College football bowl games: Who plays today, Tuesday December 31? Times and matchups
Bowl season continues with five games on New Year’s Eve, headlined by a College Football Playoff quarter-final matchup.
After Missouri beat Iowa in Monday’s only bowl game, the college football action continues today, Tuesday December 31, with no fewer than five matchups.
Topping the New Year’s Eve bill is the day’s final game: the Fiesta Bowl, which sees the Penn State Nittany Lions go up against the Boise State Broncos in the first of the 2024-25 College Football Playoff quarter-finals.
Full bowl game schedule, Tuesday Dec. 31:
ReliaQuest Bowl: Alabama vs Michigan
The 7-5 Wolverines will be making a record seventh appearance in the ReliaQuest Bowl, a game in which Michigan have tasted success on three occasions - most recently in 2003. A team with a 9-3 record in 2024, Alabama has featured twice before in the ReliaQuest Bowl - both times against Michigan. The Wolverines triumphed 29-24 in 1988, before the Crimson Tide took revenge with a 17-14 victory nine years later. Overall, Michigan and Alabama have faced off six times, accruing three wins each.
When? 12:00 noon ET/9:00 a.m. PT
Where? Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida
How to watch? ESPN
Stream the ReliaQuest Bowl live on fubo (free trial available).
One more in ’24. It’s game day!#GoBlue pic.twitter.com/hpbjjEU03i
— Michigan Football (@UMichFootball) December 31, 2024
Sun Bowl: Louisville vs Washington
The Louisville Cardinals and the Washington Huskies square off for the first time today, with both teams chasing a second Sun Bowl win in program history. The 8-4 Cardinals were victorious in their only previous appearance in the bowl game, beating the Drake Bulldogs 34-20 back in 1958, while the 6-6 Huskies have lost three out of their four cracks at the Sun Bowl. Washington’s only victory came in 1979 - a 14-7 win over the Texas Longhorns.
When? 2:00 p.m. ET/11:00 a.m. PT
Where? Sun Bowl Stadium, El Paso, Texas
How to watch? CBS
Stream the Sun Bowl live on fubo (free trial available).
Citrus Bowl: South Carolina vs Illinois
South Carolina and Illinois will also be meeting for the first time ever, as the 79th edition of the Citrus Bowl takes place in Florida. The Gamecocks are two-time winners of the bowl game, in 2012 and 2014, while Illinois’ only Citrus Bowl appearance so far - back in 1990 - yielded a 31-21 victory for the Fighting Illini. Both teams head into the Citrus Bowl with a 9-3 record in 2024.
When? 3:00 p.m. ET/12 noon PT
Where? Camping World Stadium, Orlando, Florida
How to watch? ABC
Stream the Citrus Bowl live on fubo (free trial available).
Texas Bowl: LSU vs Baylor
Two teams with 8-4 records go head to head in the 18th annual Texas Bowl, as the Baylor Bears and the LSU Tigers both make their second appearance in the game. Baylor are 1-1 in the Texas Bowl, having followed up a 2010 defeat to Illinois with a 45-38 win over the Vanderbilt Commodores in 2018. Meanwhile, the Tigers lost to the Kansas State Wildcats in 2022, seven years after beating the Texas Tech Red Raiders 56-27. However, that 2015 win was vacated after LSU was found to have fielded an ineligible player.
When? 3:30 p.m. ET/12:30 p.m. PT
Where? NRG Stadium, Houston, Texas
How to watch? ESPN
Stream the Citrus Bowl live on fubo (free trial available).
Fiesta Bowl: Penn State vs Boise State (Playoff quarter-final)
In the first of the College Football Playoff quarter-finals, State Farm Stadium hosts a clash between two teams that have perfect Fiesta Bowl records. The 12-2 Nittany Lions have won seven out of seven Fiesta Bowl appearances, with their most recent victory coming in 2017 - a 35-28 win over Washington. Seeded at No. 6, Penn State heads into the last-eight tie having beaten the SMU Mustangs in the CFP first round, in the process bouncing back from defeat to the Oregon Ducks in the Big Ten Championship Game. The 12-1 Broncos, who are the No. 3 seed, fared better in their conference title decider: Spencer Danielson’s men defeated the UNLV Rebels 21-7 in the MW Conference Championship.
The winners of the Fiesta Bowl will move on to a College Football Playoff semi-final against the Georgia Bulldogs or the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.
When? 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT
Where? State Farm Stadium, Glendale, Arizona
How to watch? ESPN
Stream the Fiesta Bowl live on fubo (free trial available).
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