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

Birmingham Bowl: Troy vs. Duke

The Troy Trojans will be looking to continue their winning streak of 10 games as they face the Duke Blue Devils in the Birmingham Bowl on Saturday afternoon.

Both teams will play under interim head coaches as their leaders have left for bigger jobs after the regular season. Troy (11-2) is the favorite over Duke (7-5), who lost four of their last six games to end the year.

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Camellia Bowl: Arkansas State vs Northern Illinois

The Northern Illinois Huskies are set to take on the Arkansas State Red Wolves in the 10th edition of the Camellia Bowl in Montgomery, Alabama. The Huskies aim to end their seven consecutive losses in bowl games with a win this Saturday.

Interestingly, both teams were previously conference rivals, having been part of the Big West from 1993 to 1995.

Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl: James Madison vs Air Force

James Madison had an impressive season with 11 wins and 1 loss. Although the Dukes are making their first-ever bowl appearance, they lost their head coach to Indiana, and 14 players left the team through the transfer portal.

Air Force began the season with a strong 8-0 record, but they struggled in their last four games, failing to win any of them. It’s unclear which version of the Falcons will show up - the one from the first half of the season or the one from the second half that struggled to win.

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl: Georgia State vs Utah State

The Utah State Aggies, under the leadership of head coach Blake Anderson, are going to their third consecutive bowl game. However, they will be looking to avoid a repeat of their disappointing performance from last year’s postseason game against the Georgia State Panthers in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.

On the other hand, the Panthers are currently going through a rough patch and will be playing the game without their top offensive player.

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68 Ventures Bowl: South Alabama vs Eastern Michigan

The Eastern Michigan Eagles, with a record of 6-6, will be heading to Mobile, Alabama, this weekend to face the South Alabama Jaguars, also with a record of 6-6, in the 68 Ventures Bowl. This is the third consecutive bowl game for the Eagles, while the Jaguars have made an appearance in four bowl games in their short history.

In last year’s bowl game, the Eagles secured their second-ever bowl win by defeating San Jose State, reminiscent of their historic 1987 bowl victory. On the other hand, the Jaguars lost to Western Kentucky in the New Orleans Bowl last year. The Eagles aim for their first consecutive bowl win in program history, while the Jaguars aim to secure their first-ever bowl win.

SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl: Northwestern vs Utah

The Utes, led by coach Kyle Whittingham, aim to erase the disappointment of their last season in Las Vegas. Utah’s offensive strategy is a strong ground attack led by quarterback Barnes and running back Jackson. However, their passing game needs more consistency to challenge Northwestern’s defense. Utah’s defense is known for pressuring opponents and maximizing opportunities. Damuni and Bishop lead the Utes’ aggressive style of play.

The Northwestern Wildcats, led by first-year head coach David Braun, face the Las Vegas Bowl as underdogs. Despite losing their head coach in the off-season, they earned bowl eligibility due to their resilient defense and renewed sense of purpose.

However, their offense can be inconsistent and struggle against Utah’s potent defense. Therefore, finding explosive plays and capitalizing on opportunities will be key to keeping the Utes on their toes.

EasyPost Hawaii Bowl: Coastal Carolina vs San Jose State

The Coastal Carolina Chanticleers were a successful team earlier in the decade, winning more than ten games in a season. This was partly due to their talented quarterback, Grayson McCall, and their coach, Jamey Chadwell, who knew how to make the most of McCall’s abilities. However, the team has not been as successful since Chadwell left for Liberty and was replaced by Tim Beck. This year, they had a 7-5 record, enough to make it to a bowl game but still lower than their previous seasons.

The big news before the game: Beck is the new offensive coordinator at Vanderbilt with Clark Lea. A photo of him with Coastal Carolina cheerleaders on a beach caused controversy. The school deleted the photo from their social media account, indicating displeasure. Reactions were mixed, with supporters and critics.

How Coastal Carolina responds to these events will likely determine the outcome of the Hawaii Bowl more than anything else. San Jose State has not received much attention in the days leading up to the game. They must be prepared to take advantage of any distractions or lack of focus from Coastal Carolina.