Bowl schedule for college football’s 2023-2024 postseason, with 1 game to watch each day

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

There are a lot of bowl games, so we picked the best one for each day of bowl season

Including the National Championship Game, there are 43 college football bowl games set to be played this bowl season. It all gets started with the Myrtle Beach Bowl on December 16, working all the way to the National Championship Game on January 8, 2024.

That … is a lot of football to watch.

Now, we do not know your exact schedule dear reader for the next few weeks. Perhaps you are lucky enough that you can devote the time it will take to watch all 43 games. Assuming three hours per game — which with commercials and extended halftime shows might be accurate — that is 129 hours of football.

That is over five days of football.

THAT’S A LOT OF FOOTBALL.

We all lead busy lives. You might not have a five-day work week to devote to watching college football. So what we have done is picked out the one game for each day of bowl season that you should make sure and watch. For some days, where there is just one bowl game, the choices are easy. (Although on some of those days you might want to watch an NFL game instead, as we have highlighted).

But for some other days, it was really hard.

So without further ado, here is the best bowl game for each day of bowl season.

Saturday, December 16

Myrtle Beach Bowl
Georgia Southern (6-6) v. Ohio (9-3) – 11:00 a.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN App

Cricket Celebration Bowl
Howard (6-6) v. Florida A&M (11-1) – 12:00 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN App

R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl
Louisiana (6-6) v. Jacksonville State (8-4) – 2:15 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN App

Avocados from Mexico Cure Bowl
Appalachian State (8-5) v.Miami(OH) (11-2) – 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN App

Isleta New Mexico Bowl
New Mexico State (10-4) v. Fresno State (8-4) – 5:45 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN App

LA Bowl
Boise State (8-5) v. UCLA (7-5) – 7:30 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN App

Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl
Texas Tech (6-6) v. California (6-6) – 9:15 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN All

The Cricket Celebration Bowl is an event. Both on the field, and off. It is the perfect way to kick off both bowl season, as well as the overall holiday season.

Monday, December 18

Famous Toastery Bowl
Western Kentucky (7-5) v. Old Dominion (6-6) – 2:30 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN App

This is the only bowl game of the day, so this is the only option you’ve got. However, if you have room for just one football game on this day, you might want to save that for Monday Night Football between the Seattle Seahawks and Philadelphia Eagles.

Tuesday, December 19

Scooter’s Coffee Frisco Bowl
Marshall (6-6) v. UTSA (8-4) – 9:00 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN App

Again, this is your only option. But UTSA is fun! So maybe check this one out.

Thursday, December 21

RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl
South Florida (6-6) v. Syracuse (6-6) – 8:00 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN App

This game is up against Thursday Night Football, which features the New Orleans Saints against the Los Angeles Rams. Matthew Stafford has the Rams in the playoff hunt, and rookie WR Puka Nacua is a joy to watch. Plus, Jameis Winston might be getting the start here — given the Derek Carr injury — so Winston in the starting lineup with the Saints fighting for their playoff lives? Tremendous content.

So you could watch that game, or a battle of 6-6 teams.

Friday, December 22

Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl
UCF (6-6) v. Duke (7-5) – 6:30 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN App

Each bowl season there is a day — or night — that you have to just sit out. The juice is not worth the squeeze, or perhaps more accurately, the grief from the rest of the family that you might get for sitting around the TV watching college football is not worth it.

This is that day.

Saturday, December 23

Birmingham Bowl
Georgia Tech (6-6) v. Troy (11-2) – 12:00 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN App

Camellia Bowl
Arkansas State (6-6) v. Northern Illinois (6-6) – 12:00 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN App

Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl
James Madison (11-1) v. Air Force (8-4) – 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN App

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl
Utah State (6-6) v. Georgia State (6-6) – 3:30 p.m. ET ESPN/ESPN App

68 Ventures Bowl
South Alabama (6-6) v. Eastern Michigan (6-6) – 7:00 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN App

SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl
Northwestern (7-5) v. Utah (8-4) – 7:30 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN App

EasyPost Hawai’i Bowl
San Jose State (7-5) vs. Coastal Carolina (7-5) – 10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN App

This one seems like an easy pick to us: If you have time for just one game on December 23, make it the Armed Forces Bowl. One of the more fascinating subplots to this entire college football season comes to us from James Madison. At one point this year, the Dukes were 10-0, and threatening legal action against the NCAA to become bowl eligible. Why? Because the school is in their second year of a transition to the FBS from the FCS, and under current rules such schools are ineligible for bowl games for two years.

However, when not enough teams qualified for a bowl game, exceptions were made. James Madison is now headed to their first bowl game in school history, as is Jacksonville State under a similar exception. So tune in to see the Dukes in their first test of FBS postseason play.

Tuesday, December 26

Quick Lane Bowl
Bowling Green (7-5) v. Minnesota (5-7) – 2:00 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN App

SERVPRO First Responder Bowl
Texas State (7-5) v. Rice (6-6) – 5:30 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN App

Guaranteed Rate Bowl
Kansas (8-4) v. UNLV (9-4) – 9:00 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN App

This one is a no doubter: the Guaranteed Rate Bowl between Kansas and UNLV has potential to be one of the best non-NY6 bowl games of this bowl season. Both teams come in with fun, exciting offenses with dynamic talents. RB Devin Neal leads a Kansas team with an offense that can go toe to toe with anyone, and wideout Ricky White is one of the better players at the Group of Five level. You’re going to get a lot of points in this one, so buckle up and have fun. Oh yeah, and this is also borderline #AfterDark for those of us on the East Coast. Things are gonna get weird.

