College football bowl games: Who plays today Friday, December 23? | Dates, times and matchups

Tis the season for college football bowl games and this Friday’s slate promises to be special. There are two games on the menu, as we get a step closer to the College Football Playoff and of course the one we’re all waiting for, the National Championship Game.

A pair of Bowl games for the Christmas season

It’s been a rough road for some to get here, with the teams from AAC and Conference USA struggling at times, while their counterparts in the Sun Belt and Mountain West have definitely done much better. With that in mind, here we are. This Friday we’ve got a pair of intriguing Bowl games that will prepare for what’s to come. Indeed, across Christmas we’ll see the more famous teams taking the field in more prestigious bowl games, but make no mistake the matchups between Houston and Louisiana, along with Wake Forest vs Missouri promise to be special.

Independence Bowl - Houston vs Louisiana

Though the season started in a less than ideal way with three losses in their first four games, the Cougars out of Houston definitely bounced back. They’ve won five of their last seven and have finished fifth in the ACC with a record of 7-5 overall. The cougars are averaging 37.2 points per game and have surpassed 463 yards in each and every game. This is a team that has worked hard to get here and looked good doing it.

On the other side of the divide, we’ve got the Ragin’ Cajuns who come into this one on a 6-6 record after losing three of their last five games in the regular season. Overall, they finished fourth in their Sun Belt division with an average of 27 points per game and approximately 368 yards to go with it. Though they’ve had their struggles of late, these guys can play ball and that’s exactly what they’ll need to do on Friday afternoon. Kickoff is set for 3:00 p.m. ET.

Gasparilla Bowl - Wake Forest vs Missouri

It’s hard not to feel a sense of sadness in this one, as it will be the last time we get to witness the skills of Sam Hartman in a Wake uniform, before he sets off for the NFL or heads into the college football transfer portal. On the other hand, Hartman can still have a glorious goodbye as he’s in with the chance to set the ACC record for touchdown passes. In truth, the Deacons of Wake Forest have been solid this year with 37 points per game along with 448 yards.

There’s no way to ignore the fact that the loss of wide receiver Dominic Lovett, who transferred to Georgia, was a major blow to an offense that has already struggled with its passing game. Yet, who can ignore the presence of 5-star Luther Burden who we can expect to see being targeted by quarterback Brady Cook. Indeed, the pair will be the team’s best chance at victory against a Wake Forest defense that ranks 116th nationally in pass yards allowed and 93rd in points conceded coming into the game. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. ET.