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19 NFL draft prospects you should watch during bowl season

With bowl season right around the corner, and the drive to the NFL playoffs heating up, there will be a tremendous amount of football to watch over the next few weeks.
But for fans of some NFL teams, playoff aspirations have given way towards watching how the draft order is shaking out each week, and pouring through every mock draft to see if help can arrive next season.
After all, the NFL draft is just that: Packaged hope. The hope that next year will truly be the year, and that just a few additions over the offseason, and in the draft, will make all the different in the world.
If that sounds like you dear reader, then you might want this. A list of the 19 draft prospects to watch this bowl season. If you need to know when these game are, as well as how watchable they are, we have you covered there as well.
C.J. Stroud, QB, Ohio StateCFP Semifinal at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl vs. Georgia

Photo by Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images

Here we go again.
While C.J. Stroud’s tremendous season ended with personal accomplishments, such as being named a Heisman semifinalist for the second-straight year, he faces questions about his NFL future. Losses to Michigan the past two years, coupled with the recent success — or lack thereof — of Ohio State quarterbacks at the next level has brought doubters to the fold.
Doubters he can silence with a quality performance against one of the best defenses in the game.
Jalen Carter, DT, GeorgiaCFP Semifinal at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl vs. Ohio State
One of the problems C.J. Stroud will need to navigate? The presence of Jalen Carter in the interior of the Georgia defense. Carter plays all over the defensive front for Kirby Smart, and combines power with quickness, making him a difficult combination to slow down. Carter is perhaps the top interior defensive lineman in the draft, and a name to watch for the top of the draft. Right now Carter is a constant fixture inside the top five of mock drafts, but could he solidify that with a strong performance during bowl season?
Kelee Ringo, CB, GeorgiaCFP Semifinal at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl vs. Ohio State

Photo by Jeffrey Vest/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

If Stroud is able to navigate Carter inside the pocket, his job is not done. He’ll also have to stare down one of the top cornerback prospects in the next draft, Georgia CB Kelee Ringo. South Carolina’s Cam Smith has moved up draft boards with his play this season, but Ringo began the year atop many cornerback lists, thanks to his play last season for the Bulldogs. He is a scheme-diverse cornerback, with the ability to play in press-man, but also the skills to play in off coverages. Plus, if he gets matched up against Marvin Harrison Jr., that will be must-watch television.
Quintin Johnson, WR, TCUCFP Semifinal at the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl vs. Michigan
The other semifinal game offers some draft prospects to watch as well, but TCU WR Quintin Johnson probably tops the list. He fits the mold of a true X receiver, with the combination of size, speed, and strength at the catch point to cause problems for NFL defenses. Johnson also has the short-area quickness and route-running skills to fit in any offensive system.
Note: As we transition out of the playoff games, there is a chance the following players decide to opt-out before their bowl games, and after publication.
Jordan Addison, WR, USCGoodyear Cotton Bowl Classic vs. Tulane
Last season with Pittsburgh, Jordan Addison helped Kenny Pickett become a first-round pick. This year, Addison transferred to USC and helped Caleb Williams become a Heisman Trophy winner.
Now an NFL franchise might wonder what he can do for them next year.
While Addison did not produce at the same level this season as he did with Pittsburgh, catching 59 passes for 875 yards and 8 touchdowns, the traits are still there. He is a quick, shifty receiver with strong hands and the ability to separate at all levels of the field.
Jared Verse, EDGE, Florida StateCheez-It Bowl vs. Oklahoma

Photo by David Rosenblum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Albany transfer Jared Verse put together a tremendous season for Florida State, rocketing himself up draft boards at the EDGE position. Verse tallied 7.5 sacks for the Seminoles this year, and it did not take long for him to have an impact in Tallahassee. In his first game this year, against LSU, Verse recorded a pair of sacks along with seven charted pressures, showing the disruptive ability NFL coaches covet.
Devon Witherspoon, CB, IllinoisReliaQuest Bowl vs. Mississippi State
Illinois put together a run this season that placed them on the cusp of a spot in the Big Ten Championship game. While they faded down the stretch, it was one of their best seasons in years, and their defense played a huge role. Part of that defense? Cornerback Devon Witherspoon. who recorded a career-best three interceptions this year. Witherspoon is a true man coverage cornerback, with the ability to match routes, change directions quickly, and lock down one side of the field for a defense.
Felix Anduike-Uzomah, EDGE, Kansas StateAllstate Sugar Bowl vs. Alabama
If you watched the Big-12 Championship game, you likely saw pass rusher Felix Anduike-Uzomah in the TCU backfield early and often. With good reason. While Anduike-Uzomah did not match the 11 sacks he posted a season ago, his 8.5 sacks this year — combined with the pressure he put on opposing passers and the traits he brings to the table — makes him a player to watch for the NFL draft. He is a physical, athletic pass rusher with a motor that does not stop.
Sean Tucker, RB, SyracuseBad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl vs. Minnesota

Photo by David Jensen/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

This game features a pair of talented running backs, in Minnesota’s Mohamed Ibrahim and Sean Tucker from Syracuse. Ibrahim may still play against Syracuse, but has also accepted an invitation to the East-West Shrine Bowl to showcase his draft stock.
Provided both players go, this game is worth watching for both running backs. We will focus on Tucker, who exploded on the college football season last year for the Orange. A year ago, Tucker racked up 1,496 yards on 246 carries, scoring 12 touchdowns. He added another 255 yards receiving, averaging over 12 yards per reception.
Tucker looks the part of a three-down back at the next level, with the vision and footwork to be a threat in the run game, but the track background to pose problems on routes to all levels of the field.
John Michael Schmitz, C, MinnesotaBad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl vs. Syracuse
For years, the focus along the offensive lines when it came to the draft was on the edges. As NFL offenses looked to counter the talent that defenses would bring off the perimeter, teams looked to find tackles ready to handle life in the NFL.
However, there has been a shift the past few years, for a few different reasons. As defenses have started to focus on interior pressure as well, with mug looks and other interior pressure schemes, finding interior offensive linemen that can pass block has become critical. Second, talented defensive tackles have become problems for offenses, and interior pressure is very disruptive to the passing game. Finally, with offenses leaning into inside run concepts in recent years, such as Duo, adding talent on the inside has become more of a need.
That could be huge for John Michael Schmitz, the Minnesota center who has shown continual growth during his time on campus. Experienced and athletic, he could be a plug-and-play option as a rookie along many offensive lines.
Jaelyn Duncan, OT, MarylandDuke’s Mayo Bowl vs. N.C. State
For reasons which we have already outlined, we remain mad at the Duke’s Mayo Bowl.
Still, you should not hold that against Jaelyn Duncan, who right now is a fringe first-round prospect, according to current mock drafts. But that could change over the next few months, beginning with a strong performance against N.C. State in this game. Duncan has good footwork, lateral-movement skills, and technique for the position. Combine that with his size, and you have a potential cornerstone tackle at the next level.
Dorian Williams, LB, TulaneGoodyear Cotton Bowl Classic vs. USC

Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images

Tulane’s is one of the best stories in college football. After an early season domination of Kansas State, Tulane is in the Cotton Bowl facing Heisman trophy winner Caleb Williams, and Dorian Williams is a large reason why. The 6’2 225 pound senior is so good in space and his awareness in coverage is going to come in handy against a USC team that has athletes at every position. He’s more of a late round guy, but could rise up boards with a stellar performance.
Zach Charbonnet, RB, UCLATony the Tiger Sun Bowl vs. Pittsburgh
This upcoming RB class is fun, and Charbonnet is another fun player in this class. His contact balance and burst is among the best in this RB class, and he has the versatility to be a factor in the run game and the passing game. “Bowling ball” gets thrown around a lot, but Charbonnet is truly a bowling ball, but a 28.2% broken tackle and missed tackle rate is truly being a bowling ball. Against Pitt, Charbonnet has a chance the fly up draft boards even higher than he was before.
Nathaniel “Tank” Dell, WR, HoustonRadiance Technologies Independence Bowl vs. Louisiana
If you look up the definition of the word “electric” in the dictionary, you’ll find a photo of Tank Dell running away from defenders. The 5’10, 165 pound receiver finished second in the nation in receiving yards, third in catches and first in touchdown catches. Despite being a smaller receiver, Dell is lightning in a bottle who can make a big play at any time. He’s primarily a slot receiver at the next level, but just get him on the field and let him work.
A.T. Perry, WR, Wake ForestUnion Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl vs. Missouri

Photo by David Jensen/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Perry is a big, physical outside target who wins by going over the top of defenders. His size and speed should give whoever is playing QB for Wake Forest an option downfield, and for fans who need outside speed, look for AT Perry when you’re watching football during bowl season.
O’Cyrus Torrence, OG, FloridaSRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl vs. Oregon State
ROAD. GRADER. That is who Torrence is. The transfer from UL Lafayette made an impact immediately, becoming the First-team AP All American at guard. His ability to play in a phone booth and root out defenders is what makes him the first guard in many people’s big board. If you’re looking for an offensive linemen, watch Torrence move people against their will.
Siaki Ika, NT, BaylorLockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl vs. Air Force
Ika is a MASSIVE person at 6’4, and 358 pounds. He is the purest definition of a run stopper, and can change the math for teams in the run game. He’s not a finished product when it comes to affecting the passing game, but with the amount of teams that are looking for a guy to stop the run, they can find one in Ika. Seeing him go against Air Force should be a sight to behold.
Charlie Jones, WR, PurdueCheez-It Citrus Bowl vs. LSU
Very quietly, Charlie Jones almost won the triple crown for a receiver in college football. He was first in catches and yards, and third in touchdowns for a Purdue offense that leaned on him in the passing game. Jones just knows how to get open, simple and plain. The Iowa transfer has enough speed to stack defenders vertically and extremely sure hands (8 drops on 157 targets). He won’t be a Day One or maybe Day Two pick, but he’ll make a team extremely happy.
Jake Haener, QB, Fresno StateJimmy Kimmel LA Bowl Presented by Stifel vs. Washington State

Photo by Tyler Ingham/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

College football Twitter’s favorite QB is playing in his final bowl game, and what a ride it’s been for Haener. Haener is a fearless QB who can throw with accuracy and has the ability to hit passes in the intermediate area of the field. Haener will be headed to the Senior Bowl, and he should find a spot in the NFL as a backup, albeit a very fun backup. […]

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NBA Scores: Jokic making the case for a third straight MVP

It was quite a Wednesday in the Association as 13 of the 20 teams in action scored at least 120 points, and four exceeded 130.
More than a third of the way through the season for most teams, the lay of the land in the East looks a lot more clear than it does in the West. In the East, there’s not a single tie in the top seven slots, and they’re separated by a clean seven games. In the Wild West, seven games is the difference between #1 and #12, three games separate the top seven, and three teams are tied for 4th.
Many of the stars in that Wild West – guys like Nikola Jokic, Damian Lillard, and Luka Doncic – all showed out for their teams on Wednesday, and the East had plenty of fireworks of their own. Here’s all the scores from around the NBA.
Detroit outscores Charlotte 141-134 in overtime
LaMelo Ball returned from an ankle injury to play in his fourth game of the season, but the Pistons were too busy looking for their eighth win to care. Ball did finish with a very respectable 23 points and 11 assists before fouling out with 30 seconds left in regulation.
Alec Burks continues to be an absolute bucket off the bench for Detroit, leading them with 27 points on just 12 shots and in just 26 minutes. Killian Hayes set a new season-high in points with 25, continuing a breakout stretch in Cade Cunningham’s absence.

