2012 Sugar Bowl Preview: Michigan Vs. Virginia Tech

After Monday's college football bowl bonanza the action continues Tuesday night with the Sugar Bowl match-up between Michigan (10-2, ranked No. 13) and Virginia Tech (11-2, ranked No. 17) at 8:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.

In an exhaustive, comprehensive preview of the game, SB Nation's Bill Connelly calls this one a "wonderfully even match-up."

Connelly adds:

The level of quality may not be as high as yesterday's Rose and Fiesta Bowls, but the finish could be just as tight. As justifiably negative as the reaction was to Virginia Tech's selection for the Sugar Bowl over both Boise State and Kansas State, the matchups here are still intriguing.

Virginia Tech fans can join in the discussion with Hokies fans at SB Nation's Gobbler Country. Michigan fans will want to join the discussion at SB Nation's Maize N Brew. You can see coverage of all the college football action at SB Nation's College Football Hub Page.

Game: Allstate Sugar Bowl

Date/Time: Tuesday, Jan. 3, 8:30 p.m. ET

TV: ESPN

Betting Odds: Michigan by 1

2012 Rose Bowl: Wisconsin Vs. Oregon Preview

The grand-daddy of all college football bowl games, the Rose Bowl, will be played this afternoon at 5 p.m. ET and will be televised by ESPN. The game pits the Wisconsin Badgers against the Oregon Ducks.

Both teams enter the game with 11-2 records. Wisconsin earned the Big 10 Rose Bowl berth by defeating Michigan State, 42-39, for the conference title. Oregon earned its Rose Bowl invitation with a 49-31 victory over UCLA in the Pac 12 championship game. The Ducks are appearing in their third straight BCS bowl game.

Game: Rose Bowl

Date/Time: Monday, Jan. 2 5 p.m. ET

TV: (ESPN)

Betting Odds: Oregon by 4.5

-- See SB Nation's Rose Bowl stream for all the information you need and see the College Football Hub Page for all your college football coverage. For the Oregon side of the discussion you can visit Addicted To Quack. Visit Bucky's 5th Quarter for the Wisconsin viewpoint.

2012 Fiesta Bowl: Oklahoma State Vs. Stanford Preview, Game Time, Odds

The 2012 Fiesta Bowl delivers a pair of one-loss teams with Oklahoma State Cowboys facing the Stanford Cardinal in a thrilling contest for any and all Tostitos that were left behind from last year's bowl of the same name. Thanks for the Monday night treat, BCS Bowl TV Schedule!

The game will be played at 8:30 p.m. ET and can be viewed on ESPN or streamed online at ESPN3.com. Presumptive future No. 1 overall NFL draft pick Andrew Luck leads the Cardinal, while Oklahoma State boasts top wide receiver Justin Blackmon and an offense that averages close to 50 points per game. According to OddsShark.com, the Cowboys opened as three-point favorites.

The Cowboys are no doubt sore about being left out of the BCS National Championship game, but this high-powered offensive matchup should make for great viewing.

Game Time: 8:30 p.m. ET, Monday, January 2

Location: University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, AZ

TV channel: ESPN

Online Stream: ESPN3.com

Odds: Oklahoma State favored by -3

For more on the Stanford Cardinal, head over to the SB Nation blog Rule Of Tree. For more on the Oklahoma State Cowboys, check out Cowboys Ride For Free. Head over to the official site of the Fiesta Bowl for more on this year's game. Get all the latest college football news on SB Nation.

2012 TicketCity Bowl: Penn State Vs. Houston

Penn State meets Houston today in the 2012 Ticket City Bowl (noon ET/ESPNU).

Houston (12-1) enters the game as a seven-point favorite. The Cougars only loss came to Southern Mississippi in the conference USA title game by a lopsided 49-28 score.

"This will be a first-class event for our student-athletes, our coaching staff, and our fans. To have an opportunity to send this senior class off with one more game in the state of Texas, at a historic venue like the Cotton Bowl, is a great way to thank our fans for all they have meant to us during this record- breaking season,' said Houston athletic director Mack Rhoades.

Penn State (9-3) is simply trying to finish a season clouded by the Jerry Sandusky scandal and the firing of iconic head coach Joe Paterno.

