The Sportsletter - Let the Bowls Begin 🏈

BY JEFF YODER

DEC. 17, 2021  |  SUBSCRIBE  |  BROWSER VIEW

Happy Friday 👋

The holidays have arrived and our College Football Bowl Guide has you covered. The first two of 44 bowl games kick off today. It’s two weeks of non-stop football before 2022. We’ve got ‘em all.

Letter Rip!

🗓️ HOLIDAY SCHEDULE

The Sportsletter Team will be off for the holidays until Monday, January 3. We’ll see you again in the new year!

CFB

Let the Bowls Begin

Photo: Chris Graythen / Getty Images

Every Game Over the Holidays as College Football Bowl Season Kicks Off Today

Bowl season has arrived! As The Sportsletter signs off for the holiday break, we’ve put together a comprehensive schedule for every college football game over the next two weeks. Grab the pens, mark your calendars, gather family and friends and don’t miss a minute of the action. It all starts today with a two-pack of mid-major battles. Enjoy!

Friday, Dec. 17

Bahamas Bowl
Middle Tennessee vs. Toledo (12 p.m. ET | ESPN)

Cure Bowl
Northern Illinois vs. Coastal Carolina (6 p.m. | ESPN2)

Saturday, Dec. 18

Boca Raton Bowl
Appalachian State vs. Western Kentucky (11 a.m. | ESPN)

Celebration Bowl
Jackson State vs. South Carolina State (12 p.m. | ABC)

New Mexico Bowl
Fresno State vs. UTEP (2:15 p.m. | ESPN)

Independence Bowl
No. 13 BYU vs. UAB (3:30 p.m. | ABC)

LendingTree Bowl
Eastern Michigan vs. Liberty (5:45 p.m. | ESPN)

LA Bowl
Oregon State vs. Utah State (7:30 p.m. | ABC)

New Orleans Bowl
No. 23 Louisiana vs. Marshall (9:15 p.m. | ESPN)

Monday, Dec. 20

Myrtle Beach Bowl
Tulsa vs. Old Dominion (2:30 p.m. | ESPN)

Tuesday, Dec. 21

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl
Kent State vs. Wyoming (3:30 p.m. | ESPN)

Frisco Bowl
No. 24 San Diego State vs. UTSA (7:30 p.m. | ESPN)

Wednesday, Dec. 22

Armed Forces Bowl
Missouri vs. Army (8 p.m. | ESPN)

Thursday, Dec. 23

Frisco Football Classic
Miami (Ohio) vs. North Texas (3:30 p.m. | ESPN)

Gasparilla Bowl
Florida vs. UCF (7 p.m. | ESPN)

Friday, Dec. 24

Hawai'i Bowl
Memphis vs. Hawai’i (8 p.m. | ESPN)

Saturday, Dec. 25

Camellia Bowl
Ball State vs. Georgia State (2:30 p.m. | ESPN)

Monday, Dec. 27

Quick Lane Bowl
Western Michigan vs. Nevada (11 a.m. | ESPN)

Military Bowl
East Carolina vs. Boston College (2:30 p.m. | ESPN)

Tuesday, Dec. 28

Birmingham Bowl
No. 20 Houston vs. Auburn (12 p.m. | ESPN)

First Responder Bowl
Air Force vs. Louisville (3:15 p.m. | ESPN)

Liberty Bowl
Texas Tech vs. Mississippi State (6:45 p.m. | ESPN)

Holiday Bowl
No. 18 NC State vs. UCLA (8 p.m. | FOX)

Guaranteed Rate Bowl
Minnesota vs. West Virginia (10:15 p.m. | ESPN)

Wednesday, Dec. 29

Fenway Bowl
Virginia vs. SMU (11 a.m. | ESPN)

Pinstripe Bowl
Virginia Tech vs. Maryland (2:15 p.m. | ESPN)

Cheez-It Bowl
No. 19 Clemson vs. Iowa State (5:45 p.m. | ESPN)

Alamo Bowl
No. 14 Oregon vs. No. 16 Oklahoma (9:15 p.m. | ESPN)

Thursday, Dec. 30

Duke's Mayo Bowl
North Carolina vs. South Carolina (11:30 a.m. | ESPN)

Music City Bowl
Tennessee vs. Purdue (3 p.m. | ESPN)

Peach Bowl
No. 10 Michigan State vs. No. 12 Pittsburgh (7 p.m. | ESPN)

Las Vegas Bowl
Wisconsin vs. Arizona State (10:30 p.m. | ESPN)

Friday, Dec. 31

Gator Bowl
No. 17 Wake Forest vs. No. 25 Texas A&M (11 a.m. | ESPN)

Sun Bowl
Washington State vs. Miami (FL) (12 p.m. | CBS)

Arizona Bowl
Central Michigan vs. Boise State (2 p.m. | Barstool Sports)

