The 2024-2025 college football bowl season is generating excitement as it progresses through its multiple games leading up to the National Championship. Just yesterday, the Buffalo Bulls achieved victory against the Liberty Flames, solidifying their place as champions of the Bahamas Bowl with a 26-7 win. This triumph marks Buffalo's second win at the Bahamas Bowl, establishing their dominance as the only team to do so.
The kicker for the Bulls, Upton Bellenfan, played a pivotal role, successfully making four field goals during the contest. Prior to this matchup, Buffalo had never secured victory over Liberty, making this win particularly sweet for the team and its fans as stated by ESPN. "The Fighting Irish opened as favorites, but only slightly, as the line will surely shift over the coming days," reported by FOX Sports. Clearly, the stakes are high heading back to the playoffs.
While there are no games scheduled for today, January 5, anticipation builds for the next rounds of bowl games. The schedule resumes with significant matchups starting Thursday, January 9, when the Notre Dame Fighting Irish face the Penn State Nittany Lions in the Capital One Orange Bowl. Kickoff is slated for 7:30 p.m. ET at Miami's Hard Rock Stadium, with coverage on ESPN.
Just one day later, the Cotton Bowl will see the Ohio State Buckeyes take on the Texas Longhorns, also at 7:30 p.m. ET. This semifinal matchup is anticipated to be equally exhilarating, as both teams aim for the National Championship.
Looking closer at the odds for these upcoming semifinals, Notre Dame, ranked No. 7, enters as minimal favorites against No. 6 Penn State. Factors contributing to this slight edge include Notre Dame's impressive defense, which has only allowed 51 points across the four College Football Playoff games they played, according to analysts at DraftKings Sportsbook. Conversely, the Longhorns are positioned as underdogs against the No. 8 ranked Ohio State, who have been performing dominantly, securing wins by large margins such as their Christmas Day Rose Bowl game against No. 1 Oregon, winning 41-21.
On the other hand, the prospects for both Texas and Ohio State remain bright, as the experience and talent of these teams from their regular seasons set the stage for exhilarating performances, with discussions centering on key players like Ohio State's freshman sensation Jeremiah Smith, who recorded impressive receiving statistics during the last game.
Looking at the bigger picture, beyond just these semifinal games, the bowl season reflects the shifting dynamics of college football. The recent loss of Georgia to Notre Dame has sparked discussions about the competitive edge the Southeastern Conference has historically held. According to USA TODAY, Kirby Smart of Georgia noted during the post-game conference, "I’ve been told by our head officials in the SEC you can’t do it," referring to strategic decisions during games which has led many to speculate about the effectiveness of former strategies used by top-performing teams.
Issues like these highlight what is at stake this bowl season, not just for individual teams, but also for the conference at large. The pressure on teams to perform at their peak will be intense; all eyes will be on these upcoming matchups not only for their on-field action but for their long-term ramifications for each program involved.
After January 10, winning teams will prepare for the National Championship Game set for January 20 behind the scenes at Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The path to glory is alive and well, and the bowl season continues to uphold its reputation as one of college football's most exhilarating spectacles!