TODAY’S BOWL GAMES
TaxSlayer LOUISVILLE (8-4) VS. NO. 23 MISSISSIPPI STATE (8-4)
at Jacksonville, Fla., 9 a.m., ESPN Nobody in the Football Bowl Subdivision came close to compiling as many yards (4,932) as Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson, who finished third in the Heisman Trophy voting this year after winning the award last year. He ranked in the nation’s top 20 in yards passing (3,489) and yards rushing (1,443). The recently hired Joe Moorhead will not coach Mississippi State in this game; that duty goes to Greg Knox, who was named interim coach when Dan Mullen left for Florida in late November.
Liberty IOWA STATE (7-5) VS. NO. 20 MEMPHIS (10-2)
at Memphis, Tenn., 9:30 a.m., Channel 7 Memphis quarterback Riley Ferguson broke his school record by passing for 36 touchdowns. He tied an American Athletic Conference record by passing for seven against Connecticut in October. He also had six against UCLA. Iowa State lost three of its final four games following a 14-7 upset over then-No. 4 Texas Christian on Oct. 28. Still, second-year coach Matt Campbell has led the Cyclones to their first winning season since 2009.
Fiesta NO. 11 WASHINGTON (10-2) VS. NO. 9 PENN STATE (10-2)
at Glendale, Ariz., 1 p.m., ESPN It’s the Big Ten offensive player of the year (Penn State running back Saquon Barkley) vs. the Pac-12 defensive player of the year (Washington defensive tackle Vita Vea). Vea is the first Huskies player to earn that honor since 1996 and is considered to be a potential first-round NFL draft pick. Barkley holds numerous school career records — including rushing touchdowns (41) and all-purpose yards (5,363) — but faces a Washington rush defense that ranks as the stingiest in the nation (92.3 yards per game). Nittany Lions quarterback Trace McSorley has 57 career touchdown passes, including at least one in 27 consecutive games.
Orange NO. 6 WISCONSIN (12-1) VS. NO. 10 MIAMI (10-2)
at Miami, 5 p.m., ESPN Miami is playing in its first New Year’s Six bowl game since 2005; Wisconsin is in its fifth since 2011. Wisconsin’s Jonathan Taylor needs 79 yards to break Adrian Peterson’s FBS freshman rushing record of 1,925 yards. Taylor averages 142.1 yards per game, third-best in the country. Miami, home of the now-famous “turnover chain,” has forced 30 turnovers, second in the nation. The Hurricanes also are tied for second with 43 sacks.