Top College Football Bowl Games Outside of the CFP

The College Football Playoff will get most of the attention, but these lesser-profiled bowl matchups shouldn’t be overlooked.

Micah Alejado of the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors runs the ball during a game against the Fresno State Bulldogs at Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex in Honolulu, Hawaii, on Sept. 20, 2025. Darryl Oumi/Getty Images

The 2025-26 college football bowl season gets underway on Saturday, with a total of 46 bowl matchup featuring Football Bowl Subdivision teams.

While the College Football Playoff will attract the most attention, and deservedly so, there are a number of intriguing bowl contests outside of the CFP. Sometimes it’s the storylines which make a matchup so interesting, and the storylines involving the combatants in these bowl games make them must-see over the next month.

IS4S Salute to Veterans Bowl: Troy Versus Jacksonville State on Dec. 16

There are two bowl games that feature in-state teams facing off, with the Veterans Bowl as well as the Armed Forces Bowl (Rice versus Texas State). The Veterans Bowl has a pair of 8–5 teams squaring off, and the two programs from Alabama will, appropriately, meet in Montgomery, Ala., and the intensity always cranks up a bit when facing an in-state opponent. Many of the players on both sides may have grown up with and competed with, or against, those they will see on the other sideline, making this must-watch, and not just for Alabamans.

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl: Washington State Versus Utah State on Dec. 22

Fans should get used to seeing this matchup, as it will be an annual occurrence starting next year. Utah State is joining the relaunched Pac-12 in 2026, with Washington State as one of the two holdovers in the conference. Not only will they be frequent opponents going forward, but they actually played in 2024 as well in an entertaining contest. WSU prevailed 49–28 in a game that saw 11 touchdowns and nary a made field goal.

Sheraton Hawaii Bowl: Cal Versus Hawaii on Dec. 24

There are several ties between these programs, starting with the fact that both head coaches were former Hawaii quarterbacks and teammates. Timmy Chang leads the Rainbow Warriors after starring at QB for the team in the early 2000s, and Cal’s interim HC, Nick Rolovich, was Chang’s backup. Not only that, but Rolovich then served as Hawaii’s head coach from 2016-19, which is a post Chang has held since 2022.