The top 2023-24 bowl season storylines

The final four-team College Football Playoff is likely to go down as the most controversial of them all. There were as many as six teams worthy of inclusion, but in the end, No. 1 Michigan (13-0), No. 2 Washington (13-0), No. 3 Texas (12-1) and No. 4 Alabama (12-1) made the cut. And, quite honestly, the Michigan-Alabama and Washington-Texas matchups bring the best entertainment value for those looking to spend New Year’s Day on the couch -— hungover or not — watching football. A serious case can be made that each of these four teams has a serious shot at winning it all.

Before we get into the teams that will be part of the 2024 CFP, let’s about the ones who are not. Florida State, 13-0 and ACC champion, was omitted from the CFP field (the first undefeated, Power 5 Conference champ to have that happen), and will likely go down as the biggest snub in the history of the four-team playoff era, and opened the door for various underlying meanings for the decision. Now, arguments can be made for or against the Seminoles making the playoff. The fact is, without injured star quarterback Jordan Travis (2,755 passing yards, 20 touchdowns, two interceptions in 2023), Florida State is not as potent. In 11 games with Travis, the Seminoles averaged 38.8 points, but totaled 40 in the two without him. That said, Florida State does have the opportunity to shove it in the face of the CFP committee and its critics by beating Georgia in the Orange Bowl.

Michigan earned the No. 1 spot in the CFP playoff, Jim Harbaugh is back from suspension and the Wolverines defense hasn’t allowed more than 24 points in a game this season — and more than 19 just twice. Yet, they are only 1 1/2-point favorites against Alabama in the Rose Bowl semifinal. Because of the alleged play-stealing incident and Harbaugh’s matter-of-fact approach to it all, Michigan might be the team we love to hate in this year’s CFP as the program makes a third straight playoff appearance while trying for its first title since 1997. Adding to the intrigue, however the Wolverines fare: Is this the end of the line for Harbaugh at Ann Arbor?

One player doesn’t usually hold a team’s fortune in their collective hands. However, when it comes to Alabama’s chances of beating Michigan, then either Texas or Washington, to regain its spot atop the college football world, the aforementioned Jalen Milroe could be the key to the program’s playoff success. Since being picked off twice and sacked five times against Texas, then not playing at all in a 17-3 win over South Florida, Milroe has completed 66.7 percent of his passes, thrown 18 touchdowns — to just four interceptions — and rushed for 10 scores in starting the last 10 games to finish sixth in the Heisman Trophy voting. Now, can he handle Michigan’s vaunted defense?

Two seasons removed from a 4-8 effort, Washington is among the four best teams in the nation. A big reason for the Huskies’ 2023 success is the resilient Michael Penix Jr., the former Indiana quarterback, who overcame a history of knee injuries to complete 65.5 percent of his passes for 8,859 yards with 64 touchdowns and 17 interceptions while leading Washington to a 24-2 record and the final Pac-12 title in his two seasons in Seattle. Feel-good sports stories don’t get much better than his, and Penix, who finished second in the 2023 Heisman Trophy voting, is easy to root for.

College football fans might forget that Washington and Texas faced off in the Alamo Bowl last season. The Longhorns’ Quinn Ewers threw for 369 yards with a touchdown, but the Huskies won 27-20. The aforementioned Michael Penix threw for 287 yards and two touchdowns with a pick in that contest. With Texas averaging 37.1 points during its seven-game winning streak and Washington scoring 37.7 points on the season, one would expect the scoreboard at the Superdome to get more of a workout when the two rematch at the Sugar Bowl. Texas is the the lower seed, but a four-point favorite for this national semifinal game. 

When talking New Year’s Six bowl matchups, Florida State-Georgia might offer the most intrigue, but when it comes to entertainment value, our money is on the Fiesta Bowl matchup of Oregon (11-2) — which suffered its only losses to Washington — against Group of Five stud Liberty (13-0). Last season, Tulane stunned USC in the Cotton Bowl, and the undefeated Flames will take their shot at pulling off an even bigger upset (they’re 17 1/2-point dogs). And, for those who like offense, this might be your game. Led by Heisman finalist Bo Nix (4,145 passing yards, 77.2 completion percentage, 40 touchdowns, three interceptions, six rushing TDs), Oregon ranks second in the nation in average scoring (44.2 points), total yards (527.4) and first in average passing yards (344.1). Meanwhile, Liberty and Kaidon Salter (2,750 passing yards, 60.9 completion percentage, 31 touchdowns, five interceptions; 1,064 rushing yards, 12 rushing TDs), are fifth in the country in scoring (40.8 points), third in average total yards (514.9) and boast America’s top rushing offense at 302.9 yards per game.