Game: Ticket City Bowl

Date/Time: Monday, Jan. 2 (Noon ET)

TV: ESPNU:

Betting Odds: Houston by 7

-- See SB Nation's Penn State website, Black Shoe Diaries. Follow all of the day's bowl action at SB Nation's College Football Hub Page.

2011 Chick-fil-A Bowl: Virginia Vs. Auburn

The 8-4 Virginia Cavaliers face off against the 7-5 Auburn Tigers tonight in the Georgia Dome for the Chick-fil-A Bowl. After winning four consecutive games the Cavaliers were man-handled during their final game of the season by the Virginia Tech Hokies. The final score was 38-0.

Auburn is also coming off a crushing loss at the hands of the Alabama Crimson Tide, by a final score of 42-14. Alabama racked up nearly 400 total yards against the SEC's second worst defense, allowing an average of 406 yards and 29 points per game.

Game: Chick-fil-A Bowl

Date/Time: Saturday, Dec. 31, 2011, 7:30 p.m. ET

TV: ESPN/ESPN 3D/ESPN3

Betting Odds: Auburn by 3

-- For more Virginia football coverage, visit our team page or our blog Streaking The Lawn. For more Auburn football coverage, visit our team page or our blog Track Em Tigers.

-- See complete college football coverage at the SB Nation College Football Hub Page.

2011 Hunger Bowl: Illinois Vs. UCLA

Despite finishing the season with a losing record the UCLA Bruins were still invited to a Bowl Game. This is the first instance of a team with a losing record playing in a Bowl Game in 10 years. Their opponent – the Illinois Fighting Illini – is also making history by being the first FBS football team to lose six consecutive games, after starting the season 6-0.

Both teams fired their respective coaches at season's end.

These two programs have previously met three times in Bowl Games, with UCLA winning two.

Game: Hunger Bowl

Date/Time: Saturday, Dec. 31, 2011, 3:30 p.m. ET

TV: ESPN/ESPN3

Betting Odds: Illinois by 2.5

-- For more Illinois football coverage, visit our team page or our blog Hail to the Orange. For more UCLA football coverage, visit our team page or our blog Bruins Nation.

-- See complete college football coverage at the SB Nation College Football Hub Page.

2011 Liberty Bowl: Cincinnati Vs. Vanderbilt

Co-Big East Champions, the 9-3 Cincinnati Bearcats play the 6-6 Vanderbilt Commodores in the Liberty Bowl today. The Bearcats hope to get quarterback Zach Collaros back for today's game, after missing the last three games with a broken ankle. Munchie Legaux started the last three games for Collaros, throwing five touchdowns and three interceptions.

Vanderbilt running back Zac Stacey, who broke Vandy's single season rushing record this season with 1,136, will look to continue his recent success against a Cincy defense who only allows 92.6 rushing yards per game.

The Big East Conference is 1-1 thus far in bowl games this season. Rutgers defeated Iowa State in the Pinstripe Bowl on Friday, but Louisville lost to North Carolina State in the Belk Bowl.

Game: Liberty Bowl

Date/Time: Saturday, Dec. 31, 2011, 3:30 p.m. ET

TV: ABC/ESPN3

Betting Odds: Vanderbilt by 1.5

-- For more Cincinnati football coverage, visit our team page or our blog Down the Drive. For more Vanderbilt football coverage, visit our team page or our blog Anchor Of Gold.

-- See complete college football coverage at the SB Nation College Football Hub Page.

2011 Sun Bowl: Georgia Tech Vs. Utah

Maybe a safety will be the lone score during Saturday afternoon's 2011 Sun Bowl between Georgia Tech and Utah. Or perhaps an intergalactic space ship will land at Sun Bowl Stadium, causing the game to be prematurely ended in a scoreless tie.

Those are the only ways the game could possibly be lower-scoring than the ugly, hideous, disgusting, unseemly, gross, unfathomable 2008 Sun Bowl.

From SB Nation Atlanta:

In that game, Oregon State beat Pittsburgh, 3-0. The two teams combined for 451 yards of total offense, and that was one of their more respectable numbers. They also completed 30 of a combined 71 passes, converted a combined five of 32 third down tries, had no plays of over 30 yards, and punted 20 times combined. Both teams were ranked heading into the game, and produced a rank spectacle that was the lowest-scoring bowl game since 1959.

