College football games today: Bowl schedule for Saturday

What you need to know as the college football schedule of bowl games kick off today.

College football's bowl schedule marches on today with some big matchups set for kickoff. / USA Today Sports | Imagn

The 2024 college football bowl schedule marches on today as the Saturday slate of action brings us our most active day yet, with eight games kicking off around the country starting in the early morning and lasting most of the day until the primetime hours.

Saturday’s postseason games serve as a quality appetizer for the coming quarterfinal round of the College Football Playoff that kicks off on New Year’s Eve and continues through the first day of 2025.

But first things first: There are nine Power Four conference teams in action today, including three head-to-head matchups involving those schools on the same field against each other.

Miami and Iowa State are two of those teams, both College Football Playoff hopefuls just a few weeks ago, but late losses conspired against those ambitions.

Colorado and BYU play in another of those marquee games, setting up a Big 12 vs. Big 12 matchup that will find this year’s Heisman Trophy winner on the field, as star two-way player Travis Hunter teams up with quarterback Shedeur Sanders in their final collegiate game.

Here’s what you need to know about the college football bowl schedule for today, with information on how you can see all the action from coast to coast.

More: The 2024 college football bowl schedule

College football games today: Bowl schedule for Saturday

All times Eastern, and game lines are courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook

Fenway Bowl
North Carolina vs. UConn
Sat., Dec. 28 | 11 a.m. | ESPN

Line: North Carolina -2.5

North Carolina will have eight-time Super Bowl champion Bill Belichick on its sideline next season, if not for this game. It started 3-0 but lost four straight and won three more to finally earn bowl eligibility.

UConn turned heads this year, going 8-4 under head coach Jim Mora, Jr., rebounding from last season’s 3-9 effort, and three of its four losses came by a combined 15 points.

North Carolina has a 62 percent chance to win the game, and is projected to be 4.3 points better than UConn, according to the ESPN College Football Power Index computer prediction model.

-

Pinstripe Bowl
Nebraska vs. Boston College
Sat., Dec. 28 | 12 p.m. | ABC

Line: Nebraska -4

Nebraska finally made a bowl game for the first time since 2016, ending the school’s longest bowl drought since 1961, and comes into this game with quarterback Dylan Raiola at the helm.

The former five-star recruit threw for nearly 2,600 yards with 12 touchdowns as a freshman, and recently reaffirmed his commitment to the school by shooting down transfer rumors.

Boston College swapped quarterbacks midstream, changing Thomas Castellanos for Grayson James, winning three of its final four games, but ranking just 106th in FBS in passing output.

Nebraska has a narrow 50.5 percent chance to win the game, and is projected to be 1 point better than Boston College, according to the FPI prediction model.

-

New Mexico Bowl
Louisiana vs. TCU
Sat., Dec. 28 | 2:15 p.m. | ESPN

Line: TCU -10

TCU quarterback Josh Hoover is seventh nationally with 3,697 passing yards and 23 touchdowns on the year, and the Horned Frogs won 5 of their last 6 games after starting 3-3.

Louisiana (10-3) won six straight games midseason before finishing on a 2-2 run, still enough to play for the Sun Belt championship, losing that game against league champ Marshall.

TCU is a big favorite in the game, projected to be 7.1 points better than Louisiana on the same field and with a 69.3 percent chance to win outright, according to the FPI prediction model.

-

Pop-Tarts Bowl
Miami vs. Iowa State
Sat., Dec. 28 | 3:30 p.m. | ABC

Line: Miami -4

Cam Ward established Miami records throwing for 4,123 yards and 36 touchdowns this year, but a late-season tailspin kiboshed the school’s postseason hopes.

Miami started out 9-0 and seemingly destined for the playoff, but lost two of its last three times out, keeping it out of the ACC Championship Game and the College Football Playoff hunt.

Iowa State was also directly in contention for a place in the 12-team playoff, but an ugly loss against Arizona State in the Big 12 Championship Game derailed those chances.

But the Cyclones still field a solid pass defense that could challenge the Hurricanes’ vertical game, and they have two 1,000-yard wide receivers for the first time ever.

Miami has a 68.7 percent chance to win the game outright and is projected to be 6.9 points better than Iowa State on the same field, according to the FPI prediction model.

-

Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl
Miami (OH) vs. Colorado State
Sat., Dec. 28 | 4:30 p.m. | The CW

Line: Miami (OH) -2.5

Miami started out 0-3 and lost four of its first five games, but went on a tear midseason, winning seven straight games before a loss to Ohio in the MAC Championship Game.

While the RedHawks are among the nation’s best in allowing points, surrendering just 18 to opponents this year, they’re just 108th in scoring offense and 100th in rushing production.

Two ugly losses to Power teams left Colorado State under .500 in the first five weeks of the year, but it finished 6-1 in conference play despite ranking just 94th in FBS in scoring.

Miami (OH) has a 57.6 percent chance to win the game outright and is projected to be 2.6 points better than Colorado State on the same field, according to the FPI prediction model.

-

Military Bowl
East Carolina vs. NC State
Sat., Dec. 28 | 5:45 p.m. | ESPN

Line: NC State -7

NC State finished 6-6 and just 10th in the ACC and allowed 110 combined points in its two losses against ranked teams early in the season, ranking 105th nationally in scoring defense.

East Carolina is 84th in scoring defense, allowing almost four touchdowns per game on average, finishing 7-5 overall with a 5-3 mark in AAC play.

NC State has a 63.8 percent chance to win the game, and is projected to be 5.1 points better than East Carolina, according to the FPI prediction model.

-

Alamo Bowl
Colorado vs. BYU
Sat., Dec. 28 | 7:30 p.m. | ABC

Line: Colorado -3.5

Colorado is college football’s worst rushing team, averaging just over 70 yards per game on the ground, but is fourth in FBS in passing output, with 327 yards in the air each time out.

Shedeur Sanders leads an offense that is top 25 in the country by scoring 35 points on average per game and Colorado is seeking its first 10-win season since 2016.

BYU was undefeated through 9 games but lost two straight, costing the team a chance to play for the Big 12 championship, but this attack still puts up 238 passing yards and 31 points per game.

Colorado is projected to win the game with 58.7 percent likelihood compared to BYU at 41.3 percent, and the Buffaloes are expected to be 3 points better, according to the FPI model.

-

Independence Bowl
Army vs. Louisiana Tech
Sat., Dec. 28 | 9:15 p.m. | ESPN

Line: Army -14

Army won the AAC championship and fields college football’s most productive rushing attack with almost 299 yards per game, but a loss to underdog Navy spoiled the mood around this team.

Marshall was supposed to play Army in this game, but had to opt out after losing so many transfers, paving the way for Louisiana Tech to take its place instead.

And while the Bulldogs are 11th nationally in total defense, they’re just 105th in FBS in total offense, including a 112th ranking in rushing output with 114 yards per game.

Army has a 76.2 percent chance to win the game outright over Louisiana Tech, and is projected to be 10.7 points better on the same field, according to the FPI model.

-

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, please call 1-800-GAMBLER.

-

More college football from SI: Top 25 Rankings | Schedule | Teams

Follow College Football HQ: Bookmark | Rankings | Picks