THE college football bowl line tends to get mixed up from year to year, as games are organized and reconfigured depending on how the schedule falls. One destination, however, remained fairly constant around December 24. The pandemic interrupted this island vacation tradition for a few years, but thankfully it’s back on the playoff schedule.
It’s the only contest on Tuesday’s college football schedule, and I hope it provides a little evening entertainment in addition to the visions of candy and all the other festive anticipation. Here’s a look at the participating teams, representing both continental coasts.
Time/TV/location: 8 p.m. ET, ESPN, Honolulu.
Why watch: There are worse ways to spend the holidays than a trip to Hawaii. The Bulls couldn’t keep up with American Athletic’s best, but won enough games to earn that bid, while the Spartans and coach Ken Niumatalolo both established new identities. South Florida quarterback Bryce Archie has had an up-and-down season after replacing injured starter Byrum Brown, but he’ll need to be sharp to keep pace with SJSU’s productive aerial attack. WR Nick Nash, who led the nation in receiving for much of the campaign, will not participate, but secondary target Justin Lockhart should be available to QB Walker Eget.
Why it might disappoint: We should learn from the Bulls’ first few possessions if they will be able to move the ball consistently enough to keep pace with the Spartans. There will be at least a few images of warm weather to help you forget that it’s colder where you are.
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This article was originally published on USA TODAY: What are the college football bowl games today? Hawaii Bowl on Christmas Eve
