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College Football's 11 Must-See Bowl Games for the 2025-26 Postseason
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- College Football's 11 Must-See Bowl Games for the 2025-26 Postseason
Although college football 's bowl season looks a little different with early transfer movement, coaching changes, and team/player opt outs, the 2025-26 postseason slate is still loaded with intriguing matchups. The 12-team playoff will garner the bulk of the attention for the next two months, but a bowl slate that begins on Dec. 13 and stretches to Jan. 2 for non-playoff games doesn't lack for high-profile contests or opportunities to see teams prove their mettle one more time.
The Citrus Bowl scooped the best matchup outside of the College Football Playoff with Michigan and Texas meeting in Orlando on Dec. 31. The Pop-Tarts Bowl isn't far behind at No. 2 with BYU and Georgia Tech providing an intriguing clash of standout quarterbacks.
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Which bowl games outside of the College Football Playoff are must-see matchups? Athlon Sports ranks the top 11 and profiles a few others to watch this postseason:
College Football's 11 Must-See Bowl Games for the 2025-26 Postseason
Will Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning enter the 2026 NFL Draft?Jordan Prather-Imagn Images
1. Cheez-It Citrus Bowl
Michigan (9-3) vs. Texas (9-3)
Date/Kickoff:Wednesday, Dec. 31 at 3 p.m. ET
TV:ABC
It doesn't get much better than seeing Texas and Michigan - two of the winningest programs in college football history and outstanding classic uniforms - meeting on the same field in Orlando.
These two teams met last season, with Texas winning 31-12 in Ann Arbor. Much about those two teams has changed since then, and both will be looking to use this bowl as a springboard into a playoff run in '26. This matchup is also a terrific battle between two rising star quarterbacks in Bryce Underwood (Wolverines) and Arch Manning
(Longhorns).
Although a bowl victory won't ease the pain from a disappointing 9-3 season, after beating Texas A&M
in the regular season finale, combined with a win here, would certainly be a strong way to end the '25 campaign for Texas.
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2. Pop-Tarts Bowl
Georgia Tech (9-3) vs. BYU (11-2)
Date/Kickoff:Saturday, Dec. 27 at 3:30 p.m. ET
TV:ABC
The Pop-Tarts Bowl is exactly what the postseason (outside of the playoff) is all about. Not only is BYU-Georgia Tech an intriguing matchup, this game is a fun spectacle outside of the battle on the gridiron, with a pop-tart mascot toasted and consumed by the winning team.
At one point, both Georgia Tech and BYU had playoff aspirations but fell out of the mix late in the year. The Yellow Jackets struggled on defense at the end of '25 and will have to overcome the loss of offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner after he departed to Florida. However, quarterback Haynes King
is still around to take on a BYU defense limiting opponents to 19 points a contest.
The Cougars also feature their own star at quarterback in true freshman Bear Bachmeier. In 13 games, Bachmeier threw for 2,708 yards and 14 touchdowns and rushed for 527 yards and 11 scores.
The battle between Bachmeier and King could be one of the better quarterback duels of the postseason.
Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia (2) scrambles against Tennessee during the first half at Neyland Stadium on Nov. 29, 2025, in Knoxville, Tennessee. © Randy Sartin-Imagn Images
3. Reliaquest Bowl
Iowa (8-4) vs. Vanderbilt (10-2)
Date/Kickoff:Wednesday, Dec. 31 at Noon ET
TV:ESPN
Vanderbilt
coach Clark Lea indicated during bowl press availability that he expects quarterback Diego Pavia and tight end Eli Stowers
to play in this game. That's great news for the Commodores, as they look to cap the greatest season in school history with win No. 11 and a significant bowl victory.
But Pavia and Vanderbilt's high-powered offense (39.4 points a game) face one of the Big Ten
's top defenses, as Iowa limits teams to just 15.4 points a contest. And on the other side of the ball, the Hawkeyes rushing attack (177.8 yards a game) with quarterback Mark Gronowski
and running back Kamari Moulton operating behind a standout line will test a vulnerable Commodores defense.
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4. Alamo Bowl
USC (9-3) vs. TCU (8-4)
Date/Kickoff:Tuesday, Dec. 30 at 9 p.m. ET
TV:ESPN
If you like offense, then this showdown in the Alamodome should be near the top of the list of must-see matchups this bowl season. USC averaged 36.5 points a game in the regular season, with TCU (30.8) not far behind.
