Over the weekend, bowl-eligible college football teams learned where and who they would face in this year's annual slate of bowl games.
The state of Texas will host nine bowl games, five of which will be held in North Texas.
Below find preview capsules for each of the games involving Texas teams or that are held in Texas.
Texas Hosted: Alamo Bowl, Armed Forces Bowl, Corsicana Bowl (D2), Cotton Bowl, First Responder Bowl, Frisco Bowl, Heart of Texas Bowl (D2), Sun Bowl, Texas Bowl
Texas Teams: Cheez-It Bowl (TCU), Gator Bowl (Texas A&M), New Mexico Bowl (UNT), Sugar Bowl (Texas)
TEAMS: Iowa State (8-4, Big 12) vs Washington State (10-2, Pac-12), Dec. 28, 9 p.m. EST
LOCATION: San Antonio
TOP PLAYERS
Iowa State: RB David Montgomery, 1,092 yards rushing, 12 touchdowns
Washington State: QB Gardner Minshew, 4,477 yards passing, 36 touchdowns
NOTABLE
Iowa State: The Cyclones won seven out of their last eight games after a 1-3 start and finished with their best-ever record, 6-3, in the Big 12.
Washington State: The Cougars' seven-game winning streak -- and faint playoff hopes -- were dashed in a 28-15 loss to Washington in the Apple Cup on Nov. 23.
LAST TIME
First meeting.
BOWL HISTORY
Iowa State: 13th bowl appearance, first appearance in the Alamo Bowl.
Washington State: 14th bowl appearance, second appearance in the Alamo Bowl.
Local
The latest news from around North Texas.
TEAMS: Houston (8-4, American) vs. Army (9-2, Independent), Dec. 22, 3:30 p.m. EST.
LOCATION: Fort Worth, Texas
TOP PLAYERS
Houston: WR Marquez Stevenson, 67 catches, 947 yards, 9 touchdowns.
Army: RB Darnell Woolfolk, 823 yards rushing, 14 touchdowns.
NOTABLE
Houston: Cougars scored at least 40 points in 10 games, the most by any team in the country, but lost QB D'Eriq King to season-ending knee injury last month.
Army: Black Knights are on a seven-game win streak entering this week's game against Navy. They'll try to become the first team to win the Armed Services Bowl two years in a row.
LAST TIME
Houston 35, Army 21 (Sept. 19, 2004).
BOWL HISTORY
Houston: Third appearance in Armed Services Bowl (1-1), 27th bowl game (11-14-1)
Army: Third appearance in Armed Services Bowl (2-0), eighth bowl game (5-2)
TEAMS: Clemson (13-0, ACC, No. 2 CFP) vs. Notre Dame (12-0, Independent, No. 3 CFP), Dec. 29 (ESPN)
LOCATION: Arlington, Texas.
TOP PLAYERS
Clemson: Sophomore RB Travis Etienne has 1,463 yards rushing with 21 TDs. He ran for 156 yards and two TDs on only 12 carries in the ACC championship game against Pitt.
Notre Dame: Junior QB Ian Book, who took over as the starter in the fourth game and later missed a game with an injury, has completed 197 of 280 passes for 2,468 yards and 19 TDs with six interceptions in 11 games. He only attempted three passes in his first three games.
NOTABLE
Clemson is in the College Football Playoff for the fourth year in a row after only missing the inaugural four-team playoff in 2014. The Tigers, who won the national title two seasons ago, have won four consecutive ACC championship games.
Notre Dame is in the playoff for the first time. The Fighting Irish beat Arizona State in a regular season game at AT&T Stadium in 2013. They haven't played in the Cotton Bowl since New Year's Day 1994, when the game was still played in its namesake stadium.
LAST TIME
Clemson 24, Notre Dame 22, Oct. 3, 2015.
BOWL HISTORY
Clemson: Second appearance in Cotton Bowl (1-0), 43rd bowl game (22-20)
Notre Dame Eighth appearance in Cotton Bowl (5-2), 37th bowl game (18-18)
TEAMS: Boston College (7-5, Atlantic Coast Conference) vs. Boise State (10-3, Mountain West), Dec. 26, 1:30 p.m. ET.
LOCATION: Dallas.
TOP PLAYERS
Boston College: RB A.J. Dillon, 1,108 yards rushing, 10 touchdowns.
Boise State: QB Brett Rypien, 3,705 yards passing, 30 TDs; RB Alexander Mattison, 1,415 yards rushing, 17 TDs.
NOTABLE
Boston College: Hasn't played a bowl game in Texas since Heisman winner Doug Flutie led the Eagles to a 45-28 win over Houston in the 1985 Cotton Bowl.
