Bowl Games 2023-24: Odds and Predictions for Most Exciting Matchups on the Schedule
Some of the most exciting matchups on the college football bowl schedule take place before Christmas Day.
The ever-changing landscape of college football affected some of the top-tier bowls because of NFL draft opt outs and transfer portal entrances.
The lower-level Power Five schools and best Group of Five teams may go down as the most exciting teams to watch from December 16-January 1 because they have a majority of their teams in place.
Motivation also plays a key role in how exciting a bowl can be, and few Power Five programs have more of that going into a bowl than the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.
Georgia Tech is playing in its first bowl game since 2018 against the UCF Knights in the Gasparilla Bowl.
UCF will try to finish off its first season in the Big 12 on a high note, and it gets to play in front of a favorable crowd in Tampa.
A few days before that, UTSA Roadrunners quarterback Frank Harris has the potential to finish off his long collegiate career in style in the Frisco Bowl.
Harris has been one of the most electric quarterbacks at the Group of Five level in recent years, and we could get one more signature performance out of him against the Marshall Thundering Herd.
For the latest lines on these games, go to DraftKings.
Georgia Tech breathed new life in its program this season with a 6-6 campaign.
The Yellow Jackets won three of their final five games and were competitive with the Georgia Bulldogs to close out the regular season.
Georgia Tech also suffered a close defeat to the Louisville Cardinals at the start of the season, which was a sign things were turning around in Atlanta.
The ACC side carries more motivation than most Power Five schools do into a bowl game because it has not been to this stage of the season in five years.
Georgia Tech should be energized to take on a UCF team that played some of its best football at the end of the year.
The Knights went 3-1 in their final four games behind quarterback John Rhys Plumlee to become bowl eligible.
Plumlee and GT quarterback Haynes King are perfect examples of how the transfer portal can be beneficial for players.
The pair of former SEC signal-callers should put on a show in Tampa on December 22. They combined for 39 passing touchdowns this season and each quarterback can beat opponents with their legs as well.
The Gasparilla Bowl has the potential to be one of the most exciting bowls of the season because both teams are mostly in tact and have quarterbacks who can beat defenses in both facets of the offense.
The over should also be aided by two average defenses, who combined to allow over 30 points on 12 occasions in 2023.
UTSA quarterback Frank Harris is worth the price of admission on his own.
The veteran signal-caller has over 11,000 passing yards, 2,143 rushing yards and 120 total touchdowns across his five years with the Roadrunners.
Harris is the first name you mention when talking about UTSA, and it would be fitting if ends his senior season with the program's first-ever bowl victory.
Harris produced 2,800 total yards and 22 touchdowns this season. He has the potential to do a lot of damage against the Marshall Thundering Herd defense.
Marshall allowed at least 28 points in five of its six defeats and it did not hold an opponent under 20 points in three of its six victories.
The Thundering Herd needed a win over the Arkansas State Red Wolves in the final week of the regular season to become bowl eligible, and while on the surface they may not seem exciting, they are building for the future in the Frisco Bowl.
Quarterback Cole Pennington, the son of former New York Jets and Marshall quarterback Chad Pennington, will start the bowl game with eyes on being the top signal-caller next season.
Marshall will try to breathe some fresh air into its program while trying to compete with Harris, and given its defensive struggles, it may need to score 25-30 points to keep up with the Roadrunners.
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