Pacers beat Warriors 125-119 despite big night from Steph
Steph Curry only needed 30 minutes to total 38 points (5-10 3P), seven rebounds, seven assists, and two steals but exited the game with two minutes left in the third because of a left shoulder injury. Steve Kerr didn’t have much of an update post-game, but clarity could come early on Thursday when Curry has his MRI.
Indiana’s Tyrese Haliburton hit five three-pointers of his own and was one of three Pacers – along with Rookie of the Year contender Bennedict Mathurin and forever-trade piece Myles Turner – to score 20+. Only one of these teams is above .500 at this point, and it sure isn’t the one people expected.

Magic’s future bright as ever in 135-124 win over Hawks
The Magic set a franchise record for first quarter scoring when they hung 50 in the opening frame on the Hawks. Orlando made twice as many shots from the field as Atlanta and six more threes in the 50-22 start. Over the rest of the game, Markelle Fultz flirted with a triple double while setting season highs in both assists (nine) and rebounds (seven) to go with his 16 points.

Chippy Kings rally over Raptors, 124-123
Down by as much as 16 in the first half, Sacramento used double doubles from its two stars, Domantas Sabonis (21 points and 20 rebounds) and De’Aaron Fox (27 points and 10 assists), to win in Toronto on a night where Fred VanVleet scored nearly 40. Kings head coach Mike Brown was ejected for having Fox’s back early in the second half, which may have given the team the boost it needed to get their 15th win.

Knicks pull away from Bulls in OT, win 128-120
Jalen Brunson was questionable coming in, but was unquestionably the best player on the floor, finishing with 30 points in the Knicks’ fifth straight win. Seven of his points, including this massive dagger near the end, came during overtime when the Knicks needed it most.

Herro, Heat catch fire from distance in 110-108 win over OKC
Tyler Herro finished with 35 points (career-high nine threes made, same amount as OKC, who shot 9-24) and hit the go-ahead mid-range shot with five seconds left. It was just barely enough to overcome Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who continued his All-Star pace with 27 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists.

Hot start fuels Blazers past Spurs, 128-112

Cavs put the clamps on Mavs in 105-90 win
This one had a big “Luka vs Mitchell” feel to it, and both stars showed up big time, each scoring 30+ and combining for 10 assists. The difference was that Cleveland had five others reach double figures while Dallas only had three others. They also outrebounded the Mavs by 10 and turned it over just half as much (6-12).

Jokic gem pushes Nuggets past Wizards, 141-128
They’re certainly not going to give Nikola Jokic the MVP three years in a row, right? …Right? No player has “three-peated” since Larry Bird in 1983-86 and only Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell (both in the 60s) have done it before that. It would be some pretty elite company to join, but if Jokic keeps having nights like this – just a casual 43 points (17-20 FG), 14 rebounds, and eight assists in 33 minutes – it might just happen.

Clippers choke out Wolves, 99-88 […]

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TFB Review: A-TEC PMM-6 Pistol Suppressor

This is a review of the A-TEC PMM-6 suppressor, mostly attached to the Glock 45. A-TEC is a Norwegian company, and it may seem odd for an American-focused firearms blog to review something Americans can’t buy. However TFB has readers all over the world, and A-TEC has a strong position in the European suppressor market. For instance, A-TEC and Heckler & Koch recently entered into cooperation “in the areas of development and sales“, and the outcome will be very interesting.

A-TEC Suppressors @ TFB:

About the Company

A-TEC is a Norwegian company founded in 1999 by Anders E. Johansen. Like many other success stories, everything started with prototyping, development and production in his garage. The target was to make suppressors that had less weight and were constructed and performed better.

The company is now located in a top modern factory of 1400 square meters and they manufacture more than 60,000 silencers per year. The main market is Northern Europe, but there are customers all the way to South Africa. A-TEC has invested 1.2 million euros in R&D and redefined silencer geometry in the past years.

To avoid anyone getting confused, in most marketing material A-TEC refers to “silencers”, not suppressors. We try to use the word suppressor here at TFB.

A-TEC PMM-6 Suppressor

A-TEC PMM is a series of lightweight suppressors for pistols. The design is by modules, so it’s possible to add or remove modules to customize the weight and the efficiency of the sound suppression.

The model on review here is the A-TEC PMM-6. It is constructed from aluminum and stainless steel, with a black anodized finish. According to A-TEC, it offers a 36 dB(C) reduction. The weight is 215 grams (7.58 ounces). The total length is 195mm with a diameter of 34.4mm. It’s available in the following threads:  1/2”-28 UNEF, M13.5X1 LH and M13X1. For the Glock 45 here, the threading is M13.5×1 LH, hard spring.

The A-TEC PMM-6 uses a spring-loaded piston (also known as a Nielsen device) which requires cleaning about every 300 rounds, and then lubed or greased up again. The functionality is that the weight of the suppressor becomes uncoupled from the barrel at the moment of firing. This is accomplished by attaching the silencer’s body to a spring, which attaches to a piece that screws onto the muzzle of the firearm – the Glock 45 MOS FS TB in this case. It can be seen in the picture(s) below.

When the suppressor is fired, the force of the gases expanding inside the baffles forces the suppressor body forward in relation to the barrel. The spring enables the slide and the barrel to recoil while keeping the suppressor in place.

You can see a video of it working here, at normal speed and slow motion. The sound of the video doesn’t tell, but to me, I could hear the bullets hitting a wooden target louder than the shots themselves. And people standing about 30-40 meters away didn’t notice we were shooting at all.
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A few words about the pistol
We’re using a 2022 Glock 45 MOS FS TB in this review, my private gun. There are also a few other Glock 45s in these pictures, with the same basic configuration.

Why chose this model over other Glocks? Glock MOS, or Modular Optic System, makes it easy to put a red dot on the slide. FS = Front Serrations, can’t go wrong with that. TB = Threaded Barrel, gives you the option to mount a suppressor or other attachments. In case you don’t have one on, just put the protective cap on, and it looks cooler than the normal G45. The barrel length is still “legal” in IPSC Production Optics (and Light). This version of the G45 is clearly the winner!

Apart from the Shield sight (or Leuopold in some images) the only modification is a Timney trigger. For more information about the Shield Red Dot, check here: TFB Review: Shield Sights RMSx Red Dot Sight. This is by far my favourite open red dot at the moment.
Mounting the A-TEC PMM-6 Suppressor
Here’s my Glock 45 as it looks every day. You remove the thread protector, make sure the threads are clean and…

Voila! A Knipex tool or similar is a great help as I use Loctite to keep the thread protector in place.

Ready to do some shooting. The PMM-6 doesn’t feel very heavy, but of course, it changes the balance of the pistol.

Schrödinger’s cat? No, this is Schrödinger’s Suppressor – where the 9mm cartridge should be considered to be in the chamber and shot and ejected at the same time. Likewise, the A-TEC PMM-6 suppressor should be considered simultaneously in its rested position and under full recoil.

The Matrix! This is not Photoshop, it’s what the video gave me as a screenshot when I paused it.

Below: To the left, we have the SIG Sauer P322 (.22LR) with the A-TEC Wave Carbon suppressor, which we might review if you want. The Pulsar Merger LRF Thermal Binoculars are in the middle and a Glock 19 is to the right. There are also two A-TEC PMM-6 suppressors, they have become quite popular among friends who saw the performance. The Glock 19 performed well with the PMM-6 as well.

Testing a suppressed MP5 clone by MKE to compare sound levels. And the image looked kind of cool.

The Glock 45 with the A-TEC PMM-6 and the Apple Watch Ultra.

A picture of a picture of a picture…

Accuracy and Point Of Impact with and without the PMM-6 Suppressor
I did a basic test, shooting my Glock 45 with Timney trigger at 15 meters with normal Geco 124 gr FMJ ammunition. I shot free-handed, which adds insecurity for sure, but I did my best and apart from a flyer or two the rounds hit where I aimed.

Left side: 15 meters free-handed, the top hit was a flyer – shooter error while still trying to master the Timney trigger. Right side: 5 shots with the Glock as pictured, unsuppressed, no protective cap.

If anything, the point of impact is more to the left with the suppressor off. But all the hits are within about 7-8 centimeters (estimated) from each other, overlayed.

Another video of the PMM-6 on the Glock 45.
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According to A-TEC, one should not use the PMM-6 with non-jacketed bullets. The excess lead residue will reduce the effect and the silencer’s life span.

Price and Availability
The recommended price is about €540 ($570), but it can differ from market to market due to dealers and VAT. In most countries, suppressors are regulated. For availability, I’ll let you have a look at A-TEC’s dealer network and let you be the judge: https://www.a-tec.no/dealers

A short B&T APC-9 with the A-TEC SMG suppressor. The sight is the InfiRay Fast FAL19 1x 384×288 thermal sight.

Conclusion
The A-TEC PMM-6 suppressor did everything the company promised it should do. We cannot verify the sound suppression levels, but a friend of mine who has a lot more experience in suppressors than I do was extremely impressed. Unless there are a lot of walls close to you, that reflect sound, it’s no issue to shoot supersonic bullets without hearing protection. With heavy subsonics it’s a walk in the park.

The PMM-6 performed really well with both subsonic and supersonic rounds, and there were zero malfunctions. I think that’s what we all look for when modding any firearm. We would like to keep 100% of the reliability, while adding performance. In this case, the PMM-6 delivers, the reliability and repeatability are kept and you get a really good sound suppression. There’s a small shift in point of impact, but at normal pistol distances, it’s not going to matter.

When things are great, you have to become picky with your complaints. I would have liked the stainless steel parts of the Nielsen device to have been black as well, but that’s how picky you have to get. Between magazines, take a moment to make sure that the suppressor (and modules) didn’t unwind themselves. This goes for all suppressors, so it’s not unique to A-TEC. The suppressor adds a little weight, but it’s not a big issue. On a heavier pistol, it would be even less of an issue. I could still shoot it “good enough” with the original Glock sights, although the line of sight is somewhat blocked by the tube.
Below: The Snigel Squeeze ballistic protection and equipment carrying system and the Benchmade  SOCP Dagger with the item in review on top.