It won't take much for Georgia Tech and Utah to put on a better show.

Game: Sun Bowl

Date/Time: Saturday, Dec. 31, 2011, 12 p.m. ET

TV: CBS

Betting Odds: Georgia Tech by 2

2011 Meineke Car Care of Texas Bowl: Northwestern vs. Texas A&M

It will be his first and only game as Texas A&M's head coach, Tim DeRuyter already knows. After leading the Aggies against Northwestern in the 2011 Meineke Car Care Bowl on New Year's Eve, the interim coach will step back and give way to a new era, one which will see the Aggies coached by Houston's Kevin Sumlin.

DeRuyter, who took over on an interim basis when Mike Sherman was fired earlier this month, will move on to become Fresno State's head coach, leaving Sumlin to head Texas A&M's transition into the Southeastern Conference.

The results of Saturday's game will hardly figure into DeRuyter future plans. Whatever comes of the game will affect a program he soon will not be able to call his own. Yet he does not sound very much like a man in limbo, but rather one living in the moment and hoping to maximize his team's bowl experience.

"Our guys know that there are coaches here very much like our seniors," DeRuyter told the Dallas news. "This is going to be our last game and we want to go out the right way."

Game: Meineke Car Care Bowl

Date/Time: Saturday, Dec. 31, 2011, 12 p.m. ET

TV: ESPN/ESPN3

Betting Odds: Texas A&M by 10

2011 Music City Bowl: Wake Forest Vs. Mississippi State

Sophomore quarterback Tanner Price leads Wake Forest against Mississippi State in the 2011 Music City Bowl on Friday night.

After a 3-9 season in 2010, very few people foresaw the climb that saw the Demon Deacons come within one field goal of reaching the ACC Championship Game.

But the Deacons (6-6) won five games in ACC play, nearly defeated Clemson for the ACC Atlantic Division title and qualified for postseason play for the first time in three seasons. Oddly enough, after four losses in its last five games, Wake Forest is probably upset that it took a late-season win against Maryland to garner bowl eligibility.

Mississippi State (6-6) beat Mississippi on the last day of the regular season, 31-3, to qualify for the postseason. The Bulldogs had a series of high-quality defeats during the regular season, including losses to Alabama and LSU, who will meet for the national championship.

Game: Music City Bowl

Date/Time: Friday, Dec. 30, 2011, 6:40 p.m. ET

TV: ESPN/ESPN3

Betting Odds: Mississippi State by 7

-- For more Wake Forest football coverage, visit our team page or our blog Blogger So Dear. For more Mississippi State football coverage, visit our team page or our blog For Whom the Cowbell Tolls.

-- See complete college football coverage at the SB Nation College Football Hub Page.

2011 Insight Bowl: Iowa Vs. Oklahoma

Iowa seniors have never lost a bowl game, yet they enter Friday night's meeting with Oklahoma in the 2011 Insight Bowl as two-touchdown underdogs. Still, both teams know the game will ultimately be decided on the field.

"Don't pay attention to any of that stuff," Oklahoma defensive end Frank Alexander said. "We know what can happen when teams are underdogs."

"Just because a team is a heavy favorite doesn't mean anything," said Alexander, who some project to be a first-round draft choice. "Let's play the game, and then we'll talk."

Oklahoma (9-2) began the 2011 season with six straight wins and was ranked No. 1 for the first month and a half of the season. But the Sooners fell 41-38 to Texas Tech at home and spiraled into a 3-3 tailspin to finish the regular season.

Iowa (7-5) had an up-and-down year. The Hawkeyes never won more than two consecutive games en route to finishing 6-1 at home and 1-4 on the road.

Game: Insight Bowl

Date/Time: Friday, Dec. 30, 2011, 10 p.m. ET

TV: ESPN/ESPN3

Betting Odds: Oklahoma by 14

-- For more Oklahoma football coverage, visit our team page or our blog Crimson and Cream Machine. For more Iowa football coverage, visit our team page or our blog Black Heart Gold Pants.

-- See complete college football coverage at the SB Nation College Football Hub Page.

