RANKING THE NON-BIG 12, PRE-NEW YEAR’S BOWLS

1. Cotton Bowl: Southern Cal vs. Ohio State, 7:30 p.m. Friday, ESPN.

The playoff committee gave the Buckeyes a big break, letting them play in Arlington instead of in Glendale. Ohio State has played in the Fiesta Bowl seven times in the 2000s.

2. Orange Bowl: Wisconsin vs. Miami, 7 p.m. Saturday, ESPN.

Wonder if the Orange Bowl is OK with playing on Dec. 30, like it’s the Gator Bowl or something?

3. Fiesta Bowl: Washington vs. Penn State, 3 p.m. Saturday, ESPN.

The Fiesta remains in the committee’s doghouse, over past crimes, else it would have gotten USC.

4. Holiday Bowl: Washington State vs. Michigan State, 8 p.m. Thursday, Fox Sports 1.

Spartan coach Mark Dantonio has made it clear Michigan State should have gotten the Outback Bowl berth instead of Michigan.

5. TaxSlayer Bowl: Louisville vs. Mississippi State, 11 a.m. Saturday, ESPN.

The ‘Ville has its quarterback, Lamar Jackson. Alas, Mississippi State is without QB Nick Fitzgerald.

6. Music City Bowl: Kentucky vs. Northwestern, 3:30 p.m. Friday, ESPN.

Sort of nice to have a midlevel bowl with both teams sporting their coaches.

7. Belk Bowl: Wake Forest vs. Texas A&M, noon Friday, ESPN.

The talent level is vast in the Aggies’ favor, yet Wake is favored.

8. Sun Bowl: North Carolina State vs. Arizona State, 2 p.m. Friday, CBS.

Sun Devils’ offseason has been stranger than their goofy in-season.

9. Pinstripe Bowl: Iowa vs. Boston College, 4:15 p.m. Wednesday, ESPN.

Hawkeye fans travel well, but it’s usually to a warm-weather locale. Will they go to New York?

10. Quick Lane Bowl: Duke vs. Northern Illinois, 4:15 p.m. Tuesday, ESPN.

The MAC’s one shot at knocking off a Power 5 Conference team.

11. Foster Farms Bowl: Arizona vs. Purdue, 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Fox.

Boilermaker coach Jeff Brohm is an up-and-comer.

12. Military Bowl: Virginia vs. Navy, 12:30 p.m. Thursday, ESPN.

Bummer for the Midshipmen that they spend bowl season at home.

13. Independence Bowl: Southern Mississippi vs. Florida State, 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, ESPN.

The Seminoles’ mess of a season continues — they might not be bowl-eligible after all, having played Delaware State, which didn’t offer enough scholarships in Division I-AA to count as one of the necessary six victories.

14. Arizona Bowl: New Mexico State vs. Utah State, 4:30 p.m. Friday, CBS Sports Network.

Shouldn’t this be a preChristmas bowl?