For all I know and learned during this review, the A-TEC PMM-6 suppressor comes with my highest recommendations.
You can find a direct link to the A-TEC PMM-6 here. […]

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POTD: U.S. Marine Corps in Lampung, Indonesia

Welcome to the heat in Bandar Lampung, Indonesia, in yet another Photo Of The Day here at TFB. Above we see U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Cameron Barnes, a reconnaissance assistant team leader with the Marine Rotational Force-Southeast Asia (MRF-SEA), I Marine Expeditionary Force. He posts security on a beach during the Keris Marine Exercise (MAREX) 23, held in the PiaBung Training Area earlier this year.
Below: U.S. Reconnaissance Marines with Marine Rotational Force-Southeast Asia (MRF-SEA), I Marine Expeditionary Force, together with Indonesian marines with 7th Infantry Battalion, 4th Marine Brigade, conducting a bilateral patrol.
Do you know what kind of rifles the Indonesian marines use here? Could it be the Pindad SS2?

The bilateral exercise Keris MAREX is hosted by the Indonesian National Military between the Korps Marinir Republik Indonesia and the U.S. Marine Corps.
Below: Clearing the objective area.

Photo source: U.S. Marine Corps, 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, Sgt. Jailine L. AliceaSantiago […]

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All 43 college football bowl games, ranked by watchability

Things get real in December.
Real difficult from a scheduling perspective.
Between the holidays pulling you in multiple directions, the NFL sliding towards the playoffs, and college football’s bowl season getting underway, there are perhaps far too many demands on your time.
So we are here to help.
You might not be able to watch every single bowl game this year. Which, well, maybe that is not the best for your overall health. So if you need to prioritize which games to watch, which games to perhaps DVR, and which games to just follow on social media, we have you covered.
With the definitive rankings of every bowl game. Players to watch! Storylines to follow! Coaching changes! Opt-outs! Ribs in freezers!
Get comfortable, as we are going to be here a while.
43. TransPerfect Music City Bowl
Iowa (7-5) vs. Kentucky (7-5)December 31, 12:00 p.m. ET
My brother/sister/non-binary ally in Christ, if you’re watching this for any reason, please get some help.
The over/under right now is set at 31.5, and I would take the under.
42. Hometown Lenders Bahamas Bowl
Miami (OH) (6-6) vs. UAB (6-6)December 16, 11:30 a.m. ET
Bowl season kicks off with the Hometown Lenders Bahamas Bowl, set for December 16 from Thomas Robinson Stadium in Nassau, Bahamas. UAB finished 6-6, and won their final game against Louisiana Tech to even achieve bowl eligibility. Miami, also finished with a 6-6 record, and you could make the case that this is their second “playoff” game of the season, In their season finale, they played against Ball State, and it was announced that the winner would get the bid to the Bahamas Bowl.
Why should you watch this game? To get a baseline for the UAB program before new head coach Trent Dilfer takes over the program. The former NFL quarterback, who was the head coach at Lipscomb Academy the past few seasons, was named as the next head coach at UAB at the end of November.
Why should you not watch this game? Well, and seeing the Bahamas in the middle of December might not put you in the best of moods, depending on where you are joining us from.
41. Camellia Bowl
Georgia Southern (6-6) vs. Buffalo (6-6)December 27, 12:00 p.m. ET
If you like scoring, this could be the game for you.
Because these defenses let up a lot of points.
Buffalo ranked 74th in the nation in scoring defense, allowing 27.17 points per game this year. While that is bad, Georgia Southern was worse. The Eagles allowed 32.33 points per game during 2022, ranking 112nd in the nation.
Expect the ground game to be a heavy factor for both offenses. The Eagles averaged 213.5 yards per game this year on the ground, good for 16th in the nation. Running back Jalen White led the way for Georgia Southern this year with 915 rushing yards, but he was hurt late in the season and missed their final game of the year.
For Buffalo, who needed a win in the season finale to reach bowl eligibility, running backs Mike Washington and Ron Cook Jr. are players to watch.
40. LendingTree Bowl
Rice (5-7) vs. Southern Miss (6-6)December 17, 5:45 p.m. ET
Rice is the only 5-7 team to make a bowl this year.
Southern Mississippi finished with a 6-6 record.
Decisions have to be made, and with this game coming during the dinner hour on a Saturday on the East Coast, maybe you can keep up with one on Twitter or something.
39. Famous Idaho Potato Bowl
Eastern Michigan (8-4) vs. San Jose State (7-4)December 20, 3:30 p.m. ET
This has been a difficult season for the San Jose State Spartans. Freshman running back Camden McWright died tragically in a traffic accident in October, and the team canceled their game against New Mexico State that was to take place the next night.
But the Spartans won three of their final five game, and enter bowl season led by an efficient passing game. Quarterback Chevan Cordeiro has completed 60.8% of his passes for 2,885 yards and 20 touchdowns, against just 4 interceptions. The junior ranks 53rd in the nation in passing efficiency.
On the other side of the field, Eastern Michigan enters bowl season on a bit of a hot streak, having won three-straight games to finish the regular season with an 8-4 record. Only a loss to Toledo in their regular-season meeting prevented the Eagles from playing in the conference championship game. A win in this game would give them their best record since 1987, when they finished 10-2.
38. Guaranteed Rate Bowl
Wisconsin (6-6) vs. Oklahoma State (7-5)December 27, 10:45 p.m. ET

Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports

This game is starting at 10:45 p.m. eastern for a reason.
Beyond the fact it is being played in Arizona.
Wisconsin lost three of their first five game, fired head coach Paul Chryst after a 34-10 loss to Illinois, and are headed into this game with Graham Mertz at quarterback, who just announced he was entering the transfer portal. Expect the Badgers to get a look at their quarterback depth in this game. But in speaking with some friends who are Wisconsin fans, I’m not sure even they are going to be watching.
Oklahoma State started the year red-hot, winning their first five games to rise to 7th in the polls. But they lost five of their last seven games, tumbling out of the rankings.
Still, if you insist on watching, there is someone to keep an eye on. Wisconsin running back Braelon Allen ran for 1,126 yards and 10 touchdowns this year, and despite rumors that he would enter the transfer portal, he announced earlier this month he was staying with the Badgers. He suffered an injury late in the season, so his status for the game is up in the air.
37. RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl
Liberty (8-4) vs. Toledo (8-5)December 20, 7:30 p.m. ET
For a while it looked like Liberty was destined for an even bigger bowl game. The Flames were 8-1, were ranked 19th in the nation, and were coming off a win over Arkansas. But then word came out that Hugh Freeze was in the mix for the Auburn job, and the team lost three-straight games, including losses to UConn and New Mexico State, to limp to an 8-4 record.
They’ll square off with a Toledo team that lost their final two games of the regular season to limp into the MAC Championship game, but the Rockets rebounded to beat Ohio in that contest. Starting quarterback DeQuan Finn has been dealing with an ankle injury, but when healthy he is an electric player. He threw for 2,127 yards and 22 touchdowns this season, but added another 608 rushing yards, along with 8 touchdowns. He threw for a touchdown in the win over Ohio, and added another 86 rushing yards in the victory.
36. EasyPost Hawai’i Bowl
Middle Tennessee State (7-5) vs. San Diego State (7-5)December 24, 8:00 p.m. ET
You might think at the outset that the EasyPost Hawai’i Bowl should be lower on this list.
But hear us out.
Sure, the NFL has shifted the bulk of their Week 16 schedule to this day, with 11 games slated for Christmas Eve. But the prime-time game that night? Raiders versus Steelers.
So you can gather the family around and watch these teams try and keep their slim playoff hopes alive, or watch a coaching battle between Brady Hoke and Rick Stockstill.
Sound enticing?
Okay maybe it should be lower. But look at some of the games we have already ranked. We’re doing the best we can here.
35. Quick Lane Bowl
New Mexico State (6-6) vs. Bowling Green (6-6)December 26, 2:30 p.m. ET

Michael Madrid / USA TODAY NETWORK

Monday December 26 offers just one bowl game.
A thrilling matchup of a pair of 6-6 teams.
However, both teams are probably very happy to be here. Bowling Green is going bowling for the first time since 2015, when they lost in the GoDaddy Bowl. The Falcons also have a chance to finish with a winning record for the first time since that year, when they finished 10-4.
As for the Aggies, this is just their fifth bowl game in school history, and their first since 2017. They needed wins against Lamar and Valparaiso to qualify for a bowl game, and while life as an independent has been difficult for New Mexico State, they have yet to lose a bowl game.
It’s true! They won the 2017 Arizona Bowl against Utah State, they won back-to-back Sun Bowls in 1959 and 1960, and tied in the 1935 Sun Bowl against Hardin-Simmons.
So, don’t you want to see that streak survive?
34. Arizona Bowl
Ohio (9-4) vs. Wyoming (7-5)December 30, 4:30 p.m. p.m. ET
This game has potential to be a fun one, but Ohio is coming in banged up. Star QB Kurtis Rourke is out for the bowl game due to the knee injury he suffered in late November. CJ Harris threw for 163 yards, but also turned the ball over in the 17-7 loss in the MAC championship. Ohio’s defense is solid but unspectacular, giving up an average of 420 yards per game. In the MAC title game, they gave up 236 yards rushing.
Unfortunately, that’s all Wyoming enjoys doing. According to TeamRankings, the Cowboys are 13th in percentage of rushing plays they run and average 5.3 yards per attempt. Titus Swen has over 1,000 yards on the ground and eight touchdowns, and three other players have gone over 300 yards on the ground for the season. This game will be won or lost in the trenches.
33. Duke’s Mayo Bowl
Maryland (7-5) vs. N.C. State (8-4) (23)December 30, 12:00 p.m. ET
We’re going to be honest here.
This could have been something special.
There was a time when the Duke’s Mayo Bowl was in the running for the top overall spot on these prestigious rankings. Which could have vaulted the Duke’s Mayo Bowl into contention for even bigger matchups in years to come. Mayo Bowl committee members could point to their top ranking on this list to entice some of CFB’s best teams to spend the end of the year in lovely Charlotte.
Not anymore.
Because you crushed the dreams of our dear friend James Dator. All he wanted was a chance to fulfill a life-long dream, and dump some mayonnaise on a football coach. This meant the world to him.
But you went in a different direction.
That was certainly your right. But it is also our right to rank this game as we see fit.
32. SERVPRO First Responder Bowl
Memphis (6-6) vs. Utah State (6-6)December 27, 3:15 p.m. ET
A pair of 6-6 teams meet in the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl. Utah State overcame four-straight losses early in the year — including a loss to Weber State — to finish with three wins in their final four games to qualify for a bowl.
Memphis overcame a four-game stretch of losses as well, winning two of their last three to qualify for a bowl game. One of those wins came against North Alabama.
So what we are saying is … do not expect much from this one.
31. Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl
Syracuse (7-5) vs. Minnesota (8-4)December 29, 2:00 p.m. ET

Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports

This game features two very talented running backs, in Mohamed Ibrahim from Minnesota and Sean Tucker from Syracuse.
Ibrahim bounced back from an early season injury a year ago to rush for 1,594 yards and 19 touchdowns, both of which were career-high numbers. That placed Ibrahim fourth among running backs, behind only DeWayne McBride from UAB, Chase Brown from Illinois and Brad Roberts from Air Force. He also led the Big Ten in touchdowns — for the second time — and was named a First-Team All-Big Ten selection.
Tucker could not duplicate his big numbers from a season ago, but still ran for 1,060 yards and 11 touchdowns. The Orange got off to a hot start, winning their first six games to rise up to 14th in the rankings, but five-straight losses saw them limp to a 7-5 finish.
If both Ibrahim and Tucker play, this could be fun. But something tells us one, or both, might decide to opt out. Would you want to play in a football game in Yankee Stadium at the end of December?
30. Wasabi Fenway Bowl
Louisville (7-5) vs. Cincinnati (9-3)December 17, 11:00 a.m. ET
At the outset, this game is going to be played at historic Fenway Park in Boston. So it has that going for it.
But that is not all.
Cincinnati lost head coach Luke Fickell recently, as he was hired to take over the program at Wisconsin. He will also be coaching Wisconsin in their bowl game.
The new hire at Cincinnati?
Current Louisville head coach Scott Satterfield.
Satterfield announced that he is removing himself from the game, which might be a good thing, because the unique layout of Fenway Park for this game is going to have both teams on the same sideline. Former Louisville wide receiver Deion Branch — who played for the New England Patriots — will be the interim coach for Louisville for the game, while Kerry Coombs will coach Cincinnati.
29. Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl
Pittsburgh (8-4) vs. UCLA (9-3) (18)December 30, 2:00 p.m. ET
The Bruins were a ton of fun this season. Quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson vaulted into Heisman consideration earlier this season as UCLA piled up wins, and running back Zach Charbonnet improved on a strong 2021 season with an even better campaign this year, rushing for 1,359 yards and 14 touchdowns. The Bruins finished the season ranked fourth in the nation, averaging 246.3 yards per game on the ground.
That run game will be tested by Pat Narduzzi’s defense. The Panthers were one of the best run defenses in all of college football, allowing just 95.5 yards per game on the ground. That might lead to more opportunities for Thompson-Robinson in the passing game, which could make for a great game to watch.
28. Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl
Louisiana (6-6) vs. Houston (7-5)December 23, 3:00 p.m. ET

Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

This could be a sneakily-good game this bowl season, and the schedule could make it even more enticing, as it comes on Friday afternoon on the 23rd, which might be the exact moment many of you are shutting things down for the holiday weekend. That fact alone could bump this up in the rankings.
But let’s talk about these teams. Houston has one of the most efficient passing games in the country, led by quarterback Clayton Tune, who threw for 3,845 yards and 37 touchdowns this year. Nathaniel Dell will be a slot receiver on Sundays, and led Houston with 103 receptions for 1,354 yards and 15 touchdowns.
As for Louisiana? They have one of the best pass defenses in the country. The Ragin’ Cajuns allowed just 117.53 passing yards per game this year, ranking 20th in the nation. According to Sports Info Solutions, they allowed an EPA/Dropback of just -0.188 this season, ranking 16th in the nation.
A style of contrasts to kick off the holiday weekend? Sign us up.
27. Frisco Bowl
North Texas (7-6) vs. Boise State (9-4)December 17, 9:15 p.m. ET
There are some incredible storylines in the Frisco Bowl.
We can start with North Texas. The Mean Green lost to UTSA in the Conference USA Championship game, finishing the year with a 7-6 record. But that was not enough to save head coach Sean Littrell’s job, as he was fired ahead of the bowl game. Still, they will look to salvage the season with a win over Boise State, and that effort will be led by starting quarterback Austin Aune. Aune threw for 3,309 yards and 32 touchdowns, this season.
At the age of 29.
He was drafted by the New York Yankees in the second round of the 2012 MLB draft, but when the diamond did not work out, he returned to football in 2018.
Then there are the Broncos. They began this season with a 34-17 loss to Oregon State, followed by another loss to UTEP a few weeks later to start out 2-2. Starting quarterback Hank Bachmeier was benched after the UTEP loss, and offensive coordinator Tim Plough was let go, to be replaced by former NFL coach Dirk Koetter.
With Koetter at the helm of the offense, and redshirt freshman Taylen Green taking the snaps, the Broncos offense showed more potential after the change. Green completed 61.4% of his passes for 1,905 yards and 13 touchdowns, along with 6 interceptions.
26. Military Bowl Presented by Peraton
UCF (9-4) vs. Duke (8-4)December 28, 2:00 p.m. ET
This game is going to be a throwback, and a true test of strength versus strength.
UCF probably had visions of a bigger game, but a loss in the AAC Championship game to Tulane sees them head to Annapolis for the Military Bowl. What do they do well? Run the football. They rank eighth in the nation, averaging 236.1 yards per game. They also rank 26th in the nation, according to Sports Info Solutions, with an EPA/rush of 0.010. Running backs Isaiah Bowser and R.J. Harvey, along with quarterback John Rhys Plumlee, are a big part of that effort.
What does Duke do well?
Stop the run.
The Blue Devils allowed just 121.8 yards per game this year on the ground, ranking 25th in the FBS. They were also 25th in EPA/rush, allowing an EPA of -0.122 this year according to SIS.
25. TicketSmarter Birmingham Bowl
Coastal Carolina (9-3) vs. East Carolina (7-5)December 27, 6:45 p.m. ET
This game seemed a lot more enticing a few weeks ago, but things have changed. Coastal Carolina head coach Jamey Chadwell is headed to Liberty, and starting quarterback Grayson McCall suffered a foot injury at the start of November. Coastal Carolina announced that defensive coordinator Chad Staggs will be the interim coach for their bowl game, and the school hired N.C. State offensive coordinator Tim Beck as their next head coach.
McCall’s status for the game has yet to be determined.
As for East Carolina, this is their first bowl game since the 2014 Birmingham Bowl, which they lost to Florida. They were set to play Boston College in the Military Bowl a year ago, but that game was canceled. Running back Keaton Mitchell is the player to watch. He finished 18th in the nation with 1,325 rushing yards, scoring 13 touchdowns.
24. Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl
Wake Forest (7-5) vs. Missouri (6-6)December 23, 6:30 p.m. ET
We need to talk about Wake Forest quarterback Sam Hartman for a moment.
As last season wound down, Hartman was working his way into the draft conversation. Perhaps that was due to the overall strength — or lack thereof — of last season’s QB class, but many were sliding Hartman up draft boards a year ago.
However, Hartman decided to return to campus for one more season.
He then missed time early in the year for an undisclosed medical condition, but he recently opened up about his situation. He developed a blood clot in his subclavian vein that required surgery, and the removal of a rib.
That rib is now in Hartman’s freezer, and he is planning on turning it into a necklace.
Fun!
As for Missouri, they are 6-6 on the season, and needed wins over New Mexico State and Abilene Christian just to get to .500.
Still, it is football on a Friday night to kickoff what might be a long holiday weekend. So, there’s that!
23. SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl
Florida (6-6) vs. Oregon State (9-3) (14)December 17, 2:30 p.m. ET

Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports

Once upon a time, this game was going to be an opportunity to evaluate Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson. However, Richardson has already declared for the draft, and will be skipping the SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl. However, there are still reasons to tune in, because Oregon State is seeking their first ten-win season since 2006. To do that, they’ll need to slow down a Florida rushing attack led by Trevor Etienne and Montrell Johnson, and that rushing attack might see even more work with Richardson opting-out of the game.
Speaking of running backs, the Beavers have a talented back of their own in Damien Martinez. Martinez won Pac-12 Freshman Offensive Player of the Year, and was also named to the All-Pac-12 First-team. He ran for 970 yards and 7 touchdowns this season. He’ll be a player to watch for next year, and beyond.
22. Myrtle Beach Bowl
Marshall (8-4) vs. UConn (6-6)December 19, 2:30 p.m. ET
Jim Mora deserves a ton of credit for the turnaround at UConn this season. The Huskies got off to a rough start, beginning the year 1-4, and it looked like this campaign would end up much like recent years, as the Huskies entered the season with a 4-31 record over the last three campaigns.
But they went 5-2 down the stretch to finish with 6 wins, and even defeated Mountain West Champions Fresno State along the way, along with a Liberty team that was ranked at the time.
On the other side of the field, Marshall put together a great first season in the Sun Belt, finishing with an 8-4 record. Running back Khalan Laborn, an All-Sun Belt selection, leads the way, as he ran for 1,423 yards and 16 touchdowns this year.
Also? This game is the only bowl game on Monday the 19th. So, adjust your schedules accordingly. That bumps it up a bit because, well, what else are you going to watch at 2:30 eastern?
Ok, so we are halfway home. Maybe take a break, stretch, and get some water before we close this out. It’s important to stay hydrated you know. You don’t want to be a selfish reader.
21. Cricket Celebration Bowl
Jackson State (12-0) vs. N.C. Central (9-2)December 17, 12:00 p.m. ET
Deion Sanders was recently named the next head coach at Colorado. But before he leaves for the Pac-12, he has some unfinished business at Jackson State.
Coaching the SWAC champions against MEAC Champions N.C. Central.
It is also a chance to see his son, Shedeur Sanders, play quarterback one more time before moving with his father to Colorado. Shedeur Sanders was one more the most productive quarterbacks this past season at the FCS level, throwing for 3,409 yards and 36 touchdowns, against just 6 interceptions.
He’ll be squaring off with one of the best defenses in the FCS. N.C. Central ranked 13th in the FCS in scoring defense, allowing just 20.36 points per game this season.
20. Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl
Baylor (6-6) vs. Air Force (9-3)December 22, 7:30 p.m. ET
Are you a fan of the running game? This could be the game for you. Air Force is going to run the football, and then run it some more. They led all of college football with 734 rushing attempts this year, the only team to eclipse 700 attempts on the season. As a team they ran for 3,993 yards, the most in college football. They’re pretty good at it too, as they ranked 10th in the nation in EPA/Rush, according to charting data from Sports Info Solutions.
Just do not expect them to put the ball in the air too much. They attempted just 96 passes on the season.
Last year, Baylor had one of the best defenses in all of college football. But much has changed since last year. The Bears ranked just 65th in scoring defense this year, allowing 26.58 points per game. They were also 44th in run defense this year allowing 137.6 yards per game on the ground, and ranked 44th in yards allowed per rush, giving up an average of 3.83 yards per rushing attempt.
Long live the flexbone.
19. Cheez-It Citrus Bowl
LSU (9-4) (17) vs. Purdue (8-5)January 2, 1:00 p.m. ET
A lot of this game revolves around the health of Jayden Daniels. If he’s healthy, the LSU offense is hard to stop both on the air and on the ground. Kayshon Boutte will be returning to the Tigers, and he gives LSU a ball winner on the outside. Purdue is up for the challenge, but head coach Jeff Brohm seems to be headed to Louisville. Could be something to monitor.
18. TaxSlayer Gator Bowl
Notre Dame (8-4) (21) vs. South Carolina (8-4) (19)December 30, 3:30 p.m. ET

Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

If you look up the definition of momentum, it’s probably got a photo of Shane Beamer wearing sunglasses. The Gamecocks enter the Gator Bowl after beating both Tennessee and Clemson to end the regular season, and Beamer ball is in full swing. QB Spencer Rattler will be playing in the bowl game, which means that there’s bound to be explosive plays (whether they be for the Gamecock offense or against them is yet to be seen). Also, shoutout to the King of Punts Kai Kroger, who helped beat Clemson with some BOOMING punts.
Notre Dame is in a really interesting position. QB Drew Pyne is entering the transfer portal, leaving QB Tyler Buchner in the starting position. The Fighting Irish offense started off in a lull, but seemed to have found its’ stride behind a running game led by Audric Estime and Logan Diggs. The defense is still formidable, with Benjamin Morrison coming along strong at the corner position.
17. TaxAct Texas Bowl
Texas Tech (7-5) vs. Mississippi (8-4)December 28, 9:00 p.m. ET
Lane Kiffin in a bowl game is always fun. We might get some Taylor Swift lyrics, fire extinguishers on the sideline, and more.
We will also get one of the best running games in the nation. Mississippi ranked third in college football, averaging 261.6 yards per game on the ground this year. Only Air Force and Army were better. Running back Quinshon Judkins is the player to watch there, as the freshman finished seventh in the nation with 1,476 rushing yards.
That run game will be tested, however, as Texas Tech allowed an EPA/rush of just -0.113 this season, ranking 31st in the nation according to Sports Info Solutions.
Yes, the two bowls sponsored by tax preparation companies are ranked right next to each other. This is a not-too-subtle reminder that tax season is nearly upon us dear friends.
Although if you have made it this far, diving into some W-2s is probably the last thing you feel like doing right now. So visit either TaxAct or TaxSlayer to take care of all your filing needs, or something.
16. R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl
Western Kentucky (8-5) vs. South Alabama (10-2)December 21, 9:00 p.m. ET
Five points.
Five points were the difference between South Alabama finishing the regular season 12-0, and finishing the regular season 10-2. A one-point loss to UCLA in September — highlighted by a rather curious fourth-down play — and a four-point loss to Troy were their only hiccups on the season. The loss to Troy prevented the Jaguars from appearing in the Sun Belt Championship game.
But they have one of the best running games in the nation, as they rank 29th in yards per game, averaging 197.9 per game on the ground. La’Damian Webb is a big part of that effort, as the Florida State transfer gained 1,019 yards this year on the ground.
As for Western Kentucky, they do it through the air. The Hilltoppers throw early and often, as quarterback Austin Reed led the nation with 548 passing attempts. He threw for 4,249 yards — second most in the FBS — and 36 touchdowns, just behind a trio of passers who led FBS with 37.
15. New Mexico Bowl
SMU (7-5) vs. BYU (7-5)December 17, 7:30 p.m. ET
If you like scoring, you are going to want to watch this game.
Because both offenses can put up points. BYU’s offense put up an average of 31.9 points per game this season, ranking 41st in the nation. SMU was even better, averaging 38.4 points per game to rank 13th in the nation.
If that’s not enough, consider this.
Both defenses struggled this season. BYU allowed an average of 30 points per game this season, ranking 100th in the nation, while SMU allowed 34.67 points per game this year, ranking 123rd.
So what we’re saying is hammer the over.
Also, there are some players in this game who might be playing on Sundays. BYU quarterback Jaren Hall is a name to watch, as he completed 66% of his passes for 3,171 yards and 31 touchdowns this year, against just 6 interceptions. SMU receiver Rashee Rice, who caught 96 passes for 1,355 yards and 10 touchdowns this year, is another name to know for the draft. Those 96 receptions were fourth most in the FBS. However, Rice opted-out of the game.
Points! Draft prospects! Saturday night in New Mexico! What could be better?
Well, 14 games, apparently.
14. ReliaQuest Bowl
Mississippi State (8-4) (22) vs. Illinois (8-4)January 2, 12:00 p.m. ET
Watch this one for Coach Leach, and ask a ton of questions along the way.
That’s what he would have wanted.

13. Capital One Orange Bowl

Tennessee (10-2) (6) vs. Clemson (11-2) (7)December 30, 8:00 p.m. ET

Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

Hey look, it’s two orange teams that were beaten by South Carolina!
In all seriousness, this game should be a pretty fun battle between an explosive offense and dynamic defense. Tennessee, despite missing QB Hendon Hooker, hung 56 on Vanderbilt with QB Joe Milton. Milton is nowhere near as accurate as Hooker, but whoo buddy can he throw the ball over them mountains. Jalin Hyatt and Cedric Tillman haven’t discussed whether they will play in the bowl game or not, but if they do that offense will be hard to hold down for four quarters.
Clemson might have the defense to do it though, starting up front. This hinges on whether they choose to play or not, but Bryan Bresee, Myles Murphy, KJ Henry and Tyler Davis lead an imposing defensive line, but the linebackers are also impressive. Jeremiah Trotter Jr (yes, son of THAT Jeremiah Trotter) leads the team in sacks. Offensively for Clemson, it’s now the Cade Klubnik show. Klubnik starred in the ACC title game, but will have to repeat his method against an aggressive Tennessee defense.
12. Cheez-It Bowl
Oklahoma (6-6) vs. Florida State (9-3) (13)December 29, 5:30 p.m. ET
The Brent Venables Era got off to a rough start for the Sooners. Oklahoma won their first three games and rose to sixth in the rankings, but Venables’ first foray into Big 12 play ended poorly, as the Sooners lost their first three conference games, including a blow out loss to Texas in the Red River Showdown. O
Oklahoma lost that game 49-0, and the Sooners’ defense — Venables’ calling card during his days at Clemson — ranked just 120th in the nation, allowing 450.5 yards per game.
But the main reason this game is so high on our list? The electric Jordan Travis. The Florida State quarterback announced his decision to return to campus for one more season, coming after an incredible performance in the Seminoles’ win over Florida. He could put up huge numbers against this Sooners’ defense later this month.
11. Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl Presented by Stifel
Washington State (7-5) vs. Fresno State (9-4)December 17, 3:30 p.m. ET
One big reason to watch this game? Fresno State quarterback Jake Haener. Haener is one of the toughest players you will find in college football. Last season he gutted out a performance against UCLA, throwing two touchdowns in the closing minutes to lead the Bulldogs to a win over the Bruins while dealing with a painful oblique injury.
This season, Haener suffered a high ankle sprain early in the season against USC and needed to be carted off the field. There was a thought that he might be sidelined for the year, but he missed just five games, and led Fresno State to a victory over Boise State in the Mountain West Championship game, throwing for a touchdown in the win.
Another big reason? Washington State QB Cameron Ward. The transfer from Incarnate Word has eye-popping traits, and during his first season at the FBS level he completed 64.1% of his passes for 23 touchdowns and 8 interceptions.
Both of these quarterbacks have a shot at playing on Sundays, and with Haener just accepting an invitation to the Senior Bowl, you will want to tune.
10. San Diego County Credit Union Holiday Bowl
Oregon (9-3) (15) vs. North Carolina (8-4)December 28, 8:00 p.m. ET
This is another game to keep an eye on, particularly if you have an interest in scouting college quarterbacks.
After three years at Auburn, Bo Nix transferred to Oregon and suddenly looked like the quarterback we thought he would be. Nix completed 71.5% of his passes for 3,388 yards and 27 touchdowns this season, all of which were career-high numbers. That success put him in the Heisman conversation for a time, and has some draft evaluators thinking he could go early on Day 2 next spring.
If he decides not to return to school, as he does have a final year of eligibility remaining.
Then there is UNC’s Drake Maye. The redshirt freshman took over as the starter for the Tar Heels, and also played himself into the Heisman conversation with an incredible first season. Maye completed 67.2% of his throws for 4,115 yards and 35 touchdowns, against just 7 interceptions.
He will not be draft eligible until 2024, but this is a great opportunity to get some baseline work in on him now.
9. Valero Alamo Bowl
Texas (8-4) (20) vs. Washington (10-2) (12)December 29, 9:00 p.m. ET

James Snook-USA TODAY Sports

Quinn Ewers.
Michael Penix, Jr.
Two of the more intriguing quarterbacks for the 2023 college football season square off later this month. Ewers was a high-profile recruit to Ohio State, but transferred to Texas prior to last season. A sprained clavicle early against Alabama cost him some time this season, but in 9 games he completed 56.6% of his passes for for 1,808 yards and 14 touchdowns, against just 6 interceptions. He flashed the traits for Texas that made him such a highly-regarded recruit coming out of high school, and could make some serious noise next season.
Then there is Penix, who put himself into the Heisman mix this season with a great campaign for Washington. His outing against Oregon showed NFL scouts almost everything you want to see in a draft prospect, so his decision to return to school for one more season adds another name to what is shaping up to be a strong 2024 NFL draft class at QB.
8. AutoZone Liberty Bowl
Kansas (6-6) vs. Arkansas (6-6)December 28, 5:30 p.m. ET
Wait. A game between a pair of 6-6 teams gets this high a ranking? Really?
Yes? Because of the quarterbacks.
We can start with Kansas. The Jayhawks started the year 5-0, and were one of the most enjoyable teams in the nation to watch. But then quarterback Jalon Daniels suffered a shoulder injury, and they lost 1-6 games down the stretch. If Daniels is healthy — and he did return in late November for games against Texas and Kansas State — this offense is a joy to watch. This season Daniels completed 65.7% of his passes for 1,470 yards and 13 touchdowns, against just 2 interceptions, and ran for another 404 yards and 6 scores.
Then there is Arkansas. After rising to 10th in the rankings, they lost three-straight games to crush any hopes of SEC glory. But K.J. Jefferson is a reason to watch the Razorbacks. The QB completed 68.3% of his passes for 2,361 yards and 22 touchdowns this year, with just 4 interceptions. Jefferson added another 510 rushing yards and 7 scores.
If nothing else, watch this game for those two.
Yes, the last four games all received high billing due to the quarterbacks. QBs move the needle, as they say.

7. Rose Bowl Game

Penn State (10-2) (11) vs. Utah (10-3) (8)January 2, 5:00 p.m. ET
Utah is back in the Rose Bowl again after losing to Ohio State last year. This team isn’t as strong as it was last year, but with QB Cam Rising still at the helm he should give the Utes offense a fighting chance.
Penn State is an interesting 10-2 team. They have the defensive talent (minus Joey Porter Jr., who is entering the NFL Draft), and the offense has young talent like Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen. Can they generate explosives on this Utah defense? It’s up to Sean Clifford.