2011 Armed Forces Bowl: BYU Vs. Tulsa

College football bowl madness continues today at noon with the Armed Forces Bowl between BYU and Tulsa (noon on ESPN). It is the first of four games on the schedule today, including the Pinstripe Bowl between Rutgers and Iowa State.

BYU finished the season 9-3. The Cougars are an independent program. Tulsa finished 8-5. The Golden Hurricane play in Conference USA.

BYU, previously a member of the Mountain West Conference, won eight of its last nine games following a difficult start to the season. The Cougars have won four of their last five bowl appearances, including a 52-24 win over UTEP in the 2010 New Mexico Bowl.

Tulsa lost three of its first four games before finishing the season 7-1 over its last eight games. Tulsa took part in the Hawaii Bowl last season and posted a 62-35 win in the process against hometown favorite and 24th-ranked Hawaii.

Game: Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl

Date/Time: Friday, Dec. 30, 2011, Noon ET

TV: ESPN

Betting Odds: Tulsa by 1

2011 Valero Alamo Bowl: Baylor Vs. Washington

Thursday night could be the last time you see 2012 Heisman Trophy winner Robert Griffin III play college football, as the Baylor Bears play the Washington Huskies in the Valero Alamo Bowl at the Alamodome in San Antonio, TX (9 p.m. on ESPN). The dual-threat quarterback, who's known as RG3, helped the Bears (9-3) to their second straight postseason appearance, while the Huskies (7-5) are searching for their second consecutive bowl victory.

Over the course of the 2011 season, RG3 compiled solid stats --a 192. passer rating, 36-pass touchdowns with just six interceptions, 644-rushing yards with nine rushing touchdowns -- which helped him earn Baylor's first Heisman trophy.

Game: Valero Alamo Bowl

Date/Time: Thursday, Dec. 29, 9 p.m. ET

TV: ESPN

Betting Odds: Balyor by 10 points.

-- See Our Daily Bears to join a discussion about the game with Baylor fans. See UW Dawg Pound to chat with Huskie fans.

-- See complete college football coverage at the SB Nation College Football Hub Page.

2011 Champs Sports Bowl: Florida State Vs. Notre Dame

It seems forever ago that the Florida St. Seminoles and Notre Dame Fighting Irish were battling each other for national supremacy, and on Thursday night these two non-conference rivalry will be renewed when these two historic programs meet in the 2011 Champs Sports Bowl at the Florida Citrus Bowl in Orlando, FL (5:30 p.m. ET on ESPN).

The match up features a battle of two head coaches -- UND's Brian Kelly and FSU's Jimbo Fisher -- that will be trying to use this postseason appearance to springboard a future that hopefully brings back memories of the better times.

Game: Champs Sports Bowl

Date/Time: Thursday, Dec. 29, 5:30 p.m. ET

TV: ESPN

Betting Odds: Florida State by 3 1/2 points.

-- See Tomahawk Nation to join a discussion about the game with FSU fans. See One Foot Down to chat with Irish fans.

-- See complete college football coverage at the SB Nation College Football Hub Page.

2011 Holiday Bowl: Cal Vs. Texas

The California Golden Bears meet the Texas Longhorns Wednesday (8 p.m. ET/ESPN) in the Holiday Bowl at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, Ca. The Golden Bears, from the Pac 12, enter the game with a 7-5 record. The Longhonors, from the Big 12, are also 7-5.

Texas returns to bowl action after missing out last season. Prior to that the Longhorns had gone to a bowl game in 18 straight seasons.

You can find a full preview and game information on SB Nation's events page. SB Nation also delves into the history of Cal vs. Texas meetings.

Game: Bridgepoint Education Holiday Bowl

Date/Time: Wednesday, Dec. 28, 8 p.m. ET

TV: ESPN

Betting Odds: Texas by 3

-- See California Golden Blogs to join a discussion about the game with Cal fans. See Burnt Orange Nation to chat with Longhorns fans.

-- See complete college football coverage at the SB Nation College Football Hub Page.

2011 Military Bowl: Toledo Vs. Air Force

The Toledo Rockets and Air Force Faclons meet Wednesday in the Military Bowl at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C. The teams will be meeting for the first time ever.

Air Force (7-5) is making its record fifth straight bowl appearance. Toledo (8-4) went 7-1 in Mid-American Conference play.

