Tomorrow is the day that we’ve been anticipating since before the college football season began.
The beginning of the College Football Playoff.
Is it a perfect system? No, but it’s getting close, and it’s a lot better than where we were three decades ago (despite what a Notre Dame fan may say otherwise).
And amongst what should be an excellent next couple of days of football, are a couple of additional bowl games that Around The Corn won’t let be forgotten.
This is also your final reminder to sign up for the Von Hugendong CFP Bracket Challenge.
Let’s take a look at the Friday schedule of bowl action.
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Myrtle Beach Bowl
Kennesaw State vs. Western Michigan (Friday, 11 AM ET – ESPN)
Those in favor of having a separate Playoff for the G5 leagues, put your money where your mouth is and support this game. Sun Belt champion Kennesaw State taking on MAC champion Western Michigan is the type of matchup you could expect with such an arrangement, and while I don’t support a separate Playoff, I love this matchup. Neither team was expected to enjoy this type of success in 2025, though in the case of Western Michigan, some people saw them as a dark horse candidate in the MAC. The Owls are effectively playing with house money and would add a first bowl victory to pair with their first FBS conference title if they were to emerge victorious at The Beach.
In a conference where consistency is about as common as spotting Bigfoot, Western Michigan has been the mark of consistency this season. Eight times the Broncos have rushed for over 200 yards, seven of them victories (the other a three-point loss). Quarterback Broc Lowry and running back Jalen Buckley have combined to rush for over 1,700 yards and 22 touchdowns this season. The defense has been solid as well, allowing fewer than 300 total yards per contest, amassing 40 sacks and forcing what is tied for the league-high 20 turnovers. Kennesaw State won’t be intimidated, though. Written off before the season even began, the Owls stormed through Conference USA under the tutelage of first-year head coach Jerry Mack, recording their first 10-win season since joining the FBS ranks. Unlike Western Michigan, there isn’t as much a defined identity as there is a willingness to keep grinding and a belief in that approach. The Owls have won close, they’ve won big, they’ve racked up over 500 yards of offense in a game and allowed it (several times), too. In a regular season battle, I’d side with consistency. But this is bowl season, and that’s where a team like Kennesaw State often thrives.
My Pick: 34-31 Kennesaw State
Bowl Mania Confidence: 11 points
Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl
Memphis vs. North Carolina State (Friday, 2:30 PM ET – ESPN)
What was looking like a potential dream season for the Tigers at the midway point sputtered quickly in the second half, starting with a shocking loss to 20+ point underdog UAB. That began a disappointing 2-4 stretch that knocked Memphis out of the Playoff race as well as the American Conference title race before the season finale. It may be tough sledding to motivate this team to turn things around now, especially with former head coach Ryan Silverfield already out the door. The Wolfpack were never in contention for much outside of a postseason berth, but did manage to knock off multiple ranked teams (Virginia and Georgia Tech) throughout the year. If anything, this should be a fun contest with a lot of scoring based on the defensive performances we saw from each side in 2025.
What we saw from South Florida in its bowl game on Wednesday evening has me concerned about Memphis in this one. The Bulls were one of the country’s most dynamic offenses during the regular season, but without Alex Golesh calling plays and Byrum Brown running them, that group was anemic. The Tigers won’t be missing their best offensive playmaker, but will be missing their offensive playcaller Tim Cramsey, who left for Arkansas to join Silverfield and won’t be on the sidelines for this game. We may need to take what we thought we knew about the Memphis offense and set it aside for this one. That’ll put a lot of pressure on a defense that, while solid, did allow at least 500 total yards to the two best offenses it faced this season. The Wolfpack are no juggernauts in that regard, but have some pop with CJ Bailey as a dual threat quarterback and, again, know how to beat solid competition. North Carolina State may also benefit from a suppressed Memphis offense, which would mask defensive issues that the Wolfpack have experienced this season. There are lingering questions heading into this one, to be clear, but I like the ACC representative to emerge victorious.
My Pick: 34-23 North Carolina State
Bowl Mania Confidence: 12 points
College Football Playoff First Round
#9 Alabama at #8 Oklahoma (Friday, 8 PM ET – ABC)
The first round of the CFP features two regular season rematches, but this one is by far the most interesting of the two. Not only is this essentially a pick ‘em contest, but the proximity between the two games (approximately one month) should make for an interesting chess match considering what was learned from the last battle. Oklahoma got the better of the Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa the last time around, sparking a disappointing last four outings for Alabama (2-2). It propelled the Sooners into a Playoff position and was the last time that their defense allowed more than one touchdown in a single game.
The yo-yo trajectory of Alabama’s season has largely prevented Kalen DeBoer from feeling the love in Tuscaloosa, despite its inclusion in the Playoff meaning that the Crimson Tide still technically has a shot at winning a national title. What started as a campaign with a lot of questions about the defense has led to the current point, with questions about the offense. At times this season, Ty Simpson looked every bit like a Heisman Trophy contender, but that fell off as the regular season came to a close. He needs help from his offensive line, which has had issues keeping him clean at times and struggled in that department against the Sooners in November. Oklahoma’s offense wasn’t great the last time these two met, but three turnovers is tough to overcome for any team. If Alabama can avoid the giveaways and do even a decent job protecting Simpson, the story will have a different ending this time around. It’s so difficult to beat a team twice in the same season, especially when there are offensive deficiencies to contend with. That’s the reality that Oklahoma faces, which is why I see Alabama getting the better of Brent Venables & Co. on Friday night.
My Pick: 24-19 Alabama
Bowl Mania Confidence: 29 points