6. Allstate Sugar Bowl

Alabama (10-2) (5) vs. Kansas State (10-3) (9)December 31, 12:00 p.m. ET
This is shaping up to be a really fun matchup on paper. When Alabama has the ball, it’s the Bryce Young show. His ability to make plays outside of structure is why he was the 2021 Heisman winner. With Jahmyr Gibbs in the backfield as well, the Alabama offense is going to be hard to stop. Kansas State has some fun defenders though, with Felix Anudike-Uzomah manning the edge and Julius Brents at corner. This is a tough group to go against.
For Kansas State offensively, Deuce Vaughn will be one of the most fun RBs to watch this bowl season. His big play ability in the run game and receiving game drives the Kansas State offense. Will Howard will have to make the necessary throws, however. Against an Alabama defense that still has pass rushers Will Anderson and Dallas Turner will be difficult however.

5. Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic

Tulane (11-2) (16) vs. USC (11-2) (10)January 2, 1:00 p.m. ET
Another game that should be one of the best to watch this bowl season. Caleb Williams and the USC offense will be facing off against a Tulane defense that was a lot better than the credit it was given this season. Dorian Williams is an NFL prospect at middle linebacker, and the defense could make it a fun game. One guy to watch on the Green Wave offense: RB Ty’Jae Spears. He is a menace on the ground, and the engine behind Tulane’s offense.
4. Duluth Trading Cure Bowl
USTA (11-2) (25) vs. Troy (11-2) (24)December 16, 3:00 p.m. ET
One of two games on the docket for the first day of bowl season is the Duluth Trading Cure Bowl, between USTA and Troy.
And it this high in the rankings for a reason.
This is a battle of ranked teams, and two conference champions. Frankly, it might be one of the better games of the entire bowl season, and the fact that it helps kick off the slate of postseason games is a bit of a treat.
Why should you watch this game? UTSA’s offense versus Troy’s defense. UTSA has one of the best offenses in the nation, ranking 12th in scoring offense this season. Meanwhile, Troy sports one of the best defenses in college football, ranking 8th in scoring defense this season, ahead of teams like Penn State, Ohio State and Alabama.

3. CFP Semifinal at the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl

TCU (12-1) (3) vs. Michigan (13-0) (2)December 31, 4:00 p.m. ET

Raymond Carlin III-USA TODAY Sports

TCU has made their entire year off of winning close games, and stylistically this matchup could favor the Horned Frogs if it’s a shootout. Max Duggan is tough as nails, and his ability to hit big plays to WRs Quentin Johnston, Derius Davis and Taye Barber is going to be crucial against a Michigan defense that is 2nd in rushing yards allowed per game, but only 18th against the pass.
Michigan wants to run the ball, and they can run the ball well. The offensive line unit is a finalist for the Joe Moore Award as the best OL unit in the country, and Donovan Edwards is just as capable of running roughshod on defenses as Blake Corum. The key to this game will be JJ McCarthy, however. If he can create explosives through the air, the Horned Frog defense could be in for a rough day.

2. CFP Semifinal at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl

Ohio State (11-1) (4) vs. Georgia (13-0) (1)December 31, 8:00 p.m. ET
On paper, this looks like the most star-studded matchup of all the bowl games this season. Ohio State has the star QB and receiver in CJ Stroud and Marvin Harrison Jr., and Georgia has Jalen Carter and Kelee Ringo. Those are four top prospects in this year (and next year’s) NFL Draft squaring off against each other in a battle CFB’s titans.
The question here is: can Ohio State rise to the challenge against the Georgia offense? The Buckeyes got throttled in the 4th quarter against Michigan, and Georgia is better than Michigan offensively. The Bulldog offense should cause problems.
1. CFP National Championship pres. by AT&T
TBD vs. TBDJanuary 9, 7:30 p.m. ET
Just the biggest game of the year, no biggie. […]

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6 candidates to replace Jost Capito at Williams F1

The shake-ups continue in the world of Formula One.
At the end of November, Mattia Binotto handed in his resignation as the Team Principal of Scuderia Ferrari, drawing to a close his time with the venerable racing institution. Now, another pillar of the F1 world is looking for a new Team Principal, as Jost Capito announced he was stepping down from his role with Williams Racing.
Capito cut his mark in the World Rally Championship, serving as the Director of Motorsport for Volkswagen. During his time in that role, he guided Volkswagen to three Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championships.
Capito moved to the F1 world in 2016, serving as the CEO of McLaren Racing for a season. But after just four months in that role, Capito was out as part of a shake-up at McLaren.
He returned to Volkswagen, and served as the head of their performance division, before being enticed to return to F1 by Williams in 2020. At that time new owners at Williams Dorilton Capital tempted Capito out of retirement. He began as the CEO, but took on the title of Team Principal in 2021.
In making the announcement, Williams thanked Capito for his work with the team. Dorilton Capital Chairman Matthew Savage said of the outgoing Team Principal: “We would like to thank Jost for his hard work and dedication as we embarked on a major transformation process to begin the journey of reviving Williams Racing. We’re grateful that Jost postponed his planned retirement to take on this challenge and now he will pass the reins on for the next part of this staged process.”
Also departing is Technical Director F.X. Demaison, who came over to Williams from Volkswagen along with Capito back in 2020. Demaison was a likely replacement for Capito at Williams, but now the team will need to look elsewhere.
Here are some potential candidates for Williams to consider, starting with internal options.
Sven Smeets
Sporting DirectorWilliams Racing
Smeets began his career in motorsports in rally racing, as a co-driver and navigator for Freddy Loix back in 1995. Over decade later, Smeets moved from inside the car to management, becoming a Team Manager for Citroën. During his time in that role, the team secured multiple Drivers’ and Manufacturers’ Championships.
Smeets moved to Volkswagen in 2012, joining the team as their Team Manager under Capito. Along with Capito, Smeets helped deliver a string of victories for Volkswagen in the World Rally Championships, as they brought home Drivers’ and Manufacturers’ Championships in 2014, 2015 and 2016. He was promoted to Motorsport Director in 2016, and served in that role for five years.
Smeets joined his former boss at Williams at the start of 2021, coming aboard as the team’s Sporting Director. In this capacity he deals with FIA, but also oversees Williams’ driver academy.
His prior experience as a Team Manager, coupled with how he worked with FIA in his capacity as Sporting Director, could make him an ideal fit as Team Principal for Williams.
Jenson Button
Heritage DriverWilliams Racing

Photo by Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images

This could be a big leap for Button, who began his F1 racing career with Williams. After almost two decades on the grid, he retired from driving in F1 after the 2017 season.
Button joined Williams as a senior advisor for the 2021 season, and signed a multi-year deal. In his role with the team, Button works with the team’s drivers, as well as the drivers in the Williams Racing Academy. He is also responsible for JBXE, the all-electric SUV off-road racing series Extreme E from the 2021 season.
Why might Button be in the mix? The driver himself did not rule out a future as a Team Principal. On an “Ask Me Anything” video put out by Williams, Button opened the door to such a role in the future. “Team principal? It looks like a tough job. Yes, lots of arguing with other team principals, but who knows what the future holds? I feel too young at the moment, there’s a lot of other stuff I’d like to do but, yeah, maybe one day.”
But his experience on the grid, as well as his work with the drivers, could make him a fit.
Jody Egginton
Technical DirectorAlphaTauri Racing
If Williams wants to look outside the building for a new Team Principal, there are some options with other teams. First is Jody Egginton, currently the Technical Director with AlphaTauri Racing. Egginton began his career in motorsports back in 1996 as a Junior Designer with the Tyrell F1 team.
Egginton then joined Xtrac, working for five years as a Gearbox Design Engineer, before returning to the F1 world with Force India as a Race Engineer. He then spent four years with the newly-formed Caterham F1 Team, first as a Chief Engineer, and then as the Operations Director.
Egginton moved again in 2014 to Scuderia Toro Rossi. He served as the team’s Head of Vehicle Performance from 2014 to 2017, and then as their Deputy Technical Director. He moved into the Technical Director role for the 2019 season, and has been there ever since, including during Toro Rossi’s rebrand to AlphaTauri.
Technical directors often find themselves moved up to Team Principals. For example, Mattia Binotto began his career in the engine department before becoming the Chief Technical Officer at Scuderia Ferrari. He then moved into the role as Team Principal.
Egginton also has ties to England, having grown up on Coventry. His ties to England could play a role in enticing him to the Williams fold.
Now, let’s think outside the box a little bit, starting with a name just mentioned.
Mattia Binotto
Outgoing Team PrincipalScuderia Ferrari

Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images

Could Binotto slide into a role with Williams after departing Ferrari?
According to reports out of Italian media, four teams have already approached Binotto about a role with their organizations. Two of those have been identified as Alpine and Aston Martin, with a third being described as a “contender.”
However, those reports surfaced before the news of Capito’s departure at Williams. Could Williams now get into the Binotto sweepstakes? Or were they perhaps the fourth team already in the works, in advance of Capito’s departure?
While Binotto did not deliver glory to Scuderia Ferrari, the team did finish in the top three in three of his four seasons at the helm, including a pair of second-place finishes in 2019 and 2022.
Cyril AbiteboulFormer Managing DirectorRenault Racing

Photo by XPB/Pool via Getty Images

Another former Team Principal could be in the mix at Williams, and that is Cyril Abiteboul, who was once the Managing Director at Renault Racing. Abiteboul began his F1 career at Renault back in 2001, working his way through the ranks to become the Executive Director of Renault Sport F1 in 2010.
Abiteboul left that position to become the Team Principal for Caterham F1, and served in that role for two seasons. He then returned to Renault in 2014, serving as the team’s Managing Director.
When Renault rebranded as Alpine in 2021, Renault was out as the Managing Director. Since leaving Renault, Abiteboul has worked as the Motorsport Advisor for Mecachrome, the engine supplier for Formula 2.
In recent days, it has been reported that Abiteboul was in line to become the Team Principal at Hyundai Motorsport. Hyundai currently competes in rally racing, but there is speculation that Hyundai could be eying a move to F1.
Something that might pair well with Abiteboul’s F1 experience.
But given that that move has not been confirmed, perhaps there is an open door for Abiteboul to return to F1 sooner rather than later.
Susie Wolff
Outgoing Team PrincipalVenturi Racing