Boise State: Rypien is the active FBS career passing yardage leader with 13,581. His uncle is Super Bowl XXVI MVP Mark Rypien.
LAST TIME
Boston College 27, Boise State 21, MPC Computers Bowl (Dec. 28, 2005).
BOWL HISTORY
Boston College: First appearance in SERVPRO First Responder Bowl, 27th bowl appearance in school history.
Boise State: First appearance in SERVPRO First Responder Bowl, 19th bowl appearance in school history.
TEAMS: San Diego State (7-5, Mountain West) vs. Ohio (8-4, MAC), Dec. 19, 8 p.m. EST (ESPN).
LOCATION: Frisco, Texas.
TOP PLAYERS
San Diego St.: Junior LB Kyahva Tezino has 120 tackles, including 14 1/2 tackles for loss with 8 1/2 sacks.
Ohio: Senior RB A.J. Ouellette has rushed for 1,142 yards, ranking second in the MAC at 95.2 yards per game, with 12 TDs. He is only fourth player in school history with multiple 1,000-yard rushing seasons.
NOTABLE
San Diego State: 13-0-1 all-time against MAC schools. The Aztecs started this season 6-1 but have lost four of five games, including their last three.
Ohio: Making its 10th bowl appearance in 14 seasons under coach Frank Solich.
LAST TIME
First meeting.
BOWL HISTORY
San Diego St.: 14th bowl appearance overall (5-8).
Ohio: 12th bowl appearance overall (3-8).
TEAMS: Pittsburgh (7-6, ACC) vs. Stanford (8-4, Pac-12), Dec. 31, 2 p.m. EST (CBS).
LOCATION: El Paso, Texas.
TOP PLAYERS
Pittsburgh: Tailbacks Qadree Ollison and Darrin Hall are a formidable 1-2 punch in the backfield. Ollison is only the sixth player in school history to achieve multiple 1,000-yard rushing seasons. Hall has enjoyed the most productive season of his career as a senior, rushing for 1,021 yards, and his average of 7.6 yards per carry ranks sixth nationally and second in the ACC.
Stanford: QB K.J. Costello is 263 of 396 for 3,435 yards and 29 TDs with 11 interceptions. Senior WR JJ Arcega-Whiteside has 16 touchdown catches.
NOTABLE
Pittsburgh: The Panthers were one of the big surprises in the Atlantic Coast Conference, capturing the Coastal Division title and playing in the conference championship game. They lost to No. 2 Clemson 42-10 on Saturday night.
Stanford: K.J. Costello has recorded seven 300-yard passing games and has an array of receivers to throw to. Joining Arcega-Whiteside are Trenton Irwin and tight ends Kaden Smith and Colby Parkinson along with several freshmen.
LAST TIME
The Panthers won the most recent meeting with Stanford, 7-0, on Nov. 26, 1932, in Pittsburgh.
BOWL HISTORY
Pittsburgh: The Panthers are 13-20 in bowl games and 2-1 against Stanford. Pitt is 2-1 in the Sun Bowl.
Stanford: The bowl appearance will be the 30th overall for the Cardinal and their fifth trip to the Sun Bowl. Stanford is 14-14-1 in bowl games and 3-1 in the Sun Bowl.
TEAMS: Baylor (6-6, Big 12) vs. Vanderbilt (6-6, SEC), Dec. 27, 9 p.m. EST.
LOCATION: Houston.
TOP PLAYERS
Baylor: QB Charlie Brewer, 2,635 yards, 17 TDs passing, 266 yards, 6 TDs rushing.
Vanderbilt: RB Ke'Shawn Vaughn, 1,001 yards rushing, 10 TDs; 13 catches, 170 yards, 2 TDs receiving.
NOTABLE
Baylor: The Bears went 1-11 under first-year coach Matt Rhule last season. They bounced back this season and beat Texas Tech in their regular-season finale to become bowl-eligible.
Vanderbilt: The Commodores won three of their final four games to become bowl eligible, including a 38-13 win over in-state rival Tennessee in their regular-season finale.
LAST TIME
Baylor 25, Vanderbilt 19 (September 25, 1954).
BOWL HISTORY
Baylor: Second appearance in the Texas Bowl; 24th bowl appearance in school history.
Vanderbilt: First appearance in Texas Bowl; ninth bowl appearance in school history.
Teams: California (7-5, Pac-12) vs. TCU (6-6, Big 12), Dec. 26, 9 p.m. EST
LOCATION: Phoenix
TOP PLAYERS
California: LB Evan Weaver, 142 tackles, 4.5 sacks, 2 interceptions.