The Toledo offense begins with the exploits of Eric Page, who was not only named All-MAC First Team as a wide receiver after he caught a school-record 112 passes in 2011, he was also named All-MAC First Team as both a punt returner and kickoff returner as well.

The Air Force offense continued to evolve and incorporate even more passing into the attack this season, thanks to the growth and development of quarterback Tim Jefferson. The winningest signal caller in school history with 28 victories, Jefferson converted 98-of-161 passes for a career-high 1,478 yards on the season with 12 touchdowns and six interceptions. Jefferson also tied for the team lead in rushing touchdowns with 10, matching Mike DeWitt as both players combined to generate more than 1,000 rushing yards. Getting the job done all on his own was Asher Clark who carried the ball 151 times and finished with 1,096 yards and six TDs.

Game: Military Bowl

Date/Time: Wednesday, Dec. 28, 4:30 p.m. ET

TV: ESPN

Betting Odds: Toledo by 3

-- Complete Game Coverage

-- SB Nation's College Football Hub Page

2011 Little Ceasars Pizza Bowl: Purdue Vs. Western Michigan

When the Purdue Boilermakers meet the Western Michigan Broncos on Tuesday night in the 2011 Little Caesars Pizza Bowl, the outcome could come down to whether Purdue can stop Western Michigan's passing game.

The Boilermakers were especially poor against the pass, writes Bill Connelly, which could prove troublesome against the successful Broncos passing attack. Behind wide receiver Jordan White, who caught 127 passes for 1,646 yards and 16 touchdowns, the Broncos like to air it out and put a lot of pressure on defensive secondaries.

"Western Michigan will pass a lot on Purdue, which is alarming considering how poor the Boilermakers were at defending the pass," writes Connelly. The Boilermakers secondary managed a respectable number of interceptions, but the amount of tackles made by Purdue's top two cornerbacks (117.5) is telling: Purdue allows too many opponents easy access into the secondary, which could spell doom against a Western Michigan team designed to attack Purdue's weaknesses.

Game: 2011 Little Caesars Pizza Bowl at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan.

Date/Time: Tuesday, Dec. 27, 4:30 p.m. ET

TV: ESPN

Stream: ESPN3

Betting Odds: The Boilermakers enter the contest as 2 1/2-point favorites.

Follow this StoryStream for previews of all of the FBS bowl games. See SB Nation's College Football Hub Page for complete coverage of everything to do with college football.

2011 Belk Bowl: NC State Vs. Louisville Preview

Freshman quarterback Teddy Bridgewater gets a chance to cap off a record-setting year, as the Louisville Cardinals take on the N.C. State Wolfpack in the Belk Bowl in Charlotte, NC (8 p.m. on ESPN). Tossing for the most passing yards in school history by a freshman (1,855) and helping the Cardinals (7-5) finish the season winning five of their last six games, Bridgewater has Louisville fans and their second-year head coach Charlie Strong salavating about the future.

Louisville will face the Wolfpack (7-5) who closed out their season winning five of their last seven games, including a come-from-behind victory against eventual Atlantic Coast Conference champions, Clemson University, 37-13, Nov. 19.

Game: 2011 Belk Bowl at Bank Of American Stadium in Charlotte, NC.

Date/Time: Tuesday, Dec. 27, 8 p.m. ET

TV: ESPN

Stream: ESPN3

Betting Odds: The Wolfpack enter the contest as 1 1/2-point favorites.

Follow this StoryStream for previews of all of the FBS bowl games. See SB Nation's College Football Hub Page for complete coverage of everything to do with college football.

2011 Independence Bowl: North Carolina Vs. Missouri

The Missouri Tigers football program makes its seventh straight bowl appearance Monday, as the Tigers (7-5) play the North Carolina Tar Heels in the Independence Bowl at Independence Stadium in Shreveport, LA (5 p.m. ET on ESPN2). The Tigers (7-5), who will be playing in the Southeastern Conference next season, did not earn a allotted bowl invite from their departing Big 12 Conference, while the Tar Heels (7-5) are playing in their third straight bowl game.

Both programs are playing with head coaches who have made headlines this season, as Missouri's headman Gary Pinkel was arrested on suspicion on drunk driven charges in mid-November, while North Carolina hired Southern Mississippi's Larry Fedora who just a few days ago helped the Golden Eagles win the Hawaii Bowl over Nevada.

