A look at Friday's college football bowl games, and the St. Louis ties
A busy bowl week continues Friday with four more games, the nightcap being the game of highest local interest.
The action again starts early, with an 11 a.m. kickoff in the Gator Bowl.
Friday's games feature numerous St. Louisans in action for competing teams.
Mizzou's Cotton Bowl matchup vs. Ohio State could be the closest game of the day based on betting lines.
Here's a look at the bowl games scheduled for Friday.
Gator Bowl
No. 22 Clemson vs. Kentucky
11 a.m. Friday, ESPN
Skinny: No. 22 Clemson (8-4) has won eight games after reaching at least 10 wins in each of the previous 12 seasons. The Tigers are in their 50th bowl game and 19th straight. Clemson's Phil Mafah has run for nine touchdowns to lead the Tigers' ground attack. Kentucky (7-5) is in its eighth straight bowl game. Kentucky is led by running back Ray Davis with 20 rushing or receiving touchdowns.
Local line: For Clemson, cornerback Toriano Pride Jr. (East St. Louis) had 14 tackles this season, but transferred to Mizzou after the regular season. … For Kentucky, kicker Michael Bernard (Clayton) transferred from Fordham but hasn't appeared in a game this year. Linebacker Daveren Rayner and offensive lineman Marques Cox both transferred from Northern Illinois.
Sun Bowl
No. 19 Oregon State vs. No. 16 Notre Dame
1 p.m. Friday, KMOV (Channel 4) in St. Louis, CBS nationally
Skinny: No. 19 Oregon State (8-4) features running back Damien Martinez. He has rushed for 1,185 yards and nine touchdowns this season. Beavers starting quarterback DJ Uiagalelei is transferring and won't play. For No. 16 Notre Dame (9-3), quarterback Sam Hartman has had a strong season after transferring from Wake Forest. Audric Estime, who has rushed for 1,341 yards and 18 touchdowns this season, is off to the NFL draft, leaving more playing time for St. Louisan Jeremiyah Love.
Local line: For Oregon State, linebacker Calvin Hart played at Illinois in 2021 and 2022. … For Notre Dame, four St. Louisans are on the roster: running back Jeremiyah Love (CBC), cornerback Christian Gray (De Smet), defensive lineman Gabriel Rubio (Lutheran St. Charles) and defensive lineman Tyson Ford (John Burroughs). Love, a freshman, is the team's second-leading rusher with 346 yards. Fellow freshman Gray has one interception. Rubio has nine tackles and Ford has one. Assistant coach Chris O'Leary played at Indiana State of the Missouri Valley.
Liberty Bowl
Memphis vs. Iowa State
2:30 p.m. Friday, ESPN
Skinny: Memphis (9-3) is aiming to reach 10 wins this season when the Tigers face Iowa State in the Liberty Bowl. It's the 10th straight bowl bid for Memphis, the longest current streak among non-Power Five teams. The Tigers are led by 1,000-yard rusher Blake Watson. Iowa State (7-5) won six league games for the third time. Cyclones quarterback Rocco Becht is the Big 12 offensive freshman of the year.
Local line: For Memphis, offensive lineman Mitchell Gildehaus (St. Francis Borgia) has played in eight games. Wide receiver Tauskie Dove, a Mizzou transfer, has 17 catches for 260 yards and a touchdown. … For Iowa State, offensive lineman Darrell Simmons Jr. (East St. Louis) has played in all 12 games and defensive back Myles Norwood (Trinity Catholic) didn't play this season and has decided to transfer. Several other locals are listed on the roster but have not played this season: defensive end Anthony Cunningham Jr. (Belleville East), offensive lineman Trevor Buhr (Washington, Mo., High) and running back Arlen Harris Jr. (Lutheran St. Charles), a Stanford transfer. Linebacker Zachary Lovett, a Mizzou transfer, has three sacks, tied for second-most on the team. Assistant coach Nate Scheelhaase coached at Illinois from 2015-17 and fellow assistant Deon Broomfield coached at Western Illinois in 2016.
Cotton Bowl
No. 9 Missouri vs. No. 7 Ohio State
7 p.m. Friday, ESPN
Skinny: No. 9 Missouri (10-2) has its first 10-win season since the 2014 season. Quarterback Brady Cook leads Mizzou with 3,189 yards passing, 20 touchdowns and six interceptions. No. 7 Ohio State (11-1) is in a New Year's Six bowl game for the 11th season in a row, going back to the last Orange Bowl before the four-team playoff began the 2014 season. The Buckeyes are led by receiver Marvin Harrison, who has 1,211 yards receiving, 15 touchdowns and 18.1 yards per catch. Quarterback Kyle McCord has transferred and won't play.
Local line: For Missouri, numerous St. Louisans make major contributions including quarterback Brady Cook (Chaminade), leading receiver Luther Burden (East St. Louis) and leading rusher Cody Schrader (Lutheran South) … For Ohio State, linebacker Jalen Pace (MICDS), son of Rams great Orlando Pace, is an invited walk-on and hasn't played this season. Assistant coach Tim Walton was the St. Louis Rams' defensive coordinator in 2013.