Staying with the New Year’s Six, keep an eye on the Cotton Bowl. Missouri (10-2) is a popular bowl pick, and enter as 2 1/2-point favorites against Ohio State (11-1), which seemed to be fine with quarterback Kyle McCord entering the transfer portal. It appears Devin Brown will be under center for the Buckeyes, who are awaiting to see if star receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. (67 receptions, 1,211 yards, 14 touchdowns) will opt out of the Cotton Bowl, too. Meanwhile, the media loves Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz, whose squad’s only losses came to LSU and Georgia — but it totaled 60 points in both games.

No surprise that Caleb Williams has opted out of USC’s Holiday Bowl matchup with Louisville. Williams, who is also set to forego his senior season for the NFL, had a solid follow-up to his Heisman Trophy-winning season by completing 68.6 percent of his passes for 3,633 yards with 30 touchdowns and five interceptions, and also rushing for 11 TDs, in 2023. However, the Trojans once again underachieved while going 1-5 following 6-0 start. While Williams is no doubt the college game’s biggest name to opt out of a bowl game, there are plenty more prominent players who will do the same.

During this era of the transfer portal, there’s perhaps a good chance down the road that Jaylen Raynor will be playing for a perennial national college football power. For the moment, he’s about to conclude a stellar true freshman season as Arkansas State’s quarterback. Normally, Dec. 23’s Camellia Bowl would not be appointment viewing for most, but college football fans might want to check out Raynor when his Red Wolves face Northern Illinois. Raynor just might be the most exciting player in college football that nobody has heard of this season. He debuted in Arkansas State’s third game of the season against Stony Brook, and has held the starting quarterback spot ever since, throwing for 2,293 yards with 15 touchdowns, six interceptions and five rushing TDs in 10 games.

Looking for a non-CFP or New Year’s Six matchup not to miss? Try the Armed Forces Bowl. This Dec. 23 contest pits Air Force, which started 8-0 before losing its final four games, but ranks second in the nation with its option offense averaging 275.8 rushing yards, against 11-1 upstart James Madison, in its second FBS season — for the FCS. Normally the Dukes, who allow an average of 18.5 points, would not be eligible for a bowl game while still in the transitional phase of its FBS tenure, but since there weren’t enough eligible teams (achieving a 6-6 or better record) to fill the 82 bowl slots this season, James Madison was granted a much-deserved spot after beating the likes of Virginia and Troy this season. JMU also happens to be a 2 1/2-point favorite.

James Madison is not the only transitional FBS football program headed to a bowl game. Jacksonville State, in its first season at the top level of college football, went 8-4, including 6-2 in Conference USA, for 2023. Notable wins for the Gamecocks, who have held six opponents to 17 or fewer points this season, included Eastern Michigan and Western Kentucky — both bowl teams. And, because there are too few eligible bowl teams, Jacksonville State will take on Louisiana in the New Orleans Bowl on Dec. 16.

Minnesota went 5-7 and finished last in the Big Ten West Division, and yet — for the second time in a decade — it’s going bowling. But, as noted, there were not enough teams eligible at 6-6, so after James Madison and Jacksonville State qualified with their winning records despite being a transitional period, the Gophers earned the 82nd and final bowl spot thanks to having the highest Academic Progress Rate score among those 5-7 teams. Minnesota, which earned a bowl bid the same way in 2015, will face Bowling Green in the Quick Lane Bowl on Dec. 26. 

Looking at the bowl schedule, the hardcore college football fan might wonder what happened to the Bahamas Bowl? Not usually the sexiest contest on the annual bowl slate, but watching football in a warm-weather paradise like the Bahamas is soothing for those in cold-weather climates. Don’t fret, the 2023 Bahamas Bowl, pitting Old Dominion versus Western Kentucky, has been temporarily relocated to Charlotte, N.C. and renamed the Famous Toastery Bowl, while renovations continue on Thomas A. Robinson Stadium in Nassau. This year’s game will be played on Monday, Dec. 18. The bowl is expected to return to the Bahamas for 2024.