Although Friday marks a nearly full-swing beginning of bowl season, Thursday has some solid games as well, including the Cheez-It Bowl.
Of the three games on the docket, the marquee matchup is the Alamo Bowl showdown between Texas and Washington to cap off the day.
Leading into that nightcap, Oklahoma will play No. 13 Florida State in the Cheez-It Bowl. Syracuse and Minnesota will start the day with the Pinstripe Bowl.
Although it's relatively light on games, the slate is a fun one. Here's how to watch college football games Thursday to prepare for the weekend.
MORE: Watch college football bowl games live with fuboTV (free trial)
College football schedule: What games are on today?
Thursday, Dec. 29
| Bowl | Matchup | Time (ET) | TV |
| Pinstripe Bowl | Syracuse vs. Minnesota | 2 p.m. | ESPN, fuboTV |
| Cheez-It Bowl | Oklahoma vs. No. 13 Florida State | 5:30 p.m. | ESPN, fuboTV |
| Alamo Heart | No. 21 Texas vs. No. 12 Washington | 9 p.m. | ESPN, fuboTV |
Syracuse vs. Minnesota
The Pinstripe Bowl marks Minnesota's fourth bowl appearance in five seasons. P.J. Fleck already has three bowl wins as Golden Gophers coach. Minnesota won the Guaranteed Rate bowl last year, defeating West Virginia 18-6. This year, The 8-4 Golden Gophers play the 7-5 Orange. They wil try to ride All-American running back Mohamed Ibrahim to a win after Ibrahim tore his ACL in 2021.
Syracuse is playing a home game of sorts, as the Pinstripe Bowl is being hosted at Yankee Stadium. Running back Sean Tucker will not be active as he prepares for the NFL Draft. Syracuse is looking for its second bowl win under Dino Babers.
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Oklahoma vs. No. 13 Florida State
Oklahoma's first season of the post-Lincoln Riley era has been . . . difficult, to say the least. Brent Venables is at .500 in his inaugural year as Riley's successor, so this game does have some significance for the Sooners. They're looking to avoid their first finish below .500 since 1998, John Blake's last season before Bob Stoops came in and turned the program around.
Florida State isn't going to roll over and let the Sooners avoid that fate. The Seminoles have had the best offense in the ACC this year, and the game is being played at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, a four-hour drive from Tallahassee. For a game without major stakes, more Seminole fans could be willing to make the trek. Oklahoma lost three of its last four games, but it can hang its hat on a win over Oklahoma State in Bedlam. FSU is coming in with more momentum; it won its last five to close out the regular season.
No. 21 Texas vs. No. 12 Washington
Texas in the Alamo Bowl just feels right. This isn't where the Longhorns wanted to be — the hype train was going off the rails after they nearly defeated Alabama early in the year — but it's a good spot for a team that showed real improvement in Steve Sarkisian's second year. It's also nice that the 8-4 Longhorns are going up against a solid 10-2 Huskies team, even if Texas may be tired of playing in the Alamo Bowl (this is the program's third trip to San Antonio in four seasons).
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Washington found success behind transfer QB Michael Penix Jr., with its only two losses coming against UCLA (reasonable) and Arizona State (confusing). After struggling mightily last season, the Huskies' passing offense has turned explosive under Penix, who leads the nation in passing yards. That could create problems for a Texas defense that struggled against the pass. This will be a big test for Sarkisian and the Longhorns as they try to enter 2023 with momentum.
How to watch, live stream college football bowl games
These games will air on ESPN. They can also be streamed live with fuboTV, which offers a free trial.
College football scores
| Game |
| Syracuse vs. Minnesota |
| Oklahoma vs. No. 13 Florida State |
| No. 21 Texas vs. No. 12 Washington |
