Today’s games
GATOR BOWL
No. 23 North Carolina State (8-3) vs. Kentucky (4-6)
Where:
On the air:
Line:
Kentucky by 21 ⁄ 2
Outlook:
Perhaps the oddest betting line of the postseason.
NC State has won four in a row and won twice as many games as Kentucky. The Wildcats have the second-worst offense in the Power Five, lost to Alabama and Florida by a combined score of 97-13 and have two wins in the past 11 weeks — against winless Vanderbilt and a South Carolina team that played without its head coach and several key starters. “It just adds to the fuel that we have to prove people wrong,”
Wolfpack coach Dave Doeren said.
OUTBACK BOWL
Mississippi (4-5) vs. No. 11 Indiana (6-1)
Where:
Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Fla.
On the air:
Line: 9:30 a.m., Ch. 10
Indiana by 9
Outlook:
Bypassed for a berth in a New Year’s Six game despite their best start since 1993 and holding their own in a seven-point loss to CFP participant Ohio State, the Hoosiers say they’re still excited to be in this game, going for their first bowl win since the 1991 Copper Bowl. Ole Miss allowed 40.3 points and 535.7 yards per game ... but its offense produced averages of 40.7 points and 562.4 yards. The Hoosiers have allowed an average of 19.4 points and 361.7 total yards. Mission Hills High alum Jack Tuttle makes his second career start at QB for Indiana.
FIESTA BOWL
No. 25 Oregon (4-2) vs. No. 10 Iowa State (8-3)
Where:
State Farm Stadium, Glendale, Ariz.
On the air:
Line:
Iowa State by 41 ⁄ 2
Outlook: 1 p.m., ESPN
Iowa State is playing in its first New Year’s Six bowl after setting a school record with eight conference wins.
Cyclones RB Breece Hall finished second nationally with 1,436 yards and has scored a touchdown in 11 straight games.
Oregon is 57th nationally against the run, allowing 159.8 yards per game. Ducks RB CJ Verdell, the Mater Dei High product who has been banged up much of the season, is a game-time decision with an undisclosed injury.
ORANGE BOWL
No. 5 Texas A&M (8-1) vs. No. 13 North Carolina (8-3)
Where:
Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Fla.
On the air:
Line:
TIAA Bank Field, Jacksonville, Fla.
Texas A&M by 71 ⁄ 2
Outlook:
North Carolina’s Mack Brown and Texas A&M’s
Jimbo Fisher are two of the six active coaches with national championships and the only ones to go head-to-head so far in this bowl season. Texas A&M has an opportunity for eight straight wins (in the same season) for the first time since putting together a 10-game winning streak in 1998. North
Carolina can finish with nine wins for only the second time since 1997. 9 a.m., ESPN 5 p.m., ESPN