Cotton Bowl Classic (CFP Semifinal)
No. 1 Alabama vs. No. 4 Cincinnati (3:30 p.m. | ESPN)

Orange Bowl (CFP Semifinal)
No. 2 Michigan vs. No. 3 Georgia (7:30 p.m. | ESPN)

Saturday, Jan. 1

Outback Bowl
No. 21 Arkansas vs. Penn State (12 p.m. | ESPN2)

Citrus Bowl
No. 15 Iowa vs. No. 22 Kentucky (1 p.m. | ABC)

Fiesta Bowl
No. 5 Notre Dame vs. No. 9 Oklahoma State (1 p.m. | ESPN)

Rose Bowl
No. 6 Ohio State vs. No. 11 Utah (5 p.m. | ESPN)

Sugar Bowl
No. 7 Baylor vs. No. 8 Ole Miss (8:45 p.m. | ESPN)

Tuesday, Jan. 4

Texas Bowl
Kansas State vs. LSU (9 p.m. | ESPN)

Monday, Jan. 10

*College Football Playoff National Championship Game

(8 p.m. | ESPN)

🎥 THE HIGHLIGHTS

🏈 NFL: Chiefs Beat Chargers on TNF (34-28, OT)

The Chiefs and Chargers exploded for 29 points combined in the fourth quarter for a Thursday night shootout that went into overtime before Kansas City won it on a touchdown pass from Patrick Mahomes (31/47, 410 yds, 3 TDs, 1 INTs) to Travis Kelce (10 rec, 191 yds, 2 TDs). WR Tyreek Hill (12 rec, 148 yds, 1 TD) also had a stellar night for the KC offense as the Chiefs (10-4) won their seventh straight.

🏀 NBA: Nets Hold Off 76ers for 4th Straight (114-105)

Kevin Durant (34 points, 11 rebounds, 8 assists) and Joel Embiid (32 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists) dueled it out last night in an Eastern Conference showdown between Brooklyn and Philly. The Nets saw an 18-point halftime lead vanish in the third, but they held on for their fourth straight win to remain atop the East at 21-8.

🏒 NHL: Preds Pace Avs to Push Streak to 6 (5-2)

The Predators and Avalanche entered Thursday putting their five-game win streaks head-to-head. Nashville’s Filip Forsberg netted two goals and added an assist to the lead the Preds to a 5-2 win. Colton Sissons also had three assists, and Nashville now owns the league-best six-game streak.

THE STORYLINES

⚽️  Premier League Shutdown

Premier League chiefs have been informed that with rising case numbers being fueled by the omicron variant, there would be support for suspending games until the weekend of Jan. 8-9, when FA Cup third-round ties are due to take place. (ESPN)

🏀  College Basketball’s Surprise Teams

As college basketball season hits full stride with league play either underway or on the horizon across the country, the national picture is coming into focus. Four teams have already claimed the No. 1 spot in the AP Top 25. (CBS Sports)

🏈  College Football Bowl Picks

After an unexpected and thrilling regular season, 84 college football teams emerged to extend their campaigns. They will make up the largest postseason schedule in history. Here are our predictions for every postseason bowl game… (USA Today)

📰 THE HEADLINES

Tom Brady Signs NIL Deals With College Athletes for Apparel Line

(ESPN)

NBA Gets First Case of Omicron Variant in COVID-19 Test

(SI)

Pacers’ Domantas Sabonis Reportedly ‘Wants Out’ of Indiana

(Bleacher Report)

Browns QB Baker Mayfield Sounds Off On NFL’s COVID Protocols

(USA Today)

Pittsburgh Star QB Kenny Pickett Opts Out of Peach Bowl to Prepare for NFL Draft

(CBS Sports)

Isaiah Thomas Signs 10-Day Contract With Lakers After 42 Points in G-League Game

(Yahoo! Sports)

🗓️ WEEKEND SCHEDULE

The Must-Watch List

NFL Week 15

Raiders at Browns (Sat. 4:30 pm)

Patriots at Colts (Sat. 8:15 pm)

Titans at Steelers (Sun. 1:00 pm)

Washington at Eagles (Sun. 1:00 pm)

Seahawks at Rams (Sun. 4:25 pm)

Packers at Ravens (Sun. 4:25 pm)

Saints at Bucs (Sun. 8:20 pm)

Full NFL Week 15 Schedule

NBA Schedule

NHL Schedule

NCAA Basketball

M: #4 UCLA vs. North Carolina (Sat. 3:00 pm)

M: #15 Ohio State vs. #21 Kentucky (Sat. 5:15 pm)

W: #3 Stanford at #7 Tennessee (Sat. 5:15 pm)

W: #7 UConn vs. #6 Louisville (Sun. 3:30 pm)

W: #4 Arizona vs. #11 Texas (Sun. 5:30 pm)

Boxing

Jake Paul vs. Tyron Woodley (Sat. 10:00 pm)

*All Times ET

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