TCU: WR Jalen Reagor, 72 catches, 1,061 yards, 9 touchdowns.
NOTABLE
California: Second-year coach Justin Wilcox has overseen the building of one of the nation's top defenses. The Bears are allowing 200 fewer yards and 21 fewer points per game than they did two years ago.
TCU: Horned Frogs closed the regular season with back-to-back wins to earn their 16th bowl trip in 18 years under Gary Patterson.
LAST TIME
This is the teams' first meeting. Schools have scheduled a home-and-home series for 2020-21.
BOWL HISTORY
California: Third appearance in Cheez-It Bowl or its previous iterations (2-0), 23rd bowl appearance (11-10-1).
TCU: First appearance in Cheez-It Bowl, 34th bowl appearance (16-16-1).
TEAMS: Texas A&M (8-4, Southeastern Conference) vs. North Carolina State (9-3, Atlantic Coast Conference), Dec. 31, 7:30 p.m. EST.
LOCATION: Jacksonville, Fla.
TOP PLAYERS
Texas A&M: RB Trayveon Williams, 1,524 yards, 15 TDs rushing; 27 catches, 278 yards.
North Carolina State: QB Ryan Finley, 3,789 yards, 24 TDs passing; RB Reggie Gallaspy, 1,012 yards, 18 TDs rushing.
NOTABLE
Texas A&M: Paul "Bear" Bryant's last game as Texas A&M's coach was in the 1957 Gator Bowl, a 3-0 loss to Tennessee. He went on to greater heights at Alabama.
North Carolina State: The Wolfpack's final regular-season game was a 58-3 blowout win over East Carolina on Saturday. It was added to the schedule because Hurricane Florence caused North Carolina State's Sept. 15 game against West Virginia to be canceled.
LAST TIME
First meeting.
BOWL HISTORY
Texas A&M: Second appearance in Gator Bowl; 40th bowl appearance in school history.
North Carolina State: Fourth appearance in Gator Bowl; 32nd bowl appearance in school history.
TEAMS: North Texas (9-3, Conference USA) vs. Utah State (10-2, Mountain West), Dec. 15, 2 p.m. EST
LOCATION: Albuquerque, New Mexico
TOP PLAYERS
North Texas: QB Mason Fine, 3,734 yards passing, 27 touchdowns.
Utah State: QB Jordan Love, 3,208 yards passing, 28 touchdowns.
NOTABLE
North Texas: The Mean Green went 5-3 in Conference USA and finished second to UAB in the West. North Texas went bowling in 2016 and 2017, losing each time.
Utah State: The Aggies lost their opener at Michigan State and their final regular season game at Boise State 33-24. But in between, Utah State rattled off 10 consecutive wins -- a stretch good enough to convince Texas Tech to hire their coach, Matt Wells.
LAST TIME
North Texas 31, Utah State 23 (October 9, 2004).
BOWL HISTORY
North Texas: Nine bowls, first appearance in New Mexico Bowl.
Utah State: Eleven bowls, second appearance in New Mexico Bowl.
TEAMS: No. 6 Georgia (11-2, 7-1 Southeastern Conference, No. 5 CFP) vs. No. 14 Texas (9-4, 7-2 Big 12, No. 15 CFP), Jan. 1, 8:45 p.m. ET (ESPN)
LOCATION: New Orleans
TOP PLAYERS
Georgia: The Bulldogs are led by running backs D'Andre Swift and Elijah Holyfield. Swift has run for 1,037 yards and 10 touchdowns while Holyfield has been nearly as productive with 956 yards on the ground and seven touchdowns.
Texas: Receiver Lil'Jordan Humphrey has caught 79 passes for 1,109 yards and nine touchdowns this season. The 6-foot-4, 225-pound junior has been quarterback Sam Ehlinger's favorite target all season. Ehlinger has thrown for 3,123 yards, 25 touchdowns and five interceptions.
NOTABLE
Georgia: The Bulldogs are coming off a hard-fought 35-28 loss to Alabama in the SEC championship game on Saturday. The Georgia defense is giving up just 18.5 points per game this season.
Texas: Oklahoma pulled away in the fourth quarter to beat the Longhorns 39-27 in the Big 12 championship game on Saturday. Overall, it's been a breakout season for Texas, which has a chance to win 10 games for the first time since 2009. That season the Longhorns won 13 games before losing to
Georgia 10, Texas 9, Cotton Bowl, Jan. 2, 1984.
BOWL HISTORY
Georgia: 10th Sugar Bowl appearance, 55th bowl appearance overall.
Texas: 4th Sugar Bowl appearance, 55th bowl appearance overall.
