College football bowl schedule: 4 games set for Monday, Jan. 2

The college football bowl schedule brings four games to Monday, Jan. 2.

Traditionally, New Year’s Day is a day full of bowl action across college football. But, with New Year’s Day falling on Sunday this year, those games have been shifted to Jan. 2 with the NFL playing Sunday.

Three of Monday’s games will feature B1G teams. Those games include Illinois facing Mississippi State, Purdue facing LSU and Penn State facing Utah.

Illinois and Purdue both enter their bowl games with a number of key opt-outs absent from the game. Purdue is also playing with interim head coach Brian Brohm following Jeff Brohm’s departure to Louisville.

As for Penn State, the Nittany Lions will get most of their key pieces available for the Rose Bowl matchup. Sean Clifford will try to go out on top in his final game as quarterback for Penn State.

Here is Monday’s full schedule, including kickoff times and broadcast networks:

• ReliaQuest Bowl: Mississippi State vs. Illinois, 12 pm ET, ESPN2
• Cotton Bowl: Tulane vs. USC, 1 pm, ESPN
• Cheez-It Citrus Bowl: LSU vs. Purdue, 1 pm, ABC
• Rose Bowl: Penn State vs. Utah, 5 pm, ESPN

Paul Harvey

Paul is a lifelong fan and student of all things college football. He has been covering college football since 2017 and the B1G since 2018.