5 most intriguing non-New Yr’s Six bowl video games of 2022 season

As the primary of 42 video games will kick off Friday to commemorate the beginning of bowl season, culminating with the School Soccer Playoff Nationwide Championship recreation on Jan. 9, WPTV.com takes a have a look at 5 of probably the most intriguing matchups outdoors of the New Yr’s Six bowls.

Eric Homosexual/AP

That is the primary of three bowl video games in Orlando, nevertheless it’s the one one to be performed on the Main League Soccer stadium. Regardless of pitting two ranked convention champions in opposition to one another, the Treatment Bowl might be performed in entrance of an intimate crowd within the 25,500-seat venue. Maybe close by Tenting World Stadium and its 65,000-seat capability could be extra accommodating for Convention USA champion UTSA and Solar Belt Convention champion Troy.

The Roadrunners have received 10 straight video games and are 17-1 in C-USA play every of the final two seasons, successful consecutive convention titles. They’ve already gotten a giant enhance with the current announcement that quarterback Frank Harris will return for a seventh season in 2023.

Thomas Graning/AP

To not be ignored, Troy has additionally received 10 in a row beneath first-year head coach Jon Sumrall, only a 12 months faraway from three straight five-win seasons. One thing’s received to provide in Orlando.

Michael Clubb/AP

Can Scott Satterfield coach each groups? That was possible the very first thing on the minds of followers when it was introduced earlier this month that Satterfield was leaving Louisville for Cincinnati. Spoiler alert: Satterfield will not coach both crew.

As an alternative, the Cardinals might be led by former Louisville and NFL receiver Deion Department, who served because the crew’s director of participant improvement. He ought to really feel fairly at house in New England, the place he spent seven of his 11 seasons within the NFL and helped the Patriots win a pair of Tremendous Bowls (incomes MVP honors in Tremendous Bowl XXXIX).

On the alternative sideline might be Kerry Coombs, who was elevated from cornerbacks coach and particular groups coordinator to interim head coach after the departure of Luke Fickell.

Carlos Osorio/AP

Jason Candle has come full circle in his head teaching profession. His first recreation after succeeding Matt Campbell, now at Iowa State, was the 2015 Boca Raton Bowl.

Candle has taken the Rockets to 4 bowl video games within the seven seasons because the 32-17 victory over Temple within the 2015 recreation, however Toledo hasn’t received any of them.

Then there’s Liberty, which has but to lose a bowl recreation in its younger historical past. Though Liberty employed former Coastal Carolina head coach Jamey Chadwell to take over after Hugh Freeze left for Auburn, the Flames might be led by interim head coach Josh Aldridge in Boca Raton.

Matt Kelley/AP

Toledo upset Ohio 17-7 to win the Mid-American Convention championship.

Phil Sears/AP

Florida State is arguably the most well liked three-loss crew within the nation at present, having received 5 in a row, and has one of many nation’s prime offenses, led by quarterback Jordan Travis. The previous Benjamin College standout just lately introduced he’ll be returning for his last season of eligibility.

The Seminoles are the one crew within the nation ranked within the prime 10 in yards-per-play common on each side of the soccer.

This would be the first bowl recreation for Florida State beneath third-year head coach Mike Norvell and first for the Seminoles since 2019. A victory would give the Seminoles 10 wins for the primary time since beating Michigan within the Orange Bowl in 2016.

Alonzo Adams/AP

Oklahoma, however, is making an attempt to keep away from its first shedding season since 1998. The Seminoles are 1-6 all-time in opposition to the Sooners, who’re led by first-time head coach Brent Venables. Florida State hasn’t crushed Oklahoma since their first assembly – a 36-19 win within the 1965 Gator Bowl.

Rogelio V. Solis/AP

Previously often called the Outback Bowl, this recreation has taken on new curiosity after the sudden demise of Mississippi State head coach Mike Leach. The 61-year-old architect of the “Air Raid” offense helped the Bulldogs enhance in every of his three seasons at Mississippi State, culminating with a 24-22 victory over then-No. 20 Mississippi in his last recreation.

Mississippi State moved quick to call defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Zach Arnett as Leach’s successor. The primary-time head coach might be tasked with main the Bulldogs in an surroundings that’s certain to be emotional for Mississippi State gamers, coaches and followers.

On the opposite sideline, Illinois leads the nation in defensive passing effectivity at 89.8.