
Where: Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium in Memphis, Tennessee
Texas Tech will face a familiar opponent in the Liberty Bowl. Mississippi State’s head coach is Mike Leach, who coached the Red Raiders for ten years from 2000-2009 before the school fired him. This will be the Red Raiders’ first-ever appearance in the Liberty Bowl and their 39th all-time bowl game appearance. Texas Tech had not appeared in a bowl game since 2017.
Mississippi State went 4-4 in Southeastern Conference (SEC) play in Leach’s second season in charge. This is the school’s 12th consecutive season where they have earned a spot in a bowl game. Leach will be coaching against the Red Raiders for the first time since he was fired.
Fenway Bowl: Virginia (6-6) vs. SMU (8-4)
When: Wednesday, December 29 at 11 a.m.
Where: Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts
Like North Texas, SMU is playing in an inaugural bowl game. The Fenway Bowl will be SMU’s 19th bowl game in program history and give the Mustangs a chance to regain some early season success. SMU started the season 7-0 but lost four of its last five games and lost head coach Sonny Dykes to cross-town rivals TCU.
Virginia went 4-4 in Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) play and is playing in its 22nd all-time bowl game in program history. The matchup between the Mustangs and Cavaliers will be the first-ever between the two teams.
Gator Bowl: No. 17 Wake Forest (10-3) vs. No. 25 Texas A&M (8-4)
When: Friday, December 31 at 11 a.m.
Where: TIAA Bank Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida
Texas A&M had one of the best wins in all of college football this season, when they handed the defending champions and current No. 1 Alabama its only loss of the season on October 9. The Aggies have won their last three bowl game appearances and will play its bowl game in Florida for the third time in four years.
This season Wake Forest achieved their highest ever AP Top 25 ranking when they reached the No. 10 spot. They got that ranking after completing school’s best-ever start to a season at 8-0. This will be their second appearance in the Gator Bowl. They also played in the inaugural game in 1946 in a victory over South Carolina.
Sugar Bowl: No. 7 Baylor (11-2) vs. No. 8 Ole Miss (10-2)
When: Saturday, January 1 at 8:45 p.m.
Where: Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana
Baylor is making its second appearance in the Sugar Bowl in the last three seasons after winning the Big 12 Championship. Baylor is appearing in its 10th bowl in the previous 12 years behind one of the more balanced offensives in the nation. The team averages 214.7 rushing yards and 216.0 passing yards per game.
Ole Miss’ ten regular-season wins is a program record. The Rebels are led by the nation’s fourth-ranked offense in the country, averaging 506.7 yards and 35.9 points per game. This will be just the second-ever meeting between Baylor and Ole Miss. The Bears won the only previous contest, 20-10, on Sept. 6, 1975, in Waco.
Photograph: North Texas defensive lineman Dion Colvin (97) recovers a fumble against SMU during an NCAA football game on September 11, 2021, in Dallas, TX. (Image from Manny Flores for MeanGreenSports.com)
