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3 must-watch bowl games before the New Year's 6

Tim Warner / Getty Images Sport / Getty

It's nearly impossible to catch every single bowl game, but some should be deemed appointment television before the New Year's Six.

Get your popcorn ready for this trio of beauties:

Birmingham Bowl
South Florida (9-2) vs. Texas Tech (6-6)
Dec. 23 - 12 p.m. ET, Legion Field - Birmingham, Ala.

Two of the more prolific quarterbacks in college football are set to go head-to-head, as South Florida's Quinton Flowers and Texas Tech's Nic Shimonek will meet in the Birmingham Bowl. The two combined to throw for 51 touchdowns during the regular season, leading offenses more than capable of putting 40-plus points up on their opponents. As Bulls coach Charlie Strong used to say: #LetsRide!

Texas Bowl
Missouri (7-5) vs. Texas (6-6)
Dec. 27 - 9 p.m. ET, NRG Stadium - Houston, Texas

Texas is making its first appearance in a bowl game in three years, and will take on Missouri - a difficult team to get a pulse on. The Tigers lost five of their first six games this year, but rebounded with six consecutive victories to close out the schedule. Texas' offense can be as entertaining as it can be frustrating, while its defense was one of the best in 2017. Missouri - led by star pivot Drew Lock - has one of the top scoring offenses, and a defense that played well down the stretch before giving up 45 points to non-bowl-eligible Arkansas.

Alamo Bowl
No. 13 Stanford (9-4) vs. No. 15 TCU (10-3)
Dec. 28 - 9 p.m. ET, Alamodome - San Antonio, Texas

TCU owns the nation's fourth-ranked rushing defense, but it'll be tested by the country's second-leading rusher in Stanford's Bryce Love. The junior tailback suffered through an ankle injury during the latter portion of the season, but should be significantly healthier for the bowl game. Both teams have talented - but inconsistent - quarterbacks, meaning we could be in for an unpredictable duel in the Lone Star State.

(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)

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