This matchup features a standout quarterback duel between Jayden Maiava for the Trojans and Josh Hoover for the Horned Frogs, and there's no shortage of receiving talent with USC's Makai Lemon and TCU's Eric McAlister in the top five nationally in yardage.
Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Bret Bielema before a game with the Western Illinois Leathernecks]Ron Johnson-Imagn Images
5. Music City Bowl
Tennessee (8-4) vs. Illinois (8-4)
Date/Kickoff:Dec. 30 at 5:30 p.m. ET
TV:ESPN
An 8-4 season certainly isn't disappointing for Tennessee or Illinois, but both teams had aspirations of making the playoff at one point or another, so this matchup on Dec. 30 is a chance to finish out the year on a high note.
With an over/under of 61.5, the Music City Bowl is expected to be one of the highest-scoring matchups of the postseason. The Volunteers bring more big-play ability behind quarterback Joey Aguilar and receivers Chris Brazzell II, Mike Matthews, and Braylon Staley. While the Fighting Illini's efficient attack behind quarterback Luke Altmyer will aim to hammer away against a suspect Tennessee defense on the ground and through the air.
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6. Holiday Bowl
Arizona (9-3) vs. SMU (8-4)
Date/Kickoff:Jan. 2 at 8 p.m. ET
TV:Fox
The Holiday Bowl has a track record of producing high-scoring affairs and has the right mix of teams to continue that tradition on Jan. 2 this season. SMU averages 32.9 points a contest behind quarterback Kevin Jennings, while Arizona is just a small step behind at 32.6 per game. Similar to the Mustangs, the Wildcats will go as their quarterback (Noah Fifita) plays. But coach Brent Brennan's squad has been one of the most opportunistic teams (plus-16 turnover margin) in '25.
Duke Blue Devils quarterback Darian Mensah (10) throws a touchdown pass.© James Guillory-Imagn Images
7. Sun Bowl
Arizona State (8-4) vs. Duke (8-5)
Date/Kickoff:Dec. 31 at 2 p.m. ET
TV:CBS
Five out of the last six Sun Bowls have been decided by one score, including last year's thriller between Washington and Louisville. Duke
has momentum on its side after winning the ACC
title over Virginia, while Arizona State aims to rebound after losing its regular season finale to rival Arizona. The Blue Devils have been inconsistent at times this year, but quarterback Darian Mensah is a tough matchup for a Sun Devils' defense that's limited opponents to just 5.02 yards a play. Running back Raleek Brown (1,141 yards) quietly finished second in the Big 12
in rushing yards for Arizona State and could have a huge day against a Duke defense ranked 12th in the ACC versus the run.
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8. Gator Bowl
Virginia (10-3) vs. Missouri (8-4)
Date/Kickoff:Dec. 27 at 7:30 p.m. ET
TV:ABC
Virginia is looking for just its second bowl win since 2006, while Missouri aims to win its third straight postseason game under coach Eli Drinkwitz. Something has to give in this intriguing ACC-SEC clash in Jacksonville. The Tigers battled injuries at quarterback to finish 8-4 and run their three-year record under Drinkwitz to 29-9. A rushing attack featuring running back Ahmad Hardy (1,560 yards) will test a Cavaliers rush defense limiting teams to 110.5 yards a game. And when Virginia has the ball, quarterback Chandler Morris is likely to have his hands full against Missouri's standout front, along with a secondary that allowed just six yards per attempt.
Oregon's Jordan Burch, left, sacks Washington quarterback Demond Williams Jr. during the third quarter at Autzen Stadium in Eugene Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024© Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
9. LA Bowl
Washington (8-4) vs. Boise State (9-4)
Date/Kickoff:Dec. 13 at 8 p.m. ET
TV:ABC
This Mountain West-Big Ten affair is a fun way to start the bowl season. After winning the Mountain West title on Friday night, it's a quick turnaround for Boise State to prepare and travel to Los Angeles for this matchup against Washington. The Huskies took a step forward in coach Jedd Fisch's second year, finishing 8-4 after a 6-7 debut in '24. Quarterback Demond Williams (287.1 total yards a game) is one of the nation's most dynamic signal-callers. But Washington's defense (No. 4 in the Big Ten against the run) will be tested against a Boise State ground attack that pummeled opponents for 188.4 rushing yards a contest this year. After missing a couple of games due to injury, the return of quarterback Maddux Madsen provided a big lift for the Broncos in the Mountain West title victory over UNLV.
