Bowl games for NC A&T, Wake Forest, Duke, NC State and Appalachian State were all officially announced Sunday. Here's a look at some of their matchups:
Alcorn State (9-3, 6-1 Southwestern Athletic Conference) vs. North Carolina A&T (9-2, 6-1 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference), Dec. 15, Noon - Atlanta
TOP PLAYERS
Alcorn State: QB Noah Johnson has thrown for 2,079 yards and 15 touchdowns while also running for 960 yards and nine touchdowns.
North Carolina A&T: The Aggies are led by veteran QB Lamar Raynard and a running game that's averaging close to 200 yards on the ground per game.
NOTABLE
Alcorn State: The Braves are back in the Celebration Bowl for the first time since the inaugural game in 2015. Alcorn State is led by coach Fred McNair, the older brother of the late Steve McNair, who was a star quarterback for Alcorn State and in the NFL with the Tennessee Titans.
North Carolina A&T: The Aggies are back in the Celebration Bowl for the third time in four seasons. North Carolina A&T beat Grambling 21-14 last year to give the MEAC a 2-1 edge in the game over the SWAC.
LAST TIME
North Carolina A&T 41, Alcorn State 34. (Dec. 19, 2015)
BOWL HISTORY
Alcorn State: The Braves are in the Celebration Bowl for the second time.
North Carolina A&T: The Aggies are in the Celebration Bowl for the third time.
Memphis (8-5, AAC) vs Wake Forest (6-6, ACC), Dec. 22, 12 p.m. ET - Birmingham, Alabama
TOP PLAYERS
Memphis: RB Darrell Henderson, 1,909 rushing yards, 22 touchdowns; 210 yards, 3 TDs in AAC title game.
Wake Forest: WR Greg Dortch, All-ACC as all-purpose back/return specialist; 89 catches, 1,078 yards, eight touchdowns.
NOTABLE
Memphis: Coming off 56-41 loss to No. 7 UCF in AAC title game. Had led 38-21 at halftime.
Wake Forest: Ended regular season with a 59-7 win over Duke. Dortch won the ACC's Brian Piccolo Award after returning from an abdominal injury that ended his 2017 season.
Middle Tennessee (8-5, Conference USA) vs. Appalachian State (10-2, Sun Belt Conference), Dec. 15, 9 p.m. EST (ESPN) - New Orleans
TOP PLAYERS
Middle Tennessee: Veteran quarterback Brent Stockstill has thrown for 3,214 yards, 28 touchdowns and eight interceptions.
Appalachian State: Running back Darrynton Evans has 1,079 yards rushing and seven touchdowns. He's averaging 6.5 yards per carry.
NOTABLE
Middle Tennessee: The Blue Raiders lost 27-25 to UAB in the Conference USA championship game on Saturday. Middle Tennessee played three games against SEC foes this year in a difficult nonconference schedule, losing to Vanderbilt, Georgia and Kentucky.
Appalachian State: The Mountaineers have won five straight games, including a 30-19 win over Louisiana-Lafayette on Saturday. Appalachian State nearly knocked off Penn State in the season opener before losing 45-38 in overtime.
Duke (7-5, Atlantic Coast Conference) vs. Temple (8-4, American Athletic Conference), Dec. 27, 1:30 p.m. EST (ESPN).
LOCATION: Shreveport, Louisiana.
TOP PLAYERS
Duke: QB Daniel Jones has thrown for 2,251 yards and 17 TDs with seven interceptions and has rushed for 325 TDs and two more scores.
Temple: QB Anthony Russo led the team to a 7-2 record after taking over as the starter as the Owls averaged 36 points and 435.7 yards per game with him under center.
NOTABLE
Duke: The Blue Devils finished a dismal sixth behind ACC Coastal Division champion Pittsburgh but posted seven wins against teams that are playing in the postseason.
Temple: This is the fourth straight season the Owls have qualified for a bowl game, but they've never won two straight in the postseason. Temple beat Florida International in the Gasparilla Bowl last year, so the chance for a breakthrough is there.
LAST TIME
It will be the first meeting between the teams.
BOWL HISTORY
Duke: Blue Devils are 5-8 in bowl games. This is their sixth postseason appearance in seven years and first in the Independence Bowl.
Temple: The Owls are just 3-4 in bowl games and have never played in the Independence Bowl.
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.
