Capital One Bowl Ranked Among Top Games This Bowl Season By Media

NFL.com– Capital One Bowl ranked 3rd

Sports On Earth– Capital One Bowl ranked 8th

SB Nation– Capital One Bowl ranked 7th

CBSSports.com– Capital One Bowl ranked 6th

Crystal Ball Run– Capital One Bowl ranked 5th

ESPN– Capital One Bowl ranked 6th

Lost Letterman– Capital One Bowl ranked 8th

Yahoo–Capital One Bowl ranked 5th

Athlon Sports– Capital One Bowl ranked 5th

Composite Average results– Capital One Bowl average ranking: 5.9

The Capital One Bowl ranks as a top 5 bowl matchup to watch according to multiple media outlets who have published bowl rankings in the past few days. The matchup between South Carolina and Wisconsin checks in as one of the top two non-BCS bowls in the composite rankings of all the articles. The high praise for this must watch bowl game is based on various reasons including matchup intrigue, story lines, “watchability”, and overall competitiveness.

The Capital One Bowl averaged out as the sixth best bowl matchup, ranking in the top ten by every outlet and as high as third by NFL.com. Andy Coppens of Bleacher Report writes, “Wisconsin and South Carolina is perhaps the best non-BCS matchup on New Year’s Day.”

Despite competing with solid matchups in the Gator and Outback Bowls, many of the outlets focused in on the Jadeveon Clowney effect, and the highlight he provided in South Carolina’s bowl appearance last year (link to highlight). With speculation high on Clowney potentially declaring for the NFL draft after this season, everyone wants to see if he puts together another jaw dropping highlight to go out on. College football blog Crystal Ball Run points out how both teams play a very physical style, allowing fewer than 20 points, while averaging over 34 points a game. The physical style combined with a high potential for points makes this game a must see to knock off the New Year.