TODAY’S BOWL GAMES
Outback Bowl
No. 16 Minnesota (10-2, 7-2 Big 10) vs. No. 9 Auburn (9-3, 5-3 SEC), today, 1 p.m. ET (ESPN).
Line: Auburn by 7.
Series Record: First meeting.
WHAT’S AT STAKE
The last time Minnesota finished in the AP Top 25 was 2003, when it beat Oregon in the Sun Bowl and wound up No. 20. The Golden Gophers are 8-8-1 all-time against Southeastern Conference teams and are looking for their first win over a SEC opponent since beating Alabama 20-16 in the 2004 Music City Bowl. Auburn played one of the most difficult schedules in the nation and is trying to get its fourth win over a ranked team this season.
KEY MATCHUP
Minnesota’s high-powered offense, led by sophomore quarterback Tanner Morgan, against SEC defensive player of the year Derrick Brown and the stingy Tigers defense. Morgan set single-season school records for passing yards (2,975) and touchdowns (28). Auburn has 90 tackles for loss, including 12 1/2 by Brown.
PLAYERS TO WATCH Minnesota: Tyler Johnson has consecutive seasons of 1,000 or more receiving yards. He needs 19 to break the school career record held by Eric Decker (3,119).
Auburn: Freshman quarterback Bo Nix threw for 2,366 yards and 15 touchdowns, while also rushing for 301 yards and seven TDs.
Citrus Bowl
No. 9 Alabama (10-2) vs. No. 17 Michigan (9-3), today at 1 p.m. EST (ABC).
Line: Alabama by 7.5.
Series record: Tied, 2-2.
WHAT’S AT STAKE
Alabama will seek a win that would likely assure the Crimson Tide a 76th consecutive appearance in the top 10 spots of the AP Top 25 poll. If that happens, it would tie Oklahoma (and presumably Clemson) for the fifth-longest such streak in history. Michigan is trying to reach the 10-win mark for the fourth time in the last five seasons.
KEY MATCHUP
Alabama coach Nick Saban vs. Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh. Sounds silly, but it is true. These two have jousted through words and tweets in recent years over things like satellite camps, and now they go head-to-head for the first time in their respective coaching careers. Expect a chess match.
PLAYERS TO WATCH Alabama: WR Jerry Jeudy is expected to be a high first-round draft pick, and enters 41 yards shy of a second consecutive 1,000yard receiving season. He has 23 touchdown catches in his last 27 games.
Michigan: CBs Ambry Thomas and Lavert Hill will have to embrace the challenge of facing Alabama’s extremely talented wide receiver corps, and both have the skills to make big-time plays.
Rose Bowl
Oregon (11-2) vs Wisconsin (103), today at 5:10 p.m. EST (ESPN).
Line: Wisconsin by 2.5.
Series record: Wisconsin leads 3-2.
WHAT’S AT STAKE
The 106th edition of the Granddaddy of Them All is mostly for bragging rights in the game’s traditional Big Ten/Pac-12 rivalry. Oregon can cap its breakthrough second season under coach Mario Cristobal with its first Rose Bowl victory in five years. Wisconsin is going for its first win in Pasadena in 20 years and a sixth consecutive bowl victory overall.
KEY MATCHUP
Wisconsin running back Jonathan Taylor is one of the nation’s best, racking up his third straight 1,900-yard season behind another stout Badgers’ offensive line. But Oregon’s defense has held its opponents to just 106.8 yards rushing per game, including just 3.2 per carry, with linebacker Troy Dye leading an opportunistic group.
PLAYERS TO WATCH Oregon: Justin Herbert caps his stellar four-year career with his 42nd start at quarterback before he heads to the NFL draft. The Eugene native’s offense has been steadily productive even without a receiver among the nation’s top 70 in yardage. Herbert is eager to embrace one last chance to live his college dreams.
Wisconsin: The Ducks say they haven’t seen anybody quite like linebacker Zack Baun, who leads the Badgers with 12 1/2 sacks and 19 1/2 tackles for loss. The relentless senior has disrupted entire offenses with his all-around play, and Herbert will have to be aware of his location on every snap against coordinator Jim Leonhard’s versatile defense.
Sugar Bowl
No. 5 Georgia (11-2) at No. 8 Baylor (11-2), today at 8:50 p.m. (ESPN).
Line: Georgia by 5.
Series record: Georgia leads 4-0 .
WHAT’S AT STAKE
Georgia gives itself a chance to finish in the top five with a win and redeem itself for a 28-21 loss to Texas in the previous Sugar Bowl. Baylor goes for its first victory over Georgia and second Sugar Bowl triumph. The Bears also might need to win to finish with a top-10 ranking.
KEY MATCHUP
Georgia’s offensive line, which has three starters out, against a Baylor defensive front that had 43 sacks. The Bulldogs have given up 12 sacks this season, but two starters have said they plan to enter the NFL draft and one is academically ineligible.
PLAYERS TO WATCH Georgia: Jake Fromm has had a disappointing season by his standards, passing for 2,610 yards and 22 TDs against five interceptions. Still, he remains among the SEC’s most respected quarterbacks.
Baylor: WR Denzel Mims is 55 yards short of 1,000 and has 11 TD receptions.
— ASSOCIATED PRESS