The Big 12 college football bowl games are set and the Big 12 Conference has nine teams playing in eight different bowl games. Yes, you read that right, and it will be explained further throughout the article. But it’s an exciting time of year to get to enjoy the holidays, hopefully some downtime with loved ones, and yes, plenty of college football, for those of us junkies.
But not all bowl games are created equal. Some have a lot of hype and intrigue. Others, not so much. So with the Big 12 bowl games set, here are the Big 12 bowl games rankings.
1. Arizona State vs. Clemson/Texas: Peach Bowl
I mean, no matter what, this game is No. 1 because it’s the College Football Playoff! Arizona State’s story from being picked last in the Big 12 Preseason Poll to now being in the CFP is incredible. No matter what, they will have a tough quarterfinal match up, but getting to follow this team’s story to Atlanta, and then play either a former Big 12 team in Texas, which would be fantastic, or one of the blue bloods of the past decade in Clemson, makes for a great story line for Kenny Dillingham and the Sun Devils.
Baylor vs. LSU: Texas Bowl
This is a great match up that pits one of the hottest teams in college football that no one is talking about in Baylor against an SEC heavyweight in LSU. Dave Aranda gets to coach against the program he was the defensive coordinator for before he made the move to Waco and take on an uber-talented LSU program that has yet to reach its expectations under Brian Kelly. And talk about two polar opposites when it comes to sideline demeanor. Plus, the best Big 12 vs. SEC match up will always be near or at the top of my list.
Iowa State vs. Miami: Pop-Tarts Bowl
The Pop-Tarts Bowl, formerly the Camping World Bowl, has become a really good bowl game for the Big 12. And they’ve been competitive. Three of the last four games have been decided by one score or less. Iowa State’s defense, which was the best pass defense in the Big 12, going up against likely first round NFL Draft pick Cam Ward at quarterback will be a great match up to watch. Iowa State has been here now three times in the last six seasons. But they haven’t won one yet. Time to change that.
BYU vs. Colorado: Alamo Bowl
Some might rank this higher because it is a great game, but I’m disappointed because I wanted to see two of the better Big 12 teams go up against an SEC or Big Ten team. That would have been better for the Big 12. But obviously the contracts are still in place that required Colorado, as the former Pac-12 team, to play a Big 12 team and it’s an enticing match up for the Alamo Bowl since these two teams never played each other during the regular season and they finished tied for first place. I just think the appeal of bowl games is the out-of-conference mentality, and this game lacks that.
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Texas Tech vs. Arkansas: Liberty Bowl
Hey, it’s a Big 12 vs. SEC match up, so there’s already intrigue there. Arkansas lost to Oklahoma State, who of course went 0-9 in the Big 12. So let’s make Arkansas 0-2 vs. the Big 12 this season. But it’s also an old Southwest Conference match up and I think both fan bases will travel well to Memphis for this game. If Tech wins, they will get plenty of offseason attention heading into 2025.
West Virginia vs. Memphis: Frisco Bowl
It’s a Big 12 vs. AAC match up, but it’s the AAC team that comes in ranked. West Virginia is obviously in a weird spot without their head coach who led them to a 6-6 season, but hopefully the guys are still fired up. See, Memphis will be ready because just like a Big 12 team wants to show off to an SEC team, that’s how it is for the AAC vs. any Power 4 program. So West Virginia is in for a tough game, especially if they aren’t focused or motivated to be there.
Kansas State vs. Rutgers: Rate Bowl
The Kansas State Wildcats had a strong season at 8-4, but now they are rewarded by playing… Rutgers?? Yuck. The best part for K-State fans is getting to go to Phoenix and get out of the Kansas winter for a few days, at least for those who are making the trip. If you were just going to be watching at home anyway, this game isn’t going to be all that appealing or interesting. At least it shouldn’t be, if K-State plays up to its potential.
TCU vs. Louisiana: New Mexico Bowl
Who did TCU piss off to end up in the New Mexico Bowl? The reality is there was a logjam of eight-win teams in the Big 12, and TCU just got the short end of the stick. But while Louisiana is not a team to overlook, there’s just nothing appealing about this game. The Horned Frogs do need to win it, because I don’t want to hear about how the Big 12 lost this game all offseason.
