College football’s bowl season gets bigger and, um . . . better?

If, in 100 years, they’re looking at a reason for why football no longer exists, Dec. 26, 2016, will come up in the conversation.

Three bowl games will be played on the day after Christmas this year and they should be dedicated to Scrooge.

The six teams participating in the St. Petersburg, Quick Lane and Camping World Independence bowls have a combined record of 35-37. None are better than 6-6. It will be the worst day of postseason college football and there are some bad ones.

In a day and age where you’re nobody if you don’t get into a bowl game (sorry Kansas, Missouri and a few others), you’re also nobody in many cases if you do.

There are 42 bowl games and if you have recently been laid up by a skiing accident you can watch them all, starting with the Celebration Bowl on Dec. 17, when we’ll be “celebrating” North Carolina-Central vs. Grambling State.

Here’s a rundown of the football, football and more football available to you over the coming weeks, sans the College Football Playoffs — a bowl season unto themselves:

Dec. 17

Celebration Bowl, N.C.-Central (10-2) vs. Grambling State (11-1) – In games against FBS foes Duke and Western Michigan, N.C.-Central was outscored 119-27.

New Mexico Bowl, New Mexico (8-4) vs. UTSA (6-6) – Be prepared to yawn. Texas-San Antonio is building a program kind of the way we’re building East Kellogg – slowly.

Las Vegas Bowl, Houston (9-3) vs. San Diego State (10-3) – Dare I say this is one I’m looking forward to? San Diego State plays no defense but has 2,000-yard rusher Donnel Pumphrey. Houston has no coach, but can really score. It might be 143-141 but it should be exciting, as long as you can set aside seven hours.

Camellia Bowl, Appalachian State (9-3) vs. Toledo (9-3) – This one will be played in the Cramton Bowl in Montgomery, Ala., but we doubt anyone in the stands will feel crammed.

Cure Bowl, Central Florida (6-6) vs. Arkansas State (7-5) – If your kid brings home bad grades, make him or her watch this game. I guarantee straight As next semester.

New Orleans Bowl, Southern Mississippi (6-6) vs. Louisiana-Lafayette (6-6) – The Superdome for this game? No available high school fields?

Dec. 19

Miami Beach Bowl, Central Michigan (6-6) vs. Tulsa (9-3) – Remember that win Central Michigan stole from Oklahoma State back in September? This is the reward.

Dec. 20

Boca Raton Bowl, Memphis (8-4) vs. Western Kentucky (10-3) – Hilltoppers coach Jeff Brohm just took the coaching job at Purdue, which isn’t in a bowl game after a 3-9 season. From Hilltopper to Boilermaker – I have no idea what either one is.

Dec. 21

Poinsettia Bowl, BYU (8-4) vs. Wyoming (8-5) – This game is sponsored by a credit union, continuing the long and strong connection between credit unions and poinsettias.

Dec. 22

Potato Bowl, Idaho (8-4) vs. Colorado State (7-5) – Because I love anything having to do with potatoes, I’ll watch this game while eating tater tots.

Dec. 23

Bahamas Bowl, Eastern Michigan (7-5) vs. Old Dominion (9-3) – This bowl is sponsored by Popeyes, although I find no evidence that Popeye ever visited the Bahamas. Olive Oyl, however, spent winters there.

Armed Forces Bowl, Louisiana Tech (8-5) vs. Navy (9-3) – The first game involving a ranked team, No. 25 Navy deserves a better opponent. And we deserve a better game.

Dollar General Bowl, Ohio (8-5) vs. Troy (9-3) – Tickets for this one are $45 for sideline seating and $15 to be in the end zone. So pay no attention to the “Dollar” thing.

Dec. 24

Hawaii Bowl, Hawaii (6-7) vs. Middle Tennessee (8-4) – This is the last game you’ll see before Santa slides down your chimney. That just doesn’t seem right.

Dec. 26

St. Petersburg Bowl, Miami (Ohio) (6-6) vs. Mississippi State (5-7) – This is the first game you’ll see after celebrating Christmas. It’ll feel like a slap in the face.

Quick Lane Bowl, Maryland (6-6) vs. Boston College (6-6) – I got nothing.