Photo by Vince Mignott/MB Media/Getty Images

Susie Wolff began her racing career in karting, before progressing to Formula Renault and then Formula Three. In 2012, she joined F1 as a developmental driver.
For Williams.
She made F1 history during the 2014 season. At the 2014 British Grand Prix she participated in a practice session, the first female driver to participate in a F1 weekend in 22 years. While her car suffered mechanical failure after just four laps, she fared better later that season at the German Grand Prix. where she placed 15th during a practice session, out of 22 cars.
During the British Grand Prix the following season, Wolff posted a lap time of 1:37.242 during practice, placing 13th during the session.
Wolff retired from racing after the 2015 season, and moved into an ambassador’s role with Mercedes. She was one of the test drivers for the Mercedes-AMG One hypercar.
She joined Venturi Racing in Formule E for the 2018 season, as their Team Principal. She helped guide the team to their best finish back during the 2020-2021 season, as Venturi placed seventh in Formula E, with 146 points. Driver Edoardo Mortara finished second in the Drivers’ Championship that season.
When Venturi announced plans to merge with Maserati, Wolff announced her time with the team was coming to a close:

As the most successful season in @VenturiFE’s history comes to an end, so does my personal journey with the team and @FIAFormulaE. I leave with immense pride in the solid foundations we have built together, as the team begins a new chapter with Maserati. [1/4] pic.twitter.com/C2p8mPxLiR— Susie Wolff (@Susie_Wolff) August 16, 2022

She has experience on the grid. She has experience as a Team Principal. She has experience with Williams.
This could be an ideal fit. […]

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Frederic Vasseur joins Scuderia Ferrari as General Manager and Team Principal

Scuderia Ferrari confirmed a long-rumored move, announcing that Frederic Vasseur will join the team after the start of the year as their General Manager and Team Principal.
Mattia Binotto resigned at the end of November, bringing to a close four tumultuous seasons at the helm of the racing giant. A number of candidates were rumored to be in the mix for Ferrari, with the team reportedly reaching out to candidates such as Red Bull’s Christian Horner to gauge interest, but quickly settled on Vasseur.
Vasseur brings a lengthy resume to Ferrari, including over two decades of experience in motor racing, and over a decade in Formula 1. Vassuer is largely known for driver development, having played a key role in the growth of both Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton during his time in the GP2 series.
In announcing the move, Ferrari CEO Benedetto Vigna had this to say about Vasseur: “We are delighted to welcome Fred Vasseur to Ferrari as our Team Principal. Throughout his career he has successfully combined his technical strengths as a trained engineer with a consistent ability to bring out the best in his drivers and teams. This approach and his leadership are what we need to push Ferrari forward with renewed energy.”
Another potential reason for this move? The link between Vasseur and Charles Leclerc, one of Ferrari’s drivers.
Vasseur and Leclerc have worked together before, during the driver’s first F1 season. That came with Alfa Romeo — branded as Sauber at the time — and with Vasseur as the Team Principal. Since those days, Vasseur has continued to sing Leclerc’s praises.
The driver himself spoke about his relationship with Vasseur recently. In speaking with Motorsport.com, Leclerc had this to say about his former — and now current — boss: “I’ve been working with Fred already from the junior categories, where he has believed in me, and then we’ve always had a good relationship,” said Leclerc. “But apart from that, obviously this shouldn’t influence any of the decisions. He has always been very straightforward, very honest. And this is something that I liked from Fred.”
However, the move to bring in Vasseur may not sit well in some circles, most notably those around Carlos Sainz, Ferrari’s other driver. Vasseur is a strong believer in the idea that a team should build around a top driver. Years ago, Vasseur stated that “[f]or the last 25 years, all good projects have been built around a reference driver. Ferrari with Schumacher, Renault with Alonso, Red Bull with Vettel, Mercedes with Hamilton.”
Vasseur steps into one of the most prominent — and most difficult — jobs in all of motorsport. The head role at Ferrari has often been described as a “poisoned chalice,” with a tremendous amount of pressure placed on delivering success. On a recent episode of the Beyond the Grid podcast, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff had this to say about the job:
“Representing Ferrari, you’re representing the whole country. They write you up, they write you down – but with brutality.”
Time will tell how Vasseur answers the challenge. […]

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Sunlu T3 3D Printer Review: Fast, but not Furious / Return of the Turbo Button

Today’s best SUNLU T3 3D Printer deals (opens in new tab) (opens in new tab) (opens in new tab)$279 (opens in new tab)View (opens in new tab)The Sunlu T3 (sometimes referred to as the Terminator 3 on the Sunlu site) is a $219 3D printer with a spec sheet that seems almost too good to be true. With a standard 220mm x 220mm x 250mm build volume and a Bowden extruder, the Sunlu T3 is a typical Creality Ender 3 clone with a few additional features that help it to stand out. Sunlu has advertised the 250mm/s Fast Print mode with the tagline “Fast beyond imagination! Print quality remains excellent!”, which will certainly entice budget-minded consumers looking for the fastest machine in the sub-$250 market.The Fast Print feature had major issues during testing and produced models that had poorly extruded infill, misaligned toolpaths, and large holes in the surfaces of the model. While it may be possible to dial in these issues, it’s hard to see how it would make more sense to dial in the T3 for Fast Print mode instead of simply including an optimized print profile. This issue combined with the generally poor software experience and lack of instruction prevent this from competing with the best 3D printers and make it hard to recommend at all.Specifications of Sunlu T3Swipe to scroll horizontallyMachine Footprint15.7 x 15.7 x 18.5 inches (400mm x 400mm x 470mm)Build Volume8.7 x 8.7 x 9.8 inches (220mm x 220mm x 250mm)Material1.75mm PLA, PLA+, PETGNozzle.4mmMax. Nozzle Temperature260°C / 500°FMax. Bed Temperature100°C / 212°FPrinting Speed20-250mm/sBuild PlatformMagnetic Flexible Removable PlatformConnectivityUSB, microSDInterfaceMonochrome LCD with clickwheelUnpacking and Assembling the Sunlu T3(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)Unpacking and assembling the Sunlu T3 is a very fast process, owing to the partially-assembled state that the printer ships in. The base has all of the wiring and electrical connections already complete, and the frame with the X-axis has already been assembled. Only four bolts through the base are needed to complete the assembly of the printer, with an additional three bolts holding the spool holder to the top of the machine. Sunlu includes a miniature spool of white PLA with the printer, something that is substantially more useful than the typical small coil of material included with low-cost printers. All of the usual accessories are packaged with the T3, including a scraper, flush cutters, a USB cable, and a handful of Allen keys.Image […]

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The Rimfire Report: Steel Challenge with the MK4 Carbine

Hello and welcome back to another edition of The Rimfire Report! A couple of months back we took a look at the Maddmacs Precision Tactical MK4 Carbine series of rifles designed by Competition Shooter Wade Reed. The MK4 Carbine makes use of largely the same design as the Ruger MK4 pistol by virtue of it using virtually all of the same parts, just slightly altered to make the firearm a rifle rather than a pistol. The designer of the MK4 Carbine, Mr. Wade Reed recently reached out to me asking if I would be interested in taking a closer look at one of these and trying one out for myself. I happily accepted the offer to try one out and have since then had a fair amount of range time with it including two full Steel Challenge competitions that gave me a good bit of insight into the pros and cons of this lightweight platform.
More Rimfire Report @ TFB:

The Rimfire Report: Steel Challenge with the MK4 Carbine
The MK4 Carbine actually comes in 4 different styles from Maddmacs Precision Tactical. These include the standard steel 16″ bull barrel version, MK4 Carbine SRB (Suppressor Ready Barrel), MK4 Carbine CF, and the MK4 Carbine Bantam. Wade opted to send me over one of the CF versions which costs $1,199.95 and comes with an upper assembly that weighs only 21 ounces and still allows you to switch from rifle to pistol with a simple push of a button (provided you’re using a stock MK4 frame from Ruger).

Ruger MKIV (top) and the MK4 Carbine (bottom)
Like all of the different versions of the carbine, the CF version only comes with the receiver, threaded barrel, and bolt meaning you’ll still need to provide your own buffer tube, optic, and desired rail type to complete the build. Wade was kind enough to send along a pre-mounted C-MORE slide ride interface. I provided my own Tandemized frame, C-MORE Optic, MIL-SPEC Buffer tube, and a Magpul SL stock.

The assembly process is pretty straightforward and all that is really needed is for you to thread on the buffer tube which is held in place by a single set screw. The fitment between the carbine upper and the TANDEMKROSS lower is extremely tight and the Tandemized frame only makes this fitment tighter via its tensioning screw. However, despite my being absolutely in love with my TANDEMKROSS Kraken frame, there are quite a few drawbacks that it has in its current configuration that we will talk about here in a minute. For now, the overall fit and finish of the MK4 Carbine CF are superb and my first few initial range sessions with it were great with the carbine operating flawlessly with a wide variety of ammunition including CCI Standard, Federal Subsonic, CCI Mini-Mags, Norma TAC-22, and some bulk Herters 22LR. I shot 5 subsequent groups with 5 different magazines and had some pretty good results at 25 yards after an initial zeroing with CCI Mini-Mags.

Steel Challenge with the MK4 Carbine
When it comes to rimfire Steel Challenge firearms you’ll see a lot more lightweight designs used by high-level Grand Masters. The MK4 Carbine CF perfectly embraces this mentality and mine in its current configuration barely weighs 3lbs. The issue here is that undisciplined shooters (like myself) often will overestimate target transitions with lighter rifles and pistols and this can cause a lot of misses. I’m not saying that the lightweight nature of the carbine is anything to scoff at, it’s definitely faster but there is a pretty steep learning curve to getting the basically non-existent rifle under control for quick, accurate shots on steel challenge stages.

