Saturday’s games
TaxSlayer Bowl
No. 23 Mississippi State (8-4) vs. Louisville (8-4), 11 a.m., ESPN (Cox 29/HD 720, Dish 140, DirecTV 206, U-Verse 602/1602)
Where: Jacksonville, Florida
Line: Louisville by 6 ½. Series Record: Tied 2-2. WHAT'S AT STAKE? Mississippi State's senior class is going for its 34th victory, which would tie the school record set in 1942 and matched in 2015. The Bulldogs also want to send interim coach Greg Knox out with a win. Louisville is trying to end the season with a four-game winning streak and potentially send 2016 Heisman Trophy winner Lamar Jackson to the NFL on a high note. The junior hasn't said publicly whether he will forgo his final year of eligibility and enter the NFL draft.
KEY MATCHUP Mississippi State's defense vs. Jackson. Louisville's all-everything quarterback leads the nation in total offense with 4,932 yards, including 3,489 passing and 1,443 rushing. The Bulldogs rank in the top-25 nationally in six defensive categories. PLAYERS TO WATCH Mississippi State: Freshman QB Keytaon Thompson will make his first career start in place of injured Nick Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald broke his right ankle in the first quarter of the Egg Bowl against rival Mississippi last month.
Louisville: WR Jaylen Smith has 53 receptions for 873 yards and six touchdowns in nine games. Smith missed three games with a left wrist injury. He has four touchdowns during the team's three-game winning streak.
Liberty Bowl
Iowa State (7-5) vs. No. 20 Memphis (10-2), 11:30 a.m., ABC (Cox 8/HD 705, Dish 5, DirecTV 5, U-verse 5/1005)
Where: Memphis, Tennessee
Line: Memphis by 4
Series Record: First meeting.
WHAT'S AT STAKE? Memphis is seeking its first 11-win season in school history. The Tigers went 10-0 in 1938 and 10-3 in 2014. An eighth victory would give Iowa State its highest single-season win total since a 9-3 finish in 2000. Iowa State is seeking its first bowl victory since a 14-13 Insight Bowl victory over Minnesota on Dec. 31, 2009.
KEY MATCHUP
Memphis passing game vs. Iowa State pass defense: Riley Ferguson and Anthony Miller have connected on 30 touchdown passes over the last two seasons. That high-powered passing attack has enabled Memphis to average 50 points and over 500 yards in home games this season. The Liberty Bowl is taking place on Memphis' home field. Iowa State ranks 28th nationally in scoring defense but is 101st in pass efficiency defense. PLAYERS TO WATCH
Iowa State: LB Joel Lanning ranks second in the Big 12 in tackles per game (9.2) and also occasionally plays quarterback in shortyardage situations.
Memphis: WR Anthony Miller. The consensus All-American and former walk-on has 92 catches for 1,407 yards and 17 touchdowns this season. He ranks second among all Football Bowl Subdivision players in yards receiving per game and touchdown catches.
Fiesta Bowl
No. 9 Penn State (10-2) vs. No. 11 Washington (102), 3 p.m., ESPN
Where: Glendale, Arizona Line: Penn State by 2 Series Record: Penn State leads 2-0.
WHAT'S AT STAKE?
Two teams that were early-season contenders for a national title look to close out an 11th win on the season and earn a major bowl title.
KEY MATCHUP
Penn State RB Saquon Barkley against Washington's defense. Once a top contender for the Heisman Trophy, Barkley rushed for 1,134 yards and 16 touchdowns. He'll be going against a Washington defense that was No. 1 in the FBS against the run, allowing 92.3 yards per game.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Penn State: QB Trace McSorley. The senior threw for 3,228 yards and 26 touchdowns with eight interceptions while completing 65 percent of his passes.
Washington: QB Jake Browning. The prolific junior holds numerous school records and threw for 2,544 yards and 18 touchdowns with five interceptions this season.
Orange Bowl
No. 6 Wisconsin (12-1) vs. No. 10 Miami (10-2), 7 p.m., ESPN
Where: Miami
Line: Wisconsin by 4 Series record: Tied, 2-2. WHAT'S AT STAKE? Wisconsin is bidding for the first 13-win season in school history. Miami is looking for its first 11-win season since 2003, and a second consecutive bowl victory.
KEY MATCHUP
Miami RB Travis Homer vs. Wisconsin front seven. The Hurricanes must be able to run the ball in this game, in order to give a depleted receiving corps a chance. Wisconsin is giving up 3.0 yards per carry and has allowed five rushing touchdowns all season.
PLAYERS TO WATCH Wisconsin: RB Jonathan Taylor. The freshman is for real, with 1,847 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns. He's had at least one carry of 40 or more yards in seven of the Badgers' 13 games.
Miami: WR Braxton Berrios. He's going to be seriously missed by the Hurricanes next season. He leads Miami in catches and is one touchdown catch from becoming the fifth Hurricane since 2000 with 10 TD grabs in a season. The others were Leonard Hankerson, Phillip Dorsett, Andre Johnson and Reggie Wayne.