Independence Bowl, North Carolina State (6-6) vs. Vanderbilt (6-6) – Because of its Camping World sponsorship, everyone will be roasting marshmallows by halftime.

Dec. 27

Heart of Dallas Bowl, Army (6-5) vs. North Texas (5-7) – Zaxby’s, the game sponsor, is a chain of chicken restaurants headquartered in Georgia. Sponsorships like this won’t keep them around long.

Military Bowl, Temple (10-3) vs. Wake Forest (6-6) – Wake me up because I need to sleep. My temples are pounding.

Holiday Bowl, Minnesota (8-4) vs. Washington State (8-4) – Kansan Tracy Claeys, from Clay Center, coaches Minnesota. Mike Leach coaches Washington State. You can see them wearing headsets.

Cactus Bowl, Boise State (10-2) vs. Baylor (6-6) – Motel 6 sponsors this one. Forget keeping the lights on, can we just turn them off and go home?

Dec. 28

Pinstripe Bowl, Pittsburgh (8-4) vs. Northwestern (6-6) – If you love your football in a baseball stadium, this is your game.

Russell Athletic Bowl, West Virginia (10-2) vs. Miami (8-4) – These former Big East rivals will be getting back together. You’ll need a box of Kleenex.

Foster Farms Bowl, Indiana (6-6) vs. Utah (8-4) – Have Mike Pence and Mitt Romney made a bet on this one?

Texas Bowl, Texas A&M (8-4) vs. Kansas State (8-4) – K-State’s Bill Snyder is 7-10 in bowl games and has lost six of his previous seven. He’s due.

Dec. 29

Birmingham Bowl, South Florida (10-2) vs. South Carolina (6-6) – If, for some reason, one of these teams is unable to fulfill its obligation, South Dakota is waiting in the wings.

Belk Bowl, Arkansas (7-5) vs. Virginia Tech (9-4) – By this time, I’ll be face down in guacamole dip.

Alamo Bowl, Oklahoma State (9-3) vs. Colorado (10-3) – I miss the Big Eight. I miss Boulder. This game will cause me to feel forlorn.

Dec. 30

Liberty Bowl, Georgia (7-5) vs. TCU (6-6) – Hey, hey, underachieving teams from major conferences.

Sun Bowl, Stanford (9-3) vs. North Carolina (8-4) – A scholarly school from Silicon Valley takes on one accused of academic fraud. I like the juxtaposition.

Music City Bowl, Nebraska (9-3) vs. Tennessee (8-4) – I watch this game every year while I do karaoke and play air guitar.

Arizona Bowl, South Alabama (6-6) vs. Air Force (9-3) – Maxwell Air Force Base is located in Montgomery, Ala. Which is in the southern half of the state. So there’s that.

Orange Bowl, Michigan (10-2) vs. Florida State (9-3) – Jim Harbaugh vs. Jimbo Fisher. Wouldn’t the “Jimbo” thing fit Harbaugh better? Jimbo Harbaugh vs. Jim Fisher? I like it.

Dec. 31

Citrus Bowl, LSU (7-4) vs. Louisville (9-3) – Too bad Harley-Davidson doesn’t sponsor this game.

TaxSlayer Bowl, Georgia Tech (8-4) vs. Kentucky (7-5) – Kentucky proves it’s more than just a basketball school.

Jan. 2

Outback Bowl, Florida (8-4) vs. Iowa (8-4) – This is what 8-4 buys these days.

Cotton Bowl Classic, Western Michigan (13-0) vs. Wisconsin (10-3) – This is a decent stage for Western Michigan and P.J. Fleck, not to be confused with Bela Fleck and the Flectones.

Rose Bowl, USC (9-3) vs. Penn State (11-2) – Now this is a good game. Maybe even a better game than Ohio State-Clemson in the playoffs?

Sugar Bowl, Auburn (8-4) vs. Oklahoma (10-2) – There’s nothing sugary about the Sooners, who haven’t lost since September and should be hoppin’ mad that going unbeaten in their conference didn’t get them into the playoff.

This story was originally published December 6, 2016 at 1:42 PM with the headline "College football’s bowl season gets bigger and, um . . . better?."