TUESDAY’S BOWL CAPSULES
OUTBACK BOWL IOWA (8-4) VS. NO. 18 MISSISSIPPI STATE (8-4)
When: 11 a.m. (ESPN2)
Where: Raymond James Stadium; Tampa, Florida
Line: Mississippi State by 7.
Series Record: first meeting.
What's at stake
The Mississippi State Bulldogs have a shot at their biggest bowl win since they beat Michigan in the Gator Bowl eight years ago. The Hawkeyes are seeking their biggest bowl win since the 2009 season, when they beat Georgia Tech in the Orange Bowl.
Players to watch Mississippi State: Secondteam All-America defensive end Montez Sweat ranks second in the SEC with 11 sacks and has 13 ½ tackles for a loss.
Iowa: Second-team AllAmerican T.J. Hockenson, who won the John Mackey Award as the nation's best tight end, has 46 receptions for 717 yards and six touchdowns.
Oklahomans in game Iowa: Associate athletic director Charlie Taylor spent eight years in the Oklahoma athletic department before joining the Hawkeyes in June 2016.
FIESTA BOWL NO. 8 UCF (12-0) VS. NO. 11 LSU (9-3)
When: Noon (ESPN)
Where: State Farm Stadium; Glendale, Arizona
Line: LSU by 7 ½.
Series Record: First meeting. What's at stake
UCF takes a 25-game winning streak into the Fiesta Bowl in its bid for a second straight undefeated season. LSU is vying for its first 10-win season since 2013.
Players to watch
UCF: Quarterback Darriel Mack Jr. The redshirt freshman was thrust into the starting role when twotime AAC player of the year McKenzie Milton suffered a gruesome leg injury in UCF's regular-season finale against South Florida. Mack led a massive comeback against Memphis in the AAC title game, accounting for six touchdowns while throwing for 348 yards.
LSU: Quarterback Joe Burrow. LSU did not exactly have a prolific passing game this season, but could use Burrow to have a solid game to take pressure off the run game.
Oklahomans in game
UCF: Head coach Josh Heupel won a national championship as a quarterback at Oklahoma in 2000 and was an assistant coach for the Sooners from 200614. Tight ends coach Jon Cooper was a three-year starter at center for the Sooners and was a twoyear graduate assistant in Norman. Quarterbacks coach Jeff Lebby signed with the Sooners out of high school, but an injury ended his playing career, though he graduated from the school. Secondary coach Willie Martinez served in the same position at OU in 2010-11. Wide receivers coach Darrell Wyatt spent four seasons as an assistant at Oklahoma and has had two different stints at Oklahoma State.
LSU: Wide receivers coach Mickey Joseph was the head coach at Langston in 2011-12 after three seasons there as an assistant coach and in 2004-05 coached running backs at Central Oklahoma. Assistant head coach and running backs coach Tommie Robinson was the running backs coach at Oklahoma State in 2001.
CITRUS BOWL NO. 12 PENN STATE (9-3) VS. NO. 14 KENTUCKY (9-3)
When: Noon (ABC)
Where: Camping World Stadium; Orlando, Florida
Line: Penn State by 6 ½.
Series Record: Penn State leads 3-2.
What's at stake
The winner will finish with 10 wins, and that would be significant for Penn State and even more noteworthy for Kentucky, which hasn't done it in 41 years.
Players to watch
Penn State: Trace McSorley, who'll become first Nittany Lions quarterback to throw a pass in four bowl games, has thrown for 2,284 yards and 16 touchdowns vs. six interceptions.
Kentucky: Linebacker Josh Allen led the SEC with 18 ½ tackles for loss, including 14 sacks, which rank third nationally and are a school single-season record. Running back Benny Snell Jr. rushed for 1,305 yards and 14 touchdowns to become one of two players in SEC history to run for 1,000 yards and scored at least 12 touchdowns in each of his first three seasons in college. The other is Herschel Walker.
Oklahomans in game Kentucky: Sophomore quarterback Terry Wilson is a Del City grad who has thrown for 1,768 yards and 11 touchdowns and run for 518 yards and four more scores. Sophomore wide receiver Isaiah Epps of Jenks has eight catches for 76 yards. Freshman wide receiver Darren Edmond is from Norman, though he went to high school in Kentucky.
ROSE BOWL NO. 6 OHIO STATE (12-1) VS. NO. 9 WASHINGTON (10-3)
When: 4 p.m. (ESPN)
Where: Rose Bowl; Pasadena, California
Line: Ohio State by 6 ½.
Series record: Ohio State leads 8-3.
What's at stake
Ohio State's Urban Meyer is ending his coaching career in the 105th edition of the Granddaddy of Them All. The three-time national champion coach leads another powerhouse Buckeyes squad against the Pac-12 champion Huskies, who are in the Rose Bowl for the first time in 18 years.
Players to watch
Ohio State: Defensive tackle Dre'Mont Jones. He is leaving early for the NFL, but the dominant lineman wouldn't miss the chance to win the Rose Bowl. He has 13 tackles for loss and 8 ½ sacks this season.
Washington: Quarterback Jake Browning. The fouryear starter wraps up his record-setting career with a shot at a signature victory.
Oklahomans in game
Ohio State: Freshman safety Josh Proctor is from Owasso and played in 10 games with one tackle. Offensive coordinator/tight ends coach Kevin Wilson was offensive coordinator or co-offensive coordinator at Oklahoma from 2002-10.
SUGAR BOWL NO. 5 GEORGIA (11-2) VS. NO. 15 TEXAS (9-4)
When: 7:45 p.m. (ESPN)
Where: Mercedes-Benz Superdome; New Orleans
Line: Georgia by 12½.
Series Record: Texas leads 3-1.
What's at stake
Texas is trying to cap an impressive season under second-year coach Tom Herman and provide further proof that it's on track to be back among the nation's elite programs. Georgia is out to prove it would have been a better selection for the College Football Playoff, even after losing to Alabama in the SEC championship game.
Players to watch Georgia: Quarterback Jake Fromm: He's not mentioned among the nation's great quarterbacks very often, but Fromm has quietly had a very good season.
Texas: Wide receiver Lil'Jordan Humphrey: The 6-foot-4, 225-pound junior has been a favorite target for quarterback Sam Ehlinger, catching 79 passes for 1,109 yards and nine touchdowns this season.
Oklahomans in game Georgia: Freshman offensive lineman Owen Condon is a Bishop McGuinness product who has played in three games this season. Offensive line coach Sam Pittman is from Grove, had the same position at Oklahoma in 1997-98 and was also an assistant at Beggs High.
Texas: Redshirt freshman tight end Reese Leitao is from Jenks and has played in 13 games. Freshman quarterback Casey Thompson is the son of former OU quarterback Charles Thompson and played at Newcastle and Southmoore. Co-offensive coordinator/offensive line coach Herb Hand served in the same capacity at Tulsa from 2007-09. Offensive line coach Derek Warehime is from Choctaw, was a standout at Tulsa and began his coaching career with the Golden Hurricane.