(Teams in italics have accepted bid)

BOWL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
Auburn (BCS No. 1) vs. Oregon (BCS No. 2)
Jan. 10, 8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN
At Glendale, Ariz.
Comment: Anyone like offense?
BCS National Championship tickets

SUGAR BOWL
Arkansas vs. Ohio State
Jan. 4, 8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN
At New Orleans
Comment: The Razorbacks (10-2), who breathe some fresh air into the BCS, will be going against the leading member of the old guard.  This will be the ninth appearance for the Buckeyes (11-1) in the 13-year history of the BCS.  The quarterback matchup of Ryan Mallett vs. Terrelle Pryor is worth the hefty price of admission.
Sugar Bowl tickets

ORANGE BOWL
Virginia Tech vs. Connecticut
Jan. 3, 8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN
At Miami Gardens, Fla.
Comment: Bowl organizers were hoping to match the Hokies (11-2) against LSU.  Now they’re left to choose from either the Cardinal, who have trouble drawing people to their home games, and the four-loss Huskies. Geography and money win out as they always do.
Orange Bowl tickets

FIESTA BOWL
Oklahoma vs. Stanford
Jan. 1, 8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN
At Glendale, Ariz.
Comment: On the field, this is a great matchup (and a rematch of last year's Sun Bowl). In the stands and around town, not so much. Hopefully Stanford’s fans rally to the cause. The Cardinal (11-1) only drew 38,775 to last Saturday’s 38-0 whipping of Oregon State. The Rose Bowl would love to trade its matchup for this one.
Fiesta Bowl tickets

ROSE BOWL
Wisconsin vs. TCU
Jan. 1, 4:30 p.m. ET, ESPN
At Pasadena, Calif.
Comment: The Badgers (11-1), who scored 70 or more points three times during the regular season, won’t enjoy that sort of freedom against the Horned Frogs (12-0).  Much to the displeasure of the Tournament of Roses, a “non-AQ” clause this year triggers the automatic selection of TCU, boxing out the far more traditional slotting of Stanford.
Rose Bowl tickets

NON-BCS GAMES

KRAFT FIGHT HUNGER BOWL
Temple (Pac-10 No. 6 or ACC) vs. Nevada (WAC)
Jan. 9, 9 p.m. ET, ESPN
At San Francisco
Comment: Bowl badly wanted Boise State, but had to settle for the team that ruined the Broncos' BCS bowl hopes.
Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl

BBVA COMPASS BOWL
Kentucky (SEC No. 8/9 or Sun Belt) vs. South Florida (Big East No. 5)
Jan. 8, Noon ET, ESPN
At Birmingham, Ala.
Comment: The Wildcats (6-6) are the SEC’s 10th and final bowl team.
BBVA Compass Bowl

Special feature Predictions 101 Get picks to all the bowl games leading up to the BCS title game. NBCSports.com

COTTON BOWL
Texas A&M (Big 12 No. 2) vs. Alabama (SEC No. 3/4 — West)
Jan. 7, 8 p.m. ET, FOX
At Arlington, Texas
Comment: This matchup is more desirable than two BCS games ... maybe three.
Cotton Bowl tickets

GODADDY.COM BOWL
Northern Illinois (MAC No. 2) vs. Troy (Sun Belt No. 2)
Jan. 6, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN
At Mobile, Ala.
Comment: The Huskies (10-3) will try to rebound from shocking loss to in Mid-American title game.
GoDaddy.com Bowl tickets

GATOR BOWL
Iowa (Big Ten No. 4/5) vs. Florida (SEC No. 6)
Jan. 1, 1:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2
At Jacksonville, Fla.
Comment: Neither team envisioned being 7-5.  This would be the third time in their last seven bowl games that the Hawkeyes have faced the Gators in the postseason.  The teams split the previous two meetings, which were both in the Outback Bowl.  Losing “Floyd of Rosedale” to Minnesota costs Iowa yet another trip to Tampa.
Gator Bowl tickets

CAPITAL ONE BOWL
LSU (SEC No. 2) vs. Michigan State (Big Ten No. 2)
Jan. 1, 1 p.m. ET, ESPN
At Orlando, Fla.
Comment: The Spartans follow in the unenviable footsteps of the 2006 Wisconsin Badgers, who also went 11-1, missed out on a BCS berth and landed in Orlando.  “Michigan Man” Les Miles would enjoy leading his men against Michigan State, but the Tigers (10-2) could possibly get passed over for three-loss Alabama if the bowl chooses to employ the “within one win” rule.
Capital One Bowl tickets

