Bowl season gets started in earnest today, with three games taking place. Here’s a quick look at the matchups:
Military Bowl, Bowling Green vs. San Jose State, noon, ESPN: Bowling Green hasn’t played in a postseason game since 2009, San Jose State since 2006. To see how far these schools have come in a short time, look at 2010 — when Bowling Green went 2-10 and San Jose State was 1-12. San Jose State’s quick turnaround cost the school its coach: Mike MacIntyre left for Colorado.
Belk Bowl, Cincinnati vs. Duke, 3:30 p.m., ESPN: This is Duke’s first bowl game in 18 seasons, and the Blue Devils haven’t won one since 1961, so this is a great opportunity for the Blue Devils. Cincinnati is a bowl-tested team; this is the Bearcats’ sixth postseason appearance in the past seven years.
Holiday Bowl, Baylor vs. UCLA, 6:45 p.m., ESPN: The Holiday Bowl bills itself as “America’s Most Exciting Bowl Game," and these two teams can deliver. Baylor’s offense, led by quarterback Nick Florence, is first nationally with 578.8 yards per game and the Bears are fifth in scoring at 44.1 points.
—The Associated Press
