College Bowl Schedule Has Noteworthy Games Outside BCS

The college bowl schedule is pretty much set now, leaving a whole month of football bowl games ahead. The 2010 college bowl schedule has the same old complaints, however, since most of them don't matter much anymore. In the BCS era, only one game counts for a national championship, and the other bowls have to hold classics to keep up. This year's college bowl schedule may have a few games that can match the BCS schedule, but the usual grumblings will be under the surface.

The college bowl system is often blamed for preventing a playoff and keeping the BCS alive. In addition, there are probably too many bowls now, with many featuring 6-6 schools and mediocre programs playing out the string. The early bowl schedule may be largely ignored, but there are some possible gems out there.

The actual bowl season starts on December 19, with the New Mexico Bowl between Wyoming and Fresno State, and the St Petersburg Bowl between Rutgers and Central Florida. But the best of the early bowl games could be the Las Vegas Bowl on December 22. BYU has been there five straight years, though this year, they get another top 20 opponent in Oregon State.

In addition, USC will end their year early against Boston College in the Emerald Bowl on December 26. The Holiday Bowl, often the best of the pre-New Years games, pits Nebraska against Arizona on December 29. Oklahoma also gets an early sendoff, facing Heisman Trophy candidate Toby Gerhart and Stanford in the Sun Bowl on New Years Eve.

The one bowl matchup not set yet is the EagleBank Bowl, which has Temple going to its first bowl in 30 years against either UCLA, or Army if they beat Navy this Saturday. But other than that, everything is set to go. Yet most fans are more interested in the college bowl schedule for New Years Day and beyond.

Aside from the BCS games, New Years Day is highlighted by Bobby Bowden's last game in the Gator Bowl, as Florida State faces West Virginia. Penn State and LSU will clash in the Capital One Bowl, while the Cotton Bowl has former BCS hopefuls Oklahoma State and Ole Miss face off the next day. The Alamo Bowl also moves to January 2, with Michigan State against Texas Tech.

The final bowl before the BCS title game is the January 6 GMAC Bowl, between Central Michigan and Troy. By then, the college bowl schedule will have offered another month of exciting and anticlimactic football, before the final act in Pasadena. For the moment, this is the only way to finish off the college football season.

Yet 68 teams will have a chance to end the year with a win - though just one can end it with a championship. Another year of college bowl games is now just 12 days away.

Sources

Woodlands Online- "College Football Bowl Schedule"

Bleacher Report- "College Football Bowl Schedule Leaves Much To Be Desired"