OUTBACK BOWL
Penn State (Big Ten No. 3) vs. South Carolina (SEC No. 3/4 — East)
Jan. 1, 1 p.m. ET, ABC
At Tampa, Fla.
Comment: Out of respect, Steve Spurrier shouldn’t be referred to as “The Ol’ Ball Coach” in the lead-up to this one.
Outback Bowl tickets

TICKETCITY BOWL
Texas Tech (Big 12 No. 8) vs. Northwestern (Big Ten No. 7)
Jan. 1, Noon ET, ESPNU
At Dallas
Comment: The Red Raiders (7-5) blocked Houston from a postseason appearance last Saturday with a 35-20 victory in Lubbock.  That’s a slightly bigger accomplishment than the Wildcats (7-5) holding Wisconsin scoreless in the fourth quarter of a 70-23 loss.
TicketCity Bowl tickets

CHICK-FIL-A BOWL
Mississippi State (SEC No. 5) vs. Florida State (ACC No. 2)
Dec. 31, 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN
At Atlanta
Comment: The Seminoles (9-4) are going to have their hands full with his Bulldogs (8-4) at the Georgia Dome.
Chick-Fil-A Bowl tickets

LIBERTY BOWL
UCF (C-USA No. 1) vs. Georgia (SEC No. 8/9 or Big East)
Dec. 31, 3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN
At Memphis, Tenn.
Comment: However wacky, the Bulldogs (6-6) got the job done against Georgia Tech last week to qualify for the postseason and a date against the Conference USA champions.
Liberty Bowl tickets

SUN BOWL
Miami, Fla. (ACC No. 4) vs. Fresno State (Pac-10 No. 4)
Dec. 31, 2 p.m. ET, CBS
At El Paso, Texas
Comment: Randy Shannon got fired for leading his team to this postseason appearance, which apparently is far enough below expectations in Coral Gables to blow up a four-year contract extension signed last summer. There's a chance Miami could face Notre Dame instead of Fresno State, which is stepping in since top-heavy Pac-10 unable to fill spot.
Sun Bowl tickets

MEINEKE CAR CARE BOWL
West Virginia (ACC No. 5) vs. Maryland (Big East No. 3)
Dec. 31, Noon ET, ESPN
At Charlotte, N.C.
Comment: The Terrapins (8-4) are one of the nation’s best turnaround stories after going 2-10 last year.
Meineke Car Car Bowl tickets

HOLIDAY BOWL
Washington (Pac-10 No. 3) vs. Missouri (Big 12 No. 5)
Dec. 30, 10 p.m. ET, ESPN
At San Diego
Comment: The Huskies (6-6) are going bowling for the first time since the 2002 Sun Bowl. The Tigers (10-2) have reached double-digit victories for only the fourth time in school history. Gary Pinkel has his name attached to three of those.
Holiday Bowl tickets

MUSIC CITY BOWL
Tennessee (SEC No. 7) vs. North Carolina (ACC No. 6)
Dec. 30, 6:30 p.m. ET, ESPN
At Nashville, Tenn.
Comment: Give it up for Derek Dooley.  The Vols (6-6) won their last four games to earn bowl eligibility and didn’t allow more than 14 points in any of those ballgames.
Music City Bowl tickets

Slideshow   College cheer Check out some of the college football cheerleaders from across the country. NBCSports.com

PINSTRIPE BOWL
Kansas State (Big 12 No. 7) vs. Syracuse (Big East No. 4)
Dec. 30, 3 p.m. ET, ESPN
At New York City
Comment: While these two cold weather teams will jump at the chance to play at Yankee Stadium, we can’t wait for the year that South Florida earns this particular trip up north for the holidays.
Pinstripe Bowl tickets

ARMED FORCES BOWL
Army (C-USA No. 2-6 or Army) vs. SMU (MWC No. 4/5)
Dec. 30, Noon ET, ESPN
At University Park, Texas
Comment: It's a home game for the Mustangs, who fill in for the Mountain West Conference, which didn’t come remotely close to filling this slot.
Armed Forces Bowl tickets

ALAMO BOWL
Arizona (Pac-10 No. 2) vs. Nebraska (Big 12 No. 3)
Dec. 29, 9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN
At San Antonio
Comment: A rematch of last year's Holiday Bowl? The Wildcats (7-5) have lost their last four games.
Alamo Bowl tickets