Bowl season is winding down, but that means some of college football’s marquee bowl games are upon us. There were a record 43 postseason games scheduled to be played, and though some have been canceled because of COVID-19 issues, bowl season has still managed to provided plenty of excitement.
Thursday’s slate of bowl games includes a battle of top-15 teams in Atlanta. The Peach Bowl will be without two of college football’s breakout stars, as Pitt quarterback Kenny Pickett and Michigan State running back Kenneth Walker III both opted out of the game. Pickett is expected to be one of the top QBs selected at the 2022 NFL Draft, and Walker could also come off the board in one of the early rounds.
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Thursday’s games will also serve as a lead-in to the College Football Playoff semifinal contests. Alabama and Cincinnati will square off in the Cotton Bowl on Friday afternoon, and Georgia and Michigan will meet in the Orange Bowl that evening.
Here is a complete guide to watching college football bowl games on Thursday, Dec. 30, including a full TV schedule and channels.
MORE: Watch college football bowl games live with fuboTV (7-day free trial)
College football schedule: What games are on today?
Here is the full schedule for Thursday’s bowl games with information on how to watch each game live.
Thursday, Dec. 30
| Bowl | Matchup | Time (ET) | TV channel |
| Duke’s Mayo Bowl | North Carolina vs. South Carolina | 11:30 a.m. | ESPN, fuboTV |
| Music City Bowl | Tennessee vs. Purdue | 3 p.m. | ESPN, fuboTV |
| Peach Bowl | No. 12 Pitt vs. No. 10 Michigan State | 7 p.m. | ESPN, fuboTV |
| Las Vegas Bowl | Wisconsin vs. Arizona State | 10:30 p.m. | ESPN, fuboTV |
North Carolina vs. South Carolina
The national title isn’t on the line, but this is still one of the most anticipated bowl games of the season. Both North Carolina and South Carolina are 6-6 this season, and neither side wants to lose this rivalry game.
Oh, and then there’s the mayonnaise situation. North Carolina’s Mack Brown and South Carolina’s Shane Beamer are both prepared to accept a mayonnaise shower if their team wins.
Tennessee vs. Purdue
Josh Heupel posted a respectable 7-5 record in his first season with the Vols, and he is trying to become the first Tennessee coach since Hall of Famer Phil Fulmer to win a bowl game in Year 1. Purdue, meanwhile, could reach nine wins for the first time since 2003.
Which program will reach its “first” goal at the Music City Bowl?
BENDER: Picks, predictions for all bowl games in 2021-22
No. 12 Pitt vs. No. 10 Michigan State
This game could still be entertaining, but it has lost a bit of its luster because Pickett and Walker decided to opt out.
The key matchup will be the Pitt offense vs. the Michigan State defense. The Panthers finished fifth in the country in total offense, while the Spartans ranked 117th in total defense. Pickett may be out, but Pitt will still have star wide receiver Jordan Addison on the field. Expect the Michigan State secondary to load up on the Biletnikoff Award winner.
Wisconsin vs. Arizona State
Paul Chryst has led the Badgers to their seventh straight bowl game. He has won eight or more games in all but one of his seasons at the helm. In his fourth campaign with the Sun Devils, Herm Edwards finished the regular season at 8-4. One more victory would give Arizona State its most wins since it finished 10-3 in 2014.
You can bet these veteran coaches will have their squads ready for the Las Vegas Bowl.
MORE: Which college football bowl games have been canceled?
How to watch, live stream college football games
Each of the bowl games will be broadcast on national television, with all of the games scheduled to be carried by ESPN. Fans can stream the games on fuboTV or on WatchESPN.