Game: Independence Bowl at Independence Stadium in Shreveport, LA

Date/Time: Monday, Dec. 26, 5 p.m. ET

TV: ESPN2

Stream: ESPN3

Betting Odds: The Tigers enter the contest as six-point favorites.

2011 Hawaii Bowl: Southern Miss Vs. Nevada

The 2011 Hawaii Bowl will be Larry Fedora's final game as coach of the Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles.

After four seasons of coaching Southern Mississippi, Fedora is leaving to take the reins at North Carolina. But for now, he's looking to finish a dream season at Southern Mississippi.

The Golden Eagles have already won a school-record 11 games, including a 49-28 upset of Houston in the Conference USA championship game. The win ruined Houston's perfect season and built on Southern Mississippi's first 10-win season since 1988. The Golden Eagles have now reached the postseason in 10 consecutive years.

Fedora would still like to change one thing at Southern Miss before he leaves: the Golden Eagles have lost two straight bowl games. They will have the chance to end that streak on Saturday against the Nevada Wolf Pack, the Western Athletic Conference runner-up. Nevada is making its seventh straight postseason appearance.

Game: The Sheraton Hawaii Bowl at Aloha Stadium, Honolulu, HI

Date/Time: Saturday, December 24, 2011 at 8 p.m. ET

TV: ESPN

Stream: ESPN3

Betting Odds: The Broncos are currently favored by between 6 and 0.5 points, according to our friends over at OddsShark.

Las Vegas Bowl 2011: Arizona State Vs. Boise State

The 2011 NCAA football season saw more than its fair share of head coaching turmoil and turnover. One of the most interesting stories surrounding a regime change over the past few weeks has been the case of the Arizona St. Sun Devils. Following a turbulent and disappointing season that featured the Sun Devils dropping a slew of games to beatable teams, ASU announced they would be parting ways with coach Dennis Erickson. ASU decided to let Erickson stay to coach the team's BCS appearance, but it has gone far from smoothly. Some players have missed practices, but the biggest news in the past week was that Erickson suspended defensive end Junior Onyeali from the bowl game after the two exchanged words at practice. It will be interesting to see how the team performs in light of all this drama against a formidable opponent. ASU wrapped up the year with a 6-6 record that was just good enough to qualify for a bowl berth, while finishing with a 4-5 record in Pac-12 play.

They'll be going up against the No. 7 ranked Boise St. Broncos, helmed by Kellen Moore, who is the winningest quarterback in college football history. He led the potent Broncos offense to an 11-1 record this season while racking up 41 touchdowns. Boise State was 6-1 in their own Mountain West conference.

Game: The MAACO Las Vegas Bowl at Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas, NV

Date/Time: Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 8 p.m. ET

TV: You can catch the live television broadcast on ESPN or stream the game on ESPN3.

Betting Odds: The Broncos are currently favored at between 14 and 14.5 points, according to our friends over at OddsShark.

Follow this StoryStream for previews of all of the FBS bowl games. See SB Nation's College Football Hub Page for complete coverage of everything to do with college football.

Poinsettia Bowl 2011: TCU Vs. Louisiana Tech

The BCS howl season is already well underway as the Christmas weekend approaches. The TCU Horned Frogs are preparing to face off in the 2011 Poinsettia Bowl against the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs on Wednesday.

No. 18 TCU held an overall record of 10-2 in 2011, finishing the season a perfect 7-0 in the Mountain West Conference. They're the easy favorites against the Bulldogs, who were 6-1 in WAC play but finished 8-4 overall.

TCU's sophomore quarterback Casey Pachall put together an impressive season this year, throwing 24 touchdowns and only six interceptions. The Louisiana secondary will need to contain Pachall and disrupt his routes if the Bulldogs want to pull off the upset.

Game: San Diego Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, CA

Date/Time: Wednesday, December 21, 2011. 8 p.m. ET

TV: You can catch the live television broadcast on ESPN or stream the game on ESPN3.

Betting Odds: The Horned Frogs are currently favored at between 9 and 9.5 points, according to our friends over at OddsShark.

Follow this StoryStream for previews of all of the FBS bowl games. See SB Nation's College Football Hub Page for complete coverage of everything to do with college football.

