MILITARY
Virginia (6-6, ACC) vs. Navy (6-6, American Athletic)
Kickoff • 12:30 p.m., Annapolis, Md. (ESPN)
Top players • Virginia senior QB Kurt Benkert set a school passing record with 3,062 yards and tied for the ACC lead in TD passes with 25. He’s the first player in school history to throw 20 TD passes or more in consecutive seasons. ... Navy QB Zach Abey is the AAC’s leading rusher, averaging 132.2 yards a game. The Midshipmen are second in the nation in rushing offense, averaging 347.5 yards.
Notable • Virginia LB Micah Kiser and FS Quin Blanding are the only pair of teammates from a Power Five school to rank in the top 15 nationally in tackles. Kiser leads the ACC and is tied for fourth nationally with 134, and Blanding is 15th at 121. ... Navy lost 14-13 to Army on Dec. 8, giving the Midshipmen six losses in their last seven games after starting the season 5-0. ... This is Virginia’s first bowl since 2011.
Dave Matter’s pick • Navy 28, Virginia 24
CAMPING WORLD
No. 17 Oklahoma State (9-3, Big 12) vs. No. 22 Virginia Tech (9-3, ACC)
Kickoff • 4:15 p.m., Camping World Stadium, Orlando (ESPN)
Top players • OSU QB Mason Rudolph, who has 4,553 yards passing and 35 TDs, is a projected first-round pick. Cowboys have two 1,000-yard receivers in James Washington (1,423 yards) and Marcell Ateman (1,049). ... Tech LB Tremaine Edmunds has 102 tackles, 14 for loss.
Notable • OSU averages 392.3 yards passing, best among FBS teams. The Cowboys rank second nationally in total offense (575.7) and third in scoring (46.3). ... Tech ranks fifth nationally in scoring defense at 13.5 points a game. ... OSU is in a bowl for the 12th consecutive year, and Tech’s streak is at 25.
Dave Matter’s pick • OSU 31, Virginia Tech 27
ALAMO
Stanford (9-4, Pac-12) vs. TCU (10-3, Big 12)
Kickoff • 5 p.m., Alamodome, San Antonio (ESPN)
Top players • Stanford RB Bryce Love, the Doak Walker Award winner as the nation’s top runner, has 1,973 yards rushing, with 17 TDs. ... Texas Christian QB Kenny Hill has 2,838 yards passing, with 21 TDs. A transfer from Texas A&M, he broke Johnny Manziel’s single-game passing record in his first start for A&M, with 511 yards. He went to the same high school as former Mizzou QB Chase Daniel, Southlake Carroll in the Dallas suburbs.
Notable • Stanford’s 31-28 loss to USC in the Pac-12 title game cost it a New Year’s Six bowl invite. But Stanford won its previous three games, including a 38-20 thrashing of Notre Dame. ... TCU lost twice to Oklahoma, and at Iowa State. TCU went 3-3 after starting 7-0. ... TCU has more bowl appearances (33) than Stanford (29).
Dave Matter’s pick • TCU 24, Stanford 20
HOLIDAY
Michigan State (9-3, Big Ten) vs. Washington State (9-3, Pac-12)
Kickoff • 8 p.m., San Diego CCU Stadium (Fox Sports 1)
Top players • The Michigan State offensive line is led by C Brian Allen, named second-team All-Big Ten by coaches and media. ... Washington State QB Luke Falk has 3,593 yards passing, with 30 TDs. He won the Burlsworth Award, presented annually to the nation’s top player who began as a walk-on.
Notable • MSU reversed last season’s 3-9 record with a young team that wasn’t expected to do much. WR Felton Davis has 51 catches for 658 yards and eight TDs ... WSU was the only Pac-12 team to beat conference champ USC. ... Cougars coach Mike Leach recently received a contract extension through the 2022 season.
Dave Matter’s pick • Michigan State 31, Washington State 28