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FIRST RESPONDER BOWL
Western Kentucky (8-4) vs. Western Michigan (7-5) Where: Gerald J. Ford Stadium, University Park, Texas On the air: 9:30 a.m., ESPN Line: Western Kentucky by 31 ⁄2 Outlook: Western Kentucky has a three-game winning streak, and has won seven of nine games, since a 1-2 start that included a season-opening loss to FCS team Central Arkansas. Western Michigan is in its eighth bowl in 14 seasons but has won only one of those games. This is the 15th meeting between the two schools, but the first 14 games were all between 1923-47. Conference USA is 8-3 in bowl games against MAC teams since 2012. Western Kentucky DE Deangelo Malone was the Conference USA defensive player of the year. He has 90 tackles with 111 ⁄2 sacks and 21 tackles for loss, the most at the school in the FBS era since 2009.
MUSIC CITY BOWL
Mississippi State (6-6) vs. Louisville (7-5)
Where: Nissan Stadium, Nashville, Tenn.
On the air: 1 p.m., ESPN
Line: Mississippi State by 51 ⁄2 Outlook: Mississippi State can finish with its first three-game winning streak to finish a season since 2013 and only the third since the end of World War II for a coach whose Egg Bowl win helped Joe Moorhead keep his job. Louisville can cap the Cardinals’ amazing turnaround in coach Scott Satterfield’s debut season by making him only the second coach to win his first bowl. A win also would be Louisville’s first on the field against Mississippi State. A key matchup is Louisville’s run game — which is led by Javian Hawkins, who is averaging 118.3 yards a contest while piling up 1,420 yards averaging 5.9 yards a carry — against Mississippi State’s defense.
REDBOX BOWL California (7-5) at Illinois (6-6)
Where: Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara
On the air: 1 p.m., Ch. 5/69 Line: California by 61 ⁄2 Outlook: The Bears are in the postseason for a second consecutive season under third-year coach Justin Wilcox. The Fighting Illini will be attempting to win a bowl game for the first time with Lovie Smith as coach in their first trip to a bowl game since 2014. California consensus All-america LB Evan Weaver needs 21 tackles to break the NCAA single-season record. The Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year, Weaver has been a monster on defense all season with 173 tackles. Three times this year he’s had 21 or more in one game. Illinois RB Reggie Corbin had mixed success this season but has been a force in the Illini’s backfield while averaging nearly 5 yards a carry. Corbin is 12th on Illinois’ career rushing charts with 2,320 yards.
ORANGE BOWL
Florida (10-2) at Virginia (9-4)
Where: Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Fla.
On the air: 5 p.m., ESPN
Line: Florida by 14
Outlook: The Gators can finish with 11 wins, which would be their highest total since 2012. They have a chance to finish in the top 10 in consecutive seasons for the first time since 2008-09. For the Cavaliers, a win would be the biggest bowl victory in school history. They have chance to crack the AP Top 25 and finish the season ranked for first time since 2004. Kyle Trask’s passer rating of 159.24 is the highest at Florida since Tim Tebow led the nation at 164.2 in 2009. Virginia will try to keep him off balance with a pass rush that ranks sixth in the nation with a school-record 45 sacks. The Cavaliers could be in trouble if they can’t get to Trask — they’re allowing 23.4 points per game and gave up 62 to Clemson in their Atlantic Coast Conference title game loss.