The 5 Best Bowl Games Other Than the CFP Playoffs

Before the CFB playoffs get underway, these five bowl games will keep you on the edge of your seat as you wait for the two biggest games of the college football season:

5. Vizio Fiesta Bowl

20 Boise State vs 10 Arizona

December 31, 2014 4:00 pm ET

This matchup pitches the Pac-12 South campion Wildcats who now look to take down the Broncos of Boise State who are once again the Mountain West champs. Arizona is led by Defensive player of the year linebacker Scooby Wright as they try to stop the potent running game of the Broncos led by running back Jay Ajayi. Can Boise State repeat their 2007 Fiesta Bowl performance when they ran that amazing Statue of Liberty play?

4. Outback Bowl

19 Auburn vs 18 Wisconsin

January 1, 2015 12:00 pm ET

The Auburn Tigers will look to stop running back Melvin Gordon and the Wisconsin Badgers. Gordon is the only running back heading to New York this weekend with a shot at winning the Heisman Trophy. The Tigers had a relatively disappointing season this year after they went they lost to FSU in the National Championship last season. Look for Auburn, led by quarterback Nick Marshall, to try to outscore the Badgers in a high-powered shootout.

3. Capital One Orange Bowl

12 Georgia Tech vs 7 Mississippi State

December 31, 2014 8:00 pm ET

This is a matchup of two teams who had aspirations of winning their respective conference. But after spending weeks at No.1, the Mississippi State Bulldogs must now stop a Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets team that averages 333.6 rushing yards per game behind the triple-option attack.

2. Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl

9 Ole Miss vs 6 TCU

December 31, 2014 12:30 pm ET

The TCU Horned Frogs will be out to show the world why they should have been put into the playoffs as they face the Ole Miss Fighting Rebels from the SEC. Two outstanding quarterbacks matchup as mobile threat Trevone Boykin of TCU faces off with Bo Wallace of Ole Miss. Wallace looks to be the first Ole Miss quarterback ever to start-and-win three career bowl games.

1. Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic

8 Michigan State vs 5 Baylor

January 1, 2015 12:30 pm ET

Two teams that once felt that they were in the playoffs now get a chance to battle it out on New Year’s Day. Art Briles of Baylor is out to show why the Big 12 needs as a voice in the committee as he looks to take down one of the perennial powerhouses of the Big 10 in Mark Dantonio and the Michigan State Spartans.