St. Petersburg Bowl: Florida International Vs. Marshall

Florida International will meet Marshall Tuesday (8 p.m. ET/ESPN) in the 2011 Beef 'O' Brady St. Petersburg Bowl at Tropicana Field. The Panthers (8-4) earned the invite after winning a school record eight games in the regular season, while a dramatic touchdown in the season finale helped the Thundering Herd (6-6) earn a bowl berth.

FIU is making its second straight bowl appearance after last season claiming its first ever bowl victory. Marshall's defense enters the contest second nationally with 21.5 tackles for loss and tied fifth nationally with 11 sacks.

Florida International is favored by 4 1/2 points.

Game: Beef 'O' Brady Bowl at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, FL

Date/Time: Tues., Dec. 20, 8 p.m. ET

TV: ESPN

Betting Odds: Florida International by 4 1/2 points.

-- Follow this StoryStream for previews of all of the FBS bowl games. See SB Nation's College Football Hub Page for complete coverage of everything to do with college football.

New Orleans Bowl 2011: San Diego State Vs. Louisiana-Lafayette

San Diego State will meet Louisiana-Lafayette Saturday (9 p.m. ET/ESPN) in the 2011 New Orleans Bowl. The game will be finale of a tripleheader of games Saturday that open the college football FBS bowl season.

Louisiana-Lafayette is making its first-ever appearance in an FBS bowl game, and will get to do so in front of a largely home crowd at the Superdome in New Orleans. The Ragin' Cajuns (8-4) play in the Sun Belt Conference.

San Diego State (8-4) plays in the Mountain West Conference. The Aztecs will be traveling across the country for the event.

San Diego State is favored by 5.5.

Game: R & L Carriers New Orleans Bowl 

Date/Time: Sat., Dec. 17, 9 p.m. ET

TV: ESPN

Betting Odds: San Diego State by 5.5

-- Follow this StoryStream for previews of all of the FBS bowl games. See SB Nation's College Football Hub Page for complete coverage of everything to do with college football.

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl: Ohio Vs. Utah State Preview

The Utah State Aggies (7-5) will meet the Ohio Bobcats (9-4) Saturday in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl at Bronco Stadium in Boise, ID. Game time is 5:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.

Ohio, from the Mid-American Conference, will be appearing in a bowl game for the third consecutive season. The Bobcats lost in the New Orleans Bowl last year and the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl in 2009.

Utah State, from the Western Athletic Conference, rallied this season after losing three of its first four games. 

Utah is a three-point favorite.

Saturday is the first day of three-plus weeks of FBS bowl action, and there are three games on tap.

Game: Famous Idaho Potato Bowl

Date/Time: Sat., Dec. 17, 5:30 p.m. ET

TV: ESPN

Betting Odds: Utah State By 3

-- Complete Game Coverage

-- SB Nation's College Football Hub Page

-- Stay with this StoryStream for previews, including TV and betting information, of all of the upcoming FBS bowl games.

Bowl Schedule 2011-2012: New Mexico Bowl Pits Wyoming Vs. Temple

The 2011-2012 FBS bowl season kicks off Saturday afternoon when the Temple Owls meet the Wyoming Cowboys in the Gildan New Mexico Bowl (2 p.m. ET/ESPN). Temple (8-4) plays in the Mid-American Conference. Wyoming, also 8-4, plays in the Mountain West Conference and just completed its best regular season since winning eight games in 1998. Temple is making its second bowl appearance in three seasons.

Temple employs a run-heavy offense led by Bernard Pierce (1,381 yards and 25 touchdowns), Matt Brown (867 yards) and quarterback Chris Coyer (491 yards).

Wyoming freshman quarterback Brett Smith ran for 645 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground, while throwing for another 2,495 yards and 18 more scores.

Temple is a 7.5-point favorite. 

Game: Gildan New Mexico Bowl

Date/Time: Sat., Dec. 17, 2 p.m. ET

TV: ESPN

Betting Odds: Temple By 7.5

-- Complete Game Coverage

-- SB Nation's Wyoming website, Cowboy Altitude

-- SB Nation's College Football Hub Page

College Football Bowl Schedule 2011-2012: Complete Look At FBS Match-Ups