All ammunition types I tried with the MK4 Carbine worked well and grouped well out of the 16″ Carbon Fiber barrel. Each group was shot at 25 yards using a 2 MOA C-MORE red dot optic. The bottom right group was shot with CCI Standard Velocity.
During the competition, I was pleased with how quickly I was able to transition from target to target. However, there were some issues with my initial configuration of the carbine which largely surrounded the extra bits and pieces attached to the Kraken frame that, while great for the MK4 pistol, do absolutely nothing for the carbine and in some cases actually got in the way or caused issues on the range. One was the Kraken lower refusing to reset the trigger and the other had to do with the oversized safety selector on the Kraken. The placement of the charging handle for the carbine meant that I couldn’t use the extended safety lever as a thumb rest like I typically would – doing this simply resulted in the charging handle (which is reversible) smacking into my thumb when firing. While you can reverse the charging handle, I have both of my steel challenge carbines set up the same way with the charging handle on the left so I’d sooner remove the extended thumb safety than swap which side the charging handle is on – but the option is there for those who want to or need to.
The “gas pedal” thumb rest for your support hand is pretty much useless when used with the carbine. The barrel doesn’t really heat up after a high volume of fire.
The safety thumb rest can’t be used with the charging handle on the left-hand side which is unfortunate but not really a big deal since you have better stability through the use of your support hand and the rifle’s barrel.
During the competition, I found that my trigger would not reset consistently. After getting home from the range, I discovered that the internals of the Kraken frame was so fouled it was causing issues with reliability. I have since cleaned it and the trigger has returned to functioning normally.  Further proof that functionality issues weren’t caused by the upper comes from my curiosity about swapping out the Kraken frame for my stock Ruger MKIV frame – in this configuration, the carbine went back to functioning like the freshly cleaned Kraken frame/carbine combination. For those that compete, this should come as no surprise as competition guns tend to be somewhat sensitive when it comes to cleaning schedules and I tend to be a bit lazy when it comes to cleaning my guns. While I don’t doubt that the MK4 Carbine works better with CCI Mini-Mags, during my entire testing phase, the firearm seemed indifferent to which type of ammunition it was using. In any case, keep your guns clean – they’ll work better.
The stock Ruger MKIV frame makes for a quick swap between the pistol and carbine configurations – no tax stamp needed!
Aftermarket magazine components greatly reduced the number of function issues that the Kraken lower caused with the carbine receiver.
Pictured is the only type of malfunction I encountered with the round getting caught on the slightly longer feed ramp of the MK4 Carbine and thus not being able to be stripped out of the magazine. Cleaning the Kraken frame, and the magazines seemed to fix this issue.
Final Thoughts
I really like what Wade Reed and MaddMacs Precision Tactical have done with the MK4 Carbine series. On the competition side of things, the carbine definitely feels much faster to shoot and the inline placement of the buffer tube and stock means that it tends to reduce muzzle climb making for a very light and easy-to-control recoil impulse making for faster makeup shots after a missed target.

Since the MK4 Carbine starts off as such a lightweight package, you could theoretically still have a super lightweight backpacking/hiking rifle, even after you add lots of heavy components like a beefier enclosed emitter optic, sling, and even a heavier or more comfortable stock, the possibilities are virtually endless. However, if I were to take the MK4 Carbine down the route of a backpacking rifle, I’d probably opt to use the stock polymer Ruger MKIV frame instead of the Kraken to make cleaning in the field easier and to reduce the risk of issues caused by environmental exposure.

If you’re interested in purchasing any of the MK4 Carbines, Wade currently makes them in pretty small batches and sells them on a first-come, first-serve basis. If you’re interested in picking up one for your own personal collection you can reach out to him for ordering info at (231) 645-4647. I’d like to hear your thoughts on the MK4 Carbine. Is Wade’s design what you might want for a competition-oriented 22LR rifle or even a lightweight backpacking rifle? Let us know your thoughts down in the comments below and as always thank you for stopping by to read The Rimfie Report we’ll see you all next week! […]

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Friday Night Lights: East Coast Night Shoot (In Ohio)

Welcome back Night Vision enthusiasts. Last week we took a break for the holiday. Before that I wrote about ATAK drones and laser range finders. Well, the week before that was Veterans Day and I travelled to Ohio to visit some friends of mine who were hosting their third East Coast Night Shoot. Yes, the shoot was in Ohio. It was one of the largest gatherings of night aficionados I have seen.
Night Vision @ TFB:

East Coast Night Shoot, But In Ohio!
Photo by J.W. Ramp taken with Autel thermal drone
My buddies, J.W. and Dan, got some flak for having this event in Ohio. Well, they are from Pittsburgh, PA and a venue that can accommodate 200+ people is hard to come by especially with what they wanted to have available for attendees to use night vision and firearms. They held the East Coast Night Shoot at the Southington Off-Road Park in Garrettsville, Ohio. Which is about an hour and a half northwest of Pittsburgh and an hour east of Cleveland. For those of you complaining it is not “east coast” enough, Alex Ko of Nocorium and I both flew from the west coast. Ohio is far enough.

There were a number of vendors on site that helped sponsor the East Coast Night shoot.

Photo by Ted Colegrove of some of the vendors on the right, attendees on the left.
Noisefighters
I finally got to meet Neal Brace of Noisefighters in person at the East Coast Night Shoot. He had a prototype of his new Panobridge but he did not allow anyone to take photos. It is a milled version made out of aluminum and titanium. It is very skeletonized and weighs the same as his MJF 3D-printed panobridge.
Photo by Neal Brace. (L-R: Neal, Alex Ko, Me)
He did allow me to take photos of his dovetail panobridge. This is for bridging a thermal device like a SKEETIR or RH25 Micro. The problem is the tolerances for the dovetail are very exact and due to the printing process the dovetail shoe can shrink a bit not allowing the dovetail to slide in all the way.

You can see how the dovetails do not see flush. I had the panobridge just sitting on the dovetails to take this photo.

One concern about this bridge is the collimation of the images and pupillary distance (PD). When using analog night vision on a panobridge, you can adjust for PD by raising the arms a bit and adjusting the tilt or height of the mount. Doing so rotates the PVS-14s. This is not an issue since the image is round but in the case of thermal, it will rotate the thermal image which is rectangular. So angling them up will tilt the image.
Steele Industries
Duncan was there to represent Steele Industries. They did not have anything new but they did bring their one-of-a-kind purple MAWL-C1+.

Night Vision Devices
NVD brought out their latest bino, the Mini-B. It uses 18mm tubes and is powered by a AA. It weighs less than 440g (15.4 oz). It has digital push buttons rather than a rotary switch for manual gain and power activation.

The objective lenses look like RPO objectives but the eyepieces are unique.

The Mini-B starts at just over $7k. Check out their website for more info.
LowLight Innovations
LLI had their LLUL-21 goggle on display. It is a lightweight 3D-printed housing that is fully articulated. It neutered the onboard power and uses a remote battery pack to help save weight. They claim it weighs 16.2oz with standard PVS-14 optics. It is up for pre-order on their website. Housing will be $1299 while a fully built system will be $5900. They have price breaks for their pre-orders.

East Coast Night Shoot Venue
As mentioned earlier, the East Coast Night Shoot was held at the Southington Off-Road Park. They have onsite camping and RV hookups as well as a firearm range. They used a decent-sized pavilion to host the vendor tables, dinner and raffle giveaway.

Alex Ko and I arrived early and helped my friend Josh set up the two pistol range stages. Josh was one of the volunteer staff members and Range Officer for the East Coast Night Shoot. He is an avid USPSA competitor and helps out with their local night shoots in Pittsburgh as well.

Photo by Photos Never Die
90º to the left of the pistol bays was this large cliff. It was the 100-yard range for attendees to shoot at some steel and the cliff face with rifles. This is also where they held the group photo.

Captured on my Mavic 2 Enterprise Advanced. They fired two red parachute flares thanks to ChevTec Group.
The Southington Off-Road Park also has a long-range rifle range that you can shoot out to 700 yards. The shooting line has platforms and shooting benches inside converted shipping containers. That way you can shoot in the rain and be sheltered.
Photo by JWRamp

Thermal image through my JIMLR/LRTV looking out at the steel targets. The target rack at the foot of the cliff is 700 yards.
Night Vision Aficionados Gathering
One reason for me to go to the East Coast Night Shoot was to see old friends and meet online friends in person for the first time.
Ted Colegrove is an accomplished professional photographer and we have chatted about firearms and night vision for a number of years. He showed up with some spare warm clothes and gloves for me to use. (I only brought a spare shirt, spare socks and spare underwear but more about that later LOL). Ohio was rather cold. It was low 40s in the day with some light rain and sleet. When the sun went down it was high 30s.
Ted rocked his spatter camo gear since the majority of attendees were using serious camo like Multicam.

I never met Dan D. before I moved out of Pittsburgh but he is good friends with J.W. Ramp and we have talked about night vision a bit. He has one of my Nocorium wraps for his PVS-27.

Photo by Photos Never Die
J.W. Ramp was the guy who originally had Anvis 10 before I built my set.

Jake of ChevTec Group is someone I was excited to meet. He is my equivalent when it comes to 40mm shenanigans. His YouTube channel is “chalk” full of 40mm goodies. I filmed him in slow motion and night vision. Here is the video he posted using that footage.
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Photo by Photos Never Die
He brought out two launchers. His LMT has a red dot quadrant sight so now he can aim in the dark. I will make an article about that in the future. But this combined with his GITD tracer chalk rounds makes for a fun time. You can see the GITD tracer rounds in the video above.

Jake also brought this but I do not think he shot it. He was the one who brought the red flares and he was the one on the right of the thermal group photo that launched one in the air.

Jake also brought out some Cold Streak ammo. They use GITD discs on the back of the projectile rather than burning phosphorous. I filmed it in slow motion with my Chronos night vision camera setup.
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Night Vision and Thermal Toys
I brought so many night vision and thermal devices I did not have room for clothes other than a spare shirt, spare socks, and spare underwear.
I was particularly intrigued to check out the EOTech CLIP-IR ELR that J.W. had on loan. The CLIP-IR ELR is allegedly the best LWIR thermal clip-on right now. It rivals the Voodoo-M and UTC XII which both cost more than $20k each. The CLIP-IR ELR retails for just under $16k.
The CLIP-IR ELR is a bit bigger than the UTC XII and Voodoo-M. If you have a Wilcox Raptor S, you will need a riser to clear the large objective.

The objective lens has these large fins that reach back making it easier to reach and adjust focus.

I had a hard time getting a good sight picture. The person who set up this rifle had the cheek rest very high and I did not want to mess with their long-range gun setup. I hope to borrow a CLIP-IR ELR from EOTECH to do a full review.
J.W. had his laser testing rig that he has used for previous East Coast Night Shoots but due to how busy they were, they did not use this until most people had left including myself and Alex.

I spent a lot of time at the long-range explaining and demonstrating the Vectronix LRTV.
Photo by Alex Ko

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Click here to see .50 BMG explode at the 700-yard target. 
I also flew my Mavic 2 Enterprise Advanced a bit as well as demonstrated quad tubes with my modified ANVIS-10 (PP-NVG). I will do an article about that in the future as well.

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I brought my Chronos camera but the cloudy sky made for poor lighting. Photo by JWRamp
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East Coast Night Shoot Wrap Up
All the staff wore red jackets with SOLAS reflectors on the sleeves. Photo by Photos Never Die
Big thanks to J.W. and Daniel for hosting the East Coast Night Shoot as well as the rest of the staff that volunteered.
Shout out to Legion Arms for sponsoring the event and providing a hot dinner for everyone.
Photo by Ted Colegrove
Here is a video by Alex Ko aka Nocorium,
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Alex and I had a blast. As mentioned earlier, it was cold. Having lived in Pittsburgh for a number of years as well as my plumpness, I am more insulated and acclimated to the cold. Alex is a lot more fit than I and he was struggling even with some great cold-weather gear. But as long as I kept moving and talking about how awesome night vision is, the cold did not bother me. I look forward to next year.
If you are ever in Ohio, make sure you eat at Skyline Chili. I’ve had it before when I lived in Pittsburgh and would travel to Ohio, so I took Alex there for his first time. He enjoyed it. […]