If you want any consolation prize, the First Responder Bowl between Texas State and Rice should also be very fun. GJ Kinne took over the Bobcats and in his first year turned them into an offense that can put up points on anyone. They’ll be going up against Mike Bloomgren and Rice, who somehow managed to get to bowl eligibility but have some fun players on that offense as well.

Wednesday, December 27

Military Bowl presented by GoBowling.com
Tulane (11-2) v. Virginia Tech (6-6) – 2:00 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN App

Duke’s Mayo Bowl
North Carolina (8-4) v. West Virginia (8-4) – 5:30 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN App

DirecTV Holiday Bowl
Louisville (10-3) vs. USC (7-5) – 8:00 p.m. ET, FOX

TaxAct Texas Bowl
Oklahoma State (9-4) v. Texas A&M (7-5) – 9:00 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN App

The pick here might simply hinge on who is playing, and who is sitting out.

We already learned that Caleb Williams will be sitting out of the Holiday Bowl. But if you have a burning desire to watch some draft-eligible quarterbacks, you have options in both the Military Bowl and the Duke’s Mayo Bowl. In the early game, Tulane QB Michael Pratt could play for the Green Wave in his final college game, and he is an intriguing QB in the upcoming draft who has already accepted an invitation to the Senior Bowl.

However, in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl you have UNC quarterback Drake Maye, who has a path to being the first quarterback taken next spring.

But he is sitting out too.

Given that, watch the TaxAct Texas Bowl by default for some late-night bowl action.

Thursday, December 28

Wasabi Fenway Bowl
SMU (11-2) v. Boston College (6-6) – 11:00 a.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN App

Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl
Miami (7-5) v. Rutgers (6-6) – 2:15 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN App

Pop-Tarts Bowl
NC State (9-3) vs. Kansas State (8-4) – 5:45 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN App

Valero Alamo Bowl
Oklahoma (10-2) v. Arizona (9-3) – 9:15 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN App

The Valero Alamo Bowl is almost always an extremely fun game between two teams that came close to winning their respective conferences but didn’t, and each game is normally bananas. This year is shaping up to be no different, a bout between Oklahoma and Arizona. The Wildcats are in the midst of a breakout year, with an offense led by WR Tetairoa McMillian and upstart QB Noah Fifita. Head coach Jedd Fisch finally got Arizona to a place where they can win games with an offense that’s explosive. They go up against Oklahoma, who despite not having starting QB Dillon Gabriel, will be interesting in the bowl game. With Gabriel transferring, it’s not Jackson Arnold time. The former five-star QB is making his true first start in the bowl game, and I’m excited to see what he looks like.

Friday, December 29

TaxSlayer Gator Bowl
Clemson (8-4) v. Kentucky (7-5) – 12:00 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN App

Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl
Notre Dame (9-3) v. Oregon State (8-4) – 2:00 p.m. ET, CBS

AutoZone Liberty Bowl
Iowa State (7-5) v. Memphis (9-3) – 3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN App

Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic
Ohio State (11-1) v. Missouri (10-2) – 8:00 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN App

The Cotton Bowl probably kicks off without some of Ohio State’s stars, like wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., but Missouri was one of the most surprising teams of the entire college football season, and it would be a massive story if the Tigers come out of the Cotton Bowl with a victory.

Saturday, December 30

Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl
Penn State (10-2) v. Mississippi (10-2) – 12:00 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN App

TransPerfect Music City Bowl
Auburn (6-6) v. Maryland (7-5) – 2:00 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN App

Capital One Orange Bowl
Florida State (13-0) v. Georgia (12-1) – 4:00 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN App

Barstool Sports Arizona Bowl
Toledo (11-2) v. Wyoming (8-4) – 4:30 p.m. ET, CW/Barstool Sports Streaming

James Franklin is 4-4 in bowl games during his time at Penn State.

Lane Kiffin is 2-4 in bowl games during his time at Mississippi.

One of these coaches is getting a critical win in the Peach Bowl.

Monday, January 1

ReliaQuest Bowl
LSU (9-3) v. Wisconsin (7-5) – 12:00 p.m. ET, ESPN2/ESPN App

Vrbo Fiesta Bowl
Oregon (11-2) v. Liberty (13-0) – 1:00 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN App

Cheez-It Citrus Bowl
Iowa (10-3) v. Tennessee (8-4) – 1:00 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN App

CFP Semifinal at the Rose Bowl Game
Michigan (13-0) v. Alabama (12-1) – 5:00 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN App

CFP Semifinal at the Allstate Sugar Bowl
Washington (13-0) v. Texas (12-1) – 8:45 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN App

You might think we’re going to be writing about the CFP semifinal games, huh? INCORRECT! The stoppable force meets the movable object in the Citrus Bowl, where Iowa takes on Tennessee. These two teams have their gimmicks: Tennessee has a super spread out, hyper RPO offense that takes advantage of the spacing in the college game. Iowa … punts a lot and plays very good defense. Tennessee QB Joe Milton can throw the ball over them mountains, but Iowa punter Tory Taylor can punt the ball over the same mountains. Something has gotta give.

Monday, January 8

CFP National Championship Presented by AT&T
Michigan/Alabama winner v. Washington/Texas winner – 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN App

Yeah this one is pretty self-explanatory.