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10. Hawaii Bowl
Hawaii (8-4) vs. California (7-5)
Date/Kickoff:Dec. 24 at 8 p.m. ET
TV:ESPN
This game features a battle of former standout Hawaii quarterbacks and two current rising stars under center. Former record-setting passer Timmy Chang guided the Rainbow Warriors to its best season since 2019 (10-5), while interim coach (and former Hawaii quarterback and head coach) Nick Rolovich returns to Honolulu. Hawaii quarterback Micah Alejado paced the Mountain West with 283.2 passing yards a game, and he will look to spoil the homecoming of California true freshman signal-caller Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele.
11. Myrtle Beach Bowl
Kennesaw State (10-3) vs. Western Michigan (9-4)
Date/Kickoff:Friday, Dec. 19 at 11 a.m. ET
TV:ESPN
This is the only bowl matchup outside of the College Football Playoff that's slated to pit two conference champions against one another. Kennesaw State was one of the best stories of the '25 season, improving from 2-10 last year to 10-3 and Conference USA champs under first-year coach Jerry Mack. The Broncos are a program on the rise under coach Lance Taylor. After a 6-7 mark last season, Western Michigan won nine out of its last 10 games to finish 9-4 and claim the program's first MAC title since '16.
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Other Intriguing Bowls to Watch
Cure Bowl - South Florida (9-3) vs. Old Dominion (9-3)
Date/Kickoff:Wednesday, Dec. 17 at 5 p.m. ET
TV:ESPN
This game features a few unknowns with Old Dominion quarterback Colton Joseph transferring, and South Florida coach Alex Golesh off to Auburn
. But even with those departures, this game should produce its share of points in potentially an entertaining back-and-forth battle.
Frisco Bowl - UNLV (10-3) vs. Ohio (8-4)
Date/Kickoff:Tuesday, Dec. 23 at 9 p.m. ET
TV:ESPN
Dynamic quarterbacks Anthony Colandrea (UNLV) and Parker Navarro (Ohio) should provide plenty of fireworks.
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Guaranteed Rate - Minnesota (7-5) vs. New Mexico (9-3)
Date/Kickoff:Saturday, Dec. 26 at 4:30 p.m. ET
TV:ESPN
The Lobos were one of the biggest surprises in the Mountain West and will give the Golden Gophers and quarterback Drake Lindsey all they can handle.
Las Vegas Bowl - Utah (10-2) vs. Nebraska (7-5)
Date/Kickoff:Saturday, Dec. 31 at 3:30 p.m. ET
TV:ESPN
A Utah rushing attack that ranked No. 2 nationally meets a Nebraska rush defense that finished '25 ranked No. 96 in yards allowed per contest.
Liberty Bowl - Navy (9-2) vs. Cincinnati (7-5)
Date/Kickoff:Saturday, Jan. 2 at 4:30 p.m. ET
TV:ESPN
Cincinnati is vulnerable against the run, which is good news for quarterback Blake Horvath and the prolific Navy ground game. However, the Midshipmen will also give up some yards through the air, giving the Bearcats and quarterback Brendan Sorsby a chance to match score-for-score.
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New Mexico Bowl - North Texas (11-2) vs. San Diego State (9-3)
Date/Kickoff:Saturday, Dec. 27 at 5:45 p.m. ET
TV:ESPN
This game could be worth a spot in the top 10 if North Texas is at full strength and won't lose any key transfers from coach Eric Morris' departure to Oklahoma State
. It's a clash of styles in Albuquerque, as the Mean Green rank first nationally in scoring offense, while the Aztecs are fifth in fewest points allowed per game.
Pinstripe Bowl - Penn State
(6-6) vs. Clemson (7-5)
Date/Kickoff:Saturday, Dec. 27 at Noon ET
TV:ABC
In the preseason, any projection of a Penn State-Clemson postseason meeting was a reasonable expectation. However, most expected that matchup to occur in the playoff, and not in the Bronx for the Pinstripe Bowl.
Texas Bowl - Houston (9-3) vs. LSU
(7-5)
Date/Kickoff:Saturday, Dec. 27 at 9:15 p.m. ET
TV:ESPN
The Bayou Bengals are back in the Texas Bowl for the second year in a row. However, a motivated Houston team hungry for its first bowl victory since '22, along with a stingy Cougars' defense, will make life difficult for LSU's struggling offense.
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Related: College Football Playoff: First-Round Matchups, Predictions, Storylines to Watch
Related: College Football Playoff Preview: How Each Team in the 12-Team Field Can Win it All
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Dec 8, 2025, where it first appeared in the College Football section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
