As fantastic as the week 15 tilt between Army and Navy was last weekend, not to mention the FCS playoff action, football fans might have been going through withdrawal symptoms with the lack of a full slate of games.
[divider]
COMPARE: NFL Teams | NFL Players
COMPARE: CFB Teams | CFB Players
[divider]
This Saturday won't give us the 50-plus games were accustomed to during the regular season, but there's seven college football matchups of varying intrigue to tide you over. As a bonus, the NFL will play a pair of games as well, and one of them has division title hopes on the line.
[divider]
RELATED: Josh Allen Top Draft Prospect in Idaho Potato Bowl
RELATED: Top NFL Draft Prospects in the Gildan New Mexico Bowl
RELATED: Top NFL Draft Prospects in the New Orleans Bowl
[divider]
As you're potentially busy buying your Christmas tree and presents on Saturday, here's the nine gridiron matchups ranked from worst to best that you might want to make time for.
[divider]
9. Detroit Lions vs. Chicago Bears
Unless you're gambling or have fantasy football players in this stinker, there's really no reason to watch this hot mess. There's much better action during this three-hour window as we're about to see.
[divider]
8. Georgia State vs. Western Kentucky
The Hilltoppers used to be appointment viewing with head coach Jeff Brohm leading the charge behind record-setting quarterbacks like Brandon Doughty. After 23 combined wins in 2015 and 2016, WKU slogged to a 6-6 mark this season after their coach left for Purdue.
According to StubHub you can get into the Cure Bowl for just $11 so if you're in Orlando at least you've got that as an option.
[divider]
7. Arkansas State vs. Middle Tennessee
Come for the Camellia Bowl, stay for one last performance by Blue Raiders' stud QB Brent Stockstill.
[divider]
6. Colorado State vs. Marshall
The New Mexico Bowl features two teams that surprised college football this year for very different reasons. Marshall came out of nowhere after winning just 3 games last year to finish 2017 at 7-5.
On the other side of the coin, many had Colorado State as a darkhorse to make a New Year's 6 bowl game, but an early season blowout to rival Colorado followed by losing three of its last four conference games sent the Rams tumbling to a disappointing 7-5 mark.
[divider]
5. North Texas vs. Troy
This year's New Orleans Bowl is one of the best in recent memory. Troy won 10 games, including the upset of the year at LSU. The Mean Green, just two years removed from a 1-11 record, are looking to reach double digits wins as well after an impressive 9-4 record and Conference USA title game appearance.
[divider]
4. North Carolina A&T vs. Grambling
North Carolina A&T comes into the Celebration Bowl with a perfect 11-0 record while Grambling's only defeat was to FBS foe Tulane. While you might not recognize the names on the rosters if you aren't an FCS aficionado, remember the Aggies recently gave us stud Chicago Bears' running back Tarik Cohen.
[divider]
3. Oregon vs. Boise State
The biggest question in the Las Vegas Bowl is this: How motivated are the Ducks after losing head coach Willie Tagart after a pedestrian 7-5 season?
[divider]
2. James Madison vs. South Dakota State
Darn right we have the FCS playoffs ranked #2 on our list of Saturday's best and worst matchups.
The Dukes look to continue their undefeated ways after narrowly escaping with a three-point win in last week's quarterfinal matchup with Weber State. If they want to repeat as champs, they'll have to knock off a Jackrabbits' squad that throttled New Hampshire last week 56-14.
[divider]
1. Kansas City Chiefs vs. Los Angeles Chargers
The NFL nightcap has massive playoff implications in the AFC. Having already knocked off the Chargers earlier in the year, KC can all but wrap up the West with a win Saturday night. The Chiefs host dreadful Miami the following week and close the year at equally terrible Denver.
A Kansas City win gives them the tiebreaker over Los Angeles, which means the only way they could lose the AFC West if they win this weekend is by dropping their final two contests and the Chargers win out.
